Signs of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 19. (12/9/1908)

Signs of the Times

Dec 9, 1908

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 9, 1908

Our Letter from Athens

By Warren E. Howell

By Prof. Warren E. Howell

I.—Notes on the Balkan Situation.

PERHAPS the readers of your excellent journal would be interested in a few news notes on that most unique international drama — not to say comedy or farce because of its gravity — that is being enacted just across the border from our little kingdom of ancient renown, as also in some observations and impressions made at close range. Not that the writer presumes to speak exhaustively on an inexhaustible subject, nor even ably on a question of such far-reaching and weighty import, but in the hope that he may add a little stimulus to serious thinking upon a situation that is just now eliciting universal interest from historical and political considerations, and which should above all occupy our attention from prophetical viewpoint. The unprecedented means for the rapid transit of news nowadays, makes known the main facts of a situation a few hours after the incidents occur, yet there often remain certain aspects and impressions perceived by one standing in the very shadow of passing events, that are not so readily discerned from afar; such aspects and impressions have given the impetus to this letter.

A priest to the rescue as leader of a Greek band in Macedonia.

As is well known to all, European Turkey has long been a bone of contention among the great powers, a veritable storm-center, from which have issued repeatedly wars and rumors of war. The partial integrity and the unstable independence of Ottoman rule in Europe has been preserved thus far only by the conflicting political ambitions of the greater nations of Europe, any one of which, if given a free hand, could doubtless drive the Turk into Asia and seize upon the coveted prize — Constantinople and the Bosporus with its outlets.

Chief among these ambitious rivals is Russia, so constituted by the logic of her geographical position. With no open seaboard for her commerce in time of peace, and with her fleet bottled up in inland seas in time of hostilities, it has long been a persistent policy of Russia to extend the limits of her vast land-locked territory in some direction to the sea. Preferable above all to her is the exit through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, with the occupation of Constantinople as a natural stronghold to secure the permanent possession of this important thorofare. Almost within grasp of the coveted prize in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, her movements in this direction were repressed by the interference of other European powers, tho not without some substantial gain to herself in the extension of her southern boundary to the Danube.

A Cretan leader of a Greek band in Macedonia.

During the “armed peace” that has been maintained in Europe since that time, the sultan of Turkey still holding his dominion by sufferance, Russia has been employed in seeking an outlet in the middle and far East. In the middle East she has unremittingly pursued the policy outlined by Peter the Great to “accelerate as much as possible the decay of Persia” and “to penetrate to the Persian Gulf.” She has been so far successful as to gain a monopoly of trade in northern Persia, to secure the right of constructing railroads over it, and to engineer heavy loans to Persia, secured upon the customs.

In her advances toward the Pacific, Russia has been effectually checked by the victories of Japan, aided by the diplomatic support of England. Consequently the danger to India

from a Russian invasion of China has been removed. Thus profiting by the Anglo-Japanese agreement in the far East, England has sought to reach similar advantages in the middle East by a new and revised agreement with Japan by which the latter, in return for benefits received from British cooperation in the war with Russia, has agreed to assist England in holding Russia back in the middle East.

This further damming of the waters of Russian expansion has logically and inevitably concentrated Russian activity once more upon the near East. The sultan once again sits unsteady upon his throne. And yet again European diplomacy may be called into drastic action for the adjustment of Balkan affairs.

Meanwhile a new feature has appeared in the complicated tangle. While the attention of Russia and England was being diverted to the far and middle East, Germany has been assiduously cultivating friendly relations with the Sublime Porte, to aid in her scheme of securing an overland route to Asia, the permanent success and usefulness of which depend upon the preserving of the status quo in the Balkan Peninsula; for should Russia make advances on Constantinople, Germany's line of communication with Asia would be cut in the middle. But the maintenance of such a route by Germany would be a parallel and a rival to England's water route by way of the Suez Canal, and would be a menace to the trade if not to the political status of India.

So that we now hear of an Anglo-Russian agreement, adjusting some differences on the Persian situation satisfactory to England, and giving promise of some friendly cooperation with Russia's designs on Turkey. This apparent cooperation takes the form of encouraging Bulgaria to continue and increase her incursions into Macedonia against the Macedonian Greeks, who, in turn, with the assistance of their countrymen from Greece proper and from Crete, make vigorous counter-movements against the Bulgarians, thus creating such a state of internal dissension, bloodshed, and anarchy, as to justify the intervention of Christian Russia and Christian England, in behalf of Christian Bulgarians and Christian Greeks, against the infidel Turk, on the pretext that the latter can not or does not quell these serious disturbances within his realm.

But like most of these political alliances, whatever agreement does exist between Russia and England in regard to the near East can serve their mutual interests for only a certain length of time. For while England's policy seemingly is to create a larger Bulgaria by the annexation of Macedonia, to the end that she may have Bulgarian assistance in defeating Germany's or Russia's project, on the other hand, it has become almost a proverb that "if you prick a Bulgarian, you will find a Russian," by which situation Russia hopes to annex greater Bulgaria to her own dominion, or at least to so cement their relations, that she may thus pave a solid way toward Constantinople.

No sooner did the Anglo-Russian agreement become known than the sultan made haste to grant Germany an extension of 510 miles for the Bagdad Railway, and to call from Berlin to Constantinople one of his most trusted and able advisers. "If this means anything," says a close student of Balkan affairs, "it means that the Porte is contemplating with increased anxiety the possibility of another Russo-Turkish war."

Paul Melas. Member of a wealthy and prominent Greek family of Athens, who went to Macedonia as captain of a Greek band to fight Bulgarians. He was shot by Turkish soldiers, whose informer was a Bulgarian, on the night of Oct. 13, 1904. He raised his own company of warriors, and fitted it out at his own expense, that he might aid in protecting his oppressed countrymen in Macedonia. He is now a national hero, and all but worshiped in every peasant's cot.

It has doubtless been observed by readers of the current news, that not long ago King Edward visited Czar Nicholas at the Russian port of Reval; that prior to this event the President of France visited England; and that a little later President Fallieres went on a visit to Russia. On the other hand, Germany is drawing closer to Austria, and Italy recently announced officially her determination to remain faithful to the Triple Alliance (Germany-Austria-Italy). A London writer of note says: "Every government in Europe has been plunged into a state of nervous excitement, and the whole political atmosphere of the Continent is heavily charged with electricity. No one knows what may happen at any moment, and the slightest incident might easily have far-reaching consequences."

In full accord with the statement that "no one knows what may happen at any moment," is that notable event of latest date which came as a surprise if not a shock to the world — the granting of a constitution to the Ottoman Empire by His Majesty Sultan Abdul Hamid. The occasion for this almost incredible movement was the pressure brought to bear by the progressive element among the Turks themselves. As is characteristic of the oriental temperament, a frenzy of enthusiasm and ecstatic demonstrations prevails at the capital city, at Salonica, Monastiri, and other leading towns. Turks, Greeks, Bulgarians, and what not, are embracing one another in public places, and weeping upon one another's necks with the wildest joy over their newly acquired rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, right to public trial, the promised abolition of secret detective service for political reasons, and the right of representation in the law-making body to be formed immediately. The pacification of racial feuds would seem complete. Bulgarian and Greek bands are coming down from the mountains and publicly laying down their arms. Political prisoners are being set free from their dungeons by the hundred as a result of the proclamation of general amnesty. The sultan is all but deified by the torrents of congratulations, felicitations, tears, prostrations, pledges of loyalty, and assurances of love, that are pouring in upon the Yildiz every hour.

Thus a new topic for discussion is projected into diplomatic and student circles. What will be England's attitude now? What course will Russia pursue? What motives have actuated the sultan? Will he keep his word to put the constitution into effect at once? What phase will the Eastern Question now assume? We read:

"It may, however, be found that Russian and German interests are not incompatible. Instead of frustrating Russia's advances upon Constantinople, [Germany] may prefer to see Austria make simultaneous advances upon Salonica. Should this prove to be the case, THE RIVALRY OF THE POWERS, WHICH HAS HITHERTO BEEN SO IMPORTANT A FACTOR IN PRESERVING THE INTEGRITY OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE, WILL LARGELY DISAPPEAR, AND ITS OWN RESOURCES ALONE WILL SAVE IT FROM ULTIMATE ABSORPTION." [Capitals mine.]

The student of the Bible also knows that the Gospel will be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and that the providence in the removal of the strict censorship of speech and of the press that has been so long in force in Turkey, opens the way for the proclamation of the Gospel in the full blaze of its glorious truth.

But, Mr. Editor, events are taking place so rapidly over in this part of the world, and my letter has already become so long, that, lest my news items grow too stale, I

must send this budget along, and defer an account of this intensely interesting "New-Turkey" movement to my next. The Greek papers are following closely and in full detail the development of affairs in Turkey, and their columns are filled with matter of so fascinating a nature, that perhaps with their help, I can in my next more fully realize the purpose of this letter, to relate some instructive incidents and to make some observations at close range, that may add a little stimulus to the thinking of the thoughtful.

Athens, Aug. 1, 1908.

Saved Through Faith

By Ellen G. White

By Mrs. E. G. White

"By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."

FAITH is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best what is for our good. Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership and accepts its blessing. Truth, uprightness, purity, have been pointed out as secrets of life's success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these principles. Every good impulse or aspiration is the gift of God; faith receives from God the light that alone can produce true growth and efficiency.

Wonderful is the work that God designs to accomplish through His servants that His name may be glorified. It is His purpose to manifest through them the principles of His kingdom. Through the humble receiver of His promises, God allows His blessings to flow out freely to the world. Every believer in whose heart Christ abides through belief of the truth will be a representative of the Saviour to show forth God's love before all with whom he comes in contact. Through faith he will lay hold of divine strength, and become a laborer together with God, a blessing to himself and to his fellow men.

It is a mistake to suppose that we must feel ourselves accepted of God before we can appropriate the promises of His word. Faith must not rely upon feeling, but upon the promises of God. Faith takes hold of the divine word; whereas feeling often eclipses faith in a "Thus saith the Lord." "If thou wilt enter into life," Christ says, "keep the commandments." Live out My law "as the apple of thine eye." God's commandments obeyed are "life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." God bids us walk by faith in a "Thus saith the Lord," and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.

The Lord says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble." He invites us to present to Him our perplexities and necessities, and our need of divine help. He bids us be instant in prayer. As soon as difficulties arise, we are to offer to Him our sincere, earnest petitions. By our importunate prayers we give evidence of our strong confidence in God. The sense of our need leads us to pray earnestly, and our heavenly Father is moved by our supplications.

If we surrender our lives to His service, we can never be placed in a position for which God has not made provision. Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us. His voice, clear and distinct, is heard saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." "He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper."

The Lord declares that He will be honored by those that draw nigh to Him. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." The arm of Omnipotence is outstretched to lead us onward and still onward. Go forward, the Lord says; I will send you help. It is for My name's glory that you ask, and you shall receive. I will be honored before those who are watching for your failure. They shall see My word triumph gloriously. "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

The Lord will give precious victories to those who put their faith in Him and seek to become one with Him, enabling them to work out His righteous will. What joy it gives to parents to bestow good gifts upon their children! Yet the Saviour says, "How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." The Father is more willing to bestow His grace than we are to ask for it. "If ye shall ask anything in My name," He says, "I will do it."

"The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Whatever we ask in Christ's name, and in accordance with His will, He gives us. But it means much to ask in Christ's name. It means to ask in the simplicity of a little child, and with full trust that what we ask for we shall receive.

The world's Redeemer came to our world to live the life of humanity, that humanity through faith in Him, might lay hold of divinity, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. The agencies of Satan are always at work to hinder the work that will make man successful over the powers of darkness; but this should not discourage us or cause us to cease our efforts. Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, yet He did not fail nor become discouraged. Ever before His mind was the result of His mission. He knew that truth would finally triumph in the great contest with evil. To His disciples He says, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." A life of sanctification and joy in believing is held out to every soul who in faith will claim the promises of the word of God, and draw upon divine strength for the work of overcoming. It is the privilege of the Christian to wax strong under difficulties. If the religious life is constantly sustained by relying on the Author and Finisher of our faith, God will give a rich experience. A true discerning of Christ will lead to a true confiding in Him, and this will give comfort and courage and hope in Him.

Let a living faith run like threads of gold through the performance of even the smallest duties. Then all the daily work will promote Christian growth. There will be a continual looking unto Jesus. Love for Him will give vital force to everything that is undertaken. Thus through the right use of our talents, we may link ourselves by a golden chain to the higher world. This is true sanctification; for sanctification consists in the cheerful performance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of God.

Disenchanted.

By Eliza H. Morton

ONE stood upon a mountain-top, The clouds below With colors, crimson, blue, and gold Were all aglow. He downward trod to bask within That glory bright, And found but chilly mists and fog And darksome night.

One sought a garden filled with flowers Of every hue,— Peonies, buttercups, and pinks And pansies blue. He plucked a rose and held it fast, For it was rare, But, ah, alas, he looked, and lo, A worm was there.

One found a friend and oft he walked Close by his side; The testing time revealed a fault That like a tide Swept all his love away, and left A desert wild. Look thou, O soul, within thy heart What there, O child?

ELIZA H. MORTON.

The Cost of Forgiveness

By Hannah More

A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. It also puts the soul into a frame which makes the practise of other virtues easy.

Pundita Ramabai on Christian Science

By Pundita Ramabai

"CHRISTIAN SCIENCE, when I asked what its teaching was, I recognized as being the same philosophy that has been taught among my people (in India) four thousand years. It has wrecked millions of lives and caused immeasurable suffering and sorrow in my land, for it is based on selfishness and knows no sympathy or compassion. "It means just this: the philosophy of nothingness. You are to view the whole universe as nothing but a falsehood. You are to think it does not exist. You do not exist." — Pundita Ramabai.

The Fifth Commandment

By J. O. Corliss

By J. O. Corliss

WHEN approached by a caviling lawyer, and asked to state which is the great, or most important, commandment in the law, Jesus replied: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matt. 22:37-40.

This statement is most wondrously broad and comprehensive, because it establishes upon the immortal foundation of love, divided in two parts, the entire law of Jehovah. Thus grounded in eternal principles, the law must be as immutable as the mainspring of its existence. Besides, being cast in the mold of such substratum, it follows that each section of that law must necessarily bring to view some essential feature of the element which dominates its structure.

But while it is plain that each separate requirement of the law must appeal to the sentiment of love alone for its fulfilment, so also, to be a consistent and perfect structure, must the aggregate of these separate demands combine to form one great and all-important commandment of the Most High, even tho the one great requisition be equally divided, to meet the needs of heaven and earth alike. It is therefore clear that no single commandment of the ten can be properly elevated on high above its associates as the “great” commandment of the law. All are eternally alike in principle, and so equally binding upon all men to the end of time.

Thus we find God’s law composed of ten lesser commandments which, blended together, form one “great commandment,” the one great principle which forms the “first great commandment” demanding supreme love to God, branching into another, just like the first in elementary truth, but requiring only equal love to one’s fellow men. Thus every phase of the demands of the one great principle of love is met in the ten smaller expressions which make up the fulness of the complete law.

With this estimate of the law, it must appear evident that he who preserves in himself the wholeness of the first great commandment, which is to love God supremely, can not possibly think of preferring false gods before the true, nor of bowing in worship before images representing saints, or of taking in vain the name of God. Neither could he think of using God’s rest day for secular purposes, thus showing contempt for God’s request to honor Him in the observance of His own day of rest.

So also if one adheres to the second great division of that eternal love principle, and loves his neighbor as himself, he must certainly refrain from doing that to his neighbor which he would not be willing for any neighbor to practise on him. His first conception of duty in this respect would be toward his parents, that he might bestow upon them the honor due. The life of his fellow men would then appear in his estimation as his own life. The chastity of his neighbor’s wife, mother, or sister, would be held as inviolable as that of the members of his own household. He could not steal his neighbor’s property, because he would not wish his neighbor to rob him of any vested right. He could not lie against his fellow men, because he would not think it right for another to lie against him. Last of all, he could not even desire to take from another anything of value without tendering him a fair equivalent, because he would not consider it right for the other person to deal differently with him. In all transactions with others, one must carry out this eternal principle of love, if he would deal righteously.

It is not enough to do honor to some, or even most of these precepts, and disregard another; for then the infinite principle of love has been violated in some part, and thus to “offend in one point” is to become “guilty of all,”—that is to violate the whole great principle of love. James 2:10. This point is emphasized by the Saviour in His immortal statement: “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:18, 19.

This is indeed strong language, and places each of the ten least, or smaller, commandments where no one of them can be disregarded with impunity. And as tho He would throw around these ten commandments a yet stronger guard, the Saviour added this: “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” What does this mean? The people referred to constantly transgressed one of God’s commandments by putting in its place a mere tradition. This pretended righteousness permitted them to teach that when a child wished so to do he could say “Corban” to his parents, and thus free himself from any obligation longer to honor them. This invented password given by the child was equivalent to, I have now dedicated myself to God and His service, so am wholly under His direction and His bidding. Whatever I may do for you from this time on must be counted a gift from me, since I am entirely free from your management. Compare Matt. 15:1-9 with Mark 7:11, 12.

How shortsighted on the part of that people to whom had been committed the oracles of God! Why did they not see that “God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother,” and that a direct consecration to God in no way diminished this obligation, but rather enhanced it? But in their estimation the human tradition was superior to, and really annulled, the principle of love for parents which the commandment required. They having made the commandment of God of no effect by their tradition, the Saviour pronounced them hypocrites, saying that their worship of God was all in vain for having thus treated a single requirement of the law. This was the extent of their righteousness, and the Saviour says in the statement already quoted, that whosoever breaks any one of God’s commandments, by substituting for it a human tradition, so placing his pretended righteousness on a par with that of the Pharisees, has no hope of entering the courts of heaven.

And why should not such a result obtain? The government of heaven is one of love. If one refuses here to obey the demands of this principle, in any degree, he becomes entirely unfitted to enter the place where that element controls every impulse. But how long must one obey these commandments, especially the precept which enjoins all to honor father and mother? When one attains his majority or becomes a parent himself, is he any longer under obligation to his parents? The question might be put in another form, thus: When one is grown to man’s estate, and able to care for himself, should he longer love father and mother,—those who have borne, nourished, and cared for him through health and sickness?

But how long should one love his parents after his own years have risen to maturity? If he fulfils the requirements of God’s law, adhering to its two great principles of love, he must still love them as he does himself. He can not knowingly wound their feelings by neglecting them in any particular. His words to them will be of a tender nature, and their memory will be sacredly cherished if the duties of life require his separation from them. In only one thing is a person justified in refusing to regard the wishes of parents, and that is when they require him to violate the requirements of God’s law. “Obey your parents in the Lord,” is the injunction. Eph.

6:1. "This is right," says the apostle. To obey parents "out" of the Lord would therefore be wrong. But even tho we refuse to obey them in doing that which is contrary to God's commandments, we are not to cease to honor them; that is, to keep them elevated in mind as parents.

One of the special characteristics of the last days is to be "disobedience to parents." 1 Tim. 3:1, 2. This feature of society is being now prominently developed, until father is referred to in street slang as the "old man," "governor," or "pop," and even mother, that dear soul of many heartaches in behalf of her beloved offspring, is dubbed the "old woman," or "granny."

The dear old-fashioned "father" and "mother," names which mean so much, are being forgotten, and their honor degraded. Why should we not hasten back to our baby love, and honor father and mother, and so have life prolonged in sweetness upon the land God has given us, according to that first commandment bearing a promise?

The Word.

By John Kendrick Bangs

TO-DAY whatever may annoy, The word for me is joy, just simply joy: The joy of life; The joy of children and of wife; The joy of bright, blue skies; The joy of rain; the glad surprise Of twinkling stars that shine at night; The joy of winged things upon their flight; The joy of noon-day, and the tried, True joyousness of eventide; The joy of labor, and of mirth; The joy of air and sea and earth— The countless joys that ever flow from Him Whose vast beneficence doth dim The lustrous light of day, And lavish gifts upon our way. Whate'er there be of sorrow, I'll put off till to-morrow, And when to-morrow comes; why, then, 'Twill be to-day and joy again! —John Kendrick Bangs.

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