Signs of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 30. (8/6/1885)

Signs of the Times

Aug 6, 1885

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 6, 1885

General Articles.

By Ellen G. White

The Power of the Truth.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

TEXT: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." John 17:17-19.

This prayer of the world's Redeemer comprehends much more than has been thought, and I wish that the truths here taught might be impressed upon all our hearts. "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." Every one of us who professes to believe in Christ is embraced in this prayer, and has a responsibility which it is impossible to throw off. We are required to be sanctified, not simply that we may be benefited personally, but that we may help others.

In these days it is difficult for the truth to find access to the human heart. You know that on one occasion when Jesus entered into the temple, he found there "those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting." Thus the sacred courts of the Lord's house were converted into a place of merchandise, where greed and avarice flourished. As the eye of Jesus swept over the scene of busy traffic, divinity flashed through his humanity. He "cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." The traffic suddenly stopped, and the throng of buyers and sellers fled as though a company of armed men were pursuing them. With bated breath the priests and rulers looked upon him who was clothed with such majesty and power; and, as though a flash of light from Heaven had revealed the truth to their beclouded minds, the conviction forced itself upon them that this was no common man.

As Christ found it difficult to obtain access to the temple courts because they were lumbered with things that should never have been there, so is the human heart closed against the truth because it is lumbered with the cares and burdens of this world. It has received the worldly mould. The prince of the powers of darkness is playing the game of life for the soul. He is working with every device that he can invent, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, to separate man from God. The lust of the flesh, the pride of life, the vanities of the world, have taken possession of the soul-temple, and no room is left for Jesus. But when the heart is once brought under the power of the truth, even its secret recesses feel the renewing and transforming influence. To those who have lumbered the soul-temple with worldly cares, and desecrated it with buyers and sellers, we would say, Take these things hence, and let the truth have possession of the soul. Jesus stands knocking at your heart, pleading, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Will we let the Lord of glory enter? Will we make room for the truth of heavenly origin?

Jesus says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." If you will make room for Jesus, and cleanse the soul from the defilement of sin, you may enjoy perfect peace with God. But some will ask, How am I to do this? By an entire surrender of your will and your way to God. The peace of God will not rule in your hearts while you retain your worldly ambitions and indulgences. The passions that have held possession of the soul must be removed. When we profess the truth, it is our privilege and duty to show to the world that it has had a transforming power upon the life and character.

Why is it so hard for many to walk uprightly before God? It is because they are trying to serve two masters, a thing which the Saviour declares no man can do. If they would give themselves to Jesus, he would take possession of the soul, and every wrong desire, every false ambition, every evil purpose, would be brought into subjection to the will of God. This is the sanctification that Christ meant when he said, "I sanctify myself." This is the sanctification that he desired for his disciples when he prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth." We profess to be sons and daughters of the Lord; the chosen ones of Christ, of whom he says, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." What right have we to let the things of the world take possession of the heart and engross our energies? What right have we to make the heart a highway for the world's travel, or to imitate its customs and practices?

We cannot serve God and mammon. We must come out from the world, and be separate. Its fashions are not to control us; its principles are not to be our principles.

If the worldly element is allowed to take possession of the heart, things that are not approved of God will seem right, and the religious life will be mixed with error. The perceptions will not be clear and distinct to understand the word and will of the Lord. There is danger of pursuing this course of disobedience until the wrong is gilded over, conscience is blunted, and the self-deceived one believes himself on the highway of holiness when he is on the downward road to perdition.

The work of the overcomer is a close and trying work. We have individually to fight the good fight of faith, and war against the powers of darkness; for when the truth commences the work of purifying the soul-temple, the conflict between good and evil begins in earnest.

A minister who is professedly preaching the gospel, in conversation with a sister learned that she was conscientiously keeping the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. "Well," said he, "you are right so far as the argument is concerned. Saturday is the true day to keep; the Bible is clear on that point. But," he added, "I do not keep it, because it would create confusion. The Lord will overlook this in me because it is so inconvenient, so contrary to the custom of society. And then I do not think it really makes any difference what day I observe, because I am sanctified; you know that makes every difference. But stick to your faith, for you have the right of it." Here is a man who claims to be sanctified while living in disobedience to the word of God; but what is there that sanctifies outside of the truth?

Said Christ: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." Two classes are here represented,—those who are sanctified through the truth, and the many who profess to be sanctified while knowingly breaking the law of God. The true foundation is the commandments of God; and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Men may erect a standard of righteousness of their own aside from that presented in the word of God; but their hope, like the house built upon the sand, will surely fall.

We are to listen to what God says, and be obedient to his word. It is not long sermons or prayers, it is not the things which we say, but it is the things we do, the characters we form, that makes us acceptable to God. The truth should influence our daily life, and then when we associate together the tongue will not run upon unimportant, frivolous things.

"Ye are the light of the world," says Christ. Therefore "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." In the death of Christ the priceless treasures of

Heaven were poured out to humanity. Can we keep such precious riches to ourselves? Oh! we should lift up the risen Saviour before the people, and tell them what a dear Redeemer we have found. We are his representatives; let us walk worthy of our calling. The reason why we have no greater influence to win souls to Christ is that we are not doers of the word. When we do the works of Christ, when the truth becomes a living principle in the soul, we shall have power with God and men. Others will take knowledge of us, that we have been with Jesus and learned of him, and our very presence will be an influence for good. We shall not dare to sin, lest others follow our example of folly.

"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Says the True Witness, "I know thy works." Then let us be careful that we are not half-way Christians. We can be brought into perfect harmony with God and his truth; but there is much for us to resist. We should search our Bibles, and learn what the Scriptures say in relation to our duty.

Said Christ: "Take ye heed, watch and pray; for the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch." Not one of us is excused from the duties here enjoined. We are to watch every avenue of the soul, lest Satan come in and desecrate the temple of the heart, which should be wholly consecrated to God. We are to watch lest passion take possession of the soul, to watch lest selfish thoughts are cherished. The reason why there is not more vitality and power in the church is that we do not work and watch as we should. We should stand as faithful sentinels at the post of duty. I pray that the grace of Christ may come into our hearts, and that we may be ever watching for opportunities to do good.

One who is truly converted will find no satisfaction in devoting God-given probationary time to the preparation of apparel, the outward adorning of the body. To such, the pride of life, the vanities and follies of the world, will be a very inferior matter. They will ever feel, I am in the presence of God; his eye discerns every thought of vanity, every attempt to extol and glorify self. If the time that is wasted in vain attempts to make the outward appearance attractive, were devoted to the study of the Bible, to earnest prayer for the grace of Christ, the meek and quiet spirit which is the heavenly adorning of the soul, and will never perish, how easy, how pleasant, would the service of Christ become. The promise would be fulfilled, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you."

There is a constant warring of the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The pollutions cherished in the soul war against the pure, sanctifying truth. Some have advanced the idea that if we are once in grace, we are always in grace. But our work is to overcome every day. Temptations press upon every hand, do we resist them, and come off victor in the name of Christ?

When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative Judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined by Him who declares, "I know thy works." If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us. If the professed believer becomes self-confident, if in word or spirit he breaks the least precept of God's holy law, he misrepresents Jesus, and in the Judgment the awful words will be spoken, "Blot out his name from the book of life; he is a worker of iniquity." But the Father pities the self-distrustful, God-fearing soul, harassed though he may be with doubts and temptations. Jesus pleads for him, and confesses his name before the Father and his holy angels.

He who is to be our judge knows our works. He understands every temptation and trial, and I am glad of it. He knows the circumstances that surround every soul. He knows our weaknesses, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. "If any man sin," says John, "we have an advocate with the Father! Jesus Christ the righteous." Oh, how precious is the name of Jesus, and how precious every name that he confesses before the Father! When our gracious Redeemer says of the poor penitent, "He is mine; I have graven his name on the palms of my hands," the answer comes, "I will not blot his name from the book of life, but his sins shall be remembered against him no more."

The promise is, "Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me." There is power in the blood of Christ to remove sin. Poor, trembling sinner, to-day you are the prisoner of hope. Jesus lives, and because he lives you may live also.

Said the angel of God to John, as he beheld the multitudes of the redeemed gathered about the throne: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple." Through the blood of the Lamb it is the privilege of every one of us to make our life a glorious victory. We shall have trials and difficulties to meet, but if we sanctify ourselves by obedience to the truth, the God of Israel will be our strength. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning." The Lord wants to give power to his people. He wants them to rejoice in the God of their salvation. He wants them to be conformed to his image, that when he comes, he may receive them to himself. If we lay hold upon the arm of Infinite Power, it will sustain us through every conflict and discouragement of life, and will finally place a crown of glory upon our heads, and bring us to share the eternal reward of the righteous.

"Blessed are they that do His commandments," says the Saviour, "that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." "And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it." "And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth," "but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

SOLACE ME.

By J. R. K.

SAD of heart, I come to thee, In my sorrow solace me. Thou, O God, who promised rest To the weary and oppressed. Heed my supplication now, As before thy throne I bow.

Hide not from me thy sweet face, Still support me with thy grace; Still about me clasp thy arm, Shelter me from hurt and harm; Lord, receive thy refugee, Oh! revive and solace me.

Not for fame and wealth I pray, Not for breath to live alway, Not for friend, or joy, or peace, Not that woe and grief may cease Do I frame my humble plea, Only, Father, solace me.

Foes encompass me about, Fears prevail and rising doubt, Hope is baffled, faith is tried, Worth and virtue cast aside, Till at last I fain would flee Far from earth. Lord, solace me.

—J. R. K., in Methodist Recorder.

The Second Coming of Christ.

By E. Hilliard

Our Saviour will come sometime. Can we know anything about the time or the nearness of the event? If so, how can we know? What evidence have we?

The Bible furnishes us very clear evidence on this great question. We can know something about it, unless we are willingly ignorant. We believe none can tell the day, or hour, or even the year. We have no faith in those who are continually setting the time; neither do we hold with those who say it may come next week, or it may be a thousand years in the future.

God has never brought about any great event in which the destiny of men was involved, without first giving a warning. Noah faithfully warned the antediluvian world of the coming flood. Lot warned the Sodomites, and entreated them to turn from their evil ways that they might escape the wrath of God. John the Baptist heralded the first coming of Christ.

Just so it will be before Christ's second advent. Some one will be especially warning the people, and entreating them to prepare for it. As surely as John the Baptist fully knew his mission and that he was fulfilling the prophecy, just so surely will those who proclaim Christ's second coming, know by the inspired evidence, that they are giving to the world the last message of warning to fallen man.

Our Saviour has not left the humble seeker for truth to grope his way in darkness. He has given us signs that should precede his second coming, and then commanded us to watch. He says: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring." Luke 21: 25; Matt. 24: 29.

We inquire with interest, have these signs been seen? To convince ourselves that they have, we need only to consult the history of the past. Speaking of the Dark Day of May 19, 1780, Noah Webster, in the New Haven Daily, says: "No satisfactory cause has yet been assigned." Also in his Dictionary we find the following:—

"The Dark Day, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places, persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known."

Many are now living who witnessed the great meteoric shower of November, 1833. To show that this sign also has been fulfilled, we quote from the Connecticut Observer, of Nov. 25, 1833, as follows:—

"We pronounce the raining of fire which we saw on Wednesday morning last, an awful type, a sure forerunner, a merciful sign of that great and dreadful day which the inhabitants of the earth will witness when the sixth seal shall be opened. The time is just at hand, described not only in the New Testament, but in the Old. A more correct picture of a fig-tree casting her untimely figs when blown by a mighty wind, it is not possible to behold." See Rev. 6: 13.

Christ instructs us that the generation that witness these things shall not pass away until he is seen coming in the clouds of heaven. The last one of these signs having occurred more than fifty years ago, it cannot be much longer before the event will take place.

In the extensive preparations throughout the world for a general war, we can see the marked fulfillment of our Saviour's prediction, "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity." Internal national troubles are perplexing the wisest statesmen. He says that when we see these things we can be as sure that his coming is near, as we can be that summer is nigh when the trees begin to put forth their leaves. "And he spake to them a parable. Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Luke 21: 29-31; Matt. 24: 32-34.

We know that the majority of the people will pay no attention to this great event. They will even scoff at those who do give it attention, and try to prepare for it. Their scoffing only strengthens our faith, for the Bible tells us that in the last days scoffers shall arise and will say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" 2 Pet. 3: 3, 4.

Dear reader, do you not want a place in Christ's kingdom as one of the subjects of his immortal reign? Do you not want a share in that world where sorrow is unknown? It is soon to burst upon our vision. Let the nearness of this great event which seals the destiny of all, incite us to diligence in preparing to meet our Lord. E. HILLIARD. Medford, Minn.

No Probation after Death.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

A FRIEND asks the Signs to give an exposition of 1 Pet. 3: 18, 19; 4: 6. He says that he has met a man who bases his belief in the immortality of the soul, on these two texts, the argument being that the dead spoken of are those that died previous to the promise to Abraham; that before Abraham's time there was no promise of a redeemer, and that to those who lived before that time, Christ went and announced the good news of salvation. The brother is not troubled on his own account, but wishes to know how to present the case to another.

In the first place, a man's opinion is no consequence whatever, unless he can offer some evidence in its support. When the objector says that there was no promise of the Messiah, until the time of Abraham, he must show proof, or else his theory is not worthy of consideration. That the Messiah was promised before our first parents were driven from the garden of Eden, is susceptible of the clearest proof. Thus:—

1. It was the devil himself who tempted Eve. With Gen. 3: 13 and 2 Cor. 11: 3, compare Rev. 12: 9, which says that the serpent is the devil and Satan, and that it is he that deceiveth the whole world. There can be no controversy over the statement that it was the devil under the guise of a serpent, who caused our first parents to fall.

2. In the garden God said to the serpent, the devil, 'I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.' Gen. 3: 15. Here is the statement that the seed of the woman should destroy Satan; and when we read (Heb. 2: 9, 14) that Jesus died in order that 'he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil,' we know that Jesus Christ is the 'seed' mentioned in Gen. 3: 15. So then, notwithstanding what may be said to the contrary, we know that the Messiah was promised before the days of Abraham. More evidence could be given if it were needed.

But, it being true that the promised Messiah was known from the time of the fall, the supposition that Christ, between his crucifixion and his resurrection, went to preach the gospel to those who lived before the time of Abraham, or before the flood, amounts to nothing. There is absolutely no ground for the position that the people before Abraham were not on probation; therefore the only loophole for those who will have it that Christ, after his crucifixion, went and preached to some dead persons, is the more common position that certain ones, especially of the antediluvians, 'did not have a fair chance,' and that justice required that after death they should have the chance of which they were deprived during their life-time. This is the position taken by Canon Farrar, and by all who, with him, adopt the theory of a probation after death. But this view is unscriptural and wicked, as we shall show.

It is wicked, because it presents God as a tyrant, changeable, and careless of the welfare of his subjects, instead of the God of infinite mercy, loving justice, and with whom is 'no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' Take notice. If it were true that immediately after his crucifixion Christ went and preached to some who had lived before the flood, there could be no other reason for it, than the one usually given, namely, that they had not had 'a fair chance,'—an opportunity to hear and repent. Then we have presented to us the spectacle of God visiting his terrible wrath, as in the flood, upon men whom he had not given a chance to repent: No earthly tyrant was ever accused of greater cruelty and injustice than this. And then they would have us believe that the unchangeable God, as if to atone for his error, sent his Son to announce a pardon to those who had once been the subjects of his ill-advised wrath! We marvel how any who profess to love and reverence God, can countenance a theory that so degrades his character. It cannot be denied that the picture here presented is the legitimate and only result of the objector's position on 1 Pet. 3: 18-20. This alone is more than enough to stamp that position as erroneous.

That position is also wicked because it is unscriptural. The word of God says: 'The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.' Ps. 115: 17. Then even supposing that God had unjustly cut off some of the antediluvians, it would have been a hopeless mission for Christ to go to the grave to preach to them, for it would have been an impossibility for them to repent and give glory to God. More than this, allowing that Christ could and did go to the grave to preach to them, it would have been impossible for them to take any action whatever, for the inspired word says, 'there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave.' Eccl. 9: 10. It would have been impossible for them to hear the message, for, while the living may know many things, 'the dead know not anything.' Eccl. 9: 5. Of man it is said that 'his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.' Ps. 146: 4. And the grave is called, a 'land of forgetfulness' (Ps. 88: 11, 12), 'a land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.' Job 10: 22.

Moreover, that position would have it that Christ did not really die, and that is not only unscriptural, but subversive of the whole plan of salvation. 'Christ died for the ungodly.' Rom. 5: 6. He was 'put to death' in order 'that he might bring us to God.' 1 Pet. 3: 18. If, therefore, the divine Son of God did not die, then there is no salvation for sinners. But Christ did die; 'he poured out his soul unto death' (Isa. 53: 12), and his soul, thus poured out unto death, was as 'an offering for sin' (Isa. 53: 10), and consequently there is hope for sinners.

Now let us read 1 Pet. 3: 18-20, and see just what it does teach. The apostle after an exhortation to meekness under unjust accusation, says:—

'For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened [made alive] by the spirit; by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime [once] were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing.'

Examine this text, and you will find the following simple statements:—

Christ, the just one, suffered for the sins of the unjust.
He did this that he might bring us to God.
He was put to death in the flesh.
He was made alive by the Spirit.
This Spirit was the same by which he went and preached to the spirits in prison.
This preaching was 'when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah.'

It is the Spirit that convinces of sin (John 16: 8), and the Spirit was striving with men in the days of Noah. Gen. 6: 3. So they did have a 'chance,' but it was only while their days continued—in their case one hundred and twenty years. We see, then, that the preaching, spoken of in 1 Pet. 3: 18, was done, not by Christ in person, but by the Holy Spirit; not in the Christian era, but before the flood; not in disembodied, conscious spirits confined in some part of hades, but to living men in the flesh, who were in the bondage of sin. See Rom. 7: 14; Gal. 4: 3.

But what shall we do with 1 Pet. 4: 6? Just believe it. Let us read it, together with the two preceding verses: 'Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you; who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.'

This has been done many times in our experience. We have often heard the gospel preached to men that are dead. But they were not dead at the time the gospel was preached to them, and the Bible nowhere says that the gospel was ever preached to men who were dead when the preaching was done. Peter, however, says that it was preached to them that are dead, and that statement effectually shuts off the infidel argument for a second probation, that some men have 'never had a chance.' The reason why the gospel was preached to them, is that both living and dead must be judged, and God is just. 'It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the Judgment' (Heb. 9: 27), and not another probation. Before death comes, all have an opportunity to repent, so that if the Judgment finds them void of righteousness, they will be speechless.

This is the simple truth concerning the oft-perverted words of Peter. They are easily understood, and give no warrant whatever for the idea of a life in the grave.

Catholic Education.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

THIS was the subject of the first of a series of ten lectures in San Francisco, by the eminent Catholic propagandist, Monsignore Capel. We were never so impressed with the cunning of Jesuitism, as while listening to the lecture. By the aid of oratory and Jesuitical craft, the lecture was well calculated to accomplish its purpose—to disarm anti-Catholic influence, and capture the minds of nominal Protestants.

So far as the lecture concerned education itself, no fault could be found with it. That true education comprises physical and moral, as well as mental, culture, no one will deny. All will agree that education consists in knowing how to think to some purpose, and not merely in a knowledge of what others have thought. But when the Catholic Church claims a monopoly of that sort of education, we vigorously dissent. Those who are alive to what the Catholic Church desires, can see the object of such a claim. But the unthinking will say, "If that is the kind of education Catholics believe in, let them go ahead."

The animus of the speaker was shown near the close of the lecture, when he begged that Catholics might "have a chance" to demonstrate their theories. This desired "chance" is nothing more nor less than State support for Catholic schools. Said the speaker, "The Episcopalians, the Methodists, and the Presbyterians have schools where they educate their own children, and what we ask is in line with that." It is doubtful if very many of the immense audience stopped listening to the speaker's silvery tones long enough to think that the State does not educate Episcopalians, nor Methodists, nor Presbyterians, and that Catholics have the same right to educate their children in their own way, that Methodists and Presbyterians have to educate theirs. But the Catholic Church is not content unless it absorbs everything.

Monsignore Capel is a master of Jesuitical sophistry, and well fitted for the work intrusted to him. Before long, the thousands of professed Protestants who are fascinated with his elegant oratory, will find out that the velvety cat's paw conceals claws of deadly sharpness. E. J. W.

The Word Endureth Forever

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth forever." 1 Peter 24 : 25.

San Francisco Mission.

By WM. INGS.

This mission is now permanently located at 914 Laguna Street. It is easily reached by taking a McAllister Street cable car, and getting off at the corner of McAllister and Laguna Streets. The car will leave you within a few yards of the church, where our mission is. We have ample room, and good conveniences for carrying forward the work. A reading and entertainment room has been nicely fitted up for the accommodation of interested persons. Regular Bible-readings will be held here every Thursday, at 7:45 P. M., and Sundays at 3 P. M.

Each Wednesday at 7:30 P. M., a prayer and missionary meeting is held in the adjoining room.

Brother Robbins's time is occupied in looking after the interests of sea-faring men, and supplying the distributors placed on the different lines of steamers. These distributors have been in use over a year, and the interest to read has not abated in the least. This is convincing proof that the power of God is attending this work. Others attend to filling the distributors in the city, and also go from house to house, seeking by different methods to call the attention of the people to the necessity of a preparation for the final Judgment. Brother Brorsen has charge of the work among the Scandinavians. Regular meetings are held for the special benefit of this people, a goodly number of whom are already in the faith.

A training class which lasted five weeks was recently held at the mission. There were eleven in attendance. The object was to prepare laborers for the colporter work. The members were taught how to prepare and conduct Bible-readings, and during the term the lessons learned were put to a practical use at different points in the city. By this means quite an interest was awakened, and a goodly number became sufficiently interested to attend the regular meetings of the church. The members of this class are now scattered; most of them are engaged in the colporter work, and are using to good account the instructions received.

In San Francisco, as in all large cities, it takes work to find the honest in heart; but, with the blessing of God on the facilities now used, we look for a harvest of souls; and already omens of good are seen. The attendance at the church was never better. Strangers come in on Sabbath and on Sunday nights, and we trust that our large church will soon be filled with those that are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

I appeal to all lovers of the truth to remember, in your prayers, the city missions, and to aid them with your means. This great and good work cannot be carried on without means, and all should give of their abundance to support this branch of the work. While some can give cash and make pledges, others, who raise such articles, can supply the laborers with flour, potatoes, fruits, honey, etc., and thus save expenses; and in doing this they can have the satisfaction of knowing that they are aiding God's workers, and will not lose their reward.

WM. INGS.

Work While It Is Called To-Day.

[Remarks made at the meeting of the Oakland Missionary Society, Tuesday evening, July 7.]

THERE being no SIGNS to distribute, the president drew a lesson from it, asking what we would do if it were so that we could never have any more SIGNS, nor anything in its place. If this were so, would we not all carefully gather up every piece of whatever old ones we might find, and try to get them before our neighbors? Would we not prize pieces of old SIGNS more than we now prize whole new ones?

It is ever so. We fail to realize the value of our greatest blessings, till they are gone. King Solomon made shields of gold, which were used in the house of the Lord. But because of Rehoboam's sin, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up to Jerusalem and carried them away. Then Rehoboam made in their stead shields of copper, and then was as careful of the shields of copper as he should have been of the shields of gold. It is so with us all. We fail to properly prize our dearest treasures, and then when we have lost them, we gather to ourselves something that will compare with them as copper with gold, and then we bestow upon this the care and devotion we should have bestowed upon the original, which, if we had given the

proper care, we never would have lost. True it is better to have shields of copper than to have no shields at all; but it is far better to have shields of gold, and to so prize them that we may never lose them.

Again, we can do better work, by less exertion with the best, than we can do by greater exertion with that which is inferior. God has given us the very best; he has given us even shields of gold. Let us use them as faithfully as we would use shields of copper, if we should lose our shields of gold. We can do vastly better work so; and the Lord wants us to do it this way. Then let us prize the SIGNS now as we would wish we had prized it if we should be deprived of it.

In one of the letters read this evening the SIGNS is called a "magazine." That is not far amiss; for it is a fact that there is not a magazine in the United States, that in a year, gives as much nor as good reading as is found in the SIGNS, and that at only half the price of a magazine.

Our attention has been called to the thoughts in "Testimony No. 32" where it speaks of the children of Israel being compelled to do what they were expected to do cheerfully. God chose them to give the knowledge of himself to the nations which knew him not. He revealed himself to them, as to no other people. He gave them familiarity with truths which other nations hardly dreamed of; and he expected them—he intended for them—to give it to the other nations. But they shut it up within themselves, and refused to impart it to others. Then, because of their sins, God scattered them to every nation under heaven, and they were thus compelled to do in sorrow and in affliction what they might have done in joy and gladness.

And, more, in being thus compelled to do it, they received no credit and no reward for it. Whereas, had they done it as the Lord wished them to do, no tongue can tell the riches of the reward that would have been bestowed upon that blessed nation. Now here are we in the same position. We have a truth that no other people has. God has given it to us to give to all nations. Now shall we do it cheerfully, joyfully, gladly, and reap a harvest of joy, unspeakable, and full of glory; or shall we by our neglect and shortcoming be compelled in sorrow and distress to give it anyhow and then receive no reward?

May the Lord help us to do his will with his truth, cheerfully, that we may have his blessing and finally the joy that will come to the cheerful, faithful worker.

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