p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 20. (5/17/1899)

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

THE twenty-eighth annual meeting of the California Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, and the third annual meeting of the California Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists, a corporation, will convene at 9 A.M. Wednesday, May 31, 1899, at Stockton, Cal., for the purpose of electing the officers of the conference, a board of seven directors of the California Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists, and the transacting of such other business as may properly come before the meeting. Each organized church will be entitled to one delegate and an additional delegate for every twenty members.

W. T. KNOX, President. J. J. IRELAND, Secretary.

Tract Prices

By Editor

Arrangements have been made by which you can obtain the tracts published in Bible Students' and Apples of Gold Libraries at reduced rates. Ask your Tract Society or the publishers for an order sheet and circular giving the new prices.

Pacific Press Publishing Co. Publishers Oakland California

WONDROUS LOVE

By Editor

This beautiful piece of music which first appeared in the Centennial Number of this paper is now published in sheet form. An attractive cover has been added, and the price placed at twenty-five cents post-paid

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO. OAKLAND, CAL.

The Nearness of Christ’s Coming

OF HIS COMING; by Milton C. Wilcox, shows conclusively that Christ's coming is very near. 25,000 already sold. Price, $1.50 per 100.

PACIFIC PRESS PUB. CO. Oakland, Cal. 39 Bond St., New York City 18 W. 5th St., Kansas City, Mo.

Prayer

PRAYER By A. T. Pierson, will bring new life and light into your church, missionary society and home. Price, $1.00 per 100

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO. New York City Oakland, Cal. Kansas City, Mo.

Instructions for Ordering.

By Editor

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TO CONTRIBUTORS.

By Editor

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES is a purely missionary enterprise. For this reason it has felt free to ask for contributions from its friends. It pays nothing for contributions, either prose or poetry, unless solicited by the editor, and then the fact is stated when the articles are asked for. This is a plan rarely followed, but sometimes deemed expedient.

Articles Desired.—Those which set forth in the Spirit of Christ the great saving truths of God, short and to the point. It is better to treat one important truth clearly, in a short article, than many points vaguely in a long one. We desire no caustic, critical productions, which might minister to personal pride or pleasure, but can not save souls.

How Prepared.—Write plainly, with typewriter or ink, with wide space between the lines, to freely admit of editing, writing of subheads, etc. Write on one side of the sheet only. Sign the name to the manuscript, as it becomes oftentimes separated from accompanying letter. Anonymous contributions are not used, whatever their merit. If the writer does not wish his name to appear, let him furnish a pseudonym for the public. But we wish the name.

Manuscript Returned.—We will return all unused manuscript desired if stamp and directions are inclosed. We are forced sometimes to return good manuscript mainly for three reasons: (a) Sometimes the articles are too long; (b) sometimes we have a number on the same subject; (c) sometimes our plans are such that an article can not be used till it is out of date. We therefore hope that no offense will be taken by those who have freely contributed their best thought if their productions are returned. When we receive so much matter, we can not use all.

Offering to the Foreign Mission Board

By Editor

To ALL interested in carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of other lands, and who desire to assist in supporting missionaries already there and others who may engage in the work, the opportunity is given to make an offering to the FOREIGN MISSION BOARD of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. Address, 1730 North Fifteenth Street, Philadelphia, Penn.

Battle Creek Bakery Company

Established 1881

MANUFACTURERS OF HEALTH FOOD CRACKERS, BISCUITS, AND CEREOLA STRICTLY HIGH GRADE GOODS AT REASONABLE VALUE

Below is our Confidential Circular of Facts and Prices READ EVERYBODY You do read the daily news, and you do know from facts and statements there presented, the urgent necessity of Food Reform. Do you know that the crackers commonly sold for butter crackers are such in name only, they are lard shortened? Do you wish healthful crackers and biscuits that are both highly palatable and nutritious, and are received everywhere with favor and commendation? Do you wish a food supplied your tables the year round, made only of first-class material, and guaranteed to contain neither lard, cotton-seed compounds, imitation or inferior grades of butter? Do you wish a pure food cracker in the composition of which the products of slaughtered animals form no part? Do you want the best health food crackers and biscuits the market affords? Do you want a food that is prepared from a variety of the choicest cereals, thoroughly cooked and ready for immediate use? (Ce-re-o'la.) Is it a satisfaction to know that you can obtain foods that have not been aerated with the fumes of liquor and the smoke of tobacco? Do you know that the Battle Creek Bakery Co. is prepared to furnish you just the class of goods above described. Do you want graham flour that is made from the cream of wheat, and not a compound of bran and middlings? Do you want deliverance from all that troubles you in making good graham bread? Our Perfection Graham Flour is your remedy. It is a perfect flour.

In ordering please remember that the freight on 100 lbs. costs no more than on any number of pounds less than 100. Save your money by ordering 100 lbs. or more. We offer a discount of 10 per cent. from the above prices on all orders of 100 lbs. or more. This does not apply to Perfection Graham Flour.

A sample box of the various Crackers, Biscuits, and Cereola will be sent prepaid by mail or express on receipt of 35c.

In making your selections be careful to state the number of pounds of each you wish sent, and enclose amount of purchase with order. Our Institution is well known to the publishers of this journal, and no doubt this will be a sufficient guarantee to the public of good faith on our part to do precisely what we have here agreed to do. To those who wish other references, we refer you to the City Bank of Battle Creek, Mich. Please send all remittances by Post-Office Order, Express Order, or Bank Draft, and make all BATTLE CREEK BAKERY COMPANY Battle Creek, Mich.

Protestant Persecution and Religious Liberty

The so-called "National Reformers" of the United States make great pretense of love for the law of God, but their idea of its proper observance is to have their traditions enforced upon all classes by the government. This is urged in the name of Christianity—of Protestantism. The same spirit is manifested by the "Protestants" of Turkey. So anxious are they to utilize the law of the land in the suppression of religion inimical to their traditions, that they are free to use the laws of a Moslem government (backed by false accusations) in persecuting men who teach from the Bible "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Of course our workers are the victims, one of them having been thrown into jail on false charges because he happened to be at a certain place in time to officiate at the wedding of one of our brethren, which otherwise would have given a "Protestant" minister an opportunity to charge a good-sized fee. Such are some of the vicissitudes of proclaiming the Gospel of the Bible instead of the traditions of men. But remember it is not the Moslems nor the Roman Catholics who give themselves to such work, but Protestants—the professed exponents of religious liberty.

Truthful Words

Truthful Words.—Dr. Joseph Parker, of London City Temple, in condemning gambling, horse-racing, and debauchery, in those high in station, declared:—

"This thing is not confined to the princes in the West End [where live the wealthy and titled] of London; we want as many missionaries as in the East End; they are badly distributed. I think Sodom and Gomorrah were less wicked in many respects than our West End."

"I firmly believe that we are on the brink of a revolution. Things can not possibly go on as they are."

"If the Prince of Wales does not master his passions and tread the virtuous path of his illustrious mother when he comes to the throne, the crown of England will not be worth twelve months' purchase."

In reply to a question as to how English society could be reformed, Dr. Parker replied:—

"English society can only be bettered after it has been well furnished. There must come a period of loss, humiliation, and shame. After that there may come a revival of the best English traditions."

"England must be humiliated in some form or another. She has lost her old conception of discipline."

"When a nation relaxes self-culture as she has done, it opens the way to all sorts of mischief and decay."

"American society is not a whit better. The everlasting dollar has deprived American society alike of its virtue, its culture, and its gratitude."

All of which are in fulfilment of the prophecies of the Word of God. "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." "And because iniquity shall abound, the love [for God and truth and righteousness] of the many shall wax cold." "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come," not because of violence, but because, as the context shows, not less than eighteen different sins are held among a class which have a form of godliness, but deny the power. See 2 Tim 3 1-5. We are on the brink of a revolution, yet out of it will come the established reign of Jesus Christ.

"BECAUSE OF MURDERERS."

A few days since a boy of fourteen, in Santa Rita, California, became angry at three smaller children, and deliberately went home, got a shot-gun, and returned and fired upon them. The gun chanced to be loaded with small bird-shot, so the children were not fatally wounded. The same day a woman at Stockton just as deliberately murdered one of her most intimate friends, and then committed suicide.

Such incidents are of daily occurrence. Men, women, and even little boys and girls, seem possessed with the spirits of demons. Are we not in the time foretold by Jeremiah? The prophet says: "For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Wo is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers." Jer. 4:31.

When such wickedness is fully developed, God has given us numerous examples that He will manifest His power and put an end to it. This time it is to be by the second coming of His Son. And may the glad day be hastened!

CONTAINED IN THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Poetry.

At Prayer-meeting . . . . . 3

Still Waters, BESSIE JOHNSON-BELLMAN . . . . . 5

A Prayer, MRS. ADDIE B. HAMMOND . . . . . 9

Make Room for Jesus . . . . . 13

General.

"He Staggered Not," F. D. STARR . . . . . 1

The Promise of the Spirit, MRS. E. G. WHITE . . . . . 2

Be Patient, W. N. G . . . . . 3

Can You See It? H. G. THURSTON . . . . . 4

Studies in Galatians (Gal. 6:12-18), E. J. WAGGONER . . . . . 4

His Love Revealed in His Word, E. HILLIARD . . . . . 5

The Union of Christ and the Believer, MRS. JULIA LOOMIS . . . . . 5

Editorial.

Rome's Proof of Infallibility . . . . . 6

The Trappings of Pride . . . . . 6

Invulnerable Armor . . . . . 7

Outlook.—Mob Reason and Law—Sunday Papers in London—"National Reform" Illustrated—"Wo to Him"—Roman Catholicism in New England—Poisoning Mania . . . . . 8

Missions.—The Spanish Field, DAN. T. JONES—Our Work and Workers . . . . . 9, 10

International Sabbath-school and Sunday-school Lessons . . . . . 10, 11

The Home.—Kenneth's Debt—"Fulness of Bread"—The Two-Wine Theory . . . . . 12, 13

News and Notes . . . . . 14

Publishers . . . . . 15

Addresses on the Philippine Question

By Editor

Among the men who are saying right things, and therefore good things, in the relation of this government to the Philippine Islands are David Starr Jordan, president of Stanford University, and John J. Valentine, president of Wells Fargo & Co. And these men are as patriotic as any in the nation, and they speak as earnestly as they do because they are patriotic. Two addresses by President Jordan—"Lest We Forget" and "The Question of the Philippines"—and "Imperial Democracy," by Mr. Valentine, may be obtained, we presume, by addressing the latter at office of Wells Fargo & Co., San Francisco, Cal.

The Sin Trust

In the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is all power to reform the world; but it begins in the individual heart, and the individual heart must receive the Gospel by willing submission, by simple faith. There is no other way. Law may abolish tariff and trusts, and may in law reverse conditions of wealth and poverty; there is a trust of which Satan is the head, which has a hold upon every soul who has not received the Gospel. The worst trust the world ever knew is the sin trust, of which Satan is president. All other selfish commercial trusts are but the tenderest offshoots from the great parent stock. O soul, break from the power of the Sin Trust by the mightier power of the Gospel!

What Are We Fighting For?

Two Nebraska soldiers are quoted as expressing a sentiment of some strength in the army, as follows:—

"I am not afraid, and am always ready to do my duty, but I would like some one to tell me what we are fighting for." "I do not approve of the course our government is pursuing with these people. If all men are created equal, they have some rights which ought to be respected. . . . . In a word, I believe they should be accorded all the rights that we claim for ourselves. As for myself, I marched into the battle to make them free—not to make them subjects. I understand our mission is to be one of humanity and for the cause of freedom, but our offering on the altar of liberty has been prostituted."

A Christian Right.

D'Aubigne says, in speaking of the Protest at Spires: "There has never been anything more positive, and at the same time more aggressive, than the position of Protestants at Spires. By maintaining that their faith is alone capable of saving the world, they defended with intrepid courage the rights of Christian proselytism. We can not desert this proselytism without deserting Protestant principles." It is not only a right, God-given, but it is a duty if a man believes himself possessed of saving truth to give that truth to others who have it not. He is false to God if he fails to do it.

The Youth’s Instructor

By Editor

"The Youth's Instructor" comes to us in its old form of larger page. The smaller page with cover was more convenient, and we expect would please the majority better, but we do not dislike the larger page. It seems more familiar and friendly, from its old associations, we presume. At any rate, its matter is good. Its present editor, Addie Bee Cooper will do all in her power to make it a good paper; and she has good counsel and contributors. To compensate for the change in form the price is reduced to 75 cents a year. May the good paper flourish and prosper. Boys and girls everywhere should read. Its address is Battle Creek, Mich.

The Growth of Trusts.

A computation made by a Western paper of the recently organized trusts in this country, shows that in the first three months of the present year the number formed in New Jersey alone had nearly reached the aggregate for 1898. In January 24 companies were incorporated with a capitalization of $384,000,000, in February, 29 companies, with a capitalization of $403,250,000; in March, 53 companies, with a capitalization of $531,600,000. This makes a total for New Jersey of $1,308,850,000. This sum has been added to by the incorporations in other States. The estimates do not include a large number of combines and consolidations, which, if carried into effect, will add nearly $3,500,000,000, making the capitalization of the trusts organized in 2 years—1898 and 1899—in excess of $6,000,000,000.—Christian Work.

International Sunday-School Association Officers

The officers of the International Sunday-school Association, the Sunday School Times tells us, are, for the next three years: President, Alfred Day, Ontario; vice-president, Charles D. Meigs, Indiana; secretary and treasurer, Rev. E. M. Fergusson, New Jersey; executive committee, these officers, with W. C. Pearce, Illinois; Dr. Charles Roads, Pennsylvania; W. J. Semelroth, Missouri, and Marion Lawrence, Ohio. At an adjourned session, it was determined to hold the next conference in Toledo, Ohio, in December, 1899, or January, 1900; and a minute of appreciation was recorded concerning the faithful service for six years of the retiring secretary, Mrs. Fergusson, formerly Miss Huber, of Kentucky.

Preparing for the Last Days

God's Word tells us that the last days shall be filled with peril. God's Word tells us that evil men and seducers wax worse and worse. God's Word tells us that the last days shall be filled with vice, violence, and crime. God's Word tells us that the last days shall be cursed by the "alarm of war" that shall be sounding in all the earth. God's Word tells us that because of all the evils and calamities that shall be seen in the last days men's hearts shall be failing them for fear. The general situation in the world to-day is becoming more and more terrible. But do not be terrified on account of it. Let God's Word enlighten you as to what it means, and then lose no time in getting ready for the issue.

A Year of Jubilee

A Year of "Jubilee."—London, May 7. A special despatch from Rome announces that the pope signed a bull proclaiming a sacred year of universal jubilee, beginning December 25 next. His holiness accords plenary indulgence to pilgrims to Rome and other recognized shrines of the church throughout the world during 1900.—Cable despatch in Examiner. But if the annunciation of the "jubilee" turns out like many of the pope's blessings, it will be anything but a sacred year; it will be jubilation for the powers of darkness.

Cuban Sunday Law

By Editor

Cuban Sunday Law.—Among the first acts of military rule in Havana is an order closing saloons and business houses a part of Sunday. Clerks are pleased, but not the proprietors and the public. Sunday has been quite a noted day in this Spanish-American war. Most of America's victories were won on that day; and this leads us to wonder all the more why the military should enforce its observance.