p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 30. (7/26/1905)

Liberal

"Liberal!"—A writer in a Southern California journal, in speaking of the great modern financiers of the world, says that "they are public benefactors and liberal to a fault." If liberality were measured by the amount given, the above would state facts; but liberality is truly measured by the amount we retain rather than the amount we give. Is that liberal which has given $150,000,000 out of an accumulated fortune of $750,000,000? Here is one man who has a fortune estimated at three-fourths of a billion. He is estimated by his friends to have given all told one-fifth of that sum. That is, he has kept for himself five-sixths of $900,000,000, and given to needy humanity but one-sixth, when he could never use for himself the one-sixth, and he might have given the five-sixths. The Word of God tells us that the time is coming when the churl [one who withholds, one who is niggardly] will no longer be "said to be bountiful." Isa. 32:5. Men will see how "he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor by lying words." Verse 7. The sad thing is that men who ought to know better strengthen him in his course by calling his niggardly gifts liberal.

Religious Legislation.

By Editor

Religious legislation of every sort and kind is fundamentally wrong; by this we mean legislation to promote or support or enforce any religious belief, tenet, command, requirement, or institution. It is contrary to Christianity, contrary to the equal rights of men, contrary to the American charter of freedom, contrary to the Constitution of the United States. Therefore there should be no legislation in behalf of the Sabbath, whether the day of it be the seventh day or the first day; whether it be the day of a majority or a minority. It is wholly a matter of the individual, with himself alone, or between himself and God, or pertaining to himself, the church, and God. With these relations the civil power, of right, can have nothing to do. The basis of the Sabbath is purely personal and religious. On this ground stands the Gospel Christian. It is apostate religion which demands legislation to support its empty forms.

The Secularist, not admitting the religious basis as a ground of legislation, holds the right position in this respect. But he is as truly in danger as is his mistaken brother who is demanding religious legislation. The deities of the Secularist are Science and Progress. These he worships with fulsome adulation. And when Science shall have shown a "scientific basis" for sabbath legislation, then we shall see our Secularist friends joining with the National Reformers in demanding Sunday legislation. That we are not guessing at this, we quote the very language of one among them whom we consider to be among the clearest of liberty exponents:

The proposition is not yet established that "the sabbath has a scientific basis," and that the law of its observance "has its foundation in nature and the constitution of man." If this is so, it will, of course, constitute a basis for civil legislation on the subject, but something more than the claim of the theologians, who find that their theological appeal is no longer effective, will be required before we accept it as a fact that there is such a basis. For the present we are obliged to regard "sabbath observance" as "a requirement of the church or religion," as a theological and not a scientific or even ethical law.

It does not require even a reading between the lines of the above to see that our erstwhile clear-visioned advocate of liberty now stands ready to accept and advocate Sunday legislation, if it is only placed on a "scientific basis." "If this is so" indicates that he feels that it may be so. He will not believe it on the claim of a theologian, but a scientist. The expression, "for the present," clearly shows that he is waiting for the "scientific" demonstration. And, when that is made, then, in his view, "it will, of course, constitute a basis for civil legislation on the subject." And so the National Reformer, going one way around the tree of liberty, and the "scientific" Secularist the other, will complete the circle, and destroy the tree.

It will not be hard for our Secularist friends, who see no moral or ethical principle in the Sabbath question, to see and accept this "scientific" basis. It is natural for the mind of man to want to move in the path of least resistance; and the "scientific"-Sunday-legislation basis will offer an easy switch onto the popular track, with its present shining prospects, but its future clouded in the final destruction of the ages.

We believe that the Sabbath has a scientific basis; that it is founded in the very constitution of man. But in that is no scintilla of reason why it should become a matter of religious legislation. The matter of clothing, of kind, and color, has a scientific basis. The matter of eating,—in frequency, in fasting, in kind of food, in combination of food,—has a scientific basis; but that does not make it a matter of legislation. The matter of sufficient hours of sleep has a scientific basis, but should we control sleep by legislation, and put it under police surveillance? The mere statement of the question answers it.

The Sabbath is a religious question supremely; and it may here be said that the scientist who demonstrates "scientifically" that the Sabbath has a sufficient "scientific" basis for legislation, will make his analysis in an atmosphere clouded by centuries of religious superstition and prejudices, infidel and Secularist tho he may be. In the climax of the great crisis the Gospel Christian will have to stand alone for equal rights and liberties for all.

CONTAINED IN THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Poetry. He Comes! M. L. MORNIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Editorial.—The Great Provider—Christ's Self-Denial—God's Test of Our Love—A Prophetic Warning—Men versus Institutions—Zeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Question Corner.—Nos. 1692-1695 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Outlook.—How Rome Regards It—Bahaism versus Christianity—As It Was, So Shall It Be, E. L. MAXWELL—Is It Appendicitis, or?—Sunday Enforcement—News and Comment . . . . . . . 6, 7

General. Marvelous Fecundity of the Mode n Dollar, GEO. W. RINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Knowledge of God, MRS. E. G. WHITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 How to Enjoy Your Bible, W. S. SADLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Three Reasons Why Railway Men Should Read the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A Striking Fulfilment of Prophecy, J. L. SHULER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Fifty Reasons for Sabbath Observance, D. T. BOURDEAU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Lord's Witnesses (Bible Reading) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 How They Became Convinced (A Sabbath Symposium) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Missions.—The Purchase of a Church Building for Nashville, Tenn., GEO. I. BUTLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13

The Home.—Education in the Home, No. 11, MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE—A Slum Girl—"Like as a Father"—The Peril of Flirting—The Sun in Sickness—Twelve Rules for the Care of the Ears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15

International Sunday-School Lesson.—Josiah's Good Reign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Publishers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fallen in Harness.

By Editor

We neglected to say last week, not from desire, but misunderstanding, that one of our esteemed contributors has fallen asleep in Jesus, Pastor Daniel T. Bourdeau, Grand Rapids, Mich., at the age of sixty-nine and one-half years. Just a few weeks ago we saw him, and he was well and strong, and expected to do much work yet. He truly fell in harness, a faithful worker of the Lord. More particulars next week.

The Nashville Memorial Church

By Editor

The Nashville Memorial Church.—We gladly comply with the request of the General Conference Committee in giving space to the appeal from the president of the Southern Union Conference, Pastor George I. Butler. It will be found in our Missions department. Surely there are many in the South who need the Gospel, and those who are so devotedly laboring for fallen humanity need to be strengthened at the heart of their work. We therefore appeal to all our friends and readers in the great SIGNS field, in the East and the West, in the North and the South. Your gifts will prove a blessing, and you, too, will be greatly blessed.

Philanthropy

"Philanthropy."—The same writer tells us that the great modern financiers "are the greatest philanthropists that the world ever knew." "Philanthropy" comes from two words meaning love of mankind. How has it been manifest with many of these great financiers? (Thank God, there are few exceptions!) Is it philanthropy to crush to the wall, to utterly ruin financially, scores and hundreds of men because they are in the same business and stand in the way of higher prices? Is it philanthropy to give five or ten million dollars to a school and raise the price of some monopolized commodity so that the people shall pay into his exchequer two to ten times the amount he has given? It is time to open our eyes and see.

Frenzied Finance and Modern Greed

The June number of Everybody's Magazine contains Mr. Lawson's article on “Frenzied Finance,” dealing with the first great crime of the Amalgamated Copper Company. His inimitable recital of the fraud and the cool, calculating trickery by which the people were robbed of millions of real money, and that apparently without recourse, is a terrible comment on the ungovernable greed of our times. Incidentally the writer brings to view the fearful prevalence of that spirit among all classes. It is one of the striking and unquestionable signs of our times.

Preach the Word

"Preach the Word." That is the command of Inspiration. The creed thrown over the church is the bushel turned over the candle. The church can well afford to let the creed go—it can not afford not to. Banish tradition, banish the creed, and let the church and the world have the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, untrammeled, unfettered, unhindered. Preaching creeds may win numbers; but preaching the Gospel of God will win souls. "Preach the Word."

Orthodoxy and Living Truth

It has been remarked that some men pride themselves on standing so straight that they are in constant danger of falling over backward. This is like some men's orthodoxy, which is so rigid and erect, according to their own opinion, that they are in constant danger of rejecting the living truth of the Bible. Sometime their little opinion prop may break, and then they will collapse with it, and, mayhap, be pierced by it.

The One Only Saviour

The One Only Saviour.—The above writer sees also the distractions and divisions and strife among mankind, and longs for peace. Thus he closes:

O! that some great mind could be born from Almighty God to pacify the waters of the religious, political, and financial world.

And this is a heart-cry of many, a cry which God has answered from the foundation of the world, in giving His only-begotten Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. In Him is all the fulness. He alone can speak peace to the troubled heart, to the great restless, throbbing, rolling sea of humanity. "Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him." But it is peace in righteousness; for "the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can not rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Isa. 57:19-21. But "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever." Isa. 32:17. If the world is to know peace, it must find it in the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ. There is no other way.