France and the Vatican by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 21, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 12.

France and the Vatican.

By Editor

Since writing the note on page 6, "Church and State in France," news comes that the ministry has gone down to defeat and resignation over the enforcement of this very law of separation of church and state. Friends of liberty and consistency in France have not reached the time for rejoicing. In the language of Curran, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." The clerical forces are still on the battlefield.

The Pacific Press Publishing Association

, a membership company, now holds the majority of the stock of the Pacific Press Publishing Company. It now does its work through the company, a report of which is given in our Missions department. The board of directors elected at its second annual meeting February 27, is composed of the following: H. W. Cottrell, E. A. Chapman, H. H. Hall, A. O. Tait, H. G. Childs, E. G. Fulton, and M. C. Wilcox. The board organized by electing as its officers, president and manager, M. C. Wilcox; secretary and treasurer, E. A. Chapman.

Folly and Joy.

The greatest joy of the Christian is not that of the world. "Folly," says the wise man, "is joy to him that is destitute of understanding." He does not know Christianity who finds his greatest joy or pleasure in the pursuits of the world. A worldly man may find his greatest pleasure in the theater, the card party, the dance, and similar amusements; but no true Christian can. Furthermore no true Christian will mourn because these things are given up. He will not count it sacrifice that he gave them up. Neither will he feel that some less harmful amusement is necessary. He will not feel that to enjoy himself he must substitute the skating rink for the theater, or silly, foolish, kissing plays for the dance. Often the substitute is worse than the original. He will find his greatest pleasures in the pursuit of all that elevates, refines, enlarges, and builds up the mind and converts the soul.

Sunday Prosecution.

For performance of Verdi's requiem mass at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, Sunday night, just what is given in church and cathedral, the better, Mr. Conried, the director of the opera house, was March 7 tried for violation of the Sunday law. Decision was reserved. That is a strange sort of combination. The mass, with all its ornate, religious, and musical associations, was born of the same mother as the Sunday. There is no conflict between them. Both are children of apostasy.

Famine in Japan.

There are some things worse than Russia, and one of them is famine. There was wonder on the part of many why Japan seemed to be so ready to make peace. The secret of it was not then known; but it is out now. Japan has a famine cancer gnawing at her very vitals. All this was seen before the war closed, but was kept back. Northern Japan raises abundant crops usually, but this year is almost an utter failure, and it is officially estimated that more than one million persons are starving or trying to eke out an existence on grass and roots. In Fukushima, 300,000 people are endeavoring to live on little cakes made three-fourths of chopped straw and one-fourth of foreign rice. In one locality, for instance, where last year was raised 30,500 bushels of rice, this year yielded five and one-half bushels, and the population is 5,000 souls. The government, though doing its best to supply the seeds, has been inadequate, and even the straw-substitute for food was destroyed by flood. One Japanese journal says: "Unless help comes, more people will die of famine in these three provinces than perished on all the battle-fields of the Manchurian war, counting the wounded and missing as dead. The Christian Herald is doing noble work, having recently cabled $10,000 to the Japanese Red Cross Society. If any of our readers wish to donate for this purpose immediately, we will see that the funds are safely sent forward where they will reach the needs of the suffering. Address, THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mountain View, Cal. Designate funds as Japan Famine Fund.

"The Road of a Thousand Wonders."

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" writes Keats; and the line has lived, despite Keats's critics. The statement may not be universally true, but a thing of beauty is a joy; and the souvenir book before us on the "Road of a Thousand Wonders," printed and engraved by the Sunset Press of San Francisco, is a thing of beauty. The cover design green, blue, and gold, of cacti, mission tower, beach, and mountain is by W. H. Hull. The road described is the Coast line of the Southern Pacific from Mt. Hood and the metropolis of Oregon on the north, sweeping down past old Shasta, through San Francisco, the city by the Golden Gate, swinging down the beautiful coast to the City of the Angels, so called. Talk about the Alps, or the Black Forest of Germany, or by the storied Rhine when such a country is open to the tourist, a stretch of the world's grandest for 1,500 miles. Its description is written by one who has been over the ground, and the pictures are as faithful to nature as art can reproduce it. There are also homes for the home seekers. Over this wonderful route the book takes you with splendid endeavor to reproduce some of the coast wonders, by word portrayal, by pen picture, by photo-reproduction, by line drawings, by artist brush, and all done into a marvelous book of color printing, by the finest kind of engraving and press work. City, or sea, or mountain, the work is splendid. Do you wish a copy? We found it selling for fifty cents on the train. You send for it to Chas. S. Fee, Passenger Traffic Manager, Southern Pacific, San Francisco, and let him send it to you at his price.

Our Southern Publishing House

, of Nashville, Tenn., has moved out of the city and its smoke to a more salubrious neighborhood. The president of the Association, our aged brother, tried soldier, and friend, writes under date of March 2, as follows:

Our office is moved, the old establishment is vacated, and we all feel very happy. We are now established at Twenty-fourth Avenue North, just outside the city limits. The air out here is hardly ever troubled with the black smoke that we have had to inhale in the old building. This location is on a rising knoll, away from the heart of the city. There is much more sunshine, much better and excellent water, and we are now by ourselves in a quiet place. We expect to save three thousand dollars a year in running expenses. Our building is 120 x 70, one story, everything in sight of the manager, with other out buildings. It is practically fire proof, naked brick walls and solid cement floor, no woodwork below the roof except the doors, door-casings and window-casings. We expect street-cars to run close to the building, and we have all the advantages of express office, mail facilities, etc. We are really a part of Nashville, tho outside city limits.

Of his own health Brother Butler writes:

I never was in better health in my life. I am a perfect astonishment to myself, to think how strong and well I am. I feel as well as at thirty and work as hard. [Yet the old veteran is seventy-two November 12 next! What would Osler think?] I can work most of the boys down and feel first-rate.

Good. May God bless Elder George I. and our sister publishing house in its great southern field.

"Liberty"

is the title of a new quarterly issued by the Religious Liberty Bureau, at Takoma Park, Washington D. C. The initial number contains thirty-two pages and cover, large magazine size. It is brimful of live articles from able advocates of the cause it represents, most of whom reside in Washington, and are personally familiar with all the movements that are calculated to give to our government a church-and-state policy. It ought to have a wide circulation. Price, 25 cents, including extras that will be issued as occasion requires. Address as above, and ask for the first number.

In a letter accompanying the article by Miss Rosalind A. Young, of Tahiti, relating to the recent tidal disaster, she says: "Three of the islands of the Tuamotus are reported to have been entirely swept over, and we await the return of the war-ship to learn of further disaster. The island of Tahiti has had its big share of loss, and every district has suffered greatly, as the villages are mostly near the sea, and some of them are wiped out of existence. All the islands around have suffered more or less from the sea and the hurricane that followed. The barometer had long threatened danger."

Fighting in the Philippines.

News comes that 600 Moros in the island of Jolo were killed by United States troops March 6 to 8. The Moros were said to have been a band of outlaws, unfriendly to both natives and whites, who had fortified themselves in an extinct crater. Fifteen white soldiers and three constables were killed. It is said to have been one of the most stubborn battles fought in the Philippines since United States possession. The whole band was exterminated.

Arizona will not come in as a state. The Arizona-New Mexico state bill has been defeated in the Senate. The Oklahoma bill including Indian Territory, ought to have been. The Indians should have come in separate. Faithful dealing demanded it, it seems to us.

Mine Disaster.

An awful report comes from Paris, stating that 1,219 miners died in a burning mine at Lens, in northern France, from an explosion of fire-damp, March 10. About 600 were rescued, terribly burned.

The famous woman automobilist, Mme. du Gast, has been captured by a band of brigands in Morocco, headed by the notorious El Valiente.

The earthquake belt seems to be greatly enlarging these days. Portland, Me., experienced a severe shock March 4.