p. 6 | Review and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 53. (10/26/1916)

Review and Herald

Oct 26, 1916

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 26, 1916

Eternal Life

By Daniel March

If you put forth all your efforts and pour out all your hopes and desires upon the endeavor to stay as long as possible in this world, and to enjoy its pleasures to the utmost degree, you will take little interest in anything that may be said about an endless and blessed life beyond the grave. But let all your experiments in the pursuit of earthly happiness fail; let your desires and expectations come to naught until hope dies in your heart; let affliction follow affliction until the wide earth seems but one great charnel house, where death reigns with undisputed sway over all things beautiful and lovely, and then you will be prepared to see a new meaning and glory in the divine promise that all who believe in Jesus shall inherit eternal life.—Daniel March.

News and Miscellany

Notes and clippings from the daily and weekly press

— Figures recently made public show that more than 1,000 persons were killed and about 8,000 injured in automobile accidents in American cities since January 1.

— An experimental mail-carrying aeroplane service is to be established between Chicago and New York. It is expected that the aeroplane will leave Chicago at 6 A. M. and reach New York at about 4 P. M.—or ten hours, as against twenty-one hours now.

— The increase in wages throughout the country is much greater in dry States than in wet. Government reports covering a recent ten-year period show that in prohibition States wages were increased 103 per cent. in near-prohibition States 77 per cent., in partial license States 75 per cent., and in license States 61 per cent.

— Arrangements have been completed, at New Iberia, La., to operate a factory to make paper out of the refuse sugar cane stalks after the juice has been taken out. These stalks have hitherto been burned. Fine paper is made in Russia out of sunflower stalks. Paper is now so high that the results of the new factory will be eagerly watched.

— The “Gull Foss,” a steamer of 880 tons, owned by the Icelandic Steamship Company, and flying the Danish flag, arrived at New York harbor a few days ago with a cargo of herring. This little steamer is said to be one of the first to come from that country since the time of Lief the Lucky. The prevailing high prices paid for foods of all sorts have brought great prosperity to the island.

— The estimated potato crop of the United States is about 318,000,000 bushels this year. This is nearly 46,000,000 bushels less than the estimate of a month ago, and is hardly enough to supply the needs of the people until potatoes grow again. Unless housewives exert great care in using only what they actually need, they will have to pay excessively high prices, and possibly go without before spring, experts say.

— Bids will be opened in Washington on December 6 for the construction of four battle cruisers for the United States Navy. They are to be modern wonders, greater in every respect than any other vessel now afloat. They are to be 850 feet long, have a displacement of 35,000 tons, a speed of from thirty to thirty-five knots, and are to carry ten fourteen-inch guns as their main batteries. Each vessel will cost at least $20,000,000.

— What is likely to be the world’s greatest proving ground for large ordnance is to be created in the southern part of New Jersey for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. This concern is to purchase from the State of New Jersey 300 acres of timberland which is in the heart of the 20,000-acre tract that the corporation is to use for its testing shop. The site runs for about eighteen miles along the Great Egg Harbor River, and is much larger than the famous proving grounds of the Krupp concern.

— Sunday schools are becoming more and more recognized as an important department of the church. The population of North America is about 109,000,000. Of this number 18,000,000 are enrolled in Sunday schools, leaving 91,000,000 who are not in Sunday schools, and who are probably doing very little in the way of Bible study. In the United States there are about 12,000,000 children of school age in Protestant Sunday schools. The Roman Catholics have 1,310,000 children in 20,000 parochial schools, where they are trained in the religion of that church. It is said that there are 15,000,000 children of school age who are out of the Sunday school, and who are practically receiving no religious training. There are about 35,000,000 people over ten years of age in this country who are not members of any church.

Justice Stands Afar Off

IN the fifty-ninth chapter of Isaiah we have a vivid word-picture of conditions before Christ’s first advent. Among other things we are told that “judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.” We have long expected the same conditions to prevail before Christ’s second advent. It is coming to be recognized that to obtain justice for the poor man is very difficult. Frequently a man who has a just claim for a small sum of money, refrains from taking his case to court because he knows that though his claim is just, it would cost him more to collect the debt than he would gain, even though he won his case.

It is well that a movement has recently been started by the board of justices of the municipal court of New York, which, it is to be hoped, may extend eventually throughout the whole country, and may reduce greatly the “high cost of justice.” In New York a system is being provided in which the justices may act as conciliators or as arbitrators, doing away with jury trials. The system provides that a dispute may be submitted to any justice in court to act as conciliator or arbitrator, and after his decision has been agreed upon by both parties, it may be entered by the clerk of the court in the court records. Without question such a plan will expedite the application of the principles of justice, and greatly lessen the expense. It will do much toward doing away with the complaint against the law’s delays, yet it may have in it an element of danger, in that it will make unnecessary trial by jury in all but extreme cases.

The complaint against the delays of the law in other than suits for money, are also becoming more pronounced, and in many cases the people are taking the execution of the law into their own hands, with the result that there is great danger of an increasing rule of mob law. Something should certainly be done to help in the speedy execution of justice in serious civil suits or in criminal cases. When money is able to drag out a case against a rich man and free him from the punishment of the law by his being declared insane or by some other of the many ways of avoiding justice, one cannot but recognize that there is serious danger that justice will become so difficult for the poor to obtain that it may truly be said that “equity cannot enter.”

Military Training

One of the first universities to announce the organization of a military department is Harvard University. Secretary Baker of the Department of War has designated Capt. Constance Cordier to head the new department. Captain Cordier has now been appointed professor of the military science and tactics by the Harvard University. This course will be open to all students except freshmen, and will be counted as credit toward a degree. It is likely that Harvard will be followed in this plan by the other colleges throughout the country, giving the United States a well-trained reserve from which officers as well as men may be obtained in case of war. Surely to students of prophecy this should show the times in which we live.

Giving Glory to God, not to Men

By F. M. W.

ALL glory belongs to God. He is the source of every blessing and benefit. Every good and perfect gift comes from him. Every right impulse in the human heart is born of the Holy Spirit. The Creator gives power to get wealth. He has formed man's mind to think. He strengthens his hand to labor. And when man sold himself into the hands of an enemy and was hopelessly condemned to death, Heaven provided a way of escape, and Christ by shedding his own blood bought back again that which had been lost through the fall.

The Lord in the wonderful provisions of his grace permits his children to become partakers with him in his work. He intrusts them with his message of love to their lost fellows. He imparts to them his Holy Spirit, and uses them as his ambassadors to a fallen world. Oftentimes he is pleased to work through their humble efforts in most marvelous ways for the salvation of souls. How ungrateful is man, in the vanity of his selfish mind, to feel that the work has been accomplished through his ability or genius, or to view his achievement as did Nebuchadnezzar of old, who said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?”

It is proper that the minister of Christ should report to his brethren that which God has accomplished through his efforts. The apostle Paul did this. The record states that Paul and his companions returned to Antioch, “and when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14: 27. But we must believe from the teaching of the apostle that in this report there was no self-glorying, no comparison of the success of his administration with that of Peter, of Andrew, or of John. In fact, he declares: “We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. . . . But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” 2 Cor. 10: 12-18.

In the epistles of the apostle Paul, written under many varying circumstances and conditions to different churches, we find but little credit taken to himself for the success of his efforts. This same modesty characterized the work of the Master. How plainly he taught that the manifestation of true Christian greatness was in service for God, and that “he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” Repeatedly the proud, boastful, self-assertive spirit of the apostle Peter was rebuked.

The Scriptures represent the last days’ as being characterized by those who are “lovers of their own selves,” “boasters,” “proud,” “heady, high-minded,” etc. Against this spirit the last message warns, exhorting men to “fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” In that solemn hour when every motive of the heart and purpose of the life stands revealed, how vain will appear human glory and human glorying. How small will man appear in his own estimation and in the esteem of his fellows! The lofty looks of man will be brought low. Human pride will be humbled in the dust, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

It is bad enough to see one human being give glory to another, but it is even worse to see poor, fallible man take glory to himself. Declares the wise man: “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”

We do not need to carry a great burden of anxiety over our reputation. If we have done well, we shall find that others, as a rule, will accord us our full measure of credit. The consciousness in our own hearts that we have the approbation of God will prove a satisfying reward. In any event, we can ill afford to cultivate the spirit of the boaster. Our boasting may be tactfully done, by suggestion and implication, rather than openly and broadly, but its intent will be none the less apparent. Our fellows may give respectful ear to our relation of our achievements; they may even recognize the merit and worth of what we have done; but the very fact that we recognize it, and that we call it to their attention, and that we put ourselves in the position of boasting over it, or calling attention to it, unconsciously lowers us in their estimation.

There is no failing so odious in the sight of others as that of self-conceit. The overflowing hope of the optimist may amuse; the snarling, crabbed criticism of the pessimist may annoy; but the conceited boasting of the egotist disgusts and nauseates. His fellows recoil from his approach, and breathe a sigh of relief at his departure.

It is proper that we should recount the mercies of the Lord, speak of his goodness, and praise him for all that he has done for us and through us; but let us seek to do it with that spirit of humility that will not direct the attention of others to us as the object of praise, but rather to the One who has wrought through our feeble instrumentality, and in spite of our weaknesses.

We need to pray constantly to be delivered from the snare of self-deception and from the sin of self-conceit. We should pray for sanctified judgment, for good sense, for a proper estimate of ourselves, of our fellows, and of all life's relationships. When with Job we not only hear of God, but come to see him as he is, and our own unworthiness and weakness in startling contrast, like the patriarch we shall be led to exclaim: “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Let us seek to learn the lesson of true humility. To such the promise is, “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” F. M. W.

Keeping Rank

ARMIES when on the move keep rank. Those who are enlisted in the army of the Lord should learn to keep rank. Concerning those who were victorious in the shaking time we read: “My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers.”—“Early Writings,” p. 271.

Moving in Exact Order

By G. B. T.

Moved in “exact order,” like soldiers. This is keeping rank. Those, then, who are finally overcomers in the struggle, and who are not shaken out, will move in exact order. They will believe in order, be willing to be directed by those whose responsibility it is to direct the work, and will stay in line. Others it seems will be shaken out.

The power of concentrated action, or keeping step, is well illustrated by the following:—

“I remember one October morning walking across an old smoke-begrimed bridge that spans the Ohio at Cincinnati. My eye was caught by a dingy sign in large plain letters nailed up in a prominent place. It simply said, ‘Processions in crossing this bridge must break step.’ That was all. But it was imperative. It was a law. The processions must break step. The same men might cross the bridge, in as large numbers, at the same time, but they must not keep step.

“The authorities knew perfectly well that for a body of men to march in step, every left foot set down at once, the impact of every right foot striking at the same moment, would so—I do not say, add to the force exerted—would so multiply the force exerted upon the bridge as to endanger its safety. The power of concerted action is immense beyond any power of conception. Every bit of power at command can so be brought to bear at one point with a force beyond any words to express.

“Our Master reverses for us the old bridge sign. Out from Pentecost rings this word: ‘Let my followers all form in line, close ranks, and move out to a world conquest, and—keep step.’ That command of his will make a winning force so great as to shorten up the world’s present calendars, and shorten up the world’s pain, and lengthen out the new life that will come to untold numbers through Jesus.”—“Quiet Talks with World Winners,” pp. 165, 166.

It is moving together, keeping rank, that Satan hates. He knows it means the defeat of his plans, and the final overthrow of his kingdom.

There are those who seem to be unable to keep rank. They denounce plans of concerted action, and call them tyrannical and papal. Being unable or unwilling to keep rank themselves, they seek to hinder others from maintaining a perfect alignment.

Among those who went forth with David to battle were: “Of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.” 1 Chron. 12: 32, 33.

Among those who kept rank were those who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. Blessed knowledge! We believe that now, as then, to those who “keep rank” God will make known what Israel should do. Our God is a God of order. Sin alone causes disorder and confusion. G. B. T.

General Conference Committee Council

By W. A. Spicer

The regular autumn council of the General Conference Committee opened October 11, in Takoma Park. The attendance at the opening from outside of Washington, was listed in last week’s Review. Others came in as follows: J. W. Christian, S. Mortenson, W. A. Ruble, M. D., P. E. Broderson.

The program agreed upon by the General and Division Committees is as follows:— General Conference . . . 9 A. M. to 12 M. North Amer. Division . . 2 P. M. to 5 P. M. Evenings, subcommittees or sessions as arranged.

The main business before the General Conference Committee at these autumn sessions is always the consideration of the calls from the mission fields and the making up of estimates and appropriations for the coming year.

Next General Conference

In joint session with the North American Division, the question of the time and place of the next General and Division Conference was considered. The regular time would be in the summer of 1917; but a year ago, on account of the war, it was agreed to postpone the session. It was felt, however, that this postponement should not continue longer than early in 1918. Invitations were extended by nearly all the Union Conferences, with suggestion of places for the conference and assurances of coöperation. Action was taken as follows:—

“That the next session of the General Conference and the North American Division Conference be held in Los Angeles, Cal., provided satisfactory arrangements can be made to hold the meeting in that city, beginning about the first of April, 1918.”

Treasurer’s Report

The treasurer, W. T. Knox, rendered financial reports of all General Conference operations, which were studied in detail. The comparative reports for 1914 and 1915 showed income and expenditures as follows:— 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FOR 1914 Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $643,556.03 Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . 632,130.16 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　__________ Excess of income . . . . . . . . $11,425.87 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FOR 1915 Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $734,276.89 Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . 734,276.89 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FOR EIGHT MONTHS OF 1916 Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . $397,368.90 Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365,734.58 Deficit in operating . . . . . . $31,634.32 The treasurer explained that there is regularly a heavy shortage in operating

the first eight months, inasmuch as the gifts for missions come in most liberally in the autumn season. To cover this shortage and carry the mission fields through, the committee each year sets aside a working capital, as appropriations are made.

Unforeseen Demands

For the regular needs of the missions, each field makes out its detailed estimate, or “budget,” for the coming year. As a plan for dealing with the larger items of unforeseen and unavoidable expense, not provided for in the budget, the following action was taken:—

“We recommend, That, from henceforth, we ask our superintendents of mission fields to include in their annual budgets only the items of regular expenses, leaving all unforeseen expenses and heavy items of transportation of workers to be adjusted at the time of their contraction.”

Safeguarding Emergency Fund

For some years, in making appropriations, the mission fields have been provided with emergency funds for dealing with smaller emergency requirements. To maintain and safeguard the use of these funds the following action was taken:—

“We recommend, 1. That we place with our Division treasurers and such Union mission treasurers as may be decided upon, special deposits of money to be known as Emergency Funds, which shall be used, not for the local operation of the field, but for special service in the meeting of such unavoidable expenses as may present themselves from time to time. “2. Each treasurer of emergency funds is to report from time to time to the General Conference treasurer full particulars as to why and how these funds are disbursed. When forty per cent of said money is expended, the detailed report is to be made out and sent with a request to the treasurer of the General Conference for the restoring of the emergency fund to its full or agreed amount. “3. All payments from the emergency fund are to be made only with the approval of the local committee in each Division or Union concerned.”

Calls for 1917

Calls for laborers in the mission fields were reviewed and referred to a committee on distribution of labor, as follows:—

Leaders in the book work: For Inca Union Mission, Bolivia, North Brazil, Minas Geraes (Brazil), Salvador, Venezuela, Korea, Malaysia, and India.

Superintendents: Northern Latin Missions, Venezuela, India provinces (three), Inca Union fields (two).

Ministers: South Africa, conference president; Cuba, two workers; Austral Union (South America), one; Brazil, four; Bolivia, one.

Teachers: South African Missions, two; Brazil, one; Lake Titicaca Indian Mission, five; Bolivia, one.

Secretary-Treasurers: For Jamaica, Brazil.

Bible worker: For Bombay, India.

Other calls have come in since the opening of the council, which will later be considered. How many of these calls can be responded to will depend not only upon laborers available, but upon mission funds available. Every call, however, represents pressing need. Writing from Lake Titicaca, Brother Stahl emphasized his plea for the five teachers:—

“I hope and pray that soon others will be on the ground getting their preparation in the language and experience. The thing that makes it a little hard up in these mountain wilds is the house question. Some will have to live in Indian huts for a while at least, as we did at first. I believe God is holding the ground for us. Every worker you send now, dear brethren, is worth more than five for each one that might be sent five years later. We must take possession now. There is a time for everything, and this is the time for advance in this Indian work.”

So the council opens, as every council does, with the stirring appeals for extension and enlargement, and the problem of finding men and means to answer the calls.

W. A. SPICER, Secretary.

Fall Council of the North American Division Executive Committee

By George B. Thompson

The regular fall council of the North American Division Executive Committee, scheduled to be held jointly with the General Conference Committee Council, October 10-24, opened with nearly all the members of the Division Committee present. A few other brethren connected with our publishing houses or with the Loma Linda medical school board were present at the opening of the council.

The council was preceded by a three days’ council of members of the Loma Linda medical school board with members of the council present, concerning the future of the medical school, and how the work being carried forward in connection with this large enterprise can be made to advance the message in the best way. The plans for meeting the large indebtedness which has been allowed to accumulate in connection with this school, and to provide for the annual interest, as well as the many other problems in connection with the school, required much taxing study. We trust the prayerful consideration given by the board to the future of the school will be of benefit to the institution.

The abnormal and unprecedented rise in the price of printing material has created a most serious and difficult problem with which our publishing houses must wrestle. The situation is such that careful study must be given to the devising of plans by which the large deficit facing our publishing houses may be met. It has been found necessary to increase the price of our books, papers, and magazines to meet, in part, the loss which will be sustained. The details of the arrangements made will at the proper time be placed before us by the Publishing Department and our publishing houses.

Rural Schools

There was received, from the offering taken in our churches during the summer for the rural schools in the South, approximately thirteen hundred dollars. It was voted that the funds on hand for the rural schools be divided equally between the Southern and the Southeastern Union, this arrangement being mutually agreeable to both Unions. This offering doubtless will be of material aid to these schools.

Publishing Department Conventions

The following recommendation was made in reference to the holding of conventions by the Publishing Department:

“We recommend, That three conventions for the Publishing and Home Missionary Departments be held, one in each publishing house territory, and that the dates be as follows:— “Southern Publishing Association territory, Jan. 12-21, 1917. “Review and Herald territory, Jan. 23 to Feb. 1, 1917. “Pacific Press territory, Feb. 6-15, 1917. “It is understood that the publishing houses will pay half the transportation of field secretaries, home missionary secretaries, and tract society secretaries attending; and that the publishing houses will entertain those attending these conventions.”

The Next Quadrennial Session

As it seems best, for many reasons, to hold the quadrennial session of the Division Conference at the same time and place that the General Conference is held, it has been somewhat difficult to arrange definitely in reference to the time, on account of the terrible war which holds so much of the world in its grasp. After giving the question careful and prayerful study, it was, however, decided, as will be seen by the action published in the report by Elder Spicer, the secretary of the General Conference, to hold the quadrennial session in 1918, beginning about April 1, in Los Angeles, Cal., provided satisfactory arrangements can be made for this large meeting in that city. Let all pray that conditions in the world may be such by this time that we may have a gathering of some of our fellow workers from all parts of the world at this most important meeting.

The council is in the midst of the session at this writing. These gatherings are yearly becoming of greater importance, and the problems which must be grappled with are more taxing. We must increase our funds for the work abroad; we must provide for the liquidation of our debts; we must press forward the work in our large cities; we must win souls as never before. These and many other problems weigh on our hearts. Let all pray that the Lord will direct. G. B. THOMPSON, Secretary.

Donation for Our Work for the Colored People

By I. H. Evans

FOR some years it has been customary in the territory of the Division Conference to have an annual collection for the promotion of the interests of the third angel’s message among the Negroes in North America. This year the North American Division Committee has set apart Sabbath, November 18, as the day on which this donation shall be taken.

There are more than ten million Negroes in this Division Conference. Taken as a whole, we have reached but comparatively few of this intelligent, increasing, and interesting people. Perhaps no other race in the world has made such progress in intellectual growth and development as the Negro race since the abolition of slavery. The State and Christian organizations have established common schools, colleges, and universities for their training. These schools are filled with large numbers of their young people, who have shown marked improvement, both intellectually and morally, and constitute a great object lesson of human progress.

This people is a religious people. Many of them have implicit faith in the Word of God, are devoted and God-fearing, and often show a loyalty and devotion to the service of God that is an inspiration to all. Wherever the third angel’s message has been proclaimed among this race by consecrated workers, many have accepted it.

We are in great need of additional educational facilities for the Negroes. Schools ought to be established in many places where there are communities of believers, so that their children can receive a Christian education; others ought to be helped to attend our training school at Huntsville, Ala.; church buildings must oftentimes be provided in sections where the believers are unable to provide churches for themselves.

The Division Conference is appropriating about forty-five thousand dollars. In 1917 more than this must be provided to carry on the work for this people; for their work is growing, and continually new laborers and new facilities must be provided. We therefore hope that our brethren will give liberally in response to this call. Of course, in addition to this a large amount of tithe is used in various sections of the country for the work that must be done.

Do not forget the date when this offering is to be taken,—Sabbath, November 18. Let all so plan, from now until that day, that each may have funds for a liberal offering. I. H. EVANS.

The Bible and the Hittites

By L. L. C.

Among the peoples who are said to have lived in Palestine in the patriarchal age, according to the Bible record, were the Hittites. It was from Ephron, the Hittite, that Abraham bought the cave and the field of Machpelah. See Gen. 23: 10. It was Esau’s Hittite wives that were a grief to Isaac and Rebekah. See Gen. 26: 34. The Bible also mentions the Hittites in the list of the peoples whom the Lord promised to drive out of the land of Palestine. The promise made to Israel was, “I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.” Ex. 33: 2.

Some years ago the accuracy of the Biblical records concerning the Hittites was challenged by critics on the ground that there was no mention of any such people in any records outside of the Bible; the man is still living who first suspected that anything more could be known of the Hittites than the Biblical statements concerning them. Yet archeology has now discovered proof of the accuracy of the Bible and of the historical existence of the Hittites. George A. Barton tells the story:—

“In the inscriptions of the Egyptian kings of the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties there is frequent mention of a people called Kheta. In the inscriptions of Assyrian kings there is also frequent mention of a people called Kha-at-tu. Slowly, too, during the nineteenth century, rock-carvings, often accompanied by inscriptions in a peculiar hieroglyph, were found scattered through northern Syria and Asia Minor. The figures of gods and men on these carvings usually wore caps of a peculiarly pointed type and shoes turned far up at the toe. In 1876 it dawned upon Professor Sayce that these were all references to the Biblical Hittites. He proceeded to elaborate this view in two articles published in the ‘Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology,’ Vols. V and VII.

“About the same time the Rev. William Wright independently started the same idea, and gave it expression in his book, ‘The Empire of the Hittites,’ 1884; second edition, 1885.”

Since the people mentioned in these Egyptian and Assyrian inscriptions have been shown to be the Biblical Hittites, many further discoveries have been made of Hittite monuments and inscriptions. Professor Sayce was the first one to attempt to recover the Hittite language. In 1880, in the so-called “Boss of Tarkondemos,” he thought he had found such a key to the Hittite language as the Rosetta stone had afforded to the Egyptian. This “boss” contained writing both in Hittite characters and in the cuneiform writing of Assyria. By comparison Sayce tentatively determined the values of a number of Hittite signs. His results were, however, of a rather uncertain nature, as the Assyrian characters were capable of being read in more than one way.

The work of Professor Sayce in the study of the Hittite inscriptions has been instrumental in turning the attention of many scholars to the problem of a proper decipherment of Hittite signs. Some of the chief men who have worked on this problem are Dr. Peiser, who published a book on the Hittite inscriptions in 1892; Professor Jensen, who published his method of solving the problem in 1894; Lieut.-Col. C. R. Conder, who, in 1898, published his investigations in a work called “The Hittites and Their Language;” and R. Campbell Thompson, who has made the latest attempt on a large scale to unravel the mystery of these Hittite inscriptions, and whose work appears in “Archeologia,” second series, Vol. XIV, Oxford, 1913. A collection of tablets found by Professor Winckler at Boghaz Koi is about to be published by Ernst Weidner. Professor Friedrich Delitzsch, under whose general direction Weidner is working, has published (May, 1914) a study of twenty-six fragments of these texts, which is soon to appear. These texts defined Hittite words in Sumerian and in Assyrian. Thus Professor Delitzsch has been able to gain a vocabulary of about one hundred and sixty-five Hittite words, and to ascertain some facts about the grammar.

It would, therefore, seem that we are on the eve of a complete mastery of the secrets of the Hittite inscriptions. As to all that this may mean in the way of additions to our knowledge of ancient times, we cannot even surmise. It seems clear, however, that while the Hittite language resembles in some of its features our own family of languages, in others it has an affinity with the Tartar family. The pictures of Hittites as they appear in Egyptian reliefs also portray two distinct types of faces. One type resembles the inhabitants of Mongolia and China, having high cheek bones, oblique eyes, and wearing a cue. The other type is somewhat like the early Greek, with a clean-cut head and face. Though the Hittite inscriptions have not yet been deciphered, much of the history of the Hittites is now known through the mention of them in Assyrian and Egyptian records.

It is not the purpose of this article to go into a discussion of the history of this people, but only to point out the wonderful proof of Biblical accuracy which has come to us within the last thirty years on one of the very points where the statements of the Bible had been challenged by critical skeptics. One cannot but be impressed with the manner in which the divine hand of Providence is bringing to light records long concealed in the earth, to substantiate beyond a shadow of a doubt the historical accuracy of the Bible. L. L. C.

The True Source of Knowledge

By L. L. C.

It is remarkable how much credence is now given to the sayings of Spiritualistic mediums and clairvoyants. This, however, is in accord with what we may expect in these last days. Mme. A. de Thebes, the well-known French clairvoyant and astrologer, who in 1913 predicted that the following year would be a year of great shedding of blood, has now predicted that the war is soon to end. She says:—

“I have predicted that the war will end this year, and I desire to say now, despite all circumstances and arguments to the contrary, that peace will be declared before the new year. And peace will come suddenly and unexpectedly. The roar of the guns will cease overnight, and the soldiers on both fronts will be called home to peaceful pursuits. Fate has so decreed it.”

All lovers of peace would be glad to see the war end this present year, but we must recognize that Madame Thebes has no more means of really knowing the future than has any one else. The only way any knowledge of the future may be obtained is through the study of the prophecies of the Scripture. These seem to indicate that if we again have peace on earth, it will be for only a short time, in order that God's work may be finished, and his message proclaimed throughout all the world. L. L. C.

The Influence of Example

No man is so insignificant as to be sure that his example will not have influence either for good or for evil.—Clarendon.

Harmful Effects of the Movies

IN the past the detective story and the dime novel have been largely instrumental in fostering crime among the youth, giving them the wrong viewpoint of life and its duties. Recently the moving picture shows have become more powerful in their influence upon the young than have the storybooks. The following item from the Washington Herald of Thursday, September 21, is only a sample of many such cases:—

“PARIS, SEPTEMBER 20.—A boy of sixteen, employed as post-office clerk, was acquitted in court today of the charge of stealing money from letters to soldiers. His counsel pleaded that the crime was a result of the youth’s attending the movies.”

Continue reading: Devotional Services Without a Preacher