p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 34. (8/21/1907)

Studies in the Christ-Life at Brother Eldred's

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Sixteenth Evening's Study.

"You surely do not believe that this ceremony is binding upon Christians, nowadays, Mr. Eldred?" questioned Mr. Field.

"Will you please read verses twelve to sixteen of John thirteen?" responded Brother Eldred.

"So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call Me Master and Lord, and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."

"Well, well," said Mr. Allan, glancing at Mr. Field; "we couldn't ask for a plainer answer than that, now, could we?"

"That's what the Master said, Mr. Field," said Brother Eldred, and then he continued. "Alice, will you tell me upon which evening of the week the Lord's Supper was instituted?"

"It must have been on Thursday evening; because it was that night in which He was betrayed—the night before the crucifixion."

"Jack, who was high priest at this time, and what have you learned about him?"

"His name was Caiaphas; he was a Sadducee, and a son-in-law of the ex-high priest, Annas."

Jack paused a moment, and Blanche added: "Caiaphas was very angry because Jesus declared that when He finally came to earth the second time, Caiaphas himself should see Him,—for this strange man did not believe that the dead would ever be raised to life again, for, as Jack says, he was a Sadducee. He declared that Jesus had blasphemed, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God. Then he rent his clothes."

"Tom, can you prove by the Bible that this very act disqualified Caiaphas for the priesthood?"

Tom thought a moment, and then turned to Lev. 10:6. "And Moses said unto Aaron [the priest] and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes, lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people."

"Very well; now, Florence, will you give me a short history of the events of the rest of that dreadful day?"

"I'll try, papa; I think Jesus was first sent to Pilate, and then Pilate sent Him to Herod because he did not want to bear the responsibility of delivering Him up to the Jews; then Herod sent Him again to Pilate, and from there He was made to bear His own cross on the road to Calvary, until He fainted. O, it is so dreadful! and to think, Mr. Field," she continued, while a look of pitying awe stole over the fair young face, "to think that He did it all for poor, helpless people, a great many of whom would never believe in Him as their Saviour!"

Mr. Field hastily brushed away a tear. "It looks vastly different to me than it once did, Mr. Eldred," he said. "I thank God that the Spirit of His Son, Jesus Christ, has been speaking to my heart."

"And I thank Him," exclaimed Mr. Allan, "that He ever led me into these blessed little meetings!"

"Amen and amen!" responded Brother Eldred. "Mildred, will you please continue the narrative beginning when Christ fainted under His cross on the rugged road to Calvary?"

"I believe a man named Simon carried the cross for Him at last. He was crucified between two thieves, one of whom repented, and Jesus forgave him. There was a dreadful earthquake, and it was as dark as night almost all the time until Jesus died. Then the disciples buried Him in Joseph's tomb. But, Mr. Eldred, Blanche has learned some verses about the burial of Jesus. Shall she repeat them?"

"I learned them this week on purpose for this evening," responded Blanche, as she took her place upon the floor: Take from the cross the dear form of the Master; Tenderly fold ye the poor, bruised hands; Carefully cover the torn, mangled body, Loosen the cruel cords, sever the bands. Yes; fold the hands that so often in kindness Healed, in His pity, the woes of mankind, Ministered oft to the poor and the needy, Strengthened the sick and gave sight to the blind. Fold ye them tenderly over His bosom, Over His loving heart, pulseless and still; Wrap ye His form in the soft, snowy linen, Tenderly bear Him from Calvary's hill. Take the rough crown from His pale, bleeding temple, Wash the dark stains from His dear, sacred head; Tearfully weep o'er the blessed Redeemer, Tenderly bathe ye the wounds of the Dead. Tenderly bear Him—the crucified Saviour; Lift from thy spirit its terrible gloom; Leave Him to rest; for the heavenly Watcher Waits but to call Him to life, from the tomb.

"Yes, yes; praise the Lord, the tomb could not hold Him—the mighty Conqueror, the Prince of David," said Sister Eldred. "Tillie, will you repeat those verses about the glorious ascension of our beloved Lord?" Wiping a tear of joy from her eyes, Tillie responded, while her soft voice trembled with emotion:- Lift up your heads, ye glittering gates,— E'en lift them up, ye doors of pearl; The risen King of glory waits; Let heaven's banners wide unfurl! Then voices cry, e'en like a roaring sea, "Who can this King—this King of glory be?" Then from the bright angelic throng, 'Till heaven's myriad arches ring, The glorious word is borne along, "The Lord of hosts! He is the King." "Who can this King,—this mighty Conqueror be?" "The Eternal Prince of heaven! 'tis He, 'tis He." Lift up your gates, ye glittering bars! What glorious honors you may win! And brighter shine, ye heavenly stars, And let the King of glory in! Ye everlasting portals,—open wide, And bid the risen King triumphant ride. Asunder, 'mid a mighty shout, The massive, glittering portals rolled, And hallelujahs glad rang out As opened wide each gate of gold; Then with the mighty millions tried and true, The conquering King of glory entered thru. (Concluded.)

A Tiny Human Machine.

“We met little Joe one day in a Pittsburg toby (cheap cigar) factory,” writes Owen R. Lovejoy in the Woman’s Home Companion. “A tenement room twelve feet square, with a low ceiling, not an open door or window, was occupied by twelve or thirteen people, who were rolling this cheap cigar. We had gone with a friend of the children to see little Joe, a boy of eleven, who worked twelve hours a day except on one day of the week when his hours continued on to midnight.

“As we watched him bending over his table, his fingers flying deftly at their work, we seemed to see two pictures of little Joe sitting before us. First was the perfect machine, a human organism, trained to lightning motions that produced five or six hundred of these cigars each day, for which he received eight cents a hundred. Second, the sallow face, the lusterless eyes, the narrow chest, the ominous cough, which combined to write with his life-blood Nature’s curse upon our social neglect. Without speaking a word, Joe told us more convincingly about child labor than all the census reports that were ever compiled.”

Oaklawn Home School.

Professor and Mrs. Bland, who for a number of years have been in charge of some of our leading colleges and academies, are opening at their country home a select school for boys and girls who do not have church school privileges, and who are not old enough to enter our academies.

The location for such a school is an ideal one, being midway between St. Louis and Louisville, only a few minutes' walk from Albion, Ill., a prosperous county-seat. Oaklawn is a fine old farm with large orchards, meadows, lawns, and comfortable buildings. Parents, or those in charge of children, desiring such advantages will find here a place where they will be educated and trained under most wholesome surroundings. The object is to provide home comforts and privileges together with a practical Christian education. A personal interest will be taken in each child. For terms and further particulars, address W. T. Bland, Albion, Ill.

Williamsdale Academy Announcement

By Editor

Announcement of the Williamsdale Academy.

The third annual announcement of the Williamsdale Academy has just reached us. This is a school where the Bible and its elevating morals are taught, as well as the common branches of education. The moral training is the most essential part of a broad education, and parents who are interested, and who desire to avail themselves of such a school would do well to send for a catalog. The address is Williamsdale Academy, Williamsdale East, Nova Scotia.

BOOKS

By Editor

For Home Workers

The following books are ready sellers at this time of the year. The discount to those who canvass for them is forty per cent. For additional information address your tract society.

Our Little Folks' Bible Nature

This book contains simple lessons on nature, taking up the subjects in the order of creation. It is designed as a beginner's book in reading, and at the same time to teach beautiful lessons from nature, based on the Bible.

128 pages. Price, board, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents.

Christ Our Saviour

A graphic account of the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, interwoven with many interesting incidents in His life. The story is simply, yet beautifully told, and the lessons taught, inspiring and helpful.

The book is written in a style that will hold the interest of the children, and will so acquaint them with the life and character of the Saviour as to lead them to make Him their personal friend and to desire to be more like Him.

182 pages. Price, board, 50 cents; cloth, 75 cents.

Also in German, Danish, and Swedish.

Uncle Ben's Cobblestones

Familiar talks with boys and girls about the common articles of every-day use, such as air, water, sunshine, fire, smoke, glass, coal, salt, paper, matches, etc.

Uncle Ben has a very pleasing way of telling about the origin and use of these various things. There is a ray of sunshine streaming thruout the whole book, and yet it does not touch the fickle so prevalent in books for children.

The purpose of the book, aside from the useful information given, seems to be soul culture, for we observe on every page a moral fragrance that will impress young minds in the right way.

Uncle Ben tells about more than one hundred different things in all, and intersperses with happy thoughts that bring good cheer to young and old.

221 pages. Price, $1.00.

Story of Daniel the Prophet

A biography of this wonderful prophet of God. Entirely new in its conceptions and designs. The Scriptures narrating the story are printed in parallel columns with the author's delineations and interpretations. This one feature of the book alone renders it very serviceable and desirable.

In connection with the story of this remarkable life, a clear and forcible exposition of the prophecies is also given. The author has endeavored, not to arouse controversy, but to suggest thoughts, both in story and side references, that will create religious interest and further study in the things of God.

The book contains both a scriptural and general index of subjects, has eighteen chapters, and 369 pages. Price, $1.00.

The Vegetarian Cook Book

By Editor

This book contains about four hundred very carefully prepared recipes of healthful, hygienic dishes, suitable to every taste, and every condition in life. There is also one chapter on the Hygiene of Cooking, explaining the various methods, such as boiling, steaming, stewing, baking, braising, and broiling.

The author has had a broad experience in restaurant work, and has given the results of his experiments and observation in this practical work. We believe the good, wholesome foods, hygienically prepared, will appeal to many who are suffering from the effects of bad foods and wrong combinations.

The classification of foods is so arranged, and the work so thoroly indexed, that any recipe may be referred to instantly.

266 pages. Price, 75 cents.

Steps to Christ

This little work by Mrs. E. G. White presents in a simple and attractive manner, the steps by which the sinner may find Christ and be made complete in Him.

While the book is an excellent guide to inquirers and young converts, it also contains a wealth of counsel and encouragement for those older in the way, who are experiencing difficulties.

The all-pervading spirituality and wholesome counsel blended thruout its pages, cause the book to meet with general acceptance. Once read, it is often re-read and studied as a guide-book in the way of salvation.

200 pages; 44 chapters. Price, paper, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing

An excellent companion volume to "Steps to Christ," by the same author.

This book is an exposition of Christ's Sermon on the Mount, written in beautiful and eloquent language, and bringing out helpful and encouraging thoughts from the Master's words, that were so abundantly laden with Spirit and life.

In imagination the reader is taken back to the scene on the mountain-side, where He sits with the disciples and enters into the thoughts and feelings that filled their hearts. A book for those who enjoy a quiet hour of study.

218 pages. Price, cloth, 60 cents.

DATE OF EXPIRATION.

By Editor

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By Editor

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A Reader Praises Signs of the Times

From an interested reader:

"Please accept my sincere thanks for the nice book, 'Bible Readings for the Home Circle,' which I have lately received, and have examined. I consider it an excellent help toward rightly understanding Scriptural prophecy. And I am more pleased than I can express with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Each issue seems better, if possible, than the one before."

Left with a Trust

Left with a Trust. By Nellie Hillis. Is a story of the struggles of a family to help mother and each other during the absence of father, and pleasantly reveals the brighter side of youth where there is a worthy purpose and a will to be kind and affectionate. 160 pages, illustrated. Cloth, net, 50 cents. Address this office.

Bibles

By Editor

Bibles.—Remember that we are headquarters for anything in the Bible line. We shall be pleased to send you our catalog of Bible selections on application.

Timely Instruction

By Editor

We have reason to expect that by the time this issue of the paper gets to our readers the senior editor, M. C. Wilcox, will be at his desk again. He has had time to give us by letter only brief suggestions of the perfecting and burnishing of the plans for future numbers of the paper. But he has assured us that his hopes in going East with this end in view have been more than met. We will have some very interesting things to tell our readers soon in regard to the plans for the paper for the late fall and winter months. Many of our readers have told us that the special series of the SIGNS that we are now running "is the best ever." What we have planned to immediately follow this special series will be much better still. We are sure you will all agree with us in this when we can outline the plan in full to you. Every worker should be on deck for the strongest campaign of our history.

There was a deep significance in the act of Martin Luther in throwing his inkstand at the devil. Perhaps he did not realize the full force of it. An anonymous writer says that "the inkstand stands for literature, either good or bad." So, inasmuch as Satan is throwing his inkstand at the cause of God, in every conceivable shape, the Lord's people should be using theirs in the circulation of truth. The great moral contest of to-day, and of the future, is to be fought with the pen, the typewriter, and the printing-press, as auxiliaries of the human voice, thru which the Spirit by the word is to reach the masses with the good news of salvation. God's people need to be diligent in circulating a sound, wholesome literature.

"Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house." Reader, your name may not be Zaccheus, but it is nevertheless important that you "make haste" to-day and prepare for the Master's reception at your house.

He is saying, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock," and to-day may be your last opportunity to have Him for a guest. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Timely Instruction.

When the disciples of Christ asked Him about His coming again, and of the end of the world, He gave them most valuable information on the subject. He said: "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Matt. 24:4, 5. Further along in His conversation He repeats the caution: "If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Then there will be a terrible deception in regard to the second advent. But He continues: "Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth; behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not." Verses 25, 26. But He does not leave us with these negative assurances; He gives in plain words the manner of His coming, so that no one need be deceived, if he will "take heed" to the word. Here it is: "As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." Paul tells us that, in connection with this great event, the righteous dead will be raised to life; that the Lord Himself will descend "with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." This instruction is timely just now, in these deceptive times, when the doctrine of the coming of the Lord is being enshrouded with so much error. The manner of His coming, as shown in His word, can not be counterfeited by any one; and any pretender who can not fulfil the foregoing requirement is a deceiver. "Take heed, that no man deceive you."

The Man Who Is Blessed.

By T.

BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: but his delight is in the law of Jehovah; and on His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also doth not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.''

The foregoing words are the first part of the first Psalm. There is a whole mine of inexhaustible wealth in those statements and promises of our heavenly Father. It is not said that the man shall be blessed, but the man "is" blessed who walks not in the counsels, nor in the ways of the wicked. God has established the law, and it always operates to bring a blessing to the man that will walk in the ways of Jehovah. The blessing comes as the fruitage of the walking in the way of the Lord.

But observe the class of walking in God's ways that the psalmist is talking about. The man who is following in the way that the inspired poet has before his mind is one of whom it may truthfully be said, "His delight is in the law of Jehovah; and on His law doth he meditate day and night." Then this person is one who has persisted in the ways of the Lord until it has become a "delight" to him to do right.

This person who is thus walking in the way of the Lord "shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also doth not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." This is a wonderful statement of a wonderful fact.

But you may say that you are seeking to walk in the way of the Lord and you are having very hard reverses. But the very reverses that you are having are for the purpose of laying a strong foundation for the prosperity that the Lord has already planned for you. These reverses are to fill your soul with courage and with faith and with knowledge and with ability, so that you can walk firmly in the great path of progress and prosperity that the Lord has marked out for every Christian.

We lose so much of the promises of God thru our shortsightedness. We try to make them apply according to our ideas of what we think they should be. We fail to see that sometimes we must take the promise as a seed of truth into the mind, and wait for the fruitage that will not come till by and by.

So, then, we should seize the promises of God with the firm grasp of faith, and as we do this we will find that our divine Father has placed a living power in the sacred word. The promises become a literal reality, and they are literally fulfilled to us as soon as we accept them in the way in which the Lord has told us that we should.

Babylon and Her Fall.

By Editor

"BABYLON and Her Fall" will be the theme of the paper next week. Some of our most able contributors will give the subject under the following headings:

Origin and Meaning of Babylon.
Spiritual Babylon.
God's Efforts to Heal Babylon.
The Fall of Babylon.

Ancient Babylon is set forth in the Scriptures as a type. One of the most thrillingly interesting prophecies in all the Bible is the one that tells us of the spiritual Babylon and what will become of her. Our writers and our editors will have some very interesting and valuable things to say on the subject next week.

The Grafting Business.

By Editor

We speak it advisedly and correctly when we say "the grafting business." If the reports can be relied upon, and some of them come as the sworn testimony of government officials, the "grafting" in connection with the contract for the Pennsylvania capitol building has passed beyond the hundreds of thousands into the millions. For instance, the Pennsylvania Capitol Commission made public thru their report a few days since that—

"The contractor for most of the furnishings and decorations of the building, paid the various subcontractors who did the painting 12 cents a square foot for the same, and that he collected from the State $2.52 a square foot. He received in payment more than $700,000."

A report from London within the last few days tells of some land that was bought in "a comparatively outlying district" at the rate of five million dollars an acre. This land was purchased for desired city improvements, and it is said that some of the spendthrifts of the council stood aghast at the price that was paid. The despatch further states that "before the investigation is ended it is probable that several members of the committee will have to resign."

This grafting has become so carefully and so thoroly organized into politics that it is next to impossible to get hold of it in such a way as to bring the rogues to justice. It is found to serve the purposes of certain interests better to keep men in office who are corrupt than to have honest men there. And the education in this direction has been carried on so long and so persistently that we have an immense army of men who have no "visible means of support" except grafting.

Grafting is one of the results of the love of money that Paul tells us is to make the last days perilous. If it were not for the insatiable desire that men have to get hold of money in fabulous amounts, they would not work to elect men to office in State and city with the one direct object in view of being able to bribe them to do their bidding. The seed has been sown and fearful is the harvest that is just before the world.

It is commonly taught that all men have eternal life in themselves; but "this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:11. 12.

CONTAINED IN THIS ISSUE

By Editor

WITH OUR INQUIRERS

Questions Nos. 2185 to 2191 . . . . . 2

JUDGMENT SYMPOSIUM

The Condition of the World and the Church . . . . . 3 God's Healing Message—The Gospel . . . . . 4 Primitive Christianity . . . . . 5 The Impending Judgment . . . . . 6

EDITORIAL

God's Message for This Time . . . . . 8 Swearing, Breaking Faith, Killing, Stealing . . . . . 8

GENERAL

The God of the Living . . . . . 9 The Catholic Federation . . . . . 9

OUTLOOK

Our London Letter . . . . . 10

MISSIONS

The Closing Gospel Message in Korea . . . . . 12

THE HOME

Studies in the Christ-Life at Brother Eldred's . . . . . 14

POETRY

No Excuse . . . . . 5 What Have We Done To-day? . . . . . 12