p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 15. (4/15/1913)

Earlier text: Diseases Caused by Protozoa

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A “Higher” Criticism.

By Editor

A despatch from Chicago, February 20, says that Prof. William Duncan McMillan, of the University of Chicago, declared to his class: “Biblical chroniclers arranged the story of Adam and Eve from folk-lore, to explain the origin of man. There can be no doubt that Adam and Eve and their tempter—the serpent—never actually existed. The story can not be considered anything but a myth, evolved by the ancients to account for the presence of humans upon earth. The universally credited theory of evolution smashes the one-man-and-one-woman story. There never was a first man or a first woman.” And this, we presume, he wishes us to accept on his unsupported dicta or dreams. Of course, this sets aside the entire Bible, for it was our Lord Himself who said: “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me; for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?” The “universally credited theory of evolution” is a long way from universally received at the present time. There are still a great many men that prefer God for their Father rather than the tadpole, the monkey, or the ape. Still, we presume that it is but proper to give men the choice of their ancestry, in theory at least.

The Resurrection of the Body

Referring to the Apostles' Creed and the simple faith it expresses in the resurrection of the identical body, the Independent pleads for “the spiritual body,” which is Scriptural. See 1 Cor. 15:44-49. But that journal utterly perverts the meaning of Scripture by saying, “It is the spiritual body which will arise, that is, will survive; and the spiritual body is the soul immortal.” In the light of this, of what force is the record of the resurrection of Christ, of Paul's great utterances of 1 Corinthians 15? The only evidence of the Independent's belief is its own wish. The resurrection is of God, because mortal man has no immortal soul or immortal existence without it.

The General Conference Bulletin

By Editor

— During the coming session of our General Conference, to be held in Washington, D. C., May 15 to June 8, there will be issued the daily Bulletin. Each issue will contain sixteen pages the size of the Review and Herald. It will contain full reports of the proceedings of the conference, and next to being there in person will be the visits each day of the Bulletin. This will be by far the most important conference our people have ever held, and no Seventh-day Adventist family should miss the daily visits of this publication, which will keep them in daily touch with what is being done by our leading men from all over the world. Orders for the Bulletin may be sent through your tract society or to the Review and Herald, Takoma Park, D. C. The price is fifty cents.

The Futility of Moral Cleanups

By Editor

Mayor-Elect Chamberlin, of East St. Louis, announces that his inauguration on May 1 will mark the beginning of a general moral clean-up of the town. He says that day will be moving time for the gamblers, for he proposes to appoint a police board that will drive them out. He says he will also seek “to curb the social evil.” It is very interesting to note that one city after another is seeking to do this work of “moral cleaning up.” And it is also very interesting to observe that the same cities have to do this work over and over again. There never was a time of greater intellectual and moral enlightenment, and yet there was never a time when the forces of righteousness had to combat more stupendous or more stubborn wickedness. The times are ominous in this respect. Thinking people feel it and talk it. There is a significance in it, and we should study to know what it is.

Repentance That Needs Not to Be Repented of.

True repentance under afflictions which have come in consequence of sin cares much more about the removal of the sin and the cleansing of the heart than it does for the removal of the affliction. It will submit to God because of His goodness. It will seek His favor for righteousness’ sake, and will be faithful even tho the Lord permit the affliction to remain; but it will have exceeding sorrow because of the sin itself. So David repented of his sin in numbering Israel, recorded in 2 Samuel 24. When he was given choice of judgments he would not choose, he preferred to leave it all with God. And then when the Lord sent the pestilence he said, “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; . . . let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.” Godly sorrow and true repentance will know what is true mourning for sin rather than a whining because of the consequences of sin.

Baptism of the Spirit

Must the baptism of the Spirit be by the laying on of hands? So some teach, and confuse, by their teachings, honest souls. But God has shown us, in His Word, that He works in various ways contrary to all human conceptions. We have no record that hands were laid upon Jesus when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. God sent His Spirit from the open heavens. Jesus did breathe upon His disciples, and say, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit,” but it was not manifest that they received it in any great measure till weeks afterward, on the Day of Pentecost. The believers in Samaria received the Spirit by the laying on of hands, and so the believers at Ephesus (Acts 8:17; 19:6); but it is recorded that while Peter was speaking, upon the believers in the house of Cornelius the Spirit fell (Acts 10:44, 45). It is difficult for men to harness the Holy Spirit; and when they mark out the way in which God shall give it, they are very likely to be disappointed.

Divorce Statistics in California

State Labor Commissioner McLaughlin has just issued his fifteenth biennial report for California. It is devoted in part to social statistics, and shows that there is one divorce in the state to every seven marriages. Six years ago there was one divorce to every ten marriages. If this increase is kept up it will soon be that the marriage institution is nullified altogether. In the last year that his report covers it is shown that more than half the divorces were granted to people who had no children. More than seventy per cent of the complaints that led to final decrees of divorce were made by wives, the cause of wilful desertion being assigned in most instances. One very cheering feature of the report is that the counties of Mono and Alpine have had no divorces.

A Salvage Outfit for War-Ships

The fact that a battle-ship might be put out of action by a single blow from a submarine mine or a torpedo through having a hole made in its sides that would soon fill it with water and cause it to sink has led the navy department to try a very novel experiment. It consisted in equipping the North Carolina with a salvage outfit so constructed that compressed air can be made to drive out quickly the im rushing water and permit of the vessel’s being repaired. It is reported that the success of the experiment is so satisfactory that they are going to equip others of the big war-ships with it as rapidly as possible. The intensity with which men are making improvements in the engines of war is one of the very remarkable features of this time.

A Correction.

By Editor

We are grateful to one of our readers in Colorado for calling attention to a mistake in our Outlook department of February 11, on page 11. It was there stated that this government paid the Vatican $20,000,000 for the friar lands in the Philippines. Seven and a half millions we believe was the correct amount. It was $20,000,000 that was paid for the Philippines. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is not infallible, by any means. We do not mean to halt, we do not make mistakes of purpose, but sometimes we make them, and we are very glad indeed for our patient, helpful readers who will do all in their power to keep us straight.

Relief for Storm Sufferers

The distress of the sufferers in the storm-ravaged parts of our country should call forth the substantial sympathy of every one everywhere. Nearly every city, town, and village has some arrangement by means of which money or supplies may be collected and forwarded to where it is needed; and besides the Red Cross society has a well-organized work in operation to relieve the thousands who are made destitute of every earthly necessity and comfort. We should seek out some of the open avenues, and send what we can to save those who are perishing for want of food and clothes.

A Change Not Desirable.

Mr. Edward S. Martin, in the Ladies’ Home Journal for April, says, in his fine way: “Time was when, if a person became conscious of sin, he repented. Now he tries to get a bill through the legislature. The old way had good points, but it is the fashion to abandon all the old retail ways and go in for wholesale methods. That fashion is not all good.”

U.S. Recognition of Chinese Republic

President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan had a long conference on April 2, working out the details of a note to present to the Chinese minister in Washington, recognizing the republic of China.

Montenegrins Capture Scutari

Just as we are closing this paper, the news comes that the Montenegrins have taken the stronghold of Scutari by assault, and the powers have united in sending war-ships to stop the proceedings.

Taft Joins Yale Faculty

On April 2 Ex-President Taft began his duties as a member of the faculty of Yale University.