Recent Guests by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Mar 11, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 11.

Recent Guests.

By Editor

OUR church in Mountain View has been highly favored of late by visits of brethren representing important mission fields. Not long ago Elder A. G. Daniells, president of the General Conference and the head of the Mission Board, gave a stirring talk on the wonderful advancement which had been made the last year thruout the world, especially in Africa, China, and Korea. Later still came Elder W. R. Burden from the Japanese field, telling us of how ground had been broken in the Sunrise Kingdom. A collection was taken for building a church in Tokyo. Then came Elder F. C. Gilbert in behalf of his race, the Jews. A tremendously pathetic, instructive talk he gave us. He recounted the reasons the Jews and especially the Russian Jews had for despising Christianity. The prejudice of ages must be overcome. The Sabbath and true health reform help to break down prejudice. The hard thing when the Jew breaks away from his own people is to get work. Brother Gilbert is securing an industrial home-farm and school where such may be helped and may become helpers. A large, liberal donation was given. Lastly came Dr. Miller, with his wife, of the inland Chinese mission field. His two talks on China and her needs were much appreciated. Dr. Miller's study now is how to reach China as soon as possible with papers and tracts in printed form. These last three speakers all took something from the church when they went—the two first, money; the latter that which is more precious than money, two of our devoted workers. See note on page 13. May God bless all these faithful souls.

A despatch from Washington to the San Francisco Call states that effort was put forth by the ministers of Philadelphia to abolish ball-playing, foot-racing, and other sports in the navy-yards on Sunday. Secretary Metcalf replied that the physical cultivation is a part of naval discipline, and that it had been found that the men would improve much better physically by open-air exercise, and that this exercise was possible only on Sundays. Therefore the athletic sports on Sundays will be continued, but in view of the protests of the ministers, the public will be excluded. In other words, the public is excluded from looking on. This is another one of the inconsistencies in which the lighter offense is punished rather than the more serious. If it is proper for the naval men, the servants, to use Sunday for sports and exercises, surely the public, the employers, ought to have the privilege of looking on if they desire.

The Devolution of the Race.

We hear a great deal about the evolution of the race, from the tadpole up thru the monkey to man. There seems to be some evidence of the devolution of the race, especially in the degeneracy of man. At least that boy must feel so, if he can be hired, who meets the advertisement of the keepers of the zoological gardens at Copenhagen. They have recently acquired two apes. The apes seem to be sour and morose in their new quarters. In order to maintain their health it is thought that they must be amused; consequently the following advertisement has been published: "Wanted.—Smart boy as companion to young chimpanzees. Must have active and genial disposition, and live in airy and well-warmed cage." Perhaps a smart boy who has been taught his ape ancestry can be obtained, but we do not know how he could long stay there without losing his self-respect.

Discipline.

One of the strongest elements in the making of character is discipline. With those persons who are of an age to be their own masters this discipline should be rigidly taken in hand by each one himself, but with children this must lie with their instructors and parents. The importance of this was shown in a fire which occurred in one of the public schools of New York City. Twenty-five hundred children were in the building, many of them hardly more than babies; yet there was no panic, no hysterics, no crying. Certain bells were sounded, monitors sprang to their places, children were formed in lines and double lines in various rooms, and the whole five-story building was emptied without accident, disaster, or confusion in two minutes. If parents could realize the importance of this in the child's life, how much better it would be for the children in the future years.

The British Navy.

English naval experts now state that England possesses not only the biggest, most powerful war-ships afloat, but the biggest and fastest destroyers on the sea, and that her navy is more nearly ready for war than that of any other nation. In a recent review of 182 ships, 116 were able to leave immediately. Her naval expenditure is about $157,000,000 a year. England's ambition is to possess a navy equal to any other two European powers, and it is stated that at the present time the tonnage of the combined navies of Germany, France, Russia, Italy, and Austria is not as great as England's.

Sunday Law in the North.

A despatch from Winnipeg to the Chicago Herald, under date of February 13, declares that the Sunday law is being enforced in that section with extreme rigidity. Already five hundred summons have been issued against undertakers, funeral directors, newspaper men transcribing notes of Sunday sermons, and editors. One man was taking a bath when he was arrested by the police. It is to such inconsistencies that the Sunday law is bound to carry us.

"Spiritualism: Its Source and Character," is the title of Bible Students' Library No. 112. Its price is only one cent in small quantities. If one tract only is sent for, two cents should be sent. The little tract presents Bible evidence in general, a detailed exposition of Samuel and the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28), and extracts from the writings of Spiritualists, showing that the Bible teaching and predictions are fulfilled by them. The little tract should be read by everybody. Address, Pacific Press, Mountain View, Cal.