ufte AMERICA'S PROPHETIC WEEKLY

VOLUME 48 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, DECEMBER 6, 1921 NUMBER 48

Int 027 national Allied chiefs present for the dedication of the $2400,000 Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. This is the first picture of them together. Left to right: Generals Jacques, Diaz, Foch, Pershing, and Admiral Beatty. DEVOTEES of MAMMON By ROBERT B. THURBER

MERICA is fast developing a type of man that wants on to outdo Christendom and heathendom in thing-worship and to worship a god that tickles his fancy and charms in the deification of ideas. his conscience. Like all men of all ages, he will wor- The old god Baal was the sun god; he was the father of gods; ship something; for the spirit of man craves an object for the glorious solar orb brings nearly every material bless- of devotion. But not finding the God of his fathers ing in its train. It is the greatest visible beneficiary of man- to his liking, he makes his obeisance to every easy- kind. Without the sun, oblivion would come to all things coming benefit that flowers his pathway. He calls this earthly. Hence, sun worship was preeminent. Behold the a material age, and says that now men can- modern god, Dollar, which presumes to take not be satisfied to make their heart offerings the blasphemous title, Almighty'. Millions to spiritual, to immaterial things, and to an make their genuflections before him to-day invisible God, as they, in their ignorance, in America, as the chief deity. He is were content to do aforetime. thought to be able to buy a way for his We dissent. So far as the age is con- devotee to every happiness dear to the hu- cerned, this is no more a material age than man heart. "Money makes the mare go." any age has ever been. It is not the age; "Money greases the wheels of progress." it is the attitude of the majority of the peo- "Money is a man's best friend.". So run our ple of the age. Heathenism has always proverbs. Though they smack of the sordid, been material, and materialism is heathen- they appeal to the candid; and mammon ish to-day. mounts the throne, while education spells •We would not enter into a disloyal dia- $ucce$$ with dollar signs. Lucre displaces tribe, against Americans and everything Baal; it was sun then, it is "mon" now; and American. The whole world is going the the modern devotion is as baleful as the an- same way. But this country naturally con- cient was Baal-full. cerns us more, being our own; and there are Nor is this worship of gold confined to the peculiar temptations and tendencies mani- already rich and the near rich. The "de- fest here in late years that are leading us ceitfulness of riches" presents its greatest 2 The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 lure to the poor man. In fact, those who tors of wealth, and heartless grinders of lated with the virus of greed. Retaining have not, seem to make it their special the poor. The fascination of get-rich- to a degree the loves and hates of their worry to long for easy money. The man quick-regardless has developed a cult of former homes, they take up the worship who has, is not blinded so much by the robbers which claims in its membership of the god of this land, and become ven- glitter of money as is the man who has a range of criminals, from the disrepu- erators of wealth. not, and who fondly imagines that su- table to the respectable. But the large and increasing class of preme and unalloyed happiness is found It is time to cry from the skyscraper which we write are not hoarders as a in the backing of a swollen bank ac- tops that Americans are joining them- rule. They are first-class grabbers, and count. selves by the hundreds of thousands to also great spenders—on themselves. A It is a patent fact that the ability to mammonism. Soon we shall have to in- tale is told of a man who was given a acquire wealth is a gift given of God, sert "mammoniac"—money-mad—in our box containing a gold coin which, when just as is the gift of .oratory, of music, dictionaries. The multitude, in snug removed, would be replaced by another, of health, of influence, of genius, and of comfort and smug satisfaction, stop their and so on endlessly. But he was warned, geniality. Yet, while the possessors of ears to the wails of the oppressed within on pain of the charm's being broken, that the great majority of gifts find pleasure our borders, and are deaf to the pleading he must not spend one coin till he had in practically giving away, free of charge, of starving millions beyond our shores. first destroyed the box. He died of star- the products of their accomplishments In the polytheism of the ancient peo- vation, still taking out the coins and pil- for the enjoyment of others, the posses- ples, each land had its tutelary god, and ing them up. But this is not a picture sors of fortunes too often conceive that it was expected that a visitor to any of America. The ingenious and business- the fruits of their efforts are to be country would add its particular god to like American would see if he could not hoarded, or spent on their own gratifi- his already numerous deities, and thus make the machine produce more than one cation. If a capitalist, big or little, would get into the line of luck in his new and coin at a time, and failing in that, would pass on his money as freely as a vocalist strange surroundings. The mixed Sa- work at it till he tired, throw the appara- gives forth his voice, this world would maritans in Palestine, after the return tus in the river, spend the money; and be a far happier place than it is. In the from the captivity, were told that the then try to fish out the wonder-working face of the world's poverty no man God wild animals killed their flocks because machine. ever made has a right to be a millionaire, they were not worshiping the god of that AMERICA'S PANTHEON OF GODS counted by the money he holds; but, land. So they annexed God to their pan- Sunny old Baal was worshiped largely counted by the money he has passed theon, and vainly expected the exclusive through his hands for the uplift of the through lesser gods, gods the existence Jehovah to confine Himself to an all- of which the sun made possible. Sol was world, he has the unquestionable right inclusive religion. to be a multimillionaire. too distant and dazzling to come close WE PROSELYTIZE OUR IMMIGRANTS to the hearts of his disciples, and in- It has been aptly said that when any- spired awe rather than familiarity. So thing was touched by the mythical King We see a vivid parallel to this in the the rivers took on sacredness; and rain Midas it was turned to gold, but that to- United States to-day. Immigrants and wind, animals, and plants, received day when men are touched by gold, they swarm to our ports of entry, congregate the adoration of the people. turn to anything. The grasping for in the centers of population, and, however And so around us to-day money is held riches has become so universal a mania unsophisticated and artless in life and in the highest esteem because of what it that great numbers of men are being aims before, they are soon proselyted to will do for the spender. Money is not an mammonish practices like their neighbors, transformed into bandits, cutthroats, evil in itself. The real root of evil is and join with the throng that is inocu- gunmen, tricksters, profiteers, malefac- in love of wealth for its own sake, or in the passion for the evanescent selfish pleasures its spending will bring. And the possessor of riches escapes the fate of Dives only by considering his owner- ship a stewardship, and his dollars as a means to an end,—and that end, charity. The lesser gods of America are legion. The pantheon that acknowledges the golden sway of Mammon presents an en- ticing array: Business Supremacy, Mil- lionaire, Absolute Control, Political Pre- ferment, Sports, Dress, Sex, Thrills, Speed, Motors, Real Estate, Stocks, Art, Beauty, Theories,—just to take them as they come. They or their satellites are on show almost everywhere; but also there are particular places where they may be seen in ornate display. And these places of exhibit are found in every city, town, and village in the country. AMUSEMENT TEMPLES AND MOVIE SHRINES On the street of a large city the other day we came across a sign advertising "the movies" (not moving pictures—there is a difference). This particular film house was spoken of as a "temple of amusement." And another was called "the shrine of the silent drama." Temple and shrine indeed! how appropriate! For these are the gods of America, on show day and night for the adoration and wonderment of the multitude. There are enough form-fitting seats in the The old god Baal was the sun god. He was the theaters of the United States to seat father of gods; for the glorious solar orb brings every man, woman, and child of America's nearly every material blessing in its train. Hence sun worship was predminent. Behold the modern hundred million once a day, to see an en- god, Dollar, which presumes to take the blasphe- tertaining show. Thus daily devotions mous title, "Almighty." Millions make their genu- flections before him to-day in America, as the chief are encouraged, and are in a large part deity. And as the man in the picture illustrates, received. This rendezvous is the coolest they stake their all on gaining the "almighty" dollar. (Continued on page 14) The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 3 Industrial Unrest and Moral Decadence

An unhealthful unrest afflicts our land at this hour. What is the cause of it, and what does it portend in the light of prophecy? There is an admitted moral declension, not due primarily to the war, but one that has its roots in prewar days. What is the reason for this downward trend?

International By ANDREW C. GILBERT Unemployed men Wandering about the streets of Vienna. Normal condi- tions are unknown in that land, and in many other lands of Europe.

HE Bible describes in plain words the exist in the commercial and financial end is near. "It is near, even at the Tunrest in the industrial world, and worlds. doors." Matthew 24: 33. the acrimonious struggle between the Dr. Gladden, speaking of the increas- Among the latter-day evils mentioned forces of capital and labor. The apostle ing abundance of the rich and the build- in the Bible are a Christless Christianity James gives a rousing prophetic picture ing up of mighty combinations of wealth, and a form of godliness, a disregard for of the things now actually taking place said some years ago that "the working the authority of God and a disbelief in before us in the realms of finance and classes generally regard these huge com- the immutable claims of His word. (2 industry. "Go to now, ye rich men," he binations of capital with grave suspicion. Timothy 3: 1, 5; 4: 3, 4.) Religious deca- says, "weep and howl for your miseries They fear that this power will be used dence and social depravity are foretold that shall come upon you. Your riches for their oppression. It is a natural and by the prophet. (2 Timothy 3: 1-5; 4: 3, are corrupted, and your garments are justifiable fear." And consequently, 4; Matthew 24: 48-51; Luke 17: 26-30; thoth-eaten. Your gold and silver is "over against the portentous combinations 2 Peter 3: 3-5.) cankered; and the rust of them shall be of capital have risen the equally por- The Bible Champion (April, 1916) a witness against you, and shall eat your tentous combinations of labor." makes this significant statement with flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped OUT OF BALANCE reference to the religious and moral treasure together for the last days ["in standing of the world: the last days," A. R. V.]. Behold, the hire It must be acknowledged that the eco- "Every thoughtful Christian is filled of the laborers who have reaped down nomic conditions of to-day are badly dis- with perplexity and alarm when he con- your fields, which is of you kept back by torted. With myriads of men, women, siders the religious conditions almost fraud, crieth: and the cries of them and children in destitution and starva- universally prevalent. The gross sins in which have reaped are entered into the tion, and with multitudes faring sump- private life, the appalling corruption in ears of the Lord of sabaoth [Lord of tuously every day and increasing their public life, the indecency and licentious- hosts]. Ye have lived in pleasure on the wealth by the millions with each passing ness of popular amusements, the profana- earth, and been wanton; ye have nour- year, it is not too much to expect that tion of the Sabbath, the indifference and ished your hearts, as in a day of slaugh- there should be bitterness and resent- contempt of the majority for religion, the ter. Ye have condemned and killed the , ment, hatred and viciousness, growing up decreasing attendance of church mem- just; and he doth not resist you. Be pa- in the midst of employers arid employees, bers upon church worship,—all these tient therefore, brethren, unto the com- as foretold in the Scriptures. evils are the direct results of the great- ing of the Lord. Behold, the husband- John D. Works, former United States est evil of all—the disregard, disbelief, man waiteth for the precious fruit of Senator of California, said in an address and denial of the Holy Scriptures as the the earth, and hath long patience for it, before the Senate, Jan. 5, 1917: word of God. The infidelity of the past until he receive the early and latter "The problems growing out of the con- has largely disappeared, but it has been rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your flicting interests and claims of capital revealed in a more dangerous form. The hearts: for the coming of the Lord draw- and labor, employer and employee, are same doctrines concerning the Bible eth nigh. Grudge not one against an- among the most difficult, and, in some re- which were proclaimed by Paine and In- other, brethren, lest ye be condemned: spects, the most dangerous that the gov- gersoll are taught to-day in Christian behold, the Judge standeth before the ernment will have to contend with in pulpits, Christian schools, and Christian door." James 5: 1-9. years to come. They affect not only the books and periodicals." This description was given about two commercial and business affairs of the The Sunday School Times makes the thousand years ago. A writer of to-day country, but enter into the social and following statement concerning a star- could not have given a more accurate economical relations of millions of our tling announcement which appeared in picture of the present activities in the people. Great wealth in the hands of a Leslie's Weekly, May 24, 1920: heaping together of wealth by the rich, few of the capitalistic and employer class "One of the so-called 'a d van c ed' has made this class proud, arrogant, and the prodigal extravagance and luxurious churches in New York City has resolved oppressive, while as a countercheck, the to abolish all reference to `sect,' class,' living on the part of the plutocrats of laboring class has organized, and often wealth, the depleted purses of the poor, `nation,' or 'race,' and have a new bond uses its organization with a force and of union to be signed by all of its mem- - the penury of the wage earner who lives brutality no less reprehensible and dan- from hand to mouth, the consequent vi- bers. To do this it deems it necessary to gerous to the public welfare than the op- adopt a new 'statement of purpose' from cious controversy over the issue of a more pressive use of the money power." which mention of Christ and Christianity equal and equitable distribution of the These conditions that obtain in the is omitted. Public announcement is ac- world's resources.- world to-day add yet another "perplex- cordingly made that this church has THE ROOT OF THE TROUBLE ity" to the minds of rulers and statesmen `dropped Jesus.' " of the nations. Their hearts_are "failing Covetousness and greed on the part of them for fear, and for looking after CRIME FLOODING THE WORLD both rich and poor, employer and em- those things which are coming on the This laxity in true religious integrity ployee, are mainly responsible for the earth." Luke 21: 25, 26. It is a sign and piety has naturally led the church mutual dissatisfaction and distrust that that we are in the last days, and that the downward. Material interests seem 4 The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921

everywhere to prevail over the spiritual. difficult times will come. Men will be ear to the truth, and give their attention High social standards are being under- selfish, mercenary, boastful, haughty, and to legends instead." 2 Timothy 3: 1-5; mined, and, as the result, a tide of im- blasphemous; disobedient to their par- 4: 3, 4, Twentieth Century New Testa- morality and crime is flooding the world. ents, ungrateful, impure, incapable of ment. When the balancing power of the church affection, merciless, slanderous, wanting Christ Himself speaks of the excesses fails to do its duty in such a time as in self-control, brutal, careless of the in debasing pleasure that would exist in this—the crisis hour of human history— right, treacherous, reckless, and puffed the days just before His coming: the sequel is moral obtuseness, religious up with pride; they will love pleasure "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall turpitude, extravagant pleasure, licen- more than they love God; and while they it be also in the days of the Son of man. tiousness, and increasing crime. retain the outward form of religion, they They did eat, they drank, they married This state of affairs in the religious will not allow it to influence them." wives, they were given in marriage, until and social world as described by religious "For a time will come when people will the day that Noe entered into the ark, and social leaders of the day, was fore- not tolerate sound teaching. They will and the Flood came, and destroyed them told many centuries ago by the apostle follow their own wishes, and, in their all. . . . Even thus shall it be in the day Paul in his counsel to Timothy. He said: itching for novelty, procure themselves a when the Son of man is revealed." Luke "Be sure of this, that in the last days crowd of teachers. They will turn a deaf 17: 26-30.

N Massachusetts there lived a young him more carefully. Seeing the sincere I man, who on coming to years, received yet sorrowful expression, he asked what from his parents an heirloom. It was a the trouble was. Pathetically the young very valuable watch. - The Pawnshop man related his story. The stranger, At twenty-five years of age he left his touched by the sincerity of the young aged parents for a pleasure trip to Cali- man, told him to follow him. The com- fornia. Wiping a, forbidden tear from of Life mand was obeyed. Entering the shop, his cheek, he told his parents farewell, he asked for the watch which the young and boarded the train. For six days he man had pawned. A check was written sped over the railroad. By OWEN A. TROY covering the amount due, and the watch At last he arrived in the balmy and was redeemed. delightful city of Los Angeles, that city PAWN MANY THINGS which he as a child had often desired to Watches are not the only things that visit. Why wander in A week was spent in seeing the beau- the darkness are pawned for money, pleasure, or ties and places of interest in Los Angeles of sin? fame. Some persons barter even their and its environs. In a short time his souls. Many a person, for one night's money was practically gone. However, revelry, for one day's pleasure, or for he was told that he should by all means one hour's indulgence in sin, has bartered visit the beach and pleasure resort at the heritage that God has given him. Venice. But he did not have enough And not until he has committed the deed money. does he realize that he is a slave to Satan Thinking of the pleasure he would and no longer a free man, enjoying the miss if he failed to visit this Coney Is- liberty of the gospel of Christ. land of the West and enjoy its amuse- Strive as hard as he may—do penance ments, he realized that it would be nec- for weeks, make long pilgrimages, bestow essary to part with a possession almost philanthropic gifts—yet by his own works invaluable to him—his watch—in order he cannot redeem or free his soul. It is to obtain the requisite amount of money. only through the Lord Jesus that re- Leaving his hotel, he walked over to demption is possible; for "the Lord re- Main Street. Hesitatingly he entered a deemeth the soul of His servants." Psalm corner pawnshop. 34: 22. "Good morning, sir. Anything J can Christ has entered the pawnshop of do for you?" greeted the clerk. Satan, and made known that He has re- "Do you lend money?" asked the young deemed by His blood the souls of those man. who will accept His marvelous offer of moment. Before him, on the one-story "Yes, and all you want to borrow." redemption. building across the street, there was a "Well, I only want to obtain a few miniature replica of the Statue of Lib- The blood that He shed while on the dollars on my watch. This watch has erty. There Liberty stood with her cross of Calvary is the redemption price genuine Swiss works, and was brought torchlight, proclaiming freedom to all. that pays for the recovery of our souls to this country on the 'Mayflower.' I that we trafficked to Satan for money, He gazed for awhile, then as he turned pleasure, or renown—the perishables of don't intend to part with it for any length to go to his hotel, he glanced forlornly this world. of time, but I need the money quite badly into the window of the pawnshop. Re- at present. If you will lend me some turning to his room, he thought over the Even though Satan has possession of money until I get a job and make enough events of the day. He retired and tried your life, even though you have sinned, to pay you, I should be very glad." to sleep, but a mental picture of the notwithstanding the fact that you bar- "Very well. Will twenty-five dollars Statue of Liberty persistently lingered gained with Satan and lost, there still is. hope. Jesus is pitying you; He sees your be enough?" in his mind. He thought how, under the inability to accomplish anything through "Yes." impulse of a moment, he had sold his EXCHANGED HIS TREASURE your own efforts. He sympathizes with watch for a few dollars to spend for you. He says to you, as He says to every Thus the young man bartered his pleasure. He realized that, although liv- one who is harassed by the fact that his treasured possession for a few dollars ing in a land that offers freedom to all, soul is in Satan's clutches, "Follow Me." with which to obtain an hour of pleasure. he as a man was not free. Follow Him, then, "in whom we have One evening about three months later, The next evening, after supper, almost redemption through His blood, the for- this young man, with only a few coins unconsciously he walked to the pa`wnshop giveness of sins, according to the riches in his pocket, stood near the shop where again, and thoughtfully and sorrowfully of His grace," and He will reclaim your he had pawned his watch. Three months gazed at the articles in the window. He soul from Satan's pawnshop, and will he had been trying, but without success, was a sorry-looking spectacle as he stood lead you out into the paths of righteous-, to save enough money to redeem his there, with his eyes riveted upon the ness. Allow Him to redeem your soul, watch. watch that was no more his. "for what is a man profited, if he gain As he stood on the corner watching the A well-dressed stranger noticed the the whole world, and lose his own soul?"' traffic surge by, he lifted his eyes for a young man, and moved closer to observe Matthew 16: 26. Breaking- One Means Breaking Ten

The story of an infidel, and the means employed by a Christian to silence his OME years ago I, with some fellow arguments. broken in transgressing 'just one.'" S laborers, was holding a series of His eyes opened wider; he moved un- meetings in a village in Wisconsin. easily in his chair. There lived in the neighborhood an in- By E. W. WEBSTER "When one puts himself so entirely fidel who was the terror of the first, so fully before God, as to covet churches, and whose chief delight what is His and to steal from Him, had been to invite ministers to his what other commandment does he home and confuse them with his in- break?" fidel arguments; and he boasted that "Do you mean the first one?" he always silenced them and sent "Yes, 'Thou shalt have no other them away worsted. He had tainted gods before Me.' " nearly all the young men of the com- "But man is not a god; why do munity with his infidelity, and was you suggest so absurd a thing?" generally dreaded by the church "Well, he has put himself first; people. he has considered his own interests In dde time his invitation came to more to him than his relations to his us, and after prayerful considera- Maker. Not only can a man become tion, two of us accepted it, going to a god to himself, but I read of some his home for dinner on the day ap- who think so much of their appe- pointed. Before and during the tites that it is said of them, 'whose meal our conversation ran on the God is their belly' (Philippians 3: usual topics of the weather, crop 19) ; just as we say of others, Their prospects, matters of social interest, god is the dollar. and one or two political questions; "There is another commandment but religious themes were studiously so closely related to this that I must avoided, until the atmosphere be- ask right here, If a man thinks so came as tense as the calm before a much of himself and his own desires storm. As we arose from the table as thus to place himself before God, and took the easy-chairs in the sit- does he not make an idol of himself? ting room, the storm suddenly broke. And in that case what other com- THE LEADING QUESTION mandment does he break? What want to ask you gentlemen a commandment forbids idolatry?" question," came from the infidel, in "I don't know, unless you mean the a tone calculated to intimidate us at second, the one against making im- the start. "Where did Moses get ages. But I do not see how he has that law, the Ten Commandments? broken that one; he has not made a I would be ashamed to write such a graven image of anything." law. If I had a schoolboy coming to "It is true that he has not made a me who could not write a better law, literal, tangible image, but all image God "gave unto Moses, when He had I would spank him and send him made an end of communing with him worship is nothing more or less than home." upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testi- a certain conception of the worship- mony, tables of stone, written with the My companion looked at me as if finger of God." Exodus 31: 18. er's own mind and heart embodied he expected me to answer, so I re- in a visible image and worshiped— plied: "Is that so? Did you ever really worshiping himself, or mak- study that law very carefully?" ing a god or an idol of himself. "I should say I have; until I am What difference does it make whether convinced that it is nothing but a child- sake of his wife, who was especially in- one worships one's self in a stone image ish effort to intimidate an ignorant peo- terested in the Sabbath question. As she or in one's own person? It is idolatry ple and dupe them into submission to a was a professing Christian, I hoped to just the same. Two more command- selfish, tyrannical, ambitious leader. I lead her along into a fuller obedience to ments broken in breaking the Sabbath— think it beneath the dignity of the one God.) five already!" you call God to give such stuff to man- The following conversation ensued: kind, and to pretend to come down and "If a person works on the seventh day THE TRUTH TAKES EFFECT write it on stone!" of the week, he has broken the fourth The man moved about with ill-con- "Yes? Would you mind studying it commandment outright, has he not?" cealed agitation; his eyes opened wider; again for a little while to-day?" "I suppose he has." he scratched his head. "Well, I can, to please you; but I don't "But the commandment says, 'The sev- "But this is not all. God's name is in suppose it will do any good. What can enth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy the fourth commandment. It tells us you get out of a document so primitive God.' It is His; it is not ours or any that He is Maker of heaven and earth, and brief and simple and childish as man's. Now, when one takes for him- the great Creator. That distinguishes that?" self what belongs to another, what is he Him from all other gods. It is the only "To begin with," I replied, "inspira- doing?" place in the Decalogue where He has af- tion says that this law is spiritual; so With some show of surprise, he said, fixed His name to the wonderful docu- spiritual that it discerns the thoughts "We call that stealing." ment—just at the close of the first table and intents of the heart; and so com- "Yes, sir. Then has he not, in break- of the law, those commandments which prehensive, yet so closely related, is each ing the fourth, broken the eighth also?" tell of our relations and obligations to commandment to every other one, that "I guess that is the one you mean." Him. Now, when we treat His precepts if we offend in one point, we are guilty in such a reckless, vain way, are we not of all. (Romans 7: 12, 14; Hebrews 4: MORE AND MORE INVOLVED using His name in vain?. And what does 12; James 2: 10.) If I understand it "But," I continued, "before one takes the third commandment say?" aright, no human mind could conceive of what is not his own for himself, and he "Oh, well, that commandment pretends, such a code or write one that will so wants it so much as actually to steal it, or tries, to prohibit swearing; but what thoroughly reach, every part of it, into what has he done—what other command- you say is not swearing, or profanity— the very citadel of human thought as ment has he broken?" if there is such a thing." well as action. "It may be you would call it coveting." "But this commandment forbids more "We shall start with the fourth com- "Yes. Then he has broken the tenth than outspoken oaths. Any vain use of mandment." (This I did partly for the commandment also; three of them God's name—whatever would tend to 6 The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 break down our own or another's sense "Do you mean that he is taking his How can he steal a thing without first of reverence for God and cause us to for- own life?" coveting it (tenth commandment)? How get Him and His Word—is also forbid- "Is not his course leading him to cer- can he thus put himself first, even be- den. tain death?—unless he repents and turns fore God, without having another god be- "And that is not all. Many persons to God and secures the forgiveness of his fore the Lord (first commandment) ? say, 'It does not make any difference sins. Of what commandment is killing, And how can he make such an idol of which day you keep, just so you keep it even if it be self-destruction, a violation?" himself without breakin g the second holy.' But God says, in the command- "I suppose it must be the sixth, as/ you commandment? How can he so heed- ment where His name is signed, that the Christians call it: 'Thou shalt not kill.' lessly and vainly use the commandment seventh day is His Sabbath; in it we are But you can't get in the seventh com- in which God has placed His name with- not to do any work. Then, is it true that mandment on this argument. There is out taking that name in vain (third com- it makes no difference which day you no possible way in which one can break mandment) ? How can he show such keep? Is it not a vain use of that com- that commandment in breaking the disrespect to his heavenly Father with- mandment, and of God's name in it, to fourth." out breaking the fifth commandment? take such a position—really a violation "We shall see. There are many figures Or how can he commit such sins, when of the third commandment?" used in the Bible by which God illus- God has said that the sure result of sin He looked rather chagrined, made an trates to us the relations existing be- is death, without being guilty of know- effort to speak, but failed. tween Him and us. I read in Isaiah 54: ingly and deliberately taking his own "Again, if the individual has not told 5: 'For thy Maker is thine Husband; the life (sixth commandment) ? How can a the truth about it, what other command- person do all this and by his actions and ment has he transgressed outright?" his words of self-justification, say that "I see what you mean; but that com- his course is all right, and be telling mandment says, 'Thou shalt not bear the truth (ninth commandment) ? And false witness against thy neighbor.' last, How can he go so completely away What has that to do with the Being you from his spiritual spouse as to join the call God?" sinful world, living with the world as THE LAW SPIRITUAL with a beloved, congenial companion, without being guilty of adultery (sev- "It is true that that is the letter of the enth commandment), as God said ancient law; but you must remember that we Israel was in doing the same thing? read that God's law is spiritual. To lie is to lie, whether to one or to another; MAKES A GREAT DIFFERENCE and it is far worse to lie to God than "Can you now think that the fourth to man." commandment is of no consequence, and Seeing some signs of excitement on his that it makes no difference which day face, I said quickly: we keep? Really, is it not the very heart "Let us go another step. God claims, of the law of God, the greatest of all the by virtue of creation and redemption, commandments—if it is possible that that He is our Father. In thus openly one can be greater than another? Does dishonoring Him, what other command- it matter if we do keep another day, con- ment has been broken?" cerning the observance of which God has "You ,certainly are not so simple as to said nothing in His Word, when the dis- mean that he has violated the fifth com- "The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the .carding and disregarding of His day in- mandment! That is only for children— top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to volves the violation of every command- for them to honor and obey their par- the top of the mount ; and Moses went up." Exodus ment in the Decalogue? And does not 19: 20. Amid fire and thunder, the divine code of ents. It is a command, by the way, that the universe was given to the assembled hosts of the substitution of another day in its is entirely superficial and useless: for Israel. place, without His direction so to do, add what parent does not know enough to greatly to the guilt of the transgressor? make the children mind?" Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Re- Mow would you like it if some one should "Not too fast. God calls us His chil- deemer the Holy One of Israel; The God steal your fine horse boldly before your dren; for, as I said, He made us. Es- of the whole earth shall He be called.' very eyes and give you instead an old pecially does He promise those who will He is the Husband of all whom He has broken-down steed and say it was just separate from sin and turn to Him for made. Israel backslid from God, uniting as goOd?" forgiveness and salvation, 'I will receive with the nations around her; of her, Without knowing what he had done, you, and will be a Father unto you, and God said: 'Surely as a wife treacher- the infidel had stood, moved his chair ye shall be My sons and daughters.' 2 ously departeth from her husband, so nervously, and had seated himself again Corinthians 6: 17, 18. And will He allow have ye dealt treacherously with Me, 0 where the better light from the window, us to show Him less respect and honor house of Israel, saith the Lord;' also falling upon his face, revealed a great than do our earthly parents? If the let- that she had 'played the harlot,' and surprise, and evidence of a deep convic- ter of the law is broken by the child's committed adultery.' Jeremiah 3: 20, 8, tion. His wife's face took on an expres- disobedience to its earthly parent, is not 9. And in James 4: 4 I read: 'Ye adul- sion of determination which conveyed the the spirit of it broken by our disobedi- terers and adulteresses, know ye not that idea that she was deciding this question ence to our heavenly Parent? Those who the friendship of the world is enmity on the right side. Appearing not to no- disobey God most obey their parents with God?' This spiritual adultery is tice either, I continued: least. This makes eight commandments forbidden by the seventh commandment "Now for some questions on the law as broken in transgressing 'only one.'" just as truly as is the carnal. As a a whole: In all candor, sir, did you ever With an astonishment he could not spiritual law, it detects the sin in the see any other law so brief, yet so com- conceal, he said, "I confess I never heard thoughts and in the heart. (Matthew 5: prehensive? While each section, or com- or saw such things before." 27, 28.) Therefore, in transgressing the mandment, is so distinct and complete fourth commandment, the seventh is in itself, the whole is so entirely one, TWO MORE COMMANDMENTS broken as well as are the other nine." each so related to every other, that it is "We have not finished; there are two I pitied the poor man, for he looked impossible to transgress one without other commandments. But I wish first so disconsolate; but I felt that it was transgressing every other one in the to refer to three or four other texts. really necessary to carry my reasoning same act. I would like to ask you, Where `The wages of sin is death.' Romans 6: to its conclusion. did Moses get that law? Can you tell? 23. 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die.' "I wish to ask you a few questions Do you think any human mind devised it? Ezekiel 18: 4. 'Sin is the transgression now. First, to sum up all in a nutshell, Can you write as good a law?" of the law.' 1 John 3: 4. This law of I want to ask a question on each of the There followed a few moments of un- ten commandments is the law that points commandments; then on the law as a comfortable silence, then he said: "I out sin, and without which we could not whole. must admit, sir, that this is the first tell what sin is. (Romans 7: 7.) In "How can a man take God's Sabbath time I have ever been beaten by a minis- this wholesale transgression of God's (fourth commandment) for his own self- ter. I have no more to say now; I must law, what is the sinner bringing upon ish use, ruthlessly breaking it, without take time to think of this more seriously. himself? What is he doing to himself?" stealing also (eighth commandment)? (Continued on page 14) The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 7 THE ANVIL

The Crime of Murder taining armaments even larger and more orphanage themselves—making the beds, costly than before, the loss of workers, cooking and serving the food, and caring SOME statistics regarding the crime of the collapse of industry and commerce, for the children. As we went away, we murder in New York City last year shed the dissatisfaction of large classes caus- asked the young lady in charge, "Can light on the prevalence of this and other ing serious social and political disorder, you manage to get enough for all these crimes there and elsewhere. Out of 679 the moral disaster of deepened enmity, children to eat?" A Wistful look came cases investigated by the Homicide Bu- suspicion, and fear—these are the crush- into her face as she replied, "We give reau to determine whether murder had ing burdens under which the nations are them all we have, but it is not enough. been committed where there was a sus- staggering.—The Federal Council. They cry for more. It is very hard. picion of foul play, only 130 cases were They are little children, and they do not presented to the Grand Jury, and in- understand." dictments were returned in but 78 of They do not understand. Do you? these. Of those indicted, but one was "God has forgotten us," a hungry little found guilty of murder in the first de- girl wailed to her sister. The sister's gree. The suppression of evidence and lip trembled, but she bravely replied: neglect in securing it are two potent "No, God has not forgotten us. He has reasons for the showing. The delays and told somebody to help us, and that some- obstruction in the prosecution of crimi- body has forgotten us."—From Near- nals are also important factors. No won- East Relief Circular. der William Howard Taft declares that the administration of criminal law in this country is a disgrace. It is more— a positive menace.—Pittsburgh Christian One Mother's Method Advocate. THERE were six children in the house- hold—three sons and three daughters. Self-Knowledge The mother was a cheery, quiet, religious woman, thoroughly bound up in her A MAN was complaining of his neigh- household. The husband was a resolute, bors. "I never saw such a wretched set defiant, outspoken unbeliever. He was a of people," he said, "as are in this village. journalist, and lost no opportunity to They are mean, selfish, greedy of gain, attack Christianity. Unbelievers, bitter and careless of the needs of others. as himself, were frequent guests at his Worst of all, they are forever speaking table, and made themselves merry with evil of one another." the Bible and religious faith before the "Is it really so?" asked an angel who International children. The mother seldom bore any happened to be walking with him. Mine. Kai Yajima, Japan's foremost woman edu- cator, now eighty-nine years old, photographed in part in the conversation. Not one of "It is indeed!" said the man. "Why, New York, where she is staying, prior to her de- the children entertained the opinions of only look at this fellow coming toward parture for Washington to attend the Limitation of Armaments Conference, as an observer. She the father. As they grew up, one after us! I know his face, though I cannot brings with her a petition for world peace and another came into the church. The sons, tell you his name. See his little, sharp, understanding between nations, signed by ten thou- sand Japanese women. She will present this to especially, were noted for their intelli- cruel eyes, darting here and there like a President Harding at the White House. gent piety. I felt a great curiosity to ferret's, and the lines of covetousness know how Mrs. E. accomplished her diffi- about his mouth. The very droop of his Laying Up Treasures cult task—by what means she neutralized shoulders is mean and cringing, and he the influence of her husband, and how slinks along instead of walking." WEALTHY men are dying daily and are she had led the entire flock into the fold "It is very clever of you to see all this," going to a Christless grave, and they can- of the Redeemer. I asked her to give said the angel, "but there is one thing not take any of their worldly possessions me some clue to her method. "Well," which you do not perceive." with them. All must be left behind. How she said, "it is a very simple matter. I "What is that?" asked the man. much better had they laid up treasure in never opposed my husband, never ar- "Why, that it is a looking-glass we are heaven! Now it is too late; eternity gued with him, nor disputed on the sub- approaching," said the angel.—Laura E. stares them in the face. ject of religion. I never belittled him Richards. Are you committing the same error? in the eyes of the children. But I never or can you see the beautiful land beyond? allowed them to go to bed without read- Unbearable Burdens If you are not building for eternity, stop ing a few short verses of something the for a moment. Do you remember that Saviour had said, and praying with them. THE nations are reeling and stagger- Jesus said, "What shall it profit a man, if I put His words over against the words ing to-day under their terrible burdens. he shall gain the whole world, and lose of men. If the devil cast in the tares They squandered their incomes in "ade- his own soul?" Mark 8: 36. Your soul and went his way, might not the truth quate preparedness" before 1914, each is far more precious than all material be as potent? And that's the whole of nation assured by its leaders that full possessions. Jesus died for your soul. it."—The Expositor. preparedness would save them from the It is of inestimable worth. Why drift greater expense and tragedy of war. carelessly with the tide? Pull for the They little realized that the huge and shore, and anchor to the Rock, Christ IT is now possible to send a crewless costly armaments of the leading nations Jesus. Tenderly He is pleading for you vessel as far as radio impulses will carry. was itself one of the compelling reasons now. WILFRID E. BELLEAU. The same means can be used in sending why they were plunged into war. Big a giant torpedo against a foe regardless preparedness proves to be not "insur- of how far distant the enemy might be, ance" against war, but for it. "Has God Forgotten?" provided he is within reach of the radio. The losses they have suffered, the pain IN a Near-East orphanage visited by In vessels the device is attached to the and sorrow they have endured, the in- one of our delegations, the children were fuel engine, the water engine, and the conceivable debts they have incurred,— quiet, well-behaved, winsome children. steering mechanism, making it possible frightful handicaps for future genera- A young woman with one assistant was to guide, fuel, and water, by radio.— tions,—the continued necessity of main- in charge. They do all the work of the Dearborn Independent. I Believe the Bible Because

By NELS P. NEILSEN

"Vii=sow..

HE Bible Tis a most wonder- ful book. It stands without a peer. No other book is like it. Men have written many books, and their very best has been put into their works. Their choicest gems have been recorded. Their most profound reasonings speak to all have been elucidated. Their loftiest thoughts have been pre- who will but listen served for us to read. Still, their books are but the works of to its words. Second, I be- puny men. They record the thoughts of man. Such books can lieve the Bible is the Word of God lift the soul to no greater heights than that to which the because of the fruit it bears. A tree is writers themselves attained. known by its fruits. We need but see the fruit, But not so with the Bible. Among all the millions of books to judge of the worth of the tree. The Bible is bear- that have been written, none can be compared to it. It is the ing fruit throughout the world, and its fruit is good. Book of God. It records the thoughts of God. And as the Wherever it finds soil in the human heart, it works a transfor- heavens are higher than the earth, so are His thoughts higher mation in the life. Let this Word take root in the heart of the than our thoughts, and His ways than our ways. With Him Hottentot in darkest Africa, among the savage cannibals of the are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. His plans island world, or in the soul of the so-called civilized man, and are unfolded in His Book. His eternal purpose is revealed, for it will bear the same fruits of righteousness. Whenever ac- "surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His cepted and believed, it will change the sinner's life. It trans- secret unto His servants the prophets." Amos 3: 7. forms the culprit into an honest man; the blasphemer and THE VOICE OF GOD faultfinder into one who praises God and blesses his fellow men. It lifts the degraded and outcast from the mire of sin You ask me why I believe the Bible to be the Word of God; up to a higher plane of life. These fruits are seen through- what reasons I have for accepting it as divine. To this oft- out the world, wherever its teachings are accepted. Where the propounded question, let me say that many reasons can be fruit is good, the tree must be good. given, both internal and external evidences, each one sufficient in itself for the unprejudiced mind and the candid heart. A BOOK FOR EVERY AGE My first reason is that I have found it to be the voice of God Third, I believe the Bible is the Word of God because it is to my soul. It speaks to me. It speaks to the heart as no other a book for every age, for every clime, and for every race., Our book can speak. It is a book that talks. When the dark- God is not the God of one age alone, but He is the Eternal One. skinned natives, far in the heart of Africa, heard the missionary We should then expect to find His Book eternal in its applica- read to them from the translated Word of God, they cried, tion, a living book for every age, and thus it is. This Book "See! the white man has a book that talks!" Indeed, it talks! is the living Word, for it is the Word of the living God. It As another writer has so aptly said, "It is the voice of the does not grow old with age. The writings of men may grow Almighty. Very different it is from the sacred books of the old and get "out of date;" they may become obsolete, but not non-Christian religions. In those writings, it is man speaking so with the Word of God. It manifests its miracle-working about God; in the Holy Scriptures it is God speaking to man. power of grace wherever it goes, the same as it did two thou- The difference is as great as the heaven is higher than the sand years ago. It has lost none of its power, for it is the earth. In this book of God's revelation, we living "word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all see the divine arm reaching down to save flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the lost." grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth There is in this Book a message for away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever." 1 Peter every soul, in every clime. Here we hear 1: 23-25. the voice of our loving Father calling to Our God is not the God of one race alone; but He is the God His children everywhere. It speaks to the of the whole world, and His book must be a book for every highest potentate of earth as well as to the tribe. We find it even so. From the frozen regions of the lowliest peasant of the vale. It speaks to poles to the burning sands of the equator, its voice is heard. It men in all stations of life. In this blessed has a message for every nation, kindred,_ tongue, and people. Word is found hope for the discouraged "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor soul, and comfort for the sorrowing heart. free, there is neither male nor female" to whom it is not to go. Here is admonition to the erring man and As our God is omnipresent, so must His Book be universal in counsel to the straying child. It speaks to its scope. Anything less than this would not be worthy of the the vilest sinner and points him to "the name of the Book of God. But in this, too, we find that the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin Bible meets all the requirements. It is the book for every man, of the world." It pleads with the Phari- for every age, and everywhere. It is just like our God. saical man, whose self-righteous rags Fourth, I believe the Bible is the Word of God because of the would bar him from a place at the mar- fulfillment of its prophecies. It contains numerous predictions riage feast of the Son of God. Yes, it is of events which lie entirely beyond the ken of human wisdom. the voice of God to the soul, and it will Men cannot foretell the future events. They may make shrewd There are many distinct lines of proof for the divine authorship of the Bible. In this article Mr. Neilsen takes up a few of the leading ones. When you have finished reading the arguments presented on this page, turn to the next and read the article by Mr. Cottrell on the same general subject.

International The most remarkable fea- ture of the Bible is that although part of it was written away back in the time when the pyramid here shown was built, yet its message is live and fitting for the inhabitants of the earth in this twentieth century.

guesses; they may told the numerous remarkable events which history records as clothe their predictions in exact fulfillments of the predictions of the ancient seers of the ambiguous language, but all in God of the Bible. Surely, no one but God Himself could have vain. The keenest minds, the brightest in- foretold these striking events. This, then, is an evidence that tellects, stand baffled as they attempt to peer into the Bible is not the word of men, but the word of Him, "who the darkness of the future, unaided by divine revelation. worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." It is impossible for finite man to draw aside the curtain which Fifth, I believe the Bible is the Word of God because the veils the future from our view, and tell us what will come to human family needs a revelation from its Creator, and the pass. "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets," Bible is the only book that answers this need; it is the only and He alone can unfold the mysteries of the future, and fore- revelation that supplies the wants of the human heart. No tell coming events. He points to this grand fact as an evidence one who believes that there is a God who is infinite in power that He is the true and only God. He says, "Remember the and wisdom, can reasonably deny the need of a revelation. A former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I God of love would desire to reveal His will to the human race, am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the that they might conform to His plans and purposes concerning beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet them. The One who loves desires to come into contact with the done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My object of His love. It would seem unthinkable that our God pleasure." Isaiah 46: 9, 10. In His challenge to the wor- should love His own and yet never reveal His will to "the people shipers of the heathen gods, Jehovah demands of them that of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." Nay, there must they prove their claims by foretelling the events that are to be• a revelation! The conditions demand it. come hereafter. Notice His strong arraignment: "Produce A UNIVERSAL THIRST your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and show We also find a universal thirst for such a revelation. Every us what shall happen: let them show the former things, what people and nation in every age of the world, both civilized and they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end barbarous, have constantly been seeking after such a revela- of them; or declare us things for to come. Show the things tion. The savage Indian prays to the Great Spirit; the de- that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: graded natives of the Dark Continent have their witch doctors yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold and pretended revelations; the Hindu in his religious worship it together. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of is feeling after God; the Romans have their temples and naught: an abomination is he that chooseth you. . . . For I priests; and from everywhere the cry is ascending for a reve- beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there lation from God. Surely this universal desire must have been was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer planted in the human 'heart by its Creator; and He must sup- a word." Isaiah 41: 21-28. ply the need. Where can it be found? Not in the sacred books Again we quote the mighty declaration of the God of heaven, of the heathen world, nor yet in the Koran of the Mohammedan faith. These books have been unable to lift Creator of all things: "I am God, and there is none like Me, their votaries out of heathen degradation declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times and the mire of sin. There is but one Book the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall in all the world that can fill' the need of the stand, and I will do all My pleasure. . . . I have spoken it, I human soul. There is but one book that can will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it." lift the sinner out of the miry clay and place Isaiah 46: 9-11. his feet upon the rock—that book is the ITS PREDICTIONS SURE Book of God, the revelation of His will. It The Bible, like no other book, contains scores of predictions reveals the, love of God. It brings to us the and prophecies, given hundreds of years ago, which have been Saviour of the world. It holds forth the most accurately fulfilled, as the pages of history will abun- only remedy for sin. It points the sinner dantly testify. It foretold the rise and fall of the world's upward to a holier life. It presents a hope mighty nations and kingdoms, down through the ages. These that reaches beyond the tomb, and it tells facts stand out in bold relief, and cannot be denied, as even the us of the home above, where sin and death most bitter enemies of the Word have been forced to admit. will never come. It is the Book of God. Prophecies, given more than twenty-five hundred years ago, "The grass withereth, and the flower are being strikingly fulfilled in our own day. Any one who thereof falleth away: but the word of the will spend a little time in research will find this to be so. Hu- Lord endureth forever. And this is the word man sagacity and wisdom could never have foreseen and fore- which by the gospel is preached Into you." 10 The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 grandeur was attained. Descriptive of their capital city, Thebes, these pictur- esque lines have been preserved for us.

"The world's great empress on the Egyptian plain ; The That spreads her conquests o'er a thousand states, And pours her heroes through a hundred gates. Two hundred horsemen, and two hundred cars, From each wide portal issuing to the wars." Prophets and the Pharaohs In the presence of Rameses' son and successor, Moses appeared with the chal- A certain air of mystery surrounds the land of the winding Nile, the towering lenge, "Let my people go." He spoke in pyramid, and the silent Sphinx. The glory of Egypt is all in the past. Egypt a name that was not unfamiliar to Pha- raoh's ears, for in Egyptian theology, is no longer a kingdom. Did you know that all this came about in fulfillment Nuk Pu Nuk, literally, "I am that I am," of a prophecy in the Bible? was declared to be "the one living and true God who has made all things and By ROY F. COTTRELL was not Himself made." That Egyptian divinity, so exalted, so dignified and so far removed that the people had almost ceased to worship Him, is announced by Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the One whose commission he was now delivering to the king. In this we view the sublime passage in Exodus 3: 14 radiating with a new luster, and observe the parallel between this instance and Paul's address to the Athenians con- cerning the "unknown God." But Pharaoh hardened his heart against the message from above, and said; "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Exodus 5: 2. As a result, the plagues came to his land with wasting and deso- lation; the flower of his army was en- gulfed in the Red Sea; provinces re- ROM remotest antiquity, Egypt has they discredited the former. Their con- volted; alien hordes poured over the Fappropriately been designated "the clusions, however, have been rudely re- frontiers; rival princes struggled for the gift of the Nile." About the delta and versed by the discoveries of Dr. Naville throne; cities were sacked; palaces were in the extremely long, narrow, and fertile and other archeologists in the land of the burned, and Egyptian greatness suffered river valley the descendants of Ham Pharaohs. a prolonged eclipse. Oh, what a retribu- found for themselves a home, and enjoyed The famous Rosetta Stone, with its tion for arrogance and obstinacy toward a civilization that has elicited the won- three forms of writing, has served as the God! der and admiration of all subsequent key to unlock the treasure house of Seven centuries later, under Pharaoh generations. Egyptian antiquity. An altar is found Necho and his son, the country enjoyed When Abraham visited Egypt, he not erected by a Hyksos king, bearing the in- a brief period of prosperity. A well- only saw a highly developed agricul- scription, "Chief of the chancellors and organized army carried its triumphs to ture, but he found a people who wrote royal seal bearings,"—truly significant lands afar, while Egypt proper was said history, romance, and poetry; who had of the capacity in which Joseph served to contain eighteen thousand cities and considerable knowledge of medicine and that dynasty: towns, and seventeen million inhabitants. chemistry; who possessed unsurpassed THII HEIGHT OF POWER Practically surrounded by seas and desert skill in the manufacture of glass and the The statement, "There went up with wastes, the most easily defended coun- embalming of the dead; who had made him [Joseph] both chariots and horse- try in all the world, able to repel with her much progress in higher mathematics men," was pointed out as a glaring error powerful navy any hostile fleet, or to and astronomy; and whose colossal by the critics 'who maintained that there drown an invading army by an inunda- monuments and triumphs of art then were no mounted horsemen in the Egyp- tion of the Nile, what prospect was there perfected, have for four millenniums tian army. However, two granite tablets that she should be invaded, despoiled, withstood the ravages of the elements have been found referring to Rameses and doomed to perpetual servitude at the and the vandalism of mankind. and his soldiers as "the very valorous hands of strangers? To this land Joseph went as a slave, upon horses" and the "strong upon their DOOM FORETOLD horses;" hence the sublime hymn, "The and after many vicissitudes, became its Yet, while her state was still propi- illustrious prime minister. To this land horse and his rider hath He thrown into tious, the Most High declared "Egypt is Jacob and his entire household removed the sea," is fact as well as poetry. Also like a very fair heifer, but destruction that they might escape the ravages of in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts is famine, also that the aged patriarch an ungainly crouching statue of an elder cometh : it cometh out of the north." might embrace once more his long-lost brother of the Pharaoh of the Exodus And again, "There shall be no more a son. Into this land, two centuries later, who bore the title, "General of Cavalry," prince of the land of Egypt." Jeremiah a Hebrew babe was born ; marked for while another was called "General of 46: 20; Ezekiel 30: 13. Soon after these death by imperial decree as an undesir- Infantry." words were spoken, Egypt was forced to able offspring of slaves, yet reared as a To-day, we look upon the faces of acknowledge the supremacy of Babylonia, prince in the royal palace and provided Israel's imperial oppressors; we explore and has since passed successively be- with every advantage for future great- the "treasure cities, Pithom and Raam- neath the odious sway of Persia, Grecia, ness and power. ses," which they built with Hebrew slave Rome, the Saracens, and the Turks; labor; we may enter the strongly con- while to-day the sovereignty of Great HISTORY INTERWOVEN structed chambers themselves, and ob- Britain appears altogether distasteful to The annals of Egypt and Israel are serve that in some places the sun-dried many. True to the divine forecast, frequently interwoven, and Holy Writ bricks are made with straw, while in twenty-three centuries have now passed gives considerable space to the blended others we read clearly the royal edict, without a native prince seated upon the story. To many higher critics of the nine- "Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you throne of the Pharaohs. teenth century, sacred history, in all its straw." "And will set fire in Zoan," runs an- details, did not appear to harmonize with Under these kings, Seti I and Rameses other section in the edict from God. the accepted Egyptian chroniclers; hence II, the height of Egyptian power and (Continued on page 15) Does God Mean What He Says?

It may seem strange to ask such a question. But it is a vital question. Did you know that a great many persons do not believe that God means what He says? Is it possible that you have been think- ing thus? Read this article before you answer this important question.

By J. BERGER JOHNSON

FTTIMES, while endeavoring to lead our faithfully obeying it in every detail. knowledge of good and evil; and there- O men to see the necessity of a care- After man had sinned, none other than fore they soon transgressed. That did ful observance of the Decalogue, and es- the life of the Son of God could suffice not alter the importance of the command pecially the fourth precept, we hear such to pay the propitiatory penalty for that of God; the verdict that had been pro- statements as this: "I believe the Lord sin. Angels there were in number, no nounced upon them in case they should wants us to keep one day in seven, but doubt, who would gladly, in place of transgress, came upon them and upon I don't think He is so particular as to Christ, have paid the debt; but God was the whole race. One tree was set apart which day out of the week we observe particular about the plan of salvation, by the Lord, and it made a great deal of religiously. The matter of a day is so and although it took from Him the One difference whether they ate of that tree small He wouldn't notice that." Others who was dearest to Him, there could be or not. say: "I see that the seventh-day Sabbath salvation through no other, "for there is God has said, "The seventh day is the is taught in the Bible, but I think if I none other name under heaven given Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou keep some other day in the right spirit, among men, whereby we must be saved." shalt not do any work." Will not the God will not be so particular. It is so Acts 4: 12. usurpation of God's holy day bring the inconvenient to keep Saturday. It is out CHRIST IN THE GARDEN same results as the eating of the forbid- of line with the whole world. My friends den fruit? In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ and relatives would not hear to my wor- At the time of the Flood, it mattered shiping on Saturday. Then, too, it is realized that it was necessary for Him a great deal to the antediluvians whether the best day in all the week for business, to undergo the great test, when He said, God was particular or not. He had de- and I can't afford to lose that day from "If it be possible, let this cup pass from creed: "My Spirit shall not always strive my work." Me." Although the Father sent angels with man, for that he also is flesh; yet These seemingly extenuating circum- to minister to His Son, it was necessary his days shall be an hundred and twenty stances appear to justify the individual for the perfect sacrifice to be offered. In years." Genesis 6: 3. When those one in taking for worship some other day other passages Christ also proclaimed the hundred twenty years were up, Noah's than the Sabbath, were it not for the fact fact that only through Him could salva- messages of warning about the coming that God is particular. Assertions of this tion come to the human race. In John Flood had all been delivered; the ark had nature show that the speaker takes upon 14: 6, He declares, "I am the way," and been built as Noah had been instructed; himself the prerogative of thinking and again, in the tenth chapter, the ninth and he' and his family were ready to en- acting for God, and of separating the verse: "I am the, door: by Me if any man ter it. Most of the world's inhabitants commands and requirements of God into enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go were dancing and eating and drinking, two classes, important and unimportant; in and out, and find pasture." He fur- consoling themselves, perhaps, with the but it makes no difference in the matter ther indicates that the Father is par- idea that God would not be very particu- as to what we believe God will think ticular about the way we enter heaven, lar about the time He had set. But God about it. for He brands as thieves and robbers was particular, and the Flood came on MANY ILLUSTRATIONS those who would attempt to enter in any schedule time, and the world was lost. The Old and the New Testaments other way than according to His plan. "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall abound in instances showing how par- (John 10: 1.) it be also in the days of the Son of man." ticular God is in any matter, once He The Old Testament contains numerous The world rushes on to-day, oblivious of has spoken concerning it. First of all, examples of those who have argued that the plainest of God's requirements, sooth- it will be well to note one or two general God is not particular. Take the case of ing the conscience with the belief that declarations from Inspiration concerning Adam and Eve, 'as recorded in Genesis God is not particular whether we do just the immutability of any and all of God's 2: 16, 17. There can be no doubt that exactly as He has bidden us or not. commands. they felt that it was a small matter the Was God particular when He said to The sayings of Solomon contain these Lord had required of them, when He Lot and his family, "Escape for thy.life; striking words, "I know that, whatsoever asked them not •to eat of the tree of look not behind thee, neither stay thou God doeth, it shall be forever: in all the plain; . . . lest nothing can be put to it, nor • thou be consumed"? Let the anything taken from it: and twenty-sixth verse of the God doeth it, that men should nineteenth chapter of Genesis fear before Him." Ecclesias- tell us: "But his wife looked tes 3: 14. back from behind him, and In addition to this verse, she became a pillar of salt." we read in Malachi 3: 6: "I Referring to this sad incident, am the Lord, I change not; the New Testament voices therefore ye sons of Jacob this timely warning, lest we are not consumed." Through regard lightly God's com- the psalmist, Jehovah gives mands, "Remember Lot's this ultimatum: "My cove- wife." She might have ar- nant will I not break, nor, gued that surely the Lord alter the thing that is gone would not be so particular as out of My lips." Psalm 89: not to allow her to take one 34. From the reading of these more look at the place that verses alone it would not be held all her earthly posses- considered speculation to say sions and also some of her that God is particular. The relatives. By her action she very fact that when God has showed that her affections uttered a command it never were centered more upon her Was God particular when He said to Lot and his family, ':Escape for thy needs to be changed or nulli- life ; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain ; . . . lest thou earthly possessions and her fied, is a certain evidence be consumed"? It seemed a small detail, that command not to look behind ; dear ones than they were but a failure to obey it, brought death to Lot's wife. Her fate is a warn- that He is particular about ing to all. "Remember Lot's wife," the scripture admonishes. upon God and obedience to 12 The Signs of the nines for December 6, 1921 Him. That was her test. Many to-day lar about the kind of fire we use, so long them not to do this. We may assume have the same experience as she had. as it is fire. Because of this presump- that they reasoned that the welfare of They treasure the things of this world, tion, there went out a fire from the Lord the army of Israel was at stake, and that and anchor their affections here instead and devoured them, and, they died before God would not be too particular about it, of listening to the voice of God. the Lord. Yet that was a natural result especially in an emergency like this. of esteeming lightly God's commands. But God was particular, and instead STRANGE FIRE Will not God be grieved when we substi- of enjoying victory, they suffered over- We might cite the example of the sons tute a common working day as a day of whelming defeat; the ark was taken into of Aaron (Leviticus 10: 1, 2), who used worship in place of the sacred day that the camp of the enemy; the sons of Eli, strange (or ordinary) fire in offering up Ije has designated? The two cases seem guardians of the ark, were killed in bat- incense before the Lord, instead of using to be parallel. tle; and the army of Israel was put to the sacred fire from the altar as they At a time when the armies of Israel rout. (1 Samuel 4: 4-11.) had been thoroughly instructed. Proba- were hard-pressed by their enemies, they When the ark of God was at last re- bly they thought, All fire is fire, and felt that it would greatly help them were turned to the camp of Israel, the people what difference does it make which fire they to take the ark of God out to battle were so overjoyed that they forgot or we use? Surely God will not be particu- with them, even though God had told (Continued on page 14)

"Go spread your trophies at His feet, The Crowns of Jesus And crown Him Lord of all."

We would call to the heavenly bodies with their glittering tapers and brilliant lamps,

"Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, Who fixed this earthly ball; To' Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him Lord of all." By WILLIAM P. PEARCE

Perhaps the apos- by assassination; Wilhelm received his tle John had in mind likewise, but lost it by abdication. But diadem upon diadem "when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, when he wrote of ye shall receive a crown of glory that many crowns. That fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5: 4. It is a is how the triple crown "incorruptible" (1 Corinthians 9: crown of the Roman pontiff is 25), "a crown of righteousness" (2 Timo- constructed—one above the other. thy 4: 8), and a "crown of life." James But unlike the pontiff's are 1: 12. Christ's in significance. The pa- THE DEATH OF CHARLEMAGNE pal crown was secured by the It is said that when Charlemagne died, kings of France in the eighth cen- he was robed in rich material, placed on tury; Christ's, throughout the an ivory and golden throne, and a crown eternities—past, present, future. was put on his head. Years afterwards The papal crown is the iron the tomb was opened. The skeleton was ASCINATING picture! John, who crown of Lombardy, the oldest in Europe there, but the crown had slipped off his Fhad a passionate love for Jesus, gets (A. D. 326), the crown of Charlemagne head and was resting on his shoulders. a most extraordinary view of Him, coro- and that of Didius Julianus, for which he Not so with the saints. They shall die nated. In six verses (Revelation 19:11- gave fifteen million dollars and wore it no more, their bodies shall waste no 16), he depicts a most thrilling sight—a only two months. Bdt Christ's crowns more, neither shall their crowns slip or war scene, a white charger, a Com- were God-given, Christ-merited, Christ- their glory fade. Like their Chief, their mander fearfully beautiful, with words won. Crowns of royalty, rightfully in- distinction shall be eternal. of light, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD herited; crowns of victory, painfully but These crowns of the saints are to play OF LORDS," written on vesture and nobly won; crowns of •dignity, gratefully an important part in the coronation of thigh, and his head diademed with "many and gracefully surrendered by princes of the Sainted One. When Herod went crowns." men and angels of heaven. into the presence of Augustus, he took off his diadem. When Tiridates did Jesus was the crowned Messiah, and CROWNS FOR PERPETUITY will be the crowned King. When end- homage to Nero, he laid his ensign of ing His earthly ministry, mocking men The crowns of Jesus indicate perpetu- royalty at the foot of his statue. When crowned Him with a wreath of thorns, ity. "Uneasy lies the head that wears George III was crowned, all the peers of and in derision hailed Him king. In the a crown," muttered King Henry IV when the realm were allowed the privilege of heavenly empire "the four and twenty troubled by insomnia. At the longest, putting on their crowns. They looked elders" will do Him rightful honor. earthly crowns may be enjoyed but a like a company of kings; but immediately (Revelation 4: 10.) short lifetime, while many have toppled they came one by one, and laid down their A crown is symbolic of empire, author- during the most spectacular period of a crowns at the sovereign's feet, in testi- , ity, power. Jesus literally has many reign. Cwsar's went at the height of his mony of their having no power or author- crowns, the crown of divinity being the power; Napoleon's, likewise. Hawaii's ity but what they derived from him. Of richest and most costly. The crown Da- queen, Portugal's king, Russia's czar, the four and twenty crowned elders in vid took from the head of the king of the Austria's and Germany's emperors, bowed heaven we read that they fell down be- Ammonites weighed a talent of gold and their heads, and down went their glitter- fore the throne of Jesus "and cast their was enriched with jewels. The crown of ing coronets. But the crown of Jesus crowns before the throne, saying, Thou England contains 1,700 diamonds and is endures forever: "Thy throne, 0 God, is art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and worth $1,800,000. The crown of France forever and ever." Hebrews 1: 8. honor and power: for Thow. hast created has 5,352 precious stones in it, while In Jesus we are promised a crown—a all things, and for Thy pleasure they are Portugal's crown is valued at $8,500,000. gift crown, a fadeless crown. Nero re- and were created." Revelation 4: 10, 11. But all these pale before the magnificent ceived his crown by right, and lost it by "0 that, with yonder sacred throng, one which encircles the brow of the suicide; Napoleon received his by usur- We at His feet may fall! Prince-Heir, "the Christ, the Son of the pation, and lost it by defeat; King Carlos We'll join the everlasting song, living God." Matthew 16: 16. received his in the regal line, but lost it And crown Him Lord of all." The Signs. of the Times for December 6, 1921 13 The ULTIMATE F21TE of the WICKED

When you read the daily accounts of wicked deeds, perpetrated by criminals, do you ever wonder what will be the final end of such men? Do you ever wonder how this old earth will ever be cleansed of the corruption that now defiles it? The Bible tells how this will come about.

By O. E. JONES

44 HAT shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4: 17. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the ultimate That the finally impenitent will have judgment meted out to the an end—"be as though they had not been" earth, declares: "It is the day of the Lord's venge- (Obadiah 16)—is clearly implied in the ance, and the year of reel question given above. But the question ompenses for the contro- versy of Zion. And the is, What shall their end be? In John streams thereof shall be 5: 28, 29, we find this statement: turned into pitch, and the dust into brimstone, and "Marvel not at this: for the hour is the land thereof shall be- coming, in the which all that are in the come burning pitch." Isaiah 34 ; 8, 9. When graves shall hear •His voice, and shall that day comes, there will come forth ; they that have done good, be an end of wickedness. The very earth will be unto the resurrection of life; and they purified' from the taint of that have done evil, unto the resurrection sin, by the purging flames of damnation." of that awful fire. The damnation that follows the resur- rection of the wicked is the final punish- ment for sin, and ends in "the second death," from which there shall be no resurrection. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sor- cerers, and idolaters, anal all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the "Behold," said the wise man, "the are admonished to "fear Him which is second death." Revelation 2: 11; 21: 8. righteous shall be recompensed in the able to destroy both soul and body in earth: much more the wicked and the hell." Matthew 10: 28. A FINE DISTINCTION sinner." Proverbs 11: 31. The "perdi- Again, the Saviour says : "If thy foot It is not everlasting punishing that tion," that is, the destruction, of the offend thee, cut it off: it is better for awaits the wicked. Said the Saviour, wicked, takes place in the fire by which thee to enter halt into life, than having "These shall go away into everlasting the earth is cleansed, preparatory to two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire punishment" (Matthew 25: 46)—a fin- being restored to its Edenic beauty and .that never shall be quenched: where ished work, once and forever, "the second given to the saints for an everlasting in- their worm dieth not, and the fire is not death." heritance. Speaking on this point, the quenched." Mark 9: 45, 46. That we might escape the second death, apostle Peter says: Note the synonymous terms, "worm" provision for our redemption has been "Whereby the world that then was, and "fire;"—both devour the prey and made at infinite cost. "I have set before being overflowed with water, perished : are gone. you life and death," the Lord says, but the heavens and the earth, which are SATAN TURNED TO ASHES now, by the same word are kept in store, "therefore choose life." Deuteronomy Speaking of Satan under the figure of reserved unto fire against the day of 30: 19. "God so loved the world, that He "king of Tyrus," the Lord says, "I will gave His only-begotten Son, that whoso- judgment and perdition of ungodly men. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the ever believeth in Him should not perish, sight of all them that behold thee. . . . promise, look for new heavens and a new but have everlasting life." John 3: 16. And never shalt thou be any more." Perhaps the most direct answer to the earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3: 6-13. Ezekiel 28: 18, 19. question, "What shall the end be of them In Revelation 20, we read, "The devil that obey not the gospel of God?" is the STREAMS TURN TO PITCH that deceived them was cast into the lake statement in the fourth chapter of Mala- In Isaiah 34: 8, 9, we read "It is the of fire and brimstone, . . . and shall be chi, which is as follows: "Behold, the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the tormented day and night forever and day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; year of recompenses for the controversy ever." The term "forever" is often used and all the proud, yea, and all that do of Zion. And the streams thereof shall in a limited sense. See Exodus 21: 1-6, wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof where it is said that upon certain con- that cometh shall burn them up, saith into brimstone, and the land thereof shall ditions a Hebrew servant should serve the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them become burning pitch." his master "forever"—that is, as long neither root nor branch. But unto you In this the wicked receive their final as the servant should live. that fear My name shall the Sun of right- reward. Said the Saviour: "He will Says the psalmist: "Evildoers shall be eousness arise with healing in His wings; burn up the chaff with unquenchable cut off : but those that wait upon the and ye shall go forth, and grow up as fire." Matthew 3: 12. The fire is un- Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For calves of the stall. And ye shall tread quenchable, for the reason that the dust yet a little while, and the wicked shall down the wicked; for they shall be ashes is turned into brimstone, and the water not be. . . . But the meek shall inherit under the soles of your feet in the day into pitch. When its work is done, the the earth; and shall delight themselves that I shall do this, saith the Lord of fire will cease, and the Lord will have a in the abundance of peace." "The ene- hosts.' Malachi 4: 1-3. clean universe. In view of all this, we mies of the Lord shall be as the fat of 14 The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 lambs: they shall consume; into smoke cause sentence against an evil work is Christian life a bore. But the gods of shall they consume away." "I have seen not executed speedily, therefore the heart America fatten on falsity. the wicked in great power. . . . Yet he of the sons of men is fully set in them Here, elaborately pedestaled, is the passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8: 11. Goddess of Sex, her undress a slap in sought him, but he could not be found." We must believe that God's Word the face of virtue, her gross immodesty Psalm 37: 9-11, 20, 35, 36. "The wages stands forever, through all generations; a misrepresentation of pure womanhood. of sin is death." Romans 6: 23. that when He has spoken, there is no re- Appealing to the paramount passion of Eternal life, with its attendant bless- vision or abolishment of that require- human flesh, her province is to approach ings, is within the reach of all. The fol- ment, and that when the commandment just as near to bestiality as possible with- lowing pertinent injunction should arrest declares, "The seventh day is the Sab- out sinking quite to it; to paint with the attention of each individual: bath of the Lord thy God," it means ex- put-on beauty a background of pain and "Whosoever will come after Me, let actly what it says. remorse; to flaunt the intoxication of him deny himself, and take up \his cross, disobedience to nature's laws in utter dis- and follow Me. For whosoever will save regard of dire consequences and a har- his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall Breaking One Means vest of disease and death. lose his life for My sake and the gos- Here is set up the god of the dollar pel's, the same shall save it. For what Breaking Ten Success. Merchant princes and captains shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the (Continued from page 6) of industry accord him special honor. He whole world, and lose his own soul?" I admit that your reasoning is logical; stands for profits, little regarding the Mark 8: 34-36. and if the Bible is true at all, I am means to gain them. The way to for- Says the prophet, "He [the Lord will wrong." tune must be safe; it matters not if he make an utter end: affliction sh not "This is not my wisdom; I do not gloat steps thereto on the necks of unfortunate rise up the second time." Nahum 1: 9. over 'beating' you; it is only the little human beings. Common honesty has be- "There shall be no more death, neither knowledge I have of God's Word and His come uncommon. Dishonesty is white- sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be law, aided by His Holy Spirit, that en- washed with business policy and diplo- any more pain: for the former things ables me so to reason. 'The law of the macy. A commodity necessary to life is are passed away." Revelation 21: 4. Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the worth all you can dupe others into pay- In the family of the redeemed, safe in testimony of the Lord is sure, making ing for it; and profiteering is acclaimed their Eden home, our Saviour "shall see wise the simple. The statutes of the success if its perpetrator escapes retri- of the travail of His soul, and shall be Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the bution. satisfied." Isiah 53: 11. commandment of the Lord is pure, en- Here is the god Sport, flanked on lightening the eyes.' " Psalm ,19: 7, 8. either side by Thrills and Speed. This No further attempts were made to ad- deity of the amusement lover does not Does God Mean What vance infidel ideas, and after a short and stand for invigorating recreation and in- pleasant conversation about everyday af- nocent fun, nor for the coursing of red He Says? fairs, and a prayer he somewhat reluc- blood through a healthy body. His song (Continued from page 12) tantly consented to allow us to offer,— is, Amuse me; preach to me if you please, disregarded the strict requirements of perhaps the first ever audibly offered in condemn me if you must, ridicule me if God in regard to their touching the ark that home,—we departed, rejoicing and you will, but, whatever you do, amuse me. or looking into it, and the result was praising God that He had placed His law Woe to that people whose athletic that about 50,000 lost their lives, because in our hearts and His Spirit within us. sports become professionalized, whose they failed to recognize the fact that We were ourselves more deeply im- recreation is a commercial affair. Deca- God is particular. (1 Samuel 6: 19; Exo- pressed than ever before with the far- dent is the man who gets all his thrills dus 19: 21; Numbers 4: 15, 20.) reaching import of God's law; for He of the physical body by seeing other men Let us note one more incident which had given me then and there this whole play, and never playing himself. When shows that God desires that His require- answer to the infidel's question. I had eighty thousand people stand on tiptoe ments be followed explicitly. It is re- not before studied out this line of of tension and watch twenty-two men corded in 2 Kings 5: 1-14. It is the story thought, nor had I ever before seen the play, it is not recreation the crowd is of Naaman the leper. The prophet of beauty and force of it. I had simply getting, it is nervous excitement and in- God was directed to tell him to wash in trusted God to give me an answer, for I toxication; and it brings its aftermath of Jordan River seven times and he would did not know what to say, and He ful- ills. be healed of his leprosy. The great army, filled His promise and put the words into There is but one remedy. The heathen officer was very much incensed at this my mouth. who follow other gods in America are order, and for a time he refused to carry not much to blame. It is time for those it out. He had thought the prophet who know God, minister and layman, to would perform some great miracle in Devotees of Mammon stop compromising with sin in their own healing him. Finally he did go to the (Continued from page 2) lives, discern it, and call it by its right river and began dipping in the water; place in town in summer, and the warm- name, and preach the old-fashioned sal- but I presume he felt that if dipping est in winter. Especially devoted wor- vation from it, through Christ. It must seven times would heal him, once could shipers are called "fans." be a question with all, not How far can do it just as well; but it did not, neither The world is brought to the feet of the I venture from God and right and still did the second, nor the third, nor any movie-goer, while the world brings the be safe, but, How near may I come to other, till he had dipped seven times. It movie-goer, on his knees, to its feet. It Him and so be saved ? was necessary for him to dip seven times is not the flitting picture alone which at- There is one clarion call for America or he would not be healed. That was his tracts. It is the marvelous material and the world to-day, and it is sounded test. world (largely good in itself, but woe- *ith a loud voice by the messenger of NO EXCUSE ACCEPTED fully inadequate to satisfy the heart of the Most High: "Fear God, and give Him The reader will see in all these inci- man by itself) wherein lies the fascina- glory . . . and worship Him that made dents, extenuating circumstances, appar- tion,—a remarkable panorama of earth's the heaven and the earth and sea and ently good reasons for taking the course picture spots and man's activities, from fountains of waters." that was taken. These have no weight thd secret chamber to the wide wastes of Has the all-wise, the long-suffering, when placed against the plain "Thus desert and ocean. the compassionate I AM ever sent a mes- saith the Lord." When He, who sees all The movie presents very little of life sage to you? Has He brought conviction things and knows what is for our best as it really is, and much less of what it of some neglected precept, some unful- good, commands a certain thing, it is ought to be. An investigation of the filled duty? Have you almost surren- well for us to heed that message and by great studios where the original shows dered yourself to His loving, tender care? His help to conform our lives to His re- are staged, and an examination of the or is some cherished ambition, some vealed will. daily lives of the men and women who treasured indulgence, standing between Many, to-day, ease their consciences play the characters, will prove the arti- you and that complete joy and assurance with the thought that because no result ficiality and the moral menace of the in Christ? of disobedience comes at the time of whole business. There is an unwhole- To you and to me these questions are transgression, therefore God has winked some tendency in it all to make crime of supreme import. Some are still an- at the violation of His Word; and so "be- less criminal, sin attractive, and the swering with Pharaoh, "Who is the The Signs of the Times for December 6, 1921 15 Lord, that I should obey His voice?" 19: 7. From the paper reeds of the Nile sou co the. times Let us rather say, "Speak, Lord; for Thy delta was manufactured the famous servant heareth." "For all that is in papyrus paper, the chief writing material AHEM PROPHETIC WEEKLY the world, the lust of the flesh, and the of the ancient Egyptians. Our words, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is "book," "Bible," and "paper" are derived Vol. 48 Mountain View, Cal., Dec. 6, 1921 No. 48 from the Greek names of the Egyptian not of the Father, but is of the world. Published weekly by the Pacific Press Publishing And the world passeth away, and the lust plant, byblos and papyrus. Although it Association, Mountain View, California, a Corpo- formerly grew in such abundance, this ration of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. thereof : but he that doeth the will of Entered as second-class matter September 16, God abideth forever." There is light reed has entirely disappeared from 1904, at the Mountain View, California, post office, under Act of Congress of March 1, 1879. ahead, or darkness. Which will you Egypt, and is now found only along a Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage. choose? The Spirit whispers, "See that small stream of Sicily, near Jaffa in provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3. ye refuse not Him that speaketh." Palestine, and in a recently discovered 1917, and authorized September 18, 1918. area of Central Africa. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One year (60 numbers) $1.61 Six months .96 BEYOND HUMAN IMAGINATION Three months .60 Prophets and the Pharaohs One year with either Vol. I or II of "Ques- Human imaginings would never have tions and Answers" 2.16 (Continued from page 10) One year with both volumes of "Questions pictured so complete a collapse of Egyp- and Answers" 2.76 (Ezekiel 30: 14.) History does not dis- tian culture and civilization, yet the an- NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS close the fate of this once brilliant capi- cient seer of God declared, "It shall be Expiration: The wrapper' bears data of last is- tal, but the spade of the archeologist the basest of kingdoms." Ezekiel 29: 15. sue due on your subscription. Unless renewed in advance, the paper stops with expiration date. unearthing palaces, temples, and private Comment here is hardly necessary, for Change of address: Kindly give both old and dwellings in genuine Pompeiian style, re- new address. in all the world Egypt is a synonym for We send no papers from this office to individuals. veals the havoc played by fire in prac- ignorance and wretchedness, poverty, and without pay in advance. When any one receives tically every district of the ancient city. copies without ordering them, they are sent by disease. "As dark as Egypt's night," other parties, and we can give no information in "I will also destroy the idols, and I will has become a universal phrase; and after regard to them. Persons thus receiving copies of the SIGNS are not indebted to the office, and will cause their images to cease." Verse 13. a long residence in that land, Dr. Zwemer not be called upon to pay for them. Please read Previously, the Egyptians were an in- informs us, that under the influence of the papers you may receive, and hand them to your tensely idolatrous people, but what a Islam, humanity seems to have reached friends to read. change! Under Mohammedanism and its lowest level. The land that turned J. R. FERREN, Circulation Manager nominal coptic Christianity no images of its dead men to stone has itself become any description are to be found, nor a mummy. Isaith, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each men- have they been tolerated in the country "Who hath declared this from ancient tion Egypt by name in the context of for more than twelve hundred years. time? who hath told it from that time? the scriptures above quoted. In the Consider also this singular prophecy: have not I the Lord? and there is no God presence of such knowledge and fore- "The paper reeds by the brooks, by the else beside Me." Isaiah 45: 21. We ob- knowledge, we stand with uncovered mouth of the brooks, and everything serve that among all the nations of heads. His Word has never failed. We sown by the brooks, shall wither, be earth, only one fulfills the specifications trust Him, serve Him, and live for Him driven away, and be no more." Isaiah of this prophecy, also that the prophets, always.

What Shall I Give Him? A million or more persons ask this vexed question at every holiday season. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, are, finding an answer this year in the inspirational books listed below.

FOR YOUTH and CHILDREN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR GROWN UPS True storybooks for boys The Mission Group, de- Beautifully written, hand- and girls. The kind that fire signed especially for young somely bound devotional ambition, inspire courage, people, is unexcelled. These books. A few moments a day honor, and a desire to know, books are educational, and with any of them will do the and that furnish entertain- arouse a sympathetic inter- reader a world of good. ment too. Nature study, est in foreign mission work. travel, history, physiology, Astronomy and the Bible $1.50 With Our Missionaries in A valuable book for unbelievers Bible. China $1.00 as well as for Christians. The Elo the Eagle $1.00 Think how interesting it would spellbinding facts set forth compel "Delighted I" is the word to de- be to hear twenty or more mission- attention and direct thought to the• scribe the feelings of those who aries tell their experiences, espe- Creator of the myriads of visible have read these true stories of ten cially experiences in unstable, war- and invisible worlds. Harmonizes animals with which the author was stressed, robber-infested China! true present-day science with the Personally acquainted when a boy. More than 100 pictures help read- Bible. Nearly two hundred pages. Spe- ers to visualize everyday life and Thoughts from the Mount cial pictures of each of the ten customs. 334 pages. of Blessing $1.00 heroes. Cloth binding. Escape from Siberian Alone with God .75 The Gospel Primer No. 2. .76 Exile $1.25 Come Unto Me .65 Uncle Ben's Cobblestones 1.00 Strange Peoples and Cus- Steps to Christ, cloth 1.00 The House We Live In 1.00 toms 1.25 In Touch with God 1.25 Little Stories for Little Advance Guard of Mis- People .75 sions 1.00 Desire of Ages 2.00 Uncle Ben's Cloverlield 1.00 On the Trail of Living- The Great Controversy Selections for Our Little stone 1.00 Between Christ and Folks .75 Fruit from the Jungle. 1.00 Satan 2.00

Buy wisely. Include in your gift list good, helpful books. You make no mistake when you decide on good books. PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA Kansas City, Missouri St. Paul, Minnesota Portland, Oregon Cristobal, Canal Zone AN ADVOCATE OF A WHOLE-SOULED BE- CHAMPIONING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE LIEF IN THE BIBLE AS THE VERY WORD PROTESTANT REFORMATION, EMPHASIZ- OF GOD. ING FAITH IN CHRIST AS CREATOR AND Edited by REDEEMER, AND URGING A PREPARATION IN HEART AND LIFE FOR HIS IMMINENT A. 0. TAIT A. L. BAKER SECOND COMING. AMERICA'S PII5tPM WEEKLY

WORLD TROUBLES and DISARMAMENT

THE eyes of humanity have turned to- tion; machine guns concentrating their every form of crime and sin, without a ward the Disarmament Conference at leaden storms; there was the infantry' parallel in history. God has forewarned Washington with great hope, yet the advancing, firing, and falling—like men us in His prophetic Word that just such hearts of all are beating with great with souls sacrificing for the decision. conditions as these would mark the be- fear; for every one can feel the pressure "The flying missiles were revealed by ginning of the great day of the Lord. of the calamity that is threatening the illuminating tracers, so that we could He has told us in the sixteenth chapter world. note their flight and appraise their dead of Revelation of the spirits of demons H. G. Wells, an author and writer of lines. The air was streaked with tiny that would "go forth unto the kings of international note, is furnishing signed flames, marking the flight of massed de- the earth and of the whole world, to articles for one of the strongest news- struction; while the effectiveness of the gather them to the battle of that great paper syndicates of this country. In one theoretical defense was impressed by the day of God Almighty." And most liter- of these articles, he mentions a well- simulation of dead and wounded among ally is it true, as expressed by Sir Ed- known character who devotes his time to those going forward, undaunted and un- ward Grey in an address to the House amusing the people. This individual heeding. As this panorama of unutter- of Commons on November 27, 1911, that visited Lofidon a few weeks since, and able destruction visualized the horrors of "it is really as if in the atmosphere of Mr. Wells quotes him as saying: "'Peo- modern conflict, there grew on me the the world, there were some mischievous ple are not laughing and careless here as sense of the failure of the civilization influence at work which troubles and ex- they used to be. It isn't the cites every part of it." London I remember. They The world is confronted by are anxious. Something the great time of "Jacob's hangs over them.' " trouble" so graphically set Unless something can be forth in the thirtieth and done to change the course of thirty-first chapters of the events, Mr. Wells is very cer- prophecy of Jeremiah. We tain that this "something" are liable, through a super- that "hangs over" the world ficial examination of such will soon end in utter chaos, scriptures, to regard them as for he goes on to say: applying only to the days of "Education will ebb, and ancient Israel. But the social security dwindle and apostle Paul assures us that fade into anarchy. Civiliza- "all these things happened tion as we know it will go unto them for ensamples: and under, and a new Dark Ages they are written for our ad- begin. And this fate is not monition, upon whom the threatening civilization; it is ends of the world are come." happening to civilization be- The time in which Jere- fore our eyes. The ship of miah lived and the time • civilization is not going to against which he wrote and sink in five years' time or in Wide World warned, were the most wicked fifty years' time. It is sink- A remarkable photograph of the famous volcano Popocatepetl, in Mexico, in the history of the Israel- during its recent period of activity. Note the wing of the airplane. ing now." itish nation. The prophets Mr. Wells' work, in the of that time warned the Is- very nature of things, brings him in which can leave its problems to such cruel raelites that they were committing the touch with the currents of information arbitrament. Surely no one in authority, same abominable sins that were prac- and of world conditions such as is the with human attributes and full appraisal ticed by the nations that God drove out privilege of but a limited number of men. of the patriotic loyalty of his country- before them; and because of these sins, And concerning the universality of im- men, could ask the manhood of kingdom, they were about to be delivered up to pending peril, he says: empire, or republic, to make such sacri- wars, to pestilence, and to famine, and "Probably there is some good will for fice, until all reason had failed, until finally to utter subjugation by the king all mankind in every one who comes. appeal to justice through understanding of Babylon. Probably not one is altogether blind to had been denied, until every effort of hive And in this age in which we live a the tremendous disasters that tower over and consideration for fellow men had solution is promised to relieve us from us, but all are forgetful." been exhausted, until freedom itself and the calamities into which sin is plunging In his Arlington address of November inviolate honor had been brutally threat- our world. God has thrown open before 11, President Harding speaks of a sham ened. each of us a door of glorious hope. A battle that he had recently witnessed, "I speak not as a pacifist fearing war, bright future and most desirable prospect and refers to the danger of future wars but as one who loves justice and hates are offered to each of us by the hand of in the words that follow: war. I speak as one who believes the the omnipotent Father. God's Word is "It was my fortune recently to see a highest function of government is to give full of promises that fill the Soul with demonstration of modern warfare. It is its citizens the security of peace, the op- courage and hope, even in the presence no longer a conflict in chivalry, no more portunity to achieve, and the pursuit oY of the greatest calamities that have ever a test of militant manhood. It is only happiness." swept our planet. cruel, deliberate, scientific destruction. Without doubt some of the best and How instinctively does the soul that There was no contending enemy, only the most talented men of our day, represent- trusts in God's promises, turn for com- theoretic defense of a hypothetic objec- ing the leading nations of the world, are fort and power to such words as the fol- tive. But the attack was made with all assembled in the conference at Washing- lowing: the relentless methods of modern de- ton. They are grappling with this great "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling struction. There was the rain of ruin problem of impending world disaster, and place in all generations. Before the from the aircraft, the thunder of artillery we must recognize that the seat of this mountains were brought forth, or ever followed by the unspeakable devastation unprecedentially awful condition is in Thou hadst formed the earth and the wrought by bursting shells; there were the hearts of men. Men have given world, even from everlasting to everlast- mortars belching their bombs of desola- themselves over to selfishness and to ing, Thou art God"! Psalm 90: 1, 2.