The modern educators advocate giving the child a free rein, and not hindering his behavior, because they claim that "nature must be right." God is left completely out of consideration.

N Are Our Children and Youth Infallible?

The doctrines of nature's infallibility being taught to-day by many of our psy- chologists and educators would have us believe that anything and everything youth want to do is right just because they want to do them.

HAT is going to be, is right. Our Louis R THORPE sory observation of children's behavior testifies to this patent fact. duty is to abstain from inter- Professor of Education in Walla Walla W fering with nature, supposing College, Washington Nevertheless, certain educators of two such interference to be possible. A child or three decades ago claimed to have should be trained up in the way that the advance information transcending our inner impulse .of development leads him represents, however, a theory that has common-sense view. The only unique to go. The summum bonum for the race been of great influence upon educational feature of their findings was its applica- is to live out its own [progress] with in- practice, especially at about the beginning tion to the training of school children. A terest and freedom. No stage to which of the present century. It sloughed off for German educator, Schneider, remarked: nature impels should by human artifice be a time because of the ill repute into which "No influence that works in opposition to either fostered or prolonged, lest the its principal promoter's (G. Stanley this development [that of original na- magic order be disturbed. The ideal for Hall) research methods and theories sub- ture] and to the law of inheritance of humanity is to be sought in its natural sequently fell. Unfortunately for our racial traits in order can ever reach a outcome, in what it of itself tends to be, present youth, the whole matter has suitable 'adaptation, but only disturbs the irrespective of training. Human effort experienced a revival. Having shed suc- natural course of development, and cre- should be to let the inner forces of devel- cessfully the odium of Hall's now obsolete ates abnormal, misdirected endeavor."— opment do their perfect work." technique, it points for its justification to "Der Menschliche Wille," page 489. An- Such is the creed of the believer in na- the speculations of the behaviorist, who other ardent believer, Guillet, comes right ture's infallibility as outlined by Thorn- in turn is a disciple of the evolutionist. to the point when he says, "Since it is the dike in his "Briefer Course" ("Educational It should be evident to the reader that order of nature that the new organism Psychology," pages 116,117). This author man's original nature includes tendencies should pass through certain developmen- places no credence in such doctrine, that are good, that should be enhanced, tal stages, seek rather to aid than to hastening to assure us that it is only a and those that are clearly undesirable, thwart it. For nature must be right ; there "distorted philosophical sentiment." It that had best be abolished. Only a cur- is no higher criterion."—Pedagogical

VOL. 57, NO. 34 SEPTEMBER 2, 1939 Seminary, vol. 7, page 427. Here, God is a highly developed humanity."—"Adoles- character was perfected by tremendous dis- eschewed and nature extolled. Evidently we cence," Preface, page xii. cipline. . . . He stands among the peers in are dealing with one of the ramifications of Experience has surely taught us that our the kingdom of sorrow; and through it all he evolution. children, must constantly learn countless les- passed into a peerage of moral and spiritual To these extraordinary pronouncements sons of conduct, their natural tendencies power, which made the mightiest monarch of of infallibility of nature we fall back upon must be sublimated and overcome. If no his time bend eagerly for a blessing from his common sense, and point to the current such program of modification is undertaken trembling hand."—"Israel: A Prince With vices of lying, stealing, sexual perversion, by adults, the inevitable consequence is a God," page 12. etc. The exponents of perfection are not in reversion to pagan practices. The sociolo- INFALLIBILITY REVIVED the least abashed, making haste to inform us gist, Ross L. Finney, thus sums up the situa- that a destructive tendency that appears to ation when he writes: "There is a growing Now infallibility, as already noted, has en- be unacceptable in itself is merely the pre- theory that children ought to follow their joyed a revival. -It is again coming into vogue requisite or correlate of a really desirable own judgment and be guided only by reason- as an educational thesis for the conduct of one, and thus is, on the whole, desirable. Any ing. While the old-fashioned discipline may teaching children. To be sure, its tenets are psychologist or educator who happens to be have been extreme, it is certain that the new not as a rule proclaimed from the pulpit or reading this argument will realize at once theories are deceptive and dangerous. If one the speaker's stand. Rather, we discern its that, true to our nature, when we have con- stuffs his head with false notions about presence usually between the covers of a structed a theory and are pressed for justi- liberty and democracy, he can juggle out teacher's college textbook, or, perchance, in fication, we at once indulge in that form of plausible reasons for soft . . . discipline; a volume devoted to mental hygiene. The self-defense called rationalization, which is but there is absolutely nothing in racial ex- age-old mistake of contributing too many essentially an effort to compensate for real periences that warrants parents in neglecting consequences to one cause is perhaps largely or impending thwarting. The perfectionists to teach their children obedience."—"Ele- responsible for the assumptions of the per- have evidently sought this recourse. Their mentary Sociology," pages 190, 191. We can fectionist. To be explicit, by reason of the explanation is usually called the doctrine of hardly refrain from pointing to the patriarch legion of maladjustments among youth, immunization or catharsis. It asks us to Jacob as an illustration. Meyer speaks of his which are caused often by thwarting, undue believe that early evil tendencies, when experiences in the following vein: "Jacob's (Continued on page 10) indulged, act to immunize and inoculate,one against future outbursts. In other language, it is better to indulge than to thwart an evil act, since the results of thwarting are more Reuter's Power House pernicious than the fruition of an immoral act,—a rather naïve conclusion in view of NATHANIEL KRUM the abundant evidence that the exercise of Kenilworth, Cape, South Africa habits causes them to become fixed upon us. In spite of this potent fact, believers in in- stinctive perfection maintain that the exer- frankly admitted my purpose, and thanked cise of evil tendencies prepares the ground him for his kind invitation. for the growth of those counted as good. For "At first Reuter led me over the farm, explaining the many things he had devel- example, France and Kline tell us: "During oped on it. Then we came back to the the period of adolescence, generosity and buildings, and began to examine the smaller altruism spring up naturally. Then why try ones first. Finally, we went through the to force the budding plant into blossom? In- main house, and having seen every room, struct them by all means, teach them the Reuter said: 'There's one thing more that right; but if this fails, do not punish, but let I have reserved for the last, because it is the child be selfish, let him lie and cheat, the best. That's my power house.' until these forces spend themselves. Do not "'Well,' said I, 'I didn't know that you these experiences of the child give to man in had a power house out here in the wilds. later life a moral virility?"—Pedagogical When did you install it?' Seminary, vol. 6, page 455. "'Oh, you don't understand me,' Reuter replied. 'Come along, and I will show you THEORY DOESN'T WORK The secret of power is prayer. just what I mean.' Disregarding any inconsistency that may THE SECRET OF POWER be inherent in the preceding statement, it is V. A. E. HoasrALL tells the following clear that the doctrine bids us refrain from R story of a visit he made to the Mor- "Then he led me out of the house, and jegen Farm, a mission operated by the Rev- took me around on the north side of it. disciplining our youth as well as from inter- Here, built against the main building, was fering with their natural development. Ac- erend Mr. Reuter for the Morjege natives of Northern Transvaal: a square, roomlike structure, and toward it tually the theory does not work in practice. Reuter proceeded to lead me. Stopping di- Students of history will remember that "At last my opportunity came to visit the Morjegen Mission Farm. Reverend rectly in front of the door, and opening it, Rome tried it, and failed. It has been the he said, 'Look in; that's my power house.' Reuter's work among the natives of that experience of families, schools, and states community bad attracted attention far and "I looked, and a great revelation opened 4 that interference with evil instincts has not wide. Scores had been won to Christ, before me. All I saw was a chair, and before withered the subsequent development of snatched, as it were, from the very hands of it an altar, and upon the altar a large open noble traits. Inversely, noninterference with Satan. So I had been anxious to meet this Bible. Power house? 'So, this is your undesirable traits has permitted them to fas- man of fifty years' experience in African power house,' I breathed slowly. "When I went home that night and ten antimoral and unchristian habits upon mission life, and see wherein his great ability lay. kneeled before God at my regular evening hapless victims. Of a truth, there is much devotion, I poured out my soul to Him as evidence to prove that the exercise of a func- CORDIAL RECEPTION I had never done before. Reuter's power tion strengthens it. Stanley Hall himself "Once at the farm, I was greeted kindly house had taught me a great lesson; and, knew this, as the following confession indi- by Reuter, and after we had chatted to- somehow, from that day on, I saw more ' cates : "The child must be subjected to gether fo'r about an hour, he asked me if I truth in the text that says that God 'is a re- special discipline and be apprenticed to the would like to look around a bit. And as warder of them that diligently seek Him' " high qualities of adulthood, for he is not that was expressly why I had come, I Hebrews 11:6. only a product of nature, but a candidate for

V 0 1.,,.5 7 SIGNS of the TIMES, SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 N o. 3 4 Printed and published weekly by the Pacific Press Publishing Association, at Mountain View, California, U. S. A. Entered as second-class matter September 15, 1904, at the Mountain View, California, post office, under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage, provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, and authorized September 18, 1918. Page Two SIGNS of the TIMES Should Charity BEGUN at Home END There?

Perhaps you have never thought of it in just that light before; but it is an incontrovertible truth that a good deal of your money will do others more good than it will you.

ELIZABETH J. ROBERTS

A typical India beggar. health and friends to go to those far lands, to There are countless mil- lions the world over live among those degraded people, in order who are begging for spir- patiently to teach them the better way. itual food; these could be helped if the golden rule Christless men may go to those places, but were more widely put only for selfish gain; very many of these only into practice. make the degradation of the heathen deeper and more terrible. Only true Christianity, which is synonymous with unselfish love, will cause men and women to go forth facing disease, discomfort, and loneliness, solely to uplift and help the needy.

BE CONSISTENT Then there are men all around us who do not believe in God or Christ or any form of religion. Such may wonder why they should be expected to help send missionaries to the heathen. One man—and a good neighbor he the signs of His second coming and of the HAD asked a man for a contribution to was, too—said to me, "I try to follow the the cause of foreign missions, and he end of the world. golden rule; that is my religion." said, "I don't believe in foreign mis- Verse 14 reads: "This gospel of the king- I wonder how many know that Jesus is the sons; we can find plenty to do helping the dom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the author of this wonderful "rule," and that He poor and unfortunate here at home." said of if, "This is the law and the prophets"? "We certainly should begin our charity at end come." The justice of God demands that before The heathen world is astir at this present home," I replied, "but do you think we time, groping, praying for light. One of the should let it end there?" probation ends, all the world shall hear the gospel, so that in the final accounting, it will hardest problems our foreign missionaries Rather than argue the question, perhaps, witness for those who accepted, and against have to meet is how to answer the calls for he gave me a donation; but it was easy to see teachers coming from other heathen tribes those who rejected it. he did not enjoy giving it, and I really did not "Be ye reconciled to God" is the gospel around them. There are not yet enough enjoy receiving it. The Lord is not the only invitation, but, as Paul says in Romans 10: helpers to go around; but the calls keep one who loves "a cheerful giver." coming. 14, 15, "how shall they hear without a This question of why we should be cheer- preacher? and how shall they preach except If one really believes in the golden rule, ful givers to people on the other side of the they be sent?" The duty of every Christian let him put himself in the place of those earth deserves study. For the Christian there toward foreign missions is self-evident. heathen, living in ignorance, fear, and degra- are a multitude of reasons. The gospel is the dation, yet many of them longing for some- "good news" that Jesus has made a blessed HEATHEN NEED HELP thing- better than they know. Would he not k way of peace and happiness in even this pres- But why should foreign missions be helped rejoice to have his terrible need supplied? ent world, with life and joy forevermore in by those who are not Christians in the strict Then be consistent, friends, and give the world to come. sense of the word? They believe in the Fa- something toward sending help to the Our Lord left heaven at great sacrifice to therhood of God and the brotherhood of heathen. open this way, and to His followers He gave man, in morality and civic righteousness ; but UNDENIABLE PROOF the definite command, "Go ye into all the why should such help send men to preach "But do the missionaries really do any world, and preach the gospel to every crea- Christ to the heathen? lasting good," is asked. "Would it not be ture." Mark 16:15. Because each and every heathen, no mat- better to leave the natives contented with ter how degraded, belongs to this brother- their old beliefs and customs?" BE RECONCILED TO GOD hood of men. The good fortune of being I wish you might talk with Naomi, a The hope of the Christian is a world ruled born in a land that enjoys the blessings and happy-faced native girl of seventeen, now in by the Christ of love, one free from sin, with privileges of civilization really makes one a training in Australia to go back as a teacher its progeny of sickness, sorrow, and death. debtor to those less fortunate souls born in to her own people in the South Sea Islands. This is the new earth, promised in Revela- the dark places of earth. It waS the custom with her tribe to bury a tion 21:1-5, again in Isaiah 65:17-25, and all "But why should I help him through newborn babe with its mother, in case the through the Bible. Christian missionaries, whose teachings I do mother died. Naomi was rescued by one of But before the earth is restored to its not believe myself ?" may be asked. our missionaries just as she, along with her Edenic beauty, certain things must take Because, my friend, there is no one, out- dead mother, was being covered with earth. place. Matthew 24 relates what Jesus said side of the Christian missionary, willing to In the missionary's home she thrived, and, when His disciples asked Him to tell them make the personal sacrifice of comfort and (Continued on page 12) for 'S E.13 TEM,BER '2, 1930 Page Three his World That We're A-living In

ow big is the universe? How can here except to remind you that, so far• as is finite man answer such a question? Lu CAS A. REED known, there are only six stars within the H He cannot, but he can assemble a sixty-trillion-mile limit, or ten light years. large number of facts gathered by astrono- A FEW STAR DISTANCES mers, and by our surveying these, we can all Hale gives four, but Shapley of Harvard enlarge our comprehension as to the marvel- gives six, as follows: Proxima Centauri and ous size of the visible universe. Alpha Centauri, each 4.3 light years; Bar- Every one has observed the Milky Way, nard's star, 6.1; Lalande 21185, 8.3; Sirius, that cloudy stream of stars studded with 8.8 ; and Anonymous, 9.6 light years. thousands of diamond points of light. Often, Then according to Shapley, come five stars as a boy, it attracted my notice and inspired that are a little over ten light years away; my mind, as in the fine, clear, frosty nights namely, Kapteyn's star, Theta Ceti, Procyon, of a northern Wisconsin winter I looked up Epsilon Eridani, and 61 Cygni. into the heavens, fascinated by the vast num- Some of the stars farther away than ber of stars,—stars that never showed them- these are: selves in the steamy, muggy, long-twilight Arcturus, 40 light years away. This is the evenings of summer. distance given by Shapley. Our sun is so Those days—some fifty years ago—as- large that it could engulf the earth through tronomers thought that the galactic system, one of its sun spots, for it is nearly a million popularly called the Milky Way, was about miles, in diameter, but Arcturus is many all that belonged to the visible universe. And times as large, about 25 million miles. so it was called "The Universe." The word Aldebaran, according to Shapley, is 57 universe is from the Latin uni, one; and light years, and about 35 million miles in versum, something turned: something turned diameter. into one, combined into one whole. Universe Antares is 125 light years, and about 150 means all things. million miles in diameter. RESTRICTED IDEA OF UNIVERSE Dr. Harlow Shapley, director of Har- Betelgeuse, another great giant, is 190 light years, and is about 250 million miles in When astronomers thought the galactic vard College Observatory, who has done more toward measuring star dis- diameter. system involved all that there was to the tances than any other living man. Other stars, farther away, whoSe distances universe, they were not embarrassed by their have been measured, are Spica, 360 light use of the word. But now, since astronomers years; Rigel, 540 light years; and Deneb and have found other systems analogous to ours, Milky Way is composed of stars which are, Canopus, 650 light years. lying far out in hitherto uncharted space, however, on account of the prodigious dis- they are compelled to speak of other uni- tance which separates them from us, too But these distances are as nothing to the verses, or island universes, and thus seem to close together to be discerned separately." real dimensions of the great galactic system. Belonging to it, and yet outside of it, is the be illogical in word and concept. HERSCHEL DRAWS A CONCLUSION great cluster in Hercules. I shall never for- Since we wish to get some idea of the vast- Long after Galileo's time, indeed until the get the night, while working with a five-inch ness of the visible universe, including our closing years of the eighteenth century, the telescope, when this great ball of stars came own galactic system and these others like it problem of the stellar universe—the number into my field of vision. It is an object of and lying far outside of it, we shall begin first of the stars and their positions in space—had impressive beauty, a swarm of silent and with the system to which our earth and sun never been attacked. Herschel, however, at- seemingly crowded bees, each one of which belong. After that we shall reach out into tempted to determine the structure of the is a gigantic sun. farther space to know what lies in the un- sidereal system, and concluded that our On a photograph of eleven hours' expo- measured beyond. galXctic system was of a flattened or watch- sure, Professor Ritchey was able to count Astronomers now view the visible universe shaped form. Since then, and particularly 30,000 stars brighter than the 21st mag- as made up of many galactic systems, which during the past ten years, others have added nitude. This cluster lies 36,000 light years they call island universes, or galaxies. These greatly to our concept of the visible universe. distant from us. In miles it is 22 with 16 are supposed to appear as spirals of stars The solar system—the sun and its attend- ciphers. It is a distance 10,000 times that of when looked at from above or below, and ants—is nearly six billion miles in diameter, Proxima Centauri, 5,000 times the distance lentil-shaped when seen edgeways. Our own the orbit of Neptune forming this major of Sirius; that is to say, 220,000,000,000,- Milky Way is supposed to conform to this 000,000 miles. same general shape. dimension. But this system is like a small island in a vast ocean of space, for the near- LIGHT HAS TRAVELED FAR Our sun seems to be near the center of a est stars out beyond this are in the constella- Think how long it has been since the light great cluster or ball of stars in the midst of tion of Centaur, and they are so far away we now receive started its long journey the galaxy, but not at its exact center. Lin- that it takes light, traveling 186,000 miles a across this awful ocean of intervening space! blad and Oort find some evidence to show second, over four years to traverse the dis- The light you now see, glimmering through that the sun and all the stars in its vicinity tance. And this is but to say that if the light a telescope of even moderate dimensions like are rotating around the great star cloud in of Proxima Centauri or of Alpha Centauri a swarm of fireflies, is thirty-six thousand Sagittarius, 25,000 light years away, and at should go out to-night, we would not know years old, six times the age of our world. the center of the system, with a speed of of it for over four years; for the light that Bear in mind all that has happened on the 180 miles a second. But even at this vast comes to us to-night from either of these earth since the days of Adam. Generations speed, far more swift than a rifle bullet, it two stars left them over four years ago. And have come and gone. Civilizations have takes two hundred million years for one rev- so we see at once how much room there is flourished and died. Empires have been built olution of the great cluster. between our solar system and the nearest up in blood and sunk again in their morass The Greek legend said that the Milky Way stars. In fact, astronomers know of only six of moral filth. But the light from this cluster arose from a few drops of milk that the in- stars that lie within ten light years of us. has been shining since that day so long ago, fant Hercules let fall from the bosom of Light is so swift in its course that it travels coming over the abysm that separates, and Juno. But even in the times when this fool- nearly six trillion miles in a year. This is evidences that the creative energy was at ish twaddle was taught, Democritus, who fully explained in "Astronomy and the work thousands of years before this world wrote twenty-five centuries ago, said: "The Bible," page 106, so we 'need say no more ever began. Page Pour SIGNS of the TIMES Is mighty small and negligible when compared with numerous other worlds the size and distance of which are nigh unto incomprehensible. This is the second of a series of three articles.

Knowing that these stars are of the 13th and appear as bright as Venus. It contains fined of methods and the most accurate of magnitude, and at their distance the sun in its center a variable star that alone is more instruments the great distances involved, would be as feeble as the 20th magnitude, it than 100,000 times brighter than the sun. they suggest to us that space is infinite and follows immediately that the brightest stars the creative energies eternal in action. And ISLAND UNIVERSES in the cluster are 2,000 times brighter than this is some suggestion as to how big is the our sun. Its diameter is 350 light years. A The great spiral nebula in the Big Dipper universe. star at the distance of this cluster would have is an island universe at a distance not far But we shall continue the subject in an- to be 100 times the brightness of the sun to from five million light years. The Sombrero other article. be visible to the naked eye. This cluster is nebula in Virgo is perhaps ten million light • moving with the considerable speed of 185 years distant. The spiral nebula in Triangu- A Prayer miles a second. One astronomer has this to lum is about twenty thousand light years in ALMIGHTY God, give us grace, we pray say of it: "This volley of lead-shot fired diameter, and distant a million light years. Thee, to forget that which is not worth re- through space by the gun of gravitation rep- -The faintest stars in this nebula are a thou- membering, and faith to embrace and retain resents from the ballister point of view a sand times brighter than the sun. that which will make us wise and good. We momentum difficult to conceive, especially Shapley estimates that some of the nebulae would forget the broken cisterns of our in- if we remember that the mass of the whole visible may be one hundred million light vention in our efforts to reach the eternal cluster is no doubt greater than that of years from us. The Crossley reflector at the springs of Thy good pleasure. We would 100,000 suns." Lick Observatory can photograph at least a even lose sight of what we have been in the million of these nebula. Each one of them is sweet contemplation of what we can be. NEBULIE BECOME KNOWN a universe by itself, and so we have suggested Make it very clear to every one of us . . . Astronomers to-day estimate the length of to us something of the awful size of the that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the the galactic system at 300,000 light years. cosmos that is within the reach of the tele- extent and value of the riches in store for But outside of it are many other systems. In scope and the astronomer's photographic those who love Thee, and who are striving 1845, Lord Rosse discovered that a nebula apparatus. to serve Thee. Thus may the great prin- in the constellation Canes Venatici appeared Since it takes light a million years to come ciples which governed our fathers in the to be of spiral shape. Nothing like this had from some of them, then it follows at once execution of their duty be the supreme am- ever been heard of before, and astronomers that they were in existence a million years bition of our life.. May we, too, forget the doubted its existence; but as telescopes be- ago, for the light that reaches our eyes to- things that frustrated our plans, and hin- came more powerful, and especially as pho- night left there a million years ago. This dered our work, and marred our peace, in tographs were employed, the spiral nebula, seems overwhelming, but it is true, for the joyful anticipation of, and in devout grati- without a doubt, was shown to exist. After speed of light has been accurately measured, tude for, the rich and hallowed seasons yet that, with the aid of the photographic plate, and it takes time for it to travel the immense to dawn upon us, and upon the church of the spiral after spiral was discovered. These are distances that intervene between us and risen Redeemer. This we ask for His sake. now regarded as separate galactic systems, these far-off universes. Amen.—From "Invocations," Rev. W. G. or island universes. As astronomers measure by the most re- Davis. In some parts of the sky, notably in the constellations Virgo and Canes Berenices, many hundreds of these spiral nebulm may be seen on a single photographic plate. The total number of these that can be photo- graphed with the 100-inch reflector is esti- mated at several hundred million. Sagittarius, 25,000 light The best known of all island universes is years away, around which astronomers think our undoubtedly that in Andromeda, the only sun is rotating at the rate one visible to the naked eye in our latitude. of 180. miles a second; A photograph of it is shown facing page 81' but even at this enormous speed, it takes more than of "Astronomy and the Bible." It is a great two hundred million years iral-shaped structure 50,000 light years in for one revolution of the ameter, but rather flatter in one direction, great cluster. v' not unlike our galactic system. It is almost a million light years distant and contains mil- lions and possibly billions of stars, the vast majority being too faint to be seen individ- ually, although they may be much brighter than our sun. In fact, our sun, if moved to such an. immense distance, would be of the 27th magnitude, more than one hundred times fainter than the faintest star within the reach of our most powerful telescopes of to-day. Harvard University has discovered that two stars connected with Andromeda are from 25,000 to 100,000 times brighter than the sun. 9, The nebula of the Magellanic Cloud is of such enormous dimensions that if it were placed at the same distance as the stars in Orion, it would fill the entire constellation,

- for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Five The "SIGNS" QUESTION CORNER Conducted by WILLIAM G. WIRTH, 5447 EL VERANO AVENUE, EAGLE ROCK, CALIFORNIA

If you have a question regarding Bible doctrine and Christian living, or on other subjects apropos to the field of the "Signs of the Times," write out your question and send it in, preferably direct to Dr. Wirth. Anony- mous questions will not be answered. Do nbt become impatient if your question is not answered immediately, for Dr. Wirth has scores of questions in waiting, and yours will be answered in order.

THE DAY LINE to the west coast of America the traveler east to receive "all authority" to impart power or west finds himself in harmony with all the to His disciples who were to carry on His F. F. George of Idaho asks concerning the people in the count of the days of the week. work of redemption, Jesus said to Mary, "day line," and how we adjust ourselves to it. But crossing the Pacific Ocean westward, "Touch Me not." See Matthew 28:18-20; Time is a relative matter, and is reckoned ships drop a day; in crossing eastward, they John 20:17. Returning quickly to earth according to our given position to the sun in add a day." after this special ascension to His Father, its daily journey around the earth, to use Christ met the "women," and now per- popular language. The farther west we live THE CYRUS OF ISAIAH 41:2 mitted them to do that which He had pre- I the earlier will be our time and the hour of viously denied to Mary Magdalene on the our day in comparison with regions farther Joseph Majors of California asks about same day, to take "hold of His feet" as they east of us, to which regions the sun comes the Cyrus of the forty-first chapter of "worshiped Him." Matthew 28:1-9. before it comes to us. This explains why, Isaiah. Matthew 28:1 does not teach or suggest when we take our transcontinental trips to The "one from the east" in Isaiah 41:2 "that the beginning of the day had been the eastern part of the United States, we is Cyrus, the king of Persia, as held by M. changed from sunset to sunrise." have to set our watches ahead every once in L. Andreasen in his excellent studies on the a while; and when we return from the At- book of Isaiah. As to Cyrus being called lantic coast to the Pacific coast we have to do "the righteous man," as in the King James WHEN THE DAY BEGINS the opposite thing, set our watches back. Version, if the questioner will read the mar- F. E. Peterson of California asks when We accept our days of the week as they ginal note on this verse in the American Re- the Bible day begins; also when the current come to us, therefore, even though they may vised Version, he will see that instead of method of beginning the day at midnight not in time be the same as days in other quar- righteousness being attributed to Cyrus, it was introduced. reads, "Whom [Cyrus] righteousness calleth ters of our globe. This causes no trouble in The Bible method of beginning and end- keeping the Sabbath. Those who keep Sun- to its foot." This seems better to express the Hebrew thought, which is that right- ing the day is from sunset to sunset. See day experience no difficulty in keeping that Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Leviticus 23: day where they are; and if there is no diffi- eousness (God's purpose) will call Cyrus to its foot, to be in subjection, as it were, to 32; Mark 1:32. This mode of beginning culty regarding the first day of the week, how sacred festivals was in force until the can there be over the Sabbath, or seventh its designs, so that Cyrus may carry out God's will. Does not the Septuagint, the twelfth century after Christ. At that time day of the week? Providence has arranged the use of hours based on the light of the our days in this relative manner as to the Greek Old Testament, suggest this: "Who raised up righteousness from the east [God's natural day (from sunrise to sunset), which sun's course, and as sensible men and women hours, of course, varied in length with the let us fall in with His order. purpose worked out in Cyrus], and called it to his feet, so that it should go?" This will length of the day, the day being longer in As to the "Day Line" in particular, I can relieve the questioner of any difficulty in summer and shorter in winter, was put do no better than to quote the lucid explana- considering the heathen Cyrus a "righteous aside generally by the mechanically fixed tion of this given by M. C. Wilcox in man." If righteousness is held to charac- sixty-minute hours beginning at midnight his "Questions and Answers," vol. 1, pages terize Cyrus himself, it is in the accomo- and ending at midnight brought in by the 107, 108: dated sense of being a servant to carry out invention of clockwork. This midnight-be- ginning day was taken over from the Roman "Apparently the sun revolves around the the divine plan. The "servant" in Isaiah 41:8, 9 refers to civil day, which began at midnight and earth from east to west once in twenty-four ended at midnight. In England, most Euro- hours. It passes over fifteen degrees of the Israel, as is expressly stated. It is nut Abra- ham here, nor in the second verse. pean countries, and the United States this 360 into which the earth is divided, in one Roman civil day is accepted as the norm by hour of time. If one travels around the world Cyrus is again referred to in Isaiah 41: state and church. with the sun, he apparently gains time in pro- 25 and not John the Baptist. portion to the space passed over. For in- However, while it may be proper to ac- stance, if he travels over fifteen degrees of cept this Roman civil day for the ordinary space, in round numbers a thousand miles, SHOW THE HARMONY days of the week, when it comes to the holy during twenty-four hours, he apparently J. E. Oliver of California asks to be shown day of God, the seventh-day Sabbath of the gains one hour of time. In other words, he the harmony between Matthew 28:1, 2 and fourth commandment, its beginning at sunset has lengthened his day one hour by keeping Mark 16:1-4; also Matthew 28:9 and John and its ending at sunset should be followed one hour longer with the sun. If he should 20:17. by all who would do His will. keep that up for twenty-four days, he would It has been said that in colonial days id The sense of the context requires that the New England, Sunday, the first day of th have extended each day an hour. Though Greek words translated in Matthew 28:1, week, was often observed from sunset to losing nothing in actual time, he would be a "in the end of the Sabbath" in the King day ahead of where he was when he started, James Version, and "now late on the Sab- sunset. as the days are named in the week. If he bath day" in the American Revised Version, were traveling eastward at the same rate, he be better translated, "after the Sabbath." THE FRUITLESS FIG TREE would lose an. hour, or be with the sun an Goodspeed has this verse: "After the Sab- hour less each day; and in twenty-four days George Tuttle of Illinois asks about the bath, as the first day of the week was dawn- fig tree with leaves and no fruit. would lose twenty-four hours, or a whole ing, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary day. In tile first case he would drop one day, went to look at the tomb." Moffatt gives The questioner is right when he insists in the second he would add or repeat a day. it: "At the close of the Sabbath, as the first that the lesson of faith be emphasized in "A traveler on board ship and otherwise in day of the week was dawning, Mary of the parable of the cursed fig tree. See Mat- journeying westward, if he came to the usual Magdala and the other Mary went to look thew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14. Faith can place of the change on Tuesday, would call at the tomb." This puts Matthew 28:1 in do the impossible if it will only be exercised the next day Thursday. In traveling east- harmony with Mark 16:1. in God. ward, if he came to the place of change on After His resurrection our Lord "appeared As this particular tree had leaves on it, Tuesday, he would call the next day Tuesday. • first to Mary Magdalene" (see Mark 16:9; our Lord was justified in expecting it to Or he could add or drop a part of each of two John 20:1, 16). As this was before He had have figs, since before the leaves open the days. Both Providence and custom have "ascended unto the Father," to make sure growing fruit appears. Hence the parable fixed this place of change in the Pacific that His sacrifice was first accepted in does teach that "profession without posses- Ocean. From the east coast of Asia westward heaven before it was honored on earth, and sion" is worthless in Heaven's sight. Page Six SIGNS of the TIMES ISO 50 EDITORIAL

HOPE WINS OUT T IS a fatal thing when we lose the that which we see not, then do we with way out, and He holds before us through hope that keeps us buoyant and patience [margin, 'steadfastness'] wait His promises the glorious brightness of looking into the future to find even for it." Romans 8.24, 25. an eternal future. The world to-day better days than we are enjoying now. What an awful condition it is to have needs to know that "he that dwelleth in Hope is the great soul anchor. When no hope, to see the sands of life running the secret place of the Most High shall hope goes out, despair comes in, and the out with no prospect for anything be- abide under the shadow of the Almighty. individual becomes weak and powerless. yond! Under those circumstances, it is I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge Hope must not only anchor us to this not at all surprising, as recently occurred, and my fortress; my God, in whom I life, but it must reach with definite as- that two aged people with difficulties trust." Psalm 91:1,2. surance into that which lies beyond; staring them in the face should have As you chance to be reading these but because much of the teaching of this agreed together to commit suicide. But lines, and the problems of life are so time is making of the Bible a useless it that same man and wife had known the great that you know not which way to fable, and because so many millions of hope of the gospel, the evening time of turn, then go to Him who is seeking the people are receiving this teaching, there- their lives would have been so filled with opportunity of blessing and helping you. fore is hope being cut off from the hearts hope, and so lit up with joy, that they Go to him who so loved the world that of great multitudes of men and women. could not have given way to the despair He gave His only-begotten Son, that Hence, we read every day of the de- of suicide. whosoever believeth in Him should not ranged individuals who are not only tak- Satan's greatest efforts are to cut off perish, but have everlasting life. Go to ing their own lives, but are destroying the hope, and then bring in the discourage- Him as He reveals Himself in His word, lives of others, because of the conviction ment that produces hopeless despair. and hear Him saying to you, "Because that this life has nothing more for them, What this old world needs to-day, as it he bath set his love upon Me, therefore and it would be easier to end it all in has ever needed, is to know the truth of will I deliver him: I will set him on high, death. these wonderful words: "Lord,Thou hast because he hath known My name. He The individual cannot degenerate into been our dwelling place in all genera- shall call upon Me, and I will answer such conditions as this if the great hope tions. Before the mountains were him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation." Psalm 91:14-16. Do not read over these words of the psalm too hastily. Meditate upon them; pray that the great God,' who is the author of these utterances, may enter into your life with His power, and reveal to you the blessedness of trusting and hoping in Him, and give you consolation that comes through resting upon His ex- ceeding great and precious promises. We set our love upon God, and He says, "Therefore will I deliver him." And again He says to this one who has set his love upon Him, "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him." What a consolation there is in knowing that we may call and our God will answer! And hear again His promise: "I will be with him in trouble;" and not only does He say, "I will be with him," but He fur- thermore adds, "I will deliver him and honor him;" and all this that He may satisfy us with long life, and show us His salvation. These promises come from One who is infinite in power; they come from One A view of the thinning ranks of the G. A. R., as they passed the reviewing stand in New York who never could make a promise that in the annual Memorial Day parade. could be broken. God's promises are all facts. They fill the soul with hope. They of the gospel is burning brightly in his brought forth, or ever Thou hadst drive out the dark ghosts of despair and soul. He may have perplexities that formed the earth and the world, even fill us with indescribable joys and hopes would cause some men through sheer from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art that not only reach through this life, but despair to give up and commit suicide; God." Psalm 90:1, 2. have their anchorage in the never-ending but this individual, in the place of being What a consoling power there is in eternity. Learn to take the Bible with all hopeless and despairing, turns to the knowing that the infinite God is our its rich promises and allow it to lead Bible to find words like these: dwelling place! And while in our human you to that intimate acquaintance with "In hope were we saved: but hope that weakness our problems may be so great your God that will enable you to say is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that we know not how to solve them, yet that you dwell in the secret place of the that which he seeth? But if we hope for we know that there is One who has a Most High. T.

for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Seven What Will Be the OUTCOME of

The entire world is contemplating a close connection with the papal power. Do you favor it, and if you do, have you any idea what the final outcome will be?

HE story of two great mysteries is VARNER J. JOHNS place of our supreme Lord and Saviour, by unfolded for us in the Bible. One is whom we have forgiveness of sins, and who the sweetest story ever told, the story is the head of the church, the papacy has T exalted the pope as "the vicar of Christ and of infinite love, of divine compassion, of the of the centuries as they cluster around that Son of God leaving His home in the palace masterpiece of apostasy, the papacy. The the visible head of the church" and has given of light to enter the sin-cursed land of night. gospel of Romanism is a counterfeit gospel. him the power to forgive sins. This is the mystery of godliness—God hum- There is scarcely a teaching of the Church of A "DEADLY WOUND" DEALT bling Himself to the death of the cross as a Rome that does not have its roots in pagan- ransom for a fallen race. ism. The old pagan doctrines, the old pagan Bible prophecy had foretold the great The other is the story of amazing assump- customs, were fused with the doctrines and apostasy of the Dark Ages and had outlined tion of divine power, of arrogant claims to customs of Christianity, and this hybrid— its characteristics. A great religio-political divine preeminence, of unbelievable perse- part Christian but mostly pagan—molded power, amalgamating pagan error and Chris- cutions. and deeds of darkness done in the the thoughts of men through long centuries tian truth, obscuring the light of apostolic name of religion. It is the story of finite, of spiritual darkness. faith, persecuting the people of God, over- throwing the truth of God, it would continue sinful man so exalting himself that "he as APOSTASY A SOURCE OF ERRORS God sitteth in the temple of God, showing for 1260 prophetic "days," or literal years. himself that he is God." It is the story of It is well for'us to understand these things, Then it would receive a "deadly wound." an ecclesiastical despotism that controls the for in this apostasy of postapostolic days is The theory of papal supremacy is built upon consciences of men and directs the destinies the source of a multitude of doctrinal errors the two pillars of spiritual sovereignty and of nations. It is the story of fearful apostasy that have brought dishonor upon the church temporal supremacy. The religion of Ro- and of unequaled blasphemy. This is the of Christ. The traditions of the papacy have manism had been shaken as by a mighty mystery of iniquity—man so exalting him- their roots in paganism, and I do not hesitate earthquake by the Reformation. But never self above God that he would even dare to to say that many of the cherished customs of had it received such a crushing blow as dur- lay unholy fingers upon the law of God. Protestantism have no other authority for ing the French Revolution. France had been In three books of the Bible—in the book their continuance than in the traditional er- for centuries the favored daughter of the of Daniel, in Paul's epistle to the Thessa- rors of a paganized church. Catholic Church. But in the Reign of Terror lonians, and in the prophecies of the Reve- There is Sabbath observance. The Bible the vengeance of the people was wreaked lation—there are outlined for us the events recognizes but one Sabbath. "The seventh upon their oppressors, the priests. By formal day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." decree the Catholic religion was set aside, These are a few of Men may seek by every kind of specious and France decked herself in the gaudy gar- the first authorized argument to change the fiat of the God of ments of atheism. The pendulum had swung photographs of the new Vatican City: heaven and make "seventh" read "first," but from rigid despotism to riotous liberalism. 1. The radio sta- in reasoning against the Sabbath they are As the aftermath of the revolution, Pius VI tion of the Vatican reasoning against the God who made the City. 2. The gov- was torn from his throne by Berthier, general ernor's residence, Sabbath and decreed its observance. Sunday under Napoleon, and was taken to the French called the Gover- is a child of tradition. It is a counterfeit. It fortress at Valence. Napoleon had ordered nor's Palace. 3. The Main entrance—the originated in the monstrous errors of pagan- that in case of the death of Pius, no successor gate marks the en- ism and was perpetuated in the fearful apos- should be elected. trance to Italy's tasy of papalism. frontier line. 4. The A "deadly wound" had indeed been dealt new streets that are What a mixture of error and truth Roman- this autocrat of the ages. But Italy, too, had being built in the ism really is! How ruthless its tearing down Vatican City. her part to play in dealing with the papacy. of the symmetrical structure of truth! How Long had Italy been a mere vassal to the presumptuous its exalting of the tower king on the Tiber. Then came September of Babylonian error! In the place of the 20, 1870, and the staggering blow to papal "one Mediator between God and man," supremacy. The Italian forces entered the who is the Lord Jesus, the papacy has city of Rome, proclaimed a republic, and exalted thousands of priests to the me- brought to an abrupt end 1,116 years of diatorial wprk. In the place of the temporal rule. atoning sacrifice of Christ on Calvary's cross, Romanism claims a daily "pro- DEADLY WOUND HEALED pitiatory sacrifice" that is "one and the All this has been until recently a matter of same as that of the cross" in the abom- prophecy confirmed in history. But the inable sacrifice of the Mass. In the amazing part of the prophecy was yet to be fulfilled. The impossible thing was to be- come a possibility and a reality. The "deadly wound" would be "healed," and all the world would "wonder" after a resurgent papacy! Well do I remember, in the year 1912, giv- ing a Bible study upon the subject of the power of the papacy as portrayed in the Rev- elation, chapter 13. All who were present recognized the striking fulfillment of the prophecy in the character of the papacy. Then I read of the "healing" of the "deadly wound" and made the statement that the spiritual and temporal power of the papacy would yet be restored. "Impossible, Mr. Johns, impossible," ex- Page Eight SIGNS of the TIMES DECIDED DRIFT Toward Rome?

claimed one of the men in the audience. solini and the events of 1929. Now, king observance of Sunday, the, apostasy deter- "Why," he said, "the power of the papacy is over a temporal kingdom, the pope is entitled mines to enforce that call with stringent less to-day than ever before in history." Ap- to a seat in the League of nations, and then laws. How strange to see all the discordant parently it was so, but there was the proph- what? "The real ruler of the universe!" says sects of Christendom uniting upon one great ecy, and I told them that the prophecy must Mr. Huddleston. "All the world wondered common point of doctrine! Sadducee and be fulfilled. after the beast," says the prophecy. The Pharisee, always at variance, are united in stage is all set for the final scenes in the the dethroning of the Sabbath of the Lord A REMARKABLE PHENOMENON drama of apostasy. The chief actor is taking and the exalting of the counterfeit. Here, for Then came the World War, and with it his place upon the center of the stage, and example, is the action of one Protestant the astonishing change of fortune for the the lesser lights, the statesmen of earth, are assembly: "Cooperation with the Sabbath man in the Vatican. Some one has said that gathering around him. organizations of the other Protestant de- the real victor in the War was the Catholic And while this scene is moving toward its nominations and with those of the Roman Church. There came an amazing change of climax, how about the leaders of Protestant- Catholic Church was urged to-day in the re- front among the nations. France, for a hun- ism, the men who have the heritage of the port of the Sabbath observance committee dred years atheistic, bitterly anticlerical, Reformation? Where is heard the voice of of the Presbyterian Assembly in session here. violently anti-Roman, suddenly turned with protest from the mouth of Protestantism? These organizations in all Christian churches open arms toward Rome! England, Protes- Here is another of those "strange" reversals and the labor unions are working together tant for four hundred years, reversed her of policy, for Protestantism, too, has., ex- hand in hand, it was stated in the report of policy of the ages and with staggering sud- tended her hands Romeward, and is bowing the committee as printed in the assembly denness, turned toward Rome. Before the low to the glory of Babylon. For years there bluebook, and the results of the cooperation war, fourteen nations had their representa- has been a decided drift toward Rome on the may be seen all over the world in a long list tives at the Vatican. Now there are thirty- part of the Protestant churches. The Church of victories all over the world for cessation five accredited representatives, and this, of England already has one foot in the Ro- of Sunday work." Literary Digest, "without according to the man fold. From time to time such headlines A threefold union of false religions— objective effort on the part of the pope. The as these are found in the daily papers: paganism, papalism, and 'apostate Protes- civil governments have approached the pope, "Clerics Gathered to Discuss Union of All tantism—to exalt the great mark of apostasy not the pope the civil governments, though a Churches;" "Letter From Pope Read in in religion, is the unhappy picture that is cordial welcome in every case has been ex- Which Pontiff Expresses Pleasure With the before us. And with Mohammedanism tended.'' Cordial indeed has been the recep- Project;" "Pope Will Be Asked to Help changing its day of rest from Friday to Sun- tion party as twenty-one nations vied with Unite All Christian Churches;" "Plan to In- day, with Japan recognizing the Sunday of the one another in the rush to Rome. clude Every Protestant and Catholic De- Occident, and with Protestant federations This is the most remarkable phenomenon nomination in the World." of modern times, this rush to the Vatican; and, remember, it is an amazing confirmation PLEA FOR FEDERATION of the prophecy! But the crest of the wave Not for organic union is the plea, but for, had not yet been reached. On the morning federation for the carrying forward of pol- of February 12, 1929, Pius XI appeared upon icies and, doctrines that are common to all. the upper balcony of St. Peter's, and 200,000 And the student of prophecy is stirred and 5. The Swiss Guard voices swelled the cry, "Viva it papa-re! alarmed as he sees events shaping themselves barracks. 6. A new angle of the Vati- Viva it papa-re!" King again—no longer a for the exaltation in all the world of the dis- can City's park. 7. self-styled prisoner of the Vatican, but a king tinctive "mark" of the great papal apostasy. A panorama of the of a temporal state. Here is another of those All Christendom is one in the observance of field where the great city will be erected. "strange" reversals of policy. It was Benito the day that originated in pagan sun worship 8. The tunnel mark- Mussolini—Mussolini the ardent socialist, and has ever borne the marks of apostasy. ing the entrance to Mussolini the militant anti-Romanist—who As a noted Protestant clergyman said: "Once the Vatican City. signed the treaty with Cardinal Gasparri, the a week a divided Christendom meets before papal secretary of state. And the end is the empty tomb. Greek Catholic, Roman not yet. Catholic and Protestant meet and mingle at WORLD WILL BOW BEFORE PAPACY the tomb, . . . share one great tidal move- ment of faith. . . . The Lord's day brings How "far-reaching" this event will be can Christendom face to face with the risen well be imagined by studying the prophetic Christ once a week, and this binds us into one picture. "All the world" will yet bow in great body in Christ." wonderment before the papacy. The eyes of Not content with the universal call to the the world are turned toward Rome, and the knee of the world will yet bow before the proud pontiff of the "eternal city." Before Italy had even thought of restoring temporal power to the pope, Mr. Sisley Huddleston had written some interesting things for the magazine Current History. He said: "The pronouncements of the pope would be re- spected by many people. But the Vatican and the League speaking with the same voice would be irresistible. Who would care to defy the united verdicts? . . . The Vatican on the League of Nations would be the real ruler of the universe! It is only necessary to read the encyclical letter sent out by the pope in May to see that that is precisely his conception of the role of the church." That was written before the days of Mus- for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Nine lobbying for religious laws and demanding name of Almighty God, who is here said to available through the modern speculative the establishment of a Sunday-rest law, we keep mere babes in mortal fear of a stern theories of instinct, and while we, their may see only too well what is before us. God and a burning hell. elders, are each defending our positions, they are spending themselves in extravagant va- A REMNANT WILL BE LEFT It is well known that all social groups must formulate laws that are binding upon each garies that are quite justified by the beliefs But, thank God, there will be a remnant individual .in the group, if there is to be a of many of their parents and teachers. This left who will not bow the knee to Baal. Even semblance of liberty available. In spite of condition is upon us, and we ought to realize now the call is being sounded, "Come out of the vigorous assertions of the opposition, it it to the end that we examine more critically her, My people, that ye be not partakers . . . is commonly conceded that, if left to their the real consequences that are actually ac- of her plagues." There are earnest-hearted own devices, young people are likely to cruing. Whether we believe it or not, there children of God in every church communion. degenerate morally, spiritually, and even is evidence that young people are developing As the issues in the final conflict become physically. As Morrison says, "it is . . . a blasé indifference toward personal moral- more pronounced, the call to separation will probably true that if children were left to ity. They should worry because there is little become more distinct. Even now, by the tens themselves to do as they pleased in each reason for not philandering; others are doing of thousands men are leaving the confusion generation, society would soon revert to its it; and, besides, haven't they heard that na- of Babylon and are stepping upon the plat- primitive condition, since it would become ture is infallible, always permitting the reac- form of truth. impossible to accumulate from generation to tions that strengthen and preserve the race ! Dark days are before us. The fires of per- generation the appropriate social controls." When we remonstrate, they look bored, and secution will once more be lit. Error will —"The Practice of Teaching in the Second- ask us wearily when we are going to get make one herculean effort to stamp out the ary School," page 114. We wonder how to aboard and "get up to date." We are re- hated truth. There will be but two classes harmonize these obvious statements with the minded that prudes are out of style. As one of people in the final conflict—those who perfectionist's proposition. bright-eyed high school girl put it, "I am keep the commandments of God, and are The disturbing feature of the whole situa- going to get as much pleasure out of life as sealed with the "seal of the living God," and tion is that our youth are rapidly becoming I can, and any way I can." Indeed, the last those who trample underfoot the Creator's cognizant of the new measure of indulgence words are evident! But can we blame the memorial, and are marked with the mark of young people when their parents and teach- apostasy. Where will you stand, dear friend, 4— ers do their utmost to develop their intellects in this conflict? Have you the courage and to the exclusion of moral training, assuming the loyalty to God that will lead you, like that nature will take care of itself? Nature Elijah of old, to stand alone, if need be, in / / has demonstrated no such fine virtue except defense of truth? Or, for popularity's sake, \\c vAii • 11a t when vitalized by the Spirit of the great God will you bow with the majority to the sun who created it and who still sustains it in god? Great Babylon will go down in eternal spite of man's election of sin and rebellion. ruin when Jesus comes. Those who "keep §IENMENCEgft the commandments of God, and the faith of LEARN BY BITTER EXPERIENCE Jesus" will be exalted to the kingdom when CIIA ES G. BELLAII It is incumbent upon us never to forget Jesus comes. Where do you choose to stand AMMINN that for thousands of years men have been in the conflict? learning by bitter experience that immoral Each One Will Help You Stop conduct destroys them, while moral behavior conserves their welfare. Greek decadence Are Our Youth Infallible? Boasting demonstrated the ineffectiveness of individ- (Continued vn ge 2) THE first sin of heaven was pride. ual desire as a guide in morals just as Roman suppression, ridicule, failure, etc.. one finds Boasting is the child of ignorance. decadence pointed out the folly of self- the infallibility advocates assuming that all Number one is the smallest number. indulgence and vice. It is true to-day that who are emotionally unstable or psycho- Boasting is nothing but self-idolatry. dancing to jazz and a surfeit of movies may pathic have reached such a pass as a result of Empty wagons make a great deal of noise. seem pleasant at the time, but their effects in interference (discipline) with the natural Don't blow the light out with too much the long run may be very damaging. unfolding of their perfect natures. wind. As Finney brings out in his chapter de- Florence Mateer has recently produced a The boaster has lockjaw when confessions voted to morality, it is a serious matter to work entitled, "The Unstable Child," which are due. tamper with the fundamentals of personal is devoted exclusively to an analysis of the The whale gets into trouble when he starts morality. The modernist is likely to remark factors presumably accounting for the pres- to blow. nonchalantly that this is an age of change, ent rapid increase in America's crop of He who cuts above himself gets splinters and the old things are out of date. It is a real neurotic and psychopathic children. Early in his eyes. mistake to imply that the latest practices are in the presentation she makes it clear that The man who sings his own praises usually necessarily an improvement over the old. her entire contribution is based upon the sings a solo. Truth is not necessarily new, and the new assumption that the child can do no wrong; When the peacock spreads its tail, it keeps is not automatically true. When we make if he appears to do so, he is simply out of its eye on it. changes, we are liable to alter some rules that adjustment, and his behavior is but an ex- There are plenty of .big guns loaded only do not need changing, that are unalterable pression of his effort to adapt himself to an with powder. principles of right. No rhetorical eulogy of inner need. Another recent book warns us The man who blows his own horn stays at broadmindedness or liberality can make that the clew to perfect conduct lies in early the small end of it. murder, lying, gambling, dishonesty, or sen- conditioning (associating definite desirable Boasters are like locomotives standing still suality right. Any effort to do so invites responses with certain stimuli). This rule is and letting off steam. shipwreck or reversion to the Dark Ages. nothing but the materialist's panacea. Speak little of your greatness, and men DANGER IN FALSE DOCTRINE will think more of it. A SHOCKING STATEMENT We are in danger from the doctrine that A successful man's work, and not his In a new and rather startling volume, each man should be his own guide in morals. called "The Problem Child," written by an words, speak for him. The doctrine is false. The Greek sophist English schoolmaster, Neill, we are admon- The boaster holds his head so high he can- experimented with it, and then society went ished to extend to the child entire freedom not see where his feet are going. on the rocks. We ought to know better now. in the matter of behavior. All suppression or A proud spirit is no great spirit, any more Rare indeed would be the person who could discipline is denounced in caustic tones. Re- than a swollen arm is a strong one. judge for himself what is right and wrong. ligious teaching is called a curse, receiving Some men think their horn will not be We are hard of heart and feeble of mind, credit for making cowards and criminals blown unless they do it themselves. being much in need of the light shed by the out of innocent children. Of course we are Noise is expensive. It requires two tons of religion of Christ through His Inspired Word shocked. Not necessarily because we are coal for a locomotive to whistle from coast and by personal communion. "Victorians," but out of reverence for the to coast. (Continued on page 12) Page Ten SIGNS of the TIMES own choice. If we have chosen holiness and fellowship with Christ, and have confessed our sins, they are then blotted out, and the name retained in the book of life; but if we have chosen a life of sin, or treated the pro- with the guidance of an expert Bible teacher vision of God for salvation with indifference, the reverse will be equally true. Jesus said, Miss ROSE E. BOOSE "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Revelation 3:5. To Moses He said, "Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book." Exodus 32:33. GOD WILL BLOT OUT OUR SINS The promises that God will blot out our sins are many. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions, . . • and will not The Book of Life remember thy sins." Isaiah 43:25. "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgres- Nju odu: elnats t sGtuoddy II aw se learned b etghuant atnhde count and hold each one responsible for the sions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto of already wonderful opportunities he has had of know- Me; for I have redeemed thee." Isaiah i that all will be summoned before the bar ing God's will. 44:22. "When the wicked man turneth away of justice to give an account of their deeds, Records of sorrows are mentioned by from his wickedness that he hath committed, which have been recorded by the unerring David in Psalm 56:8: "Thou tellest my wan- and doeth that which is lawful and right, he pen of the angels. derings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: shall save his soul alive. Because he consid- Now let'us consider more carefully what are they not in Thy book?" ereth, and turneth away from all his trans- is contained in these books. In Revelation Sins are recorded in the books: "The sin gressions that he bath committed, he shall 20:12 we read, "I saw the dead, small and of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and surely live, he shall not die." Ezekiel great, stand before God; and the books were with the point of a diamond." Jeremiah 18:27, 28. opened: and another book was opened, which 17:1. "Though thou wash thee with niter, If an individual clings to sins, although is the book of life: and the dead were judged and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity good deeds have been committed, they avail out of those things which were written in the is marked before Me, saith the Lord God." nothing. "When the righteous turneth away books, according to their works." Here are Jeremiah 2:22. from his righteousness, and committeth iniq- mentioned the "books" and the "book of Good deeds are also remembered, as is uity, . . . all his righteousness that he hath life." The book of life is mentioned else- made clear in these words: "They that feared done shall not be mentioned: . . . in his sin where. Paul writes, "I entreat thee also, true the Lord spake often one to another: and the that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. yokefellow, help those women which labored Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of . . . When a righteous man turneth away with me in the gospel, . . . whose names are remembrance was written before Him for from his righteousness, and committeth iniq- in the book of life." Philippians 4:3. Christ them that feared the Lord, and that thought uity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that said to His disciples, "Notwithstanding in upon His name." Malachi 3:16. he hath done shall he die." Ezekiel 18:24-26. this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject Thus it is clear that names, sins, and good Dear reader, will you not make certain unto you; but rather rejoice, because your deeds, in fact, the full record of each life, that your name is inscribed in the Lamb's names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20. with its advantages and disadvantages, are book of life? Only those whose names are In the book of life are recorded the names of recorded in the books that are to come into there will enter into the city of God. "There those who have at any time entered into fel- judgment, from which all cases will be tried. shall in nowise enter into it anything that lowship with Christ and accepted Him as We read, "The dead were judged out of those defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomi- their Saviour. things which were written in the books, ac- nation, or maketh a lie: but they which are RECORDS OF ENTIRE LIFE cording to their works." Revelation 20:12. written in the Lamb's book of life." Revela- In the "books" are to be found the life PHASES OF THE JUDGMENT tion 21:27. records of all. There are recorded the envi- There are three phases of the judgment. The invitation is still sounding, "Seek ye ronment in which one is born and reared, the The preliminary, or investigative, judgment, the Lord while He may be found, call ye sorrows and heartaches, the sins and mis- which precedes the coming of Christ, deter- upon Him while He is near: let the wicked takes, as well as the good deeds done. There mines who have accepted salvation and are in forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his are a number of references to confirm these harmony with the principles of righteous- thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, statements. In Psalm 87 :4-6 we read, "I will ness, upon which the government of heaven and He will have mercy upon him; and to make mention of Rahab and Babylon to is established. The second phase is the trial our God, for He will abundantly pardon." them that know Me: behold Philistia, and of the wicked; this determines the extent of Isaiah 55:6, 7. "The Spirit and the bride say, Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born their guilt, and the punishment due each ; for Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and we read, "That every one may receive . . . And let him that is athirst come. And who- that man was born in her: and the Highest according to that he hath done, whether it soever will, let him take the water of life Himself shall establish her. The Lord shall be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10. An- freely." Revelation 22:17. count, when He writeth up the people, that other reference says, "That servant, which Accept the invitation, and by confession this man was born there." Babylon, Tyre, knew his Lord's will, and prepared not him- send your sins before to judgment. "Some and Ethiopia were heathen nations. People self, . . . shall be beaten with many stripes. men's sins are open beforehand, going before reared in such an atmosphere had little or no But he that knew not, . . . shall be beaten to judgment; and some men they follow knowledge of the true God; but when God with few stripes." Luke 12:47, 48. The third after. Likewise also the,good works of some "writeth up the people" in the judgment, He step is the execution of the sentence, spoken are manifest beforehand; and they that are will remember the darkness in which these of as the executive judgment. otherwise cannot be hid." 1 Timothy 5: have been reared. Zion signifies the church In the time of the investigative judgment, 24, 25. Place your trust in the all-sufficient of God, where truth and light surround the when each case will come in review before sacrifice of the Lamb of God, slain from the individual; and God will take that into ac- God, decisions will be made according to our foundation of the world, and in the merits for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Eleven of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. You sions or social reform! Without a great HOSPITALITY is always beautiful; but per- cannot escape the judgment, and there is no abiding faith in God and His plan for our haps its deepest significance lies in the care better time for you to place yourself on the salvation we cannot survive as a nation. Our of all our needs by our friends. The sacra- right side of this issue than this very mo- religious problem is all the greater in view ment of hospitality is but the human ex- ment; some day it will be too late. Does not of the inroads being made by doctrines such pression of the action of the heavenly your heart respond to these words, "Surely as that of nature's infallibility. Our cue is to Father, caring for His children through the it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne sound the warning, and point the youth to loving solicitude of those near us, in whose chastisement, I will not offend any more: fundamental truths. home we abide.—Selected. that which I see not teach Thou me : if I have done iniquity, I will do no more'•'? Job 34:31, 32. • Are You a "Last-Day Pilgrim"? Should Charity Begin at Home? (Continued from page 8) L. FLORA PLUMMER on account of her rescue, was a source of much interest to the natives. This popularity made her seem desirable to her drunken, de- graded father, so he demanded his child, and usually unite their interests and travel together took her to his filthy hut, where she was for mutual benefit and protection. They delight neglected and starved. to talk of their journey,—the route they are traveling, the dangers they have passed, the When the child was about ready to die, the prospective difficulties, their destination, and father was persuaded to give her back to the when they shall reach it. They are distinct as a missionary, and when a few years old she people, the manner of their living and the de- was sent to the school in Australia. Later on, sires of their hearts forming a barrier that sepa- the drunken father was converted, and is rates them in a peculiar way from their fellow now a clean, happy, earnest Christian. men. They may be among the multitudes of earth, but they are not of them. Those who Naomi does not think the old way best, have entered upon the pilgrimage of which the and neither does her father; they are very apostle wrote are truly pilgrims and strangers thankful that there are missionaries to show in the earth. them a better, happier way. We who are "last-day pilgrims" find serious conditions all about us. In this age, reputation GIVING IS AN HONOR and character, profession and practice, preten- "But what real good do the missionaries do sion and reality, theory and fact, present con- the world?" ask others. "They go to those tinual contradictions. There is very much of uncivilized lands, live in ease, and use the HE apostle Paul speaks of Abraham and his the form of godliness, and very little of its natives for servants; why should we help children as "strangers and pilgrims on the power. There are very many who profess to earth," and other Bible writers have also spoken follow Christ, but very few who "walk, even support them?" of Christians in the same way. The full force as He walked." 1 John 2:6. Read the life of Robert Moffat, one of of these expressions can best be realized in con- "PEACE PLANS" MEAN WAR Africa's first missionaries. With only his sidering the life and characteristics of those We read of "peace plans" being made, yet Bible for defense, he plunged into the wilds, who have no fixed abode, but travel from place to place, Such do not seem to have regard for preparations for war were never before so ex- and his first convert was the cruel, fierce tensive. There was never a time when there was chief, Africaner, who had been the scourge the centuries they have left behind, or the one through which they are passing, but are con- so much money in the world, and poverty was and destroyer of every attempt at civiliza- tinually looking for a better one. never more general and distressing. Tokens of tion within six hundred miles of his kraal. The sojourning of pilgrims is attended by danger, calamity, and disaster are upon every Recall David Livingstone, who, for the various annoyances. The changing seasons bring hand, yet the people were never more eager for frivolous amusement; and it may be said love of Christ, opened a path into Central to them the heat and cold, the rain and snow, the wind and storm, as well as the balmy air of many, "Ye have lived in pleasure on the Africa, and did more, perhaps, than any earth, and been wanton." James 5:5. other one man to make the world realize the and warm sunshine. The inhospitable com- munities through which they pass make them The progress and advancement made in every awfulness of the slave trade being carried on wholly dependent upon their own poor con- line is the boast of the race, yet every feature there, and to organize an effort to put a veniences for shelter and protection. Those who of society, social, religious, and political, gives stop to it. are living in permanent homes regard these evidence of similarity to the antediluvian age, Livingstone died on his knees, alone, pray- wandering strangers with distrust and sus- when God "saw that the wickedness of man was picion. Not infrequently they are made the great in the earth, and that every imagination ing for those dark-skinned people. But his of the thoughts of his heart was only evil con- work is now being carried on by a host of de- subjects of rude jests, their appearance and habits of life spoken of with contempt, and tinually." Genesis 6:5. voted men and women. Marvelous changes, the object of their pilgrimage derided. Others In God's holy word, and in the light of beneficial both to the natives and to the seek to divert the minds of the pilgrims from events transpiring about us, we read the tidings civilized world, have come about, and yet their purpose by presenting to them the attrac- that the coming of the Lord is near, and hasteth there is much to do, for Africa is a mighty tions of their present surroundings, in contrast greatly. It is time for all to be moving forward who wish to identify themselves with the pil- continent, and not the only one. with the difficult and exceedingly uncertain journey they are pursuing. grims who are traveling to Zion. Some are It is an honor to give toward such a work, camping too long by the green fields and sunny and giving brings a blessing to the giver as SPIRIT OF DETERMINATION fountains, and have gathered many things about well as to the receiver of the offering. Robbers and assassins lie in wait in the lonely them that hinder their journey. Others have • pathways, assault the travelers, wound them grown weary of overcoming the obstacles in the grievously, and carry off their most valued pathway, and have turned aside to rest for a Are Our Youth Infallible? treasures. But the pilgrim band care nothing season. Many are seeking for an easier route for the sneers or enticements of the bystanders. than the straight and narrow way, and are (Continued from page 10) They are imbued with the spirit of determina- now in the bypaths that lead away from the This religion keeps us on our good be- tion, dnd feel that those who would detain them heavenly city. The time has come for each havior even in the dark. It acts as a mighty have no sympathy with their plans and pur- Christian pilgrim to move forward. The perils motivation to sustain us in our moral life. poses. Their afflictions and privations only are thickening. The only safety lies in laying How we wish that all those educators who cause them to hasten more quickly toward their aside every weight, and running with patience destination, which in their minds is free from the race that is now nearly finished. are tampering with infallibility would inter- the annoyances and perplexities of the route May we all be too wise to look for an an- est themselves in engendering a desire in the of travel. chorage in this earth and one in heaven at the hearts of the youth to attach themselves to Pilgrims are glad to come across others who same time. May we each be enabled nightly to a great unselfish movement like that of mis- are journeying in the same direction, and they pitch our tents a day's march nearer home. Page Twelve SIGNS of the TIMES is right. But you may say, Did not the' United States come into existence through war? Yes; that is true, but the Revolution- ary War was not a war of conquest; it was not a war waged to uphold tyranny; it was a war for independence and resistance against injustice and tyranny. "One hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on the oc- casion of a 'Centennial Dinner' in London, at Westminster Palace Hotel, J. P. Thomp-. son, LL. D., said in a speech: 'I thank God that this birthday of the United States as a nation does not commemorate a victory of arms. War preceded it, followed it; but the figure of independence shaped on the Fourth of July, 1776, wears no helmet, brandishes no sword, and carries no stain of slaughter and blood.' "The original spirit of unselfishness of the New NeightorS United States was seen in our entry into the World War, which was not a war on our part for conquest or a squabble to annex more The story of how they turn a territory. L. ERVIN WRIGHT town upside down; and for "The Constitution of the United States the first time the town was was adopted in 1789, and by the year 1798 CHAPTER XVI right side up. the new nation could well be said to be `coming up.' In the year 1800 our population was only 5,308,483. To-day our population is well over the 120,000,000 mark. In 1800 our total area was only 827,844 square miles. THE STORY THUS FAR To-day our area (including all our posses- Mrs. Winters, her son, Dale, and daughter, begins an attack on the Adventists. He be- sions) is 3,742,155 square miles. From a Theresa, newcomers to Fairdale, start an ac- lieves that all who do not keep Sunday as the nation born in comparative poverty our na- tive missionary program. They are the first Christian sabbath should be boycotted, and, Seventh-day Adventists ever to live in Fair- as an extreme measure, all Sunday violators tion to-day is the wealthiest nation on earth. dale. Dale holds several Bible studies in the should be deemed as guilty of treason, which Its total wealth would probably aggregate home of Mrs. Heiman. Theresa conceives the he asserts merits the death penalty. Dale in- plan of starting a Sunday school. The club troduces his second Sunday night lecture by more than four hundred billions of dollars. hall of the Chamber of Commerce is secured explaining that the first beast of Revelation HORNS DENOTE POWER for the Sunday school and also where Dale 13 symbolizes a union of church and state, can lecture. Pastor Dodson of the - church further described in Revelation 17 and 18. "Now the prophecy of the United States says: 'He had two horns like a lamb.' A horn in prophecy denotes power. The power of The United States in Prophecy the United States rests upon two things: First, the government derives its just powers S DALE WINTERS proceeded with his nation is the United States. It should not be from the consent of the governed. This lecture, he could feel that there were thought that a prophecy of the United States means a democracy, the very antithesis and A some questioning minds in his audi- should be a strange thing to put into the repudiation of monarchism. Civil freedom, ence. He knew that he was presenting a Bible. The Bible tells of the career of Egypt, or republicanism, is thus represented by one "heavy" subject, and a delicate one as well. Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, of the horns; secondly, the government rec- Dale did not believe in speaking against per- Rome, the divided state of modern Europe, ognizes that any man who conducts himself sons; and in dealing with the Roman Catho- and of many other nations. Why should not as a good citizen is accountable to God for lic question, he was endeavoring to handle it God foretell of the United States, since it is his religious faith, and is to be protected by as a system, for he believed that God had exerting the greatest world-molding influence the government in worshiping God accord- many people in the Catholic Church; for of any nation that has ever existed? ing to the dictates of his own conscience. how, he had reasoned many times, could God "The original word translated 'coming up' This means "the repudiation of the old give the message of Revelation 18:4, in in our English version is the Greek word, church-state system. Religious freedom is speaking of the Roman Catholic system in `anabaino.' It carries the idea of a plant thus represented by the other horn. particular, "Come out of her, My people," springing up, gently, silently, and peacefully. "The prophecy says that these two horns unless God had some of His people in mystic It must mean that the two-horned power, or are like a lamb. Now in the same book, in Babylon? He had met many Catholics in nation, comes into existence without the Revelation 5:6, Jesus Christ is spoken of as Fairdale, and had found them very likable means of conquest, and that such a nation in the 'Lamb.' In John 1:29 the same figure is people, and he trusted that they would see coming up is untyrannical. used to represent Christ. Are these two horns, the fuller light of Protestantism. civil and religious freedom, Christlike? A SPECIFIC NATION AN INNOCENT-APPEARING BEAST "Civil liberty or freedom rests upon the "The former beast arose from the sea, equality of every man's rights. This is clearly "As the prophet John saw the papal phase which means that it arose where there were recognized in the Bible. In Leviticus 19:18 of the beast of prey receive its deadly wound `peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and we read, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as at the close of the eighteenth century," tongues.' If the sea, then, means thickly thyself.' And Jesus said, 'Whatsoever ye continued Dale Winters, "his attention was populated regions, the absence of 'peoples, would that men should do to you, do ye even attracted elsewhere, and he wrote: 'I beheld and multitudes, and nations, and tongues' so to them.' Matthew 7:12. We call that the another beast coming up out of the earth; must mean sparsely populated regions. But golden rule, and it is. and he had two horns like a lamb, and he where in the year 1798, as the beast of prey spake as a dragon.' Revelation 13:11. went into captivity for a season, was there a A DEMOCRATIC NATION "There is only one nation that has ever region that was sparsely settled, where na- "In harmony with this golden rule, our fulfilled the specifications of the prophecy of tions were not existing, and where a world famous document, the Declaration of Inde- the two-horned beast, as to when it would power was coming up? Certainly not in the pendence, in part says: 'We hold these truths arise, how it would arise, where it would Old World. to be self-evident, that ail men are created arise, and the work it would do, and that "I hear you say, In the New World. That equal; that they are endowed by their Cre- for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Thirteen ator, with certain unalienable rights; that "That there is a realm over which the civil among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit government has no jurisdiction was plainly of happiness. That to secure these rights, emphasized by Christ when He stated : 'Ren- SIGNS TIMES governments are instituted among men, de- der therefore unto Cmsar the things which Advocating a return to the s'mple riving their just powers from the consent of are Caesar's; and unto God the things that gospel of Christ, and a prepa ation the governed.' are God's.' Matthew 22:21. Here a com- for His imminent second appearing plete separation of church and state was "Our nation, the first in all history to de- A. 0. TAIT, A. L. BAKER, Editors rive its powers from the governed, came into taught by the Saviour. And Jesus also said, J. R. FERREN, Circulation Manager existence not because might is right, but be- `If any man hear My words, and believe not, cause right is might. Religious liberty or I judge him not: for I came not to judge the SUBSCRIPTION RATES freedom rests upon the fact that every man world, but to save the world.' John 12:47. In United States: is accountable to God alone in religious Single copy, one year $1.50 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY GRANTED Clubs of five or more to one address, each 1.25 things. Paul says : 'So then every one of us To Canada and other countries taking extra postage: shall give account of himself to God.' Ro- "When the United States granted civil lib- Single copy, one year $2.00 erty, it was actuated by Christian principles, Clubs of five or more to one address, each 1.50 mans 14:12. The state or some individual Please make all checks and money orders payable cannot give account of me before the judg- and when it granted religious liberty as pro- to "Signs of the Times," Mountain View, California. vided for in Article I of the Amendments to ment seat of God. In the words of Prof. NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS the Federal Constitution, namely, 'Congress Alexander Vinet, let me say: 'If the state, as .Expiration. All issues for the month named on shall make no law respecting an establish- the top line of your address label are included in such, can possess a religion, we assert that your subscription. Unless renewed in advance, the the individual thenceforward can have none, ment of religion, or prohibiting the free paper stops at expiration date. and the smallest degree of religious liberty is exercise thereof,' it was likewise actuated by Change of address. Please give both old and new address. an antisocial heresy. We defy anything to be Christian principles. No papers are sent except on paid subscriptions, so persons receiving the "Signs of the Times' with- granted to the state, unless everything be "The solicitor for the Department of the out having subscribed may feel perfectly free to granted, or anything to he refused to it, un- State (Washington, D. C.), in a statement accept it. less everything be refused.' presented to the Edinburgh World Mission- ary Conference, 1910, in the book, 'Missions -4 and Governments,' page 124, says: 'The amendment of the Constitution and the like provisions in state constitutions were not How Did God Give the BIBLE ? dictated by indifference or hostility to the principles of the Christian religion, but aimed URING the first twenty-five hundred years to prevent not merely the establishment of D of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, one form of religion, however widely spread, communicated their knowledge to others, and but to establish upon a firm footing the right it was handed down from father to son, through before the law of every religious sect.' successive generations. The preparation of the "But according to the prophet a change is written word began in the time of Moses. In- to take place in this nation with its two lamb- spired revelations were then embodied in an in- like characteristics, for the prophet adds, 'He spired book. This work continued during the spake as a dragon.' long period of sixteen hundred years, from Mo- ses, the historian of creation and the law, to RELIGIOUS LIBERTY TO BE IMPERILED John, the recorder of the most sublime truths "Thomas Jefferson foretold the peril to of the gospel. religious liberty in our nation. He wrote in his The Bible points to God as its author; yet it `Notes on Virginia,' the following remarkable was written by human hands; and in the varied As presented through different individuals, prediction: 'Besides, the spirit of the times style of its different books it presents the char- the truth is brought out in its varied aspects. acteristics of the several writers. The truths re- One writer is more strongly impressed with one may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become vealed are all "given by inspiration of God" (2 phase of the subject; he grasps those points corrupt, our people careless. A single zealot Timothy 3:16) ; yet they are expressed in the that harmonize with his experience or with his may commence persecution, and better men words of men. The Infinite One by His Holy power of perception and appreciation; another be his victims. It can never be too often Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts seizes upon a different phase; and each, under repeated, that the time for fixing every es- of His servants. He has given dreams and vi- the guidance of the Holy Spirit, presents what is sential right on a legal basis is while our sions, symbols and figures; and those to whom most forcibly impressed upon his own mind—a rulers are honest and ourselves united. From the truth was thus revealed, have themselves different aspect of the truth in each, but a per- the conclusion of this war [the Revolution- embodied the thought in human language. fect harmony through all. And the truths thus ary] we shall be going downhill. It will not The Ten Commandments were spoken by God revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted Himself, and were written by His own hand. to meet the wants of men in all the circum- then be necessary to resort every moment to They are of divine, and not of human, composi- stances and experiences of life. the people for support. They will be forgot- tion. But the Bible, with its God-given truths God has been pleased to communicate His ten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. expressed in the language of men, presents a truth to the world by human agencies, and He They will forget themselves, but in the sole union of the divine and the human. Such a Himself, by His Holy Spirit, qualified men and faculty of making money, and will never union existed in the nature of Christ, who was enabled them to do this work. He guided the think of uniting to effect a due respect for the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it is mind in the selection of what to speak and what their rights. The shackles, therefore, which true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that "the to write. The treasure was intrusted to earthen shall not be knocked off at the conclusion of Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." vessels, yet it is, none the less, from Heaven. this war, will remain on us long, will be made John 1:14. The testimony is conveyed through the imper- Written in different ages, by men who differed fect expression of human language; yet it is the heavier and heavier, till our rights shall re- widely in rank and occupation, and in mental testimony of God; and the obedient, believing vive or expire in a convulsion.' and spiritual endowments, the books of the child of God beholds in it the glory of a divine "Will religious liberty expire in the United Bible present a wide contrast in style, as well as power, full of grace and truth. States?" a diversity in the nature of the subjects un- In His word, God has committed• to men the (To be continued) folded. Different forms of expression are em- knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy • ployed by different writers; often the same Scriptures are to be accepted as an authorita- No labor can take the place of prayer. No truth is more strikingly presented by one than tive, infallible revelation of His will. They are learning can take the place of prayer. We by another. And as several writers present a the standard of character, the revealer of doc- subject under varied aspects and relations, there trines, and the test of experience. "Every scrip- are the followers of One who prayed, and may appear, to the superficial, careless, or preju- ture inspired of God is also profitable for teach- praying won His triumph. In living in daily diced reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, ing, for reproof, for correction, for instruction personal touch with God there is strength, where the thoughtful, reverent student, with which is in righteousness; that the man of God as there is joy and peace, for the darkest clearer insight, discerns the underlying har- may be complete, furnished completely unto mile of the untrodden way.—George- H. mony. every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16,17, A. R. V. Morrison. Page, Fourteen SIGNS of• the TIMES BLUEBIRDS

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IOWA SANITARIUM WASHINGTON SANITARIUM PARADISE VALLEY Nevada, Iowa Takoma Park, D. C. SANITARIUM ST. HELENA SANITARIUM National City, California HINSDALE SANITARIUM Sanitarium, California (Near San Diego) Hinsdale, Illinois (Near San Francisco)

Health I Contagious in These Sanitariums

...,••••••• -4 for SEPTEMBER 2, 1930 Page Fifteen

The WORLD OUTLOOK 4—

words on the headstone, but this is far financial stress have their great advan- /tNewspaper's Estimate different from regarding the Bible as the tages. We will mention two of them. HE Brooklyn Daily Eagle of July 27 living word of the living God. Fulsome First, we have been passing through an Thas an editorial on fundamentalism. adulation can never take the place of unparalleled period of prosperity, and It comments upon a sermon preached in whole-hearted obedience. this has led to wanton extravagance and Calvary Baptist church, New York City, Fundamentalism may seem to some to abandoned pleasure seeking. Hard times in which Bible prophecy was the key- be mossbackish and reactionary, but its will curb these. Dean Inge of London note, and also upon a resolution anent dependence upon the Bible gives it a has recently declared that "the amount modern religious liberalism passed by the spirituality and a hold upon God that is of money wasted on champagne, women's recent General Conference of Seventh- not to be duplicated in all the sophisti- dress, cosmetics, sweetmeats, and other day Adventists in San Francisco. Con- cated halls of modernism. It elevates barbarous indulgences would amply suf- cerning the latter the editorial says: God rather than man. It asks for His fice to put an end to poverty and to "A parallel phase of fundamentalism wisdom rather than parading its own. restore the financial credit of the war- is noted in the 'Evolution' ruling of rep- It is God-centered rather than man- stricken nations." Men and women have resentatives of 300,000 Seventh-day centered. B. flaunted their wealth and wasted their Adventists in San Francisco just made •• wages in catering to the love of display public: and the •satisfaction of their sensuous " 'We accept the Bible as the revealed "Hard Times" desires. "Fullness of bread, and abund- word of God to man and believe that the PPRAISED from an economic view- ance of idleness" have given anything Genesis record of a literal creation in A point, the world as a whole is in but a healthy tone to society. Financial six twenty-four-hour days is an inspired the slough of despond. On the first of depression will serve to bring many back record of a historical fact.... We utterly August the unemployed in Europe had to the realities of life and away from the repudiate the implication that man orig- reached the high figure of 5,949,287 per- giddy whirl. inated from any lower form of life.' sons. Germany had 2,557,000 out of Second, it seems the universal rule "It would be hard to guess how large work, and Britain approximately 2,000,- that when times are prosperous there iys a proportion of the clergymen in ortho- 000. The estimates on unemployment in a decided tendency to neglect the things dox Christian churches would accept this the United States run from 3,000,000 to of religion and to forget God. When men frank formula or would care to dwell on 5,000,000. The London Daily Herald have lots of money, they seem to think Bible prophecies as the Calvary preacher says there are 15,000,000 out of work in they can put forth a declaration of in- did. Educated mostly in modern colleges the world to-day. dependence so far as the things of God and in more or less progressive theologi- These figures mean that the coming are concerned. This has been demon- cal seminaries, these clergymen, or many winter will be one of real hardship and strated countless times in the history of of them, have their own views of the privation to millions of families the world both nations and individuals. That is the Scriptures, views often unexpressed in over. Taking the world as a whole into reason the Master said a rich man would pulpit utterances. consideration, the next few months will have as hard a time getting into heaven "But neither their reticence nor the witness more actual suffering than any as the camel did in passing through that frankness of the fundamentalists should similar period in the last decade. low-arched gate in the Jerusalem wall. lead the rising generation to regard read- The outlook, however, is not altogether The rich man usually trusts in money ing or study of the Bible as a negligible dark-hued and pessimistic, for periods of instead of in God. When material things element of education. Literally inspired absorb the affections, spiritual values are or not, it is the one book best worth unappreciated. analysis and consideration. Prophetic or All this has been amply demonstrated not, its poetry has a rangefulness not to in the last decade of prosperity. The be found elsewhere. The man or woman temples of religion have housed a con- who is unfamiliar with the Bible is never stantly dwindling attendance. The stock more than half educated." market, the theater, and the race track One of the most serious indictments have had their millions of devotees, against liberal religion is the fact that it while religion's hosts could be numbered diverts attention from the Bible. To be in thousands. sure, such men as Harry Emerson Fos- But men and women may learn again dick and others of that stamp eulogize when stocks and bonds depreciate, when the Scriptures as an invaluable source employment is scarce, when the neces- of ethics and morality and of superior sities of life are difficult to obtain, that grandeur from a literary viewpoint; but they need God and that He is a very the net result of their attack upon the present help in time of trouble. When inspiration of the Bible, and of the at- Peter was walking on Galilee's water, he tempt to prove that, after all, the Bible thought he could get along quite all right is nothing more than a human document, without the Saviour; but when he began is that people who take stock in this to sink, he cried out for the Master's liberalism devote far less time to the help. Perhaps in the present instance study of the Bible and are more prone God permits hardships to come that men to disregard its precepts than those of may realize that the material things of evangelical faith who hold the Scriptures life are at best but temporary and fleet- to be the very word of God. The mod- An inspiring view of the great dome of the United ing, and that the only solid and enduring ernists place a very pretty wreath upon States Capitol, seen across the Union Station things after all are those of the Spirit Plaza. The famous Columbus statue commemo- the tomb wherein they have interred the rating the discovery of America may be seen in and of heaven. If so, "hard times" will Bible, and they engrave some beautiful the center of the photograph. be well worth the price we pay. B.