Joy of the World.—Many rejoice, or have joy, in the lustful things of this life—some in riches, some in fame, some in pleasure, and all in man or some thing or things that man has done or may do. All this, apart from God, we are assured by the wise man is "folly," and folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom. The prophet declares that such "rejoice in a thing of naught;" hence, at the best, "the joy of the godless is but for a moment." And this the children of earth know to be true. "Man
Other great religious journals present as a claim for public patronage prominent men, noted writers, great names, and high titles. Of that we have no criticism.
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES presents as an appeal to the public Great and Important Truths, told in simple English, and backed by the Living Word of God.
While it will have as its friends and contributors devoted servants of God, men who have made the science of Christianity their study and practice for years, and who know how to write, yet it boasts not in men. Its boast is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1896 every phase of the Gospel of Christ was set forth more or less fully. The great and important doctrines which are agitating the world to-day have been discussed with lucidity and simplicity. Among these are the following:—
The Coming of the Lord and What That Coming Means,
Church and State, Their Union and Separation,
The Dangers That Threaten Both,
Justification, Regeneration and Sanctification,
The Scriptures and Their Inspiration,
Life in Its Relation to Righteousness,
The Sabbath in Its Various Phases,
Great and Important Prophecies,
Life through Christ, and
Practical Christian Life.
Many of these subjects have been illustrated; and our five symposium numbers, if published in pamphlet form, would have brought at low rates one-half the price of the paper. It is safe to say that no religious weekly in the land presented before its readers more Gospel Truth than did the SIGNS OF THE TIMES during 1896.
We expect, by the blessing of God and the coöperation of our subscribers and friends, to do even better in the year 1897. It shall be our aim to "abound more and more."
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES will be published in 1897 as a 16-page, illustrated, religious weekly, for the entire family. The following departments will be maintained:—
Editorial.—In this department will be discussed from the standpoint of the word of God the living issues of the time, the vital teaching of the Gospel, as well as practical Christian truth. The constant object will be to deal, not with men, but with principles which make men what they are.
General Articles.—Under this general head will be set forth the great and vital truths of Christianity in articles on Prophecy, History, and Practical Christian life. The endeavor shall be to let the truth as it is in Jesus speak to the reader.
Outlook.—In this department will be noted from time to time some of the more striking indications of the trend of public sentiment, and here the omens of the time will be recorded.
The Fireside.—We hope to make this part of the paper more profitable than ever before. Articles on Health, Hygiene, interesting information for young and old, with occasional stories of an upbuilding tendency, will be found in the "Fireside" the year to come, and will help young and old around many firesides to pass many a pleasant, instructive, and helpful hour.
In our Missions department will be found interesting articles relative to various parts of the great harvest field, sketches of the dark and needy parts of the earth, with news from missionaries in general and from our own work and workers.
Our Sabbath School.—In this department will be printed our Sabbath school lessons. The first six months of the year these lessons will be on the latter part of the wonderful book of John, the last six months on the book of Acts. As the Revised Version is not found in every home, the SIGNS will print the "Lesson Scripture" from that translation. This will be of interest to many students.
International Sunday School Lessons.—These lessons for 1897 will be upon that most helpful and wonderful record, The Acts of the Apostles. We shall endeavor to help all Sunday school teachers and scholars to an understanding of the word.
News and Notes.—In this department will be found a digest of all the important news of the world for the preceding week. Careful pains will be used as heretofore by competent writers to present facts as they are, together with brief comments concerning the meaning of these facts.
That Our Question Corner has awakened interest is shown by the fact that during the last two years over four hundred questions, principally on scripture themes, have been answered. This will be continued.
But few advertisements will be found in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and these will, so far as human foresight can see, be proper for a religious paper, and reliable.
The price of this large 16-page weekly illustrated paper is placed at the exceeding low price of only One Dollar a year. Directions as to how to send money will be found on this page. Special terms in clubs and to agents.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, OAKLAND, CAL.
A Sunday Law.—
By Editor
THE next issue will be our last till Jan. 7, 1897. The paper, according to our usual custom, will be omitted one week.
ONE church reports an accession of five members as the result of reading the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. This is good. Let the good work go on.
THE annual offering of the church at Battle Creek, Mich., to the cause of foreign missions, given during the recent prayer season, amounted to $10,300.
WE learn from the Review that Dr. Kate Lindsay, for a long time one of the leading physicians in the Battle Creek Sanitarium, will soon go to Cape Town, South Africa, to assist in starting the work in the new institution there.
MANY things have been crowded out of this number to make space for the extra lesson, and an extra extension of our Missions department. We hope that the article in that department will be read, especially by those who are in need of such help as Boulder Sanitarium can give. We feel that we are doing good missionary work in calling attention to that institution.
Our Esteemed Contemporary, the American Sentinel, begins the new year in a much improved form, and with sixteen pages, instead of eight, as hitherto. The price is unchanged, $1.00 a year. The Sentinel deserves the improvement. It needs the added space, and the people need the instruction and warnings it gives. We wish it a useful and prosperous new year. Its address is 39 Bond Street, New York City.
A Sunday Law.—
We wonder if Californians, those who boast of great liberality of mind, freedom of thought, and charity toward their fellows, want a Sunday law. Mighty efforts are already putting forth to obtain it. Christian Endeavor societies are putting forth much political endeavor to obtain it. Many will sign petitions for such a law who do not know its evils. Many even of those who are working for it do not know the evil that is in it. It is put forth as a temperance scheme, as a police regulation, etc., but behind it all is the complete union of church and state. The movement is anti-Christian, un-American, and will result in injustice and oppression. Do Californians want such a law? If they do not, it is time for lovers of freedom to arouse.
Shall It Be?—
The apostle Paul, in writing to the Corinthians of their liberality, says that their "zeal hath stirred up very many" others. We are hoping that this may be the case with the zeal of our friends in Kansas. Two months ago we were sending into Kansas 650 copies weekly of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. One week ago we were sending 1,400 copies weekly. Now the list has increased to 2,400. Will it not be that the zeal of Kansas shall stir up very many?
WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE?
TURKEY is Mohammedan, Spain is "Christian." Armenia has long been trying to throw off the Turkish yoke, and establish her independence. For this reason Armenians have suffered many atrocities at the hands of Turkish soldiers. However, leading Armenians counted on this very thing, and calculated that it would bring them sympathy and assistance from the "Christian nations." They have had much clamorous sympathy, and some assistance in the way of needed provisions and clothing for destitute sufferers, but they have not succeeded in securing what they expected—assistance to gain their political independence. The "Christian nations" have been terribly berated by "Christian" enthusiasts because they have not taken up carnal weapons in defense of "Christian" Armenia's political freedom.
On the other hand, Cuba, fully as much Christian as Armenia, has long been struggling for emancipation from her "Christian" tyrant, Spain. Cruel depredations upon innocent non-combatants, as cruel as any perpetrated by the Turks, have been reported time and again from Cuba. Of course these have been denied by Spain; but wo to the foreigner, of whatever nation, who should undertake to make personal investigation, as has been done by many private individuals in Turkey. Wo to the relief committee who should undertake to carry relief to the destitute sufferers in Cuba. Foreigners who are known to sympathize with the Armenians are safer in Constantinople than they are in Havana if even suspected of sympathizing with the suffering Cubans.
The latest advices from Havana state that all the Americans in that city are designated as "pigs," by the Spaniards, and live in constant anticipation of violence, just because they are Americans, and because the Spanish people and soldiers know that the Cuban insurgents have received some aid from the United States through filibustering parties. The bloodthirsty disposition of many of the people, it is authoritatively stated, has to be satiated by bull-fights to keep down their indignation because the insurgents are not overcome by the Spanish forces. The following description of an "event" of that kind, which occurred on the 9th inst., is sufficient to show that many of the subjects of "Christian" Spain are not a whit behind those of Moslem Turkey in the enjoyment of cruel scenes:—
"Three bulls had been killed in accordance with the recognized formula. The fourth bull was either so tame or tired that the professional matadores refused to kill it and went home. The mob then tore up the benches and threw them, with bottles and stones, into the ring at the bull. The animal finally ran into its stall and the police locked the stable doors. The police were brushed aside by the mob, which clambered from the seats to the ring. The bull was again driven into the inclosure and tormented and tortured. It was beaten with sticks, stabbed and struck on all portions of its body with machetes by military officials, hit on the head and neck with a hoe, its nose cut off and one of its eyes gouged out. Then the poor brute was caught by the tail and thrown. In an instant the mob, which numbered fully 200, swarmed on the beast and mutilated it in a frightful manner. The head was then cut off and carried through the streets. All this time fifty police were drawn up in line outside the grounds."
And it is safe to assume that all of this class of citizens are loyal to "the church," and would fight for it to the death. Nor is the enjoyment of brutal scenes confined to either the Turks or Spaniards; the prize-fights, the football games, the horse-races, etc., are lavishly patronized in all the "Christian nations." And in all of them the more they indulge in carnal warfare, the greater is the lust for bloody scene. And this fact ought to be considered before encouraging military organizations among the children and young people in the churches. We can not expect that an education in the exercise of carnal weapons will develop adepts in the use of the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;" for "what concord hath Christ with Belial?" The use of this world's weapons and its modes of warfare have the same deteriorating effect upon human nature in all lands, whether employed by Moslem or professed Christian. Their employment invariably tends to quench the Spirit of Christ. W. N. G.
SAD NEWS.
The sad tidings of the death of Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper and daughter, last Thursday night will strike the whole country like an electric shock. There were few women better known, or more thoroughly respected by her acquaintances, than Mrs. Cooper, chiefly through her association with kindergarten work for poor children, a work to which she and her daughter had devoted years of earnest and hard labor. The saddest part of the news is that death was caused by the daughter's own hand. Miss Cooper had for some time been developing insanity with suicidal tendencies, having inherited it from her father, who committed suicide, as did several other relatives of his. Repeatedly the daughter had said that she wished to die, and that her mother might die with her. Mrs. Cooper was warned by her physician and intimate friends, and importuned to place the daughter in an asylum. But this she could not bear to do. Knowing her danger, she exonerated her daughter for anything she might do while in her condition of insanity, and made her will. Thursday night she retired, and went to sleep. The daughter sealed the rooms, and turned on two gas-jets, and in the morning both were found dead. Mrs. Cooper, while a woman of strong convictions, possessed broad charities and kindly sympathies for all in need. Her death will be greatly felt by many, who always found in her a helpful friend.
GOOD WORDS FOR THE "SIGNS."
By Editor
ONE of our most active Gospel workers, among other good things, writes: "The SIGNS is indispensable to me in connection with our Gospel meetings, and I am using all I can buy and beg."
Another earnest laborer writes of the SIGNS: "O, I feel so thankful that we have such matter to present to the people. I wish I were able, I would buy hundreds of this paper," referring to a certain number.
The Youth's Instructor
By Editor
The Youth's Instructor is always a bright, interesting, and instructive paper for youth. It grows more so. We wish it could be read by all the youth in the land. It offers special terms in the year to come in the way of premiums to those who will put forth a little effort in its behalf; not only in behalf of the paper, but in behalf of the youth who read it not. The Youth's Instructor is worth all it costs. Neatly printed, finely illustrated, one dollar a year. Address, Youth's Instructor, Battle Creek, Mich.
The Turkish Question
By Editor
It would seem as tho the Turkish question is in a fair way of being settled. There is at last reported a union of sentiment and policy among the great watchdogs of Europe over the Turkish bone; and yet none of them get the bone, at least for a while. At any rate we hope the atrocities in Armenia will cease.
