We have omitted Missions again in this number, in order to give place to our Outlook matter. Missions will appear next week. This is not because we are not interested in missions, or have no interest in missionary matter; for we have several articles on hand that are of interest, from different parts of the world. We are glad to hear good news from the mission fields. Dr. Selmon writes us from Shanghai that, notwithstanding the deaths and calamity which have come in consequence of the war in China, none of our workers have been injured. We have lost our mission property in Hankow, burned in connection with the city; but our workers are all well, and as soon as opportunity affords will return to their mission fields. These mission fields will be very much better and more open to work in, we are sure, after the revolution is over. The indications are that the government may continue a kingdom,—a limited monarchy, perhaps; but the Manchus will go.
The year 1911 has been indeed a strenuous one, as the review in our Outlook department indicates. There have been many dark spots, many indications of world degeneration and human degradation; but there have been many bright spots in the dark picture. Again and again the light from heaven has pierced the clouds and lighted the way. The "more sure word of prophecy" shines clearly upon all these various problems, and makes them heralds of the coming day-dawn. In the weary desert of sin are many oases where perennial springs flow, and where the weary traveler may find rest. The tercentenary of the English Bible was a great event. Three hundred years of such a book has wrought wonders in the world, and the power of the Word to him who trusts it is just as great as it ever was in any age or in any time. Many human hearts have been kind and helpful in the year that is past, many golden deeds have been done, most of which probably are recorded nowhere save in the great Book of Life; many noble sacrifices have been made which men have not recorded. God still works among humanity, still has His children, His helpers, His almoners who are working faithfully in the distribution of the gifts bestowed upon them. And above it all, He has shown us the divine hand guiding all the events of earth.
All this gives courage for the year to come. 1912 will open before us as have other years. Blank are all its pages, and the records of all our lives are yet unwritten. We may fill those pages with records of devoted trust in God; of simple faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour; of noble, faithful deeds for others, in making the world brighter and better. It is good to make resolutions, if the whole heart is behind them. It is good to form purposes, if the whole soul is in the purpose. Let our resolutions and our purposes be whole-hearted, whole-souled; and let them be in harmony with the will of God. Utterly fruitless will they be if this be not so. Our human strength will fall before combined human strength; and our best laid plans will go oft astray if they are dependent upon our human strength and wisdom alone; but associated with God, connected with His life by faith, we may make the year strong, useful, satisfying, helpful, and it will be satisfying only as it is helpful. Let every day mark the beginning of a new year, stronger, better, and brighter in our own heart's experience than any of the past.
But, you say, we have sinned, and the last year's record is a pitiful, blotted record. What then? There is but one thing to do. No tears can blot out our sins, tho it is good that we weep over them. No sacrifices, no penances which we may offer, can take the sin away from the heart. Go to Jesus, tell Him all about it, place your very finger upon God's promise, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Believe in the promise. Believe in His faithfulness. Believe in His justice. Take to your heart the cleansing; and rejoice in it, and then go forward in Him. You have fallen in the past. Learn lessons from that fall, for the future. Do not compromise with sin; do not permit the thoughts of it to dwell in the heart. Do not admit its presence as the guest in your mind. If the devil or his agents thrust them in, immediately fill the halls of your heart with good thoughts, so that their very presence shall crush out the evil. Plead the promise of God that He will subdue all our iniquities. No discouragement, however great, should hold us back while Christ Jesus our Lord pleads in our behalf. Take Him with you in the year to come. Nay, better, go you with Him in the year to come, and walk in His ways; for "All His ways are pleasantness, and all His paths are peace."
"All Past Time," "Date of Creation," "Historical Bible." We have received quite a large number of orders for these three books by the late J. B. Dimbleby. Some of them are out of print. We have already exhausted the supply which we have on hand. We are not dealing in them in order to make money on them at all, but for the simple, sole purpose of accommodating our readers who may wish them. Just as far as we have filled orders, we have filled them in the order in which they have come to us. We will make further effort to secure more books through our London agent, so as to fill further orders, if possible. He may be able to secure some more "All Past Time." We would like to say to our readers that if we can not secure "Historical Bible" and "Date of Creation," "All Past Time" in a way covers both of the other books. It is the first written. The other books are outgrowths of this. The scientific part is developed and placed in "Date of Creation," and the historical part is developed and placed in the "Historical Bible;" so one who has "All Past Time," in a more condensed way has the other two books, altho, if possible, it is good to have all three. That is, it is good for those who want to study chronology. They are not interesting books, unless one is interested in the study of chronology. Some would call them extraordinarily dry, but for the Bible student they are, it seems to us, worthy of study.
We would state again that the prices of those we have sent out are, $1.15 each "Date of Creation" and "Historical Bible," and $1.00 each "All Past Time." The next lot that we get from England may be a higher price. That we can not tell. Those who are disappointed in not securing it at this time will please be patient with us, and we will secure books for them as soon as possible.
We hope our readers will study the "Holy Roman Empire" as briefly set forth in the articles under our "World Movements" department. Of course the "Holy Roman Empire" is in the past. It was a dream of the Dark Ages; nay, it has been a dream of the centuries, and a dream for world dominion and religious dominion. It can be traced back to Nimrod himself, and back of Nimrod even to the very Garden of Eden. The "Holy Roman Empire" of the Middle Ages fell, but the dream is still cherished, not only for a "Holy Roman Empire," but a holy empire which shall rule the world. That dream, like other dreams, shall seem to be almost successful, as was the dream of the Dark Ages; but it, too, shall fail. Yet there will come a world empire. There will come a holy world empire, and over that world empire will be a Ruler whose law is love, and all of whose subjects serve through love. But of this more hereafter. There are great lessons for these days in the study of the times of which the articles treat.
May we not ask a very careful reading and thoughtful study of the articles on the Johnston Sunday Bill? These are times when mistaken, zealous men are pushing tremendously for Sunday laws, for the enforcement of religious dogmas by the State. They have failed to read the present in the light of the history of the past, in the light of the principles of Christianity. They have read the principles of Christ through the dim and misty ages which have intervened. They are feeling that men are different now than they were in the Dark Ages, and what resulted then will not result now; but human nature is ever the same, and human nature perverted by perverted principles will work out the logical result of the principles. Americans should stand, Christians should stand, for absolute separation of Church and State.
The latest news from China as we go to press is that the imperialists, through their representative, declared themselves willing to accept of a republic. The peace meeting in Shanghai seems to be reaching results. The United States, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, France, and Russia have each through their consuls presented an identical note to both the imperialists and the revolutionaries, calling for peace. The imperialists expressed gratitude to the six powers for their interest, and said they hoped that the conference would result in restoring peace. Dr. Wu Ting Fang, the revolutionary leader, declared that he was a man of peace, but no peace could be permitted unless it was based on the highest justice. An order has been issued to the imperial government forces to suspend hostilities. It was suggested that Dr. Sun Yat Sen will be the first president, but of the future we have nothing definite. Let us rejoice at the victory.
We are glad to welcome back, at the beginning of this year, so many of our Bible Band readers. Some are thanking us that the course is a little shorter, that many of the chapters have been cut out. They feel that it will give them more time. Some have failed to read the Bible through in the past year, but feel that they can carry the readings through this year. That is good. Those who have failed in the past, let them try again. Never is there success made by attempting nothing; and if one does fail once, that is no reason why he should not try again. Some of the greatest successes which the world knows were achieved after repeated failure.
The young people's department of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, called the Missionary Volunteers, increased from 186 local organizations in 1902 (membership 3,478) to 647 in 1910 (membership 12,408); and the contributions from $5,744 in 1906 to $18,807 in 1910.
