p. 16 | Too Much by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 27, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 34, No. 22.

Too Much

By Editor

Too Much.—A prominent Catholic paper says: "The man who drinks until he feels his liquor has drunk too much." But in the vast majority of cases that is what he drinks for—to feel it. The cursed stimulant is followed by reaction, and the reaction demands more stimulant, and the drinker drinks till he feels the stimulation. The man who drinks at all drinks too much. The normal man does not need the drink. This is demonstrated by the thousands of normal men of every kind of temperament, in every kind of employment, who do high-class work, but who never drink. Drink not at all.

Obedience IS Worship.—An article by James G. K. McClure, D.D., president of McCormick Theological Seminary, in the Sunday School Times, on "The Holy Spirit in Practical Life," emphasizes the necessity of obedience rather than worship. He says: "In a book lately issued by the Rev. D. P. Taylor Forsyth, entitled, 'Positive Preaching and Modern Mind,' there is a statement worthy of consideration. He distinguishes between what he calls worship and obedience. He claims that oftentimes 'Christolatry' is and has been substituted for 'Christocracy.' Christ is worshiped, but not obeyed; while Christ demands obedience, and does not demand worship." This is true in the generally accepted sense of worship; but Biblically, true worship IS obedience. Jesus says: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Matt. 4:10. He never truly worships God who does not have the spirit of obedience. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:9.

A writer in The Advance (Chicago), Dr. W. E. Barton, has been investigating plagiarism among preachers and the results are startling. Among the sermons preached two years ago in the East on the earthquake and fire of San Francisco, several were borrowed in their imagery from Beecher and Talmage on the Chicago fire of 1871. "The Brooklyn Eagle . . . had a special from Oakland, Cal., reporting a sermon by a leading Methodist preacher of that place, which was an eloquent description of the earthquake and fire, and lessons to be drawn from them. Now this sermon, telegraphed across the continent was pieced together almost bodily from sermons by Beecher and Talmage, especially from Beecher's sermon, down even to the last final appeal for help for the sufferers." It would be a good thing if our modern divines would "borrow" their theology from even farther back.

The Southern Pacific Railway has issued a beautiful little booklet, entitled "California Coast Country." The region covered by it is between San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Maps are given, however, as far south as San Diego. Quite a complete description is given of the Coast country as a whole, and also of various localities. These are illustrated by some beautiful scenes of towns and buildings along the way, of the Coast itself, and of the various productions of the country, as, for instance, the oil-wells, fruit sections, etc. The information, we are assured, is accurate. Any one wishing to get better acquainted with this section of the country may obtain the booklet by addressing Mr. Chas. S. Fee, Passenger Traffic Manager, Southern Pacific, San Francisco, Cal.

Our thanks are extended to Mr. Robert E. Lozier of the Department of State Agency of Guthrie, Okla., for the platform adopted by state prohibitionists of Oklahoma, and for Senate bill No. 61, by R. A. Billups. This bill is for the purpose of establishing a state agency and local agencies for the sale of intoxicating liquors for certain purposes, providing for referring the same to the people and for prohibiting the manufacture, sale, barter, giving away, or otherwise furnishing of intoxicating liquors, except as provided by the bill. It is designed to be a temperance act, tho it is far from a prohibition measure.

"The American Antiquarian" for March and April is an excellent number. Among the special articles worthy of mention are "The Vaulted Chambers of Petra's High Places" (illustrated), "Recent Excavations in Egypt," "Hilprecht's Recent Researches," "Native Tribes of South Australia" (showing how they are rapidly becoming extinct before the vices of the white man), "The Moose in America," etc., etc. The Antiquarian is edited by Rev. Stephen D. Peet, Ph.D., and published at $4.00 per annum, at 438 E. 57th St., Chicago.