p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 6. (2/8/1905)

Earlier text: A LETTER FROM BULUWAYO, SOUTH AFRICA

AGENTS WANTED

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Immortality Only Through Christ

If this life is, through God, only in Christ and those who are His, as the Bible expressly declares, it therefore certainly follows that those out of Christ do not possess it. "Ye will not come to Me [says Jesus], that ye might have life." "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life." John 3:36. What then becomes of the doctrine of man's immortal soul, or that entity within man which possesses indestructibility, which will live on and on through endless eons of joy or misery? If the essential part of man is capable of living of itself a life without end, it possesses eternal life wherever it may exist; it is either eternal life in blessedness or eternal life in misery. And if this be the case with the natural man, the words of Christ are meaningless. Modern theology claims that man has life in himself, that he is fated to live an endless life whether he will or not. The Bible declares that man is mortal; that immortality and eternal life are gifts of God; that if man is to possess this life at all, it must be through faith in Christ. The former doctrine is based upon that first falsehood, "Ye shall not surely die;" the latter is based upon the words of divine Inspiration. Jesus Christ is not only the Way and the Truth, He is also the Life; and he that hath the Son, hath the life; but he that hath not the Son hath not the life.

Baseless Assumptions.

The attempt to make this a "Christian nation" by legislation, will virtually brand every citizen with the inscription, "This is a Christian," tho he may be one of the greatest enemies of Christianity in profession and character. This assumption of national Christianity, or religion by law, has its counterpart in some other "Christian" ideas. At first, Spiritualism was antagonistic to Christianity; but now we have "Christian Spiritualists." It used to be that professed scientists who opposed the Bible account of creation were reckoned as infidels; but it has come to pass that great theologians oppose Genesis in the name of Christianity; and we have "Christian Scientists," who only nominally use any part of the Bible. Socialism was at first deemed altogether infidel in its tendency, but the latest feature is "Christian Socialism."

Christianity has come to be deemed by many of its votaries only a name,—just agree to call anything Christian, and it is so. This mania is simply a return to the Roman theory, as illustrated in the so-called conversion of Constantine, and with him the whole empire. This was followed by the baptism of pagan idols, and naming them after the apostles of Christianity. What shall come of such pretension and assumption in the judgment is indicated by the Saviour's words in the Sermon on the Mount: "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."

CONTAINED IN THIS NUMBER.

Poetry.

"Lo, I Am with You Alway," JESSIE F. WAGGONER . . . 1 Pray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Thanksgiving, MRS. SUSAN BIRDSALL ROBERTS . . . . . 12 I Would See Jesus, ELLA CORNISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Editorial.—A Great Opportunity—Is It War or Peace?—

Those Greater Works—A God of Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Question Corner.—Nos. 1610-1615 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Outlook.—The Ministry as Seen by a Minister—Sunday Enforcement News and Comment, JOHN D. BRADLEY—The Russian Outbreak—The War in the Orient . . . . . . . . 6, 7

General.

Geology the Mother of Darwinism, GEO. MCCREADY PRICE 8 All for Us, H. A. ST. JOHN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Spirit of Prophecy, L. D. SANTKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Covenant-Law, L. A. PHIPPENY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A Message from Jesus, A. SMITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Missions.—A Letter from Buluwayo, South Africa—M. C. STURDEVANT—South American Distrust—Eastern Turkey . 12

The Home.—Infantile Disease and Proper Feeding—Harry's Missionary Potato—Putting an Elephant to Bed . . . . . 14

International Sunday-School Lesson.—Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Publishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 15

The True Unifier

The only true unifier in the universe is the Spirit of the living God, operating in harmony with the law of God's righteousness, and obtainable only by faith in Christ Jesus.

The Christ-Life.

Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews, "Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life." Jesus therefore possessed a life which the unbelieving did not have, and which for any to obtain, it is necessary to come to Him. This life is not a life common to all. It is the life to which are applied the terms "eternal" and "everlasting." It is the life which believers now have by faith (John 5:24; Gal. 2:20), which is in Christ and in them, binding them to Christ (1 John 5:11), and which He will give in its fulness to those who are His at the last day (John 6:40). It is included in the hope of the fathers, in the promise of God, on which that hope was based. 1 John 2:25; Titus 1:2. This promise, with the eternal blessings comprehended in it, are the believer's now by faith, and remain his on the condition that he hold the beginning of his "confidence steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3:14. To those who endure unto the end God will render eternal life. Rom. 2:6, 7; 1 Cor. 15:51-55.

Preventing Fraud in Precious Metals

By Editor

To prevent fraud in the manufacture of watch-cases or other articles manufactured of gold or silver, a bill has passed the House of Representatives and will soon come before the Senate. This bill, if passed, will make it a crime punishable by fine, imprisonment, and confiscation of goods for any person or corporation to manufacture and offer for sale articles of gold or silver labeled or stamped with words indicating that such articles have passed a government test of purity when they have not, and that they are pure metal when they are not. The Dueber-Hampden Watch Company is ardently working for the passage of this bill, and has brought before the Interstate Commerce Committee of the Senate much evidence to show the necessity of such legislation. It has brought forth many instances of the sale of what purported to be solid gold watch cases, but which have proved to be the basest of frauds upon the unsuspecting purchasers. It is certainly to be hoped that the bill may become a law and that it may bring about the repression of such fraudulent transactions. If it does become a law, we hope it will have a more conscientious enforcement than the laws against the adulteration of food have ever received. Unscrupulous manufacturers backed by unscrupulous inspectors can emasculate the wisest laws our statesmen can devise.

A Proper Amendment.

By Editor

There is now pending in Congress a bill providing for two new states—one composed of Oklahoma and Indian Territories, and one of Arizona and New Mexico. With the Indians of Indian Territory the United States Government has a treaty agreement to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. Unless this prohibition be made binding upon the proposed new state, the Indians, in a very short time, would become the victims of the liquor traffic, and we all know what such a calamity means. Therefore, every one imbued with a spirit of benevolence and a desire to see the Indians prosper, will indorse Senator Gallinger's amendment to the Statehood Bill, which enjoins a continuation of the prohibition treaty for twenty-one years after the admission of the new state into the union. Friends of the measure, who are specially urging its adoption, ask that persons favorably inclined will write to the senators from their respective states urging favorable action. It is certainly a worthy cause.

No Excuse for Temptation

To complain of temptation, like all other complaint, is not only useless, but it is childish, showing a lack of faith in God. It shows a selfish desire to get through the world easier than other people, to share in the victory without having participated in the battle. The infallible Word says that "there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Now where is there any ground for complaint about temptation? or where is there any excuse for being overcome by it? The Lord has left us without any excuse in this matter; for He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." And having suffered through temptation, "He is able to succor them that are tempted." In view of these facts we have the inspired suggestion: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." In all the possible vicissitudes of the Christian life there is no excuse; for "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Pennsylvania Sunday Law

By Editor

Pennsylvania Sunday Law.—The secretary of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission writes to the White Haven Journal that "the act prohibiting hunting on Sunday was not drawn with the idea of protecting the sanctity of the Sabbath, but was drawn with the idea and for the purpose of giving the game of the State one day's rest in seven." For some years past we have heard a great deal about laws to enforce one day's rest in seven, no doubt because of any religious idea, etc., etc.; but we notice that such propositions are always embodied in Sunday laws. We happen to know that the first proposition of the kind was made by a prominent Sunday-law champion for the express purpose of securing a State Sunday law in California, and that it was urged in the councils of its advocates as a means of covering up the real object of the law. But it is hardly probable that the Pennsylvania game birds and animals would have any choice as to the day of rest from their enemies.

The Minister of the Gospel

The minister of Christ is not the minister of civil law, nor, for the matter of that, of divine law, but the "minister of the Gospel." He is to persuade men, not compel them. 2 Cor. 5:11. He is to use carnal weapons neither in theory nor practise, but the weapons not carnal (2 Cor. 10:4), even the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11-18). In this armor, with those weapons, in God's way, as minister of the Gospel, he is promised the presence of Christ, in whom is all power, even unto the end. When ministers are found clamoring for civil law to effect "moral reforms," their faith in Christ and connection with Him may well be questioned.

Hope in the God of Power

The Creator of the heavens and the earth is stronger than "the prince of the power of the air," stronger than "the spirit which now worketh in the sons of disobedience," stronger than all the storms and tempests of earth; and wise and prudent is he, in these days of storm and turmoil, whose hope is in the God of power and might.