Strong Character by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 14, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 24.

Strong Character.

By Editor

Ian McLaren (Rev. John Watson) says that America's strength is in the West, in both land and men. But he further remarks: "The tendency to materialism, however, is the one serious drawback of the situation. Churches are fast losing their hold upon the people. . . . The Gospel is being supplanted by faith in self. The result is strong character, but a lack of the finer sensibilities." This is an astonishing statement for a Christian minister. The weakest thing, the most vacillating thing, the most deceptive thing in this world is self. It is the soil of sin, and the cause of all this world's wo. "The heart [the natural, self-heart] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" And how a Bible believer can say that faith in such a thing as self can make a strong character, is astounding. Faith in self will make a self-assertive character, a loud character; but faith in Jesus Christ, the Eternal Rock, can alone make a strong character.

Immediately following our Independence Number there will come two important series of articles. The first is entitled, "Separation of Church and State," by Alonzo T. Jones. These will make exceptionally plain the great underlying principles of this most important theme, and will clearly show the dangers which now menace this country. The other series will bear the general title, "Roger Williams, America's Luther." They are written by Prof. Percy T. Magan, of Battle Creek College, Mich. But these are only a part of the good things to follow this present time. Subscribe now.