Every Pen is fully guaranteed and can be returned if not entirely satisfactory
We have found only one imperfect pen in the hundreds we have sold, and this one was immediately replaced with a perfect pen.
OUR SPECIAL OFFER to send a Lincoln Fountain Pen and the SIGNS OF THE TIMES one year for $1.75 still holds good. Send order at once so as to begin with new year.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
“Moral” Sinners
By Editor
“Moral” Sinners.—We do not know which is worse—the abandoned creatures who will exhibit themselves nude before a company of men, or the “ministers” who will pay them the money for thus doing. We do not care what the object is on the part of these “moral reformers,” the methods are shameless, indecent, wicked. Some of the poor creatures who thus exhibit themselves were once as pure and guileless as children in general. They have been brought where they are, many of them, through the lusts of men who cared more for the gratification of passion than the purity of womanhood. It is all bad, bad, bad; but it does not mend the madness, rather it raises a spirit of defiance and recklessness, and adds sin to sin, for professed ministers of the Gospel to hire them to add one more shameless act to their record of vileness and sin. Why should a minister of the word of God desire to know the depths of sin or see its exhibition in others? God has revealed its wickedness in his Word. But to his ministers he has intrusted, not the mission of increasing and exhibiting the sin, that they may become accusers, but the mission of bearing the Gospel of healing and righteousness, which, if accepted by the soul-sick, will cover the sin and stop the sinning.
News and Notes
READ the interesting history of the world presented in our News and Notes department.
Our Great Sixty-Day Bible Offer
By Editor
Our Great Sixty-day Bible Offer with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES will soon close. Take advantage of it now.
A Work on the Parables of Jesus
By Editor
THERE will soon be placed before the public an excellent little work by Mrs. E. G. White on the parables of Jesus. We will have more to say of this in the future.
Money Concentrated in New York Banks
THE condition of a great country like the United States which finds such a congestion of its circulating medium that one-third of its money is in sixty-six banks of one city, as stated in our news column, is indeed suggestively deplorable. And there are other great banks in New York City. With so much of the life-blood of the commercial nation at this center, there is no wonder that we find unbalanced circulation and cold extremities, and hence much suffering.
Sunday Closing in Oakland.
A number of zealous Sunday advocates have presented a list of petitioners before the municipal council of this city, asking that the question of Sunday closing of saloons be submitted to the people at the coming municipal election, that the “city fathers” to be then elected may thus have the opinion of the people to guide them in legislation on the question. On the other hand, some earnest Prohibitionists are circulating the following:
“To the Honorable the City Council of the city of Oakland:
“The undersigned, residents and voters of the city of Oakland, believe that the intelligent conviction of the people of this city has reached the conclusion that the institution known as ‘THE SALOON’ is not only not wanted on Sunday, but is not wanted at all;
“That city officers to be elected at the coming election may be instructed as to their action on the saloon question, nothing could be more instructive to them as to the will of the people than the ascertainment of public sentiment by a direct vote.
“We therefore pray your honorable body that you submit to the popular vote at the coming election this question: ‘Shall the saloons of Oakland be closed all the time?’ ”
But this is as wretchedly equivocal as it is ungrammatical. It seems to imply that if the petitioners can not get the closing of saloons all the time, they will take the “half loaf,” Sunday closing—a wretched subterfuge as a temperance measure, but a band of steel for Church and State union. But if the Prohibitionists of Oakland desire absolute prohibition, why not express it clearly, emphatically, and unequivocally, in words something like these:—
To the Honorable, the City Council of Oakland:—
The undersigned, residents and voters of the city of Oakland, believing it to be for the good of the city financially and otherwise if the institution known as the “saloon” did not exist in our borders, earnestly pray your honorable body that you submit to the popular vote at the coming election this question, “Shall the saloons of Oakland be abolished?”
This could be understood; and there is no compromise in it, constructive or otherwise.
AT IT AGAIN.
THE California State Sabbath Association held a convention in Sacramento on the 20th inst., and passed a resolution to request the Legislature, now in session, to re-enact the Sunday law which was repealed in 1883, amending it so as to apply to persons keeping open barber shops, bath houses, and hair-dressing saloons after 12 o’clock, noon, on Sunday. Dr. M. C. Briggs, who is one of the fathers of Sunday-lawism in the State, outlined the work to be accomplished, and stated that the object is to make a civil observance of one day in seven obligatory on every person, and to make this day the same in all parts of the State. Notwithstanding this statement, the resolution adopted by the convention definitely fixes that “one day in seven” on Sunday; and the burden of the arguments advanced were on the line of a religious institution. That a religious, and not a civil, day is the aim of the association, is shown by the petition formulated by the convention, which asks the Legislature to “enact a Sabbath law that will prohibit all unnecessary secular labor and business, and all sports and amusements inconsistent with the proper observance of the day.” One speaker, who had interviewed a number of the legislators, expressed the opinion that the required legislation could not be secured without hard work. It ought to be hard work to secure such legislation in a country that makes a boast of civil and religious liberty.
God's Glory Is His Goodness.
—O reader, believe it! It is his glory to reveal to sinners his way. It is his glory to forgive transgression. It is his glory to cleanse, regenerate, and save sinners. It matters not how great our sins, how deeply dyed our transgressions, how the world may regard us; it is God's glory to fit such ones for eternal citizenship in the heavenly kingdom. Let your life be to “the praise of the glory of his grace.”
Don't Let Them Do It.
By Editor
We are requested to notice an article, entitled “Tempted by the Adventists,” in a paper called The Pentecost. We see no reason why we should notice it. We do not know to what two “Adventist tracts” the writer refers, as there are many tracts published, and several bodies known by the general name “Adventist.” But we are sorry the writer is tempted, and sorry that any “Adventist” or anybody else should tempt him. We can only give him this good advice, when tempted, flee to the refuge—the Word of God through Jesus Christ. Say to the tempter, even as did our Lord, “It is written,” and then do as our Lord did, quote the blessed Word. If any one tempts you by saying Sunday is not the Sabbath, as a child of God and a follower of Jesus, tell him where it is written by prophet or apostle that Sunday is a holy day. The way, dear Pentecost writer, to meet all these troublesome Adventists, or other people who tempt you, is to give a “Thus saith the Lord;” but if, perchance, you can not do it, if you have no text upon which to ground Sunday sacredness, immortality of the soul, etc., then by all means turn to the truth as it is in Jesus, leave the sands of tradition, and build upon the rock of the Word of God.
A Splendid New Year's Gift.
—When the Pitcairn sails on her next voyage she will go with a much better table service than ever before. Through the kind efforts of Brother and Sister Gardiner now in Oakland, and their daughter, Mrs. Sheldon, of Battle Creek, and other friends in that city, there came by express from the east the following articles: One beautiful chenille table-spread, one white linen table-spread, three linen table-cloths, two dozen napkins, four fine linen towels, one set tablespoons, two sets each dessert spoons, teaspoons, knives, forks, and combined napkin rings and holders. The silver was of the heaviest plate, and each and every article was marked “Pitcairn.” A stamping outfit for linen was also inclosed, and a steel stamp for marking any silverware in the future. We are sure that this timely gift will be appreciated by officers, crew, missionaries, passengers, and Foreign Mission Board, and the SIGNS OF THE TIMES believes that the donors also are and will be blessed.
Religious Liberty and Judge Pryor’s Decision
By Editor
We noticed last week Judge Pryor’s refusal to incorporate a Jewish religious society because it held its annual meeting on a Sunday, on the ground that this was “an aggression on the Christian Sabbath.” It has been made a matter of comment all over the country, the “orthodox” religious papers, except the Baptist, generally commending it, not seeing that just such decisions as this could as justly rule against any practice of theirs as against this, should circumstances change and a judge of different religious prejudices and training occupy the bench. The Voice quotes the Watchman (Baptist) as saying that “Baptists all believe in the separation of Church and State, and will therefore stand by the Jews in protesting against Judge Pryor’s act.” Good so far, but let them protest against the many other encroachments against liberty, embodied in every Sunday law and many other different measures.
Christ Our Fellow-Sufferer and Helper
Sabbath, January 16, the Oakland church had the privilege of hearing from Elder W. C. White after an absence of five years in the Australasian fields. The sermon was based on the experience of Jesus Christ as set forth in Psalm 22. The words of instruction and comfort were precious and timely. It was shown that as followers of Christ his experience must also be ours that in us may be developed the faith of Jesus. And the exceedingly precious converse of this is also true, that Jesus Christ met in himself all our experiences, trials, and conflicts. Jesus Christ is our Fellow-sufferer, our Fellow-sympathizer, our Fellow-helper, as well as our mighty Saviour all the journey through.
Salvation Army Missing-Person Bureau
THE SALVATION ARMY has a bureau for tracing lost and missing people, many of whom are found every year. No charge is made save for postage. Matters of this kind should be addressed, “Inquiry Department,” 122 W. Fourteenth Street, New York.