p. 13 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 18. (5/6/1913)

Dedication Ceremony of the Signs of the Times Publishing House, Shanghai, China

By F. E. Stafford

On Sunday afternoon, March 9, a happy crowd assembled in the newly furnished chapel of the new Press building at Shanghai. The Press employees, all the foreign workers connected with the Press and with the Asiatic Division headquarters, the members of the Shanghai church, and a few invited friends composed the assemblage who gathered on this occasion to dedicate the new buildings to God and the third angel’s message.

The service was opened by a violin and organ voluntary, after which the congregation united in singing “Crown Him Lord of All.” A Scripture lesson was then read from Isaiah 40; and after prayer, W. E. Gillis, superintendent of the Press, addressed the audience, briefly outlining the growth of the printing work in China, and giving many interesting facts concerning the erection of the new buildings. He told of some of the difficulties and struggles through which the work has had to pass, and he said that it was with grateful hearts that we assembled on this occasion to dedicate this commodious and convenient Press building to the work of God in China. The present March issue of the Signs of the Times is 64,000 copies, and we have a steady and increasing demand for our tracts and books, and it may be truthfully said that as yet we have only begun the work in China. So we look forward with great hope to the future, believing that God will richly bless the printing work in China, and that the papers and books which are circulated from this office may be the means, in God’s hands, of bringing the truth to thousands of China’s millions, who now are living in darkness and sin.

Signs of the Times Publishing House, Shanghai, China, with employees in front

At the dedication of the Signs of the Times Publishing House, March 9, 1913

View of the workers' homes at the publishing house headquarters in Shanghai. The publishing house is just back of the building at the extreme right of the picture.

View from the Signs of the Times office, showing the coffins and graves scattered over the field. China has very peculiar plans for burial.

C. N. Woodward, treasurer of the Asiatic Division, and treasurer of the Press, then gave the figures and data regarding the cost of the various buildings. Among other things, he said that his report, while it gave the price in money, yet could not give, and no one knew but God, the cost of these buildings in the sacrifices endured by our brethren and sisters in the home lands who have given so freely of their very living in order to make it possible for us to have these pleasant buildings. The buildings, which include the Press building, with all departments, offices, editorial rooms, chapel, and Asiatic Division offices, ten Chinese houses for employees, one double semi-foreign house, and five foreign houses, together with the land (a little more than four acres), and all improvements to date, have cost a total of $32,950 United States gold.

A vocal duet by K. H. Wood and wife followed, after which Pastor I. H. Evans, superintendent of the Asiatic Division, preached the dedicatory sermon, and R. F. Cottrell offered the prayer. The sermon was built on the words, “Lord, save us: we perish.” Among other things, he said:

“There comes a time in the lives of men when they feel their utter helplessness. This crisis may come unexpectedly, or it may be the growth of years; but come it does, and then man cries for help. The heathen looks to his gods, the worldly man to his club and associates, the Christian to his God and Saviour. Friendless, comfortless, perishing, every mortal feels, in this hour of crisis, that he must have help outside himself. What he has enjoyed and gathered to himself in the years of his activity is now but rubbish. His life looks wasted. What he had labored for and trusted, seems of no avail. In the helplessness of his condition, he cries, ‘Lord, save me: I perish.’

“Jesus Christ answers the heart-cry of every man who seeks Him in sincerity. Without Him there is only human strength for man; and surely ‘vain is the help of man.’ The ministry of our fellows may comfort us in the hour of trial. Their sympathy, their faithfulness and loyalty, may assuage in a measure our grief; but still there is something in the human heart that is unsatisfied. That is the heart-cry for God, and there is no way of satisfying the need but in coming to Jesus Christ with childlike faith, praying, ‘Lord, save us: we perish.’”

“The heathen around us feel this need, and seek help from their gods of wood and stone, going from temple to temple in the vain endeavor to find some deity or spirit that may give them what they desire. But their hearts are never satisfied; they know not the One who is able to help in time of need. That is why we are in this land of Sinim—to show these benighted seekers the way to God. For this reason we have built this little chapel; for this reason we have erected and equipped this printing plant; for this reason and no other have men and women come to this land—that those who know not God, may find salvation in Jesus Christ.”

“We have assembled on this occasion to dedicate this chapel and this printing plant to the service of God. Without the divine blessing, the worship in one, and the printed page of the other, will be only waste. But with the blessing of God, both may prove a mighty factor in the upbuilding of the kingdom of God in China.”

At the conclusion of the service, the congregation were shown through the grounds and various buildings of the compound, after which refreshments were laid out on the large tables in the bindery. The employees and those connected with the Press entered heartily into the spirit of hospitality which was shown, and it was greatly appreciated by the guests, who departed with expressions on their lips of grateful praise to God, the giver of all things, who has seen fit to establish this institution in our midst, and with a prayer in their hearts that He who has begun a good work will strengthen it and complete it to the end, to His great glory and honor, and that this publishing house, which has now been dedicated to the work of the third angel’s message, may rapidly develop into an important feature of this work in China in the short time which is allotted to us.

And thus another mile-stone has been passed in our work in China. As we look back over the past four years, and see how the present large work has been built up from a very small beginning, with almost no equipment at all, and an edition of a few hundred copies, to the present large and convenient building, with a circulation of over 60,000 copies per month; when we look into these various departments, hear the whir of the presses and foundry machinery, visit the packing room and see the boxes of spirit-filled literature going out to all parts of the field, we are led to exclaim, “What hath God wrought!” We thank God and take courage, and with renewed consecration return to our work, with a determination to hold the standard high, and press the battle hard against the enemy, and, trusting in the power of our mighty Captain, rescue many of these benighted heathen, snatching them up from the very brink of death and destruction, and placing their feet on the solid Rock, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

F. E. STAFFORD.

Shanghai, China.

Requests for Literature Distribution

R. Rose Hesse, of 1109 Highway Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida, wishes to express her appreciation of the liberal response to her call for literature for the jail work in Jacksonville, and wishes this favor continued. She says: “Each Sunday, hearts that are languishing in prison are cheered by the inspiring message that these papers bring. Upon release they carry this literature to their homes. Thus the precious seed is cherished and scattered in this needy field.”

A continuous supply of our periodicals, tracts, and papers, for reading rack and for free distribution, to Mrs. W. F. Nall, Luthersville, Georgia.

Miss Myrtle Maxwell, 107 E. Fair St., Atlanta, Georgia.

J. M. Boyce, corner Young and Meda avenues, Memphis, Tennessee.

Co-operation Corner

Special Call No. 1 — California

One earnest worker, who is located in a large new irrigating tract where people are coming in from all directions, is anxious for a club of thirty or forty copies of this paper to use in missionary work. A club of forty copies for three months would cost $12.00. Will not some of our California brethren furnish this at once? If you can not give the full amount, you are invited to contribute a portion of it. In your response, be sure and say what the money is for.

Special Call No. 2 — Nebraska

One of our ministers expects to commence a tent effort soon in a thriving Nebraska community, and desires a club of twenty-five or thirty copies of the SIGNS for six months. A club of thirty copies for six months would cost $18.00. This is an opportunity for some of our Nebraska readers to contribute to this missionary enterprise. In responding to this call, kindly mention the number of the special call you wish your contribution to apply on.

Special Call No. 3 — Tennessee

One of our missionary workers in the hills of Tennessee desires a club of twenty-five copies of the SIGNS weekly indefinitely. She says: “Another sister has begun to keep the Sabbath, and two more are thoroughly convinced but hesitate to step out. I realize the help that a club of SIGNS would be, but we who are working among the hills of Tennessee can not always get hold of cash for such things.”

Let’s have a good, hearty response from our readers for this call.

Donations to Missions

China Training School

We have more for next month, but we are thankful for this. The enterprise is a good one. It will return in results a hundredfold here, and in the world to come eternal characters and life. An excellent letter came to-day from Brother Stanford, evangelist in China. It breathes success and courage.


Previously reported	$557.00
Tillie Houck	5.00
Mrs. E. E. Barden	5.00
Mrs. W. J. Kelly	1.00
Frederick Krauer	5.00
K. B. Wilcox	5.00
W. H. R.	.50
Mrs. Myrtle Hill	.25
“X”	1.61
Clifford Jennings	.50
Carrie Allen and sister-in-law	9.00
Mrs. M. A. Adams	5.00
Total	$594.86

India Mission Hospital

H. A. Horine and Wm. Miller $40.25

SANITARIUM COOKING OIL

“The Oil of Quality”

Pure Cotton Seed Oil direct from refinery. Sweet, wholesome, and delicious. 1-gallon cans, 90c each; 5-gallon can, $3.95; 10 gallons, $7.80; 30-gallon barrel, $21.00; 50-gallon barrel, $34.00. Cash with order. Sanitarium Cooking Oil Co., Louisville, Kentucky.

For Sale

40 acre farm, Baldwin County, Alabama. Improved. Small house; barn, etc. 15 acres in cultivation, balance in wood and yard. Mild climate, no malaria. Will sell at a sacrifice to any one wishing to enter the South in the interest of the message. For particulars address Dr. Henry J. C. Sprehn, 3551 Lanfranco Street, Los Angeles, Cal.

IN THREE DAYS

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ACROSS GREAT SALT LAKE AND HIGH SIERRA BY DAYLIGHT

Luxurious High-class Equipment Electric Lighted Throughout

Pullman Drawing-room Stateroom Vestib uled Sleeping-cars Careful and Attentive Dining Service Parlor Observation-car with Library and Cafe Ladies’ Reading-room Gentlemen’s Smoking-room Daily News Bulletins Latest Papers and Magazines

Southern Pacific

Immortality

We would recommend as a brief help in study of the immortality question, “Is Man Immortal?” Apples of Gold Library, No. 86. Single copy, 2 cents, post-paid; $1.00 a hundred. This office.

Those who are making an investigation of the Bible teaching on immortality should secure the tract “Thoughts for the Candid,” Bible Students’ Library, 47. Single copy, post-paid, 2 cents; 50 cents a hundred. This office.

This New Burroughs Saves 5 Hours a Day

This wonderful new Burroughs is doing for a Cleveland concern in less than 3 hours a day, work which took 8 hours a day by hand. It saves over 50% for a Chicago concern on statement work alone.

Besides saving time and money, it totally eliminates all mental drudgery and effort required in getting both totals and balances, because it is absolutely automatic—and absolutely accurate—and quick and neat at both.

Just think of this—it adds credits, deposits or other items; subtracts debits, checks or similar items; prints dates, numbers, letters, etc.; gives old and new balance (makes carbon copies), all automatically. You just put down the figures one after the other—the machine does the calculating, thinking and printing.

And then in addition to this extraordinary work—it will do multiplication and division—in fact, all the work of a standard Burroughs Adding and Book-keeping Machine.

Don’t you think you need this Burroughs “brain” in your office? Others tell us it pays for itself in less than a year. At least find out the truth of this as applied to your own business, by permitting us to demonstrate its immense field of usefulness without cost or obligation to you.

BURROUGHS ADDING MACHINE COMPANY

124 Burroughs Block, Detroit, Michigan

European Office: 76 Cannon Street, London, E. C., England

Makers of adding and listing machines, listing and non-listing calculating machines; low-keyboard visible-printing adding machines—84 different models in 492 combinations of features—$150 to $950—$50 more in Canada. Easy payments, if desired.

Five Million Pages

Of the Signs of the Times Leaflets have been printed since their introduction in 1906. These two-page leaflets were issued to meet a demand for cheap literature to use in connection with our tent meetings, special occasions, and for miscellaneous distribution. Their popularity is due in the main to the excellent subject-matter and low price. Notice the list of subjects given below:

No.

The Sure Word of Prophecy.
Prophetic History of the World.
Second Coming of Christ.
Signs of Our Times.
The Sanctuary.
The 2,300 Days.
The Law of God.
The Sabbath of the Bible.

No.

The First Day in the Bible.
Who Changed the Sabbath?
The Great Threefold Message.
The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast.
Church and State.
Life and Immortality.
The Great Judgment Day.
The Home of the Saved.

PRICE REDUCED

The circulation has been so large, a greater share of the initial expense of plate-making has been met. This will enable us to make a still lower price. The retail price has now been reduced one third.

These are sold only in full packages of 100. Those desiring a small assortment of the different numbers should order the pound package.

100 (all of one kind), post-paid .......................... $ .10 1 Pound Package (16 of each), post-paid .................... .50

Order of your tract society or

Pacific Press Publishing Association

Portland, Oregon

Mountain View, California Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Kansas City, Missouri

Questions and Answers

The Premium of This Journal

Over 250 pages. Almost 300 Questions and Answers. Topical and Textual Indexes. Full Cloth Binding.

Practical and comprehensive exposition of difficult, perplexing, or hard texts in the Bible. Recognized and accepted by leading Bible students.

You can not purchase a copy. It is given only as a premium of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES weekly at these terms:

The journal one year ........ $1.75 Value of the book .......... 1.25 Total ........................ $3.00

SPECIAL,— the journal one year and the book, $2.00, or the book free with two yearly subscriptions at $1.75 each. Paper and book to separate addresses if desired. You will find both a great help to you in your study. Address our depositories, or

Signs of the Times Mountain View, California

Sanctuary

“Christ Our Advocate,” a pamphlet which can be secured at this office for ten cents, is an invaluable aid in studying the sanctuary question. It explains the building and purpose of the earthly sanctuary, patterned after the heavenly, and pictures the present work of Christ, “Our Advocate,” in the heavenly sanctuary. The great prophetic 2,300 day period is thoroly explained, as are also prophecies relating to the conditions in the world during the time that the heavenly sanctuary cleansing work is going on.

A Valuable Magazine

By Editor

Our readers will especially appreciate the May number of the Signs of the Times Magazine, now ready for mailing.

A PARTIAL LIST OF ITS CONTENTS

Stormy Winds and Devastating Floods;

A Sermon by President Woodrow Wilson;

Heralds of the Morning;

The Coming Conflict;

Joaquin Miller and Spiritualism;

Prophecy on Spiritualism;

The Same Old Sophistry;

The Power That Rules the World;

Prepare War; Wake Up the Mighty Men;

The Warning for the Times;

Labor’s Seductive Enemy;

Police Graft;

Violence;

Nature as an Artist — The Infinite;

Explaining the Mystery of the Seed;

Why This Difference in Sabbath Observance?

Bible Reading: First-Day Sacredness.

Only wish we had the space to outline briefly each article. But we do want to say that the Bible reading is the best we have ever seen in brief presentation of the subject. A winning way to present these texts so often used to show the sacredness of the “Christian Sabbath.” It is worth many times the price of the magazine.

Ten cents in coin or stamps to the publishers for a copy.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES MAGAZINE

Mountain View, California

Christ and Political Affairs

By Editor

Pastor A. W. Anderson, editor of the Australian Signs of the Times, and Pastor J. E. Fulton, president of the Australasian Union Conference, paid us a short visit on April 22. Pastor Anderson was accompanied by his wife. They are all on their way to the General Conference.

The manager of this office, Mr. C. H. Jones, met Pastor I. H. Evans at the wharf in San Francisco on April 22. Pastor Evans is the superintendent of our work in the Orient, and comes fresh from the advancing cause in China. He went directly on to Washington to do some preliminary work before the General Conference, which convenes there in May.

A minister in Philadelphia a short time ago chose for a text, “If Christ were a member of Wilson’s cabinet.” Most people will readily recognize the fact that the Philadelphian did not find his text in the Bible. And there are a great many others who will quickly say that if this particular minister had been a truly devoted Bible student he would have been cognizant of the fact that Christ did not mingle in the political affairs of this world, and therefore it is preposterous to suggest Him as being a member of any cabinet anywhere. It is nowhere said in the Word that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son to teach men how to run a government. Governments are ordained of God, and are a very essential thing. But the work of Christ on this earth is that of winning men to Himself, so that He may give them eternal life. There are souls everywhere that should be aroused to their eternal needs. The minister of the gospel has the commission to do this important work; and if he studies His Bible as he should, and takes time to acquaint himself with the needs of his individual work, he will not have occasion to go out of his way to try to show the president of the United States how to carry his responsibilities, or how to act if he had the Lord Jesus in his cabinet. If ministers of the gospel were fearless and honest in preaching the grand old message of righteousness and salvation, we would have more strong men to act as rulers and lawmakers, and less of the cringing before wealth and class distinction.

Cartoons

The cartoon is a great educator, either for good or for bad. It presents much in picture that may be seen at a glance. The cartoon was used very effectively in Reformation times to show the defects and the inconsistencies of the ecclesiasticism against which the Reformers were combating. But in that time the cartoonist was confined very largely, for publicity, to displaying his caricatures in show-windows and such places. But now the cartoon goes everywhere that papers and magazines are circulated.

The cartoon is not only an educator, but it is also very frequently a reflector of public sentiment. It interprets and presents in caricature what is very pleasing to a large part of the community in which it is circulated, otherwise the cartoonist could not find a market for his productions. These statements being recognized as commonplace fact, many of the cartoons of the time become more than ordinarily significant. For instance, one of the great dailies of the Pacific Coast has a series of cartoons in almost every issue, in which are pictured the escapades of an old man with women other than his wife. The whole thought of the cartoons seems to be that it is nothing more than just funny for a married man to flirt with other women, and when he is caught by his wife in this flirting, it is all the funnier, and there is nothing serious about it.

Such cartoons, coming day after day, have their effect on many minds. Of course the properly moral man and woman will throw such things away in disgust as soon as they glance at them; but very many, particularly among the younger people, will study them closely, and laugh at them, and their keen moral perceptibilities are blunted unconsciously. They soon come to regard it as no very serious thing to be flirting with any persons of the opposite sex they chance to meet.

Closely allied with the cartoon that makes a jest of the sacredness of the marriage relation are the stories and songs that are of the same character. These evil triplets are doing much of the seed-sowing that brings so many people to the divorce courts. Through jest, and song, and cartoon, people are led to think that it is not so bad to be disloyal to the companion to whom the pledge was given to be faithful and true while life should last. And when the moral sentiment is broken down, the individual becomes the mere plaything of sin.

When we consider, as has already been suggested, that cartoons, jests, and songs are a reflection of much sentiment that lies hidden in the hearts of the people, they become at once a striking commentary on prevailing conditions. It is plain that we could not have so much demand for the cartoons mentioned in the foregoing were there not lax conditions in society that would not only tolerate but support them. Why will editors who claim to be working for the moral uplift of mankind, permit their columns to be prostituted to such degrading and degenerating work?

Temperance Work Against Rising Drink Consumption

More than 46,000,000 of the population of the United States are living in prohibition territory. This territory embraces seventy per cent of the area of the whole country. But, notwithstanding this immense advantage that we have gained in favor of prohibition, the amount of drink consumed so far this year shows an increase over any previous year. The amount of drinking per capita is tremendously on the increase. This indicates the very great activity of the forces of evil, and it should spur every temperance worker to renewed faithfulness and activity. The triumph of rum means the triumph of degradation, misery, and crime. We must combat it to the last ditch, and to the limit of our abilities and opportunities.

Catholics in High Places

By T.

THE following paragraph is found in the Western Watchman (Catholic) of April 10:

“Governor Dunne, of Illinois, is a Catholic. The governor of Rhode Island is another. So is former Governor Burke of North Dakota, just appointed treasurer of the United States. Catholics also, are President Wilson’s private secretary, Tumulty, and Chief Justice of the United States White. The ‘Guardians of Liberty’ should be retired on the ground of general incompetency. They have been napping on their job.”

The editor of the Watchman seems to have a little vein of boasting in saying the foregoing. He will have much more than this to boast of before many years pass by. We have made the prediction, all along during the last thirty-five years, from the prophetic word of God, that the Papacy will be restored to world-wide dominance again as the climax to this world’s history. The Papacy stands for the religion of force and oppression. It claims that it is the only true church, and that no other should be tolerated. And standing on this claim, it is easy to see that when the Papacy triumphs again, she will have the same arrogance and intolerance that she manifested during the Middle Ages.

Some of our Protestant editors and ministers are alive to the aggressions that Rome is making, but the great majority of the Protestant world are asleep to the issue. They think that we have reached an age of such liberality and broad-mindedness that no party will ever persecute again. But the very foundation doctrines of the Church of Rome make it necessary for her to persecute heresy whenever and wherever she has the power to do so. She has been held in check by the spirit of freedom that has been developed in the world, and her spiritual power had been largely broken by the aggressions of a virile Protestantism. But Protestantism as a whole has ceased to protest, and Rome will soon have another inning. We make this statement in regard to the return of the Papacy to world-dominance, because the prophecies so abundantly teach it. T.

The Increasing Death Toll from Drink

Eugene W. Chafin, prohibition candidate for president of the United States in the campaign of 1912, in a recent address states that 700,000 people die annually from the effects of strong drink. Figures of this sort are not given out from guess, but are based upon the best available statistics. Thirty years ago our temperance speakers and writers were telling us that 60,000 people went into their graves annually from drunkenness. From 60,000 a year to 700,000 a year is an immense and startling increase in the death-rate from drunkenness. Part of this increase is no doubt shown by the improved and more accurate method of keeping statistics. But we ought to expect an awful increase in the death toll from drinking when we consider that the amount of strong drink per capita in this country thirty years ago was 13.21 gallons, while to-day it is 22.79 gallons, an increase of over nine gallons to the person. It is more than probable that the temperance agitation and education of the past fifty years gives us more actual total abstainers to-day than we had then; and therefore among those who do drink, there must be a large number who are drinking incredible amounts of the stuff. The figures giving the amount of intoxicants used are based upon government reports, and therefore do not exaggerate the facts.

Serum for Pneumonia

The Rockefeller Research Institute makes the announcement that it has discovered a serum for the cure of pneumonia that is very effective. Dr. Clarence McWilliams, one of the medical experts, says, “Many tests have been made, establishing the serum as a certain cure for all forms of pneumonia.” The promise is made that it will be given to the public soon, so that it may be available for general use.