THE foregoing does not seem like a very significant title for an article, but notwithstanding, it stood at the head of some very striking paragraphs that recently appeared in the editorial columns of one of New York’s greatest daily papers. The paragraphs that we find in this paper under the foregoing title are well worthy of reproduction and are as follows:
“Intimidation is the order of the day.
“A national administration at Washington commissioned by the people to check monopoly and privilege is kukluxed by Big Business.
“A United States Senate with a Democratic majority of six pledged to tax reduction is kukluxed by bullying representatives of sugar and wool.
“A governor of New York pledged, like everybody else in the state, to direct primaries, is kukluxed by two arrogant bosses.
“A district attorney in New York who in the pursuit of his duty has prosecuted criminal policemen is kukluxed by an irritated and malicious mayor.
“An independent press which has made war upon police corruption, with no interest to serve but that of the people, is kukluxed by the same resentful officer.
“The city of Paterson, New Jersey, whose authorities have attempted to enforce the law and promote a settlement of a labor dispute, is kukluxed by revolutionary rovers and wreckers who fight law and labor as well as capital. There are others.
“Big Business threatens that if president and Congress legislate in behalf of the people, wages will be cut, factories closed, and manufacturing plants removed to Europe.
“Representatives of the tariff-fattened sugar and wool rings threaten certain senators that if they vote against high taxes it will not be safe for them to return to their homes.”
“The big New York bosses threaten their henchmen with defeat and political exile if they assist the governor in the matter of direct primaries.
“Irritated by the exposure of conspiracy, blackmail, and graft in the police department, the mayor attempts to intimidate the district attorney and the press by insinuation, slander, and vituperation.
“Recognized in Paterson, New Jersey, as enemies of those who work as well as of those who hire, the leaders of the I. W. W. threaten to ‘wipe the town off the map.’ So it goes.
“The main question involved in these conditions is not the intent of the kukluxers, plain as that may be. The intent is to substitute the will of individuals and groups for that of city, state, and nation. The important question is whether the people are to take sides in the various controversies, and if so, under what standard they are to align themselves. If those who defend public rights in these instances are not to be overborne, they must have the support of courageous and self-respecting men, irrespective of party.
“With kukluxers at work on every hand, it is not enough to vote once a year. There must be a continuing purpose behind the vote. It is not enough to elect well-disposed public servants. They must have backing and encouragement in their lawful undertakings.
“Most people’s political activities end with the closing of the polls, which is when those of the kukluxers begin. Those who would show the true colors of American citizenship have only to examine conditions in Washington, New York, Albany, and Paterson. There is good fighting all along the line.
“Intimidate the intimidators! Kuklux the kukluxers!”
Photo by Paul Thompson, New York
The “Kuklux Klan” was organized for purposes of intimidation. The Klan did not pretend to be right always, but it did pretend to have powers of intimidation. It worked in secret. The foregoing editorial paragraphs are quite significant in showing the extent of secret organizations that are working for similar purposes of intimidation. The long list enumerated is confined to a small corner of the Atlantic States. The list could have been greatly extended if the whole country had been taken in; and then when this country had been traversed, the whole world could have been gone over in the same way, and it would have been found to be in the same condition. Concentrated wealth is seeking to intimidate in order that it may hold power.
Francis Joseph, the aged emperor of Austria, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife. The archduke is the head of the Austrian army, and is to succeed to the throne. He is said to be a man of great ability and a devout Catholic, and will doubtless be a prominent figure in the final settlement of the Balkan difficulty.
Political rings are seeking to intimidate so that they may hold power and extort money from their victims. These conditions are quite universally prevalent, and every one knows that it is so.
A recent book published by a well-known and popular author presents a list of problems that are confronting the world. They are right along the line of what is suggested by the foregoing New York editorial. Leading men everywhere are discussing these great problems. They recognize that they exist. They recognize, furthermore, that they are a menace to our times, and that unless something can be done speedily, they will overthrow our civilization.
The courage that many men manifest in saying that they hope to meet the situation and successfully contend against it is very much to be admired. But should they succeed, they will do something that has never been performed before in the history of the world. It has been the universal testimony that whenever a nation has become honeycombed with internal corruption, luxurious vices, and the grasping power of greed, that nation has had to go down. The nations of the world are rapidly coming into the place that is characteristic of every nation that has crumbled into decay. When we follow the philosophy of history, we ought to see, if we had no guiding rays of prophecy, that this world is rapidly approaching its climax, and that it must soon break to pieces because of its own internal conditions. The second coming of Christ to end the conflict and perplexity is the one bright star of hope.
San Francisco and Blind Pigs
The “blind pig,” the “blind tiger,” etc., are Americanisms that are used to designate places where intoxicating drinks are sold on the sly. They are usually supposed to exist only in territory where the selling of liquor is prohibited by law, and then these “blind pigs” operate under cover, selling to a confidential list of customers regardless of the law.
When the saloons are driven out, one of the arguments presented against it is that if we shut up the saloons we will have “blind pigs,” and the “blind pigs” are worse than the saloon itself. The people who make this argument may not know it, but it is nevertheless true that places which have the open saloon are often cursed with as many “blind pigs” as they have saloons themselves, or more. For instance, in the work of reform that Mayor Rolph is prosecuting so vigorously in San Francisco, he is not only bringing criminal policemen to the bar of justice, but he is ordering some of those who are still tolerated on the forces, but who are questioned, to make a record for themselves in upholding law and order, or something will be done about it.
In one of his recent meetings with some of the police commissioners, the attorney for the Royal Arch appeared before them and requested that something be done to suppress the 1,500 “blind pigs” that they knew existed in San Francisco. The Royal Arch is the organization of the great liquor monopoly. It desires to have its trade go through specific channels, and, incongruous as it may seem, is in favor of the open saloon and very much opposed to the “blind pig,” because they can not11handle the business through this particular kind of liquor dealer. The Royal Arch has unquestionably the best of opportunity for learning that there are 1,500 “blind pigs” in the place, and their authority on such a subject is of the highest order. That is quite a record for a single city, and especially for a city that is so well filled and so thoroly cursed by saloons as is San Francisco.
This record of “blind pigs” in San Francisco is by no means phenomenal, for similar investigations have shown that where open saloons thrive best the “blind pigs” usually are most numerous. So the argument that closing the saloons will result in the curse of the “blind pig” is utterly overcome by the facts. The first step in prohibition and cleaning up a territory is to throw out the open saloons; then it is easier to find the “blind pigs,” and let them be driven out as soon thereafter as possible. And when we consider how rapidly the world is being driven into crimes and vices of every sort and character, some of them unspeakable in their nature, and when we consider further that the saloon is the greatest propagator of these evils, it is high time that all good people work together as one man to abate and suppress this crying evil of the day.
A Great Word
WHERE did Dr. Manning get the idea that “protestant” is a “cumbersome and ugly” word? It was so designated by the rector of Trinity in his sermon Sunday on the proposal to change the time-honored name of the Protestant Episcopal Church to “Catholic and Apostolic Church.”
There are more musical words than “protestant;” there are words better adapted to the metrical demands of poetry. But is there, historically considered, a nobler word in English speech? Jesus was a protestant. Socrates, Luther, Savonarola, Lincoln, were protestants. All the great reformers of the world have been protestants.
A church that can justly call itself protestant has good cause to be proud of the name. “Protestant” is a word that typifies the highest ideals of human progress, and one not lightly to be abandoned. It is yet a word which has long enjoyed a disfavor among members of the church, which has now culminated in the present organized movement for its abandonment.
From Underwood & Underwood, N. Y.
Episcopalians should think twice before they give up this inspiring and distinctive title, useful and descriptive as it is to-day of a progressive church “protesting” against wrong and corruption which in new guise require to be combated.—Three-a-Week World.
The Tyranny of Fashion
Councilman W. A. Hoefler, of Pittsburg, introduced a resolution in the city council of that place a few days ago, in which “the styles of women’s garments as fashioned at the present time” were denominated in some cases to be of “an immodest character, and in other cases absolutely lewd and licentious.” His resolution furthermore stated that certain classes of garments worn by the women nowadays tend to “lower the public morality and are a menace to good order and decorum.” It was the object of his resolution to have the wearing of such apparel prohibited. He was not successful in getting his resolution passed; but it is nevertheless encouraging to know that there are many men and women who are rising to protest against the ludicrous, not to say indecent, dress that so many women of the present time insist upon wearing. Style is one of the greatest tyrants that has ever been created by sinful humanity. It doesn’t seem to make any difference whether the prevailing fashion be ludicrous, inconvenient, indecent, and unhealthful; if it be only the style, it must be worn at all hazards. Not long ago a woman in one of our Western cities was seen to be hesitating at the steps of a street-car, not knowing just what to do. Finally a couple of men came to her rescue, taking hold of each of her arms, and helping her to jump like a kangaroo up the steps of the car. Her skirts were so tight it was quite impossible for her to get aboard in any other way. It is disgusting to think that human beings would follow styles to such absurd extremes, and yet they do. Would it not be much better to have a little common sense that will cause us to dress and act decently and respectably and throw the styles to the winds?
The Japanese and the United States
AYAO HATTORI and Soroku Ebara, Japanese statesmen, are in California investigating, on behalf of their government, the alien land situation. A few days ago these gentlemen addressed an audience of four thousand Japanese in San Francisco. Mr. Hattori, in his speech, said: “ ‘America for Americans’ is used as a slogan chiefly by European immigrants. We do not feel called upon to heed such a cry as this, because we believe in the ‘fatherhood of God’ and the ‘brotherhood of man.’ The Chinese were disbarred first, and nothing much happened. Denis Kearney has gone, but the Chinese are still here. I think this shows that the American people are fair.” Mr. Hattori further said: “We have been taught by the Christian missionaries to ‘turn the other cheek.’ After this, it is regrettable that such a law should be passed by a commonwealth of a nation with which we are most anxious to co-operate. Still we must remember that it is not the United States that is doing this. Only a few states out of forty-eight maintain such an attitude. Responsibility for this rests with only a few irresponsible people.”
Mr. Ebara, in his speech, referred to President Wilson as “a beacon light of wisdom,” and cautioned his countrymen to respect American authority and institutions, and not to let the present complications cause unrest or excitement. A few sentences direct from Mr. Ebara’s speech are the following:
“Ever since the opening of Japan to the Occident, we have cherished the thought and the ideas brought to the Far East by the American pioneers. . . . Japan’s new ideal inculcates a patriotism which will make its sons fight for the country where they get their living and from whose laws they get protection. The Japanese are loyal and faithful, and they would fight for this country if necessary.”
When the Japanese are taught sentiments like the foregoing by her leading statesmen, it is too bad that trouble should be engendered between the two countries. And if men like Mr. Hattori and Mr. Ebara of Japan can co-operate with men who have breadth of culture and patriotism in this country, we are sure that the matter will be settled without any further difficulty.
England, which is Japan’s great ally, and has been for years, has debarred the Japanese from settling in much of her territory. She has carried on her negotiations so that Japan is satisfied with this, and there has been no talk of war; and if we can let the statesmen in this country deal with the statesmen in Japan, and keep down the excitement of the Jingo press in both lands, we will doubtless have similar experiences here. Certainly no true-minded American could fail to respond to the high ideals and sentiments of these two Japanese statesmen who are visiting this country for the purpose of relieving the tension.
Sanitation and the Paris Typhoid Epidemic
Paris has been having an epidemic of typhoid fever. One of the ironies in connection with the outbreak was that the place most seriously affected was the building occupied by the faculty of medicine. They were soon able, however, to trace out the cause of the trouble. A plumber had made the mistake of connecting some pipes in the building with a disused main that had formerly conveyed water from the Seine. The defect has been remedied, and the disease is abating, altho seventeen deaths have already occurred. This emphasizes the fact that sanitation is something that needs to be very carefully looked after. Sanitary measures stricter than those in vogue in almost any place that could be selected in the world were enforced upon ancient Israel in the time of Moses. As the result of observing these sanitary regulations, combined with the blessing of God, it could be said, toward the close of their wanderings in the wilderness, that there was not a sick person among them. Much of the sickness in these times is occasioned by a lack of observing some of the most ordinary principles of sanitation. Such carelessness as that of the plumber in Paris is criminal, for his negligence has already resulted in the death of seventeen persons.
A Prominent Royal Wedding
Fifty crowned heads attended the royal wedding at Berlin May 24, when Princess Victoria Louise, the only daughter of the German emperor, was married to Prince Ernest Augustus of Cumberland.
One of the most interesting things in modern times is to study the intermarriages and relationships of the royal families of Europe. It was because of their relationships and endeavors to harmonize with each other that these fifty royal personages attended this great wedding. This has been a characteristic of Europe for centuries, and it forcibly reminds one of the prophecy in the second chapter of Daniel, which speaks of the dividing of the old Roman Empire, and then states that “they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”
Strong efforts have been made, through intermarriage, to form a European coalition that would maintain the peace, and that would weld these nations together; but the prophecy said that none of their dreams would ever be fulfilled; that after Rome was broken up into the divisions that are represented among the nations of Europe at present, the country would never be united; that it would remain in that divided condition until the God of heaven should set up His universal kingdom that would overthrow all dominions. A great many people presume to jeer at the old Book; but it tells the story of things as they are, and whatever it predicts we may rest assured will be accomplished.
Japan’s New Dreadnought Squadron
Japan has contracted for three new Dreadnoughts to be of 30,500 tons each. She already has one ship of the same size under construction, and these three will complete her squadron of four. These new ships, according to reports, are designed to have a speed of 27 knots, and will probably carry ten 13.5-inch guns. They will be arranged so that all of them can be trained on either broadside with a dead ahead or dead astern fire of four guns.
Three Killed by Lightning in Georgia
In a storm that passed through Georgia on June 2 three persons were struck and killed by lightning.
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For the last six months of 1913
By Editor
One of the chief features of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES will be a series of twenty-four elaborate Bible readings. We have given Bible readings in the past, but they have invariably been short, in the necessity of the case; but in the six months to come they will be much more elaborate, set in larger type, broken up by subheads, illustrated. They will stand out so strong and clear as to invite reading. They will be amplified by notes which make clear the scriptures.
THE SUBJECTS ARE AS FOLLOWS
1. The Holy Scriptures. Their Inspiration; Their Sufficiency.
2. The More Sure Word of Prophecy. Its Purpose for the Latter Days; A Sign of the True God; Examples of Bible Prophecy.
3. The Coming of the Just One. His Coming Is Personal; His Coming Is Literal; His Coming Will Be Visible; We May Know When His Coming Is Near; There Shall Be Signs.
4. What Christ’s Coming Means. He Comes in Great Glory and Majesty; The Effect of That Glory; The Effect of His Coming, upon the Sleeping Righteous and the Living Righteous.
5. Signs of the Times. Wealth, Labor, and Capital, with striking statistics and tables.
6. Present-Day Conditions Minutely Foretold. Great Spiritual Declension Predicted; Knowledge to Be Increased; A Cry of Peace and Safety; Signs in the Heavens; Last-Day Scoffers; Crime and Injustice; etc.
7. Object-Lessons of God’s Mercy. Types, Shadows, Symbols.
8. Our Great High Priest. The Fulfilment of the Types and Shadows and Symbols; His Ministration in the Heavenly Sanctuary.
9. The Two Thousand Three Hundred Days. Their Beginning; Their Ending; What They Mean.
10. The Law of Jehovah. Immutable and Eternal.
11. The Everlasting Gospel. What Is the Gospel? The Relation of the Law to the Gospel.
12. The Everlasting Covenant. Created in Christ Jesus; Freedom of Choice and Faith; Father of the Faithful; Establishing the Covenant; the Old Covenant; What the New Covenant Does for Man.
13. God’s Message for To-Day. The Hour of His Judgment; Conditions in the Religious World; God’s Desire Concerning Babylon; The Healing Message; An Impending Judgment; True Worship.
14. The Great Threefold Message. Babylon; What Is the Beast? Worship True and False; What the Rejection of God’s Message Means.
15. The Sabbath — The Day — The Duty. The Sabbath Law; Questions on the Law; Memorial and Sign; Jesus and the Sabbath; The First Day of the Week; The Lord’s Day; Teaching of the Apostles.
16. The Change of the Sabbath. Fulfilled in Christ’s Teaching and Example; Prophecies of Rome; Confession to the Prediction.
17. Man in Life and Death. Dissolution of Man Result of Sin; Man’s Condition in Death; Eternal Life by Faith; The Two Resurrections.
18. Modern Spiritualism.
19. The End of Sin. The Result of Being Identified with Sin — The Second Death.
20. Religious Liberty. How Only Men Are Saved; Equality of Man; The Difference of Sphere in the Religious and the Civil Domain.
21. The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast. The Seal of God’s Law; The Distinctive Characteristic of the True God; The Memorial of His Creative Power; The Sign of His Redeeming, Sanctifying Power; A Last-Day Reformation.
22. The Great Day of the Lord. Character of That Day; A Warning Message; The Beginning of the Day; The Events of Christ’s Coming; The Earth Desolated and Satan Bound; The Close of the Thousand Years; Destruction of Sin and Sinners; The Triumph of Righteousness.
23. The Outpouring of the Spirit. The Early and the Latter Rain.
24. The Gifts of the Spirit. The Gift to All; Spiritual Gifts; Purpose and Object.
There will be, in connection with these Bible readings, articles on the various subjects, notes which will take up some of the objections connected with these various topics.
In addition to this, the editors have in hand three articles on the nature of man, which involve the explanation of that puzzling parable, the rich man and Lazarus.
Also a large number of articles on the second coming of our Lord and the signs of the times; articles on the Scriptures and the importance of Scripture; articles on various phases of prophecy, prophecies not generally discussed, but which are important; articles on atonement and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, man’s generation, degeneration, and regeneration.
A series of articles entitled “A Sevenfold Sign of the Times,” a great prophecy which pertains to our own days and our own times, a prophecy of this generation.
Our “Question Corner,” of course, will continue as now, in answering the many questions on all kinds of Bible and historical religions subjects.
Our editorial columns will be always filled.
The Outlook will chronicle and point the meaning of the great events which are taking place all over the world, will show the bearing and breadth of God’s message for this time.
Our Missions department will bring before the readers the conditions and demands in the most needy fields of the world. In this Missions department there is given the fullest summary of the work that is being done all over the world.
We have promises from some of our best writers for articles in the Home department, and from Dr. Thomson and Dr. Evans-Stewart.
It has been true ever, we believe, that the performance of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has been more than its promises. We are determined that it shall be in the six months to come.
We shall so present God’s great message for this time that we are sure we can heartily, consistently, and confidently ask the cooperation of our readers throughout the great field.
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