p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 25. (6/19/1907)

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The Father Knows.

By Rosalind A. Young

O STRICKEN heart, look up, The bitterest woes From sorrow's brimming cup The Father knows.

When seas of trouble roll He speaks a calm, Into the aching soul He pours a balm.

And all along life's way This tender Friend Shall be our Guide and Stay Till life shall end.

When earth-born sorrows press, Tho great or small, In all their bitterness He knows them all.

His hands can ease the smarts That sin has made, In Him poor sin-tossed hearts Are not afraid.

Tried soul, His love receive, His promise take, "Thee I will never leave, Nor e'er forsake."

Tahiti. ROSALIND A. YOUNG.

Studies in the Christ-Life at Brother Eldred's

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

‘ABSTEMIOUS!’ echoed Mrs. Field, smiling. ‘If the prophet confined himself to a diet of locusts and honey, I should call it something besides abstemiousness. Seems to me I should have been inclined to reduce my diet still further, and take the honey alone, if I could get nothing else but insects to eat,’ and Mrs. Field shuddered.

‘But certain kinds of locusts were permissible food,’ said Brother Eldred, ‘as we read in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. They are still used in various parts of the East. But some have thought,’ he continued, ‘that the pods of the carob-tree, sometimes called “locust bran,” is meant. One of Webster’s definitions is: “One of the long, sweet succulent pods of the carob-tree, which are used as food for animals and sometimes eaten by man; called also St. John’s bread.”’

‘Tillie, what was the message of John the Baptist?’

‘Maybe it would be well to let him answer that question himself, father,’ replied Tillie, turning rapidly to John 1:22, 23.

‘“Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”’

‘Esaias of the New Testament is the Isaiah of the Old, who lived about 700 years before this time. We find almost the identical language which was used by Isaiah in his wonderful prophecy of John the Baptist, in Isa. 40:3. In other words,’ commented Brother Eldred, ‘John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ; he came to preach the baptism of repentance, and to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the Messiah.’

‘What relation was the Baptist to Jesus, Tillie?’

‘Luke 1:36 says that Mary and Elizabeth were cousins. So I suppose they were what we would term second cousins.’

‘What class of people went into the wilderness to hear John’s preaching, Jack?’

‘A great many people, and he called them “vipers,” father, if I am not mistaken. It doesn’t seem real polite, now, does it, mother?’ queried Jack, turning to Sister Eldred.

‘Maybe we would better see just what it does say, my son,’ she replied. ‘Let us read Matt. 3:7, 8.

‘“But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance,” or as the margin says, “answerable to amendment of life.” There is no question but that the prophet of the wilderness was a very plain man,’ continued Sister Eldred, ‘who did not cater to the pride or vanity of the Pharisees, or to the egotism of the Sadducees. But it will not do for us to judge other people until we are certain that we are as filled with the Spirit of God as was this most wonderful man. I am quite sure that the rebuke John gave them was, under the circumstances, the only thing which, thru the Holy Spirit, would have brought about true conviction and sorrow for sin.’

‘Perhaps it might be well, Jack, for your mother to give us a few facts about the lives and the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’

‘Both classes were very self-righteous,’ continued Sister Eldred, ‘and both made it their boast that they were the children of Abraham, evidently believing this sufficient to merit the favor of both God and man; so that it was necessary that the Baptist attempt to rouse them from this self-satisfied condition. The Pharisees believed in a resurrection from the dead and in future rewards and punishments. But they were eminently bigoted and self-righteous as a class, and dearly loved the praise of men.

‘The Sadducees were not so numerous as they, but were very influential, from the fact that they were wealthy and aristocratic. They did not believe in the resurrection, and taught that the Almighty never even condescended to notice this earth nor any of its inhabitants. Strange as it may seem, it was from among the Sadducees that the priests were in John’s day almost always chosen. It was to this class that the haughty Caiaphas belonged.’

‘Well,’ said Alice, ‘I should think they would make pretty poor religious teachers if they didn’t even believe in the resurrection!’

‘Maybe they kept still about it, so as to get the position and the pay,’ smiled Tom, ‘a good deal the way some people do now.’

‘Precisely what they did do,’ smiled Sister Eldred. ‘In fact they were obliged to promise that they would not teach their heresies, before they were appointed to the priesthood. Under the circumstances, I think it must have taken a vast deal of moral courage to speak out as plainly as John did, to those wealthy and unscrupulous leaders, for as was plainly proved not long after this, these people would not hesitate to bring about the death of one whom they considered an enemy.’

‘It reminds me of Luther at the Diet of Worms,’ declared Jack, to whom anything which savored of courage or bravery strongly appealed.

‘King Herod must have become acquainted with the Baptist, about this time, did he not, father?’ asked Tillie.

‘I think so. Will Mrs. Field please read Mark 6:20, with the marginal reading?’

‘“For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him [margin, kept him, or saved him]; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”’

‘Why, papa,’ said Florence, ‘I heard mama say that King Herod put poor John into prison; that doesn’t seem very much like “keeping him, or saving him.”’

‘I think Jack can explain this point; can you not, my son? Suppose you give a short sketch of the experience of the Baptist with King Herod.’

‘Why,’ said Jack, ‘it was from the cruel Herodias that the king was trying to save the prophet. King Herod was a Jew, and he came very near becoming a disciple of the prophet. Herodias was Herod’s unlawful wife, and the brave prophet was not afraid to reprove her and the king, too. But this made the jealous woman so angry that she insisted upon the king’s putting him in prison. Finally, the queen gave a royal party on Herod’s birthday, and sent her beautiful daughter in to dance before them. The king was by this time intoxicated, and he agreed that she might have anything she asked him for. Of course the queen was on hand to tell her what to ask, and the come-out of it was that this good prophet had his head taken off while still in prison.’

Mrs. Field’s two daughters, Mildred and Blanche, had listened very intently to Jack’s recital, and, finally, when he paused, Mildred, the older sister, exclaimed impulsively:

‘O, how dreadful! it is as tragic as—as anything I ever heard, and—’

‘And it’s true, too isn’t it, mother?’ asked Blanche.

(To be Continued.)

The Psychic Riddle

"The Psychic Riddle." By I. K. Funk, D.D., LL.D., author of "The Widow's Mite and Other Psychic Phenomena," "The Next Step in Evolution," etc. Cloth, 244 pages; price, $1.00, net. Funk & Wagnalls Company, New York and London.

This little book of Dr. Funk's presents what has thus far developed in his own investigations and under his own observation in psychic phenomena. Are there intelligences outside of the human five senses which communicate with man? Can we identify these intelligences as those who once lived in the flesh? In other words, Are they the spirits of the dead? The affirmative of the first of these the author firmly believes. He is not satisfied that these intelligences can be identified as those who have lived in the flesh. He does not think it has yet been scientifically demonstrated. Some spirits communicate with some of humanity, but what spirits he does not know; hence, he does not call himself a Spiritualist. He thinks the matter ought to be investigated, and appeals to his readers to form an association for this purpose. Yet it can be readily seen that Dr. Funk finds it easier to believe in spirit communications than not to believe, notwithstanding the vast amount of fraud connected with mediumship. He professes to believe the Bible; but did he believe it and would he take its express teachings, he could easily learn that there were spirits, good and evil, but not spirits of the dead; "for the dead know not anything." Those intelligences which come in the guise of the dead are spirits of evil. "The Psychic Riddle" is doubtless the best last work written on the side of deceived investigators—deceived not as to facts, but as to the nature of man as revealed in the word of God.

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By Editor

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DATE OF EXPIRATION.

By Editor

The SIGNS wrapper bears date of last issue due on your subscription. Unless renewed in advance, paper stops with expiration date.

If herewith is an order blank, you will know you have overlooked sending renewal. You will not wish to miss a single issue. Back numbers often can not be furnished.

"OUR LITTLE FRIEND."

By Editor

Is Our Little Friend a weekly visitor in your home? This is the children's paper, and its visits cost less than a cent a week. The following little letters show the children's love for Our Little Friend:

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Bibles

By Editor

Bibles.—Remember that we are headquarters for anything in the Bible line. We shall be pleased to send you our catalog of Bible selections on application.

The House We Live In

House We Live In, The, or The Making of the Body. By Vesta J. Farnsworth. Sets forth in an interesting and instructive manner all the wonders, uses, functions, etc., of the human body in all its various parts. The plan of the book is conversational—a mother talking with her children. It is a book for home reading and will be of great assistance to mothers in teaching their children how to care for themselves physically, and to avoid the evil effects of narcotics and stimulants. Contains 218 pages, nearly 150 illustrations. Cloth, $1.00.

His Glorious Appearing

His Glorious Appearing. New edition. An exposition of Matthew 24, revised, enlarged, and illustrated. The book contains 114 pages, with 20 full-page illustrations. It takes up Christ's great prophecy of His own second coming, and the signs of the times are clearly pointed out in their relation to that greatest event. Just the book for the times. Attractive, interesting, timely, and instructive. Board, 25 cents; bound in fine English cloth, embossed covers, lemon edges, 50 cents.

Steps to Christ

By Editor

Steps to Christ. By Mrs. E. G. White. Cloth, 164 pages; price, 50 cents; paper covers, 25 cents. Review & Herald, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.; Pacific Press, Mountain View, Cal.

A most excellent spiritual work showing the Bible steps to Christ and in Christ. It has passed thru many successive editions since 1892, and is now published in fifteen European languages. It is thoroly evangelical and mightily helpful in teaching the way of truth and life. It may be obtained of this office.

LITERARY NOTICES.

"Scientific Confirmations of Old Testament History." By G. Frederick Wright, D.D., LL.D., F.G.S.A., holding the chair of "The Harmony of Science and Revelation" in Oberlin College. Price, $2.00. Bibliotheca Sacra Company, Oberlin, Ohio.

The author of this book has devoted some thirty-five years or more to the study of his subject. He has had the opportunity of extensive travel in this country, Europe, Asia, and Africa for the purpose of making his investigations of geology. The doctor shows a profound reverence and respect for the Bible. He follows the usual lines of geology in supposing that the world existed for long periods of millenniums of years, but that phase of the subject is only referred to incidentally. He makes a strong argument on the ground that a universal flood that came up quickly and subsided quickly is the only hypothesis on which geologists can explain many of the things that exist in different parts of the earth. The Flood is mentioned in the literature of all ages and nations, but the Bible presents the only account that is straightforward and sensible. The other accounts are so grotesque in their presentation as to make them absurd.

The chapter on the "Witness of the New Testament" shows that the historical account of Christ, aside from what the Bible has to say of Him, is much more authentic and extensive than the accounts of such well-known historical characters as Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar. All men will accept without question that these characters lived, and the evidence from history that Christ lived is even more abundant. It is not necessary for a person to agree with all the conclusions of the doctor, but there is a main formation of solid truth that runs thru the volume from beginning to end, and it is presented in such a way as to be very readable, refreshing, and helpful.

Our India Mission.

By Editor

Do not pass by our Missions Department. It tells you about our missionaries' Mountain Home in India to which our readers have contributed liberally during the last year. It is not a hospital. It is not a place for sick men. Some of our readers may not know how fearfully enervating and disease-laden the climate, atmosphere, and soil of the coast lands of India are,—hot and humid to a degree unknown in America. For an energetic American white man to work in those districts a year is almost certain death, or life-long disability. A place in the higher, cooler, drier mountain districts has been needed, a place close by many people who need the Gospel of Christ, a place to which the missionaries in the lowlands may flee during the hottest part of the year, restore their wasting energies, and still labor for souls. Such a place has been found and purchased. The price asked is $8,000, a reduction of $2,000. There has been raised for this purpose $7,000. One thousand more is needed. We know our readers will respond, and respond quickly. Brother Shaw writes that to raise a thousand dollars in that country would take a thousand days.

We did not intend to make this note so long. Read our Missions Department, see the beautiful spot and modest building. If a little more than a thousand were raised, it would help them to straighten the wire fence, and to fix up a room for the weariest missionary a little better.

Since our last remittance to the Mission Board for the Mountain Home—$3,241.50—sent in March, we have received the following:

To March 31, reported in SIGNS of April 17, $ 6.00 Victor Weed ............................ 1.00 Miss A. Goodall ........................ 30.00 X. Y. Z. ............................... 5.00 Mrs. C. Lepel .......................... 2.00 W. C. Dexter ........................... 10.00 J. Shunhoff ............................ 3.00 Lucy Slayton ........................... .50 Mrs. C. W. Huntington .................. .50 Minnie M. Jordan ....................... 1.00 Mrs. Alice B. Witt ..................... .50 J. L. Longshore ........................ 1.25 John B. Reid ........................... 2.50 Mrs. A. Kniffin ........................ 1.25 Julia C. Brown ......................... 6.75 --------------------------------------------- Total to May 30 ........................ $71.25

The Christian Priesthood

The Priesthood of the Christian dispensation consists of no hierarchal class of men on earth to mediate between the soul and God. Our great High Priest is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures inform us that as assistant ministers on high He has twenty-four elders. Rev. 5:8. In the sanctuary above Christ Jesus offers in behalf of humanity His own precious blood (Heb. 1:12-14, 24-26); He pleads the virtue of His perfect sacrifice, made once for all. Heb. 7:27. The "elders" are said to offer incense. He has an earthly priesthood; but that priesthood consists not of a hierarchy in the church, but of all God's children. John declares, as one of the redeemed ones, that Jesus Christ "hath made us kings and priests unto God, and His Father." Rev. 1:6. The apostle Peter, speaking to the church at large, declares: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9. All who are Christ's are priests. What do they offer?—"The sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." Heb. 13:15. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Rom. 12:1. This is the only earthly priesthood and sacrifice acceptable to God. All others are either perverted systems or counterfeits.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL., JUNE 19, 1907

By Editor

We send no papers from this office to individuals without pay in advance. When persons receive copies without ordering them, they are sent by other parties, and we can give no information in regard to them. Persons thus receiving copies of the SIGNS are not indebted to the office, and will not be called upon to pay for them. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends to read.

Our authority is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. When the Common ("King James" or "Authorized") Version, or the American Standard Revised Version is used, quotations will not be designated in reference. Any Bible quotation in this paper, therefore, differing from the Common Version, unless otherwise indicated, will be almost invariably from the American Standard edition of the Revised Bible, copyright 1901, by Thomas Nelson & Sons.

Before the crown of glory stands the cross of suffering.

The endurance of Calvary was wrought out in the victory of Gethsemane.

There was no virtue in the blood of Abel's lamb more than in Cain's fruit; but it showed faith in the Lamb of God to come. Cain by his perversion of God's plan showed himself unworthy of God's blessing.

There is but one Sacrifice, one High Priest, one Mediator between God and man—the Man Christ Jesus. The sacrifice of the "mass" has therefore no basis in Scripture. Jesus Christ made the sacrifice "once for all" when He offered Himself. Heb. 7:27, A.R.V.

The Sanctuary of old with its multitudinous services was designed to be a constant object-lesson to Israel to teach them the way of God. It not alone revealed to them God's holiness and abhorrence of sin, but it showed God's willingness and power to remove the sin. It ever pointed forward to the Perfect Offering to come.

In our cover illustration, at the foot of the page, are three scenes illustrating the subject of this paper. On the left is the early altar with a smoking sacrifice of the lamb. In the middle is a fine view of Sinai, the people camped before it and the ancient tabernacle pitched in the center of the camp. This included many more types, and great elaboration of the more ancient sacrifices. At the right of the picture is the cross of Calvary, on which was slain the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, and to whom all the sacrifices pointed. At the foot of the cross wells up the fountain of life where the sinner may wash and be clean.

Our Next Issue.

By Editor

THE sanctuary service of the old dispensation, and what it typified is one of the most important topics in all the Bible. Indeed this subject has in it the very center and substance of the whole plan of salvation. No one can comprehend the plan of salvation without a knowledge of what the Book of books says concerning the sanctuary. God has devoted many chapters of His Book to the consideration of this subject, and since He has set it in such an important light, we should give most diligent heed to its consideration.

In this week's paper much interesting matter is presented concerning the sanctuary, as you will see. In the next paper the subject will be further considered in articles entitled,

The Antitype of the Sanctuary and Temple. The Cleansing of the Sanctuary — Its Meaning. The 2300 Days. The Judgment.

It is our hope that these important articles will be carefully studied. The time for the closing work in the plan of salvation is now due; this the prophecies clearly teach. Therefore the sanctuary question is one of the most important for the people of this generation. The next issue is No. 9 of our Special Series, which cover the great saving message of Bible truth. Back numbers can be furnished from May 1. The price of the twenty-six specials, six months, is only 75 cents. Address the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mountain View, Cal.

Convulsions of Nature

By Editor

Convulsions of Nature.—A slight shock of earthquake was felt in this vicinity Wednesday morning a half hour after midnight, June 5, lasting from six seconds in San Jose to ten seconds in San Francisco. No damage is reported, but many were greatly alarmed. Letters from China tell us that a recent earthquake destroyed the city of Haing Kiang and that 4,000 people were killed. June 7, the village of Serai, on the Turco-Persian frontier was destroyed by an earthquake. Damages from $3,000,000 to $6,000,000 were caused by a cyclone at Kurachi, India, the first of this month. Twenty-nine persons were killed and forty were reported injured as a result of a tornado which swept over Southern Illinois, Indiana, and Central Kentucky. Gradyville, Ky., and York and Minden, Ill., were the chief towns which suffered.

Great Controversy between Christ and Satan, The.

By Mrs. E. G. White: This volume presents the most wonderful and intensely interesting history that has ever been written of the great conflict between Christianity and the powers of darkness as illustrated in the lives of Christian martyrs and reformers on the one hand, and wicked men and persecuting powers on the other. Beginning with our Lord's great prophecy, given while viewing Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, this book outlines the history of the whole dispensation down to the time when "sin and sinners are no more, God's entire universe is clean, and the great controversy is forever ended." It contains 39 full-page illustrations nearly all of them new and specially engraved. It is printed on fine, tinted paper, beautifully and substantially bound, and contains 700 octavo pages. Over 200,000 copies already sold. English cloth embossed in jet and gold, marbled edges, $2.50.

International Conciliation and World Peace

By Editor

An eastern despatch states that the American branch of the Association for International Conciliation was organized April 23, with Prof. Nicholas Murray Butler, president, Congressman Richard Bartholdt, vice-president, and Robert E. Franks, treasurer. Andrew Carnegie and Andrew D. White are the honorary presidents. The organization voted to make Mrs. Eddy its founder, and she has accepted it. In responding to the offer Mrs. Eddy expressed the wish, "May the fruits of your grand association, pregnant with peace, find their birth-right in divine science." It certainly will take more even than the aberrant reasoning of Christian Science to get peace out of the world at the present time. The advocates of peace will have to declare that everything against peace is purely negative, and does not really exist.

Expenditure of Money

Expenditure of Money.—As showing how much money is used for mere pleasure, the following is striking evidence: "In fifty-five years the wealth of Switzerland has grown from $2,000,000,000 to $3,400,000,000, and not less than two-fifths of this total has been acquired by hotels, the annual income of which is estimated at upwards of thirty million dollars, paid them largely by the travelers who go to see the scenery of Switzerland. A touring club in France alone, almost wholly of bicyclists, numbering nearly one hundred thousand members, has an income of a quarter of a million dollars, and expends within twelve thousand dollars of that sum; and this is only one of many such organizations." It certainly can not be said that a country is poor where so much money is being lavished on pleasure alone.

The Willing Sacrifice of Christ

"The wages of sin is death." Whenever one chose a lamb for sacrifice, that lamb stood in his stead, dying because he deserved to die. That lamb in his innocence represented God's great gift of His Son; but the lamb's death was not voluntary, while Christ's was. There can be no vicarious atonement without a willing offering on the part of the vicar, the one who stands in another's stead.

Continue reading: God’s Justice and Mercy