AN EIGHT-PAGE MONTHLY JOURNAL,
DEVOTED TO
The defense of American Institutions, the preservation of the United States Constitution as it is, so far as regards religion or religious tests, and the maintenance of human rights, both civil and religious.
It will ever be uncompromisingly opposed to anything tending toward a union of Church and State, either in name or in fact.
Single Copy, Per Year, post-paid, - - - 50c.
In clubs of five or more copies, per year, each, - - 30c.
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Address, AMERICAN SENTINEL,
1059 Castro St., OAKLAND, CAL.
Fraudulent Spiritualist Materializations
By Editor
In a public address at the recent Spiritualist camp-meeting in Oakland, William Emmette Coleman said that in his opinion probably ninety-nine one-hundredths of the so-called materializations were fraudulent. A regular correspondent of the Golden Gate says that he should concur in the opinion, and honor him for the utterance, if he had said ninety-five per cent. And Hon. Amos Adams, one of the leading Spiritualists of California, and till recently the president of the State association, speaks as follows of the materialization séances at the Onset Bay camp-meeting:—
"How in the light of reason and common sense these poor, deluded people can reconcile the fact that the child they laid away only weighing from thirty to fifty pounds, could, in the space of one short year, swell into such vast proportions, and weigh at least two hundred pounds, none but those who go to séances knowing they will not be deceived can answer. We believe we have seen people at these séances, who, if a bag of barley were placed at the aperture, with a potato on it for a head, would walk up and embrace it, and then get up in the next fact meeting and state that their long, long ago grandfather, who came to this country in 1690, materialized for them last night at Mrs. So-and-so's séance; and it was impossible for them to be deceived, because he was recognized by a scar on his forehead, caused by a wound made by a spear, when his long-ago grandfather was fighting the battles of William the Conqueror; whereat the relator of this 'fact' would be greeted with wild applause!"
This, as told by the Spiritualists themselves, does not prove that there are no genuine Spiritualist manifestations, but simply that "materialization" affords the best opportunity for fraud. After all, we do not see why it should be thought a strange thing for mediums to practice fraud, when they are in constant communication with, and under the control of, lying spirits.
Dr. Dowling Leaves the Baptists
By Editor
The pastor of one of the leading Baptist Churches in Cleveland, Doctor Dowling, has recently renounced close communion, and has given a general invitation for all who wish to join in celebrating the Lord's Supper. The Michigan Christian Advocate comments on this action as follows:—
"Now that the brother has broken away from one species of bigotry, let us hope that we may yet go a step further and concede that dipping, like close communion, is not necessarily a condition of thoroughly devout Christianity."
We see no reason why he should not, and indeed he must do so if he is consistent in his course. And then when he has decided that baptism is not necessarily a condition of Christianity, he may well conclude that repentance and conversion are likewise unnecessary. And when those old-fashioned things no longer stand in the way, what wonderful advancement (in numbers) the church may be expected to make.
A later dispatch brings the news that Doctor Dowling has withdrawn from his church and from the Baptist denomination. The probability is that, as he is a very popular man, the church will refuse to accept his resignation, and will follow him out of the denomination.
CAMP-MEETINGS FOR 1888.
ILLINOIS, Springfield, Sept. 4-11
MAINE, Bangor, " 4-11
NEW YORK, Rome, " 11-18
INDIANA, Indianapolis, " 11-18
NORTH CAROLINA, Hickory, " 11-18
NEBRASKA, Grand Island, " 11-19
KANSAS, Neodesha, Wilson Co., " 13-23
COLORADO, Denver, " 18-25
CALIFORNIA, Oakland, Sept. 20 to Oct. 2
MICHIGAN, Grand Rapids, " 25 " 2
KANSAS (German), Aiken, Oct. 3-8
MISSOURI, Kansas City, " 2-9
TENNESSEE, Guthrie, Ky., " 2-9
Camp-Meetings Returning to Favor
CAMP-MEETINGS are of late coming largely into favor again. At the last meeting of the Baptist ministers of San Francisco and Oakland, a committee was appointed to inquire into the feasibility of holding an annual camp-meeting in Oakland.
Homes Proposed for Sick Ministers
The settlers of Antelope Valley, Los Angeles County, Cal., have made an offer of 300 acres of land to the Boards of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the M. E. Church South, as a location for their proposed homes for infirm and sick ministers.
Denominational Homes at the University
President Davis, of the University of California, has proposed that the various denominations of the State should each establish a home at the University for the students of their faith, and thus look after their social and religious interests. The proposition has been favorably received, and prominent Methodist clergymen have already visited Berkeley to look for a desirable site for their denominational home.
Sunday Newspaper Advertising
By Editor
WE learn from an exchange that the synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, at its recent session in Pittsburgh, Penn., directed the church authorities to discipline members who advertize their business in the secular Sunday newspapers. We do not learn, however, that any objection was expressed to their having their advertisements appear in the Monday morning papers, all the work of which is done on Sunday.
Subscriptions Coming In
By Editor
Subscriptions for the Signs of the Times and the American Sentinel are now coming in faster than one man can set up the names and arrange the lists. This is what we like. We can find men enough to take care of the list, if our friends will only send in their subscriptions, and those of their friends and neighbors. It is just as easy for us to write for twenty-five thousand subscribers, and, in fact, easier. Try us and see.
NO UNION WITH INFIDELS.
By Editor
A BROTHER in Oregon has sent to this office a letter, of which the following is the principal part:—
"Mr. Sam. P. Putnam, president of the American Secular Union, and editor of a journal called Free Thought, published at San Francisco, was in this town a few days ago lecturing on Infidelity. While here he circulated some of his papers. In one of these papers occurs the statement, made by J. L. McCartney, that the Seventh-day Adventists had 'joined the Secular Union in opposing the objects of the National Reform,' etc.
"Some of the citizens of this place are using this against us, saying that we are a strange class of Christians who unite with infidels."
It is no new thing for those who style themselves National Reformers to brand as infidels all who differ with them. This they find to be much easier than answering arguments. But we are not troubled by that; it is a great satisfaction for us to know that their calling us infidels does not make us such.
In this instance, however, the reporter seems to have been somewhat at fault. The item in Free Thought was clipped from the Chronicle's report of a ministers' meeting at which Professor McCartney presented the subject of National Reform. The report made the Professor say that Seventh-day Adventists had joined the infidel league in opposing National Reform. As soon as we read the report, we addressed a note to Professor McCartney, asking him if he had been correctly reported. We did not believe that he had been, for we had had a long talk with him the day before, in the course of which he spoke very highly of the spirit of devotion which he had seen in our Sabbath-school and church service.
He replied that in his address he made no reference to us, but that in the discussion that followed the reading of his paper, someone mentioned the Seventh-day Adventists as being opposed to the movement.
That is all there is to that. We are most heartily opposed to the National Reform movement, but that does not make us infidels. We are opposed to it because we love the Bible and pure Christianity, and we do not want to see them trampled in the mire of politics.
One word more. The Congregationalist ministers, before whom Professor McCartney read his paper on National Reform, considered the matter at their next meeting, and voted, unanimously, we think, not to indorse National Reform. Query: Does that act place them in the ranks of infidelity?
The Object of the Signs
By Editor
The gentleman whose questions we answer on another page, in his letter to us expresses his appreciation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in the following manner:—
"I like the paper because it gives so much Bible truth, not making man's thoughts too prominent, [which is] a very common fault in the religious journals to-day. Then I like it because while discussing the debatable questions of the day in a liberal spirit, it seeks no higher authority than God's word."
We do not wish for any higher recommendation for the paper than this. To uphold the word of God as the supreme and sole authority in all matters of faith and duty, is the one object of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. We know of no higher authority than the Bible. And when we say that, we mean the Bible as interpreted by the Bible, and not by some man's opinion. There is no man so good or so learned that his opinion is worth anything if it conflicts with the plain teaching of Scripture.
Sunday Is a Pagan Institution
By Editor
The New York Evangelist notes the fact that the session of the Central Presbyterian Church, of Rochester, N. Y., is energetically protesting against the Sunday "desecration" that is carried on in that city, and says that its action is to be followed up by the other churches. It then adds: "Only a prompt, firm, and united stand will make head against present inroads upon the Sabbath [by which it means Sunday] and other of our cherished American institutions."
Calling Sunday an "American institution" is far better than calling it the Christian Sabbath or the Lord's day; but we protest against it. We claim an interest in all American institutions, but we have none in Sunday. Sunday is a pagan institution, and nothing else can be made of it, whatever it may be called.
Religious Longevity No Proof
It is said to be Mr. Gladstone's opinion that Rome, meaning the Roman Catholic Church, would not have lasted as long as she has if it were not for the large amount of faith and hope and charity to be found within her pale. Is that the reason why Confucianism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism, and other forms of paganism, have lasted so long? The custom of measuring a religious organization by its size, or by the length of time it has existed, is a most pernicious one. That standard of measurement would prove paganism to be the only true religion.
The Saturday Half-Holiday
By Editor
Our readers will fully understand, without any comments from us, the bearing of such action as is noted in the following item from the San Francisco Chronicle of the 26th inst.:—
"A Saturday half-holiday is growing rapidly in favor. In the East not only the stores and shops are closing at Saturday noon, but the factories and foundries also, and the workmen here are going to follow suit, if possible. It looks as though the half-holiday is destined to be as much an occasion of regular observance as is Sunday."