Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Nov 21, 1906
PROBLEMS OF WORLD-WIDE INTEREST
By Editor
Of Vital Importance to Every
Student of Current
Events
May be studied in the coming issues of the
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
It notes the passing events of momentous importance in the daily-making history of the world.
It has qualified correspondents in all parts of the world.
It shows the trend of great movements in Church and State.
What Means the Great Advance of Socialism?
What Means the Mighty Progress of Roman Catholicism, which a generation ago was thought by many Protestants to be a dying power in enlightened lands?
What Means the World-Wide Agitation for a Union of Church and State?
What Is the Cause of the Wave of Lawlessness, Crime, Fraud, Graft, Robbery, Violence, which is engulfing the nations?
Why the Agitation in all Christendom over the Question of the Sabbath Day?
What Is the Meaning of the Tremendous Growth of the Cults of Spiritism, Theosophy, New Thought, Christian Science, etc.?
What Is Bible Christianity?
All these questions will be considered in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, not from the viewpoint of human philosophy or theological theorizing; but in the light of
God's Book, the "More Sure Word of
Prophecy."
The SIGNS OF THE TIMES stands for the Christianity which makes and remakes men—the religion of justice, of honesty, of righteousness, of kindness, of truth, in the world, in the home, in private life. It stands for the rights of the individual of whatsoever creed he may be. Whether you believe with us on many of these great questions or not, you need the paper. Its price is only $1.50 a year.
The following books are ready sellers at this time of the year. The discount to those who canvass for them is forty per cent. For additional information address your tract society.
Our Little Folks' Bible Nature
This book contains simple lessons on nature, taking up the subjects in the order of creation. It is designed as a beginner's book in reading, and at the same time to teach beautiful lessons from nature, based on the Bible.
128 pages. Price, board, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents.
Christ Our Saviour
A graphic account of the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, interwoven with many interesting incidents in His life. The story is simply, yet beautifully told, and the lessons taught, inspiring and helpful.
The book is written in a style that will hold the interest of the children, and will so acquaint them with the life and character of the Saviour as to lead them to make Him their personal friend and to desire to be more like Him.
182 pages. Price, board, 50 cents; cloth, 75 cents; presentation edition, $1.25.
Also in German, Danish, and Swedish.
Uncle Ben's Cobblestones
Familiar talks with boys and girls about the common articles of every-day use, such as air, water, sunshine, fire, smoke, glass, coal, salt, paper, matches, etc.
Uncle Ben has a very pleasing way of telling about the origin and use of these various things. There is a ray of sunshine streaming throughout the whole book, and yet it does not touch the Bible as prevalent in books for children.
The purpose of the book, aside from the useful information given, seems to be soul culture, for we observe on every page a moral fragrance that will impress young minds in the right way.
Uncle Ben tells about more than one hundred different things in all, and intersperses with happy thoughts that bring good cheer to young and old.
221 pages. Price, 75 cents.
Education
The object of true education and how it may be realized by the youth, the parent, the teacher, the writer, the tiller of the soil, and the business man, is the great theme of this book.
The first chapter deals with the first principles of education, followed by examples of true education, as illustrated in the Israelites, schools of the prophets, and the lives of great men of Bible times. The methods of the Master Teacher, and the Bible as an educator, are particularly dwelt upon. The chapters on the Study of Physiology, Manual Training, Methods of Teaching, and Discipline, are interesting as well as helpful.
Every family will want this book, first of all for themselves, and then for their friends.
320 pages; beautifully bound in cloth. Price, $1.25.
Story of Daniel the Prophet
A biography of this wonderful prophet of God. Entirely new in its conceptions and designs. The scriptures narrating the story are printed in parallel columns with the author's delineations and interpretations. This one feature of the book alone renders it very serviceable and desirable.
In connection with the story of this remarkable life, a clear and forcible exposition of the prophecies is also given. The author has endeavored, not to arouse controversy, but to suggest thoughts, both in the story and side references, that will create a religious interest and further study in the things of God.
The book contains both a scriptural and general index of subjects, has eighteen chapters, and 369 pages. Price, $1.00.
The Vegetarian Cook Book
This book contains about four hundred very carefully prepared recipes of healthful, hygienic dishes, suitable to every taste, and every condition in life. There is also one chapter on the Hygiene of Cooking, explaining the various methods, such as boiling, steaming, stewing, baking, braising, and broiling.
The author has had a broad experience in restaurant work, and has given the results of his experiments and observation in this practical work. We believe the good, wholesome foods, hygienically prepared, will appeal to many who are suffering from the effects of bad foods and wrong combinations.
The classification of foods is so arranged, and the work so thoroughly indexed, that any recipe may be referred to instantly.
266 pages. Price, cloth, 75 cents.
Steps to Christ
This little work, by Mrs. E. G. White, presents in a simple and attractive manner, the steps by which the sinner may find Christ and be made complete in Him.
While the book is an excellent guide to inquirers and young converts, it also contains a wealth of counsel and encouragement for those older in the way, who are experiencing difficulties.
The all-pervading spirituality and wholesome counsel blended throughout its pages, cause the book to meet with general acceptance. Once read, it is often re-read and studied as a guide-book in the way of salvation.
200 pages; 44 chapters. Price, paper, 25 cents; cloth, 75 cents.
PAPER-COVERED BOOKS
Thoughts on Daniel
A verse-by-verse study of the wonderful prophecies of this book, showing the response of history to the voice of prophecy. This is Part One of the combined volume of "Daniel and the Revelation."
Bound in pamphlet form. Price, 25 cents.
Thoughts on the Revelation
This is Part Two of the combined volume. It gives a clear exposition of the prophecies of Revelation, in which many marvelous things are brought to light that directly concern us, and our friends and neighbors as well.
These two volumes are so familiar to all that they need no further description.
Bound in pamphlet form. Price, 25 cents.
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FOR WHAT SHALL WE BE THANKFUL?
A COMPREHENSIVE answer to this question is found in the words of the apostle Paul, "giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This covers the whole ground, and might be deemed sufficient for the Spirit-filled believer who realizes his utter dependence upon God. But the masses of mankind, imagining that man is himself a wonderful producer, will incline to query, "Why should we be thankful for all things? are we not able to originate, and do we not originate, many things that are blessings to the race?" The same apostle answers these questions: "God that made the world and all things therein, giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; in Him we live, and move, and have our being."
The most selfish of men will feel and express sentiments of thankfulness for favors that they appreciate. A man on trial for his life will heartily thank the jurymen who render a verdict of not guilty; or one who has been sentenced to death will express gratitude for a pardon. So the apostle Paul, when he came to realize that he was a sinner under condemnation of death, cried out, "Who shall deliver me from this body of death?" But on confession of faith in the4plan of salvation, he could answer his own query: "I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Again, in contemplating the final victory over death and the grave, "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality," the apostle expresses his appreciation in these words: "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
David sets forth the goodness and mercy of God, as also His truth, as objects of thankfulness, exhorting us to "enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations." Also, in contemplation of the great goodness and wonderful works of the Lord, the psalmist says of the children of men, "Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing."
An appropriate object of thankfulness is that the Giver of all things hears prayer. Christ has left us such an example. At the grave of Lazarus, He began His prayer with thankfulness that God always heard Him. His implicit faith was shown in that, before asking for anything, He said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always." This was in harmony with His instruction about prayer: "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Men deem it a great privilege to be able to command the favor of the governor or the king at all times; then how much should we be thankful for free, unlimited access to the throne of grace, and to the storehouse of the all-providing Father. The origin of heathenism was in unthankfulness. Men fell away from their allegiance to truth "because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful." Therefore "with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God."
The food which God has provided for us was "created to be received with thanksgiving." It is "sanctified by the Word of God and prayer," and he is a "good minister of Jesus Christ" who is mindful to "put the brethren in remembrance of these things." Therefore the Thanksgiving dinner should be such as God can bless. God can not bless, and therefore can not accept thanks for, that which is prepared with a sole view to satisfying the lustful appetite of the glutton and the drunkard. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
In giving thanks to God "for life, and breath, and all things," there is danger of limiting the blessing of life to the present short, mortal life. But the believer in the Word of God knows that there is set before him an eternal life, in which will be none of the trials and sufferings incident to the present one, fraught with sin and sorrow on all sides. He knows, too, that it is a free gift, secured to him at great cost—the sacrifice of the well-beloved, only-begotten Son of God. Eternal life is the result of unmerited pardon from a sentence of eternal death. "All have sinned," and "the wages of sin is death." And so "death passed upon all men." "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." This gift is free for all who will accept it, for Jesus Christ "tasted death for every man." Surely any one who can truly appreciate any blessing, any one who can exercise an unselfish spirit of thankfulness for any gift of God, will not fail of gratitude that such an opportunity has been set before our sinful, dying race.
Only the faith that accepts the promises of God at their full value can exercise a real spirit of thankfulness for the smaller favors that come to us in every-day life. No one can realize what true, appreciative thankfulness for heavenly blessings means who limits God's great benevolence to this transient life. Self-indulgence for brief, intermittent moments is not thankfulness.
On this nominal Thanksgiving Day, thousands are perishing for the want of the commonest necessaries of life, and thousands are going down to death without hope. Let the living thank God that probation is still lengthened out to them, and the hope of eternal life is still open to all. "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift."
THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING.
By Editor
HOW many there are who seem not to have any kind of thanksgiving at all. Daily, hourly, momently, they breathe God's air, bask in God's sunshine, eat food and drink water which come by His providence, and yet never lift voice to God in thanksgiving and praise. More and more selfish grows such a heart till it comes to feel that all it receives is by right its own, and gratitude is due to no one. Even so the nations of old went into darkness. Rom. 1:21. Friends and relatives plan and do, but little or no response is elicited in the way of thanksgiving.
Of course, there is a certain amount of satisfaction which comes to the most selfish heart when its wishes are gratified. The dog is glad for the bone; the wolf for the lamb. Sometimes the wolfish soul will express his satisfaction at receiving and indulging, but there is no thanksgiving to the giver. For the common every-day blessings, he sometimes feels he has earned them, just as tho the power to work and the privilege of working were not matters to be thankful for. One of the greatest curses which could come to us would be a life of enforced idleness.
MUCH of the thanksgiving of this world is selfish. We are glad because our wishes are gratified. Glad that gain has come to us. Glad that we do not have to suffer. Now, all this is right in a measure if the gladness, the thankfulness, does not stop there. In most cases it is based on a feeling of gratitude and kindness toward the giver. In some cases, a spirit of envy takes the place of that of gratitude.
THE true spirit of Christian thanksgiving recognizes, first of all, that all good gifts are from God. He may have used other agencies in imparting His blessings and gifts to us, and we honor them for the Master's sake and for the Spirit of the Master that is in them; but the Author of all the good is God, and our deepest gratitude should go out to Him. He it is who should be constantly remembered for all the constant, common blessings of life; He it is that should be remembered for all the extraordinary gifts and blessings which come to us. Thus recognizing God's goodness, we will come to see more and more blessings in all He sends or permits to come to us.
THE true spirit of Christian thanksgiving recognizes also that we are unworthy before God of all His blessings. We may be as worthy as others; but that is not the question. We are unworthy of the least of all God's mercies before Him. A proper sense of His goodness and our unworthiness will lead us to make a right use of His gifts. Our hearts will go out to our fellowmen. We will see and know that we are blessed, that we may be blessings; that others are deprived of blessings which are bestowed upon us, in order that we may share the greater blessing of Infinite Love in imparting to them.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul [literally, "the soul of blessing"] shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
THE only true, lasting joy in receiving is to become a channel for God's gifts to reach others. The water of life held in our heart grows stagnant and putrid and poison. But open the gates of our heart and let even its selfish blessings flow out for others' needs, and the water of life from God's fountain comes pouring in and through, cleansing and vitalizing and enlarging our own heart, and creating within us a joy never before known and which can be found in no other way. If the wealthy and well-to-do in this land on this Thanksgiving Day would seek out the poor and needy around them, and let flow on them some of the blessings which a bountiful and generous Providence has bestowed upon them, it would be one of the happiest days they ever enjoyed. Thus would they come into living connection with the great Fountain of life. And if the poor, yea, the poorest, if he could do no more than pray for his neighbor, would do that, his heart would enlarge, and God would come in with added blessing. Cherish the true spirit of thanksgiving. Give, hoping for nothing. Thus did God. Receive to pass it on to others. Thus you keep living connection with Him.
"That man may last, but never lives
Who much receives, but nothing gives,
Whom none can love, whom none can thank,—
Creation's blot, creation's blank."
But he who day by day keeps open the channels of life, finds blessing all the way. The very curses of his enemies will be turned to blessing.
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.
By Theodore Roosevelt
By President Roosevelt.
Issued Oct. 22, 1906.
Yet another year of wide-spread well-being has passed. Never before in our history or in the history of any other nation has a people enjoyed more abounding material prosperity than is ours, a prosperity so general that it should arouse in us no spirit of reckless pride, and least of all a spirit of heedless disregard of our responsibilities, but rather a sober sense of our many blessings and a resolute purpose, under Providence, not to forfeit them by any action of our own.
Material well-being, indispensable tho it is, can never be anything but the foundation of true national greatness and happiness. If we build nothing upon this foundation, then our national life will be as meaningless and empty as a house where only the foundation has been laid. Upon our material well-being must be built a superstructure of individual and national life lived in accordance with the laws of the highest morality, or else our prosperity itself will, in the long run, turn out a curse instead of a blessing. We should be both reverently thankful for what we have received, and earnestly bent upon turning it into a means of grace and not of destruction.
Accordingly, I hereby set apart Thursday, the 29th day of November next, as a day of thanksgiving and supplication, on which the people shall meet in their homes or their churches, devoutly acknowledge all that has been given them, and pray that they may in addition receive the power to use these gifts aright.
THE EVIL OF DECEIT.
By George C. Tenney
REAL success never can be gained by deceit. This fact was illustrated in the life and character of Jacob. The name, Jacob, means "supplanter," as one who would take any undue advantage in order to accomplish his desire. His brother Esau was the older of the two, but the Lord had ordained that Jacob should have the prestige. Jacob was impatient to make sure the benefits of the position, and through intrigue, encouraged by his mother, he sought to work out the problem himself. He took advantage of his brother's hunger and bought his birthright for a mess of pottage. Again he personated his brother in a way to get the blessing that pertained to the elder son from his blind father. But his own scheming to hasten the acquirement of that which would have come to him legitimately only brought trouble and delay. At Peniel, when he had become an old man, as we would reckon, as he was returning to Canaan after a long exile, he was confronted by the approach of his angry brother. Then the wickedness of his former deceitfulness came vividly before him, as he was apparently face to face with dire vengeance. In his extremity he sought God, and wrestled all night for relief. Deep penitence, real sorrow for sin, and a determination by the help of the Lord to put away all guile, brought victory. He was reconciled to his brother and his brother was reconciled to Him. He received such blessing as he had never received before, and went on his way rejoicing. And it was all because he put away the spirit of guile, and trusted God to manage His own purpose. If God have a purpose with any one of us, it is better to let him work it out. Christ was Himself without deceit; He commended Nathaniel because He saw in him "an Israelite indeed," in whom there was "no guile." Such, then, is the character that will stand the test of the judgment of God. "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." Zeph. 3:13. These are days of deceit in every department of life—in business, in politics, in society, and in religion. "The care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word," even in those who have received it. So it becomes necessary even for the disciples of Christ to "exhort one another daily while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." G.
INTEGRITY NECESSARY.
ONE of the most important elements in right character-building is strict integrity, or wholeness, fulness of perfect outline. This must be the perfect purpose, the high aim, or all is eventually lost.
Integrity includes truth and righteousness in its wholeness. No man can possess integrity who is not true to his word, true to his highest conception of duty.
No man can possess integrity of character who is not righteous in conduct. His moral lines must be right lines. A right line is a straight line—the shortest distance between two points. Any change in that line makes it crooked, perverts it. Everything made to conform to it is affected thereby.
God, in His wisdom, carefully guarded His people in this respect. Right in the very beginning of their history He thus speaks: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deut. 4:2. And the last book of the Bible has among its closing words the following: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy5of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Rev. 22: 18, 19.
God would guard the integrity of His people by having them regard the integrity of His Word. If they would keep His commandments, they must keep all of them. Those precepts were the right lines of their moral conduct. To pervert them in the least is to pervert all character. It is equivalent to setting aside the commandments and substituting a law of one’s own. It is in moral life what it would be to an architect’s plan to measure with a rule too long or too short. Everything would be marred. It would be like a ship captain sailing with a perverted compass in cloudy weather over an uncharted sea.
The penalty of thus adding to or subtracting from God’s commandments is not an arbitrary inflection; it exists in the departure, the deviation, the change itself. As soon as man departs from right, he goes into wrong; and found in the wrong, he must suffer with wrong-doers.
This does not include the redeemed sinner who is ignorant of his sin. A man may be a transgressor of God’s law, yet accepted of God, because he is walking in all the light he has, and the purpose is accepted for the deed.
This does not include the man who sometimes fails and falls and sins, yet nevertheless shades not one hair the perfect standard of God. His condemnation is only of his sin. He has no excuse for it. “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” God is not at fault. Such an one will ever come back to the true standard.
But the soul which begins to excuse his sin, in that very thing begins to lower or pervert the standard. And such a lowering of the standard of God is fatal to all true character-building, fatal to all true work of God. No soul can afford it. No institution of God can afford to lower God’s standard of right.
O come, let us sing unto Jehovah;
Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.
For Jehovah is a great God,
And a just King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the mountains are His also.
The sea is His, and He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker;
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
and the sheep of His hand.
To-day, O that ye would hear His voice!
Question Corner
By Editor
1932.—The Power Manifest by Christ.
In a recent lesson I note these words: “Christ gave abundant evidence in His creative power while in the world by healing the lame,” etc. Is this true?
Rather it would have been better to express it in this way, Christ gave abundant evidence of the creative power of God by the miracles which He wrought. “I can of Mine own self do nothing,” are Christ’s words. He tells us again that it was not He that did the works, but the Father which was in Him. All the miracles wrought by Christ were the miracles wrought by His living connection with the Father, just as the miracles wrought by His servants are miracles of God through them. The same power that was manifest through Him, His children must possess or they will never overcome.
What is the beast spoken of in Rev. 13:11 as “another beast,” which had two horns like a lamb and spake as a dragon?
Read the present article on the Papacy and Prophecy if you wish to get an understanding of the meaning of the beast of Revelation 13. The papers of November 21 and 28 deal especially with the subject of the two-horned beast. As to the rivers and fountains of waters and the blood referred to in the sixteenth chapter, we see no reason to regard it otherwise than as literal. Just as the plagues of Egypt were literal, we believe the plagues of Revelation 16 will be literal. Rivers and fountains of waters are in districts away from the sea. We do not see how any connection could be made between them and any of the modern delusions.
1934.—The 144,000.
Will only 144,000 be saved? Are not this number referred to in Rev. 14:1-5 and Rev. 15:1-3 identical?
It seems very clear indeed that the two companies are identical. Those who get the victory over the beast and his image are those who pass through the very last conflict, as indicated by the warning in Rev. 14:9-11. On the other hand those who are mentioned in Revelation 14 having the Father’s name in their foreheads are those who are saved out from among men, they are translated without seeing death. They are identical with the ones sealed in Revelation 7. Those are not the only ones who will be saved, because the Scriptures in many places speak of the great company which no man can number which come from all the centuries of the past; “The sea gave up its dead,” and from the graves of all the past come forth those who sleep in Christ Jesus. The 144,000 will be those living and who see Christ come. There are those who believe that like the eight saved in the ark, all that are saved when Christ comes will be included in that number; all others will either have rejected God’s last message and so have rejected salvation, or will have fallen asleep in Christ to come up in the resurrection. Others believe that the Scriptures has followed a common way of reckoning. Israel of old were reckoned by the males over and under certain ages, but with these were included all others of Israel. So when Jesus was upon earth, twice we are told of the number who sat down to eat when He miraculously furnished food, but in both cases it is said there were so many thousand men besides women and children. The 144,000 may therefore be a representative company of those who will be saved when Christ comes, or they may be the actual number who have withstood all the onslaughts of Satan and been faithful to the end. The real important thing for us to know is not so to just the exact number which will then be saved, but whether we shall have a part in the saved number. That does not depend on number, but on character, and character depends on our relation to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1935.—What of Those Who Die in Childhood?
Referring to a question some time ago in regard to marriage in the new earth, it is said that all then would be grown people. Will you please explain what becomes of those who die in childhood here in this earth?
The people of God will not inherit the new earth until after the thousand years of Revelation 20. They will take possession of the capital city, New Jerusalem, when Christ comes, but that will not come down upon the earth until after the close of the thousand years. When Christ comes, all the redeemed will be taken to heaven with Him. John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-17. During that thousand years, all who died while in infancy will have grown up, so that when God’s people take possession of the new earth they will be adults. Sometimes we are at loss to know in regard to children because the Bible says very little upon that point. It is not the object of the Scriptures to answer our questions of mere curiosity. It deals with those who are responsible. The duties of parents in respect to their children are clearly stated. The destiny of children is touched upon very lightly. The Scriptures do not come home to them, because they are irresponsible beings; and we may know that God will deal just right with them.
1936.—Communion and Feet-Washing.
Why do not Seventh-day Adventists practise communion and feet washing?
They do, in harmony with the Scriptures in John 13, Matthew 26, and elsewhere. Of course there are sometimes churches which are small and members are scattered, where it is difficult for them to get together as it is with other churches. Sometimes the regular officers of the church move away, and for a period these vacancies are not properly filled, but every thoroughly organized church certainly ought to celebrate these ordinances. So far as we know, however, all properly organized churches celebrate the ordinances regularly once a quarter. There is no stated time, however, when the ordinances should be celebrated. There are some who contend that it should be once a year, because the ancient Passover was held annually. Others argue weekly, because Acts 20:7 records an instance in which supposedly the Lord’s Supper was held on Sunday, or our Saturday night. Another expression seems to show that it was for a brief period celebrated daily. Acts 2:46. But God has given no instruction regarding this,—“As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” 1 Cor. 11:26.
1937.—Where Is India?
Where is India, for which you are raising mission funds?
India is the southern central part of great Asia, south of the Himalaya Mountains. It has more than 1,825,000 square miles, and a population of 300,000,000, most of whom know not the Gospel. And India needs it, needs it, no other country on earth needs it more.
THE STRATEGIC TIME IN CHINA.
UNDER the head of “Noticeable Changes in China,” a missionary of the American Board names these seven illustrations of radical revolution in progress in Peking:
“The macadamized pavement; the new shops along the streets, instead of spreading goods upon the ground; the first woman’s newspaper which, better than anything else, shows the new attitude toward women; the many girls’ schools; the popularity of lectures upon Western science; the reception into the missionaries’ homes of the sisters of the third prince, one a Mongolian princess herself, and that these ladies are willing to speak in the church at lectures for women; the open attacks made in the newspapers upon many superstitions and practises of worship in the various temples, and the numerous other things quite as noticeable.”
Commenting on this statement, Christian Work says: “This is the opportunity of the Christian church, and the strategic time in China’s history, when there is such wholesale turning from and rejecting the old.”
It is well to remember also that the adversary of souls will not be asleep while the people are letting go the delusions with which he has so long deceived them. He is fruitful of schemes of that character, and in the guise of new light and progressive reform he will present new perversions of truth, some of which will be very close imitations. If the friends of genuine truth are not alert in bringing to the attention of these newly-aroused people the unadulterated Word of God, other false theories will be fastened upon them—even in the name of Christianity—that will lead them shy of the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Verily now is our opportunity in the Orient.