Review and Herald, Vol. 82, No. 25. (6/22/1905)

Review and Herald

Jun 22, 1905

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jun 22, 1905

THIS SPECIAL MENTION

Includes the announcement of “The Seer of Patmos,” companion volume to “The Story of Daniel the Prophet,” completing the new treatise on Daniel and Revelation.

THE STORY OF THE SEER OF PATMOS

BY S. N. HASKELL

A new work on the prophecies of Revelation, written in simple, narrative form, containing a new setting of the important messages recorded in John's prophecy in the book of Revelation. Interesting, instructive, and essential to all Bible students. Illustrated with original engravings especially prepared for the book.

To be ready at an early date. Advance orders solicited. Price, $1, post-paid.

GENERAL CONFERENCE REVIEWS

The General Conference numbers of the REVIEW consist of five thirty-two page issues, bearing date of May 11 to June 8; in these the reports of the General Conference proceedings are recorded. The entire set will be sent to any address in the United States or Canada for 20 cents, post-paid. A good REVIEW binder, which preserves the numbers in good, book form, will be furnished with the General Conference issues of the REVIEW, for 50 cents.

HELPS TO BIBLE STUDY

REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED

“Helps to Bible Study” contains over forty readings prepared by practical Bible workers and teachers, covering the most important subjects that pertain to the spiritual welfare of mankind. It is designed to be an aid to the personal study of the Scriptures, and is adapted to the use of individuals or families. It is also a valuable assistant to missionary workers.

Board covers, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents.

THE STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET

BY S. N. HASKELL

A companion volume to “The Story of the Seer of Patmos,” by S. N. Haskell. A thrilling biography of the prophet Daniel, interwoven with a portrayal of the prophecies and the history, of the nations mentioned in the book of Daniel. A pleasing combination of interest, historical information, and spiritual teaching.

Tastefully bound, and appropriately illustrated. Price, $1, post-paid.

TENT-MEETING LEAFLETS

A carefully prepared series of thirty-two numbers of leaflets,—many of which are illustrated,—treating upon as many different topics in a brief and impressive manner.

These tracts are appropriate to hand out at tent- and camp-meetings or other public gatherings, having been written for the express purpose of awakening an interest in the topics presented.

The price at which they are furnished places them within the means of all.

In packages of 100, 10 cents per package.

HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING

REVISED AND ENLARGED

A book for the times, it being an exposition of Matthew 24, or Christ's great prophecy of his own second coming, together with the signs that shall precede and serve as heralds of that great event. History is cited in evidence of the accuracy of the fulfilment of Christ's prophecies recorded in this wonderful chapter. The 260,000 copies of this book sold testify of its importance.

Board binding, 25 cents; cloth, 40 cents.

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Meeting Difficulties

GREAT difficulties do not necessarily mean disaster. It is not the number or the character of the difficulties to be encountered which determines the outcome of a movement, but the power available for overcoming difficulties either great or small. The difficulties in the way of rebuilding Jerusalem seemed to be insuperable, but through the prophet Zechariah the Lord said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.” Through the prophet Daniel it was declared that the city should be “built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times;” and so it was, but the work was accomplished. We have been harassed by many difficulties in recent years, and from a human standpoint it seemed suicidal to attempt to remove the headquarters of the denomination to a new place under such circumstances, but time has demonstrated that this very thing has brought in a feeling of unity and confidence among this people, and that it has been a strong factor in settling the difficulties that have existed. We are still facing difficulties, and there will doubtless be more and greater ones in the future, but the same hand that has been over this work from the beginning, and the same power that has delivered it thus far, will be sufficient for every emergency that may arise. The way of the Lord may lead through the Red Sea and through the wilderness, but it leads to the promised land, and those who believe in the Lord will enter in.

“Blest be the sorrow, kind the storm, Which drives us nearer home.”

A Great Reformation

THOSE who note how far evangelical Christianity has departed from the original standards must be impressed with the fact that there is the same need of a great reformation now as there was in the days of Luther. The substitution of human for divine authority then resulted in producing a gospel according to man, instead of the gospel according to God, and cut men off from the saving grace of God. We are facing practically the same conditions to-day. Speculation takes the place of revelation. The supernatural element is being eliminated from religion. The form of godliness remains while the power is lacking. Startling sins and outbreaking crimes committed by professedly religious men are an almost daily shock to the community. The simplicity of true godliness has almost been lost. Surely there is need of a great reformation, and it ought to be the natural fruit of this advent movement. An essential factor in this experience will be the restoration of the divine element in all that pertains to the religious life. The true gospel is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”—the experience of righteousness by faith. Let us pray and labor for a great reformation.

The Fishing Season

THERE is something suggestive in the fact that some of the apostles' were fishermen. There is much meaning in the words with which Jesus summoned them to their new line of work: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” There was instruction as well as encouragement in the promise made to these fishers after they had taken the wonderful draught of fishes: “Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” By many persons fishing is regarded as a most attractive sport, and many are the hours which they spend with rod and line. The fishing season is now on, and time and money will be freely spent in order to catch fish. But to catch men is certainly a higher grade of employment than to catch fish, and every disciple of Jesus is permitted to be a fisher of men. The season is now open for this work, and in many countries of the world there are faithful fishers who are seeking those whose hearts are open to receive the truth. Let all such remember the words of the Master: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.” “Jesus had a purpose in bidding them cast their net on the right side of the ship. On that side he stood upon the shore. That was the side of faith. If they labored in connection with him, his divine power combining with their human effort, they could not fail of success.” Successful fishers of men do not simply let down the net, but they actually catch men. We hope this fishing season may be a most successful one. “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them.”

Our Message***

By Editor

Our Message

OUR subject is a very large one, and our time is very short; it will be possible to give only a brief outline of some suggestions concerning our specific teaching work,—the scope, the meaning, and the application of the special teaching which should be given by this denomination.

I will read first the scripture found in the Gospel by Luke, the third chapter. After fixing the time very definitely by naming the year of certain rulers, and those who held the office of the priesthood, it says: “The word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.” From what follows, both in this Gospel and in other Gospels, it is evident that the special word which came to John the Baptist was the word of the prophets, and specifically the words from the prophecy of Isaiah. The prophecy of Isaiah was given more than seven centuries before John the

Baptist lived, and his prophecy had been before the people all that time. But in the time of John the Baptist, that particular message came to him as the word of the Lord, and as the word of God for that special time; and when it came to him as the word of God and the special word of God for that time, it became the word of power that was needed to meet the special situation at that time. You will see the meaning, perhaps, in this way: it was the word of God that came to John the Baptist. It was the word of God which John the Baptist preached; and in preaching the word of God as the word of God for that special time, with a special application, his message would meet all the needs of that time.

Where others had substituted tradition, he would bring them the word of God; where others had put human authority, he would bring divine authority; where others had added to the word of God, he would cast that aside; where others had cast aside the word of God, he would restore that word. That is, his message would bring the word of God anew to the people as the word of God, and in such a setting, and with such power as the word of God, that it would meet every need, every situation, that had arisen because men had neglected the word of God.

Read further what is said concerning it. “The word of God came unto John the Baptist the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.” He became the voice to speak the word. He then became the messenger, whose message was the word of God. That included all the word of God; but as we read the scriptures which speak of his message, we shall find that the whole word of God took on shape, and was given a setting due to certain specific and special scriptures; as we read: “And he came into all the region round about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:— “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

There is nothing said in that specific scripture about repentance; there is nothing said about the remission of sin; there is nothing said as to the time of the first advent; yet John was the forerunner of Christ, to teach his coming, to fulfil these very prophecies; and in doing that, to prepare the way by teaching the remission of sins.

Therefore it must be that not in the words of Isaiah the prophet alone did he find his message, but that all the teaching of the gospel was given a point and an application, a special turn, by those words of the prophet that made even the old message of remission of sin and the provision for salvation a new and living truth to the people of that time.

Further, you will see in what he said at what errors he aimed his message. “He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

Reading the full chapter from which this is taken in Isaiah 40, you will find that the voice said, “What shall I cry?” The message was, “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. . . . The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand forever. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God!”

All flesh is grass; behold your God. When that came to the Jews, as you can see, it was to them a specific and distinct reproof of their confidence as being children of Abraham according to the flesh; they were not to put confidence in the fact that they were children of Israel according to the flesh. All flesh is grass; behold your God. The confidence was not to be in the flesh; and yet this very message was to be a message of preparation for God manifested in the flesh; but they were to be taught by his message that not to the flesh, and not by the outward signs of the flesh, were they to look to determine the character; but that there was righteousness to be revealed—the righteousness of God—not determined by the nature of the flesh in which it was revealed, not determined by birthright, but by the works that followed it,—the revelation of righteousness in the flesh, which of itself was nothing, and in which there was to be no confidence.

So he said, “Even now the ax also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do?”

They saw in it not only a correction of their doctrines, but a correction of the revelation of their life in actual practise; so they asked him, according to this, not, What is the true doctrine? but they stepped from that to the true revelation of the doctrine, and they said, What must we do?

Now it can not be thought that John the Baptist taught righteousness by works; and yet in his reply he gave them distinct instruction what they were to do. That is, he not only taught correct doctrine, but he taught that correct doctrine must be proved by correct character, and that the two are inseparable, and his message included all of that.

Then I may say as a general characterization of the message of John the Baptist, and likewise of this message which takes up his work and carries it to full completion, that it was especially and emphatically the gospel according to God, in direct contrast and opposition to the gospel according to man.

The gospel at the time of John the Baptist had degenerated into a gospel according to man, which was a false gospel. It had come to be the gospel by birth, natural birth; it had come to be the gospel by works; it had come to be anything except the true gospel. As the result of that fact, in the character of those who had fallen away from the true gospel there was lacking the revelation of the evidences of the gospel according to God. That is, genuine righteousness by faith is the mainspring, and it leads to, and is revealed by, the works of faith; a righteousness by faith which does not reveal itself in works of faith is a perversion of the teaching of righteousness by faith; because, while we are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done, yet that righteousness which is of faith, and in which there is salvation, is that active principle which rules in the life and reveals itself in a character in harmony with God's law.

Now, taking it from that standpoint, in what way, what specific way, will the doctrine of righteousness by faith, which is the gospel now just as it was in John's time, and in all times,—in what way will that reveal itself among Seventh-day Adventists and in this message in any way different from what it will in the teaching of the same doctrine by other denominations?—It must distinctly and specifically call for such a revelation of that doctrine in life as will bring the life of the individual in perfect harmony with the complete law of God, in view of the judgment hour and the coming of our Saviour. That will make a distinct teaching and a distinct experience in connection with the true gospel teaching of righteousness by faith in this denomination, which you will not find in those denominations that set aside a part or the

whole of God's law, and do not insist upon that righteousness by faith which is witnessed by the law fully and completely.

I wish now to call attention specifically to what it means in this day to preach the gospel according to God, in contrast with the gospel according to man; because it is in the direct application of it that the special benefit of the study may come to us.

First, the gospel according to God in contrast with the gospel according to men must be founded upon a right conception of God himself. That is a fundamental principle. Then it must be founded upon the revelation that God has made of himself, and of the way of salvation, rather than upon that which has been reasoned out by the human mind. This leads at once to the basis that the gospel according to God must rest upon the supernatural in contrast with the natural; it must include in its experience that which is beyond the power of the individual according to the natural or fleshly birth; it will be witnessed to, it will be established by, works, by signs and wonders that are beyond the power of the merely human, and that are out of what we call the natural order of things.

There will therefore be a distinct basis of supernaturalism for the gospel according to God, both in the fact of its being a revelation from God, rather than being a matter of reason, and in the fact that it will be witnessed to by works, signs, and wonders outside of the natural order of things. These seem to me to be fundamental ideas in this question of the gospel according to God, rather than the gospel according to man. (To be continued)

Editorial

By Editor

Living Epistles

MANY persons who never read the epistles of Paul as translated into English by the scholars of the day are constantly perusing that translation of these and other epistles of the Bible made into daily conduct by the average Christian. “Ye are an epistle of Christ . . . written . . . in tables that are hearts of flesh.” How important that the translation be plain and correct!

The Dark Side Urges Us On

By W. A. S.

Our missionaries delight to tell of the bright side. We are urged on by opening doors and Macedonian calls. But the dark side is always with them. And this somber side also urges us on. The curse is devouring the earth, and we must hasten in amid a world full of perishing souls to cry out the message God has given us. If we forget this, or plan our lives regardless of it, we are surely most guilty of all people. No one can believe what we profess without bending every energy of soul and body to the hastening of the work.

In the years since we entered India, the plague has slain its millions. Still it drags on, although former visitations in history have been of much shorter duration. In a recent letter, Elder W. W. Miller, of Calcutta, writes of an encouraging and stimulating meeting with some Bengali inquirers who desired baptism. He adds:—

On our way out and back we met three funerals. The persons had died of the plague. About thirty are dying every day in a district near us. A man died on the doorstep of one of Mrs. Miller's patients; but the health officer fumigated the premises, so they feel there is no danger. A shopkeeper died in the bazaar [market]. He was carried out, but his goods remain as they were when he died. Earthquakes have been the order of the day. Towns are in ruins, and hundreds of people killed; but notwithstanding all this, the message moves forward, and the Lord keeps us. Some one must labor until the work is finished; then we can all rest as we behold the beauties of the earth made new.

That is just a glimpse of the dark side. What a spectacle this dying world must present to heaven. No wonder that intensity fills the universe. The Lord will make a quick work at the last, as the time comes to finish the gospel work. We have surely reached that time, and must lay every plan in life with this in view. In the last talk Sister White gave in Washington she said: “Light after light has come to me that the work will be wound up when we least expect it.”

W. A. S.

The Great Second Advent Movement

By GEO. I. BUTLER

SUCH is the title of a new book of over five hundred pages, just being issued from the Southern Publishing Association of Nashville, Tenn. It was written by Elder J. N. Loughborough, a veteran laborer in this cause, having devoted his life to it since 1852. He is indeed one of the few pioneers left in the work. A previous volume, entitled “Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists,” written about thirteen years ago, and now out of print, was a valuable book, and did much good.

“The Great Second Advent Movement” is a much larger book. It is of greater scope, and covers a much more extensive field. It is more general in its treatment, covering the whole development of the proclamation of the Lord’s soon coming for three quarters of a century.

This volume is the monumental work of the author’s long, earnest, and devoted life in the Master’s cause. Of all the leading laborers in the third angel’s message, Elder Loughborough has manifested the greatest interest and talent in preserving interesting statistics and reminiscences of its history and progress. He has been particular to collect and lay aside for future use valuable items and facts of deep interest in later years for the instruction of younger people, and those not conversant with the great advent movement.

It is a fact well established in history that during the last seventy-five years there has been in progress in various parts of our world the proclamation of the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ the second time. No intelligent person can deny this fact. It has made a great stir in our world. It is a doctrine peculiar to the generation now living on the earth. Regard it as we will, the fact can not be disputed.

During all the nineteen centuries of the past, the most pious and devoted people have with deepest interest looked forward into the indefinite future to Christ’s second advent, when his people would receive their reward. But in the age in which we live, well-authenticated history demonstrates beyond all question the fact that the nearness of Christ’s coming has been in process of proclamation in various parts of the earth. And this fact is necessarily a sign of the nearness of the event itself.

This new volume is a very interesting and complete history of this movement. There is no man living better prepared to present it to the public than the author. He has been especially and personally conversant with all the facts. He has preserved the records and the interesting features of it.

The rise of this great movement was wonderful indeed. It gave abundant evidence of its supernatural origin. It did not originate with any one person alone, or in one country alone. In this interesting volume the author gives about twenty different movements arising independently of one another, and far apart, each proclaiming the coming of the same grand event. In our country it was proclaimed first by William Miller and about three hundred other ministers; in England by Irving, and it is said by about seven hundred others; in Germany by Bengel; and by the famous Joseph Wolff and many others in a large number of countries in Asia, Africa, and the isles of the ocean. The facts presented by the author in this connection are of the most thrilling interest.

The progress of the proclamation in this country is more fully treated by the author than in any other; but it is demonstrated beyond all question that the proclamation has been world wide. The evidences of the divine origin of this movement are fully presented in this volume.

This publication is most opportune. The eyes of our people are being drawn to the grand old doctrines of the pioneers in this movement. For several years various innovations and theories have been calling attention away from the old platform. One of the pioneers, always true to the genuine work of the message, has written this volume to enable

those who have not had the opportunities he has had, to know for themselves the great facts underlying our faith.

The writer can assure the public that they will find this a most interesting and readable book. He and Elder Haskell read together this work, while it was in manuscript, to find, if possible, any inaccuracies of statement. They found very few indeed. As chapter after chapter was finished, they closed each with exclamations of “Grand!” “Most excellent,” “Splendid,” etc. The candid reader will find they were correct in their conclusions.

We look for a large sale of this precious volume. While “Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists” was an excellent work, as its name indicates it was more of a denominational book than the present volume, and not so well adapted to the general reader. This covers a much broader ground. It should interest large numbers of those not of our faith. We firmly believe multitudes will yet read it, and by means of it learn of our faith, the basis upon which it is founded, and the important facts connected with its history.

We feel most grateful that the Pacific Press, which published the author’s first volume, kindly consented that this book should be issued from our young Southern office. We feel it an honor to be permitted to bring forth such a grand book to the public.

A very fine likeness of the author is presented, also likenesses of the old pioneers of the work. It will be issued from the press in a very few weeks. We want thousands of orders to come in at once. All the old members will want this book because it speaks of the “early days” more fully than any preceding volume. It will refresh their spirits and call back their thoughts to the “former days” when they embraced the message. It will revive their strength, and be a great blessing to their souls.

All our people will want it at once; for it is a complete history of the great advent movement in the last days; its rise in various parts of the world, the evidences of divine power accompanying it, the marks of the Spirit of God working with it, and the glorious evidences of its triumphant close. Every true Seventh-day Adventist will desire to have in his own possession the most complete history of this advent movement ever written.

The young people will especially need it, to give them a clear, connected account of the great message of which they are a part. This book is worthy of being studied in all our denominational schools, that our young people everywhere may know all about the history of this movement.

And finally this book should be read by all enquirers after Bible truth. If it is thus read, the wicked misrepresentations and calumnies which the great enemy has induced people to scatter against the work of God connected with the truths relating to the Lord’s soon coming, will be cleared from many minds. Our book agents should sell this book all through the land. We want thousands of orders to come in at once, that the cost of issuing this volume may be made up, and our office relieved so it can go on and print other important works. Price, $1.50. Send in the orders at once.

GEO. I. BUTLER.

Consistent With Our Profession

By Arthur G. Daniells

THE plan for Seventh-day Adventists to make what may be called a Fourth-of-July offering to foreign missions is surely consistent with the solemn profession we make. Believing and professing what we do regarding the time in which we live, the work committed to us, and the terrible crisis just before the world, how could we do anything else? During the Fourth-of-July celebrations millions of dollars will be spent by the American people for pleasure. Much of this will be worse than wasted. How can Seventh-day Adventists take part in this waste? Knowing and professing what we do, we must turn away from the world's manner of doing, and set an example of sobriety, devotion, and self-sacrifice consistent with our profession.

To do this is not only a duty; it is an exceedingly great and precious privilege. What would we take in exchange for the third angel's message, for this glorious, soul-inspiring, heart-cheering message? It is far more to us than the honors, pleasures, and riches of the world.

But, brethren, this cause is no more to us who know it to-day than it will be to some dear soul who will embrace it to-morrow. It is this wonderful fact that calls us who know the message to earnest, continuous service and sacrifice for those who do not know it. How many of us have witnessed the changes through which people have passed as they have come to a saving knowledge of this truth? At last what joy and gladness filled their hearts as they decided to obey the truth. And following this what earnest efforts and self-sacrifice they made in behalf of others to give them the message. Thus it has been from the day the first pioneers became identified with this cause.

Now we are nearing the end. For more than half a century we have been sowing the good seed. This has been a time of preparation. The truth has taken root here and there. It has extended on the right hand and on the left until it has encircled the world. Facilities have been provided, workers trained, countries entered, and doors opened everywhere. Never since this cause started has the outlook appeared brighter and more encouraging than to-day.

But the work is not done, the needs are not all met, and the end has not come. We must still pray and struggle on. We must continue to give our means and our service to our fellow men.

The call of this hour is service for God in behalf of humanity. Nothing can take the place of this. Prayer, praise, Bible study, joy in the message, are all good and necessary, but they can never take the place of earnest labor and giving in behalf of the perishing.

We should rejoice in God that we have this great privilege. No greater honor can be bestowed. How it cheers us to see earnest, devoted, cultured men and women so cheerfully offering their lives to any and all of the mission fields of the whole wide world! How it thrills our hearts to see parents consecrating their sons and daughters to these far-off lands! How it strengthens our hands to see our brethren and sisters who are toiling summer and winter on farms and at work-benches, in shops and stores, cheerfully giving away their hard-earned means to meet the traveling expenses and support of these workers who can go! What is being done is grand, and it must be continued and increased until this message is preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then, O then, the end will come!—the end of the cruel reign of sin, the end of sorrow and suffering to all living creatures. The greater our devotion, the larger our giving, and the more earnest our service, the sooner that long-looked-for end will come.

Sabbath, July 1, will be upon us in a few days, and the opportunity to make a gift to the cause of our needy, destitute missions will be here. Seventh-day Adventists can make an offering of twenty-five thousand dollars on that day without doing themselves any harm. And O what a lift that would be to the missions! In closing may I not appeal to our ministers, church officers, and brethren and sisters to take this seriously to heart, and make an offering at this time that will place our funds where the Mission Board will not be obliged to cut down the appropriations as they have supposed they would be compelled to do? The Lord has blessed us with great light, great responsibilities, and great resources. No other people are so highly favored as we are.

'Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For verilyI say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.'

May God reveal to us the full meaning of these words, and make us the earnest, consecrated people we should be. Sabbath, July 1, there will be read in all our churches in America the memorial presented by the foreign missionaries to the recent General Conference. Many of the delegates were in tears when the reading of this memorial was finished. We send this memorial to all our people, praying that it will touch a responsive chord in every heart, and thus help to make a large offering to our missions. In no other way can we so practically answer this call from all lands. This July offering can, and should, be the largest midsummer offering we have ever made to the cause of missions. May it be even so.

A. G. DANIELLS.

Religion by Law

By W. A. COLCORD

FROM an article in the United Presbyterian, of May 18, it appears that the Allegheny County, Pa., Sabbath Observance Association is making efforts through appeals to the mayors of Pittsburg and Allegheny, to have the State Sunday law more faithfully enforced in these cities. The officers of this association have presented to these mayors quite a lengthy paper, in which they give various reasons why this should be done. They argue that “disregard for law and for rightly constituted authority has assumed proportions that are positively alarming,” and that “our greatest danger at this hour is the increased disregard for law and rightly constituted authority.” This thought runs all through the paper.

They further state that “the organization which we represent has for its primary object the preservation of the first day of the week as a day of rest and religious worship,” and that “we are here to make a plea on behalf of the enforcement of the law that safeguards the Lord’s day.” They argue that “all men should be compelled to keep all law because it is law.”

Near the close of the paper they say: “We feel assured, that an order from this department, and a few examples of prosecution, will accomplish in a fortnight what our efforts as a voluntary association would require months to do, while the effect of the closing coming from the constitutional authorities would prove vastly more wholesome in the interests of law and order. On all these accounts, therefore, we appeal to you to enforce the law in the interests of our civil sabbath.” The paper is signed by J. D. McCrory, chairman, and E. C. Lane, secretary.

From all this it will be seen that this association is on the war-path, and intends to have the Sunday law enforced. It is desirous of having at least “a few examples of prosecution” under the law. This, it thinks, will accomplish as much in a fortnight for “the preservation of the first day of the week as a day of rest and religious worship” as its efforts as a “voluntary association” could do in months. Here is religion by law plainly, and the church endeavoring to make use of the power of the state for the furtherance of her ends.

The last quotation given above is a forcible reminder of the experience which the association had in Allegheny a little less than a year ago, when, on the night of Aug. 30, 1904, as the result of the work of some of their paid detectives spying upon the people, a mob gathered, in which one of the detectives shot and killed one man, and shot another through the hand. An account of the occurrence is given under the subhead “An Eye-Opener,” near the close of Number Four of our new Religious Liberty Leaflets, entitled “The Civil Sabbath.” The association evidently is not desirous of having this experience repeated. It is not to its credit to have mobs, murder, and wounding occur in connection with its “voluntary” efforts to enforce the Sunday law. It would rather the law should be enforced by the “constitutional authorities.” This, it thinks, would “prove vastly more wholesome in the interests of law and order.”

W. A. COLCORD.

Note and Comment

The wonderful developments among the peoples of the far East may well bring to mind Joel's prophecy of the last days which speaks of the wakening of the heathen, preparatory to the great final gathering of the nations in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Japan, as the world knows, has become fully awakened, insomuch that that nation of Asiatics now stands prominent among the world powers. And now the long-talked-of “awakening of China” seems fairly begun. On this point the following testimony from a man of long experience in the Orient is quoted in the Literary Digest:—

China has been slowly awakening.

With haughty pride she refused the culture of the West during a whole century of incessant and increasingly persistent contact, until aroused by the blows of the Japanese army and navy. . . . Now an edict, for some time in force, has been filling the land with schools in every province, culminating in an immense imperial university, in all of which Western knowledge and culture will be taught. . . . A revolution, simply beyond the power of description, has already begun. What has occurred in Japan on a small scale during the last forty years is being re-enacted in China on a scale colossal and portentous.

The Religious Future of Asia

By L. A. S.

A WRITER in the Methodist Magazine and Review (Toronto, Canada), the Rev. C. S. Eby, who has had long experience as a missionary in Japan, writes of the “yellow peril” as the greatest problem before Christian missions. Christian missions have before them, he says, the task of combating the unseen but very real forces which are shaping the evolution of Japan and China. One of the greatest of these forces in Japan he finds to be agnosticism. Japan is breaking away from the old religions, but is not, to any great extent, substituting Christianity in their place. On this point Mr. Eby says that “the educational department of Japan, so far as possible, has wrought for the exclusion of Christian influences from the national system, and when able, cripples the mission schools.” A religious census of two schools which were typical of the whole, showed, in one school of 200 pupils, 2 Christians, 9 Buddhists, 140 agnostics, and 27 atheists; and in another of 130 students, no Christians, 3 Buddhists, 95 agnostics, and 26 atheists. These schools contain ninety-two per cent of the boys of school age and eighty-three per cent of the girls. China still holds to Confucianism, but China is under the tutelage of Japan, and may be expected to receive the mold of Japan in religion as in other phases of thought and life, at least to a large extent.

All this being true, it is evident that the religious future of this vast Asiatic field with its myriads of souls, so far as Christianity is concerned, depends more largely upon the third angel’s message than upon any other presentation of Christian doctrine; for it is this message, pointing to fulfilled prophecy and throwing a flood of light upon God’s great work of salvation on the earth and in heaven, both past and present, that startles the agnostic out of his negative attitude, and compels him to see that the gospel message set forth in the divine Word is supported by facts and logic which can not be ignored. Neither religious error nor unbelief can stand before the power of “this gospel of the kingdom.” L. A. S.

Public Office and Millionaires

SECRETARY TAFT is quoted as having said in an address to the graduates of Miami University, Ohio, that so insufficient are the salaries paid to men holding high public office in this country, that no poor man can retain such a position, and, in consequence, the government has virtually fallen into the hands of the millionaires.

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