THE doctrine that the people of God will all be perfected together, that neither those who have died in the past nor those who are alive when the Lord comes will have precedence in going up to glory, is guarded on both sides. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews attention is called to the faithful line from Abel to the prophets of Israel, and of them it is expressly said: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Verses 39, 40.
On the other hand, in the fourth chapter of Thessalonians, we are told that those who are living when Christ comes shall not precede those who have died before that time. The statement here is just as explicit as that in Hebrews: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4: 15-18.
So it is to be a matter of comfort to the living saints, until the Lord comes, concerning those who die in the Lord, not that they have gone to heaven, but that they will be gathered at the Lord’s coming, to “meet Him in the air,” and then to be ever with Him. Note that He wakes them with the “trump of God;” then note what Christ Himself says concerning His coming to gather His saints. After the appearance of certain signs in the sun, moon, and stars (all of which are in the past), He says, “The powers of the heavens shall be shaken; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matt. 24: 29-31.
That this gathering is a part of the execution of judgment, we also adduce the testimony of the Lord Himself: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5: 25-29.
That the promises of the Gospel can be fulfilled to the dead only by a resurrection from the dead, is emphatically stated by the apostle Paul: “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” 1 Cor. 15: 13, 14. Now if Christ was powerless to proceed any further with the work of salvation without a resurrection, how can the purpose of the Gospel be fulfilled in dead men without a resurrection?
But the apostle throws still further light on the subject. He says: “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [the living] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Verses 51-53. Immortality does not inhere in “this mortal.” It can become immortal only by putting on immortality at the coming of the Lord. The changing of the living at that time will be equivalent to the resurrection of the righteous dead in glorified bodies.
Here is the point where the victory comes in; for “when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Verse 54. Death has no more sting, and the grave is robbed of its temporary victory. Then “the Lord, the righteous Judge,” will give crowns of righteousness to all them that love His appearing. See 2 Tim. 4: 6-8. “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory;” not through any immortality of our own, or any righteousness of our own, but “through our Lord Jesus Christ” and “the power of His resurrection.”
The Christian Nation Delusion
There are professed ministers of the Gospel; hundreds of them, who are deceiving themselves and their people by applying the term "Christian nation" to those governments who spend more for war upon the heathen than they do for their conversion. They are calling the nations "Christian" whose people spend more of their means for strong drink and tobacco than for all the necessaries of life combined. If this logic will apply to a nation, it will apply with equal force to a single individual, for a nation is simply an aggregation of individuals. Then, when the minister tells the people that a nation can be recognized as Christian while engaged in killing the helpless heathen and robbing them of their property, why may not the individual suppose that he can indulge the same propensities and pass as a Christian too? Under such teaching, is it at all surprising that the prophet saw, near the end of time, a popular "Babylon" church, "a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird"? See Rev. 18: 1, 2.
Is not this recognition of warlike, usurping, grasping nations as "Christian" a deception that is making them "drunk" with the idea that the conquest and annihilation of the heathen is an aid to Gospel work, and that might makes right? Yet the most active and most popular idea of "national reform" now in vogue in this country is based on this "Christian nation" delusion. If this is reform, pitiable indeed is the nation when it shall have been reformed after such a manner.
AWAY FROM ORIGINAL PRINCIPLES.
By Editor
CONGRESS has settled the question of whether the Lewis and Clark Exposition at Portland, Ore., shall be opened or closed on Sunday. It had it in its power to offer a big "inducement" to the exposition managers to keep the fair closed on that day, and it has done it. It was a large amount to pay to one institution to induce it to act religiously for a succession of some twenty-six Sundays. To be specific, Congress will pay the exposition the snug sum of $76,923.07 for each and every Sunday that it keeps. There is many a humble resident of the United States who would keep Sunday for a much smaller sum; but we are not bidding for an offer from the government along this line.
On the other hand, we believe there are quite a number of people in the land who would not keep Sunday at any price—nay, who would suffer imprisonment and confiscation of goods rather than yield obedience to a man-made religious law, set up in opposition to the law of God, even if a bounty of $76,923.07 were offered for each such obedience.
To us there seems a great similarity between these bounties on Sunday-keeping and the national support of religious schools, against which Congress some years ago resolutely and wisely set itself. If it is right to pay out the people's money in bonuses on religious observances, it is certainly right to pay out the people's money in support of religious schools. But we believe that neither is right. It was not the design of the founders of this government that the people be taxed for religious purposes or for the support of religious institutions or usages; but in such appropriations as those made by Congress to the Chicago Exposition, the St. Louis Exposition, and that to be held at Portland in 1905, each of which is given with a Sunday-closing proviso, the people are taxed for the support of a religious institution, which is directly contrary to the basic principles of our government. If the expositions named were worthy of the appropriations made, they should have been given without the proviso which makes of them simply bounties for the performance of a religious form. In taking such action, our statesmen have wandered far from the principles upon which our government was founded, the principles of right and justice, the separation of Church and State.
The Literal Creation Record
No, professor, no; "the story of woman's creation" is not an "allegory." Facts are against that delusion; and the one fact that more than all else refutes the "allegory" theory is the literal presence of the woman. Allegories do not produce anything material, nor do they account for anything material. An allegory may illustrate a principle, but it can not record a material fact. The moment it does so, it ceases to be an allegory. If "the story of woman's creation" be an allegory, then must the whole creation story be allegorical. But there are the material facts in evidence, literal things visible to the natural eye, which can not be literally described allegorically. In order to have practical knowledge of the creation of literal things we must have literal description, and that is what the Creator has given us in the Biblical account. God does not deceive His children by telling them one thing while He would have them believe something else. They are deceived who do not believe His Word, and it is this class, who, by turning the truth of God into fiction, bring upon themselves "strong delusion, that they may believe a lie." If "the anthropologist who is honestly investigating the origin of the human species" would believe the inspired Record, he could save much time and labor to devote to profitable investigation in other lines—for instance, the salvation of the "human species." The Word of God is truth, and is worthy of all investigation, because in it is the wisdom and knowledge that all men need.
Gambling and Stealing
By Editor
Some curious distinctions are allowed where there is a disposition to apologize for certain features of human weakness. For instance, a newspaper editor speaks of a certain “naturally honest” man whose “fatal passion” for “gambling” led him “to steal to gratify its craving.” Gambling and stealing are sprouts from the same root—covetousness. All schemes to get rich at the expense of other people spring from the same root. The gambler and the thief both aim to get something for nothing, but they choose different methods. It is only the judgment of men that allows one to pass as honest and respectable, while the other is summarily condemned. The judgment of God makes no discrimination between “a demoralizing vice” and a vice which may happen to be forbidden by civil law; the divine law takes cognizance of the covetousness that lies at the bottom of both. The really important matter is not the fine discrimination of men, but how will it stand in the great final judgment, when He who judges the hearts of men shall render His decision? “For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” And we are further assured that His Word is “quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.” So the fallible judgment of man, who “looketh on the outward appearance,” will have no weight in that infallible court. Hence the exhortation, “Prepare to meet thy God.”
The Dance
The Dance.—In the fiftieth psalm we are exhorted to praise the Lord with the dance. The question is frequently asked, Can we not dance to the praise of the Lord now?—Certainly; but very few people who are anxious to dance would care to do so in a way that would praise the Lord, and therefore be pleasing to Him. One can not dance for his own amusement, or for the entertainment of the public, to the praise of the Lord. When David danced to the praise of the Lord, his worldly-minded wife was disgusted. One can not dance in a manner that is pleasing to the world—using the world's unseemly forms and the devil's trashy music—and thereby praise the Lord. If you want to dance to the glory of God, be sure that you do not rather gratify the flesh, and please the adversary.
ANOTHER SUNDAY BILL FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
By John D. Bradley
BY JOHN D. BRADLEY.
EARLY in the present session of Congress a bill "to further protect the first day of the week as a day of rest in the District of Columbia," by making it unlawful, with certain exceptions, "for any person to keep open any place of business or maintain a stand for the sale of any article or articles for profit during Sunday," and for "any public playing of football or baseball, or any other kind of playing, sports, pastimes, or diversions, disturbing the peace and quiet of the day, to be practised by any person or persons within the District of Columbia," or "any building operations or work upon railroad construction upon said day," was introduced by Representative Allen, of Maine, who no doubt did so at the request of persons interested in having such a law enacted. Those persons are the agents of "National Reform" and the representatives of local trade and business organizations interested in securing Sunday closing in their respective lines. This bill was referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia, but has not been heard of since, and it seems unlikely that it will have consideration during this session of Congress. But evidently the fact that the passage of this general Sunday law is somewhat doubtful has led the retail grocers' and butchers' associations to attempt to secure what they desire by means of another measure. On February 4 Representative Wadsworth introduced a measure entitled, "A bill requiring certain places of business in the District of Columbia to be closed on Sunday," which reads as follows:—
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that it shall be unlawful for any person in the District of Columbia to sell or to offer for sale, or to keep open any place of business for the sale or delivery of, any groceries or fruits or meats or vegetables or other provisions on Sunday, except that from the first day of June until the first day of October meats sold prior to Sunday may be delivered at any time before ten o'clock of the morning of that day. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars for the first offense, and for each subsequent offense by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the jail of the District of Columbia for a period of not less than one month nor more than three months, or by both fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
SEC. 2. That all prosecutions for violations of this Act shall be in the police court of the District of Columbia and in the name of the District of Columbia.
This measure is very similar to legislation which grocers and butchers have secured or are endeavoring to secure elsewhere, altho it is to be doubted if the penalty provided has been made quite as rigorous anywhere else.
The first important step in the adoption of a law for the District of Columbia is its consideration and approval by the district commissioners, and to the commissioners the above bill was promptly referred by the House Committee on the District of Columbia. A hearing on the measure took place before the commissioners on February 16. A committee and attorneys representing the Retail Butchers' and Meat Dealers' Protective Association and the Retail Grocers' Protective Association, and a representative of the Retail Clerks' Protective Association, appeared in support of the bill, but "no one appeared to contest the bill." Speeches in favor of the measure were made by Attorney E. P. B. Sands, representing the butchers; Attorney Charles E. Diggs, representing the grocers, and C. A. Pfau, representing the clerks. Attorney Sands stated that he "represented 130 men engaged in business in the District who are unanimous in their support of the Sunday-closing law." He declared that "unless a uniform Sunday-closing law is in force, the persons who refuse to keep their places of business open on Sunday will be placed at a disadvantage in the competition for business." The speeches were all to the effect that the butchers and grocers and their employees are a hard-working class, and should be allowed to observe Sunday as a day of rest.
Every grocer and butcher and clerk in the District of Columbia is now not only allowed to observe Sunday as a day of rest so far as the law is concerned, or can properly be concerned, but is thoroughly protected by the law against all interference in so doing that it is proper for the law to take cognizance of. What the butchers, grocers, and clerks who seek the passage of this measure are after is, not that they may be allowed to observe Sunday as a day of rest, for they now have that right, and are protected in it, but that they may be allowed to prevent others, in their respective lines of business, from not observing Sunday as a day of rest—that they may be allowed to compel others to observe Sunday as a day of rest. Such a demand is opposed to the object of public legislation, which is the equal protection and maintenance of the rights of all—and special favor to some at the expense of the rights of others. Every citizen has the right to observe Sunday as a day of rest, and every citizen has the equal right not to observe the day; but no citizen and no aggregation of citizens has the right to have anybody compelled to observe Sunday as a day of rest or compelled not to so observe it. The business of the law is to protect both rights, and not to interfere with or prohibit either.
At the close of the hearing the commissioners stated that they would give careful consideration to the arguments presented, and would announce their decision on the matter at an early date. It is not unlikely that this measure will receive their approval, and be enacted into law by Congress. It is very much to be regretted that, as stated by the Evening Star, "no opponents of the bill were present at the hearing, apparently, and no arguments were presented in opposition to the measure." This fact will no doubt contribute much toward the approval and passage of the measure.
THE CIGARET A DEADLY PERIL.
By Editor
FROM time to time we have spoken of the cigaret evil, and its effect upon young men. Others, too, have lifted warning voices, but they have not been heeded. The evil has grown apace, and is everywhere manifest. The value of the raw tobacco, that is, what the planter received for it, was, in this country in 1892, $57,563,510. This represented 821,823,963 pounds, of which about 110,000,000 pounds are manufactured into cigars and cigarets.
Tobacco may be used by older men in the ordinary way of chewing, drawing the smoke into the mouth and expelling it, with seemingly but little harm to the ordinary health of the individual. But cigaret smoking seems to be responsible for another form of smoking, much more potent for evil. It has been said that the evil of the cigaret was caused by the opium it contained, but opium is used in none of the cheaper grades, on account of its expense. Prof. Charles B. Hubbell, president of the Board of Education of Greater New York, etc., etc., points out in an article in the Independent that the perniciousness of the cigaret vice comes especially from the inhaling habit, to which more than nineteen out of twenty of the cigaret smokers are addicted. A recent issue of the London Times "included a manifesto demanding legislation by Parliament, looking to the prevention of juvenile cigaret smoking," and "an entire column of that influential journal was required to contain the names of the signers of the petition," "the list including peers, bishops, judges, the leading head masters of colleges and medical officers."
Professor Hubbell declares that the cigaret habit, first observed among the students of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, at Troy, N. Y., has spread from that point, until now "it is more devastating to the health and morals of boys and young men than any habit or vice that can be named."
We quote the following:—
The London Lancet, one of the most reliable medical journals published in the English language, has recently stated that the most deleterious product in the combustion of tobacco is carbon monoxide, which is the deadly constituent of water gas, and is present in comparatively large quantities in tobacco smoke. This is the poison that is responsible for the utter demoralization of that unhappy individual, who has come to be known as the cigaret fiend, whose pale face, shattered nerves, and hopeless position in the community is recognized as applying to many of our American youth, whose opportunity for usefulness and happiness has passed away.
Experiments have demonstrated that this poisonous gas is taken up by the blood, when tobacco smoke is inhaled.
A few years ago it was the privilege of the writer of this article to render some service in connection with the administration of the public school system of this city. During the period covered by that service several of the principals in the public schools complained of a condition that it was difficult for them to understand. Boys of ten, twelve, and fourteen years of age, naturally bright, were observed to be losing the power of concentration and application of mind. Nervousness, listlessness, and a tendency to truancy were associated with the names of nearly every one of them. It was found that nearly all the incorrigible truants were cigaret fiends; that is to say, they were almost hopelessly addicted to the inhaling habit. Their nerves were shattered, and the value of public school instruction was greatly lessened in their cases. Further investigation disclosed the fact that very many of these boys stole money from their parents, or sold all sorts of articles that they could lay their hands on, in order that they could gratify an appetite that fed on its own indulgence.
A justice of the Supreme Court of this State, since deceased, told me that in the last year that he was practising at this bar, he had had nine office boys in his employ, who had been discharged for stealing postage stamps, it having been proved in every instance that the boys stole in order to purchase cigarets.
Juvenile offenders brought before police magistrates are found to be invariably cigaret smokers.
Professor Hubbell speaks of "college students who are leaving our academic institutions every year by hundreds, with health more or less shattered, as a direct result of four years' indulgence in the inhaling habit." And yet, so far as he knew, not a college in the country had made any effort to stamp out the inhaling habit, and but little effort to warn the students. He thinks there is no more important matter to be considered by the colleges; but the trouble here is that "some of the professors in our colleges are themselves hopelessly addicted to this habit, and their usefulness is affected, in my opinion, quite as seriously as tho they were addicted to the alcoholic or morphine habit."
The remedy proposed is to arouse public opinion, and make concerted effort against the evil monster. Societies should be organized against it. Legislatures should act. "Parents should inform their boys of the danger attending any indulgence in this habit before they are likely to contract it; forbid it, and should, in my opinion, visit condign punishment on those who offend against this parental law." Many thousands of employers already refuse to hire a cigaret smoker.
And yet, the one thing emphasized by Professor Hubbell is the inhaling habit, not the smoking. But the inhaling habit is the one thing which furnishes the object in smoking,—it intoxicates, it pleases. Why do men smoke at all?—Because of the soothing effects of the toxics of tobacco. Why do they inhale the smoke?—To secure greater effects. One might as well half justify the pulling of a trigger, but condemn the discharge of the rifle; or say that men might put whisky in the mouth, but must not swallow it. The first step toward evil is in smoking in any way the first cigaret. Avoid it, boys, as you would a pestilence. If you are a tobacco devotee, break from its bondage in the strength of God.
One more thought: What a picture does this present to the watchman on the walls of Zion of a degenerating world? These youth are the hope or the despair, the bliss or the bane, the cure or the curse, of the future. Surely there is in the awful picture more of curse than cure. Well said the prophet: "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Surely the age hastens to its end, and to the coming of the Judge.
Wealth and Contentment
GREAT wealth and content seldom live together.
OBSERVING CHURCH DAYS.
By Editor
"The Lenten season" is becoming a familiar expression in other than Roman Catholic and Episcopalian churches. It was but natural that this should follow the celebration of Easter, which has been growing in favor with the nominal Protestant churches in the past few years. Christian Work notices approvingly the tendency of Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, and Methodist churches "towards some observance of Lent," adding that, "indeed, it has become almost necessary." In apologizing for the innovation, it also lays stress upon Holy Week, which "will be observed this year more generally than ever, and not simply by religious services in the churches, but, as many Presbyterians will do, by observing a period of abstinence." Inasmuch, however, as the abstinence of Lent and Holy Week are as a "relief from social strenuousness," and "the dissipation" of ordinary life, why would it not be well for those who profess Christianity to observe abstinence all the time? We have noticed that the ritual churches, whose observance of days (Gal. 4: 10, 11) is being copied by others to an alarming extent, usually plunge into the "strenuousness" of social life with even increased zest as soon as the Lenten season is over. In fact the balls and parties are often planned and arranged before the season of abstinence has passed.
But this disposition to follow papal customs and traditions has even a wider range, as shown by another quotation from the same journal, as follows:—
The tendency of non-liturgical churches to recognize the value of observing the Christian year has of late become marked. There are those still living whose New England childhood knew nothing of Christmas either as a day of delight for the young or of religious privilege for those of mature years. A generation ago that was an innovating minister, and a bold, who not being an Episcopalian, ventured upon "special" Easter services. Within half a dozen years the observance of Good Friday in a non-liturgical church here and there awoke discussion and criticism not always friendly. And now Ash Wednesday is added to the list, and the religious newspapers are beginning to say that it is a good thing that the Christian year should be observed, not only for its practical but also for its spiritual advantages.
And this "Protestant" journal hopes for great results when all the "Protestant" procession falls in line to observe the days that Rome has made "holy" by her tradition. The great expectation is set forth in the following optimistic strain:—
All this is a strong witness to the growing sense of solidarity among Christians. More than this, it is a greatly-needed recognition of the power of sentiment in the religious life. That it will be a step of great practical value when all Christians agree to observe the same times and seasons in their religious, as they do now in their social, life, is not to be questioned. The common and universal observance of Sunday has made much possible in business which would have been simply impossible had certain groups in the community observed other days and not Sunday. The Saturday half holiday has become a custom of value in proportion as it has become general. The holiday season has its special function in business and social as well as in religious life. And when the various "days" of special observance by various churches, now scattered through the year, find their appropriate places in these forty days of peculiarly sacred association, then, whatever may be their denominational names, the churches will be more really the Lord's force for the salvation of the world than they have ever yet been.
But when the prophecy speaks of this consummation, it speaks in a different strain. It simply says, "And all the world wondered after the beast." See Rev. 13:1-9.
THE WAR IN THE ORIENT.
THE chief activity of both Russia and Japan at the present time seems to be in the concentration of their forces near the vicinity of the expected first battles. Russia continues to hurry troops into Manchuria as rapidly as her railway facilities will permit her to do so, and it is reported that there is much suffering of the men en route because of the intense cold and the wretched accommodations provided. Japan continues to despatch transports filled with troops, and to hurry them to some destination in northern Korea. She is said also to be fortifying the Korean capital, Seoul. It is reported that the Japanese fleet continues to bombard Port Arthur at intervals. The fact that little or no news comes from Port Arthur, and very little from Vladivostok, leads to the belief that the Japanese land forces have cut off communication with both these places, and are seeking to isolate them entirely. Russia is calling out her first reserve and the subalterns and also her naval reserve men, and it is rumored that this means the approaching mobilization of her whole army.
The Japanese are reporting that their forces have achieved signal victories on land, but that definite reports will not yet be given for strategic reasons. It is generally expected that heavy engagements on land will not occur before the first of April.
The action of the Chinese is one of the most uncertain quantities. A considerable army is now in the vicinity of the border for the ostensible purpose of maintaining order and preserving China's neutrality. It is feared that these will attack the Russians. In case they do, the general interpretation of the Franco-Russian treaty would indicate that France must come to the help of Russia. In this case, England's treaty with Japan would call her into the trouble. It is such a contingency as that both France and England are seeking to avoid. Neither want war, and yet they may be drawn in because of their treaty engagements with the contending powers. When one or two great battles have been fought in Korea or Manchuria, we may expect to see the "powers" much more deeply interested in the war than they are at the present time.
WARNING TO YOUNG WOMEN.
By Editor
IT is becoming more and more apparent that our great expositions are not an unmixed benefit to the country. It is coming to be realized that the soul-destroying influence of the all-round dissipation connected with the season of display and speculation and intemperate indulgence of all kinds far more than offsets the financial benefit to a few unscrupulous individuals and the advertising of some special city. Viewing the matter from the standpoint of moral loss rather than from a consideration of gratified curiosity and city advertising, we reproduce an expression from the St. Louis Christian Advocate:—
We would be very glad to impress upon our brothers of the country press the great danger that lies in wait for the multitude of young girls that are flocking to St. Louis, and notably at this time. The country press is a tremendous power of good, and if they would keep this matter before their readers, constantly warning all as to this open door to ruin, many might be saved who otherwise would be lost.
The gateway of St. Louis is the great union depot, which is beset with a thousand snares for unwary feet. Any young girl who comes through the gate into the midway is at once spotted, and if it be possible, snares will be spread in her path that she can not escape.
No girl should come here unless absolutely certain as to her course. The many tempting advertisements are often mere baits for the ignorant and innocent. If she comes to the city to enter the first carriage whose driver proposes to take her to a good cheap boarding place, or to accept the first situation where "no experience is required," she may as well bid adieu to innocence and hope, and, as a matter of course, the young man is almost equally exposed, so far as moral or even physical safety is concerned.
If the country papers will keep these things before their readers, they will serve God and humanity.
THE GREAT ASPHALT TRUST CATASTROPHE.
One's indignation at the "legalized" robberies so calmly carried on by the leaders of great speculative trusts increases with the reading of each successive article in the series of Modern Methods of "Finance," which is being so ably presented by Mr. Henry George, Jr., in Pearson's Magazine. In the great Asphalt Trust bubble, which was so ingeniously inflated for the benefit of a few great capitalists with already overflowing coffers, thousands in all walks of life who were drawn into the scheme by its specious offers of quick and sure profits were ruined. The stock was so watered, and the finances so ingeniously juggled, that there was no chance for any one but those on the "inside"—the promoters who calmly appropriated the profits accruing from their well-laid schemes—the profits contributed by a confiding public.
The adjustment of this question is one of the great problems of the century, and upon its equitable adjustment depends the future peace and prosperity of our country.
