p. 603 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 38. (9/29/1914)

Earlier text: The Law and the Prophets until John

IS SATURDAY THE ORIGINAL SEVENTH DAY?

By L. A. R.

IF God has instituted a day to be kept holy, surely He must preserve the identity of that day, else no one would know what day to observe.

Genesis is a record of events, not of laws; and that argument is an absurd one which maintains that because the record of creation does not declare that the fourth commandment of the Decalogue was promulgated in Eden as it was from Sinai, therefore we are at liberty to reject the Sabbath.

On the same basis, we would be justified in refusal to honor our parents; for where is there any statement to the effect that in Eden children were commanded to honor their father and mother? We might reason likewise in reference to other of the commandments.

As to the records of time, there is no question but that Adam knew the definite day, for God started the weekly cycle with him. Twenty-five hundred years later, the world were disregarding the Sabbath. The Israelites had been in slavery in Egypt, and had not been permitted to observe the Sabbath. When God led them out of Egypt toward the promised land, He rained manna from heaven for them six days in the week, but on the Sabbath none fell. They were commanded to gather twice as much the day before, hence they knew when the Sabbath was coming. And when the Sabbath did come, they could not fail to see it, in the fact that there was no manna that day. So long as the Jews were a nation, they did not lose the record of the Sabbath.

Coming to the time of Christ, we find, in Luke 23: 54, that Christ was laid in the tomb on the preparation day, "and the Sabbath drew on." In the fifty-sixth verse, we read that on the Sabbath the women rested "according to the commandment"; and Matt. 28: 1 tells us that the next day was the first day of the week. Here is a definite statement that the Sabbath according to the commandment lies between the preparation day and the first day of the week. There is no other Sabbath according to the commandment given in the Bible.

NO LOSS OF TIME SINCE

This is a matter in which there is no occasion for any controversy. The Jews in all parts of the world have exactly the same records; and there is no nation of modern times, whether it keeps Old Style or New Style, that has had any confusion with any other nation over this question of the weekly cycle.

To-day the great mass of Christians call the day that corresponds to Christ's crucifixion day "Good Friday," and they call the Sunday that corresponds to His resurrection "Easter"; and the Sabbath lies between these two days just exactly the same now as it did in the days when Christ lay in the tomb. The conclusion is irresistible that if we want to rest on the Sabbath according to the commandment, we will have to do it on the same day that those devout women did who were personally associated with Christ when He was upon earth.

L. A. R.

IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORD

By J. O. C.

Magnified above His Name — Is God Particular about His Word?

THE voice of inspiration tells that God has magnified His word above all His name. Ps. 138: 2. To magnify a thing is to enlarge it. As used in this connection, the expression means to lift above. That is to say, the words God has spoken for man's benefit He has elevated in greatness above His fulness of name. True, one can hardly comprehend such a comparison, because he knows so little about the completeness of the name of the great I AM. A few expressions, however, relating to this greatest of subjects, may not be out of place.

First of all, God's name is said to be both "holy" and "reverend." Ps. 111: 9. These are strong words, representing the elevation of that name to be above every other name, thus placing it where every creature should render it supreme honor. A name of this character could be nothing less than of eternal endurance. Recognizing this, the psalmist proclaimed aloud that it endures forever, and the memorial of its distinction to all generations. Ps. 135: 13.

STRONG TOWER OF DEFENSE

To be covered with the mantle of such a name, one must not only be eminent in a righteous sense, but he also must have the abiding life of the lofty title taken to himself. This condition is admirably expressed in the illustrative picture of inspiration which says that the name of the Lord is a "strong tower" into which the righteous run, and are there rendered safe from any and every devastating foe. Prov. 18: 10.

But with all these unequivocal statements, the human mind fails to grasp the greatness of the subject, because it is beyond the sweep of ordinary thought. However, one can reach enough of it to realize something of the sacredness of that name which stands for everything substantial in the universe. This being so, let application be made accordingly of that statement that God has magnified His word — that is, made it great — above all His name. Then, however great and holy one may estimate the name of God to be, let him be assured that the word of God stands even higher, because it is the expression of His mind, which is the beginning of all things.

WRETCHED MOCKERY

To refuse obedience to such a word is no less than to spurn the direction of God's mind, by which the inanimate universe is sustained and regulated in all its functions. It must therefore be wretched mockery of Jehovah to affirm that although He may have spoken regarding man's duty, it makes no difference whether one obeys or not the exact direction of His word, since He is not particular.

How do such people know that God is not particular? Do they not know that He is to bring "every work into Judgment, with every secret thing"? Then why do these very ones, many of them, become so particular to have their personal decisions of duty regarded, that they seek civil enactments by which to demand obedience to the very letter of their conclusions, notwithstanding these are well known to contravene the plain requirements of God's word?

Take, for instance, the weekly rest-day problem. The word of God emphatically declares that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and requires world toilers everywhere to rest on that day. Ex.

20: 8-11. Moreover, there is not the least evidence that Scripture has made void that requirement. Everybody well understands that the day called Saturday is the veritable seventh day of the week originally enjoined as God's appointed day of rest. Yet in the face of this, men have substituted the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, as a weekly religious rest. Not satisfied with honoring by themselves this rival rest day, many are striving by civil enactment to enforce its regular observance upon every one, whether Jew, agnostic, or out-and-out infidel.

This is but to place their own decision of duty above the requirements of God's word, and really to antagonize Jehovah Himself. Yet astonishing as it may seem, the promoters of this program profess to be followers of Him who never changes, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever (Heb. 13: 8), and even talk much about honoring Him.

To all such the following scripture is recommended for candid inspection: "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6: 46. J. O. C.

THE REINDEER HERDS OF ALASKA

By William A. Spicer

AN interesting report of the results of an effort to provide a life-sustaining industry in one of the mission fields was made some time ago by Ex-Governor Brady, of Alaska, at a missionary conference. He referred to the late Dr. Sheldon Jackson's endeavor to plant the reindeer in northern Alaska, where the Eskimos were suffering privation owing to lack of game and lack of food. Many will remember the discussion in the newspapers when Dr. Jackson visited north Sweden in his efforts to gather up reindeer herds for Alaska. The results are summarized in the following report from Record of Christian Work:

"Years ago, this devoted home missionary was traveling in a revenue service cutter on the far northern coast. When the vessel dropped anchor at Cape Prince of Wales, the natives rushed onto the ship and made for the swill casks to try to get remnants of the crew's food. Dr. Jackson conceived the plan then and there of importing reindeer to supply the Eskimos with means of livelihood. Some Christian friends gave him $5,000 for this purpose. After many difficulties and much disparaging comment from those who 'knew it could not be done,' he finally was able to place seven hundred reindeer among the Alaskans. This was in 1902. The last report announces the existence of fifty-four different herds, with nearly forty thousand reindeer. The Eskimos own about sixty-three per cent of these, and earned with them, last year, some forty-five thousand dollars. The creatures live on moss, and provide milk, meat, skin clothing, and motive power. We have, affirms Ex-Governor Brady, a possibility of raising millions of reindeer and supplying our markets with delicious meat. The Eskimos' ambition has been aroused by this new venture, and the younger ones are seeking education."

W. A. S.

25 — THE DEATH OF JESUS

By William H. Priester

Where was Jesus during the three days His body, or soul, lay in the tomb? Was His entire being there in the tomb, as totally unconscious as one of us, or did He exist with His Father in some form? The Greek of Matt. 27:50 reads, "Jesus resigned His breath"; and our Bible, "yielded up His spirit." W. H. P.

To refer to the last part of the question first, the spirit, or the breath, simply stood for the life, the vitalizing power of God which He gives to all His children. It is not an entity of itself. There is nothing in the Scripture that indicates this. It may be translated "breath," and in such case is identical with the "breath of life," Gen. 2:7. But it is not a being of itself, or an entity of itself, capable of existing consciously apart from the body to which it belongs.

When Jesus yielded up His breath, or His life, He died as the Christian must die. "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:3. The fundamental fact concerning the death of our Lord is this: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3. The same record tells us that He who died was buried, and that He who was buried was raised on the third day. Verse 4. The same chapter tells us that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised (verse 13), and therefore does not live; and this is the logical conclusion of verse 14: "And if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain." The same thing is repeated for emphasis in verse 17: "And if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

Now, the simplest logic would teach us that if our Lord did not die—if He were just as much alive as though He had been raised from the dead—faith would not be vain. The triumphant conclusion of the apostle is, "But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of them that are asleep." And the first-fruits is the man Christ Jesus, who is triumphant over death and the grave; and the fruits that are with Him are of the same character. Therefore Christ died as do those for whom He died.

This also is taught in the words of the glorified Christ Himself. He does not say, "I am He whose body slept in the grave, but whose real being did not die"; but to John, before whom lay a life of persecution, He said: "Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." Rev. 1:17, 18.

From these and many other passages, we must conclude that He "poured out His soul unto death" (Isa. 53:12), was unconscious in the grave until He was called again by His Father; and therein is the great sacrifice which Heaven itself made for man.

21 — EVOLUTION OF MAN

By Editor

In the theory of the evolutionist, how does he account for the non-extinction of the particular protoplasm that man is supposed to have evolved from? Does he state why we do not continue to evolve, as do the frog, the mosquito, the moth, etc.?

The theory of the evolutionist is that after a while, these various species which evolved from the lower orders became fixed. Of course that must be his theory, because he finds no such variations or transmigrations now. He finds no link between the fish and the bird. He has not found the link between man and the monkey. We do not know that he would hold that that particular protoplasm exists now. In fact it is impossible for us to tell just what all the theories of the evolutionist are. It is a great deal simpler and a great deal more reasonable for us to believe the simple record God has given us in Genesis than to attempt to believe the changing, shifting theory of evolution. Certainly within the knowledge of man, we find that God's law "after his kind" remains unbroken. The evolutions of the frog, the mosquito, the moth, etc., are developments. They are not the changing of one species into another.

22 — TEMPTED WITH DOUBTS

Are there any statements in the Bible from which it can be gathered that Christ was doubtful about the consummation, efficiency, or success of the plan of salvation?

There are passages which would seem to indicate that His human heart and human feelings trembled in the balance; that He questioned not God, but whether He Himself was sufficient for the work. One can read Psalm 22 in this light with interest. That is a psalm that is prophetic of Christ in His humanity. In John 12:27 we read, in the prayer of Jesus: "Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name." A. R. V., margin. In other words, Jesus came to that place where seemingly His human limitations shut from Him the knowledge of His triumph, and all He could do was to leave His case in the hand of God. The prayer in Gethsemane indicates some of the same intense feeling He had. And His words upon the cross, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" show that He Himself was suffering the very agony of the lost. Heb. 5:7, 8 reads: "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." And again Heb. 2:17, 18: "Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted." But in all the temptations and all the doubts that harassed Him, there was no sin, no distrust of God.

23—INDULGENCE IN MEATS, 1 COR. 6:13

By Editor

Please explain this verse. When will that time be that God will bring to naught "both it and them"?

Read the verse in connection with verse 12. The apostle declares that all things are lawful for him, but all things are not expedient. He declares this also,—that he will not be brought under the power of any. There are some who are under the power of appetite. Eating is the principal thing with them. As stated in Phil. 3: 19, "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Those who give themselves to such a life will meet its sure end. Sowing to themselves corruption, they shall reap corruption at last. The bringing to naught will simply be the wages of sin, which is death. See Gal. 6: 7, 8: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

24 — THE SPIRIT BE SAVED. I COR. 5: 5

How can the spirit be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, if the person is delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh? A. K.

We gather, from the epistle itself, that there were those in the Corinthian church who were doing wrong, very wrong — some things that were disgraceful even for the heathen. But the church allowed these persons to go on in their wickedness without any discipline whatever. The sinner was still in good standing in the church. The apostle's teaching is that such ones should be disciplined, set outside of the church, so to speak.

It certainly is true that within the church of God, if that church is standing where it ought, is a sacred place, a safe place, a blessed place; but this person seems to have forfeited all right to this, and the Lord would take away this encompassing wall about him, and let him know what it meant to stand out and wrestle with Satan alone. This was to be done in order to bring the man to repentance, that he might be saved — not saved in his lustful flesh, but saved in his spiritual life. From the second epistle, it seems clear that the man repented, and Paul then asks the church to receive such a man, lest he be overwhelmed with too much sorrow. 2 Cor. 2: 6-11.

SYSTEMATIC BIBLE STUDY

By Editor

SPECIAL thought should be given, in our reading this week, to the concluding chapters of the book of Job. God is answering the sophistries of the friends of Job, and at the same time presenting great facts that lead Job to the place where, as he gets a clearer view of the divine Father, he exclaims, "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job was brought to a deeper and fuller sense of what it means to be connected with the Infinite, and of how great is the contrast between finite man and the infinite God.

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 3

Read three chapters each week-day, and five on the Sabbath.

Fighting to Save Souls

By W. A. SPICER

A Warfare That Saves in Germany — Successful Soul-Winning Labors of an Earnest Worker

By W. A. SPICER

HERE is a picture of the waging of the warfare for souls — such a conflict as good soldiers of the cross have been carrying on all over Europe. One can hardly suppose that much of this work can be done now, with all the greatest countries of that continent under military law, and armies hastening to and fro and striking at one another. What a sudden change of scene for the quiet villages and the busy cities and the pretty countrysides! While the press despatches bring the sad news of battles in which thousands of souls are launched into eternity, read this story of a week-end campaign for the saving of souls, reported from Germany just before the alarm of war was sounded.

OVER A THOUSAND BAPTISMS A QUARTER

When we have read — in time of peace — of over a thousand baptisms every quarter in our European Division, with its vast and varied population and the meager staff of gospel laborers in the conferences and mission fields of that country, we have known that there must have been earnest seeking for souls. This graphic account of hand-to-hand conflict in soul-winning is afforded by the report of one of the laborers in northern Germany, who writes to the little local workers' organ, telling his story without reserve.

Such a picture would hardly be given us in a formal report for one of our general papers. This adds to its interest for those who are rejoicing in the progress of our work in other lands, and who like to see just how the Lord uses human agencies in bringing true hearts into the light of the last message.

URGENTLY CALLED BACK

The worker reports from a region apparently on the river Oder. He had labored for a little time in one of the towns, leaving some believers and others interested. Passing on to another place, he soon received a message, "Come back by the next fast train to the little flock you left." Back he went the next week for a few days of further work for the "little flock."

TWO OF THEM WAVERED

Of these busy days he writes:

"During the week, labor was devoted to some who were interested. By Friday, three souls had declared themselves for baptism; but at the close of the Bible study Friday evening, unexpected circumstances caused two of these to feel that they could not go forward at this time, so they said they would not be at the baptism in the morning. What was I to do? I labored with them, and endeavored to encourage them, and accompanied them to their home.

WRESTLING WITH GOD FOR SOULS

"That evening in my room I felt to wrestle with the Lord for those three souls. 'I will not let Thee go except Thou bless them,' was the burden of my heart. I pleaded with the Lord His promise, 'All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.' There came to me the story of King Joash, as he came to the prophet Elisha to ask counsel and protection against the Syrians. Elisha commanded him to strike the earth with his arrows in order to prove the strength of his faith.

" 'And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.' 2 Kings 13: 18, 19.

PLEADED IN FAITH FOR FIVE

"I remembered still two other souls who had confessed the truth, but up to now had always said No in response to appeals to yield obedience. I smote yet twice more for these souls. In the night I arose and pleaded for five. In the morning I rose and again felt to pray, 'Lord, give me five.'

"I felt sure it must be five now who would go forward in the truth. Early Sabbath morning I went to one who was not present at the Friday evening meeting.

" 'Will you not come to the baptism?' I said.

" 'No,' was the answer.

" 'Why not?'

" 'I must be at home to prepare my husband's dinner, and to look after him.'

" 'We will begin our meeting at nine o'clock, then you can be back at twelve.'

" 'No,' she said; 'I am not ready; and my husband must have his dinner punctually.'

"We prayed. Then I said adieu.

"I went alone to the meeting. 'How many will it be to-day?' I thought. 'Lord, surely Thou wilt not bring my faith to confusion.'

COME ALONE IF NEED BE

"At nine o'clock we began the meeting. Alas! Only one candidate for baptism was there. Those two who had decided Friday evening not to go forward had surely remained away. Quickly I went to their home. The hindrance truly seemed not to be so great. We prayed. Now one is ready to go forward; the other not. 'Well,' I said to the former, 'you come alone. Remember Lot's wife, and save your own soul.'"

"I hastened on, and began the preaching service. The door opened, and — not the one only, but both women came, daughter and mother.

" 'She would not let me come alone,' said the daughter. 'I am afraid she is depending upon me, and that is not good.'"

" 'Well,' I thought, 'here we have three souls. Now where are the other two?' I looked about. 'Now, Bertha,' I said to the daughter of the house where we were holding our meeting, 'you have received all the instruction in readiness for baptism, are you not ready now?'"

" 'O,' said the mother, 'I am sure she is ready.'"

"So here were four. We had prayer, and the questioning of the candidates, and four were prepared to go on for baptism.

"It was a quarter of an hour's walk down to the water. We walked slowly on account of the seventy-year-old feeble mother, who leaned upon her daughter as we went, but who resolutely strode forward.

" 'I am resolved to go forward, cost what it may,' said the mother. She was the first to be baptized. The others followed, the service going forward before a group of spectators. But where is the fifth soul that I had asked the Lord for to-day?"

THE FIVE ARE SECURED AT LAST

"At three o'clock came the hour for the Sabbath-school. Just before the beginning of the school, I heard that the woman who had been held back through her carefulness about being with her husband at the dinner time had been to visit one of the newly baptized ones, who was her stepdaughter.

" 'Are you coming to Sabbath-school?' I said. Without hesitation she came. The sixth chapter of Romans was the lesson, and we went through the whole chapter. After prayer I asked her, 'Are you now ready for baptism?'"

" 'Yes,' she said."

"So at five o'clock we made our last journey to the waterside, and the fifth soul was baptized that day. It was a beautiful evening. A boatful of onlookers came close up to the place of baptism. Our hearts rejoiced.

" 'Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.' 'O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory.' Ps. 98:8, 1.

"This experience was a blessed one to me."

" 'O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come.' Ps. 65:2."

It is a good report and a good warfare, brother of north Germany; and it might be duplicated in general terms, no doubt, by many another brother evangelist in France, or Russia, or Austria — in times of peace. In war time, now, in those lands, how changed the scene! Yet how great the need of the gospel of the love of God!

BOOK NOTICES

"TEACHING SEX HYGIENE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS," by Dr. E. B. Lowry. Forbes & Company, Chicago. 94 pages. Price 50 cents.

This little volume is a contribution toward helping to a correct view of "the wave of awakening to social evils," the need of which view was suggested in the recent International Congress on School Hygiene. The author thinks that parents should give instruction to their children in sex matters, but that in view of the failure of parents in these matters, it may be the duty of public schools to take up the subject. She offers words of caution, however, in regard to the promiscuous teaching of this subject to boys and girls in classes. She recommends strongly the cooperation of the church, the school, and the home, in order that the blindness of parents to the conditions of these times may be removed.

"BREAKERS! METHODISM ADRIFT," by the Rev. L. W. Munhall, M. A., D. D. New York, Charles C. Cook. Crown octavo, 215 pages, price $1.00 net.

This book, as its title would indicate, expresses the belief of the author that Methodism is adrift, and that breakers are ahead of that great and strongly evangelistic body.

Dr. Munhall has a well-known record as an evangelist. He is in the afternoon of life, and has had a very successful career. In his "personal foreword," he incidentally mentions the fact that his membership is with the Gethsemane Methodist Church of Philadelphia, and that as an ordained preacher. "More than fifty thousand members," he writes, "have been added to the Methodist Episcopal Church, from meetings I have personally conducted during the forty years I have been doing the work of an evangelist."

After making further mention, in his foreword, of his loyalty to the Methodist Church, he says, "Consequently, when I take notice of the secular, un-Methodistic, and revolutionary influences at work in the church, and conspicuously dominant, I must offer my protest and sound an alarm."

Dr. Munhall believes that the great body of his fellow ministers, and the majority of the church-members, believe the Bible to be the word of God. "But," to use his own words, "a coterie of men, mostly in our educational institutions and among General Conference officials, have formulated and are promulgating a propaganda that denies the integrity, infallibility, and authority of the Bible, and thereby nullifies the doctrines of the church.

Our church periodicals are, with two and possibly three exceptions, edited by men in sympathy with this propaganda; and though we claim, as a church, to be a very democratic ecclesiastical body, it is entirely impossible to bring to the attention of the church at large the radical and revolutionary character of this propaganda."

His book tells of the "genesis of Methodism," and that its strength rested on the solid foundation of belief in the entire Bible as the inspired word of God. Then he tells of the "present-day Methodism," and shows, by strong proof, that the educational institutions of his denomination, its publishing houses, and its Sunday-school literature, are all under the dominant influence of "higher criticism."

One very striking thing in chapter seven, on "The Book Concern" of the Methodist Church, is some quotations that he takes from books written by doctors of divinity in his church, authoritatively published, and sent out as Christian literature, which are practically identical with the sayings of Paine and Voltaire. We quote samples of these utterances, from pages 115, 116.

"Paine also said, 'The book of Genesis, instead of being the oldest book in the world, as the bishop called it, has become the last written book in the Bible, and that the cosmogony it contains has been manufactured.'" (Reply to the bishop of Llandaff, pages 256, 257.)

"Dr. Mains says, 'It is now indubitably proven that many of the stories which appear in the earlier records of the Old Testament were simply taken over and adopted from older mythical or legendary sources, and that they are not to be taken at face value as sober and measured history.'" (Page 98.)

"Paine said, 'Take away from Genesis the belief that Moses was its author, on which only the strange belief that it is the word of God has stood, and there remains nothing in Genesis but an anonymous book of stories, fables, and traditionary or invented absurdities, or downright lies.'" (Page 86.)

"Voltaire also said, 'Is it not plain that Genesis was taken from the ancient fables of their (the Jewish) neighbors?'" (Ex. of Lord Bolingbroke.)

"Dr. Mains says, 'It is clear, say our modern authorities, that he (Moses) could not have been the author of this book (Deuteronomy). For reasons equally convincing it is evident that the book must be the product of a period or periods far later than that of Moses.'" (Page 118.) "'The date of its origin is probably not far from the middle of the sixth century B. C.'" (Page 120.)

In the concluding chapters, Dr. Munhall speaks of amusements in the church, and the demoralizing effect they are having. He also speaks of the power of rich men in the church, of how they are in evidence on its leading boards, and of the influence they are having on the forms, institutions, and policies of the church.

On the whole, the book is a strikingly important one, for the reason that it deals in facts that are characteristic of the time. The breakers that he finds confronting the Methodist Church are no different from the breakers in general that are threatening to shatter the faith of men everywhere in the authority of the Bible. He makes perfectly clear the fact that the infidelity of the doctors of divinity is in no sense different from that of Voltaire, Hume, Paine, and all the rest of the noted infidels who had so strong an influence in the generations that immediately preceded ours, the only difference being that Voltaire and his associates openly avowed their infidelity, while the modern infidel doctor of divinity seeks to cover his under a profession of faith in the Lord, whose book he denies.

Any minister who really comes to know the valuable matter contained in this volume will surely desire to possess a copy of it.

"MODERN CITIES," by Horatio M. Pollock, Ph. D., Leipzig, and William S. Morgan, Ph. D., Yale. New York and London, Funk & Wagnalls. 418 pages, octavo.

The object of the author of this volume is to offer suggestions in regard to planning and governing the city properly so as to assist in eradicating the social evils that exist there. They do not minimize the fact that there are crying evils in city life everywhere; but if the cities were properly beautified, so as to eliminate the slums, that would greatly help, according to the view of these authors, to lessen the evils. Numerous photographic illustrations are given of scenes in various cities of importance, showing what has been done to beautify some of them with parks, boulevards, buildings, etc.

Two Million

COPIES

More than this number of Home Workers' books have been sold, for the most part by persons with little or no previous experience

TWO OF THEM

These books are selected for the # ADULT—YOUTH—CHILD and find a ready sale as birthday or holiday gifts, ranging in price from 50c to $1.25

A discount of ## 40 per cent from these prices is allowed all who engage in their sale and order not less than five copies. An Oregon woman, in rather poor health, canvassed her close neighbors parts of a few days, and sold 89 books. Scores of others have done equally well.

This illustration shows the two-ring binder, which holds sample pages and covers of the sixteen books. It is small, neat, and weighs only 2½ pounds.

Now Is the Time

October, November, and December are the best months to sell these Home Workers' books. Hundreds will soon start out. Will you be among them? Write to our depository in your state (see list on page 15) for further information.

Pacific Press Publishing Association Mountain View, California

"Shiloh, the Man of Sorrows"

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Will all those who sent in their names as advance subscribers for the book "Shiloh, the Man of Sorrows," please send in their money at once to the publishers, and receive their volume? Some are not fulfilling their pledge promptly. This is causing embarrassment, because these names were sent in by the author in good faith. So please send the $1.50 at once, as agreed. Author's portrait free.

Address The Gorham Press, 194 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts.

Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle, 1215 Vermont Avenue, Lansing, Michigan.

It pays four ways

By Editor

Hundreds of persons have found that circulating the Signs of the Times Magazine pays. Some have found that it pays four ways.

No. 1 Amount received per copy, 10c; amount paid per copy, 4c; profit, 6c. It is possible to sell from twenty-five to one hundred a day.

No. 2 Consider the benefit healthwise, from exercise and fresh air.

No. 3 Consider the educational advantage from coming into contact with so many people of different temperaments and ideas.

No. 4 Last and foremost, consider the good done others in placing in their hands a publication like the Signs of the Times Magazine.

If this magazine is without an agent in your city or town, will you not seriously consider our suggestion that you act as our representative? Will you?

Sample copies free; helps free.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES MAGAZINE, Mountain View, California

Continue reading: THAT OMINOUS THIRTEEN