It was a convention of Protestants that was called to accomplish federation. In the letter that was sent to the churches suggesting a conference, it was said:
In order to secure an effective organization of the various Protestant communions of this country for the practical ends indicated, we would suggest that a conference of representatives accredited by the national bodies of said Protestant denominations meet in New York City, November, 1905, to form such an organization as may seem proper to them.
And—
Let the church of Christ, in all its varied administrations, so affiliate as to form a bond of union that will enable Protestantism to present a solid front to the forces of evil, and in every possible way unite its activities for the spiritual conquest of the world, and the final triumph of the kingdom of God.
It was, therefore, a federation of Protestantism, and a Protestant federation, that was accomplished. And while it is true that two or three individual speakers in the conference wished that their "Catholic brethren" were met with them in the conference, it is perfectly safe to say that the little flurry over the attempt to include the Unitarians was fairly a dead calm in comparison with the storm that would have been raised over a proposition formally to include the Catholic Church in the Federation.
So, whatever may come later in the way of this Federation joining hands and co-operating with Catholicism, it is certain that now, and in its intent, this Federation is distinctly Protestant—in name and profession.
What It Is in Character.
And it is Protestant only in name and profession. For it is perfectly plain that in its practical workings it is distinctly papal and not Protestant at all.
By the plain statements of representative men in the conference, by the plain statement of the practical workings of federation so far, by the positive action of the conference itself, it is certain that one great purpose of the Federation is to secure laws, and the enforcement of laws expressing the will of the Federation, by bringing "pressure" to bear upon public, civil officials. The Federation does intend that by it the church-will, by the exertion of the "combined influence" of the churches, shall control the civil power. They have publicly said that on a number of public questions that are civil only, as well as on questions that are religious only, and on both these classes of questions indiscriminately mixed, "the voice of the churches should be heard," and that the "united and concerted action" of the church "is to lead effectively;" and this for "the conquest of the world for Christ."
That is what this professed Protestant Federation proposes to do. That is one of the chief things that it was created to do; and this under the profession of Protestantism. But such purpose and procedure is distinctly the repudiation of Protestantism. On this subject Protestantism stands committed; and stands committed in the very charter of original Protestantism itself.
True Protestant Principles.
The Augsburg Confession is the charter of Protestantism as such. Article XXVIII. of that confession, in repudiating the Papacy and its ways, declares as follows:
There have been great controversies touching the power of the bishops, in which some have, in an unseemly manner, mingled together the ecclesiastical power and the power of the sword. And out of this confusion there have sprung very great wars and tumults, while the pontiffs, trusting in the power of the keys, have not only instituted new kinds of service, and burdened men's consciences by reserving of cases, and by violent excommunications, but have also endeavored to transfer worldly kingdoms from one to another, and to despoil emperors of their power and authority. These faults, godly and learned men in the church have long reprehended; and for this cause ours were compelled, for the comforting men's consciences, to show the difference between the ecclesiastical power and the power of the sword. . . .
Now their judgment is this: that the power of the keys, or the power of the bishops, is a power or command from God, of preaching the Gospel, of remitting or retaining sins, and of administering the sacraments. . . .
This power is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel, and administering the sacraments, either to many, or to single individuals, in accordance with their call. For THEREBY not corporeal, but eternal, things are granted; as, an10eternal righteousness, the Holy Ghost, life everlasting.
Seeing then, that the ecclesiastical power bestows things eternal, and is exercised ONLY by the ministry of the Word, it does not hinder the civil government any more than the art of singing hinders civil government. For the civil administration is occupied about other matters than is the Gospel. The magistracy does not defend the souls, but the bodies and bodily things, against manifest injuries, and coerces men by the sword and corporal punishments, that it may uphold civil justice and peace.
Wherefore the ecclesiastical and civil power are not to be confounded. The ecclesiastical power has its own command to preach the Gospel and to administer the sacraments. Let it not by force enter into the office of another; let it not transfer worldly kingdoms; let it not abrogate the magistrates' laws; let it not hinder judgments touching any civil ordinances or contracts; let it not prescribe laws to the magistrate touching the form of the state; as Christ says, "My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36. Again, "Who made Me a judge or a divider over you?" Luke 12:14.
When the churches federate in order effectually to "bring pressure to bear" upon public civil officials, for the execution of the will of the church, this is nothing else than to "enter by force into the office of another."
When this Federation by the "combined influence" of the churches which it wields, transfers the government—whether city, county, state, or national—from one party to another, or from one person to another, it does in principle "transfer worldly kingdoms."
When the Federation frames bills, presents them to the Legislature, and swings the "combined influence" of the churches in lobbying and "pressure" to have this the church-will enacted into laws, it does in principle, in effect, and in fact, "prescribe laws to the magistrate."
All these things this Federation has done, is doing, and intends to do. These things compose one of the great objects of the Federation itself.
But all of it is specifically repudiated by the original Protestantism. It is all distinctly anti-Protestant, as tested by the very charter of Protestantism itself.
What Must We Conclude?
When, therefore, this Federation, organized to do these things, does these distinctly anti-Protestant things, puts itself thus on papal ground, and still professes to be Protestant, and poses as Protestantism, it falsifies its name and profession, and moves and works under a false pretense. And when this professed Protestantism can thus occupy papal ground, and can do all these papal things and still think that it is Protestant, it simply reveals sheer apostasy.
And when this apostasy—this Federation that occupies papal ground and does papal things—still professes to be Protestant; and while on papal ground professes to be on Protestant ground; and while doing papal things professes that these are Protestant things, it completely falsifies Protestantism. It deceives the people who expect Protestant things from Protestantism, and thus stands plainly as a false prophet.
Yet it is not enough to say that it thus makes of itself a false prophet; the system of things of which this Federation is the beginning will, in itself and in its operations, be nothing else than distinctly "the false prophet" of Rev. 16:13; 19:20.
This "false prophet" is in the same book—The Revelation—designated as the image of the beast. This can be seen by comparing Rev. 19:20 with 13:13-16. The beast is the Papacy. The image of the beast is but the image of the Papacy. These studies of the actual proceedings and open statements of the conference, plainly show that this Federation in its every feature reveals only the veriest likeness to the Papacy; and facts of future development will demonstrate that it is indeed the living image of the Papacy, and the third element in the great threefold development and final combination of apostasy—the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
The dragon symbolizes Paganism, which is the form taken by the original apostasy from God on earth. The beast symbolizes the Papacy, which is the form taken by the second great apostasy from God. The false prophet, or the image of the beast, symbolizes apostate Protestantism as now developing, and is the form taken by the third and final great apostasy from God.
What Apostasy Must Do?
Apostasy must ever retain in its worship the name and profession from which it has apostatized, else its whole standing would be gone. Accordingly Paganism, being apostasy from God, everywhere insists that of the things which it worships, each is a god. This form of apostasy prevailed everywhere until Christianity was planted in the world. Then from Christianity there was apostasy. The only thing to which there could be apostasy from Christianity, was Paganism; but still as apostasy must retain the name and profession from which it has apostatized, this Paganism held the name and profession of Christianity, and so became the Papacy. But in Protestantism original Christianity was revived to deliver the world from the incubus of the Papacy. And this it did gloriously while it remained truly Protestant. But in every land there has been apostasy of Protestantism; and in every case it has been apostasy to papal principles and papal ground in the union of church and state, in the control of the civil power to enforce the will of the church, in religious despotism, cruelty, and persecution. And in every case, while occupying papal ground, espousing papal principles, and doing papal things, this apostasy has claimed to be Protestantism.
And now, in this Federation of all the forms of "Protestantism," exactly after the manner and in the course of the original federation that was the Papacy, on the very principles of the Papacy, and in direct contradiction to the very charter of original Protestantism, the apostasy of Protestantism will be complete. It is also final. There will never be another; there can never be another. There will be further and mighty developments of this, but there will never be another. This completes the course of apostasy in the world; and all that now remains is for these three to find a means and a basis of co-operation by which there will be formed the great threefold coalition of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
Another Federation.
How remarkable it is that just when on this side of the earth there is being accomplished this Federation of Protestantism that develops the false prophet in its full power and working, there is on the opposite side of the earth a blending of the only remaining, seperate elements of Paganism, in that which becomes the dragon in this threefold coalition of the world's apostasy! Japan, Korea, and China, are the only pagan nations on earth that remain separate from the domination of the so-called Christian powers. By her amazing progress as a nation, and by her splendid victories over Russia, Japan has gained the recognized ascendancy among these. This well-earned ascendancy she is fast reducing to the positive leadership. Indeed, already Korea has by Japan been practically absorbed. And now by the latest treaty arrangements, China works fairly hand in hand with Japan in carrying out the plans which Japan had already conceived. There is no room for doubt that under this leadership Japan will bind China as well as Korea to herself in the formation of a mighty power. And that power will be distinctly pagan—the dragon-element of the world's apostasy as finally shaped in the threefold division of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
Then, when distinct Paganism on the other side of the earth, and apostate Protestantism on this side of the earth, and the Papacy everywhere between, shall have attained each its full latter-day development, there can very easily be formed a combination of the three in the things in which they are at one. And this will be all the more easy by means of the immense bids that are being made for Japan now to become a "Christian nation," as illustrated in President Roosevelt's letter to this very conference on federation, in which he said that "It is perfectly possible that the movement [for federation] may have a considerable effect in the Christianizing of Japan," and that "the Christian church in Japan must, of course, assume essentially a Japanese national form." But under such a "form," Japan will be essentially pagan, as before. And yet her system will be exactly that of the other two parts of the threefold combination.
There are two things in which these three are even now largely, and more and more will be, at one, in which they can solidly unite; and these two things are essentially and pre-eminently pagan. These two things are the immortality of the soul, or natural immortality of man, and Sunday as the rest day. In the immortality of the soul, the arch-deceiver makes man independent of God, and in the Sunday-sabbath he puts himself above God, in the place of worship. Upon these two transcendent errors, Paganism, the Papacy, and backslidden Protestantism—the false prophet—can thoroughly unite. Upon these two things, and by means of these two things, they will finally unite; and by this world-despotism in religion will swing the world away to the colossal confusion of final Great Babylon, and to utter destruction, when "with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."
But Christianity Separates from It All.
In the truth that men have life only by and in Christ, through His sacrifice of Himself, Christianity separates completely from the error of the immortality of the soul, and from all its many deceptive connections. In the truth of the Sabbath of the Lord as the memorial of the Creator, Christianity separates completely from all idolatry of every sort, and gives the knowledge of God as He is revealed in Jesus Christ. And by these two transcendent truths man is saved from all apostasy, is delivered from the confusion of Great Babylon, and is restored to the true worship of Him who "made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters," in the true keeping of "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
And because of these things that are so manifestly tending to the making of the living11image of the beast and the enforced worship of the beast and his image, and to the grand world combination of Paganism, Papacy, and federated "Protestantism" in the likeness of the Papacy—because of these things, there is just now due to the world as never before, and with such a voice and power as never before, the mighty threefold message of God in "the everlasting Gospel to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation." "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." "Babylon, the great, is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
ALONZO T. JONES.
THE FIRST GREAT LIE.
By H. A. St. John
"Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"
ANSWER: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Gen. 3: 1-3.
This first question in all human history, was propounded to the first woman, the mother of all living, by the same being that questioned the goodness and justice of God in heaven. Lucifer first questioned, then disbelieved, then rebelled, and was expelled from heaven. By a question, this first great rebel started the human race at its very beginning on a like course of doubt, rebellion, and ruin. Eve's answer to Satan's question has one element of weakness, in that it contains a statement not found in the words of the Lord. This should teach us the importance of exactitude when acting as mouthpiece for God.
The serpent told Eve four things that would result if they would eat of that forbidden fruit. These four things were (1) "Your eyes shall be opened;" (2) "Ye shall know good and evil;" (3) "Ye shall be as God;" (4) "Ye shall not surely die."
The reader will observe that the statements of the serpent were half true, and half false. By disobedience their eyes were opened, and they did know evil. But they did not become God, neither did they escape death.
Here we learn that the first liar and the author of lies, in order to make his lies more deceptive and effectual, incorporated with them a certain proportion of truth. A lie may be one-half truth, or even more, but the lie, the fatal poison, is lurking in all its teaching somewhere. The doctrines of devils are usually, if not invariably, sugar-coated with truth to conceal the fatal thing.
Truth corrupted, adulterated, poisoned with lies, constitutes the "wine of Babylon" in her golden cup, which for long centuries has been freely and lavishly poured out to the inhabitants of earth, who are made drunken thereby, from the king on his throne to the lowest subject of every tribe and nation.
Let us therefore give the most earnest heed to the things written in the revealed Word of God. Prove all things by that Word, and hold fast the unvarnished, uncorrupted truth. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8: 20.
H. A. ST. JOHN.
SPIRITUALISM.
1. What is Modern Spiritualism?
The belief that disembodied spirits can and do communicate with the living.—Century Dictionary.
2. Did this belief exist in ancient times?
"There shall not be found among you any one . . . that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord." Deut. 18: 10-12. See Lev. 19: 31; Mal. 3: 5.
The phenomenal aspect of Modern Spiritualism reproduces all essential principles of the magic, witchcraft, and sorcery of the past. The same powers are involved, the same intelligences are operating. —J. J. Morse, in "Practical Occultism," p. 85.
3. With what is witchcraft classed by the apostle Paul?
"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies; . . . I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5: 20, 21.
4. What should one do if asked to inquire of a familiar spirit?
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?" Isa. 8: 19.
"To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them." Verse 20.
5. What says the "law and the testimony" about the knowledge which the dead have of what is occurring among men?
"Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Job 14: 20, 21.
"For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything. . . . Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Eccl. 9: 5, 6.
6. Then, when miracles are performed by spirits purporting to be those of our dead friends, to what may we attribute them?
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16: 14.
7. What is one of the characteristics of last-day apostasies?
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Tim. 4: 1.
8. How will Satan deceive the people?
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness." 2 Cor. 11: 14, 15.
9. Will Satan endeavor to counterfeit even the coming of Christ by signs and wonders?
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24: 23, 24.
10. After these signs and wonders are shown, what will take place?
"Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of His coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thess. 2: 8-10.
11. What will be said by those who have rejected the deceptions of Satan, and maintained their love of the truth?
"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, THIS is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isa. 25: 9.
THE ASCENDING SON OF GOD.
By L. D. Santee
"He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight." Acts 1: 9.
GONE in the clouds, and there's not a gleam of Thee,
Heavenward passed from our sight away,
Lost to our view, we can only dream of Thee,
God's High Priest in the gates of day.
Gone from our sight, and still we can pray to Thee,
"Intercessor" and Christ divine.
Kneeling in dust, we can only say to Thee,
"Lord, let Thine own life govern mine."
Lonely on Olivet's height Thou did'st cry for us,
Weeping over the sins of men,
Nailed to the cruel tree Thou did'st die for us,
Now Thou to heaven hast gone again,
Gone, and the heavens shall see Thy face once more,
"Prince," "Redeemer," and "Son of God,"
Up to the Highest, Thy rightful place once more,
Thou who the wine-press alone hast trod.
But Thy dear presence, by day and night with us;
Lingers, never to pass away,
Life shall be glad, and hope grow bright with us,
When Thy sweet Spirit is here to stay.
Soon in the skies we shall catch a gleam of Thee,
Coming with angels to claim Thine own,
Till that glad day we shall wait and dream of Thee,
Saviour beloved, on Thy Father's throne.
Dixon, Ill. L. D. SANTEE.
Sun Worship and Sunday Observance
Chicago bids fair to outrival all competitors in the matter of fraudulent financial operations in municipal affairs. One of the city attorneys charges that the frauds connected with the construction of sewers, water tunnels, and bridges in the last ten years will aggregate at least $5,000,000. Sewers have been built with slabs, and even baled hay, where the contracts called for brick. In the matter of religion, also, Chicago is said to be a city of much variety. A despatch of the 7th inst., says:
Revelations incident to the self-immolation last week of Mrs. Concetta Rizz, who was burned to death in what appears to have been an attempt to sacrifice herself to the sun, which she worshiped under the pagan name Apollo, leaves little doubt that thousands of Chicagoans worship the sun-god, to whom they pray, and in whose honor they burn incense and pour libations. Those who have investigated say sun-worship is practised in this city by 10,000 persons, who, with rites and ceremonies of one sort or another, have revived the adoration of the fiery principle for which the sun has stood as a symbol and an embodiment from the remotest pagan times.
However, this last revelation is not to be wondered at in any part of the world, when we consider the universality of Sunday observance, which had its origin in sun-worship, and was dragged into Christian worship as a popular compromise with pagan competition in political influence.
The Songs of Zion
By John Milton
THERE are no songs comparable with the songs of Zion, no orations equal to those of the prophets, and no politics like those which the Scriptures teach. —Milton.
CHRIST A MISSIONARY.
By Amos R. Wells
Christ was a home missionary, in the house of Lazarus.
Christ was a foreign missionary, when the Greeks came to Him.
Christ was a city missionary, when He taught in Samaria.
Christ was a Sabbath-school missionary, when He opened up the Scriptures, and set men to studying the Word of God.
Christ was a children's missionary, when He took them in His arms, and blessed them.
Christ was a missionary to the poor, when He opened the eyes of the blind beggar.
Christ was a missionary to the rich, when He opened the spiritual eyes of Zaccheus.
Even on the cross, Christ was a missionary to the robber, and His last command was the missionary commission.—Amos R. Wells.
SAN FRANCISCO.
MAN, when spurred on with the desire for gain, can accomplish marvelous things. In 1848 San Francisco was a village with a population of 300 persons. In January of that year gold was discovered; and now, but fifty-eight years from that time, there is a population of over 400,000. What was then but a waste of sand dunes is a city covering 30,000 acres of land, with 850 miles of streets, 270 of which are paved; and having 264 miles of street railways. There are eighty-three public schools besides many private and parochial schools; 145 daily, weekly, and monthly publications, in a dozen prominent languages, including Chinese and Japanese; and the city ranks first in the world in the use of the telephone, of which there are over 45,000, or one for every ten inhabitants. In 1854 the San Francisco mint was established, and up to June, 1905, the coinage had amounted to $1,600,000,000.
The Five Idols in the Joss Temple of Lung Gong, Chinatown, San Francisco, Cal.
Many nations are represented on the streets of this great city. What a field for foreign missionary work in our very midst. And when God's people see and awake to the opportunity, the same zeal and labor that has in half a century made this the third city in commercial importance in the United States, will in a shorter period, by the help of all modern improvements and appliances it affords, make it and many more of America's cities strongholds for His truth. And from the foreign inhabitants of these cities foreign missions will be supplied with an abundance of workers.
TWO GIRLS CONFESS CHRIST.
[From The Chosen People, organ of Jewish Missions in Brooklyn, N. Y.]
Two JEWISH girls of about twelve and thirteen years, attended one of the meetings, listening with great attention altho the preaching was in Jewish and Hebrew, which I thought they would not understand, being brought up in the English schools in America. But to my surprise, every expression was plain to them. No sooner did I come down from the platform at the close of the service than they came up and began to talk to me. Of course, we knew each other very well because they attend our schools in connection with the mission, and this evening, having listened with great attention, their minds had been awakened and they wanted more light.
"What do you mean, Mr. Cohn," said they, "when you tell us to come to Jesus?"
"To read His Word, to believe what He says and to accept Him as the only one Saviour."
"Did you mean us girls, too?"
"Why, certainly," I answered. "Why must we come to Jesus?" they asked. "Because you are sinners, aren't you? Are you always doing the right things and not wrong?"
"O, yes," said one of them, "I know I often do wrong. The other day a little boy in our neighborhood went to mother and said that I spent two cents for candy, and because I didn't like him to tell, I kicked him."
"How do you know that that is wrong?" I said.
"Because I heard you say that Jesus did not curse those that crucified Him, but prayed for them, and I am so sorry now that I kicked the boy."
I turned to the other girl, "Are you a sinner?"
"O, yes, I have told so many lies."
The Way Made Plain.
"Now, what are you going to do?" said I. "Both of you are sinners, and God has said, 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die.'" They thought for a minute, and then answered in the presence of many, who instead of leaving the hall after the service, had waited and listened with great interest to my conversation with the girls, "We will believe in Jesus, and then God will pardon our sins as you say."
"Now, when you reach home, girls, and your mothers tell you not to believe, what will you do then?" They didn't know what to answer to that, so I told them to show themselves very good and obedient girls and to beg their parents humbly and ardently not to be worried and grieved over their belief in Jesus, because it will only make them better girls.
They also promised that they would testify of the Lord Jesus to every Jew with whom they came in contact.
WONDERING.
THE weary ones had rest, the sad had joy that day,
I wondered "how!"
A ploughman, singing at his work had prayed,
"Lord, help them now."
Away in foreign lands, they wondered how
Their simple words had power;
At home, the Christians, two or three, had met
To pray an hour.
Yes, we are always wondering, wondering "how,"
Because we do not see
Some one, unknown perhaps, and far away,
On bended knee!
—Selected.
AS A MATTER OF COURSE.
By Editor
THE following extract from a letter written by Dr. H. H. Jessup tells a fearful story of church degeneration in the United States. Nothing so emphasizes such degeneration as a falling away in mission effort:
BEIRUT, DECEMBER 26, 1905.—In our Bible printing work we are confronted with a crisis, and it might be called a calamity. We have printed 47,000,000 pages of Scriptures, and the call continues. We have added a new press and engine, and now the American Bible Society calls a halt and cuts down its appropriation to a simply destructive figure. It says virtually, "Suspend work on the great, large type, first-font Arabic Bible." We can not do it. It must be finished before Dr. Hoskins goes away next summer. We have to order paper from Europe six months in advance. Dr. Bowen says, "Countermand your big order for paper now, and wait." Then if relief comes we shall have to wait another six months before the press wheels can move! Has the church at home lost interest in the Arabic Bible just at the time when the demand is greatest and the machinery is ready to print, bind, and ship it?
We need $10,000 this coming year as a special contribution to the American Bible Society for work on the Arabic Scriptures. It is peculiarly an American enterprise and should be carried on by American funds.
It is the common work of all branches of the Christian Church, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Reformed, Baptists, Methodists, and all who believe and love the Bible.
Can not some one raise the alarm, that just when the Moslem nations are receiving the Arabic Bible gladly, we must say, "No, America is too poor! Let them wait until somebody in America has time to earn a little money!"
This spirit of waning interest in Bible circulation is in direct keeping with the spirit of inter-church federation that is now wielding such an influence in the United States. It is indeed the same spirit; for the church federation movement is a move in the footsteps of the Papacy, and that was a direct result of a waning interest in the Scriptures and their circulation. The same people could not maintain an interest in straight Bible work and at the same time deliberately take the road that leads directly to Rome. The condition complained of by Dr. Jessup could not be otherwise where such a spirit holds the reins.
China Awakening
China Awakening.—Dr. Griffith John, for fifty years a missionary in China, writing to the Missionary Herald, says: "China is not only awakening, she is awake. The China that I found fast asleep on my arrival at Shanghai fifty years ago is now all alive, and going to school again, and doing so willingly, gladly, eagerly. What an opportunity is opened up before the church in this land!" He further alleges that, so far as China herself is concerned, there is no reason why the whole country should not be awake in a comparatively short time. To this he adds: "Everything depends on the church. A dead church may prevent it; nothing else can."
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Those who have clean copies of the SIGNS which they are not using would confer a great favor by sending them to our missionary, Mr. G. F. Jones, S. D. A. Mission, Singapore, Straits Settlements. Be sure and send them postpaid. The postage on newspapers from the United States to the Straits Settlements is one cent for two ounces or fraction thereof.
OUR WORK AND WORKERS.
By Editor
THE enrolment of students at Walla Walla College, says the Educator, now stands at 195.
OUR latest missionary to Korea, Brother W. R. Smith, has located at Seoul, the capital, and commenced the study of the language.
WRITING to the Indiana Reporter, Brother F. M. Roberts tells of an unusual interest at Mount Zion. The people were stirred for miles around, many going from house to house studying their Bibles. Up to January 26, twenty-two had united with the church, after a few weeks of meetings. At that date the interest continued.
AT the last meeting of the Northern California-Nevada Conference the following officers were elected: President, W. T. Knox; secretary, T. A. Kilgore; treasurer, Pacific Press Publishing Company; executive committee—W. T. Knox, J. O. Corliss, J. C. Wilcox, J. H. Behrens, A. J. Osborne, George E. Langdon, E. D. Sharpe.
A GENERAL report of the working of Southern California Conference, by Brother G. A. Reaser, president, shows a very good record for the past year, altho the conference had assumed very heavy responsibilities. There have been marked reductions in indebtedness of the various institutions, and a material increase in tithes and donations to local enterprises. All three of the sanitariums have made encouraging gains, and the college is now running on a self-supporting basis. We are glad to note these tokens of prosperity in Southern California.
WRITING from Long Eddy, N. Y., Brother Wm. Peake writes: "I want to contribute my mite to special Signs of the Times for Greater New York City, Feb. 7, 1906. Find coin enclosed. I want also to voice my commendation and praise of your careful and conservative reports and editorials on the movement of federation of the churches. The theme is not exhausted, we have had only the introductory chapters, for if this is the movement spoken of in Rev. 13:14, saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast that had a wound by the sword and did live, then the war will keep steadily on till the prophecy be fulfilled."
THE affairs of the Southern Missionary Society, by action of the Southern Union Conference, are now under the management of the following board: C. P. Bollman, G. I. Butler, J. E. White, W. B. Spire, F. R. Rogers, P. T. Magan, and G. H. Baber. This board has chosen B. W. Spire as chairman, and C. P. Bollman as secretary and treasurer. From the organ of this society (the Gospel Herald) we learn that "it is the policy of this society not to abandon any field when once it is entered; for wherever our teachers have planted the standard of Christian education, there it still remains. The establishment of a school means the organization of a church in a short time. Already fully two-thirds of one conference is the result of the mission school work." Such a work is worthy of earnest and liberal support.
A LETTER from Brother J. L. McElhany, who has been laboring in Australia, says that he is holding himself in readiness to go to the Philippine Islands. The East India field, which extends from the Philippines to the Malay Peninsula, has a population of 50,000,000, and we have only five workers representing our message. This statement ought to be an effective appeal to our stronger conferences in America to divide up in the matter of laborers and means to support them. Brother R. W. Munson, who has spent several years in Sumatra, is now in New South Wales for a brief change for his family, but he spends all the time he can in translating matter into the Malay tongue. Brother E. S. Butz, who, with his wife, has been laboring in the Tonga Islands for a number of years, has been given a needed change. He is now acting as president of South Australia Conference. Brother McElhany reports eight converts at Lithgow, a coal mining town, where he and Brother Munson had been holding tent-meetings.
