p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 44. (11/5/1896)

Earlier text: LESSON VIII.—SABBATH, NOVEMBER 21, 1896

FIGHTING AGAINST GOD

Is the title of a sixteen-page tract just issued as No. 41 of the Religious Liberty Library

In which PICTURE, POETRY, and PROSE unite in teaching Christian principles of freedom of conscience

7 FINE HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS 7

The pages shown below are reduced facsimiles of pages 6 and 7 of this tract

CAN NATIONS CONTEND WITH GOD?

"At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation."

For a nation to compel a subject to disobey the laws of a foreign nation, when it knows it is powerless to protect him in so doing, is but to murder its citizen in cold blood, and merit international contempt.

Will the government attempt to protect its citizens against the wrath of an offended God? Will it declare war on the King of kings? Can it marshal its hosts and hurl its serried columns against the Eternal City?

"WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN."

"WHEN they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: . . . saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."

If God had intended that his children should submit to governments in matters of conscience, he would not have protected Daniel in the lions' den, the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, nor have delivered Peter and John, Paul and Silas, from their prison cells, where they were placed for disobeying human enactments.

GOD AND THE POWERS THAT BE.

"RENDER therefore unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

God has ordained that governments should exist among men. To these governments he has commanded his people to render tribute, honor, and respect. He has commanded them to be obedient to every ordinance of man, not for fear of punishment, but for the Lord's sake. So long as a government enforces ordinances of men, — such laws only as are necessary for the protection of men in the enjoyment of their equal, natural rights, — they will not come in conflict with the Christian.

Wilt thou rally thy legions to battle, And march on the City of Light, Whence angels excelling in power Were hurled to the regions of night?

Wilt thou compass the city eternal, Its towers and battlements raze, And train thy batteries brazen On the throne of the Ancient of Days?

CYCLONE WASHER.

The "Cyclone" still whirls.

Now is THE most favorable opportunity to take a fine whirl with the "CYCLONE," and make some good money when nothing else can be accomplished. Invest at once, as it is a seller, and if you take it up for a business it will pay you large wages. Don't miss the chance of the season. See what others say.

Dr. J. H. Kellogg, in Good Health, says:—

"The manufacturers of the Cyclone Washer, Coon Bros., are evidently meeting with great success in the manufacture of their very useful invention. Their business has attained such proportions that they have found it necessary to erect a large, commodious building for the manufacture of their washers, hundreds of which they are sending out every month to all parts of the United States. That the Cyclone Washer greatly lessens the labor of washing-day and may be considered one of the most successful of the numerous devices for accomplishing this purpose, is attested by hundreds of grateful housewives. We have every reason to believe that the machine is all that it is claimed to be by the manufacturers. Coon Bros., Battle Creek, Michigan."

Agents wanted everywhere. Address, Coon Bros., 18-20 Hanover St., Battle Creek, Mich.

Living by Faith

By Editor

"Living by Faith." (Spanish.) A translation of Bible Students' Library No. 75; 16 pp.; price, 2 cents. Address, PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING Co., Oakland, Cal.

BIBLE SANCTIFICATION:

By Editor

A CONTRAST OF TRUE AND FALSE THEORIES.

By Mrs. E. G. White.

This is a pamphlet of only 84 pages, but its value is not to be judged by its size. It is just what its title indicates: a faithful presentation of Bible truth on this important subject, and an exposure of the false theories prevailing in regard to it. Every believer in Bible truth should read it. Buy it, read it, and lend it to your neighbor. Price, 10 cents.

Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.

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By Editor

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SUNSET LIMITED

WILL BE

Resumed in November

TUESDAYS AND SATURDAYS

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Initial Trip NOV. 9

Residents of California and elsewhere in the West, who have planned for Eastern tours previous to the date named, should keep in mind the important fact that the return trip can be arranged for SUNSET LIMITED without additional cost. A trip across the continent via the popular Sunset Route; in a Pullman vestibule train of palatial elegance, provided with every comfort and luxury that can be suggested for the inner as well as the outer man, is a good fortune that falls but rarely to the average lot. Don't forget this when purchasing your ticket.

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Printed on highly-finished paper Its attractiveness will insure perusal by the Most prejudiced or indifferent reader

The Presidential Election

By Editor

THIS paper is closed before the result of the Presidential election is known, but to those who really believe that the Lord is soon coming, and that all the temporal and consequently temporary governments of earth will soon give place to his everlasting kingdom, the result is of small consequence. The light of prophecy indicates clearly that this government will "speak as a dragon" in the near future, and the small matter of who is President will not change the inevitable. The manifest tendency of all parties to cater to the growing demand for religious legislation on the part of the general government is not a campaign issue; that which will hasten the final downfall of the nation, with all other earthly powers, is fostered by all parties; that which will develop the nation into a full-fledged religious persecuting power will come, no matter how the elections go. "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."

Our Work

By Editor

Our Work.—Says an exchange: "The religious Hindu is ever striving to find out some way of satisfying the inner cravings of his soul. Numerous instances have occurred of Hindus who lived in wealth and luxury, tearing themselves from their plenty and comfort and the enjoyment of everything included in a worldling's highest ideal, and consecrating themselves to lives of voluntary poverty and the most ascetic severity. They have striven by every imaginable means to mortify desire for the most ordinary and commonplace creature comforts, so that they might, perchance, discover the highest human ideal, and find salvation. The amount of corporal punishment and penance and of torture inflicted on their bodies by means of unsparing in severity, would sound incredible in the ears of modern western people." We Christians have a message to the world, telling every one what he must do to be saved. The time for giving this message is nearing the end. What is being done for those poor "religious Hindus"? Who will carry the message of salvation, of the approaching crisis, to them and to other sinking millions, if we allow ourselves to be lured from duty by the business and political strifes and excitements of the world? The man who truly seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness will have no time for anything else. God has said as much, for he has promised to add whatever else we need. Then let Christians attend strictly to the business entrusted to us by the Lord. The King's business requires haste.

American Catholicism and Vatican Authority

"American Catholics" would just as well drop the appellate prefix, "American." It means nothing but a quasi independence, and even this must sooner or later be put off. Anything like Americanism is to be diplomatically limited by the Vatican. The Roman Church is Roman, and never will be anything else. The church in America was placated by giving it a cardinal, but when the time came to appoint an "apostolic delegate," to have charge as a vice pope, an Italian was sent over. And when he is recalled to Rome to enter more closely into the counsels of the Vatican, another Italian takes his place. The commission of Monsignor Martinelli, the new delegate, contains the following expression of absolute authority:—

"We command all whom it concerns to recognize in you as Apostolic Delegate the supreme power of the delegating Pontiff. We command that they give you aid, concurrence and obedience in all things, that they receive with reverence your salutary admonitions and orders. Whatsoever sentence or penalty you shall declare or inflict against those who oppose your authority we will ratify, and with the authority invested in us by the Lord will cause the same to be observed inviolably until condign satisfaction be made, notwithstanding constitutions and apostolic ordinances or any other thing to the contrary."

Those Protestants who are deceiving themselves with the idea that Catholicism in America is to become in any way a permanent improvement upon the Catholicism of the Old World or of ancient times, will learn, sooner or later, that whatever semblance of liberalism may be seen on the surface in this country, "Rome never changes." This semblance will be tolerated, even encouraged, for a time, but Rome will keep its hand on the helm; so that when a profession of religious liberalism shall have gone far enough to suit Rome's purpose, the Roman hand may summarily check anything like liberty of action independent of Rome, or that would prevent Rome's reaping the advantages gained.

The New Era Church

The New Era Church, comprising practically "the civic church" idea presented some years ago in this city by a Baptist minister named Dixon, and which received some temporary notice, was incorporated, and put into practical effect in Los Angeles, in 1894, and now claims a membership of 700 in that city. At Compton, Azusa and Clearwater there are like organizations, which, it is said, swell the membership to 1,000. It is a straight out-and-out endeavor to do what nearly all the churches are aiming to accomplish through various subterfuges, namely, to combine religion and politics. One section of the constitution reads as follows:—

"In matters of belief and opinion there will be absolute liberty of mind to accept whatever is proved or seems probable and to reject whatever is disproved or seems improbable; and that its range of investigation and instruction will be unlimited, drawing freely from all sources—scientific, literary, historic, ancient and modern, sacred and profane, Christian, Jewish and pagan—drawing most largely from those sources which seem instructive and helpful, freely handling every question in the problem of human life and aspiration, whether relating to this life or the life to come, or whether concerning the body or the soul of man."

A correspondent of the San Francisco Call says that it "runs mostly to politics," and that is the natural trend of all effort to unite religion and politics. Another expression of the aforesaid correspondent is significant as showing that the New Era Church is but an advanced growth of the political tendency of the current churchism. He says:—

"Twice on Sunday the members gather to hear discourses. A brother or sister will rise and deliver a prepared or extemporaneous address. He may take some Bible theme for his base of argument, but if he does he will use it only as a wall from behind which shots will be taken at political questions of the day."

Papal Delegates and Government Honors

When Mgr. Martinelli, the new apostolic delegate from Rome to the United States, arrived in New York lately, the government despatched a revenue cutter with a welcome greeting to the papal minister. This was also done a few years ago when Satolli came. It is a distinction that the government would not show to any other religious denomination, or to an ambassador of any other foreign power. Yet many people scout the idea that in the United States is to be found the "image" to the papal "beast," and its enforced worship.

The Ministry and the Poor

THE degeneracy of professed Christianity in these last days is made conspicuously manifest in the truckling of the ministry to the rich. A special characteristic of the last days is the oppression of the poor by the rich, and the word of God plainly points out the terrible retribution that is to follow. Yet those who point to these things, and in warning voice show how they are being literally fulfilled, and the imminence of the dire consequences which the inspired word predicts, are charged by the ministry with stirring up strife between the classes and the masses. Some even go so far as to tell us that the oppressions so prominent on every hand are purely financial issues, to which the word of God has no reference. It seems strange that pointing out the prevailing sins against which God has especially given warning should be characterized as a heinous offence by the very class who are commissioned to sound the warning. Of course it is more agreeable to preach the "smooth things" which people generally prefer (Isa. 30: 8-14), but there is a doom upon the "watchman" who fails to sound the alarm when danger approaches (Eze. 33: 6).

Poor Cuba

By Editor

Poor Cuba.—There seems to be fully as much, if not more, reason for interference on the part of the United States in the Cuban situation than in the Turkish-Armenian troubles. The continuance of the war of coercion by Spain is fully as heartless as the conduct of Turkey, yet the Spanish Government professes to be Christian, and her wars are all conducted under the patronage of "the church." Even the official advices present a picture of horrible suffering, distress and want throughout the entire island. These advices say that if a correct judgment can be formed from the reports sent in from nearly every province, beginning at Santiago de Cuba, on the eastern end, to Pinar del Rio, at the western extremity, and which are published in the daily press, starvation appears to be stalking through Cuba. Hundreds of families are reported as famine-stricken in the interior, beyond the reach of government aid, while the cities and towns are overrun with destitute refugees, chiefly women and children, begging food from door to door and seeking medical assistance. Typhoid, yellow fever, and smallpox are epidemic in nearly every section. In the hospitals of Havana alone, the latest report gave the number of inmates at 10,140.

The Latest.

By Editor

The latest scheme for raising money for church purposes is this, from a Cleveland paper: "Election returns by Western Union wire, First M. E. Church, corner Euclid Ave. and Erie Street. Complete telegraph service. Continuous and attractive program from seven o'clock, standard, until the result is determined. Hot lunch served. Admission twenty-five cents. In charge of Forward Chapter, Epworth League."

The Contradiction of a National Sunday Law

By Editor

The Christian Statesman is correct in its statement that "what our judges and legislators need most of all to learn is that when a law of the general government comes into collision with the law of God, the former must give way." We like to agree with people and journals when it is possible to do so, and we heartily concur in that sentiment. But it is an expression that gives away the whole argument for a national Sunday law, so persistently urged by the Statesman; for such a law is in direct "collision with the law of God," which says that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."

Famine and Wheat Speculation

This world's sympathy is aptly illustrated in the fact that famine in India is made the occasion of extensive wheat speculation, and attempts to "corner" the supply, and raise the price as high as possible on shipments to the land of the unfortunate sufferers.