Earlier text: THEOLOGICAL QUERIESThe Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul
By Alonzo T. Jones
The Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul Subversive of the Truth.—No. 4.
GOD created man upon the earth, and gave him dominion over all upon it. He made him, not as the angels, but lower than they—inferior to the angels. Ps. 8:5; Heb. 2:7, margin. God made man upright, but through the deception of Satan he turned to crooked ways—he sinned. And although God had put all things in subjection under him, and "left nothing" that was not "put under him," yet now, says Paul, we see not all things put under him. Heb. 2:8. Through sin he has been deprived of his glory, and honor, and dominion, which God gave him, and which the Lord intended that he should forever enjoy. This sin was brought upon him by Satan, and, hard upon sin, death followed. But when man had thus sold himself under sin, God gave by promise, and in the "fullness of time" he gave in fact, his only begotten Son, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." When man had so sold himself under sin, under the curse, God gave his dear Son to redeem him from sin, from the curse, and from all condemnation. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal. 3:13. "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:21. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:3, 4. To put away sin and plant righteousness in its stead, is the mission of Christ to this world. That he might accomplish this, he had to make the awful sacrifice of himself, the Creator of the universe. "Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Heb. 9:26. By the greatness of the sacrifice we may judge of the enormity of sin, and how abhorrent it is in the sight of God, and also how widely contrary it is to every principle of the government of the King of Eternity. To deliver man from its thralldom he spared not his own Son. Rather than to see the blight and stain of sin upon the fair face of his universe, God gave up the "Son of his love" to die the cruel death of the accursed tree. John says: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8. The work of the devil is sin; for he says, "He that committeth sin is of the devil." Therefore when it is said that the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, it is simply expressing, in other words, that which we quoted from Paul, that Christ appeared to put away sin. As therefore Christ's mission is to destroy the works of the devil—to put away sin—it follows that as long as there is a vestige of sin remaining, his mission is not accomplished. Whatever therefore tends to perpetuate sin, tends just so far to delay the accomplishment of the mission of Christ. And if by any means sin were made eternal, the inevitable result would be to nullify and subvert the mission of Christ. Now that is exactly what is done by the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. The very meaning of the word immortal being "not subject to death," it follows that if the soul be immortal, it must live eternally, whatever its condition may be; and from this again it follows that when the awful sentence is pronounced, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still," whatsoever soul it be that shall then be unjust must live so to all eternity; which is simply to make sin eternal, and so to subvert the mission of Christ. That sin is to be eternal is strenuously maintained by those who believe that the soul is immortal. This is shown positively in the doctrine of the eternal torment of the wicked. In fact, the belief in the eternal torment of the wicked is simply the necessary consequence of the belief in the immortality of the soul. We know, for the word of God says it, that the wicked will be punished. We know likewise, by the same authority, that they will be punished as long as they live (aion—a life-time). Now if they live eternally, it is evident that they will be in pain eternally. But the word of God says just as plainly that the wicked shall die, as it says anything at all about them. "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Eze. 18:4. That word tells us of a time when, "Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them," shall be heard saying, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13. This scripture can never be fulfilled if the doctrine of eternal suffering be true, or, in other words, if the doctrine of the immortality of the soul be true. Again, we read of a time when "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4. If the doctrine of eternal suffering be the truth, it is literally impossible that there can ever come a time when there shall be "no more pain." But there stands that faithful word, that there is coming a time when there shall be no more pain; there is coming a time when every voice in the universe will ascribe "Honor, and glory, and power," "unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." This is the truth of God; he has given his only begotten Son that it might be accomplished; and we have seen that the mission of the Son is declared to be "to put away sin," to "destroy the works of the devil." And the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, in making sin eternal, and in immortalizing the works of the devil, frustrates the purpose of God and subverts the mission of Christ. Once more: The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul makes the body only worthless clay, formed into a prison that binds, and fetters, and clogs the free action of the soul; while death is the friendly messenger that bursts the prison bars, and sets free the aspiring soul to seek its native sphere. One of the most influential of American preachers said lately, of one who had died, that that person "is living, and more thoroughly living, to-day than any of us who are clogged and hampered and chained down by earthly impediment." This is simply the expression of the common belief of those who hold to the idea that the soul is immortal. Embodied in metre so that it can be sung, it runs on this wise:— "Why should we start and fear to die?
What timorous worms we mortals are!
Death is the gate to endless joy;
And yet we dread to enter there."
Now we read in the word of God, as follows: "O death, I will be thy plagues." Hos. 13:14. And again we read that "death" "shall be destroyed." 1 Cor. 15:26. Can it be that God is going to visit with plagues, and destroy, the gate to endless joy? Is he so displeased to have his creatures entering into endless joy that he is determined to destroy the very means by which they enter that blissful state? If the words of this preacher and the language of this hymn, and the doctrine upon which these are founded, be the truth, then the Lord is going to do just the thing that is here pointed out, that is, he is going to visit with plagues, and destroy, the gate to endless joy. But this is not all. We read further of Christ: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14. Granting the claim that death is the gate to endless joy, then from this scripture it follows just as absolutely as logic can demonstrate, that the devil, having the power of death, is the gate-keeper. And so the Lord is not only going to destroy this "gate to endless joy," but he is going to destroy him that keeps it. Nor yet is this all. Granting not only the claim, based upon the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, that death is the gate to endless joy, but also that the soul is clogged, and hampered, and imprisoned by its confinement in the body; and that it is released by death, it follows that if there had never been any death in the world no soul could have ever been set free, and there never would have been any gate to endless joy. And as it was the devil who brought death into the world, therefore, under that doctrine, to him must be accorded the honor of setting men free from this world, and of creating and opening to men the gate of endless joy. But this is the very thing that Christ says that he himself came to do. He says: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no779man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6. "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." John 10:9. Therefore when the doctrine of the immortality of the soul makes death the gate to endless joy, and the friendly messenger that releases men from this world, it supplants the Saviour of the world, and bestows upon Satan the honor that is due to Christ. And by all this, we lay against the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, the legitimate and logical charge that it frustrates the purpose of God, that it nullifies the mission of Christ, and that it supplants the Saviour of the world. And if anything more is needed to show that between that doctrine and the truth of God, there is a difference wide as eternity, we promise to present it in our next issue. —The wheat crop of France this year is about 6,000,000 bushels above the average. —The London Times confirms the statement that a Franco-Burmese treaty was found by the British at Mandalay. —Several persons were seriously injured, some of them fatally, by an explosion in a coal mine near Wilkesbarre, Pa., December 14. —The Liberal press in Russia urges an alliance with England, as the only means of settling the Eastern question, and punishing the perfidy of Germany and Austria. —Congress has voted Mrs. Grant a pension of $5,000 a year. The names of Mrs. Tyler, Mrs. Polk, and Mrs. Garfield are on the pension list, each receiving $5,000 a year. —Gen. Robert Toombs died at his home in Washington, Ga., December 15. He was a prominent Confederate general during the civil war of 1861-5, and one who was always faithful to the "lost cause," as he would never take the oath of allegiance under the amnesty proclamation. —A project is on foot to colonize about two thousand colored families in Brazoria County, Texas. The plan is to purchase one hundred thousand acres, and divide it into fifty-acre farms. —The agreement between Germany and Spain with reference to the Caroline Islands was signed in Rome, in the presence of the pope, and with much pomp and ceremony, December 17. —Eleven persons were killed, and three others so seriously injured that it is thought death will result, by a collision on the Georgia Pacific Railroad which occurred near Atlanta, December 15. —A dispatch dated December 19 states that a terrible dynamite explosion has occurred in a mine in Siberia. Particulars have not been received as yet, but the number killed is estimated at from four hundred to one thousand. —A tenement house in Plymouth, England, burned December 13; and when the flames were subdued, the bodies of twelve victims were found among the ruins. One person was killed by jumping from a high window, and two others are missing, who are believed to have perished in the fire. —Russia has offered to assent to the union of Bulgaria and Roumelia, on condition that the policy of Bulgaria be subordinated to Russia’s policy. A still later dispatch says that the Sultan of Turkey has appointed Prince Alexander Governor for life over Eastern Roumelia, with the right of succession. —The Servian troops are insufficiently protected from the severe cold, and on an average not less than thirty are frozen daily. They are suffering from typhus fever and small-pox also. Yet Servia is determined to continue the war to the last extremity, rather than yield to the demands of Prince Alexander. —A part of the roof of a coal mine in Nanticoke, Pa., caved in, December 18, letting into the mine a large quantity of quicksand and surface water. Fifty-two men were working in the mine at the time; of those twenty-eight are believed to have escaped, while the remaining twenty-four are imprisoned in the mine. —An announcement is made that as an outcome of the striking riots in the Monongahela Valley, Pa., the non-striking miners have organized to defend themselves from the strikers. They declare that they will not be shot down without revenge, but that if any of their number fall while going to their work, they will have life for life. —During the year ending October 1, the elevated railroads of New York City carried 103,354,729 passengers. They have been in operation nearly fourteen years, and in that time have carried 577,820,287 passengers. The remarkable fact is stated that of this immense number of persons only one lost his life, and that was due to his own carelessness. —Mr. A. M. Bell, supervising architect of Government buildings, in his annual report to the Secretary of the Treasury, says that there are now in course of construction eighty new United States Government buildings in various parts of the country, ranging in cost from $25,000 to $2,000,000 each, and calling for a total expenditure of over $8,000,000. —The prohibition party of Georgia have “won a thorough victory in a fair, square fight.” And now Senator Colquitt of that State announces that he intends to introduce a bill into the Senate giving the people of the District of Columbia a chance to vote on the prohibition question. He thinks prohibition is to be one of the great issues of the future, and that it should be decided at the seat of Government. —A dynamite plot has been unearthed by the San Francisco police, and four of the conspirators were arrested December 15. They had on their “proscription list” the names of over twenty prominent citizens and officials, whom they considered it necessary to arrest and execute before proceeding to carry out their plans. Among these were the names of Senator Stanford, Governor Stoneman, Consul Bee, several judges, the chief of police, the mayor, and several military and naval officers. Having disposed of these obnoxious persons, they proposed to get possession of the municipal Government, and then they declared, “The Chinese must go.” The “Revolutionary Committee,” who seem to have for the chief article of their creed “pillage and plunder,” is believed to number between three and four hundred, with a much larger number of deluded followers. The authorities have in their possession dynamite bombs, giant powder, batteries, etc., as proof positive that these desperate and lawless men fully intended to put their threats of violence into execution. Cheerful Workers.
By William Ings
This is the name of a society of young people in San Diego County, Cal., the object of which is to disseminate the light of the Third Angel's Message. They have been working something over one year. Their object is to do something for the Master. They pledge themselves to send out a certain number of SIGNS each week. The support comes from their own labor, and this stimulates them to industrious habits. They have system in their work; each one secures from his parents a certain number of rods of ground. This is planted to that which will bring in the greatest returns, some plant their portion to melons, others to beans, etc. After the crop is gathered and marketed, the proceeds are given to their treasurer. Then it is appropriated as the members see fit. Their income the past year amounted to thirty-five dollars. This money they wanted to lay out to the very best advantage, and after due deliberation they voted to purchase two distributers to be placed in some public place in San Francisco. The money is to purchase reading matter to keep them supplied, and the work of filling them is to be done by our city missionary. This surely is an example for others; and I hope that many will catch the same spirit and do likewise. Parents, encourage your children, and inculcate in them a missionary spirit; then their active minds can be educated in the right channel of thought, and in doing work for the Master. I am glad to see the young taking hold of the work. Should all enter as heartily as those have in San Diego, much could be accomplished. Cities are to be entered, and there will be plenty of chances for means to be invested for the support of distributers, etc. How many are there in our Conference who will follow the example mentioned above, and thus be laying up treasure in Heaven? May God bless the little band of workers in San Diego. WM. INGS. Labor in Nevada.
By E. A. Briggs
I HAVE recently held a course of meetings in a country school-house at Brown’s Station. These meetings closed with an addition of four to the ranks of those who propose to keep all of God’s commandments. I next visited the companies of believers at Reno, Virginia City, and Carson, and found them of good courage in the truth. At the latter place three were baptized. I am now holding meetings in the village of Empire, which will be my post-office for a few weeks to come. Though the people of Nevada have many of the characteristics of a transient mining community, yet there are some honest souls here. Pray that the Lord will bless the labor put forth to gather out such. December 17, 1885. E. A. BRIGGS. Cultivating Mind and Heart
If one would have a robust faith and living piety, he must cultivate his mind and heart. —New York is to have a new building for the Young Women’s Christian Association, which is to cost $150,000. —The American Board is about sending a trained nurse to Japan, to establish a training-school for nurses at Kioto. —The Indian school at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., which had 84 students in 1879, now has 494 students, from 38 different tribes, their ages ranging from seven to twenty-four years. —San Francisco is to have a new and magnificent Catholic cathedral. Work on it has already commenced, and it is believed that the corner-stone will be laid in two or three months. —The Osservatore Romano states, as the result of the estimates made by the various missionaries, that the total number of the members of the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world is between 275,000,000 and 300,000,000. —The recently published annual report of the Women’s Christian Association of Hartford, Ct., states that during the last thirteen years nine hundred women have been entertained at the “Home” provided by this Association for the benefit of women, young women especially, who enter the city in search of work. —A correspondent of the Religio-Philosophical Journal hits a weak point in the evangelical Christianity of the day when he says: “When great men die, theology gets genial and mild. It is a terrible strain on the creeds” to teach that “national heroes and great philanthropists who are not devotees of the church are lost in endless ruin.” —General Gordon, whose death in the Soudan was universally lamented, is reported as saying to a Roman Catholic bishop: “Do not forget me in your prayers. Catholics and Protestants are but soldiers to different regiments of Christ’s army; but it is the same army, and we are all marching together.” This feeling is becoming more and more prevalent. —In Eisenstadt, Germany, there is a community of Jews who have always been faithful in the observance of the Sabbath. Their “quarter” has always been closed on Sabbaths and holidays. Three years ago a Christian bought a house there, and as he protested against the gates being closed on Saturdays, the street was kept open. The man died recently; and the Jews promptly bought his house, and on the 17th of October again enjoyed a quiet Sabbath. —The evils of the pew-renting system are forcibly expressed in the following from the Boston Transcript: “A gentleman prominent in one of our oldest churches, speaking of a possible change in the pastorate, said: ‘I think it a matter of buying up stock — excuse me, I mean pews. If Mr. —’s friends can buy up pews enough before the parish meeting, they will, of course, call him. If the other side gets the pews, why, Mr. —’s friends will be left. You laugh; but the control of a church is a good deal like the control of a bank or railroad nowadays. If you can buy up a majority of the pews, you can run it to suit yourself.’” The Bible Our Sole Standard
By Editor
WE occasionally comment upon articles found in our exchanges, when they contain statements of doctrine which we deem particularly erroneous. In so doing we always confine our strictures to the point under consideration, and have never made any thrusts at the denomination publishing the paper, or cast any reflection on the style or management of the paper itself. Our business is not to find fault with individuals or sects, but to teach truth and expose error. We should much prefer to make no mention of individual instances of erroneous teaching; but error is so deeply rooted that very often people would not make the application of the truth for themselves, if it were not contrasted with error. We call everything an error which is opposed to plain Bible teaching. The Bible is our sole standard of comparison, and not our belief nor the belief or practice of the majority of people. We do not ask any one to accept our word; but we have a right to demand that professed Christians, at least, shall accept what the Bible says. And we have also a right to expect that those who differ with us shall give the plain testimony of Scripture, and nothing else, in support of their views. ONE evening last week, we had the pleasure of listening to a temperance lecture by John B. Finch, of Nebraska. To say that the lecture was good, conveys no just idea of it. Mr. Finch is a logician, and presents hard facts in so telling a manner that he forces conviction upon his hearers, while his skill as a speaker is such that he cannot fail to secure the individual attention of any audience. Moreover, he impresses every one with the fact that he is terribly in earnest, realizing what an awful curse the liquor traffic is. Absolute prohibition is his watchword, and he does not propose to give whisky any quarter. Our only regret during the lecture was that it could not be heard by those who are wasting their energies in trying to secure high license. With Mr. Finch, we believe in "no license, either high, low, or middle." Making Void the Scriptures.
SAYS the Nashville Christian Advocate: "Whoever has felt the shame of detected meanness or crime has felt hell fire. It is the bitterest drop in the cup of a true penitent." This is a specimen of the theology which vitiates the Scripture and makes it mean anything except what it says; but like most false theories, it furnishes the matter for its own overthrow. According to the above quotation, it is the penitent who suffers hell fire, and not the very wicked. Of certain of the wicked we are told in the Bible that they are "past feeling," and have their "conscience seared with a hot iron," and it is a well-known fact that a long-continued course of sin tends to deaden all sensibility. The one who has gone but a little way in sin feels very acutely the shame of detection, and his conscience upbraids him although he be not detected. But the longer he continues his evil practices, the less does he feel the stings of conscience, until at last he becomes so hardened that even open exposure and rebuke produce no feeling of shame. Therefore, according to the Advocate's theory, the man who has sinned but little suffers the torments of hell fire the most intensely, while the one who is steeped in sin escapes with no punishment at all! It is true that at the last, men who are now reckless will have their sins presented before them in so vivid a manner that they will feel remorse to the fullest extent, and this lashing of an awakened conscience may form a large portion of that "tribulation and anguish" which is to be rendered to "every soul of man that doeth evil;" but notwithstanding this, the fact remains that "the wages of sin is death," and that this death is to be brought about by means of fire. The sin is an actual fact; so likewise will be the fire into which the wicked are to depart, and also the death which will follow. There is no more reason for saying that the word "death" is used in a figurative sense than there is in using "sin" in the same manner. Either the Bible means what it says or it means nothing. That it means what it says when it declares that "the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch," is plainly shown by Peter when he says that the turning of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes was "an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." 2 Pet. 2:6. Whoever claims that the fire that is spoken of in the Bible as consuming the wicked is simply remorse of conscience, must also claim that literal fire and brimstone were not rained upon the cities of the plain, and that the hardened wretches of Sodom simply had their consciences awakened, and that Lot was driven out, lest perchance his attention should be called to some sin in his past life, and thereby he be made to endure the pangs of hell fire! This sort of "philosophy and vain deceit" is getting to be very common. It is infidelity dressed in the garb of religion, and is tenfold more dangerous than the bold infidelity which openly denies the entire Bible. Sound Reasoning Paralleled.
THE secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Missions, Rev. Arthur Mitchell, D. D., delivered a sermon at the late meeting of the Board, on the "Necessity of Foreign Missions." In this sermon he took decided ground against the too prevalent idea that in some way or other the heathen will be saved without the gospel. Commenting on Acts 26:17, 18, he said:— "Christ's words and his action here exhibited the necessity of sending this missionary [Paul] to the heathen, in order that they might 'receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified.' That necessity was so great that it justified the reopening of Heaven by the ascended Saviour in order that it might be met; justified the appointment of the first of living men [as missionary]; justified Christ's devotement of himself to a life which should wear him out and prematurely kill him. For Christ to do all this, and to say that he did it in order that the heathen might be forgiven and saved, when he knew that there was no781necessity for it in order that they might be saved—when in fact he knew that they would be saved anyway whether the gospel were carried to them or not—would have been impossible." No one can deny that this is sound reasoning. As Dr. Mitchell says, it is impossible to conceive of Christ sending Paul to preach to the heathen at such an immense sacrifice, unless there was an urgent necessity for such preaching. We think there are few, if any, professed Christians who would question the correctness of this reasoning. And now we wish to present a few thoughts in exactly the same line. Christ himself said to the Jews, "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." John 5:40. This text would imply that he had life to bestow, and this is proved in the twenty-eighth verse of the same chapter, in which Christ says that he has life in himself. In John 10:10 Christ, speaking of the people, said, "I am come that they might have life." Again we read in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." These last two texts show that Christ came for no other purpose but to give life to those who should believe on him, and that those who do not believe on him could not have life, but should perish. Now we say that for Christ to come to this earth and voluntarily take upon himself man's nature with all its attendant ills, and for God to send his only begotten Son to be tempted of Satan, despised and rejected of men, and put to a shameful death, in order that men might have life, when they were already in possession of it, would have been an utter impossibility. Such a supposition is an impeachment not only of the love but of the wisdom of God. And yet this ground is really taken by every one who holds that man is immortal; that he is by nature endowed with a life which cannot be extinguished. Who can fail to see that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul really exhibits God in the light of a monster who would sacrifice his only Son for nothing? And yet there are persons who tell us that it is of no practical importance what we believe concerning the immortality of the soul. Holiday Gifts.
By William Ings
THE holidays are right upon us, and we are looking around for something to present to our friends. The question should be, What can I give that will accomplish the most good, and will leave a lasting impression upon the mind? I know of nothing that would fill the bill better than Vol. 4 of "The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan." This book ought to be placed in the hands of every person; for all need just the information that it contains. If every Seventh-day Adventist in this Conference would send this valuable work to some friend, great good would be accomplished. How many will join me in this enterprise? Send $1.50 with the address to the Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal., and they will mail a copy of the illustrated edition direct. Send in your orders immediately, and then write your friends that you have sent them a New Year's present, and you will be doing great good. A Week of Prayer.
By George I. Butler
FROM the last number of the Review and Herald, we take the following:— The readers of this issue must not fail to read that portion of the proceedings of the General Conference which speaks of the week of prayer, including Christmas and reaching through the Sabbath, January 2. In the hurry of the closing Conference, as the paper is just going to press, we can say but a few words. More will follow in succeeding issues of the Review. In view of the rapid increase of our work, and the vast magnitude of the interest centering in our missions and other aggressive agencies connected with the promulgation of the message, together with the lack of men and means threatening to hinder the growth and prosperity of the cause, and the lack of devotion and sacrifice manifested by many of our people, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists have solemnly set apart this week of prayer for all our people who may be able to get this notice in season. During this time it is expected they will hold meetings of humiliation and devotion, seeking most earnestly for the Spirit of God to rest upon them, and open the eyes of all to the vast importance of supporting the work so that it shall not be crippled or hindered in its onward march. Never was there a time in the history of this work when openings were so plentiful in all directions. We must arouse and move forward as we never have in the history of this people. What could be more fitting than a week of solemn humiliation and prayer at such a crisis? May God awaken our men of means and ability, and help them to break their hold upon the world, and give their hearts to God as never before! GEO. I. BUTLER, Pres. Gen. Conf. The Last Number of the Year
By Editor
THIS is the last number of the SIGNS that will be printed this year. The first number of volume 12 will bear date of Jan. 7, 1886. If it seems as though the index this week crowds out a good deal of reading matter, remember that this entire number is extra. Notwithstanding the publication of the index, you have a dozen pages of reading matter more than usual; and it is all worth reading, too, even if we have had to omit some departments. Elder Healey’s Mission to Honolulu
By Editor
LAST Sunday, Dec. 20, Elder W. M. Healey and wife sailed on the steamer Mariposa for Honolulu, taking along a 50-foot tent in which to hold meetings in that city. Brother Healey preached for the church in Oakland the day before he sailed. The prayers of our people accompany him for the success of his mission. Changes in the Signs
By Editor
Beginning with the new volume, there will be some changes in the make-up of the SIGNS, which will, we think, tend to increase its efficiency. It is our determination to make the SIGNS OF THE TIMES the very best paper of its kind in the world. Will not every one who reads this help us with his prayers, his contributions, and—his subscription? Renew Your Subscription
By Editor
QUITE a large number of subscriptions to the SIGNS OF THE TIMES expired with last week's issue; but we have continued them to the present number, seeing it is the last of the volume, hoping that we may not have to cut them off at all. Shall we not hear from all before the next issue? It will be an accommodation to our mailing clerk if renewals are sent in early. You cannot afford to be without the SIGNS during the coming year. The Call to Prayer
By Editor
Owing to snow blockades in the mountains, the overland mail which brought our Reviews was three days late last week, and therefore the recommendation for a week of prayer could not reach our people on this coast as early as was intended. For information concerning the time, object, etc., see note on this page from the president of the General Conference, and in “Items from the General Conference,” on page 775, the paragraph numbered “2,” in the report of the Finance Committee. The object is worthy, and the necessity is urgent; let all who read heed the call. Obituary.
By S. F. Thompson
CURTIS.—Died, in Exeter, Maine, of consumption, Oct. 22, 1885, Flora B. Curtis, only daughter of James and Viannah Curtis, aged fifteen years, six months, and twenty-two days. Flora was a very conscientious girl, and in her sickness was very patient. She sang praises to the name of Jesus, and expressed a willingness to die, hoping soon to meet loved ones where parting will never be known. She leaves a father, mother, and one brother, and numerous other relatives to mourn their loss; but they mourn not as those without hope, for they expect to meet her in the near future. Words of comfort were spoken by I. Dammon (first-day Adventist), from 1 Cor. 15:2. THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES,
By Editor
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE International Tract and Missionary Society.
A sixteen-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the Prophecies, Signs of the Times, Second Coming of Christ, Harmony of the Law and Gospel; with Departments devoted to Health and Temperance, the Home Circle, the Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school. Price Per Year, post-paid, - - - - $2.00 In Clubs of five or more copies to one name and address, to be used in Missionary Work, each, - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.50 To foreign countries, single subscriptions, post-paid, - - - - 10s Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Twelfth and Castro Streets, OAKLAND, CAL., U. S. A. Publishers' Department.
By Editor
We send no papers from this office without pay in advance, unless by special arrangement. When persons receive copies without ordering them, they are sent by other parties, and we can give no information in regard to them. Persons thus receiving copies of the SIGNS are not indebted to the office, and will not be called upon for pay. Please read the papers and hand them to your friends to read. OUR GENERAL AGENTS.
By Editor
Australia—Henry Scott, Secretary International Society, "Sumarlide," 46 Highett Street, Richmond, Victoria.
England—The Present Truth, 72 Heneage Street, Great Grimsby, Eng.
New Zealand—Edward Hare, Upper Queen Street (Turner Street), Auckland, N. Z.
Hawaiian Islands—L. A. Scott, Honolulu, H. I.
Michigan—Miss Hattie House, care Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich.
New England—Mrs. E. T. Palmer, N. E. Tract Repository, South Lancaster, Mass.
North Pacific—Mrs. C. L. Boyd, East Portland, Oregon.
Switzerland—W. C. White, 48 Weiherweg, Bale, Suisse. NOTICE.—The change of figures on the address labels will be in all cases a sufficient receipt for money sent for the paper. If these changes do not appear in due time, and if books ordered by mail are not received, please notify us. All other business is acknowledged below. CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE FUND.—San Francisco per L M Whisby $20, San Jose $25, Geo H Heled $10, Vacaville per W N King $34.50. STOCK IN HEALDSBURG COLLEGE.—R A Morton $10. RECEIVED ON ACCOUNT.—Texas T and M Society $100, Minnesota T and M Society $100. THE AMERICAN SENTINEL.
By Editor
AN EIGHT-PAGE MONTHLY JOURNAL,
DEVOTED TO
The defense of American Institutions, the preservation of the United States Constitution as it is, so far as regards religion or religious tests, and the maintenance of human rights, both civil and religious. It will ever be uncompromisingly opposed to anything tending toward a union of Church and State, either in name or in fact. SINGLE COPY, per year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 cents.
To foreign countries, single subscriptions, post-paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2s. Address,
AMERICAN SENTINEL,
1059 Castro Street, Oakland, Cal. OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE FORETOLD.
By Uriah Smith
THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY.
This is a full exposition of a portion of prophecy which applies to our own Government, showing the position the United States holds in prophecy, and the part it has to act in the closing scenes of time. Which is now attracting such general attention, is thoroughly canvassed, and abundant testimony is given to prove that it is fast coming to be the ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION in this country. Dealing with our own land and applying to our own time. Of surpassing interest to every American reader. New edition; revised and enlarged. Cloth, 225 pp., 75c. Paper covers, new edition, condensed, 186 pp., 25c. Address,
SIGNS OF THE TIMES., Oakland, Cal.
Or, REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich. PACIFIC HEALTH JOURNAL
By Editor
A 24-page bi-monthly devoted to the dissemination of true temperance principles and instruction in the art of preserving health. It is emphatically a journal for the people, containing what everybody wants to know, and is thoroughly practical. Its range of subjects is unlimited, embracing everything that in any way affects the health. Its articles being short and pointed, it is specially adapted to farmers, mechanics, and housekeepers, who have but little leisure for reading. It is just the journal that every family needs, and may be read with profit by every member. Price, 50 cents per year. Address,
PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.