Immortality and Intemperance
By Editor
As a fruit of the fallacy that man has immortality in himself, which is the root of modern Spiritualism, we give the following press dispatch from Milan, Tennessee, dated the 16th inst.:— In a lonely cabin in Lake County the bodies of Abner Carter and his wife Jennie were found clasped in each other's arms. An empty revolver lying between them told the cause of death. Saturday their baby died, and they became despondent and ended their troubles in death. They left a note saying, "Neighbors, we are going home, never to return. We were miserable in life, but will be happy in death. Farewell." According to the Rockford Monitor, the drink bill for this country for 1892 amounted to $1,200,000,000. This was equal to the net earnings of all the railroads, nine times as much as the value of all property loss by fire in 1891, and more than the average yearly expenses of the United States Government. Truly have we reached that time likened by our Saviour unto the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, when eating and drinking, as regarded by the vast multitude, would be considered the chief end of their existence. How sad it is to see the hearts of so many men and women set in them to do evil! Thousands live day after day with no more object in life than the beast of the field. They live and labor only for the selfish gratification of perverted appetite and lustful indulgence, little realizing the high development of manhood and womanhood they might reach, and the exalted privilege they might enjoy as sons and daughters of the Highest. The Turkish Censor has been insisting upon some curious changes in recent translations of the New Testament designed for circulation in that government. The words "Jew" and "Hebrew" are ordered stricken out. The story of Joseph and his brethren is not permitted to be published in the Sunday school papers; and for the passage, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners," the Censor demands shall be substituted, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save Christians." This last rendering would ill comport with the words of Christ where he says, "I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Had men been Christians, Christ would not have needed to die. But "all men have sinned," therefore Christ died for all, for sinners. Of course the changes demanded by the Turkish Censor make nonsense of some passages. Sir Clare Ford, the British minister to Turkey, has sent an emphatic protest to the Turkish Government against these interferences by the Censor, and strenuously insists that all such changes shall cease. The Outburst, of Spokane, Wash., thus speaks in its issue of January 28:— A strong effort will be made to have the Legislature abolish taxation of church property. It is an effort that should be vigorously combated. Religious organizations should not in common honesty be permitted to repudiate their debts or shirk their responsibilities to the State any more than other organizations, corporations, and citizens. The tax gatherer should fall upon the just and unjust alike in proportion to the benefits they enjoy through the protection of the law. Whether the Legislature did this or not we do not know, but it certainly has no right so to do. The Outburst speaks to the point and justly. Religion has no more right to ask favors from the State than has infidelity. Upon the above question the late General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists declared:— WHEREAS, In view of the separation which we believe should exist between the Church and the State, it is inconsistent for the Church to receive from the State pecuniary gifts, favors, or exemptions; therefore, Resolved, That we repudiate the doctrine that church or ecclesiastical property should be exempt from taxation; and, therefore, further Resolved, That we decidedly protest against any such exemption, and favor the repeal of such legislation as grants this exemption. This is the just way, and it is the way of the gospel of Christ. Neither the church of Christ nor his gospel is dependent on State aid. All they can consistently demand is that they shall receive the protection which is granted to non-religious organizations, and that the State shall not meddle with religious matters in any way.