Untitled article by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 12, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 37.

NOTES BY THE WAY. NO. 2.

By Editor

SABBATH, August 11, was spent with the church at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. In the morning Pastor S. N. Haskell spoke from the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, showing their relation. Incidentally he also showed that there would be but two dominant powers in the earth at the close of earth's history, the beast and the false prophet, the world divided between European powers and apostate America. The writer followed in the afternoon upon the signs of the times, showing from the great field of prophecy that we are near the end.

THE weather for the last six days in the East has been unenviably warm, and the weather bureau promises one or two more days, eight in all, breaking all previous records in most of the great cities, both in heat and continuance. Here are a few items of heat results taken from the daily records. August 10: Philadelphia, 5 deaths, 20 prostrations; Chicago, 9 deaths, 15 prostrations; Pittsburg, 5 deaths, 6 prostrations; Milwaukee, 2 deaths and 1 prostration. August 11: New York, 33 deaths, with many prostrations and great suffering, especially among the poor little ones; Chicago, 9 deaths, 25 prostrations; Pittsburg, 2 deaths, 8 prostrations. Many have been driven insane and have committed fearful crimes; others have killed themselves. The thermometer in Washington registered 101°, the eleven days of the month exceeding the torrid heat of 1896. The conditions of the worn-out earth are rapidly coming to that place where the sun has "power to scorch men with fire."

THE last two days' record is a perfect medley of crime. Train robbery, shooting and stabbing affrays, brutal beatings, poisoning, wife-slaying, and numerous other crimes contribute to fill up more than a full catalog. Cruelty and revenge without mercy seem to be taking possession of the people of the earth. From Germany we hear the kaiser's charge to his soldiers to show the Chinese no mercy; and eye-witnesses relate wanton cruelty of Russian soldiers who tossed and caught repeatedly Chinese babes on their bayonets in sheer wanton cruelty, while a soldier recently from the Philippines tells of cruelty on the part of American soldiers which is unparalleled, but which, he assures us, has been common in the Philippine war. After Filipinos have laid down their arms and surrendered, after their village had been searched and no weapons found, they have been wantonly shot, and on the order of the officer in charge, the village burned, including an old lady, sick with smallpox, whose condition was known and reported to the officer. This is a mild summary of a story told by Alexander Grant, of Cincinnati, as given in the Enquirer of August 12, of that city. The soldiers themselves were generally accorded the worst sort of treatment. All this is the spirit of imperialism and war. It was what we read of in imperial Rome. It was what we read about in the records of imperial Babylon. Professed Christendom is rapidly filling with the same spirit of cruelty, brutality, and revenge. Her "three unclean spirits like frogs," from the mouth of the old dragon, the devil, are permeating the nations of earth, and the prophecy is fulfilling that the nations are angry, and God's wrath is come, and the time that the earth should be judged. Rev. 11:15-18.

AFTER a beautiful ride over the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway from Cincinnati, skirting the great Ohio River, and crossing the entire Appalachian mountain system with its beautiful valleys and varied scenery, I arrived at Richmond, Va., August 13, 3:30 P.M. The camp-meeting is held at Forest Hill Park, four or five miles from the city. It is estimated that about 150 are encamped on the ground, with about twenty tents. We found Pastors H. F. Cottrell, General Conference district superintendent, from South Lancaster, Mass., and A. E. Place, president of Atlantic Conference, of Brooklyn, N. Y., present, assisting the local ministry. Later, Prof. F. Griggs, of South Lancaster (Mass.) Academy, and Mr. S. N. Curtiss, manager of the Pacific Press Office, New York, came and rendered material assistance. Pastor A. F. Ballenger is expected later. There is good freedom in preaching the Word, but not the attendance from the city which might be desired. Yet there is reason for this. It has been hot, very hot. The mercury has climbed up through the nineties and over into the hundreds two or three, and, it is reported, six degrees. It is difficult to do anything energetically. Yet there have been some good stirring meetings and real interest has been aroused for God's work. The officers of the conference are as follows: President, Pastor R. D. Hottel; remaining members of executive committee, James Garget, A. C. Neff, W. F. Davis, F. L. Whitehead. James Garget was elected treasurer, and F. L. Whitehead secretary. There is a great, broad field in the "Old Dominion" for missionary work; and may those who love God in Virginia meet in living faith the demand of an hour.