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Signs of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 48.

The Words of the Master
Earlier text: The Law Is Slacked

CHOICE TRACTS

Topically Arranged

Bible Study

Postpaid Per 100
Benefits of Bible Study .......... (A. G. L., 10) $.50 Topical Bible Studies ............. (B. S. L., 185) 1.50

Gospel Stories

How Esther Read Her Bible ........ (A. G. L., 7) .50 Back to the Old Paths .............. (A. G. L., 44) 1.00

Immortality Question

Thoughts for the Candid ........... (B. S. L., 47) .50 Tormented Forever and Ever .......... (B. S. L., 111) 1.00 Rich Man and Lazarus ................ (B. S. L., 146) 1.00 Satan’s First Lie ................... (B. S. L., 199) 2.00 Is Man Immortal? .................... (A. G. L., 86) 1.00

Second Coming of Christ

Without Excuse ..................... (B. S. L., 46) .50 Great Day of the Lord ............... (B. S. L., 65) 2.00 The Eastern Question ................ (B. S. L., 144) 1.00 We Would See Jesus .................. (B. S. L., 173) 1.00 The Gospel Message .................. (B. S. L., 188) 1.00 Waymarks to the Holy City ........... (B. S. L., 189) 1.00 Signs of the End .................... (B. S. L., 194) 1.00 Coming of the Lord .................. (A. G. L., 40) .50 Heralds of His Coming ............... (A. G. L., 85) 1.50 “Come, for All Things Are Now Ready” . (A. G. L., 87) 1.00

The Sabbath Question

Why Not Found Out Before! .......... (B. S. L., 52) .50 Jewish .............................. (B. S. L., 69) .50 From Sabbath to Sunday .............. (B. S. L., 95) .50 Identical Seventh Day ............... (B. S. L., 114) 1.00 The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast ......................... (B. S. L., 130) 2.00 New Testament Sabbath ............... (B. S. L., 137) 1.00 Who Changed the Sabbath ............. (B. S. L., 187) 1.00 Elihu on the Sabbath ................ (B. S. L., 192) 1.00 Evolution and the Sabbath ........... (B. S. L., 198) 1.00 The Seventh or One-Seventh .......... (A. G. L., 39) .50 Day of the Sabbath .................. (A. G. L., 50) 1.00 Which Day Do You Keep, and Why? ..... (A. G. L., 75) .50 Is Sunday the Sabbath? .............. (A. G. L., 76) .50 The True Seventh Day ................ (A. G. L., 78) 1.50 Sunday in a Nutshell ................ (A. G. L., 88) 1.00

Millennium

Temporal Millennium ................ (B. S. L., 121) 1.50

Prayer

Prayer, by A. T. Pierson ........... (A. G. L., 52) 1.00

Spiritualism

Postpaid Per 100
Spiritualism: Its Source and Character ........................... (B. S. L., 112) 1.00 Try the Spirits ..................... (A. G. L., 48) .50

The Law

Under the Law; or Under Grace ...... (B. S. L., 163) 1.00 Relation of the Law and Gospel ...... (B. S. L., 166) 1.50 The Perpetuity of the Law ........... (B. S. L., 178) 1.00 Ceremonial and Moral Law Dis- tinguished .......................... (B. S. L., 195) 1.00 The Two Covenants ................... (A. G. L., 83) 1.00

Temperance

Drunkenness and Crime .............. (B. S. L., 196) 1.00 A Chat with My Tobacco-Loving Brother ............................. (A. G. L., 67) .50 Demons’ Council ..................... (A. G. L., 80) .50 It Does Not Pay ..................... (A. G. L., 82) 1.00

Miscellaneous

Way to Christ ...................... (B. S. L., 105) 1.00 The Priesthood ...................... (B. S. L., 191) 1.00 Looking Unto Jesus .................. (A. G. L., 1) .50 The Christian’s Privilege ........... (A. G. L., 2) .50 The Sure Promises of God ............ (A. G. L., 3) .50 Return of the Jews .................. (A. G. L., 62) 2.00 Jesus Died for You .................. (A. G. L., 63) .50 Some One Cares for Your Soul ........ (A. G. L., 69) .50 Great Popular Evils ................. (A. G. L., 89) 1.00
Address this office.

Why States Should Not Enforce Sunday Laws

By Editor

The program of the Wisconsin Sunday Rest Day Convention — just now in the past — comes to us. Among the questions discussed is this, “Why Should the State Enact and Enforce Sunday Laws?” It seems to us that it would have been a great deal more proper as Christians and Christian Americans to discuss the negative side of the question, “Why the State Should Not Enact and Enforce Sunday Laws.” The very next address is “The Holy Rest Day and American Liberty.” Where the state steps in to enforce religious observances, there is always trouble. In the very nature of the case it can not enforce them; and every attempt to do it, only puts the state in an entirely wrong attitude, and develops all the evil of class legislation; and, if pursued to the ultimate, persecution.

The Home of the Soul

We have received from Mr. James Rutherford, Carbondale, Penn., a “hallowed hymn” entitled “The Home of the Soul,” published by the American and Foreign Literary and Musical Bureau, 23 Park Row, New York. The song is based on Deut. 12:9, “For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you.” The words and music are very clearly printed, in large sheet form, and the song is certainly worth singing. Those desiring copies of this hymn, address all orders direct to the author, 30 cents net per copy, mailed in strong tubes.

Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book.

The best selected and arranged hymn and tune book ever issued. Contains 1,413 hymns and 568 of the choicest tunes and sacred songs ever written. 640 large pages. Cloth, plain edges, 75 cents; half leather, marbled edges, $1.50; Russia, marbled edges, $2.00; Turkey morocco, gilt edges, $2.25; Levant, round corners, gilt edges, leather lined, $3.25. Address this office.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing.

—An exposition of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. It has 218 pages and six chapters: On the Mountainside, The Beatitudes, The Spirituality of the Law, The True Motive in Service, The Lord’s Prayer, Not Judging but Doing. A new edition just printed on fine enameled paper, new type, and reillustrated with 27 beautiful half-tone engravings specially prepared for the book by eminent New York artists. It will be found full of comfort and blessing by all fortunate enough to obtain and read it. A beautiful gift book. In paper covers, 35 cents. Address this office.

Our Little Friend

An Illustrated Paper for the Smaller Men and Women, for the Children and Little Ones
Instructive and entertaining, clean, wholesome, sensible. It is a character builder, a helper to father and mother. Our Little Friend would plant seed in the joyous life of the children in the Present, that it may bear blessed fruitage in the Harvest of the Future. Respect your child's individuality. Take the paper for him or her. Only 50 cents a year.
Address, OUR LITTLE FRIEND Mountain View, Cal.

Five-Room House for Sale

For Sale.—A new, five-room house with foundation, pantry, bath, modern improvements, outside sleeping room, cellar, fruit-trees, berries, large lot with lawn and palms. Three blocks from S. D. A. church. The price is right. Should be sold before January 1. Address H. Beach, care SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Mountain View, Cal.

Importance of Our Habits

By De Witt L. Pelton

OUR virtues are habits as much as our vices. Honor, courage, purity, punctuality, prayer, and kindness are habits as much as are swearing, drunkenness, and lying. When this truth is once perceived, it makes a revolution in conduct. Morality, with many, consists in trying to correct evil habits rather than in striving to form good ones. Human life is largely automatic. We are in reality “walking bundles of habits.” To each sort of impression we have an automatic, ready-made response. The sort of habits we are forming is therefore of the greatest importance; and we are forming habits of some kind whether we attend to them or not. We should strive, therefore, to acquire such habits as will strengthen and improve our natures.—Rev. De Witt L., Pelton.

The Health Habit

By Maria L. Edwards, M.D.

Article II

By Maria L. Edwards, M.D.
ROBERT INGERSOLL is reported as having once said that if he had been the Creator he would have made health catching, instead of disease. He certainly did not stop to consider the many and wise provisions the Creator has made for the health of His creatures. Indeed He has made health catching, from the light and sunshine, a plenty of which can overcome some of our most dread diseases. Health is catching from the soil, for from it come a numerous variety of strength-producing food elements. It is catching from the air, laden as it is with oxygen necessary to oxidize the food produced by the soil; and from the water that has been so abundantly provided for the needs of the body. Health is catching also from the companionship of human souls, even from the animals about us that we call dumb, that yet are so intelligent and appreciative in their way; and from the trees, grass, and flowers. How often one may feel lonely and strange in a throng of people, but so much at home, befriended, and at ease under the branches of a spreading tree nestled in the friendly grass. Well has Van Dyke said in his “Psalm of Friendly Trees”:
“I will sing of the bounty of the big trees, They are the green tents of the Almighty, He hath set them up for comfort and for shelter.
“Their cords hath He knotted in the earth, He hath driven their stakes securely, Their roots take hold of the rocks like iron.
“He sendeth into their bodies the sap of life, They lift themselves lightly toward the heavens, They rejoice in the broadening of their branches.
“Their leaves drink in the sunlight and the air, They talk softly together when the breeze bloweth, Their shadow in the noonday is full of coolness.
“The cattle are very glad of a great tree, They chew the cud beneath it while the sun is burning, There also the panting sheep lie down around their shepherd.
“He that planteth a tree is a servant of God, He provideth a kindness for many generations, And faces that he hath not seen shall bless him.”
All of these really give out health and courage. On the other hand, have you ever stopped to think what a laborious, trying process it is to get sick—really and chronically sick? It is only after frequent exposure to dampness, after many neglected colds and coughs, and careless dressing, that consumption is actually acquired; and only after years of overtaxation of the nervous system, and of defrauding the body of needed rest, that nervous prostration is attained.
It is rarely the first indiscretion that produces illness, nor is it the first illness that produces the habit of being sick; but nature struggles faithfully to maintain health, before yielding to disease. In fact, some of the wrong physical habits are formed after a great deal of opposition on the part of nature. Recall the boy trying to use tobacco, and his characteristic illness; or a maiden attempting tight lacing for the first time, and her unpleasant sensations; but after this continued opposition on the part of the body, the time may come that it will demand the very things it once so vigorously resisted.
As wrong moral habits must be discovered and replaced by right habits, just so wrong physical habits must be recognized and replaced by right habits. Of course perseverance is as necessary in one case as the other where corrections are to be made. To illustrate: If more rest is needed for the repair of the system, it will be found a definite struggle for the ambitious one to retire regularly at nine P.M., or to take an hour’s absolute rest in the middle of the day; or if a person needs daily out-of-door recreation and exercise (and we all need it), it may seem an absolute impossibility to take the time, and as if home cares or business interests would be too much neglected; or if the stomach is weak and can digest only a very simple variety and small quantity, it may require rigid self-discipline to abstain for weeks and perhaps months from the things that taste and smell more to our liking. It is indeed akin to the self-guarding that is necessary to overcome the habit of swearing—or slandering.
If right and correct habits can be formed in the first place, a great deal of trouble is saved in after years. The health habit can not be formed too early. The infant who is given his feedings at regular intervals, has good baths, necessary care, and undisturbed sleep; the child who is allowed only simple food, given at its regular meal-times, is clothed warmly and properly, given out-of-door exercise and ten or twelve hours of good sleep; and the adult who intelligently observes the laws of nature, are each and all forming the health habit, and a most enjoyable and delightful habit they will always find it. But the violation of these laws, and paying no regard to their demands upon us in infancy, childhood, and adult life, is the cultivation of the sick habit—a very unprofitable business, for sickness is a loss to all concerned.
Then let us plan for health, live for health, and expect health; for so the health habit is formed.

Children’s Prayers

Children’s prayers are sometimes intensely quaint and amusing, and, at the same time, sublimely real to them, and no doubt acceptable to Him who interprets with fatherly tenderness their strangely expressed yearnings. One little one in Britain prayed to the Lord Jesus, “Do try to make me a good girl; and, if at first You don’t succeed, try, try again!” Another besought the Lord to make her “absolutely pure”—“like Cadbury’s cocoa!” Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, prayer, like praise, is perfected. It is not the consistency of well-ordered speech, but the higher consistency of desires that accord with His will, that assures answer. Mr. Spurgeon, after the stumbling first prayer of a young convert, quietly added, “Take the meaning, Lord!” And, as He reads the meaning, many an unlettered, ungrammatical, and even unwarranted petition undoubtedly gets a gracious hearing and an equally gracious response.—Selected.

Bottles Make Rags

By Anon.

“BOTTLES and rags! bottles and rags!” called the ragman, as he plied his calling.
“Why do you always put these words together?” asked the passer-by.
“Because, madam,” said the ragman, courteously touching his hat to the lady, “wherever you find bottles you find rags!”
Shrewd philosophy! It is a pity that our statesmen can not see the thing as clearly. — Anon.

Tobacco

THE talk we hear now and then about the value of tobacco as an antiseptic, is mostly nonsense. It is, perhaps, just about as deadly to certain low forms of life as moth balls are; but the fact that moth balls partially protect our furs is no valid reason for eating or smoking them. Tobacco will kill the green aphids on the apple-tree, if its juice is duly applied to them; but so will kerosene. If the fact that it will kill aphids is an argument for chewing tobacco, it is just as good an argument for drinking kerosene. We do not want to eat, drink, or smoke everything that will kill bugs.—The Oregonian.

Let Us Help You

By Editor

Get started in clean, good-paying, interesting work of an educational and elevating character. This is just what hundreds of persons have found selling the SIGNS MONTHLY to be.
Hundreds more who believe the message it contains are needed to help circulate it. Will you not join us this month in the circulation of a liberal quantity? You will receive a blessing in it.
An agent says: “I never enjoyed any work better than I do selling the SIGNS. I sell to a class of busy people who would never take time to read a large book.”
Twenty-five copies cost $1.00; they sell for $2.50. 100 cost $4.00. You sell them for $10.00.
“The Signs Worker,” published monthly, and other helps, furnished free.
The December, or “Christmas Number,” as we call it, is now ready for delivery. Articles appropriate to the Yule-tide are among the features.
Nine pages of significant Current Topics are followed by a refreshing spiritual contribution by Mrs. E. G. White.
Short descriptive paragraphs of the contents are insufficient to properly describe this number, so we will tell of only a few things. One of these is a 4-page article on “Struggle for Religious Liberty in the Western World,” in which the author quotes extensively from interesting Spanish and Mexican history. Another is the “Day and Purpose of the Sabbath;” another, “World Building.” The last pages are strengthened by a splendid presentation of “Divine Healing.”
DEPARTMENTS TO BE FOUND IN EVERY NUMBER:
Current Topics—Doctrinal Articles—Religious Liberty—Temperance—Home and Health
DECEMBER ISSUE FREE To all subscribers sending a yearly subscription at once and the regular price of $1.00. This inducement to those also who send two subscriptions and $1.75.
Address your Tract Society, or Signs of the Times, Mountain View, Cal.

Life and Health

A PRACTICAL health journal, published with a view of meeting hygienic needs in every home; teaching how to care for the health and how to preserve life; prescribing simple home treatments to assist nature in throwing off diseases rather than adding more poison by using drugs or unnatural stimulants as remedies; teaching how to avoid disease as far as possible, how to manage in the home when sickness does come, and how to combat the disease by simple remedies which nature provides.
Send for sample copy and special rates to agents. Price 10 cents per copy or $1.00 per year.
Address, LIFE & HEALTH, Takoma Park, D.C.

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Daily News Bulletins
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The Ten Commandments

By Editor

The Ten Commandments.—We have a beautiful four-page folder, tastily printed in blue and gold on tinted cardboard, giving the Commandments as found in the Authorized Version. This attractive little folder makes a very desirable gift for birthday or Sabbath-school class. Price, postpaid, 5 cents. Address this office.

LIBERTY

By Editor

THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF
THE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY BUREAU
An illustrated, 48-page, quarterly magazine, published as an exponent and advocate of true religious liberty; defending Christianity and the rights of conscience; upholding the Bible as the infallible word of God; recognizing the church and state as ordained of Heaven for specific and distinct purposes, but vigorously protesting against the alliance of the church with the state in the attempt to advance religion and to promote the state. Price 25 cents per year. Liberal terms to agents.
Address, LIBERTY, Takoma Park, D. C.

10 PENNIES LEAD 10 MEN TO MAKE $32,034.81

See the fortunes made with Strange Invention. Of this sum Korstad (Farmer) made $2,212.13 in 2 weeks; Zimmerman (Farmer) $3,856 in 39 days. Stonemann (Artist) $2,481.68 in 60 days. No wonder, Cashman says: “A man who can't sell your goods, couldn't sell bread in a famine.” But listen! Rasp (Agent) made $1,685 in 73 days; Juell (Clerk) $6,800; Ovatt (Minister) $4,000; Cook (Solicitor) $4,000; Rogers (Surveyor) $2,800; Horan (Doctor) $2,200; Hart $2,000. This wonderful opportunity heretofore enjoyed by only a limited number now open to all. Hurrah! Hundreds already getting rich. You can too, why not. Experience don't matter. Allen's Bath Apparatus gives every home a bathroom for $6. Think of it! Energizes water, cleanses almost automatically, no plumbing. Could anything be more popular? It's irresistible. Reese saw 60 people—sold 55, result $320.
“Sell 8 out of 10 houses,” writes Maroney. “LET US START YOU as agent, salesman, manager, cash or credit plan, all or spare time.”
Caution—This ad. won't appear again. Territory going fast. Risk 1 cent now—a postal—for free book, proofs, and remarkable offer.
THE ALLEN MFG. CO., 1654 Allen Bldg, Toledo, O.
“Lucky I answered your ad.”—Agt. A. L. of Me.

Providential Features of the St. Croix Fire

The burning of the steamer St. Croix, carrying passengers between San Francisco and Los Angeles, which occurred a few days ago, had many providential features. The steamer carried much fewer passengers than usual; she had very little freight; the sea was calm and weather clear; the captain seems to have been cool-headed; and so all lives were saved, tho a few persons were injured. Surely in the face of the awful accident in the St. Paul mine in Illinois, those who were on board have great reason to be grateful.

Worthy of Telling

By Editor

There are stories and stories in this world, many of them pure fiction and imagination. Some of them teach useful lessons; most of them are worse than worthless, positively evil in tendency and influence. Other of these stories are based on facts, but neither fact nor fancy is worth the ink and paper used to preserve it.
There are other things, great facts, events, lives, dramas, which are worth the telling in a thousand ways, by ten thousand tongues and pens. There are great events worthy of the finest setting which language affords, and around which human imagination may play its legitimate part in vivifying facts, but not perverting them.
Around great characters, world-molders, and history-builders, may be grouped other lesser lights which may serve to bring out more clearly the lesson taught by the great luminous center.
Preeminent above all other characters which this poor world has known is that of Jesus of Nazareth, many sided, like a beautifully cut diamond, every face of which flashes eternal truth. Every soul who has been moved to portray that true life, has given new views of, that manifold beauty, has revealed more of the manifold wisdom of God which dwelt in that “One altogether lovely.”
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES has a new story to present, in the year to come, upon this Character. The story is entitled, “Shiloh the Man of Sorrows.” It will portray in natural human settings of the time the life of the Master. You will wish to read it. Every one will wish to read it who begins it, and we believe all who read it will be made better by it.
Subscribe for the SIGNS now. It is but $1.50 a year before January 1. After that it is $1.75. For five years it is but $6.50. Subscribe now.

Subscription List Grows by 9,600

By Editor

Since October 1 our subscription list has augmented by 9,600. Isn't that good? Let us double that number between now and Jan. 1, 1910. We thank our loyal friends.

Deaths of Raymond Patterson and Richard Watson Gilder

Two noted deaths recently occurred in the journalistic world — Raymond Patterson, of the staff of the Chicago Tribune, and Richard Watson Gilder, editor from the first of the Century Magazine.

Aviation Combine

A reported combine is formed to control all the aviation in this country and in Canada; said to be capitalized at a billion dollars. How men can control the air is more than the ordinary man can see.

Week of Prayer Readings

The Week of Prayer number of the “Review and Herald” has come to hand. Its date is November 18. The week of prayer is December 11 to 18. The readings are from the pens of Mrs. E. G. White, and Elders Prescott, Haskell, Evans, Olsen, Spicer, and Daniells. That week ought to be a time of refreshing and power.

The Bible Teaching on Spiritualism

Sir Oliver Lodge says of Spiritualism: “The hypothesis of surviving intelligence and personality—not only surviving but anxious and able with difficulty to communicate—is the simplest and most straight-forward, and the only one that fits the facts.” There is a better one, and that is the Bible teaching that the alleged spirits of the dead are demons, who deceive.

Our Plea.

Toward believers in Spiritism we hold naught but the friendliest feelings. We pity those who are under the destructive delusion. We would do all in our power to save all from it. We urge them in Christ’s name to break the bonds which bind them to the prince of darkness and death. In Jesus Christ they may go free. In Him they may find peace and rest. In His Word they may find plentiful assurance of the life to come.

Our Next Issue

By Editor

Will deal with the general topic
FROM SIN TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Some of its subdivisions which will be elucidated are as follows:
CONVICTION OF SIN; TRUE REPENTANCE;
CONVERSION FROM SIN;
BORN AGAIN;
BAPTISM—THE MODE, THE MEANING.
In the face of present unchristian theories now obtaining in the world, in which the real Christ is set aside, this ought to be a number of great interest.

You, Your Neighbor, and Your Friend

By Editor

Every Christian is, of course, interested in these, in their soul’s salvation. The special Bible studies in the SIGNS had their second beginning November 24. These continue to April 1. After that something better still. The SIGNS will be always Bible-filled, always up to date.
From the issue of November 24 to the last of 1910 the SIGNS OF THE TIMES will be sent for $1.50. After January 1, 1910, the price will be $1.75.
One subscriber sends $1.75 now and says that the paper is cheap at that. It is, but it is only $1.50 if subscription is sent in BEFORE January 1.
Or if you wish to extend your subscription for a year or more, you do so at the old price. We are now receiving five-year subscriptions. This is good. Five years for only $6.50.
Send the paper to your son, your father, your neighbor, your old friend, for a year. It is a good investment.

A Mistake.

By Editor

We published an item some time ago stating that according to a news despatch, Missouri had passed a law demanding that Christian Scientists procure a license in order to practise in that state. The Christian Science Committee on Publication for Northern California denied this, and say that it is owing to some overzealous reporter, and that no such legislation as that has been passed by Missouri. While we have no faith in Christian Science at all, if people wish to take that kind of treatment they ought to have the right to do it. This is not a matter of endorsement of the treatment, or of Christian Science, but simply of human right.
Continue reading: The St. Paul Mine Disaster