Our Bible Band by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 18, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 51.

Our Bible Band.

By Editor

THERE is but one more issue of the SIGNS in the year 1907. The date of that issue is December 25. That issue will outline the Bible Band readings for the first week in January, 1908. All who design to join the Band must act at once in order to be with the Band all the way thru the year.

"But," some one asks, "what special benefit will I derive by paying ten cents, securing a card, and joining the Band, when I can get the suggestions thru the paper without doing this?"

First, your benefit will be in the formal decision you make to do something needful and worthy. No person makes such a decision and holds to it without being benefited thereby.

Secondly, there is blessing in association in a good work. When others are with us, it gives us courage and hopefulness to persist.

Thirdly, the enthusiasm of taking hold with others heartily in a good work is always helpful. How much better it is to be in the van of every good work rather than in the rear! How much better to be among the lifters rather than among those who are benefited by others lifting! How much better to be among the reapers than the gleaners!

We invite all our readers to join the Bible Band, and do it quickly. See fuller particulars in issue of December 4.

A letter comes to us from one who has received several copies of the SIGNS. He writes that he wishes it no longer and says, "I have no time to spare in going over the stories which clergymen have repeated from week to week for generations until they have become insipid, almost nauseating. Please do not send me any more."

And of course his request will be complied with. And yet we are sorry for this soul, and thousands of others, who like ourselves once did not believe in the religion of Jesus Christ. We would not argue the question with them in any way, but simply say to them this one word, that sometime perhaps they will see the futility of a purely human hope, the utter powerlessness of purely human effort, the utter worthlessness of all human goodness. Then let them turn to the Lord Jesus Christ who died for them, and they will find in Him all that He has promised in His word, a Saviour, a Friend. And then also will they know that the drinking in of that message is neither insipid nor nauseating, but the purest nectar, of which if one drinks he will never desire to drink from other fountains. We still commend them to Christ Jesus.

A large number of the "Signs" readers know of the successful work that was done by our lamented brother, Evangelist Simpson, up to the time of his untimely death which occurred a few months ago. He always had a large attendance at his meetings, and there is no doubt but his peculiar methods of advertising had largely to do with bringing the crowds to hear him. While he was living he was constantly receiving requests for outlines of his advertising methods. When he died he had quite a stock of revolving charts that he had left from one of his evangelistic efforts. These charts give quite a good idea of some of the methods he employed. Any one interested may secure one of these charts by addressing the widow, Mrs. Nellie B. Simpson, Box 7, Tropico, Cal., enclosing ten cents to pay for the same. The chart will not only be suggestive to the one receiving it, but the money received will be a help to the widow and children of our late brother.

How Shall We Witness?—A religious contemporary says:

"It is very important that Christian young people should learn to observe Sunday in such a way as to honor Christ. He says, 'Ye are My witnesses.' If worldly men see Christian young people spending the Sunday in worldly ways, they will judge at once that their profession of Christ is not sincere."

It is important. But how shall we witness? Shall it be for Christ or against Christ? Shall we witness in harmony with the commandments of God, with whom Christ is one, or against them? Shall we witness with Christ's example, or against it? The law declares, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Jesus kept the seventh day. What, then, should our witness be?

Eleven men perished by fire in the Fremont mine in Amador County, Cal., November 30. The next day fifty perished on account of an explosion in the Naomi mine, near Fayette City, Pa.

Five persons were killed and about twenty injured on December 4 in a rear-end collision between two passenger trains on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Hanover, Md.

America has one soldier for every 732; and one missionary for every 14,700 of her people.