We commend the reading of the articles on the Sabbath which begin in this number. There will be three of them. They state in a clear, practical way what the Bible evidence is concerning the day. We trust they may be read and studied.
We urge the young men, and young women as well, among our readers to give more than careful reading to the article in our Home Department, "Letters to a Young Man." All of them have been good; this is excellent. It presents principles that ought to take hold of the heart of every young man, and which ought to mold his entire social life. It is not often that we find such instruction. We can not afford to pass this by.
This present series of the "Signs of the Times" closes with the fourth week in October. Then comes our large missionary number of thirty-two pages. Following that, another series covering in a general, striking way the great Bible doctrines which pertain to man's life and salvation, to present day and present duty, to present time and present dangers. We wish to assure our readers that the series to come will be equal to or better than the present series, and that those whose subscriptions may expire with this will indeed miss much if they do not continue.
One of the greatest newspaper buildings in the world has just been erected at the corner of Third and Market streets, San Francisco, by the San Francisco Examiner. Special attention has been paid to making the building earthquake-resistant, and to its lighting, ventilation, and convenience. The foundation is laid for twenty-two stories, altho but twelve have been constructed. The other ten can be added at any time, with but little inconvenience to the tenants of the building. It contains 300 offices, which have already been taken. The basement and sub-basement run twenty-five feet below the sidewalk. The building is served by four high power and high speed elevators, running 550 feet per minute. The presses are what are called "sex-quads," sometimes called five-roll machines, four in number, with a big four-roll double quad and a ten-cylinder color press, having a capacity of 125,000 papers an hour. In the sub-basement is storage room for 1,500 rolls of paper, and under the spacious sub-basement are the ink and oil tanks, the ink tanks holding 150 barrels, conveyed to the presses by an automatic pump. It is indeed a great building.
Our picture on the tenth page of this issue forebodes a great deal more than is there shown. It is a drawing taken from the Illustrated London News of an explosion in Llanelly, Wales, August 19. Just previous to this, two of the mob had been shot by the soldiers. A little later, the mob went to the railway premises, and set the freight sheds on fire. Some of these contained explosives, and in these explosions four persons were killed and others injured. Next week this subject will be treated further, and the true solution of the capital and labor war presented.
The latest news from the election in Maine is to the effect that what was supposed to be a victory for the "wets" has been turned into a victory for the "drys." Prohibition was given up really as lost by its friends, by the small majority of about 700: but more recent returns changed that to a majority of about 500 for prohibitionists. At this writing it is thought that this will be somewhat increased by returns from rural districts. The friends of temperance will be sorry indeed that the majority was not far greater. Surely it would seem that the experience of years has demonstrated the economic advantages, to say nothing more, of prohibition. The great gains morally and socially are out of question. It will be difficult to enforce prohibition with so small a majority, because this means that in many parts of the State, notably in large cities, the community will be antagonistic to prohibition. We greatly regret that this is so. Among other things fixed in the election was that Augusta would continue to be the capital.
O, the theories and fancies and isms and dreams of men who leave the Lord Christ out of their reckoning! We are told that the religion we want must look to the now, the present time, for results. We want the whole loaf and the full cup now. Away with a religion which looks forward to a future promised in a book! But the Book has demonstrated its truth. It has through all the past told of the future, and the future came as the Book told us. The future holds God's real kingdom and His faithful soldiers' true reward. Christian godliness has the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Every other system fails at death, and human dreams have not yet discovered the fountain of perpetual youth. Jesus Christ has tunneled the grave, and come forth a glorious victor on the other side. And He won the victory for us. He gives us a peace and satisfaction in this world which can not be found elsewhere, and He reserves for the faithful an eternal inheritance in the world to come. How infinitely, immeasurably better is this than any human dream or scheme! It is soul satisfying.
There are few who will not sympathize, even tho they count the attempt foolhardy, with Robert Fowler in the accident to his flying-machine September 12 as he was climbing into the atmosphere above the Sierras in his second day's flight toward the Atlantic Ocean from San Francisco. He was sailing splendidly at a height of about 4,000 feet when his steering apparatus failed to respond. At this writing he designs to repair his wrecked machine and start again. Almost a continent is watching him. But, reader, there are those preparing for higher, grander flight than aeroplane will ever know, even translation from earth to heaven. All may have part in this. As with Fowler much depends upon preparation, so with this all-important flight, all depends upon the preparation. Are you getting ready for it?
What a time of unrest it is in this old world, as revealed not only in our own news columns but in all the newspapers of earth! How men and women are looking this way and that way for relief, and yet always to return disappointed! Like the seekers of the Holy Grail, they come back from their quest empty-handed. And yet there is an answer to this unrest. There is a peace which one may have in this world; there is a settled foundation upon which one may build, and not be disappointed. But that building must be for eternity, and that hope must be one born from above. But the hope is not above the earnest seeker, nor is the foundation beyond his reach. Christ Jesus has brought it down into this very sinful world in order that men may find it here, may build surely here, and may form characters worthy of an eternal existence. And this hope, this sure foundation, does not deprive one of the blessings of this life; it leads him to know how to use them more wisely, to receive from them more fully the sweets of existence, and to be a better man or a better woman, a better father or a better mother, a better son or a better daughter. For true godliness has not only the promises of the life that is to be, but of the life that now is; true Christianity makes ever for the best betterment of the whole person—spirit and soul and body. We would that our readers knew it. Having drunk from that everlasting fountain, they would seek no other. Christ would be in them a well of water springing up into everlasting life. To that fountain, that hope, we invite all our readers.
Just as we go to press the news comes from Europe that the French army is massed on the German frontier, preparatory to repelling a German invasion after the French answer to Germany's demands for concessions in Morocco. National feeling runs high in France. That France is preparing to reject the German note is becoming more and more apparent. One of the difficulties about the matter is that Germany's demands are not yet made public. In Germany it is said that the differences between France and that power have been largely allayed, and yet on the German bourse stocks opened somewhat weaker, owing to conditions in New York and Paris.
The crime committed in Virginia, the murder of Mrs. Beattie, is not unlike many other crimes committed in various parts of the world to-day. There are two things, however, which are of interest. It is stated that when the case was first left with the jury, the first thing they did was to hold a season of prayer, and the last thing also, before rendering their verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree against the husband of the victim. The other item is the strong, impassioned plea by Mr. Wendenberg, a voluntary assistant of the commonwealth, and his appeal for the motherhood of Virginia, the womanhood of this nation, and the old Southern traditions of manly honor.
"Hearts will break, but still beat on." There are many broken, wounded hearts in this world to-day—hearts broken by cruelty, abuse, sorrow; hearts broken by sin and shame. But there is hope for the broken-hearted ones. Jesus was sent of God "to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives." There is healing and hope in Him. Let Him in the heart, and He will fill it with all the fulness of His boundless love.
A Sad Accident.—The North Pacific Union Gleaner of September 6 brings us the sad news that Elder W. A. Westworth and his daughter Ruth were severely burned by burning oil August 31, his daughter dying from the shock September 2. He is slowly recovering. His son Paul was also burned, but not so seriously. Mrs. Westworth was not injured. Our sympathies are extended to the afflicted family.