THE California State Board of Health, on September 14, by unanimous vote, passed the following resolution:—
“Resolved, That the State Board of Health consider the propriety of quarantining against human beings and domestic animals with tuberculosis entering the State.”
It was argued before the board that consumption is becoming so prevalent in some parts of the State, both among animals and human beings, that something must be done about it. It is claimed that many doctors in the East send their consumptive patients here, and the disease, being infectious, is spreading very rapidly.
It is important that the doctors should do all they can to stop the ravages of disease. Proper sanitary and precautionary measures can do much toward keeping the people well. But it should not be lost sight of that we are in the last days of this world’s history, and disease of every kind will become more and more prevalent. And nothing will help us more in the matter of keeping well through these times than to study to be in harmony with God. In His original bill of fare, as given in the first chapter of Genesis, the flesh of animals is not included. It can hardly be conceived that our Creator would have made man so that he would have to devour other animals in order to live.
And now that the cattle are becoming so full of consumption that it is absolutely dangerous to eat their flesh, is it not a good time to go back to the original vegetarian diet? The milk of many of these cows is full of the tuberculous germs. Should we not find some good substitute for the milk? There are better foods for man in the vegetable kingdom than anything that the animal kingdom affords, and they have this advantage, that they are not reeking with the germs of disease.
The curse of sin rests heavier and heavier on all creation as we get closer to the end; hence the need of our studying God’s plans so that He may preserve us. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not be faint.” The thing to do is to “wait upon the Lord,” and He will add all the rest. Any system of science or philosophy that leaves God and His Word out in these times, is preparing men for a sudden plunge into eternal ruin.
T.
FAITH is always reasonable, but still it does not stop to reason. Faith has formed the conclusion that the most reasonable thing is to always take God at His word, and then when God speaks faith acts. It is not necessary to wait to reason then, for the reasoning is all in the past, and the time for action has come, because God has spoken. And he who is closely studying God’s Word can always hear the voice of God speaking to him.
A NEW RAPID-FIRE GUN.
A NEW style of rapid-fire gun has just been completed in the United States, that fires six-pound shells at the rate of 60 per minute, or 1 a second. The highest speed that has been attained heretofore by the rapid-firers was 22 shots per minute. But even at this rate the shots were fired at random, without taking aim. The highest rate made with aimed shots was 14 per minute. But with this new style of gun 45 aimed shots have been fired in a minute.
This new gun is what they call the “semi-automatic” type; that is, the recoil does not place the next charge fully in position, as in the regular automatic or machine gun, but it ejects the shell and thus assists the gunner in making his fire more rapid.
It was these six-pound rapid-fire pieces that were used so effectively in driving the Spaniards from their guns in the naval battle of Santiago. But the highest rate of fire that they were able to make then was hardly one-third of what can be done with this new gun. Let us pity the men who will stand before such murderous weapons.
The illustration that we present herewith will give something of an idea of this new gun and the method of loading it.
What terrible weapons of war are being prepared! Just think of it! It is but little more than a year since the battle of Santiago, and yet the guns that did such terrible execution at that time have been trebled in their effective destructiveness. Can it be possible that such things augur peace?—No! a thousand times, no! They are the precursors of the battle of Armageddon. And the great day is almost here. The demons of war are stirring up strife, and at the same time trying to have us believe that it is peace. Do not be deceived. These times are perilous, and we are in peril if we do not go to God’s Word and understand where we are in this earth’s closing history.
T.
THERE is such a thing as divine healing, where, in answer to direct, fervent prayer to God, one is cured of his malady. The Lord healed me instantly of a chronic disease which was of twenty-five years’ standing. But the healing as practised by certain sects is purely of the devil. I consider the defection to these new faiths as a fulfilment of the prophecy of Paul, when he said in substance: In the last time there shall be those that will give heed to seductive spirits and doctrines of devils, denying the Lord that bought them.—Rev. Hiram Hill, in the Sunday Examiner.
The latest 6-pound rapid-fire gun, firing 60 shells a minute.
PEOPLE are succumbing to starvation almost every day in Porto Rico. This is largely due to the fact that they have not been reached with supplies, owing to the washing out of bridges and other obstructions caused by the recent hurricane that devastated the island.
AFFAIRS IN THE TRANSVAAL.
ENGLAND has sent a note to President Krueger that gives another chance for the Transvaal dispute to be settled without war. But at the same time she goes on making her preparations. It is indeed seriously interesting to note the war spirit that seems to hold the nations, even such strong nations as England. Satan has matters so combined and complicated that the Britons think that their whole national policy is at stake, and the little Transvaal republic must be subdued at any cost. If it can not be brought under by diplomacy, then it must be subdued by arms.
The commercial spirit of this age is at the bottom of most of this evil. There are large numbers of dollars involved, and with many persons these dollars are of more importance than men. The spirit of covetousness is deeply interwoven with the spirit of war, and both of these things are striking signs of our times. They both combine to show that we have reached the last days, and that this old earth is now making her closing pages of history. God’s Word makes this plain. Do you see it? Are you ready for the issue?
The international complications that may be started by the prospect of two countries going to war is strikingly illustrated in this quarrel between England and the Transvaal. England is fearful that the Germans are going to take a hand in the matter if she makes an attack on the little South African republic. And the Russian press is very outspoken in regard to allowing England to get any stronger foothold in Africa. The Russians think that if English control is allowed in South Africa, and with England in control of the Suez Canal, it will be giving her too much advantage. So Russia may have something to say in the matter before it is over.
And while the English are making their advances in South Africa, the French are aggressive in the northern part of the “Dark Continent,” hoping to gain a still stronger standing there. As the French prosecute this work there is no knowing what power will think that they ought to be asked to desist, and so still other complications will arise.
It must be painfully evident to any one who is seriously looking at things to-day that the peace of this world can not be much longer maintained. The prophecies show that the angels of God are holding these elements of war till His work of warning the world of its coming doom is finished. And when these heavenly messengers cease to exert their powerful influence against these sentiments for war that seem to rule men, in spite of all they say to the contrary, then there will be such scenes upon this earth as have never been witnessed in all its history. Then will be that “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” spoken of by the prophet Daniel in the twelfth chapter of his prophecy.
There is the sublimity of awe in the thought that we are even now standing in the very presence of these most wonderful fulfilments of prophecy, and that the very last of the last days are now here. To be prepared to stand in these times is one of the grandest privileges that has ever been vouchsafed to mortals.
If we know God’s Word, we also know the meaning of the events of this time. If we do not have that Word as our guide, we are all at sea. Where stand you?9
T.
THE New York Thrice-a-Week World declares that trusts have already increased the price of the necessaries of life fifteen per cent. And we see no reason to doubt it. What will it be a little while from this?
A TERRIBLE TRAFFIC.
THERE is perhaps no more conclusive evidence of the existence of a personal devil and of his presence in this world at the present time than the diabolical schemes he has set on foot to perpetuate and increase the social evil. Every country under heaven is afflicted; every city in every land bears the scars of this plague. This is known; but it is not generally known—or if known is not heeded—that every one of these festering centers is continually reaching out its long arms, like the tentacles of a devil-fish, to entrap the unwary and unsophisticated. There are no quarantine laws against them; no yellow flag floats over their abode when they skulk into a town for prey; no danger signal is hoisted over the little hamlets from which they are selecting their victims; they are not required by law to cry, “Unclean, unclean,” as did the lepers of old; and yet of all plagues, of all scourges, they are the heralds of the worst.
The “agent” visits a little town or a country village. He becomes acquainted with several of the young ladies of the place, and soon learns that some one or more of them have aspirations for city life. His “aunt,” or his “cousin,” or his “sister,” is in need of some one to fill the position of maid, governess, housekeeper, or traveling companion. He will “intercede” for one of the young ladies, and “may be able to secure for her the position.” Such “intercessions” are uniformly successful, and he finds a “position” for one, or more than one, according to the number of his probable victims. The “cousin” or “aunt” receives the innocent, unsuspecting country girl, gives her a room, and turns the key. She is now in the jaws of the most unscrupulous and insatiate monster that ravages the land to-day. She goes out no more forever in the purity of her womanhood; and in ninety-five cases out of a hundred she is lost forever. Her ambition is blasted; her hopes are crushed; and the future holds for her nothing but a life of shame. The friend from the city was a “procurer” (or a “procuress,” as the case may be, for the devil’s agents in this business are not all male), in spite of his smooth manners, his affability, or the fact that he was a constant attendant at the little village church during the time spent in that vicinity.
But this is only one of the ways in which the victims of this traffic are lured to their ruin. Agents do not hesitate even to take part in a marriage ceremony when such a proceeding is necessary to accomplish their designs; and the guileless girl accompanies her supposed husband to the city, to fall into the open arms of a brothel-keeper, a bolted and barred prisoner, until gradually her shame becomes all the bar necessary to keep her a slave. One hundred and seventy of these wicked transactions are accomplished in the United States in each and every day of the year, and three-fourths of the victims are from country homes, “procured” through the instrumentality of some such blandishments, made possible in many cases by the longing of the girl for city life, fine clothes, and ostrich plumes.
An extensive traffic in these “white slaves” has just been brought to public notice in Germany. Girls are lured to Berlin and other cities by the promise of employment in restaurants. They sign an innocent-looking document, which makes them virtual slaves, held, whether they will or no, to a life of shame. There is scarcely a ship arriving at Pacific Coast ports from the Orient that does not bring its quota of Chinese and Japanese slave girls, held in the slavery of this vice by taskmasters of their own countrymen, perpetuating in America the lowest type of slavery known.
In the dance-halls, and in dancing schools and dancing academies, the procuring agent flourishes, finding most easily his most likely victims. Verily, he goeth about as a lion “seeking whom he may devour,” only he is more sly than the lion and makes much less noise about it.
These painful stories of the ruined lives of innocent country girls are heard from every land; and with all this misery and degradation increasing on every hand, is it not time, for the sakes of the souls of the children, that parents in both city and country refuse to allow their daughters to accept any position whatever until they have thoroughly investigated both the position and the reliability of the persons offering it? And what a comment the thing itself is on the conditions of the times! Truly, the affairs of this world are rushing with fearful velocity to the great climax not far ahead. God destroyed Sodom for its villainy in vice; and how many cities are there in which there is not a Sodom to-day? May we then expect He will do less for the wicked world than He did for the wicked city that perished in the vale of Siddim, as an “ensample unto those that after should live ungodly”? Verily, we may not; and the time is not far hence.
S.
ANOTHER FRENCH REVOLUTION.
ON September 18 the Senate of France met as a high court of justice to try twenty-two politicians on the charge of conspiring against the government. The proceedings were opened by the president of the Senate reading the decree of the president of the republic, constituting the Senate a court of justice to try these cases.
As soon as the reading of the decree was finished, the Senate broke forth into a regular uproar. Any one who reads the account of it, and who has also read the history of the French Revolution of a hundred years ago, could not but be impressed with the striking similarity between the clamorings in the general assembly at that time and what took place in the Senate when it met as a high court of justice on this last September 18.
There are some who are trying to make it appear that there is no danger of another revolution in France. They would have us believe that the French are simply making some excitable demonstrations, but that they do not mean anything.
Did not the scandals in connection with the Panama Canal show that the French are loaded with political corruption? Have not the proceedings in the Dreyfus trial given additional evidence that this corruption has grown deeper and darker? And how can a nation that has become so corrupt escape revolutions that will lead to utter ruin? And when you think of the conditions of the whole world to-day, where is there a spot that is not teeming with social as well as political corruption? And in view of these things, how much longer can it be possible for this world to stand?
Some will make light of such questions, but the thoughtful should be wise and consider them.
T.
SYDNEY BROOKS says, in Harper’s Weekly: “A war with the Transvaal, even if it spread no further, will be the most difficult business Great Britain has had on hand since the days of the Crimea. If it extends to Cape Colony and the Orange Free State, as it easily might, it will mean such a contest as England has not been engaged in since the Napoleonic wars. Nothing but an unwilling consciousness of its imperial necessity could force her into it.” “Imperial necessity,” and other like questions, still seem to be the cause of war. Such questions, it seems, will still drive the great and liberty-loving England, in many respects one of the very best governments on earth to-day, into the battle-field. Why do not such facts show the people that these are not days of peace and arbitration, but that they are days of war, and that peace and arbitration are largely to be talked of, not realized. The men of this world have a faculty of presenting ideals that they would like to see, and they straightway affirm that those ideals are so, when the facts are all the time exposing the falsity of the claims.
THE first century of the United States as a nation, was marked by many wonderful things, but in nothing more striking than her beneficent influence over the despotic nations of the Old World. She was then indeed a “world power” for good. Now she is losing influence in South America, in Canada, among the nations of the Old World, and is herself on the backward track through imperialism to despotism. She is saying to the world, “Republicanism is a failure; equality of man is a failure; government by the consent of the governed is a failure.” She is now a world power to lead the world back to the Dark Ages, an ideal civilization to a large part of American citizens. All of this has nothing to do with politics. It is a matter of divine prophecy, found both in Daniel and the Revelation.
A LONDON paper says, “It is estimated that the world consumes yearly no fewer than 12,000,000,000 cigars.” It does not say how many thousands of pounds of the noxious weed are chewed up, or smoked in pipes. When we take into account the demonstrated facts in regard to the nerve-destroying effects of tobacco, is it to be wondered at, as we think of the amount of it consumed, that pale-faced and irritable boys and men meet us constantly at every turn?
THE investigations of the Mazet Committee in New York City continue to bring to light the political corruption that holds that great metropolis in the toils of criminality. Twelve judges have testified, under oath, that their combined contributions to the election funds amounted to about $65,000. Men that have to pay such enormous fees to get elected expect to make that money back. And it is being made very clear in the investigations that are going on, that many of the judges of the New York courts have a good income from the bribes that they receive. It is money and political influence, and not justice, that rules. And New York is not more than the average large city the world over. The prophet tells of the time when justice would be turned away backward, and when equity could not enter. We are in those days, and it is one of the sure signs that the end of all things is at hand. This is not the only sign, of course, but it is one among the many.
ON September 20 there was a very severe earthquake in the district of Aidin, in Asia Minor. According to late reports, about 200 persons perished. News from Alaska by steamers recently returned from there tell of the most violent earthquakes in that territory. Every one should be made aware of the fact that this old earth will soon be terribly torn and tossed by earthquake and storm. What we have had thus far is as nothing compared with what will be seen in a short time. These stormy conditions will grow worse and worse till the end of time. And by all of these signs that are appearing over the whole earth, we may know that the end can not be far off.
EARTHQUAKES, floods, and terrible landslides at and near Darjeeling, in the lower Himalayas, on September 25, resulted in much loss of life and property. When we consider the recent earthquakes in Asia Minor and Alaska, and the terrible storms that are constantly occurring in all parts of the earth, it must raise the query, What do all these things mean? Did it ever occur to you that they are signs that we are in the last days? Such is the literal truth, and these storms and earthquakes will increase in violence and frequency till the earth will be in constant and terrific commotion. But amid it all the Lord will securely protect every one that trusts in Him. How good it is to have such a powerful and such a kind Protector in these troublous times!
GUGLIELMO MARCONI, the inventor of the wireless telegraphy, landed in New York on September 21. He is in this country for the purpose of conducting a number of experiments for the army and navy. He says that his recent experiments for the British navy were fully satisfactory, communications having been made between ships that were eighty miles apart. How soon all of these new inventions are picked up by the military and naval men! Their commercial value seems to be entirely eclipsed by the value that they will be to army and navy. Why is it that war is absorbing everything if we are approaching a time of universal peace? Everything is pointing in the direction of war, and it should be clear to all that the great battle of Armageddon is almost here.
A PACIFIC COAST cracker and candy combine has been effected. If it can succeed in making the price of candy so high that no one will buy it, there will be much less stomach trouble in the land. One of the most prolific sources of trouble with the stomach is the constant use of candy. The candy habit is coming to be, with many, almost as bad as the tobacco habit is with others. Indeed, it would be hard to tell which of these two things is doing the most mischief in the way of undermining the health of the people of this time.
THE workmen of Havana, Cuba, held a mass-meeting on September 24 to consider the advisability of ordering a general strike to secure an eight-hour working day. So it seems that even the little islands like Cuba are having their labor troubles.
THE revolution in Venezuela still continues. Recent despatches state that the rebels have driven the government forces from Valencia, and that President Andrade has taken personal command of the government troops.
OVER fifty lives have been lost in the recent heavy storms in Newfoundland and on its surrounding coast.
