This is a pamphlet of 140 pages, giving in a brief and concise manner the character and importance of the warning messages now going to the world. Price, 15c.
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO.,
Kansas City, Mo. Oakland, Cal. New York City, N. Y.
To Chicago and New York
TO CHICAGO IN 3 1/2 DAYS
—and—
TO NEW YORK IN 4 1/2 DAYS
—via—
THE NORTHWESTERN LINE
—and—
UNION PACIFIC RAILWAY.
Drawing-room sleeping cars. Upholstered tourist cars. Daily without change. All meals in dining cars.
Sleeping car reservations and all information at Overland Ticket Office, 2 New Montgomery Street, Palace Hotel corner.
C. E. Bray, general agent.
Flower Festivals
Fiestas
Rose Carnivals
and the like, will abound in California for the next two or three months.
Santa Barbara Flower Festival, the fame of which is world-wide, and the glory of which is not half told, opens April 15. Queen Flora will reign three days.
La Fiesta de Los Angeles, now fixed in the chronology of California feasts, and not less illustrious than its older prototypes, commences April 22, and will continue four days.
The Carnival of Roses, to take place in San Jose, May 6th to 9th, inclusive, though a more recent candidate for favors, yet because of the limitless possibilities of the Garden City for anything that is made of roses, is quite as full of promise.
REDUCED RATES
will be made by the SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY for all these brilliant events. Arrange your program accordingly, and call on agents for particulars.
TEACHING TRUTH
By Mary Wood-Allen, M. D.
National Lecturer W. C. T. U.
A little brochure brimful of helpful suggestions to parents who wish to teach their children the truth in regard to the mystery of life.
Price, 25c. . .
PACIFIC PRESS PUB. CO. Oakland, Cal.
ANGELS; THEIR NATURE AND MINISTRY.
Contains also some hints on the origin, history, and destiny of Satan as gleaned from the Scriptures. Bible Students' Library, No. 82
A new, clear-type edition of convenient size. Neatly bound in cloth, cover design in colors, 240 pages, size 5x7½ inches.
Price, 50 Cents
Address . . .
PACIFIC PRESS PUB. CO., Oakland, Cal.
43 BOND ST., New York. 18 W. 5th ST., Kansas City, Mo.
THE JUDGMENT
By John Nevins Andrews
By the late J. N. ANDREWS
The Events of the Judgment and their Order. Following are principal chapter headings: The Investigative Judgment, Examination of the Books, God the Father the Judge, Offices of Christ, Messages to the World, The Sanctuary in Heaven, The Crowning of Christ, The Executive Judgment, The Saints Sitting in Judgment. Bible Students' Library No. 55. 136 pages. Paper covers. Price, 15 cents.
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
Kansas City, Mo., New York City, N. Y.
Illustrated Tract.
By Editor
One of the late issues of the Bible Students' Library, entitled "The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast," contains 4 original illustrations. The subject is one of vital interest to all, and now is an opportune time to circulate this tract widely. Order B. S. L. No. 130. Address your State Tract Society, or PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO., Oakland, Cal.; Kansas City, Mo.; New York City, N. Y.
Abiding Sabbath and Lord's Day
By Alonzo T. Jones
By ALONZO T. JONES
A pointed review of two prize essays which are, without doubt, the best contributions to the defense of Sunday as the Sabbath. Those desiring to find some $1,000 reasons for keeping the first day of the week will find them in this work. Bible Students' Library No. 2. 173 pages. Paper covers. Price, 20 cents. Address
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO.
Kansas City, Mo. OAKLAND, CAL.
New York City, N. Y.
HOW TO GET GOOD BOOKS CHEAP
By Editor
Special Offers to "Signs" Subscribers.
Steps to Christ.—By Mrs. E. G. White. This most valuable work has been published in six different languages in the United States alone, while chapters from it have been issued in tract form in some countries. Only those who have carefully read its contents can estimate its great worth. Neatly bound in cloth, 75c.
The Rights of the People.—An up-to-date pamphlet on religious liberty, and of permanent value for reference and study. Paper covers, 40c.
Testimony of History to Truth of the Scriptures.—By Geo. Rawlinson, M.D. An excellent and instructive pamphlet on recent archaeological discoveries. Paper binding, 85c.
Dictionary of the Bible.—By Wm. Smith, LL.D. A very complete dictionary of the Bible, although small. 467 pages of closely written matter, well and attractively bound, Jewish calendar, map of Palestine, and other valuable features. Price, 85c.
Special Combination Offers.
The Signs of the Times one year, and "Steps to Christ" or "Bible Dictionary," $1.50.
The Signs of the Times one year, and "Rights of the People," or "Testimony of History to the Truth of Scripture," $1.25.
Address
SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Ca.
THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE
By Alonzo T. Jones
Or Civil Government and Religion
BY ALONZO T. JONES
An Up-to-Date Pamphlet on the Principles of Religious Liberty.
"THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE" contains fifteen chapters, the following being a portion of the chapter headings:—
Christianity and the Roman Empire—What Is Due to God and What to Cæsar—The Powers That Be—How the United States Became a Nation—What Is the Nation?—Who Made the Nation?—Religious Right in the United States—Religious Rights Invaded—The People's Right of Appeal—National Precedent on Right of Appeal—Sunday-law Movement in the Fourth Century and Its Parallel in the Nineteenth—Will the People Assert and Maintain Their Rights?—Religious Rights in the States.
In the four appendixes to the book are given the Declaration of Independence—The Constitution of the United States—The Dred Scott Decision, and the "Christian Nation" Decision.
This is a book of permanent value for reference and study and one that all should possess. It contains 384 pages, with several illustrations, is issued as No. 32 of the Religious Liberty Library, and is bound in paper covers. Price 40 Cents.
A FINER EDITION on laid paper is also ready. It is neatly bound in cloth. Price One Dollar.
Address orders to
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO., Oakland, California.
18 West Fifth Street, Kansas City, Mo.
43 Bond Street, New York City.
OUR GENERAL AGENTS.
Argentine—Mary T. Westphal, Castilla del Correo, 481, in care of Sociedad de Tratados de Argentina, Buenos Ayres, Argentine Republic, S. A.
Arkansas Tract Society—H. Clay Griffin, Van Buren, Ark.
Atlantic Tract Society—T. A. Kilgore, Sec., 39 Bond St., New York City, N. Y.
Australia—Echo Publishing House, North Fitzroy, Victoria.
California Tract Society—1059 Castro St., Oakland, Cal.
Canada—Laura E. Cushing, Dixville, Quebec, Sec. Quebec Tract Society; Marian Klaiber, 194 Brock Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Sec. Ont. Tract Society; and Int. Tract Society, 268 Crawford St., Toronto, Ontario.
China and Japan—A. La Rue, International Tract Society, Queen's Road 219, Hongkong, China.
THE annual meeting of the stockholders of the Pacific Sabbatarian Association, a corporation, organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the state of California, will be held at the office of the company, corner of Twelfth and Castro Streets, in the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, state of California, on Tuesday, the 28th day of April, A.D. 1896, at 9:30 A.M., for the purpose of electing a board of nine directors, and transacting any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
By order of WM. SAUNDERS,
President of Pacific Sabbatarian Association.
E. A. CHAPMAN,
Secretary of Pacific Sabbatarian Association.
Instructions for Ordering.
By Editor
REMIT by Bank Draft, P. O. Money Order, or Express Order.
If paper money is sent, register the letter.
Drafts should be made payable to the PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING Co., on New York, Chicago, or San Francisco banks. Those written on other banks cost us exchange.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS.—Subscribers desiring the address of their paper changed, will please state in their communication both the old and new address.
POSTAGE STAMPS.—Please do not send postage stamps, as we have more now than we can use, and they often get stuck together in the mails, and are useless when received. Canadian and other foreign moneys can not be used by us.
RECEIPT.—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 promptly, please notify us.
Sample copies of the SIGNS, receipt book, etc., sent postpaid to any one who will solicit subscriptions for the paper. Renewals and new subscriptions one price to subscribers. Special terms to agents.
EXPIRATION OF SUBSCRIPTION.—All papers are discontinued at the expiration of the time paid for. The date opposite your name on the printed address label shows when the subscription expires. Please forward your money in ample time for renewal if you desire unbroken files, as we can not always furnish back numbers.
PLEASE DO NOT MIX BUSINESS.—When ordering or renewing the SIGNS, if you wish to order some other paper, or some books, tracts, or lesson pamphlets, or to ask any questions of the editor, please write such orders or questions on separate sheets of paper. All can be sent in one envelope, and the money all sent in one order. It will save us much trouble if each kind of business is written on a separate sheet. In this way each order can be handed to the proper clerk and filled at once, and save any delay.
NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING.
THE annual meeting of the stockholders of the Pacific Press Publishing Company, a corporation, organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the state of California, will be held at the office of the company, corner of Twelfth and Castro Streets, in the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, state of California, on Monday, the 27th day of April, A.D. 1886, at 9:30 A.M., for the purpose of electing a board of seven directors, and transacting any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
By order of
C. H. JONES,
President of Pacific Press Publishing Company.
E. A. CHAPMAN,
Secretary of Pacific Press Publishing Company.
The Sunday-Closing Question in Los Angeles
The Sunday-closing question is up in Los Angeles. It came in a proposition to prevent street contractors for the municipality working on Sunday. Elder R. S. Owen presented a protest against the measure, because of the religious legislation involved in it, and was opposed, especially by Councilman Kingery. But, according to the Herald of that city, Elder Owen had altogether the best argument, on the ground of logic and the rights of man. But in the mind of the councilman, the majority should rule in all things. But the Herald well points out that majorities have nothing to do with the rights of men, and well intimates that the logic of Sunday laws would demand laws for eating, drinking, dressing, etc. But there will be Sunday laws despite logic and right. The people will not allow reason and right to rule.
Notwithstanding
By Editor
Notwithstanding.—The apostle Paul thus wrote the believers at Philippi: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will; the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds; but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." Phil. 1: 12-18.
All this is just as true now. We are grateful to our brethren for all the papers and publications sent us having a bearing on or opposing our work. We can not notice them all; only a very small proportion. In fact, it is not a good thing at all to spend time in merely combating people. It is better to meet all these things with the positive, drawing Gospel truth, rather than with repellent arguments. And yet we are glad to get the papers sent us for the information and hints they give. But let not our friends be troubled because of attacks on truth. Notwithstanding it all, Christ is preached. The wrath of man shall praise God; what will not praise him he will restrain.
Sympathies
By Editor
Our Sympathies, and we believe the sympathies of every other lover of liberty, are with our brethren who are enduring unjust prosecution for conscience' sake. Brother J. W. Lewis, whose case is mentioned on page 12, is now serving out a sentence of 246 days for laboring—to the disturbance of no one—on Sunday. But this he may know, Christ is with him and with every other soul who is oppressed for conscience' sake.
The Union Guards
A NEW boys' organization has been started in Niagara Falls, N. Y., called the Union Guards. They meet together for a half hour for Bible study—for the study of the Gospel of peace—and then a portion of time is given to military training. Later the boys will be furnished with wooden guns and probably uniforms. This is but one of the many straws which show the increasing militarism of the age under the guise of Christianity and civilization.
More Laborers Needed
By Editor
The demand for help, the call for laborers in our work, was never so great as now. While we have one hundred more laborers in the general and foreign field than last year, the calls for more were never more numerous or more urgent. We are glad that it is so. May the Lord of the harvest call, equip, and prepare by spiritual endowment more laborers. Who will hold himself ready to carry the everlasting Gospel, saying, "Here am I, Lord, send me"?
War in Cuba
By Editor
According to latest press despatches a state of war does seem to exist in Cuba, whether recognized by Spain or any other country. It was evidently recognized by the people of doomd Pinar del Rio, a city of Cuba about one hundred miles southwest of Havana, near the southern coast, the garrison of which, consisting of 4,000 Spanish soldiers, was utterly routed by the insurgents, under General Maceo. Little do we realize the blessings of peace, and yet it helps one to appreciate its advantages when we think of poor, desolated Cuba, Madagascar, and other war-burdened and war-blasted countries. It is only in Christ, however, and ultimately in his kingdom, that we shall delight ourselves in the "abundance of peace."
For All Time.
By Editor
A correspondent writes us:—
"The Adventists are always trying to prove something that nobody disputes, that is, that the seventh day was the Jewish Sabbath. They don't try to prove that the seventh day was the day Christ chose for the Christian dispensation, which they know is impossible; for the Lord's day, or the first day of the week, is [was] the one used by the Christians of the apostolic day, and by the Christian world ever since. Christ established that day by his resurrection and example."
Surely the writer of the above has read most carelessly what Seventh-day Adventists have written. Let us briefly inform him:—
1. Seventh-day Adventists are never trying to prove that the seventh day was the "Jewish Sabbath;" for they do not believe it. The Bible does not say that the seventh day was the Jewish Sabbath, but, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God" (Ex. 20:10); "My [the Lord's] holy day" (Isa. 58:13), of which day it is said "the Son of man is Lord" (Mark 2:28). The Lord's own day, therefore, as taught by the Lord's own word, is the seventh-day Sabbath.
2. That day was the Sabbath day "in the beginning," "for man," to continue as long as man should exist. "Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them forever." Ps. 119:152. "All his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever." Ps. 111:7, 8. "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law." See Matt. 5:17, 18; Isa. 51:6, 7; Luke 16:17. The Sabbath of the Lord is therefore forever, for all time, for all dispensations. There is no more necessity of proving that Christ chose the seventh-day Sabbath for the Christian dispensation than there is that he chose any other commandment, or taught the worship of another God. Nevertheless, he did teach the integrity of God's law in its every jot and tittle in both word and act, in instruction and example.
3. He nowhere kept the first day as a Sabbath, and nowhere taught others to observe it. Neither did his apostles. For what is there claimed to be a new institution both precept and example are sadly wanting.
4. The Sunday was not kept by the apostles as a sabbath, or holy day, nor by the early Christians till they turned back to heathen times. (See Gal. 4:8-11.) The first day was never called the Sabbath till many centuries after Christ, nor the Lord's day till two hundred years after Christ. There was no law for its observance till it was made by the heathen Constantine, in A.D. 321.
5. Christ's resurrection was not a matter of a day, but of a moment, and it is memorialized not by a day but a new life, a momentary life, in Christ Jesus, the resurrection life, which begins with the baptism of the Christian. See Rom. 6:3-6.
6. As shown above, the only Lord's day according to the Bible is the seventh day of the week.
If our correspondent, and many others, knew Christ as the revelation of God, as the personification of God's law, as the Lord our Righteousness, as the only Saviour from sin, which is the transgression of the law, they would say, with the psalmist, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day," and with the beloved disciple, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." He who knows the new covenant has the law of God written in his heart, a blessed witness of God's love.
