A number of our readers seem to be troubled over what they call “old and new dispensations.” They seem to think that some things were obligatory in one dispensation that were not in another dispensation. This question is often raised over the matter of the Sabbath, meats, drinks, etc. First, let it be noted that God is the same always. He declares, “I am the Lord, I change not.” Mal. 3: 6. “With whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.” James 1: 17, A. R. V.
God’s plan has always been to do His children good and nothing but good. His character is always the same. It cannot change. His requirements of His people are always the same. In the nature of the case, He cannot change, for He desires that their character shall be like His own. The only difference between the dispensations, so called, is that one is a fuller development and manifestation of God’s character and love than the previous.
Our Lord had not come in Old Testament times. Men showed their faith by the offering of a clean beast, and that clean beast typified our Lord Jesus Christ. In those days, the transgression of the law was sin, just as it is now; and the only way by which sin could be taken away was faith in God, and faith was called to express itself by the offerings prescribed in the books of Moses. Of course, the people in that time got to depending upon the offerings, and upon the giving of them, for their salvation, rather than upon what the offerings symbolized; but that did not change God’s plan. Faith in God justified in those days just as now. When our Lord came, the symbols ended. When the cross was erected on Calvary, all the shadows passed away. Since that time, faith expresses itself in a simpler form. In a concrete way, it does this in baptism and in the ordinances of God’s house; but it is the same faith, and the same faith justifies from the same sin, transgression of God’s law. There is no change on the part of God. In God’s requirements, all the change there is at all is in the development and the fuller manifestation of God’s great plan of salvation. If we will bear this in mind, it will make the Bible a new book to us, and will throw light upon passages that otherwise may prove mystifying and uncertain. We will see more clearly His wisdom, and His love will lead to loving, unquestioning obedience to His law.
Our Exhibit at the Recent Exposition
By H. H. Hall
By H. H. HALL
THE exhibit of the Pacific Press Publishing Association in the Liberal Arts section of the Palace of Machinery, at the recent Panama-Pacific Exposition, San Francisco, California, attracted much favorable attention.
The central feature of this exhibit was an enormous world globe, accurately marked and colored, and driven slowly by an electric motor. The surface of this globe was studded with tiny electric lights, in four different colors, which lighted up almost every country in the world. They represented our branches and affiliated houses, together with some of the leading mission stations and other institutions using our publications,—red for publishing houses, blue for sanitariums, green for colleges and academies, and white for mission stations and headquarters in foreign lands. Photographs of these institutions were conveniently arranged on swinging leaves at the rear of the globe, and were a source of special interest to visitors from other countries.
At the other end of this booth a large ten-wing display fixture carried samples of publications in forty-four of the ninety-two languages in which this house and its associated plants are printing. Hundreds of large volumes in English and the leading European languages were grouped in sectional cases at the rear. Among those which have had phenomenal sales are “Bible Readings for the Home Circle,” published in six different languages, with a sale of more than a million and a quarter copies; “Great Controversy” and “Christ Our Saviour,” devotional books, nearly half a million each; “Daniel and the Revelation,” a 900-page exposition of Bible prophecies, more than two hundred thousand; while “Heralds of the Morning” and “Practical Guide to Health” have each had a sale of more than one hundred thousand.
The leading periodical of this institution, the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in English, was grouped with its associate periodicals published in different countries and languages, as given above.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES English (Published at Mountain View, California)
SIGNS OF THE TIMES English (Published at Warburton, Vict., Australia)
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Bengali Juga Lakhyan
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Chinese Shi Djao Yeuh Bao
SIGNS OF THE TIMES French Les Signes des Temps
SIGNS OF THE TIMES German Die Zeichen der Zeit
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Hindu (No English equivalent)
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Holland Teekenen des Tijds
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Polish Znaki Czasu
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Roumanian Semnele Timupului
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Servian Snazi Wremena
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Spanish Las Señales de los Tiempos
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Urdu (No English equivalent)
A beautiful booklet telling of our work and belief, and filled with photographs of our institutions, had been prepared for those sufficiently interested to leave their names and addresses. About 3,500 have been sent out in response to such requests. There are a few copies remaining, which will be sent out on receipt of ten cents in stamps.
The Pacific Press was fortunate in securing Elder and Mrs. Snyder to attend to the exhibit work. As they speak Spanish and German as well as English, and can converse to some extent in Italian and French, the booth had an international atmosphere that was quite in harmony with the work it represented. They distributed over 11,000 periodicals and 12,000 tracts, the influence of which no one can measure.
The open grate, the library table and reading lamp, the easy chairs and abundance of reading matter, have all contributed to give the exhibit a quiet, restful effect, which has been greatly enjoyed by thousands of visitors.
Duties Neglected
"DIFFICULTIES unsolved will not keep you out of heaven, but duties neglected will."
The Conscientious Stomach
By Daniel H. Kress, M. D.
It Should Be a Faithful Sentinel to Warn Against Disease-Producing Habits—How It May Be Trusted if Treated Right
By DANIEL H. KRESS, M. D.
A PATIENT once said to his physician, "Doctor, I believe there is something wrong with my stomach." "Not a bit of it," replied the doctor. "God made your stomach, and He knows how to make stomachs. There may be something wrong with the stuff you put into it, or there may be something wrong with the way you cram the stuff down; but your stomach is all right."
THE STOMACH IS FAITHFUL
The stomach is not the unfaithful organ it is supposed to be. It will do its work without pain or inconvenience, provided it is properly treated.
The function of the stomach is to aid in converting food into such condition that it can be absorbed and appropriated in building tissue, repairing waste, and supplying heat and energy to the body.
In the army, faithful sentinels protect the camp from disaster by reporting the approach of the enemy. A normal stomach, like the sentinel, sounds the alarm when food is taken into it that is indigestible, and when other dietetic digressions occur.
WHEN THE CAMP IS NOT WARNED
When an enemy is allowed to enter camp without being molested, or without the camp's being notified, evidently something is wrong with the sentinel.
The man who boasts of being able to eat anything — pepper, mustard, pickles, vinegar, etc. — without stomach disturbance, may be certain that something is wrong with the sentinel. Gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, Bright's disease, diabetes mellitus, and other equally dangerous diseases, from which complete recovery may seldom be expected, are frequently found in persons who claim to have no difficulty with the stomach; yet the stomach, in nine cases out of ten, is the real seat of the disease.
THE STOMACH, AND NOT THE HEAD, WAS THE CAUSE
Patients have said to me, "Doctor, I have a bad headache," or, "I have nervous symptoms," or, "I have rheumatism," etc. When the question is asked, "Have you any difficulty with your digestion?" the reply is usually given: "Oh, no! My stomach is all right. I can eat anything." A physical examination may reveal foul breath and coated tongue. These conditions show that the real cause lies in the stomach.
WHY HIS STOMACH HURT
After being placed on a diet composed largely of well baked cereal foods, nuts, and fruits, the patient may say to the physician, "Doctor, I had no difficulty with my stomach before coming to you; but now everything I eat distresses me." When asked, "How are your other symptoms,—the headache, and the pains in your joints?" the usual reply is, "Oh, they are better, but my stomach bothers me." Now, what does this mean? — It means that the stomach is recovering from a state of chronic paralysis. The stomach nerves are assuming a more normal condition, and telegraphic communication is again established between it and headquarters. The real condition can be reported. The physician assures his patient that there is no need of alarm, that the stomach is being restored to a healthy condition, and that in time good food, thoroughly masticated, and eaten at proper intervals, will create no feeling of uneasiness or pain. A man ought not to be conscious that he has a stomach, if he eats right. If he departs from this course, he ought to be warned by the faithful sentinel.
A SEARED CONSCIENCE AND A BAD STOMACH
By frequent violation of moral law, the conscience may become seared; and in time, sin may cease to appear sinful. This is a sad condition of mind to be in. Yet many persons welcome such a state. What conscience is to the soul, ill feelings are to the stomach.
The man who is able to eat anything, with no local disturbing symptoms, and who yet has headache, gout, etc., is in as sad a condition physically as is the man spiritually who can do wrong without remorse of conscience. The stomach should be quick to report when errors in eating are made. The men and women who have sensitive, conscientious stomachs are the ones who live to old age; while those who say, "I can eat anything," are the ones who die prematurely of degenerative diseases.
The use of narcotics, as alcohol, tea and coffee, tobacco, and stomach bitters, frequently keeps concealed the actual state of the stomach. Often not until these are abandoned does one become conscious of having a stomach. Men unwittingly use these narcotics in order to be kept in ignorance of their true condition. This practice is responsible for the prevalent use of such articles. No one can afford to feel better than he actually is. No one can afford to deceive himself. We must have wide-awake stomachs, that will report digressions in eating and drinking, if we would live long and useful lives.
Turkey's End Near
By Editor
After showing the drying up of the Euphrates to be the weakening and ultimate loss of all power of Turkey, and drawing the reader's attention to the work of evil spirits in these last days, the author, in the above-entitled article in the February Signs Magazine, among other things says:
"It would be as well to expect the demons to declare a holiday and stop the work of deception for a few years, or for the nations to cease entirely the work of armament and war preparation for a like period of time, as to expect to see the Turkish empire revive, reestablished, and for a time prosper and advance."
This is one of the best articles on this much discussed topic that has ever appeared. Read it. Be thoroughly informed.
The aim of the Signs of the Times Magazine is, to study world conditions in the light of prophecy. Its experience of years is at the service of its thousands of readers.
The February Number
which is now ready, in addition to the above mentioned articles, contains the following:
The Church and the Present Crisis
Spiritism
Studies on the Book of Revelation
Christ's Second Coming
Christ Triumphant
The Great War Foretold
The Old Moslem Power Must Go
The Changed Aim and Message of the Church
Scurvy and Spring Fever
A dozen or more Current Topics
Many persons engage in the sale of this magazine; some to earn a living, others to improve their spare time, but all to extend a knowledge of the principles that it stands for. There is room for other agents in every state. Our representative in your state invites correspondence with you in case you have some spare time and would care to utilize it in this good way. See address in list on page 15.
Signs of the Times Magazine
Mountain View, California
What Will Answer in the Judgment?
By Mrs. Iva F. Cady
THERE are those who make a high profession of godliness, who are religious leaders, who think they have done and will do many wonderful works in the name of Christ, who yet will be rejected by the Lord in the last great day as workers of iniquity.
We know this, because Christ Himself has told us so. He says: "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Matt. 7: 22, 23.
These zealous workers who have taught in Christ's name, and have done so many wonderful works, feel very confident that they will be saved for those good works which they have done. They persuade themselves that the Lord is not very particular, and that it does not matter whether they teach and do exactly as He has commanded them, or not, since it would be such a cross to keep the whole law literally. But Christ says that He Himself will profess to such, "I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity."
Now, iniquity, or sin, is the transgression of the law (1 John 3: 4); so the Lord means just what He says, and He will not be satisfied with anything less than obedience to His law as a whole.
MRS. IVA F. CADY.
Our Representatives
By Editor
UNITED STATES AND CANADA
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Above is a list of our authorized agencies and depositories, and we invite you to communicate with them if you wish to secure any books or periodicals advertised in this journal.
OUR foreign tracts are put up in envelopes, price 25c each. They are obtainable in Arabic, Armenian, Bohemian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Danish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and many other languages. Address your Tract Society.
Ten Reasons—A Contrast
By Arthur L. Manous
It is interesting to note, in connection with the seventh day of creation week, the Sabbath of our God, that there are at least five inspired reasons given, which may be taken as showing, in part, why we should observe the Lord's Sabbath.
It is also of interest to note that there have been given and tabulated five man-made reasons for observing the first day of the week as the Sabbath. In these, the advocates of Sunday sacredness have doubtless "produced" their "strong reasons," if they complied with Isa. 41: 21. Now let us note the contrast in these ten reasons as they stand side by side.
FIVE INSPIRED REASONS FOR OBSERVING THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK
"On the seventh day God ended His work which He had made."
"And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made."
"And God blessed the seventh day."
"And sanctified it."
"And hallowed it." He thus made it "honorable," "because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made." Gen. 2: 2, 3; Ex. 20: 8-11; Isa. 58: 13, 14.
FIVE MAN-MADE REASONS FOR OBSERVING THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
"1. Christ rose from the dead on this day.
"2. He appeared twice in succession on this day.
"3. He gave special evidence of His resurrection on this day.
"4. He gave the earnest of the Spirit on this day.
"5. He sent the full effusion of the Holy Ghost to His church [on this day]."—Prof. Henry Lummis, after Bishop Wordsworth, in "Sabbath Essays," page 148, Boston, 1879.
"What is the chaff ["straw," R. V.] to the wheat? saith the Lord." Jer. 23: 28.
ARTHUR L. MANOUS.
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Rich Dress, Poor Character
"A RICH dress and a poor character make a bad combination."
A New Book That Teaches—
By I. H. Evans
Have You Read
# MINISTRY OF ANGELS?
By ELDER I. H. EVANS
A New Book That Teaches—
That angels are not the souls of departed friends.
They are created beings of a higher order than man.
There are good angels and evil ones too.
Evil angels apostatized from their former sinless state.
The phenomena of modern spiritism are produced by these evil angels.
Satan himself was a good angel of high rank at one time.
Every member of the human family has a guardian angel.
There are recording angels who note and record every act and word of mankind.
The following chapter titles show how fully the author treats this important question:
ANGELS EXISTED BEFORE MAN; ANGELS REAL CREATED BEINGS; THE FALL OF HEAVENLY ANGELS; A HIGHER ORDER THAN MAN; NUMBER OF THE ANGELS; GLORY OF THE ANGELS; POWER OF THE ANGELS; RAPIDITY OF ANGELS' MOVEMENTS; THE GUARDIAN ANGELS; THE RECORDING ANGELS; AGENTS IN DIVINE REVELATION; ANGEL MINISTRY TO ABRAHAM; ANGEL MINISTRY TO JACOB; ANGEL MINISTRY TO ISRAEL; JESUS AND THE ANGELS; ANGEL MINISTRY IN THE GOSPEL; ANGELS AND THE SECOND ADVENT; ANGELS AND THE REDEEMED IN GLORY.
Two hundred twenty-seven pages.
Specially engraved chapter headings and title page. The beautiful frontispiece represents an angel guarding two small children. In heavy paper cover at 35c; cloth, 75c. Ten per cent higher in Canada.
Our representative in your state can fill your order. See address in list on this page.
PACIFIC PRESS PUB. ASSN.
Mountain View, California
WHY ON SUNDAY ONLY?
By Editor
Notice that it is the "Sunday-observing up-state people" who are determined that New York Sunday laws shall be enforced; and here let it be clearly stated and distinctly understood that the closing of the saloons ought not to be, with morally strong and Christian people, a debatable question. The saloons should be closed. They are evil and only evil. But when you single out Sunday as a day upon which they are to be closed out of deference to the "Sunday-observing up-state people," you begin to mingle the religious question of Sunday observance with a matter that should be purely a question of temperance and the closing of the saloons, not only on Sunday, but on all days of the week alike; for there is no dodging the fact that if the saloons are closed on Sunday only, a sort of sanction is given to the idea that it is all right to drink on the other days of the week. Regardless of what they may think of Sunday, no temperance people can afford to make any such compromise as this.
"Men's Hearts Failing"
WHEN the Master was here, He foretold that the conditions in the world just before His second coming, would be so terrifying that "men's hearts" would be "failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:26.
On every hand, we hear men say that the conditions of this time are unprecedented. Never before were such appalling things happening. Never before has the world witnessed so barbarous and destructive a war. Never was there such unrest, distress, and perplexity in the society that makes up the various nations. Men are looking into the future with forebodings. The Master said that such would be the case. He said that hearts would be failing through fear. But in the same connection, the Lord also said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
The fear that possesses the hearts of the men of the world will not enter into the life of the follower of the blessed Lord of glory. He has provided a refuge for those who will seek it, and who can be induced to trust Him. Every one of the great promises of the sacred Word are applicable in this time; and although wars and rumors of wars, and storms and disasters of every kind and description, may be causing some men's hearts to quail, the Christian knows what these things mean. He knows that although the great storm is raging in this world of sin, yet He who can command the elements when He wills, has spoken the word into the soul of His follower, "Peace, be still." In such storm and stress as the world is now passing through, it is worth everything to know the calm, confident trust of a Christian heart. Indeed, there is nothing else in this world that is worth anything compared with this Christian experience. Christ is the All-powerful One, and the Christian knows Him personally. He knows, from personal experience, His saving grace and protection. "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." Ps. 46:2, 3.
Signs of the Times
By Editor
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL., JANUARY 11, 1916
A Great Issue Over Religious Dogma
By Editor
In last week's paper, we had an article by S. B. Horton, calling attention to the Sunday laws that have already been introduced at this session of Congress. Mr. Horton also spoke of the efforts that are continued to prohibit the use of the mails to publications that express disapproval of another man's religion.
On another page of this issue will be found an article from Elder Cottrell, telling of the efforts in Portland, and elsewhere in Oregon, and in Washington, to have a stricter Sunday, and to compel its observance by civil law, regardless of whether the individual chooses to observe that day or not.
A case is prominently before the court in Oklahoma of a man who was prosecuted for working on Sunday, and that notwithstanding the fact that he is a strict seventh-day observer. There is no reason why common labor may not be performed on Sunday as well as on any other day of the week, unless we take into account the religious sentiments that cluster around the day.
A CRISIS IN NEW YORK
The New York edition of the American Issue for December 11, 1915, states: "We are tending toward a Sunday crisis in New York City on the liquor question,—a crisis that, to a degree, involves the state. It is a crisis in which somebody will probably get hurt, politically, if the issue fail of an honest facing. The state law demands that saloons be closed on Sunday. The city administration nullifies that law in the face of all decency. Solemn oaths are thrown to the winds, police authorities usurp the office of legislation, and a statute is made a ridiculous travesty. Honest men know that this is anarchy. Thinking men know that it is breeding lawlessness of every kind. Intelligent men know that it lets riotously free the principal begetter of every sort of city hell. Patriots are determined that it must and shall stop."
All truly Christian people are in favor of closing the saloons every day in the week; and besides, there are also thousands of people who are not professing Christians, who are equally anxious to have the saloon nuisance blotted from the land. But there is no valid reason that can be offered as to why the saloons should be closed on Sunday any more than on other days of the week. The religious sentiment that clings to Sunday is the underlying cause for seeking the closing of saloons on that day. This last statement may be protested; but if the reader will carefully reflect upon the subject, he will doubtless reach the conclusion that the truth has been stated. The paper from which the foregoing is quoted shows this in the following statement:
"Neither law-flouting officials nor roaring tumults of rummies will count for anything when it comes to effort at changing the mind of saloon-hating, Sunday-observing up-state people on the question of Sunday saloons. There are so many districts which would politically tar and feather a representative who should vote to legalize Sunday saloons in New York City that such an outcome is impossible."
SUNDAY MADE PROMINENT
By Editor
Interwoven all through our national problems along reform lines, this Sunday question is continually made prominent; yet we search the Bible in vain from beginning to end for any evidence that Sunday is divinely ordained as a day of worship. On the other hand, we readily find, by studying the divine Book, that one of the plainest commandments in the Decalogue is the one that defines the Sabbath. Is it not evident, therefore, that the issue is fairly joined between a man-made institution and the divine commandment of Jehovah? The reader can see the clear, strong point that forms the great climax and conclusion given in the prophecy of the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Revelation, the reading of which is, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
God's commandments are thus made an issue in this increasingly strong controversy over the Sunday-law question. The human effort to substitute a man-made sabbath is directly confronted by the plain precept of Jehovah Himself. As was pointed out last week, the prophecy clearly announces that this controversy between Sunday and the Bible Sabbath will yet become a world-wide issue. The prophecy also makes it apparent that the commandments of God are the very center of the controversy. Study those commandments, and as the text suggests, permit the development of the patience of the saints; seek to gain the deep experiences of the faith of Jesus; and on this divinely appointed and sure foundation, we cannot possibly fail.
D. S. Phelan as a Catholic and an Editor
By M. C. W.
THE Western Watchman of December 16, 1915, is a "Golden Jubilee Edition" in honor of its late editor and founder, the Rev. D. S. Phelan, LL. D., commonly known as "Father Phelan," who died a few weeks ago. The most of his life was given to his paper. He was no diplomat. You always knew where he stood,—for the papacy in all its traditions and work and history, and against Protestantism. He hated the latter with an unrelenting, implacable, intense, persistent hatred, and said so as strongly as his virile pen could write it. He was a fighter, and one priest said of him that in "his armory you will find everything from Krupp guns to sledge hammers." When he could not fight Protestants, he fought "some belligerent on his own side." He has been compared to a lion, a mad bull, an eagle, a fox, a tiger, a war horse. Yet it is declared that in all he said, he held no resentments. He seemed to love honest Protestants. He said recently that they were Catholics, but did not know it. We hope that Father Phelan was a better Christian than Roman Catholic. Some passages in his sermons were deeply spiritual, and at times he castigated his own people so severely that they must have sympathized with Protestants. He was a great editor, and he will be greatly missed.
M. C. W.
Postwar Social and Political Upheaval
The Prince of Wales, as reported from London, declares that "a gigantic social and political upheaval will follow the war."
Habits and Longevity
The well-known banker, W. W. Spence, who died in Baltimore recently, aged over one hundred years, claimed that regular and temperate habits were the cause of his long life.
A Greater Navy
The General Navy Board of the United States is ardently advocating that the United States at once adopt a program which by 1925 will complete a navy second to none in the world. What will be done, remains to be seen; but the persistent efforts, in this great liberty-loving and peace-loving nation, in favor of a greater army and navy, are truly significant.
Notice of Annual Meeting of the Pacific Press Publishing Association
NOTICE is hereby given, to all whom it may concern, that the annual meeting of the members of the Pacific Press Publishing Association, a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the state of California, will be held at the office of the association on Villa Street, in the town of Mountain View, county of Santa Clara, state of California, on Monday, the 24th day of January, A. D. 1916, at 10 o'clock A. M.
The election of directors, repealing or adopting by-laws, or such other business as may be necessary or proper to be transacted, will come before the members of the association.
