Sunday-School Workers

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · February 19, 1908

Sunday-School Workers

The leading Sunday-school men of the country to the number of sixty, met in Boston, Jan. 2, 3, to consider the lesson system and its related interests. This body comprised the Lesson Committee, the Sunday-School Editorial Association, and the Lesson Publishers, and members of the International Executive Committee. Twelve of the great denominations were represented. They formally and unanimously expressed their conviction (1) That the system of a general lesson for the whole school, which has been in successful use for thirty-five years, is still the most practicable and effective system for the great majority of the Sunday-Schools of North America, and recommended its continuance and its fullest development. (2) That the need for a graded system of lessons, expressed by so many Sunday-schools and workers, should be adequately met and that a thoroly graded course of lessons be prepared covering the entire range of the Sunday-school.

Yellow Peril

In a recent speech by Justice Harlan of the Supreme Court to the Navy League, the speaker referred to two “yellow perils,”—four hundred million Chinese whom he characterized as strong physically and mentally as we are; and another nation, Japan, whose people are aggressive and ambitious. He continued, “We will some day see a skilled army in Japan of from five million to ten million men. They will say, ‘You claim Europe as your country. This is ours. Get out.’” He declares there “will be a conflict between the yellow race and the white race that will shake the earth.” The Holy Scriptures tell us that this will be when the kings of the east shall come up to the great battle of Armageddon. The kings of the east and the kings of the west will there meet in the great battle of the day of God Almighty, and that will end all of earth’s battles. The next event in the world’s drama will be the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Affairs in Ireland

The Belfast (Ireland) Morning Express of January 9 intimates that Lord Ashtown, who is endeavoring to do so much in the way of agriculture to help the people of Ireland, is preeminently a persecuted man, and that because of the enmity of the priests. The Express declares that his success means discredit to their teachings, danger to their influence, and when no other means can prevail against his determination, his murder is recommended in a print practically under clerical control. The government sends down its policemen, but they do not dare to displease the clergy. Lord Ashtown, it tells us, is trying to lead the people to independence and liberty, but they bring false charges against him and endeavor to murder him.

The farm wealth of the United States is estimated at the close of 1907 at $7,412,000,000; the mineral products, $3,000,000,000; live stock, $3,194,000,000; wheat crop, $500,000,000; cotton crop, $675,000,000; corn, $1,350,000,000; hay the same; dairy products reach the vast sum of $73,765,000; while poultry and eggs climb to $6,000,000,000. The lumber products amount to $550,000,000, while the national assets are estimated at $1,500,000,000,000. These are colossal figures.

Stealing

According to data compiled by bonding companies, the embezzlements of the first six months of 1907 amounted to $5,482,687, nearly $2,000,000 more than the year previous. Bankers and trust companies were the worst sufferers. Beneficial associations had their funds depleted to the extent of $400,000. Court trust funds were stolen to the amount of $253,000. Most of this money went into Wall Street speculations or gambling on races.

Spread of Tuberculosis

According to Dr. Frank Billings, president of the National Tuberculosis Association, one million people in Illinois alone are suffering from tuberculosis in some degree. During the last eleven months, 4,076 have died in Chicago from this disease. In Vienna between 60 and 70 per cent of all the patients in hospitals are tuberculous. The disease is well called “the great white plague.”

The Vatican finances

are said to be at a low ebb, so much so that it is stated that the pope can not afford just now to help the sufferers from the Calabria earthquake. It is hoped that the jubilee offerings will increase the treasury. Simple, unostentatious living would, it seems to us, help very materially in this respect.

A Change Not for the Best

A paper that is published in the interests of young people in San Francisco gives us this information, “A year or so ago candy and gum figured as the principal purchases of the city’s juveniles, but now the spare nickels of the young are passed into the ticket window of the moving-picture show.”

A severe tornado

passed over Mississippi, January 31, doing damage to the extent of $300,000, and destroyed ten lives. Very heavy storms are reported from the East.