October 24 the new St. Paul's Roman Catholic Cathedral, said to be the finest edifice in all Pennsylvania, was dedicated at Pittsburg. It cost $3,500,000. It was dedicated by Mgr. Diomede Falconio, papal delegate to America, assisted by Cardinal Gibbons and other high prelates.
Balancing Accounts with My Maker
By Addison
Tho I am well satisfied that it is not in my power to balance accounts with my Maker, I am resolved, however, to turn all my endeavors that way.—Addison.
How We Look at It.
By Editor
An article comes to us from a good brother which deplores the condition of the followers of Christ. Here are two sentences: "They [men] would see . . . that spirit that was exhibited in the lives of His [Christ's] disciples. But where is it to-day?" What spirit exhibited in the lives of Christ's disciples? Is it the spirit of fear, exhibited in the storm on Galilee (Matt. 8:24-27)?—We see it to-day. Is it the spirit which would send away the Syro-Phenician woman (Matt. 15:23)?—We see it to-day. Is it the spirit manifest by James and John in wishing to destroy the Samaritans (Luke 9:54-56)?—There are many exhibitions of it now. Is it the spirit exhibited in the desire of being greatest (Luke 22:24)?—It is not wanting to-day. There are still other exhibitions we might name; this will suffice.
"All dust is frail, all flesh is weak,
Be thou the true man thou dost seek."
Here is another sentence from the same article: "Men are too busy to exhibit love to-day." But may there not be the very highest love in their busyness, only another form of working business. Did not the early disciples show love when they "forsook all," in unseemly haste, from a world point of view, "and followed Him"? Are not men doing it to-day? Did they not exhibit love when at the Master's command they went forth with His urgent message, saluting "no man by the way"? Luke 10:4. The men who wanted to talk thought, perhaps, that it was no exhibition of love, because they would not do this. But "this is the love of God that we keep His commandments."
In the supper message God gives to His servants, He says, "Go out quickly." There is no time for dawdling when it is time for work. "The King's business [busyness] requires haste" oftentimes; and it is not love to linger then. "Be diligent" is an everlasting command. Whether we can see the things we long to see among God's people now depends upon how we look at it.
Calamities and the Uncertainty of Life
By Editor
A street-car disaster near Atlantic City, N. J., on the night of the 28th ult., resulted in the death of fifty-nine persons, and many others were more or less injured. The cars left the rails and plunged over a bridge into the water. A despatch from Tokyo, Japan, dated October 28, reports a hurricane off Goto Island, which destroyed 228 coral-fishing vessels, drowning 822 persons. About one hundred others were injured. There were 1,210 men aboard the vessels.
More than a score of lives were suddenly put out by the burning of the Chamber of Commerce Building in Kansas City, on the 26th ult. Such occurrences, in connection with the great hurricane and tidal wave that swept the coasts of Florida and Cuba on the 17th ult., causing a loss of six hundred lives and $4,000,000 in property, are strong reminders of the uncertainty of life. Who knows that he will have a to-morrow in this life? One thing we do know, however, and that is, "Now is the accepted time" to seek peace with God; "now is the day of salvation."
The Chilean Earthquake
By Editor
We print in our Outlook department another word from friends in South America, on the earthquake of August 16. The photo reproductions will be of interest and will look as tho they might have been taken in California. Note the wide extent of the Chilean temblor.
Crime in Japan After the War
A despatch from Tokyo under date of September 22 informs us that crime in Japan has increased alarmingly since the close of the war, particularly among discharged soldiers. Many policemen have been killed and wounded by malcontents, and burglaries with violence are extremely prevalent. But this is the kind of education that war usually gives. The moral influence of the Civil War in America was fearful.
The World’s Fifth Sunday-School Convention
By Editor
The World's Fifth Sunday-school Convention will meet at Rome, Italy, May 20-23, 1907. The White Star Line Steamer Romanic has been chartered to take the American delegates from Boston, Massachusetts, to Naples and Genoa, and will sail from Boston April 27, 1907, due in Rome May 16. Sunday-school missionary meetings will be held at Funchal, Island of Madeira, Algiers, in northern Africa, and Naples and Genoa, probably at Gibraltar. Noted clergymen will be present from different parts of the world. Convention sermon will be preached by Dr. Campbell Morgan. The chairman of the transportation committee is Mr. W. M. Hartshorn, 221 Columbus Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts. We are glad that this Protestant convention will meet in Rome. We sincerely hope that it will be another mighty force to batter down the walls of ignorance and superstition.
Russia’s Fear of Peace
By Editor
The Russian Government seems to be afraid of peace. Perhaps this is because it is such a stranger to the ill-fated empire. But a late St. Petersburg despatch says: "The peaceful regeneration party, headed by Count Heyden, M. Stakovich and Prince Lvoff, has been refused legalization on the ground that its program menaces the public welfare." On the other hand, however, the title, "peaceful regeneration party," like that of some political parties in other countries, is only a name.
OUR THANKSGIVING NUMBER.
By Editor
Our next issue will be a Thanksgiving number, issued thus early in order to give our agents plenty of time to give it a good sale before Thanksgiving. We have a new, attractive cover page, speaking of harvest, autumn, and the fruits of the year, and the thanksgiving feature will find sufficient emphasis in special articles.
Among the articles which the paper will contain are the following:
Two striking scenes of the earthquake's work in Chile;
Other appropriate illustrations and poems.
There ought to be a fine sale for this issue. One of several articles will be worth much more than the paper. Order at once.
Prices in quantities as follows: 25 to 75, three cents each; by the hundred at two and one-half cents each.
Christ the Head of Every Man
"One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren." The head of every man is Christ. While every soul is under measurable obligation to his brethren, while it is proper to submit to their judgment in matters where no vital principle is involved, yet where duty to Christ leads otherwise, that duty is paramount. "Quench not the Spirit." Be true to every call of God. He knows your limitations and capacities and how He can use you as your brethren can not; therefore keep passive underneath His hand. But be sure that you are not following selfish desire when you think you are following Christ.
Carnal Weapons and Christian Warfare
Carnal weapons never were in greater demand than at the present time. In the cities of San Francisco and Oakland the sale of revolvers is said to be almost incredible. In the former city sales to the number of seventeen thousand were reported in one week, six thousand of which were effected in one day. In the latter city the sales of such arms are unprecedented. Yet the hold-ups and burglaries seem to be on the increase notwithstanding the general arming. That this disposition to depend upon carnal weapons for defense, and as peace preservers in general, is not confined to special localities, we note in connection with the recent death of Daniel B. Wesson, the celebrated manufacturer of firearms, the statement that his estate is valued at $30,000,000. This was all accumulated in the business of making and selling carnal weapons, and his is only one of many great establishments of this character in this "Christian nation." It seems that the more "civilization" we have in the world, and the more profession of Christianity there is, the greater the dependence on improved instruments of death. Modern Christianity apparently forgets that the weapons of the true Christian "are not carnal," nevertheless they are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Of course the "sword of the Spirit," which is the Word of God, can not be effective to the pulling down of the strongholds of sin unless it be practically utilized by the faith of those who profess to believe in it. It is only "mighty through God"—through the power of His Spirit—and not through a mere nominal profession of belief in it. If all who profess faith in God really depended upon the influence of His Word, through actual obedience, to counteract the evil that is in the world, the business of making carnal weapons would not produce such large fortunes.
Ministers and Political Office
By Editor
"What about a minister running for a political office, as, for instance, Dr. Bechtel in Colorado, a candidate for governor?" O, nothing about it. In doing as he is now, he has, of course, done either right or wrong. He may be doing right in forsaking the profession of the minister and becoming a politician. This may have been the business he has been working in all these years, and the place to work at politics is outside instead of inside the church. He may be doing right and simply going to his own. If he has been a true minister of Christ, he ought so to remain. It is an awful step downward from the pulpit to the political rostrum; from the minister of Christ Jesus to the self-seeking politician.
The Rules of Rugby Football
By Editor
We have received from President Wheeler of California University a copy of "The Rules of the Rugby Game of Football," played by California and Stanford Universities. President Wheeler declares that this shall be the game of the universities of the Pacific whatever the eastern footballers do. Now we are not a football crank or devotee, but we think the old Rugby game will be a welcome one compared with the pugilistic, murderous substitute adopted by the American colleges, and responsible for so much maiming and killing.
Employer and Employee Relations in New Zealand
New Zealand, remarks the Christian Advocate, is by no means yet a heaven. The relations that now exist between employers and employees as compared with the relations of a few years ago are much less cordial. Major-General Babington, commandant of the military forces, makes this statement in the report presented to Parliament.