p. 1 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 43, No. 23. (6/6/1916)

Signs of the Times

Jun 6, 1916

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 6, 1916

The TRIUMPHS of the CROSS

By Arthur G. Daniells

By ARTHUR G. DANIELLS

The Bold Declarations of One Who, Nineteen Hundred Years Ago, Was Buried in a Borrowed Tomb, Are Coming True To-Day

ONE of the great outstanding facts of all Biblical prophecy is the triumph of the gospel throughout the world. From first to last, the gospel is set forth as a world movement—"world-wide in its adaptation, its intention, and its power." That same Lord and Creator who "made the world and all things therein," and who "made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:24, 26), so loved that world, "that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. The gospel is God's message of love and salvation (Rom. 1:16) for all nations that "dwell on all the face of the earth." Thus God is our "King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth." Ps. 74:12.

Describing the far-reaching extent of Christ's life, and death, and ministry for men, the prophet Isaiah said: "It is a light thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the gentiles [heathen], that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." Isa. 49:6. And Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, declares that "from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same" the name of Christ would be "great among the gentiles." Mal. 1:11.

A Daring Prediction

DURING His life on earth, Christ was not a great traveler. He confined His journeys and labors to the little land of Palestine. But He boldly declared that the message He there proclaimed would eventually go to the ends of the earth. He said: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14. What a daring prediction! Jesus stood almost alone in the world. He was not recognized by any of the world's great and influential leaders. The Roman government was against Him. His own nation had rejected Him. His followers were few, and of the most common sort. He had been born in the stable of a hotel. During His public ministry, He was so poor that He had no home, and He made no provision for food. When not entertained by others, He slept in the open, and gathered such fruits and grains from the land as the customs of the times permitted. He knew that He was to be crucified with criminals, and to be buried in a borrowed tomb.

But notwithstanding all these untoward conditions, and in the face of them all, He calmly, confidently, boldly declared to all men, through all time, that His message would yet be proclaimed to all the people of the world. The movement He had set on foot would, He gave assurance, spread over the face of the earth, and take permanent root, and bear glorious fruit in every nation. How wonderfully the centuries have worked out the forecast of this lone Man of Galilee! His message is at this hour the most general and powerful message in the world.

The Best Seller in the World

THE Bible is Christ's message in written form, and to-day it is in greater demand than at any previous time in its centuries of existence. For a hundred years, the Bible societies have been printing and circulating great numbers of this book. The average yearly circulation of the Bible and portions thereof at the present time is more than fifteen millions of copies. It is now printed in over five hundred languages and dialects. The American Bible Society, in its annual report for 1913, declared that the requests which came to the society during that year for more copies of the Bible were so pressing and insistent as to be in the nature of demands. And this after a hundred years of great activity, during which this one society distributed a hundred million copies and parts of copies of the word of God!

During the same century, the British and Foreign Bible Society has distributed two hundred and twenty-seven million copies. And still it is the best seller in the world. Having survived hundreds of bitter attacks from its enemies, it is now the most potent book in the hands of the human race. Paine's "Age of Reason" and Ingersoll's "Mistakes of Moses" dropped out of the market long ago. They died with their authors, while Christ's book lives in the hearts of men, vitalizing them more wonderfully as the years go by. This marvelous fact is a mighty challenge to every man. All hail the power of Jesus' word!

A Mighty World Movement

THE circulation of this book of God throughout the world is everywhere accompanied by an awakening and also by an evangelizing movement. This gospel movement for the evangelization of the world is the greatest enterprise engaging the thought and activities of men to-day. It is truly a world movement. In 1910, the Edinburgh Missionary Conference reported that there were 944 missionary organizations carrying on this work. These organizations are supporting 25,000 American and European missionaries in the mission fields of the world. They are also maintaining and directing about 125,000 native workers. This makes an army of 150,000 gospel workers giving their lives to the proclamation of that gospel which Jesus declared would be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.

And these gospel messengers have truly gone into all the world. In the Western Hemisphere, they are proclaiming the name of Christ and His message of salvation all the way from Greenland, Lapland, and Alaska, in North America, to Cape Horn, the most southern point of South America. There is not a place in these western continents to which these heralds of the cross have not gone. The unfilled gaps between stations are there because the mission funds provided in the home land are as yet inadequate to support the laborers required to fill them.

The missionary map of Europe, Asia, and Africa shows the same wide distribution of the missionary forces over these great continents. But few important sections remain unentered, and these are countries whose rulers and people refuse to allow the gospel to be proclaimed within their borders. They are Tibet, Afghanistan, and a few places in the Mohammedan sections of northern Africa.

Closed Doors Have Opened

THE growth, the power, and the achievements of the cause of foreign missions during the last century are truly marvelous. One hundred years ago, there were only about one hundred missionaries at work in non-Christian lands. These were confined to a very few places. In fact, most of the heathen world was closed against them. Now all but a very few lands are wide open to Christian missionaries. As one writer has said, "God has been shaping and preparing the nations in the interests of a world-wide gospel."

One great change that has taken place in the interests of foreign mission conquests has been the transfer of a large proportion of the territory of the world from non-Christian nations to nations favoring Christianity. In 1600, "only seven per cent of the territory of the world was controlled by Christian nations, but to-day eighty-two per cent, so that the growth of Christian control has passed, in three hundred years, from seven to eighty-two per cent, while the control of non-Christian nations has decreased from ninety-three per cent to eighteen per cent." The missionaries in many of these distant lands can appreciate the advantages of this change.

The Rule of Protestant Nations

IN connection with this change, there has been a very great gain in the population of the countries that have been open longest to the influences of the gospel. At the opening of the sixteenth century, when Luther was being prepared for his great work, there was not a Protestant nation in the world. Now fully one half of the population of the world is under the rule of Protestant governments. A hundred years ago, "Mohammedan political

and religious control were coextensive. To-day over three fourths of the Mohammedans of the world live in lands which they do not rule politically." There are more millions of people under the rule of Protestant nations to-day than there are under the rule of all the heathen nations combined. There is great significance in this change of population from the control of non-Christian to Protestant nations. It is altogether in favor of the efforts of the Christian church to make Christ known to all men.

When Christian missionaries began this work in heathen lands, there were few if any institutions maintained for the betterment and relief of the masses. Education such as there was in a few countries was impractical, and could be obtained by only a few of the most favored. There were no hospitals for the sick, no asylums for the insane, no homes for the blind and the deaf and dumb, and no stations for lepers. During the last century, all these helpful, uplifting institutions have been established in the lands entered by the heralds of the cross. Thousands of educated, skilled, sympathetic men and women are rendering the greatest service, in these institutions, to millions of people in great need. This Christian service is breaking down prejudice, and bringing about marvelous changes in the condition and attitude of the people of these lands.

A Hundred Years in Five

IT is the universal conviction of all men who give the conditions now existing in the mission fields of the world careful study, that a mighty providence has been shaping affairs in these lands for a great spiritual reformation.

John R. Mott, who has recently returned from an extended visit to the principal mission fields of the world, says: "God seems to have done a hundred years' work within the last five years. . . . There never has been a time when simultaneously, in so many non-Christian lands, the facts of need and opportunity presented such a remarkable appeal to Christendom as now. . . . From the point of view of the Christian church, the present moment is incomparably the most critical and urgent it has ever known. . . . To delay, by even a half decade, facing the situation and acting upon it comprehensively, would be the most serious mistake which the Christian leaders in this generation could make."

Then Mr. Mott asks this significant question: "Why is it that at the very time the Christian forces have more to do than ever at the home base, they are also confronted with an immeasurably greater opportunity abroad than that which has faced any preceding generation?"

The answer is plain: This is the generation appointed by the Lord for the triumph of the gospel throughout the world. This is the generation of which the Saviour spoke when He said this gospel was to "be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." This is God's appointed time for the finishing of His work in the earth. And the present world-wide proclamation of the gospel is a sign of the end, a token that the glorious reign of our Lord and Master is soon to be ushered in.

The Approaching End of the Age

Two great facts are kept constantly and impressively before the minds of men, warning them of the approaching end of the age. One is the devastating conflict among the nations, which is surely preparing them for the war of Armageddon. The other is the saving work of the gospel missionaries, which is preparing millions of lost men and women for the kingdom of God.

The unprecedented preparations for exterminating wars constitute an impressive warning of the approaching "battle of the great day of God"—the war of Armageddon. The warring world could know this if it desired to know it.

On the other hand, the world-wide missionary activities and achievements of the Christian church are convincing evidence, to the humble followers of Christ, that the reign of sin is soon to be broken, and the reign of righteousness is to begin. Every call for missionary volunteers, and every call for missionary offerings, should remind the people of God that the end is near.

Truly the world is approaching a new age. Old things are passing away. How important that this hour should be rightly understood and improved!

"SHALL WE SPEAK OF OUR RIGHTS?"

By C. P. Bollman

By C. P. BOLLMAN

THERE appeared in the American Lutheran Survey, under the heading, "Shall We Speak of Our Rights?" an article which, if not wholly convincing, is interesting, and worthy of careful consideration.

The question, it seems, had been previously discussed by Christian Work, from which the Survey quoted at some length. The conclusion reached by both journals seems to be, though cautiously expressed, that Christians should not assert their personal rights, but should be ever ready to forego them in the interests of others, and especially for the good of the community. The underlying thought is summed up in these words: "The community is above the individual; and no matter how just our grievance may be, we have no right to set about righting it."

Now doubtless the latter part of this quoted conclusion is true in some cases, but not always; nor is the first part ever true as pertaining to inherent rights.

Natural Rights Held Jointly by All

IT is a most mischievous doctrine that the whole community may properly override the rights of the individual. This is only putting in other phraseology the long discarded dogma of despotism, "The king can do no wrong." Thomas Jefferson was altogether right when he said, "The idea is quite unfounded that upon entering society, we give up any natural right."

It should never be forgotten that it is only as the rights of each are recognized and safeguarded that the rights of all are secure. While it is true that the Christian not only should not be, but cannot be, self-assertive, and that he should always use good judgment, and practice moderation, it is none the less true that certain rights are a sacred trust, and that the individual has no more right to surrender such rights without protest than he has to be careless of his time or property. This is because of duty toward God; but we owe something also to our fellows. One's property may be wholly one's own, but natural rights are held jointly by all. Hence by weakly surrendering his own rights, A may contribute, in some degree, to the denial of the rights of B. The liberties we enjoy to-day are due, under God, to the fact that in the past, men and women have dared to die for their rights. Are we under no obligation to preserve intact this priceless heritage?

Rights of the Individual

THE Lord has not only given us the right to worship Him, but in conferring the right, He has laid upon us the obligation to exercise it. There was no law that said, in so many words, that Daniel must pray three times a day with his windows open toward Jerusalem. (Daniel 6.) But such was his right, and such had been his custom. To abandon the practice in obedience to the decree of the king would have been a tacit admission of the right not only of one king, but of every king, to regulate, suspend, or even forever to forbid such service. Daniel could not yield his individual right without at the same time proving untrue to God.

The same was true of the apostles. Christ had commissioned them to preach the gospel; the magistrates forbade them to preach. Their answer was the only one possible without denying their faith: "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:19, 20.

Paul and Silas, when whipped and imprisoned, "uncondemned, being Romans," refused to be thrust out privately, but demanded that the magistrates come in person and fetch them out. They had their Christian dignity to maintain, and few will have the temerity to say that they did wrong in claiming the rights that were theirs even as Roman citizens.

But "the heart is deceitful above all things"; and there is always danger that the individual who claims his rights, may not be wholly unselfish in so doing. The same danger exists, however, in almost everything we do. Who is able to draw the line accurately in every instance between wise stewardship and selfishness, between righteous indignation and wicked anger, between corrupting lust and ennobling love?

Endowed with Certain Rights

THE Lord has made us reasonable creatures, and has endowed us with certain rights and powers. It is for us to exercise those rights and to use those powers in His fear and for His glory; but this we cannot do in all cases if we tamely surrender these rights simply upon demand, any more than we can discharge our stewardship of time, talents, opportunities, or goods if we do not properly safeguard that which God has given us. This is a matter that demands very careful thought and much earnest prayer.

We are living in the time foreseen by Jefferson when he wrote: "The spirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless. A single zealot may commence persecution, and better men be his victims. It can never be too often repeated, that the time for fixing every essential right on a legal basis is while our rulers are honest, and our selves united. From the conclusion of this war, we shall be going down hill. It will not then be necessary to resort every moment to the people for support. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effect a due respect for their rights."

Let us not mistake love of ease and of popularity for Christian meekness. The smooth path is quite as likely to be the wrong one as the right one. It is of much greater importance to obey God than to be popular with men. The Christian may do what he will with his own, but he cannot innocently surrender any right involving moral obligation.

Greatest Religious Question of the Day

By Carlyle B. Haynes

Must Be Settled by the Christian World

By CARLYLE B. HAYNES

Again and again has the Christian church come face to face with mighty truths that have forced her to momentous decisions. It was thus during the Reformation of the sixteenth century. And there is as truly a twentieth century reformation to-day that is forcing the Christian world to great decisions.

Everywhere men are choosing — choosing for or against truth. The person who knowingly comes face to face therewith, and rejects eternal verities, that he may cling to the sophistries of error — such a one plays the traitor to truth.

The Christian Sabbath — is it Saturday, or Sunday? What shall aid us in settling this great question? What shall be the final arbiter? Fallible human reason? Vague speculations? — Surely not. The Bible alone can give the help we need. It is the Christian's supreme court, from whose decision there can be no lawful appeal.

The authoritative testimony of the "oracles of God" will be clearly and strongly presented by Mr. Haynes in eight articles, of which this is the first.

IN the Christian world, there are two Sabbaths. During the past fifty years, the question as to which is the true one has been pressing itself with ever increasing urgency upon the attention of Christian people.

The great majority of Christians have for centuries observed the first day of the week, Sunday, and but very few have ever questioned the correctness of such observance. Each new generation, as it has taken up the work of its fathers, has found the Sunday institution strongly intrenched as one of the long accepted customs of Christian people. Hence an examination of its authority has been considered unnecessary, and it has been observed as a matter of course.

Now, however, its foundations are attacked by those who have adopted the observance of another day, and therefore it is necessary that those who observe Sunday examine closely the platform upon which they stand, and become familiar with the reasons and authority for the Sunday institution. There is no reason to fear but that the truth of this question will be made manifest if such an examination is based upon the Bible, the foundation of all Christian faith and practice.

Sabbath Keepers Increasing

THROUGH all the centuries, there have been some who have faithfully observed the seventh day of the week. During the last half century, their numbers have multiplied in a remarkable way; and at the same time, their missionary activity and zeal have been so fervent that thousands of people have been convinced that the seventh day, Saturday, is the true Sabbath, and have begun its observance. These, imbued with the same intense zeal, have won other converts; and so their work has grown, attracting widespread attention.

To-day these modern Sabbatarians are conducting well organized evangelistic campaigns in every large city in the United States and Canada, as well as in hundreds of smaller places; and their work has now grown to such amazing proportions that their missionaries are said to be operating in more countries than the missionaries of any other mission board or society. These facts have forced the Sabbath question upon the attention of all Christians, making it a subject of the utmost importance to all classes of Christian people. It is rapidly becoming one of the greatest religious questions of the present day. Thousands and tens of thousands of people, both in the church and out of it, are troubled about it; great religious gatherings are discussing it; multitudes are deciding either for or against it, and it has gone outside the church, and has become a political issue, more appeals being made today for Sabbath legislation than ever before in the history of the nation.

A Challenge to Christian People

THESE things constitute a challenge to Christian people which cannot be avoided.

This Sabbath question must be studied, the facts concerning it ascertained, not merely by the ministry, but also by the people; and then the duty of each individual must be settled in the light of these facts, and in view of every individual's personal accountability to God.

And in the study of this question, and the bringing to light of the facts underlying it, we cannot accept the word or the authority of men. The pronouncements of men on this question may be pleasing to us if they harmonize with our views of the case, but they would afford no safe ground for our faith. This question cannot be settled by discussion and argument. And we do not have the time, the space, or the inclination, in these articles, to examine every supposition, speculation, conjecture, assumption, and assertion that men have advanced concerning this matter. The soul that longs for certainty, light, and truth, cannot be satisfied with anything less than the authorized pronouncements of the "oracles of God."

Is there, then, a revelation from God to supply our need of light on this great question? God understands this matter. "He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him." Eternity discloses its vast extent to His glance. If there was ever a time when men schemed to effect a change of the Sabbath wrongfully, He knew their schemes, and could have informed His people, by a prophecy, of the proposed attempt. If an unauthorized change of the Sabbath has been brought about, He is acquainted with the facts, and can enlighten His people concerning them. He can solve this problem and remove the obscurity.

But will He do it? Will the divine Oracle, who cannot err, and who will not lie, respond to the eager query of the truth seeker who waits with eager yearning at the portal of the eternal temple?

We need not fear. "He revealeth the deep and secret things." The God of truth has spoken. "He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding." By inspiration of the mighty God, there has been given to His servants knowledge and understanding. The perplexities of this question have been removed, and the truth revealed, through men who have spoken as "they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Divine Authority, Not Human

Now, shall we "turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven," and go to the uncertain and dubious oracles of earth for the wisdom we are seeking? — Not so! Let us subordinate human speculation, and all the theories of men, to His authoritative teaching, in which He has spoken so clearly concerning this very subject.

To the Bible we look. We will call no man master or teacher. We turn from the foolish babblings of a philosophy falsely so called, and take our place at the feet of the eternal Teacher, to receive from Him the words of everlasting life. All our differences He shall decide. All our difficulties He must settle. All our problems He must solve. To the Bible then we turn, the Bible from the first of Genesis to the last of Revelation. Determined to abide strictly by the unalterable decisions of His word, we shall carefully and reverently examine its teachings on the Sabbath question.

Peace Triumphant

By Worthie Harris Holden

THE weary heart pours forth its plaintive longing For better days, for kindlier days than these; Nor can the world, with fevered fancies thronging, Utopian scenes of peace triumphant seize. But better far than any mortal dreaming, And brighter than the sun, o'er shades of night Will wake those visions everlasting, seeming Like wondrous splendor-seas to flood our sight. And never can we fathom all their story, And never can we long more bliss to gain; Nor ever shall the aged one grow hoary, With failing sight, or limbs inured to pain. We yearn for these — the better days of heaven; We sigh that weeping dominates our night. To man the gracious, heavenly boon is given, Though earth-confined, to be the child of light. So good our God to lure us through our sorrow, That we may anchor all our hopes above; For soon He comes to bring the joyful morrow,— Immortal days of never ending love.

Continue reading: Second Quartet of Mass Meetings in Pittsburgh