p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 29. (7/23/1896)

Earlier text: Lesson Scripture, John 3:16–36, R. V

A TRIP TO THE YO SEMITE VALLEY

At this time of the year would, undoubtedly, be enjoyed by every one who reads these words, but not every one can afford such a trip. The next best thing would be a series of photo-reproductions of this world-renowned valley. These we now offer in the beautiful book, “IN THE HEART OF THE SIERRAS.” In this book are presented a large number of photo-reproductions of the wonderful valley and its marvelous surroundings.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LARGE OCTAVO VOLUME

OF 400 PAGES

EXCLUSIVE OF PHOTO-TYPE ILLUSTRATIONS

Printed on Heavy Calendered Paper

Has the Official Topographical Map of the Valley

The book not only contains these features, but the glowing “word pictures” of Colonel Hutchings, a resident of the valley for nearly a quarter of a century, a talented gentleman thoroughly imbued with a sense of his sublime surroundings, faithfully describes them all. In the opening chapter of the book he says: “Yo Semite, to the poet, is the grandest of lyrics; to the artist, nature’s ever-captivating picture gallery; to the preacher, the most suggestively eloquent of sermons; and to the worshiper, the sublimest of temples.”

“IN THE HEART OF THE SIERRAS”

Has Already Passed Through Four Editions

And the Original Price was $3.75 . . .

A $3.75 BOOK FOR $1.75

We now offer the book, in full cloth, embossed in jet and gold, same style as originally sold for $3.75, at $1.75, post-paid.

THINK OF IT! SUCH A BOOK AT SUCH A PRICE!

Beautifully printed, profusely illustrated, handsomely bound.

We will also furnish the book, while our stock holds out, in full cloth, gilt edges, original price $4.25, for $2.00, post=paid.

THESE OFFERS ARE GOOD UNTIL JULY 31 ONLY

Order at once, sending cash by post-office order or bank draft. No discount from these prices to any one,

ADDRESS

Pacific Press Publishing Co., Oakland, Cal.

LITERARY NOTICES.

“Talks to the King's Children,” by Sylvanus Stall, D.D., author of “Five-Minute Object Sermons to Children,” “Methods of Church Work,” etc. Funk & Wagnalls Co., New York.

This is the second series of object lessons to children. That we agree with all it contains is too much to say. The sermons on “Asbestos” (the unscriptural theory of an “immortal soul”), and “Easter Sunday,” would make the book better if they were deleted. But the most of the sermons are helpful and suggestive to mothers, Sabbath school teachers, and pastors. The wise teacher will get from it many good suggestions. The price we believe is $1.00.

“Alden's Living Topics Cyclopedia,” from Abbas to Coudert, with two appendixes. Neatly bound in cloth. John B. Alden, 10 and 12 Vandewater Street, New York.

This unique reference book contains information of nearly universal interest, and that is, practically, obtainable by most readers nowhere else. The second volume contains the latest facts concerning the nations, Brazil, British Empire, Bulgaria, Cape Colony, Chile, Chinese Empire, and others, and concerning three states, California, Colorado, and Connecticut; also concerning six large cities, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. The information is generally from one year to five years later than can be found in any of the leading cyclopedias, and commonly a year later than the 1896 almanacs and annuals. There are hundreds of other subjects, all of them “living” topics. The whole work complete to date costs only $1.00, if ordered at once. Specimen pages may be had free by addressing the publisher.

The Funk & Wagnalls Co., of New York, publishers of the only “Standard Dictionary,” are getting out a series of “Standard Readers,” based on the scientific alphabet, as used in the “Standard Dictionary.” The editor of these readers is Prof. Francis A. March, LL.D.

The “Students' Standard Dictionary” will soon be published by the same firm, under the supervision of Prof. F. A. March. It will contain 50,000 words and over 800 pages. It will be superior to any school dictionary published.

The Cosmopolitan for July contains, among other interesting articles, beautifully illustrated, “The Curious Race of Arctic Highlanders,” by L. L. Dyche; “The Evolution of the Spaniard,” by H. C. Chatfield-Taylor; “Greek Orators and the Lyceum,” by Major Pond. This last alone is worth the price of the magazine.

About the last thing out is a Hay Fever Association, a “Manual” of which we have just received. This little pamphlet of thirty pages is a “Manual of the United States Hay Fever Association, for 1896.” It contains reports of meetings for previous years, and a list of places exempt, or partially so, from the troublesome disease—for the benefit of members. Address John Peacock, D.D., Sec., Holmesburg, Pa.

We have received a copy of a “Baccalaureate Sermon before the Graduating Class of Union College,” by Prof. C. C. Lewis. It is a neatly printed little pamphlet of twenty-six pages, published at the request of the members of the class. Its title is “Reason, Revelation, and Faith.” Its theme is “the harmonious co-operation of Reason, Revelation and Faith in the discovery and application of moral truth.” The text, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” It may be obtained at the rate of 15 cents single copy; 10 copies, $1.25; 20 copies, $2.00. Address the author up to September 1, at College View, Neb., after that at Keene, Johnson Co., Texas.

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Pitcairn Photographs

Before the ship Pitcairn sailed on her last voyage, May 19, photographs of three different views were taken: A group of the missionaries, group of the crew; also a view of the vessel as she was departing. Size of photos, 5 x 8 in. Price 25c each. Address

F. J. BRAINERD, Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal

Illustrated Tract.

One of the late issues of the Bible Students’ Library, entitled “The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast.” Contains 4 original illustrations. The subject is one of vital interest to all, and now is an opportune time to circulate this tract widely. Order B. S. L. No. 130. Address your State Tract Society, or PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO., Oakland, Cal.; Kansas City, Mo.; New York City, N. Y.

CAN BOTH BE TRUE?

At the recent California Christian Endeavor Convention Dr. A. J. Frost, Baptist, gave an address on the “Christian Sabbath.” Here is one of his positions:—

“If I had time I should be glad to tell you of the creation Sabbath; to show you that just as the six days of creation were indefinite periods of time, so the seventh day, God’s Sabbath, has already lasted about six thousand years. God’s great rest day of Sabbath and redemption work, is not yet completed. Adam kept not God’s Sabbath—he did not live long enough.”

Here is another position:—

“Adam’s Sabbath was on the first day of the week. The first day Adam ever saw was a Sabbath. God did not make Adam and Eve until Saturday, along toward night, so Adam’s week began with a Sabbath. If I had time I would try and show you how creation Sabbath on the first day of Adam’s week is exactly the same as the Christian sabbath on the first day of Adam’s week. The first day of Adam’s week synchronizes with the first day of the Christian week.”

By what trick of theological prestidigitation Dr. Frost can harmonize these two statements we do not know. First, we are told that God’s Sabbath, the only Sabbath, mark you, reader, revealed in Genesis 1 and 2, is not ended yet! it “is not yet completed!” Secondly, we are told that “creation Sabbath,” the only Sabbath revealed in Genesis 1 and 2, came on “the first day of Adam’s week,” and is identical with “the Christian sabbath.” That is, the seventh day of that first week is not yet ended, that Adam did not live long enough to keep it, and yet that same day made the first day of Adam’s week!! If the first theory is true, the second is not, and we have no account at all of the twenty-four-hour day and the septenary cycle of such days. If the latter theory be true, the first is not, and the geological periods must go. The latter is true as respects the length of day; for the record expressly states that God’s resting was past before he blessed and set apart the day for man. God blessed the day “because that in it he had rested.” See Gen. 2: 2, 3. But Adam was created on the sixth day, saw all the beasts and fowls of earth, named them, but found among them no companion (Gen. 2: 19, 20); he was put to sleep, Eve was created (verses 21–23), and all this was done on the sixth day (chap. 1: 24–31). Therefore Adam’s first day corresponded to our Friday, and the day of God’s rest was his second day of life. The ninth day of his life was his first holy Sabbath, appointed of God, and so was every succeeding seventh day thereafter.

Dr. Frost says again:—

“In regard to the Mosaic Sabbath, we know that when the children of Egypt left their land it was on Saturday; that God gave them a new Sabbath one day earlier.”

For this Dr. Frost gives no proof, for the simple reason that he has none to give. The seventh day of the fourth commandment (Ex. 20: 8–11) is the seventh day of Gen. 2: 2, 3.

Another argument of Dr. Frost is that the Greek of Matt. 28: 1; Mark 16: 2, etc., calls the first day of the week the “Sabbath,” and that Sabbatōn never means week. In reply it is sufficient to say that the learned men who gave us our English Bible, and those who revised it, saw no ground, even for a marginal alternative reading, to translate Sabbatōn in the passages referred to by any other word than week; and that the word is most obviously used for week—see Luke 18: 12, where the Greek word for week is the same as found in Mark 16: 9. Our revisers knew that the grammatical construction of the Greek demanded that Sabbatōn should be translated “week.”

After such arguments, we are prepared for Dr. Frost’s close, and that is a plea for Sunday legislation. That always has been the alternative to which those turn who persistently cling to error in the face of truth. If a Baptist had Bible ground, would he want civil law? Would any other Christian?

Continual Christian Humility

If it is good to humble the soul for forty days in the year, by abstaining from dissipation, by more abstemious diet, by more devotion, why is it not good for three hundred and sixty-five days? Why stop a good thing at forty days? The true humility of the Christian is continual.

Secret Societies in Oakland High School

It is said there are now only six secret societies in Oakland High School. This is an illustration of the tendency of the age, and it all comes because the world does not know Christ. He who knows the secret of piety—“the mystery of godliness”—will never long for any of the mysteries invented by man.

Political Religion Run Mad.

One Prohibitionist, lamenting the refusal of the party to adopt a woman suffrage plank, says: “Woman suffrage bears the same relation to prohibition as the resurrection of Christ to the whole Christian world. Paul felt his preaching was vain without this great truth.” This is rather extravagant, to say the least, but we hear many such in these days of political religion.

A Political Muddle

A Political Muddle.—Republicans have split; Democrats have split; Prohibitionists have split; and Populists may split. Jarring and confused voices are heard on every side. More than at any other time or in any other age the child of God should know the Master's voice and follow him. We can not afford to be swallowed up or absorbed in the vortex of political opinion, strife, and turmoil. “Let your moderation be known unto all men; the Lord is at hand.”

Sixteen to One

Sixteen to One.—What does it mean? Well, we can tell that without dipping into politics. It means that sixteen ounces of silver shall be held to be worth as much as one ounce of gold. Sixteen ounces of silver, American coin standard of fineness—900 parts pure silver to 100 parts alloy—will coin, at 412½ grains to the dollar, the weight of our present common dollar, $18.60 in silver dollars. One ounce of gold, American coin standard of fineness—900 parts pure gold to 100 parts alloy—will coin in gold dollars $18.60. At a coinage ratio of 16 to 1, then, 16 ounces of silver are worth one ounce of gold.

RATHER RASH.

A WRITER in the Pacific Christian of July 11 makes the following rather rash statements which our readers may meet, and which it may be well to notice:—

“It is an old Sabbatarian dodge that the ‘new covenant’ is the old renewed, but to the person who has given the matter even a little consideration, this argument is lighter than the thinnest air. It is an old Pedobaptist plaster which never did draw a blister.”

“They tell us that a ‘new’ heart is, under the Gospel, not a ‘new heart,’ but a renewed heart. That the ‘new world’ is not a ‘new world,’ but a renewed world. That, moreover, the ‘new covenant’ is not a ‘new covenant,’ but a renewed covenant. It is the Ten Commandments put in the heart, with a promise to keep them, they say.”

And in speaking of Jeremiah’s use of the term “new,” the writer says:—

“More than this, there was a Hebrew word lying before the prophet that meant renew, but the Spirit of the living God did not select it to describe the covenant that God would make with those who believe in Christ and desire to inherit under the new will.”

In the first place, we know of no Sabbatarian who claims that the “new covenant” is the “old covenant” renewed. The only claim, as we understand, that has been made is that God renews that everlasting covenant with every soul that is born into his kingdom. So much for that. The writer has set up a man of straw and unwittingly supposed it to be flesh and blood.

True, whether we say “new” or “renewed,” the renewed heart is new, the renewed earth WILL BE new; the renewed covenant in the heart of every child of God is new; and the law of God thus implanted is but the “old commandment which ye had from the beginning,” “which thing is true in him [Christ] and in you [the child of God], because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.” To the sinner under the old covenant it is a law of condemnation, wrath, death; to the regenerated child of God it is a blessed witness of the righteousness of God by faith, the law of life in Christ Jesus.

But does not the Hebrew word translated “new” (chadash), have the sense of renew or renewed?—Most assuredly. Note: “And renew [chadash] the kingdom there” (1 Sam. 11:14); “And renew [chadash] a right spirit within me” (Ps. 51:10); “Renew [chadash] our days as of old” (Lam. 5:21); “And renewed [chadash] the altar of the Lord” (2 Chron. 15:8); “Thy youth is renewed [chadash] like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:5); “Thou renewest [chadash] the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30). So much for this.

But once again, God’s Gospel is “the everlasting Gospel;” his covenant is the “everlasting covenant;” but to every heart who receives Christ, the Gospel comes as new glad tidings, the covenant is renewed with him, and is to him a new covenant. It is all the old, old story, yet ever new and fresh and sweet in the heart watered by the Fountain of Life.

An Instance

By Editor

An Instance.—In this age of bustle, tumult, and intensity we think too little of the afflicted ones. How many have suffered from storm, tempest, tornado, cyclone, fires, explosions, railway wrecks, pestilences, and earthquake! And yet how few except those immediately concerned give these things more than a passing thought! Before us lies a brave and cheery yet sad letter from one of our subscribers, in Baileyville, Kan. She writes:—

“DEAR SIGNS OF THE TIMES: I had intended to have the pleasure of reading your pages for another period of time; for I enjoyed them very much. The cyclone passing through here has taken our buildings, and only left us the total wreck and the cellar where the house stood.”

Our sympathies are with our sister, but we are glad that her hopes take hold of the better inheritance.

Division Among California Prohibitionists

The California Prohibitionist of July 2 fills six columns with condensed statements from the leading Prohibitionists of the state on the split in the party. These opinions would indicate that sentiment was very much divided, and some go so far as to intimate that the prohibition cause is dead.