True Religious Liberty for All
By Editor
ADDRESSES of our workers when requested will be given in Our Work and Workers department. We would call the attention of our readers to the article in the editorial columns entitled "Protestantism Found Wanting." Roman Catholics are testing Protestants by the professed standards and creeds of Protestantism, and Protestants are found wanting, weighed by their own balances. How will Protestantism stand when weighed by the balances of the sanctuary? Right in connection with the above article read the one entitled "The Independent Has Spoken." We have heard from no other Protestant papers to date. The battle, however, is on. Rome has entered the lists. As of old, "Who is on the Lord's side?" He who holds to true religious liberty holds to the right of the other man to think and speak and act for himself in all things pertaining to his conscience just as long as the lives, property, reputation, and chastity of his fellow-men are not endangered. The Puritans claimed to believe in religious liberty, but it was religious liberty for—the Puritans. The Buddhist claims religious liberty for—the Buddhist. The Roman Catholic is the great conservator of religious liberty for—the Roman Catholic. But the true follower of Christ believes in and grants religious liberty for all. Jesus said, "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." There is a much more general prediction of war in Europe this year than ever before. All the powers are better ready to engage than ever before, so far as equipments of war are concerned. There are 130,000 more men under arms now than there were one year ago. Men who thought there would be no war are now predicting war. The strain is fearful, and the crisis must soon come. Italy is bankrupt, and Greece owes $60 per head of her population. This she has proposed to repudiate, while Britain and Germany warn her that it must not be done. Russia and France are a menace to Constantinople, and no one knows how soon the double alliance of France and Russia will be engaged with the triple alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italy, in deadly warfare. Meanwhile God has his work, and the angels will hold the winds of war till his work is done. Our Ship "Pitcairn."—We learn from recent communications by Australian steamer that the Pitcairn's last voyage was a prosperous one. Two of her crew when she left San Francisco were unconverted; one of these left the ship at Tahiti, and the other was converted at the Wellington, New Zealand, camp meeting. The ship is now on her way direct from Wellington to Pitcairn Island, where she will take Elder Gates and wife on board, and, unless duty seems to demand a call trip via Tahiti, will proceed direct to San Francisco, arriving here, the Lord willing, somewhere between March 1 and 15. March 15 Elder Olsen will probably arrive from Australia, when, together with other members of the Foreign Mission Board, he will supervise the outfitting of the ship for another voyage. The next voyage of the Pitcairn will be short, probably about one year, carrying workers, in the way of teachers and physicians, to the fields already opened. Her next trip will probably be in "the regions beyond." We praise the Lord for his blessing upon this enterprise. May he bless our little ship more abundantly in her mission of love for the Master. The isles are waiting for His law. Christ's Example.—In our news columns will be found a brief note on the mobbing of an A. P. A. lecturer, presumably by Roman Catholics. Now Roman Catholics claim to be the only true church of Christ, and its members, of course, true Christians. But let the reader imagine Christ and his apostles mobbing a Pharisee who might speak against Christianity or denounce it. Such a thing could not be imagined for a moment. He who had power to call more than twelve legions of angels to his assistance, suffered indignity of every kind, insult was heaped upon injury, till death came to his relief, yet he bore it all with divine patience. He trusted God, and trust demanded endurance. He committed his cause to God, knowing that God would judge righteously. In this he is an "example" to his people. 1 Peter 2:21-23. Can it be that that church and that people which continually and persistently do the very opposite are his church and his people? Do they bear the test? Not Roman Catholics but Roman Catholicism.—The Signs of the Times has had and will have much to say with reference to Roman Catholicism and its work. But it holds nothing against Roman Catholics as individuals. There are many honorable, high-souled, generous, noble men and women in their ranks, just the same as there are in all other communions. There are many, no doubt, in cloistered cell who are following every ray of light which they have seen, and are accepted of God. The great mass of the church are doubtless honest—sincerely blinded—in what they believe, and this makes them all the more fruitful of evil. It is against the system of Roman Catholicism, against the principle on which it is based, against the mystery of iniquity which is involved therein, that we lift our voice and pen. Roman Catholicism is not based on the gospel, but a perversion of the gospel. It is not founded on the word of God, but a perversion of that word. It lives not by faith in Christ, for it has perverted faith, a living principle, bringing life from God, to a dead form, which must be maintained by human force. As long as Catholics hold to their principles, they are bound to be persecutors, and the better Catholics they are the more will they persecute if opportunity offers and power is given. It is the religion of self instead of Christ. And these principles, if held by Protestants, are just as subversive of righteousness, justice, truth, toleration, and liberty as they are if held by Catholics. Principles make men, and therefore principles are greater than men. The principles of Christ are in the gospel, fully developed in the redeemed, regenerated, and sanctified soul. The principles of the mystery of iniquity may be seen in Roman Catholicism, and their finished work in the persecution of the Dark Ages and in later times by so-called Protestants. We beseech all to turn from them, both Romanist and Protestant. Of this we shall have more to say in the months to follow. Poor Italy.—The expression is literally true. Italy seems practically bankrupt. At the close of her last war, December 31, 1866, her national debt was 1,057 million dollars. Up to July 31, 1892, it had increased to 2,395 million dollars, or more than doubled during a quarter of a century of peace. In 1866 the interest-bearing debt of the United States was over 2,332 million dollars, but in 1892 it was only $585,029,330, having decreased during twenty-five years more than two billion dollars. It will be seen that Italy is constantly increasing her debt, and will soon collapse, the only question being as to how soon. Many acute observers think that it must come this present year. She has no gold, her silver money is gone, and only the depreciated currency of a bankrupt State remains, and the amount of Italian silver money held by France, it is said, is sufficient, if demand is made, as it can be, for its redemption in gold, to topple Italy into the dust. It is reported that the pope will leave Italy and take refuge in Spain. Italy, ruined Italy, is the finished fruit of Roman Catholicism. With one of the fairest and most genial of climes, with soil of great fertility, she is the poorest country of the world. Burdened, priest-ridden, her people ignorant, she attempted to throw off the papal octopus too late. Her long struggle with the monster has depleted and ruined her, and she is now in her death throes, ruined by her religion. Conceive the picture. Write underneath it, "A Masterpiece of the Papacy." Do not come to Oakland to escape hard times. We do not mean by this that Oakland is worse than many other places, nor so bad as many, but there are hundreds here unemployed and suffering for the necessaries of life. We have brethren and sisters coming here from other churches and Conferences (sometimes recommended to us by brethren in official position) who have little if any means of support, and who expect to be assisted to find employment in our office or among our brethren. To all such we will say again that it would be much better to use the transportation money to secure what is needed where they are. It will go much farther in the rural districts than in a large city like Oakland. Our church here is heavily burdened with the constant demands made upon it, and, while willing to do all it can, feels that it is not just to cripple it with more than its quota of poor. If dependent upon daily labor for support, do not come to Oakland or San Francisco unless arrangements have been made beforehand and place secured.