p. 16 | Signs of the Times, December 19, 1916 (12/19/1916)

Earlier text: Mabel's Christmas Feast

The SIGNS of the Times

By Editor

MAGAZINE

Cover of the Larger

"IMPROVED"

Signs of the Times Magazine

Other better-than-usual articles in the January number are:

FLIPPING LIFE'S PAGES BOWING AT THE SHRINE OF ATHEISM CLINGING TO WILTED STEMS A beautiful story with a point to it SIGNING HER EMANCIPATION PAPERS BELTING THE GLOBE WITH A MESSAGE THE HOPE OF ALL AGES HUMANITY'S HOPE FOR PEACE ALL SIX, AND THE SEVENTH A SUBSTITUTE FOR DEATH "Until 'divorce' do us part" IN THE CREATOR'S WORKSHOP CURRENT EVENTS in the light of Bible prophecy

Every article a masterpiece. When you see a copy, you will almost surely say, How greatly improved!

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A Repentance Unrepented

By E. Hilliard

WORLDLY sorrow comes because the sin is found out, made public. Some believe and teach that such sorrow for sin is genuine repentance. But such sorrow leads away from repentance to death eternal. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." 2 Cor. 7:10. Godly sorrow is sorrow for the transgression of God's law, and it leads to a turning away from sin to life eternal.

God cannot look upon the smallest sin with the least degree of allowance, for He has provided a way for the sinner to be separated from his sins. He commands all men everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30. It is through repentance, confession, and faith in Christ that we are released from the bondage of sin. Repentance is a gift from God just as much as forgiveness. "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts 5:31.

It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that the sinner is reproved of his sins and brought to genuine repentance. See John 16:7, 8. It is the divine Spirit working through the instrumentality of the law that makes sin appear exceeding sinful. The afflicted soul bows down under his load of guilt and shame. He sees only a selfish, sinful, wasted life; and he cries out in his grief, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24.

Ringing with Cheer

Satan leads men to commit sin, and then tortures them with the thought that they have committed the unpardonable sin. Cruel foe! He loves to harass the penitent soul by whispering: "You have sinned away the day of grace. There is no hope for your soul." Let us thank God that this foe can be put to flight by faith in the promises of our crucified Redeemer. It is through the promise of God that the tortured conscience finds relief.

Listen to the cheering words from the heights of glory, ringing down through the ages—words which, if believed, will bring peace to your wretched, sin-burdened soul: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Jesus loves to plead His precious blood in full payment for the penitent, believing soul. E. HILLIARD.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

By Editor

WHY not a subscription to the Signs of the Times Magazine? Such a twelve-time reminder of your love and thoughtfulness would be greatly appreciated. Send five or more subscriptions at one time, and get our special sixty cent a year rate. Do it to-day, and say you want the subscription to begin with the January number.

Among "SAVAGE CHRISTIANS"

By Editor

It was Roger Williams who said it was more comfortable to his body and healthful to his soul to dwell among "the Christian savages of Narragansett than among the savage Christians of Massachusetts." The story is an interesting one, as told by Dr. P. T. Magan in the January number of the Signs of the Times Magazine.

Too much gold in America, so our financiers tell us. The condition and its meaning are fully set forth in the feature article entitled GLUTTED WITH GOLD.

Wanted for Missionary Work

Mary Weil, Burbank, California, requests that the following denominational literature be sent her for free distribution: Signs of the Times in Spanish and German, SIGNS OF THE TIMES weekly, Signs Magazine, W a t c h m a n, Youth’s Instructor, and Little Friend; also tracts.

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Peaches, per lb., 8c; prunes, 9c; pitted plums, 7c; pears, 10c; apricots, 13c; figs, 7c; almonds, 20c; black walnuts, polished, 5c; ripe olives, canned for keeping, if desired, 11-16 in. diameter, quart cans, 20c; gal. cans, 70c; 5-gal. cans, 65c per gal.; 25-gal. barrels, 60c per gal.; 50-gal. barrels, 50c per gal.; 10-16 in. diameter, 10c less per gal., 12-16 to 14-16 in. diameter, 20c per gal. additional. Pure olive oil, $2.00 per gal. Olives ready to ship at once. Satisfaction guaranteed. A. E. Crist, Chico, Cal.

Agreed for Russia to Have Constantinople

FOR more than half a century, modern students of prophecy have been watching with deep interest the developments and the changes in Turkish affairs. And in more remote times, there were those who were studying the prophetic page, who believed that the Turk would be the center of important scenes in the unrolling of the very last part of the great scroll of prophecy.

With these thoughts in mind, the announcement made by Premier Trepoff in the Russian capital on December 2 is most striking and significant. A part of the premier's utterances are the following:

"For more than a thousand years, Russia has been reaching southward toward a free outlet on the open sea. This dream now is ready for realization. . . . From the beginning of the war, wishing to spare human lives and suffering, we and our allies did our utmost to restrain Turkey from participation in hostilities. Turkey received formal assurances guaranteeing her, in exchange for neutrality, the integrity of her territory and independence, and also conferring on her certain privileges and advantages. These efforts were vain. Turkey surreptitiously attacked us.

"We then concluded an agreement with our allies, which establishes the right of Russia to the straits and Constantinople. Russians should know for what they are shedding blood; and in accord with our allies, announcement of this agreement is made to-day from this tribune."

"Absolute agreement on this point is firmly established among the allies. . . . Russia will grant freedom of navigation for the Roumanian flag, which now, not for the first time, floats in battle side by side with the flag of Russia."

Of course, the war is not yet over. The private agreement between Russia and her allies cannot be carried out unless they win in the struggle in blood that is progressing. But whether they win or not, these pronouncements from Premier Trepoff show the tendency of the thought and the determination of the great statesmen of the time.

England has resolutely refused, for many, many years, to yield to these plans and ambitions of Russia with reference to Constantinople. But these utterances from Petrograd show that England is now willing that Russia shall have her way, and secure a southern outlet through the Dardanelles, as has been her ambition for a thousand years.

Should the allies succeed, it is already agreed that Turkish power in Europe is at an end. Thus much has been done toward the drying up of that power which holds the Euphrates Valley as well as Constantinople; and the completion of that work is to open the way for "the kings of the east" to march unobstructedly to the great and final battle field of Armageddon.

No one who is a student of and a believer in the clear unfoldings of prophecy, can mark these developments without having his soul stirred. Tremendous issues are upon us, and we need to be wide awake to the meaning of current developments.

Turned into a War Factory

Two of the most powerful nations not directly involved in the world war are the United States and Japan; yet the manufacturers and financiers of these two nations are doing their full share of the work of promoting and helping the war along. The Japanese ambassador at Rome is reported to have said recently:

"Japan to-day is practically one immense war factory; and very many thousands of Japanese, both men and women, are assisting in the production of munitions of war. In this work, the women are proving themselves almost as valuable as the men."

In another paragraph, the ambassador said: "The arms and munitions which we produce are being sent to the Russian front as rapidly as possible, and the means of transportation have been greatly improved during the past few months."

And while saying this concerning the assistance that Japan is rendering to Russia in the European conflict, he added: "At the same time, Japan is kept constantly on a war footing; and if the central empires, by some means or other, should attempt anything in the Far East, they will find us ready."

© Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. WOMAN AVIATOR CHAMPION ON HER ARRIVAL FROM CHICAGO

The nations for half a century have been developing the war spirit as never before. We are living in the time, as expressed in Rev. 11:18, when the nations are "angry." Previous to the outbreak of the war in Europe in 1914, God, by His mighty power, had been fulfilling His promise to hold the winds of war, in order that His gospel might perform a specific work throughout the world (see Revelation 7); but the limit of God's forbearance is being reached, the day of His great visitation is here, and He is dealing with sin now as never before since the days of the Flood.

Men will attempt to create peace on this earth without doing the things that make for peace. "There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked." Isa. 48:22. The war preparations of this time are calling more and more of the men into activity; and so intense has become the work, that the women not only in Japan, but in many other countries, are entering the factories, and engaging in many other occupations, in order to supplement the work of men, or that they may be spared to fight.

A delusive theory is spreading throughout the world, that this war madness may be controlled, and that men may be taught not to fight. But conditions will grow more and more intense until the Prince of peace Himself shall appear in the clouds of heaven to destroy the wickedness that fills the world with war.

An Outbreak of Spiritism

By Editor

SOME theosophists are teaching that Theodore Roosevelt is the reincarnation of Cæsar, and that President Wilson is a "superman." They also offer the suggestion that an improved race may soon be developed by men becoming possessed with the souls of the dead soldiers of Europe.

Men are claiming to-day, as never before, that they are receiving messages from their dead relatives. Leading scientific and literary men who have recently died are said to be active in their communications with the living. There seems to be a strange and unusual outbreak of spirit phenomena; and men who do not know their Bibles, are deluded into the belief that these apparitions are from the dead. But God's book says: "The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Eccl. 9: 5, 6.

As never before in the history of this world, men need to cling to the strong foundations of the Old Book. That Book tells us of "spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16: 14. It is only through a knowledge of the book of God, and a living experience in the salvation offered through the gospel of Jesus Christ, that men may be able to detect these false spirits which are working with such mighty power in the world. All who do not stand on the solid rock of eternal truth will be swept away by the delusions of this time, and be lost in the deluge.

A DISPATCH from London says that the president of the Board of Trade is about to present to Parliament a measure making it compulsory throughout the British Isles to use whole wheat flour instead of white, placing a ban on all fancy cakes and pastry, and also instituting "meatless days, on which neither shops nor restaurants will be allowed to sell meat."

WE advertise to print fifty numbers of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES each year. We omit an issue in midsummer and one at holiday time. In accordance with our usual custom, there will be no paper next week.

THE city of Washington, according to the Washington Post, is to have a half-million-dollar "temple" for the moving picture show.

Subscribers, Notice!

By Editor

As previously announced, the "Signs of the Times" will appear in eight-page form after January 1. With this reduced size will be a reduction in price as well, from $1.75 to $1.00 for single yearly subscriptions, and from $1.20 to eighty cents a year each for clubs of five or more to one person.

Time will be extended on all those subscriptions which expire after January 1, in proportion to the amount due them.

With sincere appreciation, we acknowledge receipt of many commendatory letters regarding the proposed change. Practically all entertain the opinion that the reduced rates at a time when prices on nearly every needful thing are going up, will have the desirable effect of greatly increasing the circulation of the journal.