ai-Ls.'c'lco SI PAU, AMERICAS PROPHETIC WEEKLY
HE Redeemer's gift ; waiting for the com- second appear- ing of our Lord Jesus Ting has been, Christ." i Corinthians through all ages, the : 7. To the Philippians pole star of the Christian Paul wrote : "Our conver- church. During all the sation is in heaven ; from past centuries, the good and whence also we look for the holy have looked forward Saviour, the Lord Jesus with great anticipation to this Christ." Philippians 3: 20. Peter glorious event. "To God's pil- describes the early Christians as grim people, so long left to so- "looking for and hastening the journ in 'the region and shadow coming of the day of God.' 2 of death,' a precious, joy-inspiring Peter 3: 12, margin. hope is given in the promise of h3 JOHN L. It is evident from these texts His appearing, who is 'the resur- that the early Christians looked rection and the life,' to 'bring SHULER not only back to a Saviour who home again His banished.' . . . had died for them, but forward to From the day when the first pair a Saviour who was to come, to turned their sorrowing steps from consummate the great plan of re- Eden, the children of faith have waited for the com- demption. These scriptures also make plain that the ing of the Promised One to break the destroyer's second coming of the Saviour occupied a most im- power and bring them again to the lost Paradise." portant place in the gospel which the apostles Paul has expressed it in these words': "Looking preached, and which these Christians received. for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing If the early Christians laid such great stress on the of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." second coming of Christ, surely it would be a great Titus 2 : 13. mistake for the church now to lose sight of this im- The apostles taught the members of the early portant truth. "If the Lord committed to His dis- church to wait for the second advent. All the New ciples the promise of His personal return, and if it Testament churches are described as living in ex- occupied so large a place in the lives of the early pectancy of His return. The conversion of the Christians, surely it is unfair to banish it from the Thessalonians is described as a turning "to God from church to-day. It is unfair to the world, for this truth idols to serve the living and true God ; and to wait for is part of the gospel which should be delivered to the His Son from heaven." i Thessalonians 1 : 9, to. world. It is unfair to the church, for it deprives The Corinthians were said to "come behind in no the people of Christ of one of the most powerful mo-
V 0 L . 49, NO. 32 AUGUST 15. 1922 tives for spiritual life and service. It is unfair to Christ coming. This expectation is to enter into the heart of Himself, for it obscures the reality of His personal pres- every believer, and no one is warranted in overlooking or ence within the heavenly veil, and substitutes for it the making light of it. His coming, His appearing, the revela- thin air of a mere spiritual influence." tion of Him, the revelation of His glory, the coming of The purest type of the church has always looked and His day, and so forth, are pressed on us continually. In a yearned for the coming of the Lord. It is not strange that true waiting for the day of Christ, is gathered up the right this is true, for a constant looking for Jesus is a powerful regard for what He did and bore when He came first, and incentive to holiness. "Every man that hath this hope in also a right regard for Him as He is now, the pledge and him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." I John 3 : 3. the sustainer of our life: the one and the other are to If we were continually looking for the coming of Jesus, pass onward to the hope of His appearing." we would be as careful to keep our lives clean as we would Just before Paul was beheaded for his faith, he sent this be to keep our homes clean if we were expecting company. message to Timothy : "I am now ready to be offered, and Massillon says, "In the days of primitive Christianity, the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good it would have been deemed a kind of apostasy not to sigh fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith : for the return of the Lord." As we think of the bright, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous- expectant attitude of all the New Testament churches in ness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give regard to the matter of our Lord's return, we are reminded at that day : and not to me only, but unto all them also that that "probably there is no feature in which the average love His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:6-8. In this text the Christianity of to-day varies more from that of the early apostle makes it plain that every true Christian will be a Christians. than in the faint impressions and the faint in- lover of Christ's appearing; and to all such, a crown of fluence, experienced by most modern Christians in connec- righteousness will be given at His coming. tion with the expectation of the If we really love a person, we Lord's return." love to be with him. We long to be in his presence. In I Thes- DO WE LOVE HIM? salonians 2: 19, we are told that The Christian's attitude toward we shall be in the presence of the this subject should be that of Lord Jesus at His coming. He is "looking for that blessed hope," coming to receive His people to waiting for the revelation of Jesus Himself, that where He is, thefe Christ from heaven, watching for they may be also. ( John 14: 3.) the Lord's return. Such must be All who love the Lord will long our attitude, if we are to be saved for that day when we are to at His coming. In Hebrews 9: 28. meet Him in the air and be for- we are told that "unto them that ever with Him. (1 Thessalonians look for Him shall He appear the 4: 16, 17.) second time without sin unto sal- ECENTLY a woman wrote to R NOTHING MORE DELIGHTFUL tion." His coming will bring us regarding the "Signs." eternal salvation to those only who Among other things, she said: "I It is impossible to think of any- are looking for Him. Why is like to read John Lewis Shuler's thing more delightful than the this ?—Because those who are articles." To her and to the many prospect of the promised return of waiting and looking for His ap- others who we know feel as does our blessed Saviour. When Jesus pearing will be prepared for it. she in this matter, we make this comes again, then we shall see The New Testament type of ex- announcement: Him face to face, and we shall perience for the Christian, is to In early issues of the "Signs" go up to the beautiful mansions have the heart so aglow with a you will find a number of most above, to enter into the full en- personal love for Jesus that we interesting articles from Mr. Shu- joyment of the promise, "So shall will be constantly watching, look- ler's pen. In one article he will answer the question, "Does the we ever be with the Lord." There ing, waiting, working, longing, Doctrine of the Advent Paralyze will be no tears then, for there will and praying for the Master's re- or Energize?" In another, he will be no sorrow ; no death then, for turn. As one great minister says : explain "How the Jew Proves the there will be no more curse ; no sin "No conversation is complete, no Bible True." And in still another, then, for we shall see Him as He spiritual blessing is of the highest he will tell us "Who Is the Great- is. "The ransomed of the Lord order, unless it .leads to this, that est Man in the World." shall return, and come to Zion we learn to wait for the return In making this announcement, with songs and everlasting joy of our Lord. We must not think the "Signs" is but living up to its upon their heads : they shall obtain to find our portion, even our full policy of keeping its subscribers joy and gladness, and sorrow and spiritual portion, in this world. informed as to what is coming. sighing shall flee away." Isaiah The best of all promises is the You are therefore making a safe 35 : 1o. Then God will "wipe promise, 'Surely I come quickly.' investment when you sign up for away all tears from their eyes ; The church's brightest prospect is the "Signs." Read the particulars and there shall be no more death, the return of her Lord, when the on page 15. neither sorrow, nor crying, neither church militant will give place to shall there be any more paina the church triumphant, the spir- Then will come the time of rOfflr itual kingdom to the visible and union, when the whole company personal reign of Christ. Our of God's elect will stand together faith must be sadly defective if we cast no longing glances before the Lord , never again to shed a tear over the grave upward, if we are never looking forward to our Lord's of a loved one. Then will come the time when all our return. trials and troubles will be forever ended, and we shall find "The expectation of the coming of Christ out of the ourselves at the right hand of His throne, to enjoy the world of supreme truth and purity, where God is known pleasures of heaven forevermore. and served aright, to fulfill all His promises,—this is the No wonder, then, that the people of God are waiting church's and the believer's great hope. It is set before us with anxious hearts for His coming; and are ready to in the New Testament as a motive to every duty, as giving say, "Lord, how long?" and to ask, "What hope 15 there of weight to every warning, as determining the attitude and His quick return ?" when we think of the supreme joy that character of all Christian life. In particular, we cannot His coming will bring to His saints ; how it will fufill every deal aright with any of the earthly things committed to us. longing of their hearts. Then how can any true Christian unless we deal with them in the light of Christ's expected refuse to love His appearing? (Continued on page 10) PAGE TWO SIGNS of the TIMES Your NI* 1771eS Solved EGINNING with this issue, the question page exegesis. We believe that this plan will bring into B is to be a permanent feature of the "Signs." this page a greater variety of experiences and a The majority of the questions will be answered by fuller knowledge of the Scriptures than if the college Bible teachers, by evangelists, and by active editors should attempt to solve all your problems. ministers. The editors may answer a question now Next week the question will be, "If the advent of and then; but for the most part, you will have Christ and the setting up of His kingdom is to the benefit of men who have specialized in Bible be visible, how do you explain Luke 17: 20, 21?"
Q L'ESTION : "When there are so many churches, from Me" if it does not do the "will," keep the doctrines of how can one tell which is the true one ?" the Bible. Works are commendable and laudable, but in 0 this case, works without faith are dead. ANSWER: But says one, "How about the miracles that certain A pertinent question, surely, and one that has perplexed healers are performing to-day? Are they not signs of the many people. With Christendom broken up into so many true church ?"—Not necessarily, friend. In the quotation creeds and sects, one is excusable for wondering which one just given, did not Christ say that those who are rejected is the true faith or whether any of them is. This might will say to Him, "Have we not prophesied in Thy name ? be a depressing, discouraging situation, if it did not dis- and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name Nothing, therefore, can be tinctly and indisputably prove that one of them must be done many wonderful works?" the true persuasion. Does this seem impossible and per- plainer than that miracles of any kind, healing or otherwise, haps illogical ? A simple illustration will make things clear. are no proof of the true church. The real test, we repeat, Here are a 'number of counterfeit dollar bills. Now, the is whether they are in harmony with the Scriptures, whether very existence of these bills proves one fact, and that is, they are doing the Father's will as found in the Word. that there is one true dollar bill. If there were no true bill, Miracle workers and healers may perform wonders but there would be no object in having the counterfeits. All lead people away from the Bible, and thus be promoters of these counterfeits, then, are strong witnesses to the ex- evil. "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer istence of the true bill. of dreams, ansl giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto Apply this illustration to the churches. The very pres- ence of so many of them in the world 4 'unanswerable evi-. thee saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast dence that one of them must be the title church and the not known, and let us serve them ; thou shalt not hearken others counterfeits. More than that, the more counterfeits unto the word of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams : you have, the greater number of proofs for the true. It is for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye so in money. It is so in churcheS2 And we all readily ad- love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all mit that there must be a true church. your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and But the reader will naturally ask how he is going to de- fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His termine which church is the true church, how he is going voice, and ye `shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him." to detect the spurious from the genuine. Going back to Deuteronomy 13 : 1-4. We have no quarrel with any healer our money illustration: How can we tell the true bill ?—By or miracle man. - We would not presume to judge. But applying the currency test. Likewise we can ascertain the we would urge caution and a weighing of these operations true church by applying the spiritual test. ' This is the on the scales of Scripture. "For there shall arise false Bible test. Let us read it : "To the law and to the testi- christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and mony: if they speak not according to this word, it is be- wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall de- ceive the very elect." Matthew 24 : 24. Foreseeing the cause there is no light in them." Isaiah 8: 20. Christ had very times in 'which we live, Christ in these words gives us this in mind when He said : "Search the Scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life : and they are they which warning. testify of Me." John 5 : 39. In closing, we repeat the test of the true church : "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according APPLY THE RULE to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Let the reader apply the teachings of God's Word to the Isaiah 8 : 20. WILLIAM G. WIRTH. Christian churches of to-day, and he will see how quickly the spurious will show up. Let him apply the law, the Ten Commandments, to the various Christian persuasions, in "IF I should die 'fore I wake," said Danny, kneeling at harmony with Isaiah's test, and the true will soon be ap- • his grandmother's knee; "if I should die 'fore I wake—" parent. Paul's words are full of meaning : "All scripture is "I pray," prompted the gentle voice. "Go on, Danny.", given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine. "Wait a minute," interposed the small boy, scrambling to for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- his feet and hurrying away downstairs. In a brief space ness : that the man of God may be perfect, throughly fur- he was back again, and, dropping down in his place, took up linished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3 : 16. It matters his petition where he had left off. But when the little not how much a church may do, how effective its organiza- white-gowned form was safely tucked in bed, the grand- tion and socially salutary its endeavors, its test as the true mother questioned, with loving rebuke, concerning the in- church depends not upon these things but upon its doc- terruption. trines, its beliefs, its adherence to God's Word as carrying "But I did think what I was saying, grandmother ; that's out God's will as revealed in that Word. Christ penetrated why I had to stop. You see, I'd upset Ted's menagerie and to the heart of the matter when He said : "Not every one stood all his wooden soldiers on their heads just to see how that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- he'd tear around in the mornin'. 'If I should die 'fore I dom of heaven ; but he that' doeth the will of My Father wake,' why—I 'didn't want him to find 'em that way, so I which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day. Lord, had to go down and fix 'em right. There's a lot of things Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy that seem funny if you're goin' to keep on livin', but you name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many don't want 'em that way if you sh6uld die 'fore you wake." wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them. "That was right, dear ; it was right," commented the I never knew you : depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." voice with its tender quaver. "A good many of our Matthew 7 : 21-23. In spite of the many "wonderful prayers would not be hurt by stopping in the middle of works" a church may do, it will surely hear the "Depart them to undo a wrong."—Western Watchman. for AUGUST 1 5 , 1 9 2 2 PAGE THREE McCollum, the medical scientist, says: "The greatest thing that can be done to raise the standard of health in this country is to change the type of diet in most homes bp decreasing the consumption of meat and increasing the consumption of milk and green vegetables." cl If you think that MEAT is a first-class food; that it is a necessary food; that beef extract gives you strength; that meat is not directly con- ducive to certain diseases—Read This Article.
Why Eat SECOND-HAND
OME people have S the idea that vege- tarianism is a semi- FOOD? fanatical idea born of a narrow religion and a one-sided science. Such is not the truth, as you will readily see by read- EDWARD H. RISLEY, M. D. ing this article.
T is admitted that meat has some valuable points as food. adopted in the nutrition of man." The lacto-vegetarian It is superior to many vegetable foods in the quality diet is a vegetarian diet with milk and its products added. I of protein, or albuminous material, it contains, for it Practical experience has also taught that one can do hard has all the amino acids, or "building stones," which the physical labor and endure it just as well, if not better, upon body needs for the construction of its muscle and other a non-flesh program. Fisher's experiments have amply nitrogenous tissues. The building of tissue is, however, proved this from the laboratory standpoint, and thousands only a part of the work of the living organism. The ques- of individuals have found it true in their everyday ex- tion at once arises : Is the good it can accomplish for the perience. body overbalanced by the possibilities for damage in MEAT IS A DEFICIENT FOOD other lines ? Meat averages about 18 per cent protein, 16 per cent fat, The source of food is the soil. The animal eats the per cent ash, and 65 per cent water. These figures were vegetable products and builds them into tissue which in obtained by averaging some 13 kinds of meat. On this turn is eaten, digested, and rebuilt basis the fuel value or calorific yield by man into the structure of his body. is about i,000 per pound. Very lean Some of our very best research meat yields less than this and fat foods are substitutes for meat; but meat much more. On the other if the Biblical record of the original hand, flesh foods are deficient in diet is considered, the reverse is the lime, iron, and vitamines. If one truth of the matter. People always could eat the bones along with the desire to have new furniture, new flesh, he would get sufficient lime. clothes, new automobiles, but when This is actually what is done by the it comes to the care of the body, they carnivorous animal. The tissues of 'are content with the use of second- the animal's body contain a consider- hand building materials. able amount of iron, but it is largely MEAT NOT ESSENTIAL TO PROPER in the blood which is in great part NOURISHMENT drained off in the slaughtering prom., Many think that it is not possible cess. Even if the iron of the blood properly to maintain the body with- could be taken in as food, it would out meat, but such is not the case. not give the result that iron found Some of our very best research in vegetable foods does, for it is ap- workers tell us that flesh foods are parently not assimilated to the ex- not essential. The following state- tent that the vegetable iron products ment by McCollum, one of our fore- are. Some of the organs of the ani- most nutritional experts, illustrates mal's body are fairly rich in vitam- this : "We could entirely dispense ines, but the muscle tissue, which with meats without suffering any ill is the part chiefly used as food, is effects whatever." The same author The Public Health Service says that "every states in another place : "Lacto- animal used for food has in its intestines vegetarianism is, when the diet is either protozoa, roundworms, flukes, or tapeworms." Pork is especially dangerous properly planned, the most highly because of the frequency with which it is satisfactory plan which can be infected with trichina. PAGE FOUR SIGNS of the TIMES deficient in these very important constituents. It is true extent beyond that which would occur in •the normal tissue, that these deficiencies could be made up to a certain de- since death does not occur in all the cells instantaneously, gree by combination with other foods which are rich in while elimination ceases as soon as the circulation stops. such substances, but the usual combinations taken by the These waste products are valueless as food, and at the same average meat eater are of such character that the deficiency time are more or less poisonous, since they are the result of is maintained. It is also to be observed that meat is de- breakdown on the part of the tissues. They cannot yield void of carbohydrate, a substance which makes up about energy to the body; in fact, a dog fed upon them will die 65 per cent of the fuel value of the ordinary well more quickly than if he were given no food. These ex- balanced diet. Since meat is quite largely protein, and fur- tractive materials, as they are sometimes called, act as ther, since only about io per cent of the fuel value of the stimulants to the body, however, and that is the reason why daily ration is needed in the form of protein, it follows they are so frequently used in the form of beef tea. Lie- that the possibilities for using it in the well balanced ra- big's idea in regard to these products is well stated in the fol- tion are very limited. Most other foods contain some lowing quotation, "Beef extract does not give us strength, protein, and in some instances a fairly large amount and but it makes us aware of our strength." The use of meat • that of good quality, hence the need for meat is not ap- or meat extract must necessarily require some additional parent. The following quotation from Fitch's "Dietetics" work on the part of the eliminative organs in handling these is of interest : "It is possible to subsist on vegetables alone, whereas it would be a hardship to live for any lengthy period on an exclusive meat diet." MEAT AN ACID YIELDING FOOD Food, as it is burned up in the body, yields acid or alkali, depending upon the nature of the product in- voLved. The chief acid yielding products are meat, eggs, and cereals. Those producing alkali are the vege- I tables and most fruits, and there is a third class, nuts, starch, sugars, and fats, that are practically neutral. The best conditions for health require that the acid produc- tion be limited by proper food combinations. The use of an excess of meat makes limitation of acid produc- tion difficult if not impossible. There is considerable evi- dence that an excess of acid production in the tissues is a factor in the causation of such maladies as Bright's disease. It must be borne in mind that the blood is al- ways alkaline and that the acid produced must be elimi- From an economic standpoint, the large use of meat is very unfavorable, especially to the poor, since the expenditure is greater than for other foods, nated by way of the kidneys. If elimination does not and the tendency is toward less substantial health. keep up with production, the salts of the blood are used in the attempt to control the situation, and eventually a condition called acidosis is produced, which is often very practically useless products. Roger indicates their harm- serious in its results. fulness in the statement, "A person in health may use ex- It should be stated, however, that food is not the only tracts of meat in small quantities, but it is necessary to pro- cause of acid production in the organism, for in certain hibit meat extracts for invalids." Legendre says that beef diseases the tissue activities are so modified that acids are tea is "a veritable solution of poisons," while Gautier says formed in large amounts. This is particularly true in that the extractives of meat produce effects "comparable to diabetes. In this connection it might be well to give a word those of caffeine and theine of tea and coffee." of explanation in regard to the fact that fruit is an alkali BACTERIA IN MEAT producer. Fruit has acids and acid salts when eaten, but when finally used in the tissues, the acid part is burned up Meat and meat products are very likely to harbor bac- and alkali is given to the blood through the formation of teria, most of which are not disease producing but many alkali carbonates. are capable of producing decomposition of the product with, in some cases, the formation of definitely poisonous AMOUNT OF MEAT EATEN compounds. The following statement from Weinzirl in the The consumption of flesh foods is very large in this "American Journal of Public Health" in regard to a bac- country. Sherman gives the average yearly per capita terial standard for meat is to the point: "The standard of quantity as about 180 pounds. All agree that this is far in i,000,000 bacteria per gram advocated by some as a limit excess of the needs, granting that such products are es- is apparently too low, since it would condemn nearly all sential to- good nutrition. McCollum states as follows in samples of hamburger, when showing no taint or other regard to this point, "The greatest thing that can be done evidence of putrefaction. . . . A bacterial standard of o,- to raise the standard of health in this country is to change 000,o0o per gram is the limit proposed, on the basis of. the type of diet in most homes by decreasing the consump- which so per cent of the market samples of hamburger tion of meat and increasing the consumption of milk and would still be condemned." Comparison of these figures • green vegetables." The large use of meat is evidently not with milk will give a better idea of what they really mean. conducive to long life, according to Tibbles, who says, "It Certified milk is allowed io,000 bacteria per c. c. ( which is has long been stated that no loilg-lived person is a large equivalent to a gram), while milk with a count of t,000,000 consumer of meat." bacteria per c. c. is considered of inferior grade and in From the economic standpoint, this large use of meat many places must be Pasteurized before it is sold. When is very unfavorable, especially to the poor, since the ex- one realizes that the bacteria of milk are in most cases less penditure is greater than for other foods and the tendency harmful than those of meat, the figures become more im- is toward less substantial health. pressive. Cold storage of meats, although not permitting The animal body is constantly being broken down dur- the free growth of bacteria, does not destroy them, and ing life and the resulting substances are eliminated when the product is removed from storage, the as waste by means of the eliminative organs, chief growth of organisms is more rapid than before the of which are the kidneys. At the time of slaughter cooling process. the animal from which the meat is obtained has an It is common knowledge that meat spoils very average amount of this material in its tissues. As easily and that the decomposed product is very of- elimination ceases these remain in the various parts fensive. The spoiling process is due to putrefactive of the organism, and undoubtedly accumulate to an bacteria which may in some (Continued on page IS) for AUGUST 15, 1922 PAGE FIVE SIG,=1:enx ar,r ES SAME RICA'S PROPHETIC WEEKLY
Edited by Asa Oscar Tait and Alonzo L. Baker