p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 15. (4/9/1912)

Something to You

'Tis nothing to me,' the beauty said, With a careless toss of her pretty head; "The man is weak if he can't refrain From the cup you say is fraught with pain."

It was something when, in after-years, Her eyes were drenched with burning tears, And she watched in lonely grief and dread, And startled to hear a staggering tread.

'Tis nothing to me," the mother said; "I have no fear that my boy will tread In the downward path of sin and shame, And crush my heart and darken his name."

It was something to her when her only son From the path of right was early won, And madly cast in the flowing bowl A ruined body, and sin-wrecked soul.

'Tis nothing to me," the merchant said, As over his ledger he bent his head; "I am busy to-day with tare and tret, I have no time for fume and fret."

It was something to him when over the wire A message came from a funeral pyre; A drunken conductor had wrecked a train, And his wife and child were among the slain.

'Tis nothing to me," the voter said; "The party's loss is my only dread." Then he gave his vote to the liquor trade, Tho hearts were crushed and drunkards made.

It was something to him in after-life; His daughter became a drunkard's wife, And her hungry children cried for bread, And trembled to hear their father's tread.

It is something for us to idly sleep, While cohorts of death their vigils keep, To gather the young and thoughtless in, And grind in our midst a grist of sin. — Selected.

The Menace of Soothing Sirups

By Daniel H. Kress

THE dire effects of the many so-called "soothing sirups" upon thousands of innocent babes can scarcely be imagined. The awful crime of Herod, who slew the little ones of Bethlehem, does not compare with the evil wrought by these drugs upon the infants in civilized countries. The essential ingredient of these sirups is invariably some form of opium. To its influence the tender infants are especially susceptible. Soothing sirups soothe the restless, suffering babe, not by removing the cause of the pain nor by healing the disease, but by simply deadening the nerves and benumbing the delicate nerve-cells of the brain. The sleep produced is unnatural. It is a stupor from which the child may or may not awake. Serious injury is always sustained by the little one, altho the full results may not be seen until later in life.—Dr. D. H. Kress, in Life and Health, Washington, D. C.

Her Pets

By Charlotte Perkins Gilman

SHE saw the pleasant living creatures,— bright birds scattering music in the air, fish like darting lights in the dark water, beasts with soft eyes and softer fur. There- fore to her house she brought them, in chains and cages and glaring jails of glass she kept them, prisoners and exiles all.

Out of the billowing green boughs of the forest, the endless oceans of bright air, the refreshing rain, the winds that lift and rush and fill with wild rejoicing; out of the whispering darkness of deep leaves, the wide, sweet light of sunlit hill and valley; away from pleasant chase of food desired,— come the yellow song-birds which she loves; come over land and sea in small, tight wicker cells; come to prisons of gilded wires scarce larger; come to the smothering house air, the dull, constant, dreary walls, the sick heat, the smell of coal-gas and the smoke of oil; to such stale, monotonous food as falls to them inert; to hop and hop and hop, to sing madly to no end, and dream of flight,—to this come the birds she loves.— Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Worth Is in Doing Good

By Alice Cary

TRUE worth is in being, not seeming; In doing, each day that goes by, Some little good,—not in dreaming Of great things to do by and by. — Alice Cary.

"My Smoke-House"

A MAN who lives in Albany, and whose business is that of a clerk, said that he had lately built a house that cost him three thousand dollars. His friends expressed their wonder that he could afford to build so fine a dwelling.

"Why," said he, "that is my smoke-house."

"Your smoke-house? What do you mean?"

"Why, I mean that twenty years ago I left off smoking, and I have put the money saved from smoke, with interest, into my house. Hence I call it my smoke-house."—Selected.

Intimacy Is No Excuse for Discourtesy

"INTIMACY is no excuse for discourtesy. The girl who says to an intimate friend, 'You look like a fright in that hat,' would never think of addressing such a remark to a comparative stranger. It is a pity when love's ties are made an excuse for speeches which bruise and wound."

Chinese making the "respectful" bow to a superior

From China

By F. E. Stafford

[We have taken this from one of the reports given recently by our correspondent concerning the revolution in China, as it is worthy of an article by itself.—EDITOR.]

GOD has said in His Word that "this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations." China is one of the great parts of the world. Surely it means that His Gospel will be preached in China, for His Word stands fast. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," He declares, "but My words shall not pass away." Matt. 24:35.

Taking into account all the work of every missionary in China, there still remain 100,000 natives to one missionary. If it were possible for every one to preach to 1,000 different persons every week, it would take two years to speak to every one just once. Thus it can be seen that the preaching of the Gospel has but barely begun in China, while the special message of Christ's soon coming has reached only a few thousand persons.

There remains to be done a much greater work than has been done; and that this work will be accomplished in this generation, is clearly set forth in God's Word.

Trusting in this Word, we are led to believe that God will overrule in this great movement; that He will say to the powers of darkness, "Hitherto shalt thou go, but no further;" that He will bring order out of this seemingly impenetrable chaos. We believe that out of this turmoil and confusion will arise a new country and a new order of things; that railways, telegraphs, and other modern improvements will be quickly established in this part of the world, so that the messengers of "the Gospel of the kingdom" can go swiftly from place to place, proclaiming to all, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."

Not alone the eighteen provinces of China, but Manchuria, Mongolia, and the hitherto unentered country of Tibet and the interior of Asia must receive this message.

Our brethren from all points of the field are assembling in counsel here in Shanghai, and we are all praying that God will manifest Himself in a special way among us at this time. We are laying plans broader and wider than ever before for the extension and upbuilding of the work.

Before the echo of the last gun of this terrible revolution dies out, before the smoke clears away or the ashes of the burning cities are cold, we plan that every one of God's faithful messengers will be back at their posts, raising up new churches, better, larger, and with more consecrated, faithful members than ever before.

Where is there a greater work than this? Can any one imagine any grander opportunity on the earth at this time than to have a part in giving God's closing message to the millions of earth who know it not?

Pursuit of riches, honor, or position, and anything this world can offer, sinks to insignificance beside it.

Well has Spurgeon said: "I should not like you, if meant by God to be a great missionary, to die a millionaire. I should not like it, were you fitted to be a missionary, that you should shrivel down into a king."

Who among the readers of these lines will determine in your heart to have a part in this work? Often has the call been presented, "Who is willing to give up all, and go to suffer and die on a foreign shore?" This way of expressing it is not giving all the truth. We propose to reverse this now, and say, Who are willing to stay at home and die, suffering from the vexing cares of this world, when they have a chance to go to the front and engage in the greatest movement in the world at the present time?

Friends in the home land who are pitying the missionaries at this time, save your words. These same missionaries are pitying those in the home land who are so entangled with the affairs of this life that they are prevented from answering God's call to enlist in the "ever victorious army."

Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before!

Morrison Hill Road, leading to the Happy Valley recreation grounds and to the cemetery, Hongkong

Christ, our mighty Captain, Leads against the foe; We will never falter Where He bids us go.

At the sign of triumph, Satan's host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, On to victory!

Crowns and thrones have perished, Kingdoms ruled and waned; But the church of Jesus Constant has remained.

Onward, then, ye people! Join our happy throng! Blend with ours your voices, In the triumph song! Glory, praise, and honor, Unto Christ, the King! This, through countless ages, Men and angels sing.

Far o'er yon horizon Rise the city towers Where our God abideth, That fair home of ours. Thither onward! Thither, In the Spirit's might! Upward, ever upward, Till we gain the height!

Unto God the Father Joyful songs we sing. Unto God the Saviour Thankful hearts we bring. Unto God the Spirit Bow we, and adore, On our way rejoicing Now and evermore.

F. E. STAFFORD.

With All His Strength

A LITTLE boy declared that he loved his mother "with all his strength." He was asked to explain what he meant by "with all his strength." He said: "Well, I'll tell you. You see, we live on the fourth floor of this tenement, and there's no elevator, and the coal is kept down in the basement. Mother is dreadfully busy all the time, and she isn't very strong, so I see to it that the coal hod is never empty. I lug the coal up four flights of stairs all by myself, and it's a pretty big hod. It takes all my strength to get it up there. Now isn't that loving my mother with all my strength?"

— Biblical Recorder.

Small Works on Large Subjects

By Editor

These Bible Students' Library pamphlets deal so clearly and comprehensively with leading Bible subjects as to become almost indispensable helps to study.

"Christ Our Advocate"

"The sanctuary in heaven," says the preface, "is the very center of Christ's work in behalf of men." "Christ Our Advocate" explains the building and purpose of the earthly sanctuary, describes the work in the heavenly, and presents lines of prophecy, such as the 2,300 days, the great Threefold Message, and the judgment, closely interwoven with the sanctuary question. 112 pages; price 10 cents.

"The Sure Word of Prophecy"

"The Sure Word of Prophecy" opens to the student the evidences from history and prophecy that we are in the "time of the end." The basis for study is a chapter-by-chapter outline of the book of Daniel, with associated texts on prophetic subjects found in other portions of Scripture. 96 pages; price 10 cents.

"Matthew Twenty-four"

The strong feature of this verse-by-verse exposition of Matthew 24 is that it introduces the history of events and conditions which should be studied with the prophecy. To the thousands to-day who are asking, as did the disciples, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" this pamphlet offers excellent help. 94 pages; price 10 cents.

"Prophetic Gift in the Gospel Church"

"The Lord's Day"

By Editor

"The object of this work," says Elder M. C. Wilcox, its author, "is to present in the briefest, simplest way a part of the Bible evidence concerning both sides of the Sabbath question." It traces the Sabbath from its institution through the Levitical dispensation, and then from the beginning to the close of the Christian dispensation, to its "glorious outcome." Contains 125 pages, with 8 full-page illustrations and charts; price 10 cents.

"Saints' Inheritance"

The precious promises of the new earth, with Bible explanation of where, when, and how it shall be, will renew your courage and strengthen your hope in the reward awaiting the righteous. The saints' inheritance, understood, is a beautiful theme, and Elder J. N. Loughborough makes it so real that you will not only like to read of it often, but pass this pamphlet on for the encouragement of your friends. 88 pages; price 10 cents.

"The Spirit World"

Recognizing the power of Spiritualism, Prof. George W. Rine in this exposition traces its rise and growth to its present influence. In the last analysis of the subject we must face the question, "Are the dead alive?" This the writer clearly and logically answers from a Bible standpoint. This is a pamphlet that ought to be circulated widely. 96 pages; price 10 cents.

The Gift of Prophecy

Eph. 4:8-11 leads many to inquire, "Why is not the gift of prophecy still manifested among the Lord's people?" This pamphlet traces this gift through the early history of the Christian church, and groups the evidence of Scripture relating to prophetic leadings in the church to-day, with Bible rules for determining between true and false prophets. 102 pages; price 15 cents.

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By Editor

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Lack of Effectiveness.

By Editor

The late Mr. R. T. Crane, of Chicago, known not only as a successful business man, but for his attacks on colleges and college education, just before his death issued a diatribe against railways. He said: "I do not know of any business that has been carried on with so little judgment as railroading, nor one in which a man has been able to make a success without having been brought up and thoroly trained in the business. Were any other business to be carried on in the same way that the railroad business has been, with a man at the head of it who knows nothing about the business, it would be bankrupt inside of a year." He declares that a proper organization would save very many of the accidents, and the Railway and Engineering Review admits that it is true in many cases. The Literary Digest says that Mr. Crane will be listened to in this, because he was a successful business man, more than he would in his protests against college education; but it seems to us that what Mr. Crane had to say on education should be listened to. He was looking upon the practical side of it. The educational men look largely upon the culture side of it. Mr. Crane was looking for success on the business side, for men so educated that they could do something, and in his experience he found the vast majority of the college-educated men inefficient, impractical.

What he said is worth heeding, and evidently the railway journal referred to thinks that some things he says are worth heeding by the railway managements.

War Expenditures and the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is one of the greatest undertakings of the centuries. When successfully completed, it will be a fine monument to engineering skill and human endeavor. It will have cost many millions of dollars, and much has been said in regard to the enormous expense of the great enterprise. But have you ever stopped to consider that the United States spends more every year in keeping herself prepared for war than it would take to build a Panama Canal? Think of it! One of the greatest of the civilized nations spends more than enough each twelve months to complete such a stupendous commercial enterprise—an enterprise that would be ever after a benefit to mankind; and all of that vast sum spent annually for nothing more than purposes of destruction. The outlook for peace can not be very strong when our nation feels compelled to spend so much on war in order to keep prepared to cope with the other nations who are making similar preparations. Facts of this character ought to enable men to see clearly that we are in the time foretold when the spirits of demons would arouse the whole world for war. There has never appeared in human history a more striking fact than the absolute fit that the war conditions of to-day make to the Bible prophecies concerning them.

Contained in This Issue

By Editor

Question Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE

3711—Ready for Baptism; 3712—The Word "Fellowship;" 3713—What Is the Sin Against the Holy Ghost? 3714—Tithe and Debt; 3715—The Violent Take by Force; 3716—"Thou Shalt Not Kill;" 3717—Death Preferable to Life; 3718—Dan. 6:10-13 — — — — — — 2

Bible Versions Used

By Editor

Our authority is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. When the Common ("King James" or "Authorized") Version or the American Standard Revised Version is used, the version will not generally be designated in reference. Any Bible quotation in this paper, therefore, differing from the Common Version, unless otherwise indicated, will be almost invariably from the American Standard edition of the Revised Bible, copyright 1910, by Thomas Nelson & Sons.

For further particulars, subscription rates, etc., see page 15.

Our Bible Band

General

The Object of Christ's Sacrifice . . . . . 3

Man as Deceived . . . . . 4

Steps in the Attainment of True Christianity . . . . . 5

Studies in Daniel—The Last Recorded Vision—Daniel 10 to 12 . . . . . 6

A Wise Fool . . . . . 8

The Outlook

Socialism—Some Aspects of Its Program . . . . . 10

Notes . . . . . 11, 16

Home and Fireside

"Touched with the Feeling" . . . . . 12

Missions

From China . . . . . 14

Poetry

My Beloved and My Friend . . . . . 4

The Old Songs . . . . . 8

Who Then Can Be Saved? . . . . . 9

Something to You . . . . . 12

England and America Unite for China

Japan and Russia have sufficiently buried their old grudge to cause the despatches to report that they are conniving together to seize large portions of China in the present stress of that nation. Because of this condition the United States, France, Germany, and Great Britain have combined to prevent it. This country is hastily sending a large fleet of war-ships to Chinese waters. The latest despatches indicate that the United States and Britain have formed a special compact of the English-speaking world in order to hold the Chinese nation intact. It is to be hoped that England and America will never again be found on opposing sides; for if these two great nations act together, they will, by their very strength, hold in check the threatening war-storm.

The Pacific Union Conference

By Editor

THE biennial session of the Pacific Union Conference closed on March 26, according to appointment. An institute for all the ministers and other Gospel workers occupied a week preceding the conference. The president of the General Conference, Pastor A. G. Daniells, assisted by Pastor George B. Thompson, took the lead in the institute, and all who were there will agree in saying that it was indeed a very profitable occasion. The fact was kept prominent that workers who are giving the solemn warning that the Lord is about to come the second time should strive for the highest possible attainment of both spiritual and mental powers.

The officers elected for the next biennial term are: E. E. Andross, president; G. A. Irwin, vice-president; J. J. Ireland, secretary and treasurer; and the other members of the executive committee are: the presidents of the six local conferences (by virtue of their office), and W. C. White, C. W. Irwin, G. A. Reaser, H. G. Lucas, C. H. Jones, and D. H. Kress.

There was a large attendance at the conference, and many important matters for the advancement of all lines of our work were acted upon. A fuller report will be given next week.

The Rights of the Minority

"The greatest good of the greatest number" is often used by good men in an utterly meaningless or pernicious way. It is an end sought, an object aimed at, and in this way it is wholly selfish. There has not been any oppressive system under the sun but that its devotees, if they did not then have the greatest number, hoped sometime to have, and for their own they have sought the greatest good, or rather the greatest gain. The only true purpose in the State is the jealous guarding of the rights of the minority, of the poorest, the weakest. The conservation of the rights of one, means the conservation of the rights of all; and its inevitable fruitage, result, out-working, is the greatest good to the greatest number. But that comes as a result, and not as an object to be sought.

French Immoralism

A Defense of Immoralism.—A decent government official in France has begun a vigorous campaign against obscene pictures and improper books. This in some circles is meeting favorable response, but there are found influential people who, while they admit all the immorality in France, declare it is "the characteristic quality of the free spirit, and accompanies none but the highest intellectual attainments." So one writer declares. He says: "We are immorals because we are curious and sincere." "Our immoralism is bound up with our art, our wit, our intelligence. It is not a thing to blush over, for it is a sign of our temperament and one of the titles of our glory." All these sentiments are the result of setting aside the law of the Most High, and it is well expressed in the words of the great apostle: "Whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." Phil. 3:19.

No Compromise.

By Editor

We do not see how any Christian who understands, or any true temperance man, can compromise on the question of the prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors as beverages. The whole liquor traffic is an evil, or it is not. If it is an evil, then it ought to be prohibited. It is not an argument of any force to say that the law will be broken. Such an argument would lie with equal force against the prohibition of stealing, or rape, or gambling, or murder. Prostitution is wrong, and should be prohibited; but why not high-license a few houses, and so regulate it? Gambling is wrong, and should be prohibited; but why not high-license for revenue two or three select gambling dens, and thereby make it respectable? Murder is wrong, and should be prohibited; but why not license one or two shops in a town or city, to kill under certain regulations? If the drink traffic and its results are evil, every argument for license or regulation falls flat; no monetary consideration, no help, no government revenues, can compensate for the misery of every sort which follows in its path. Just as soon as one compromises to the regulation of the thing, it goes on, and the very licensing of a few "respectable" liquor-selling places makes it all the more potent for evil. If it takes one year, or one thousand years, or if the thing is never prohibited, the true temperance man will stand square on the prohibition question.

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