p. 2 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 7. (2/14/1906)

Signs of the Times

Feb 14, 1906

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Feb 14, 1906

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES. No. 1.

“GOD that made the world . . . hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” Acts 17:24-26.

“Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us?” Mal. 2:10.

“For the Lord your God is God of gods, . . . which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward; He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger.” Deut. 10:17-19.

“As ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.” Num. 15:15, 16.

“But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” Matt. 23:8.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matt. 7:12.

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BIBLE-NATURE STUDIES

By M. E. Cady

By M. E. Cady. The aim of this volume is to illustrate the fact that the Book of books is the foundation of all true science. From this standpoint the author has carefully prepared 267 lessons, and classified them in sixteen leading chapters, as follows:

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THE BETRAYAL OF JESUS.

By Editor

JUDAS ISCARIOT was one of the fortunate twelve who were given the golden opportunity of being chosen companions of the Messiah during His earthly ministry. Such an opportunity for a three years' education, such a position of honor, such a means of forming character after a perfect model through unerring precept and example, never had fallen to the lot of man since the fall of Adam. But Judas did not appreciate it, only as it appeared to him to be an opportunity for self-aggrandizement, for selfish gain. All the light that was thrown upon his pathway, and all the experience of personal association with the divine Son of God, did not change his covetous heart. He was not born again, and therefore could not enter into the spirit of the divine life. He lacked the faith that enables one to stand when a testing crisis arises—in the hour of trial, in the moment of temptation.

BECAUSE Judas had accepted Jesus as the Messiah on the strength of outward evidence rather than by faith, his heart was not engaged in the work of salvation. Therefore he was susceptible to the temptation of the adversary, who well knew his weakest characteristic. Satan, having wrought up the Jewish council to the point of being ready to take the desperate responsibility of putting Jesus to death at all hazard, found it easy to work upon the avarice of Judas and cause him to furnish the opportunity. The resurrection of Lazarus had aroused the Jewish leaders to a pitch of desperation, and "both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He were, he should show it, that they might take Him."

JUDAS had been offended by the reproof of the Master at the supper in Simon's house in Bethany, only a few days before the Passover. The reproof came when Judas criticized as wasteful the act of Mary in anointing the feet of Jesus with costly ointment. This offense, added to his natural covetousness, caused him to take advantage of the opportunity to betray his Lord for money. Covetousness and sensitiveness at reproof are two characteristics which, if not restrained by overcoming grace, will lead one to almost any degree of viciousness. It is not surprising that Judas could go to the extreme of even selling his divine Master for a paltry sum, when we reflect that all the time of his association with the perfect One he was simply a "thief," taking advantage of the trust reposed in him, and making of it an opportunity for mercenary gain. Surely the human heart "is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"

YET Judas was not an exceptionally-wicked man. On the contrary his outward conduct was such as to completely deceive his fellow disciples. To all outward appearance he was as worthy as any of them; only the Master knew his heart. And his general behavior was such that even He could consistently retain him in the company, giving him every encouragement to yield to the inward appeals of the Spirit of truth. In the case of Judas' experience and fall, every individual has a lesson, a warning. The natural heart can not serve God. "It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." "Ye must be born again." To take advantage of a fellow man, to deny the necessities of life to a needy

brother, to withhold what is due to God's treasury—any rejection of the Spirit of Christ, is to deny the Lord as verily as did Judas.

THE betrayal of Christ by Judas led to His crucifixion, and the betrayal of His cause by apostasy to-day involves the same principle. The backslider, or the shirker (which is the same thing), virtually indorses the act of Judas. Even in human law he would be deemed an "accessory after the fact." So without repentance, such an one must eventually go with Judas, "to his own place." "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." Heb. 6:4-6.

THE betrayal of Christ was not confined to Judas. The church of which Jesus was a member, in which He had been reared, and to which He came to minister directly, gave special encouragment to the base act by soliciting the apprehension of the Saviour, and paying Judas a price for his part in the arrest. And this official part in the wicked transaction was officially emphasized at the crucifixion, when the rulers assumed the responsibility for the deed by publicly crying, "His blood be on us, and on our children."

SO THE church in after times, even to our own day, by ignoring the commandments of God, and preventing the ordinances established by Christ have taught their millions to depart from the faith, and encouraged them in turning His faithful ones over to the governments of the world for the suffering of death. Millions have been put to death in the name of Christ when in fact He was being persecuted in the person of His saints. Not only did the contemporaries of Christ suffer on this principle, but they foretold its workings unto the end. Looking forward to such scenes, Peter gives this encouraging word: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as tho some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

WHEN Judas yielded to the spirit of covetousness and avarice, he gave himself over to the spirit that most actuates the world, the spirit instilled into the world by the arch traitor whose rebellion arose from his encouragement of a desire for pre-eminence. It is the most dangerous, because the most infatuating, spirit that the professed disciple of Christ can foster; for it knows no limit. It is a spirit that soon sears the conscience and whose appetite can not be satisfied. Ananias and Sapphira were victims of this terrible disposition. The Spirit of the Lord told the prophet Ezekiel of those who were led by this principle, saying, "They sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." For this reason the spirit gives us this counsel:

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

IN the betrayal and execution of Christ we have a striking illustration of the effect of church and state union. The Satanic device reached its climax in the crucifixion by the world of Him who came to save the world, and in the cruel deed's being done at the instigation of the church, whose tool was a traitorous disciple actuated by a covetous heart, inspired by Satanic cunning. Here is an illustration in a nutshell of the whole church and state principle. In all ages as the church departed from the commandments of God, the resort has been to the traditions of men. And as the Spirit could not enforce that which was antagonistic to God's law, they must be enforced by the authority and power of men. The highest human authority and power being the state, the apostate church must depend upon it for the execution of her corporeal punishments. The church could not put Christ to death, even after her spy had given information concerning Him and her council had condemned Him; so the state was appealed to, and the cruel purpose was carried out.

WHEN the Christian church apostatized to the extent of uniting with the state, the same process was adopted. So to-day, as the professed churches of Christ feel the pressure of their spiritual poverty, they are attempting to keep up an appearance of righteousness by combined appeals to the state to put in force the so-called reforms suggested by the ministry. But, as in the past, the result must prove the persecution of Christ in the person of His people who shall stand by "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." In all such professed Christian proceeding, the only rule that the true Christian can follow is to "render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." And the thing that God requires of every one is allegiance to His Word as the supreme authority, loyalty to Christ Jesus as our leader and example. To fail thus to follow Him is to betray Him.

A GREAT LITERAL PROPHECY.

This Generation.

WE were brought in our two last studies to "this generation," the present generation, the people acting their part on the stage of the world's great drama now.

For all our Lord's great lesson in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 was written for this generation. It was spoken for His disciples at that time that they might know (1) that Jerusalem should be destroyed, and how; (2) that Christ's coming was not in their day; (3) that its definite time was not to be known; and (4) that the Spirit could use this definite instruction through them for the benefit of those who should come afterward. But the greater part of this instruction, the definite signs given, the fearful dangers, the deceptions, the admonitions, the warnings, the assurances, are for this generation, the people who see "all these things." As stated last week:

What is the meaning, then, of Matt. 24:34? This: That some, at least, of the people who see in the light of God's Word these signs included in this discourse which Jesus gave, shall not pass from among earth's living till Christ shall come again.

And Jesus affirms what He before has said that "when ye see all these things, know ye that He is nigh, even at the doors," by these words: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

He anticipated the weariness of waiting. He foresaw the sleepy virgins, and, alas, with some, the lack of oil. He heard the peace-and-safety cry, the sleep-lulling song of the ages. He saw the deceptions to arise; saw the apparent strength of a great numerical, rich, popular church, and knew the mighty force that the arguments of "higher criticism" and of a "converted world" would have upon the little flock who, because of His Word, believed that His coming was near. He bids them to stand fast, "endure unto the end." Heaven might roll together as a scroll, earth might crumble and disintegrate into wandering meteorites, yet His Word would not fail. Be of good courage, faithful pilgrim.

Neither the Day nor the Hour.

But He is equally emphatic in guarding the opposite danger. Men must not set times for His coming, must not presume to fix the date, must not open the way for carelessness and indifference, putting far away the Lord's coming, nor giving ground for fanaticism and scoffing by fixing times which terminate in disappointment. Here are our Lord's words: "But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only." It is argued with force, that the sense of this is, no one maketh known the day, etc., and this is doubtless the meaning. See 1 Cor. 2:2. Paul knew many things, but he preached but the one, Christ, and Him crucified. But this explanation leaves man without the information till earth's long roll of sin and sorrow shall reap their climax, her harvest is fully ripe, and then the Ruler of the universe shall speak, heaven and earth shall be shaken, and the Reaper shall come. Heb. 12:26, 27; Rev. 16:17; Joel 3:16; Jer. 25:30; Rev. 14:14.

Characteristics of the Watching Time.

The time of this generation is a watching time. Jesus declares that it will be as it was in the days of Noah. Regardless of the world's approaching doom, listening to their worldly wise men, the "men of renown," they laughed at the fears of Noah, made sport of his ark-building, despised his warnings. Wickedness continued to increase. Believing themselves divine (Gen. 3:4), men followed the imagination of their own heart, which ran riot to every extent of evil. Gen. 6:5. The Spirit of Christ entreated, always to be resisted. Verse 3. The earth became "filled with violence," "for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." Therefore God declared, "The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Verses 11-13.

Do we not now see the days of Noah repeated? God is pleading through His Word, but His Word is resisted, rejected. Lust, illegal and legalized, reigns. Men are given up to feasting, to eating and drinking, to marrying and giving in marriage, with no thought but that of selfishness. Violence increases, crime of every sort augments, holy standards are trampled underfoot. God protests, warns, entreats, "but the madding world goes on with jest and song."

By and by the last appeal will have been made. Sin becomes unforgiveable because unrepentable, and in the depth of infinite reluctance Jehovah rises up to "do His work, His strange work, and bring to pass His act, His strange act." The decree is spoken, not to cut off one sinner from salvation, but to say that every soul has decided his own case: "He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still; and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still; and he that is holy let him be made holy still. Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to each man according as his work is." Rev. 22:11, 12.

Before the Flood came, Noah was shut in the ark, and the world—the then scoffing world—shut out. Before Christ comes the seal of God is placed upon His loyal ones, the mark of the beast upon all of the apostasy, men have by decision made character unchangeable. Then Christ rises up from His mediatorial seat, and comes in to judgment to view the guests. Matt. 22:11-13. Thus shall it be in the days preceding the disclosure of Christ's personal presence. When that time comes the long withheld plagues which sin has engendered rush forth upon the wicked world as vultures upon heaps of decaying slain. Revelation 15 and 16. "Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken [by the plagues], and one is left; two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left." "And they answering say unto Him, Where, Lord? And He said unto them, Where the body [carcass] is, thither will the eagles [vultures] also be gathered together." Luke 17:31-37; Matt. 24:40, 41, 28. This time of Christ's coming or going (the original has both definitions), is the rising up from the mercy-seat, the closing of probation, the closing of the door of the ark, the announcing of the worthy before the personal coming to reward them. As a thief in the night it will come. With no sound of herald will that moment strike. Hardened hearts will not know it till the plagues seize their legitimate prey. "Watch therefore; for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of Man cometh."

A Lesson for God's Preachers.

Jesus then draws a lesson for those who stand as watchmen on the walls of Zion, as pastors or householders to feed the flock. In due season the food should be given. Vegetables and fruits according to the season should appear upon the table. Are strawberries ripe? —The health and best interests of his household demand that they should appear upon his table.

And so with other fruits. The winter diet will not do for the year. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." God's church needs the food for its supper-time, the present truth for the closing years of probation. Who is giving the food in due season?

Alas, many are saying in their heart, "My Lord tarrieth." They are eating and drinking with the drunken, are beating and smiting the faithful ones. To such ones probation will close when they know it not, and they are unsaved. Read Matt. 24:45-51.

One passage more on this important subject for this important time: "But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare; for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36.

MARVELOUS CREDULITY.

IN the midst of the theories and isms of this earth, he who would be sure of participating in the triumph of truth must not abandon the Word of God.

“Science” has been busy for many years in overthrowing the Bible. It is still busy; and it will have occasion to be busy till the end of time. Many religious teachers are accepting the evolution theory of Creation because they consider the plain Bible narrative of that great event as “contrary to the known laws of the evolution of nature,” and because “the truths of geology have supplanted,” the record of Genesis.

It is certain that there are few deductions more uncertain than the deductions of geologists in regard to the history of the earth and its internal conditions. Many a geologist who has attempted to give the age of the earth has reckoned it as some millions of years older or younger than the age given to it by other equally eminent geologists.

“Science” has taught us, and demonstrated to its own satisfaction, that the interior of the earth is a molten globe, surrounded by a cooling crust of solid matter. “Science” has taught us, and proved to its own satisfaction, that the interior of the earth is the solidest kind of a solid, with a coating of molten matter between the solid core and the outer crust.

Again, “science” rejects the scientific theory of a molten interior, because of the scientific demonstration that, if the interior of the earth were molten, the attraction of the sun and moon would create a tidal wave of the molten matter that would completely disintegrate the crust of the earth, even if it were made of solid steel. “Science” has also rejected the theory of the cushion of molten matter between the solid core and the solid crust for similar scientific reasons, and teaches now that the earth is solid from center to circumference. What the next scientific deduction in reference to the earth’s history and construction will be, neither we nor the scientists can tell.

“Science” has given various scientific reasons for earthquake and volcanic disturbances, and these have been abandoned one by one, because later science has “proved” the older demonstrations unscientific and unreliable, being overturned by later manifestations of the powers that produce these phenomena.

With many, the deductions of science are sufficient to prove the Biblical account of Creation wrong, because this “science” does not agree with the Bible. It hardly needs to be said that it is entirely to the honor of the Bible that such science does not agree with it. If it did, the Bible certainly would be overthrown, for “science” has continually overthrown “science,” and demonstrated the overthrow; and the process continues to-day. The Bible could not agree with such “science” and be the Word of God. It is strange, however, that so many choose to believe that each of these untenable scientific theories has overthrown the Bible; and the most unaccountable part of it all is that so many who have entered the sacred desk have forsaken the solid Word for the ever-shifting theories of science. “Science” has been able to arrive at few conclusions that it has not been able later to overthrow; and these few unassailable conclusions are in harmony with the teachings of that Book which is the fountain of true science.

The “known laws of the evolution of nature” are not so surely known now by the scientist as they were a few years ago. Some scientists are discarding the Darwinian theory of the creation of animal life. The “missing link” is still missing; but there are many missing links in the theory; for the Darwinian has not been able to weld up his chain from the protoplasm even to the monkey—not by many a phantom “link.” The scientist can not trace any single animal out of one species and into another, or trace the origin of one genus back into another genus. Each had its own beginning, and did not spring from a dissimilar order.

With this showing, it is asking us to exercise a credulity that the scientist would not tolerate for a moment toward the Bible, when we are asked by such scientists to accept such deductions and turn our backs upon the Word of God. The psalmist declares that “the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” It is better to be simple enough to believe that sure testimony of Him who is “from everlasting to everlasting,” and therein possess the truest wisdom, the very key to the true science, than it is to accept the “wisdom” of this world, shifting, uncertain, anchorless, rudderless, and self-destructive, believing all our lives that which is not true, and refusing to our eternal ruin to believe the sure Word of Him in whom we live and move and have our being.

And yet to-day the whole tendency of popular religious teaching is away from the Word and toward the acceptance of these vacillating theories which contradict the Word. The colleges are full of them; the public schools are full of them; the popular pulpits are overflowing with them; and now it is earnestly proposed that the Sunday-schools shall take them up.

The baleful results of departure from the living Word are seen in a religion of cold formalism, a patterning after the worldliness of the unconverted, a dearth of vital godliness, a lessening number of heart conversions, and a general turning to the world. As a consequence, faith is disappearing, and the stirring words of God's last solemn warning to the world are generally falling on leaden ears. Perhaps the greatest menace to the soul to-day is found in this faith-destroying disease that is sweeping the popular churches like a very bosom of destruction, in deed and in truth an epidemic of death.

The Christian's hope and shield are in God and the Word which He has given. "Science" can not produce one single protoplasmic cell, to say nothing of a peopled world; neither can it save the souls of those who flee to it, flinging reproach upon the Word of Him who can do and has done all this and a myriad other things of which we have never dreamed. It is best to believe God; it is safe to believe Him; and there is no safety, no surety, no refuge in anything else. s.

THE YEAR 1905.

By Editor

Its Fearful Criminal and Casualty Record.

THE Chicago Tribune, noted for its yearly statistical number, tells us that it has been a banner year in all lines, and in this disasters and crimes have not been exceptions.

There were lives lost in fires 1,018, in water 1,757, in explosions 1,122, in mines 546, in cyclones and storms 467, in falling buildings 297, by lightning 158, and by electricity 127. Among the greater causes, marine disasters 1,538, railroad disasters 3,142 killed and 15,904 injured, while on electric roads in addition 464 have been killed, and 2,622 injured. It would certainly seem that many of these could have been prevented.

Suicides numbered 9,982, a gradual increase since 1899, in which year they numbered 5,340. About twice as many men commit suicide as women, last year 6,556 men, 3,426 women. Among professional men physicians head the list. The various causes given for the great number are as follows: despondency 4,134, insanity 1,826, domestic infelicity 1,524, disappointment in love 958, ill health 411, liquor 375, business losses 32. Doubtless liquor had to do with more than half of all the cases.

The number of homicides from violence of every kind in 1905 shows a considerable increase over 1904. We would remark in passing that this report is only brought down to December 27 of last year, and includes only those reported by telegraph. There were many others doubtless that never either came to light or were caught by the Tribune people. And in this also there is an increase, 9,212 as compared with 8,482, in 1903. And the startling feature of the report is the increase of murders committed by highwaymen, burglars, and hold-up men,—that particular class of criminals being 582 as compared with 464 in 1904, 406 in 1903, 333 in 1902, and 103 in 1901, deaths of this character leaping from 103 in 1901 to 582 in 1905. More than half of these were the result of quarrels, 579 are laid to insanity, and not one comes under the head of lynching.

Lynchings are placed in a class by themselves. Reports for 1905 are only 66, the smallest number since 1885. Of the victims of these lynchings 61 were negroes and 5 white. The leading crimes alleged were murder 34, rape 15, 2 were for unknown reasons, and 1 innocent victim was hanged. The lynchings added to the homicides brings the murders up to 9,278.

There were 133 legal executions as compared with 116 in 1904. The crimes for which there were executions were murder 24, rape 9.

Embezzlements, forgeries, defaultings, and bank wreckings show a large increase over 1904, and altogether the largest since 1897. It totals $9,613,172.

The Tribune remarks on the increased number of murders committed by burglars, thieves, and hold-ups, "It would be some compensation if the killing of these enemies of society kept even pace with their deeds, but only 59 of the 582 were punished." The Tribune likewise remarks, "The number of executions has decreased since 1885, while the number of murders has increased. In 1885 the number of murders reported was 1,808, and the number of hangings was 108, while in 1905 the number of murders was 9,212, and the number of legal executions was only 133.

It may be well to supplement this with two scriptures. Jesus said of this time, "As it was in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the

days of the Son of Man." Luke 17:26. Of Noah's days we read: "And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6. Have we not about reached that time?

Race Suicide

Race Suicide.—France is considered the country of race suicide. Its yearly birth-rate is one hundred fifty thousand less than it was in 1871, numbering only 818,239 the last year. This is according to the statistician, M. Bertillon. Last year, it is stated, the population of France increased by only 57,000, while in Great Britain there was an increase of 500,000, and in Germany of 812,000. Germany is now said to have 60,000,000 inhabitants, while France has only 39,000,000. It certainly is a serious question that one may ask, How much has her infidelity had to do with the condition of things which prevail?

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