p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 32. (8/10/1904)

LESSON 8.—AUGUST 21.—ELIJAH ON MOUNT CARMEL.

Lesson Scripture, I Kings 18:30-46, A. R. V.

(30) “And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me; and all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of Jehovah that was thrown down. (31) And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be thy name. (32) And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. (33) And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on the wood. (34) And he said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time; and they did it the third time. (35) And the water ran about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. (36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening oblation, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (37) Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, art God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Jehovah, He is God; Jehovah, He is God. (40) And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”

(41) “And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain. (42) So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. (43) And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. (44) And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Make ready thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. (45) And it came to pass in a little while, that the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel; (46) and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.”

Golden Text.— “If the Lord be God, follow Him.” Verse 21.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What was the occasion of King Ahab’s calling the people of Israel together on Mount Carmel? (2) When the prophets of Baal had failed to get an answer to their petitions, what did Elijah say to the people? Then what did he proceed to do? Verse 30. (3) What material did he use? What word had come to the sons of Jacob? Verse 31. (4) In whose name did he build the altar? What did he construct around the altar? Verse 32. (5) What further preparation did he make? What strange command did he give to those who assisted him? Verse 33. (6) What further command did he give? And yet again what direction was given? Verse 34. (7) As the water ran round about the altar, what was added to this? Verse 35. (8) At the time of the evening oblation in Jewish worship, what did Elijah do? Verse 36. (9) What additional petition did he offer? Verse 37. (10) In what wonderful manner was Elijah’s prayer answered? Verse 38. (11) When the people saw this what did they do? And what did they say? Verse 39. (12) Then what command did Elijah give to the people? When the prophets of Baal were all taken, what was done with them? Verse 40. (13) Then what did Elijah tell Ahab to do? Why? Verse 41. As Ahab went to eat and drink, what did Elijah do? Verse 42. (14) What did he say to his servant? What word did the servant bring? Then what command did Elijah give? Verse 43. (15) After going the seventh time, what word did the servant bring? What message did the prophet then send to the king? Verse 44. (16) What came to pass in a little while? On leaving the place, where did Ahab go? Verse 45. (17) What then came upon Elijah? and what was he moved to do? Verse 46.

BURLINGTON TREATMENT ROOMS.

The Burlington treatment parlors have made arrangements to have Dr. Ball (formerly with the N. E. Sanitarium) make regular visits to its patients each week, thus affording, with our present facilities, all the requisites of a small sanitarium at home.

We are thoroughly equipped with all the necessary apparatus to do effective work, and with our increased help feel free to call the attention of the Vermont people once more to our work here in Burlington.

Those desiring information as to prices, rooms, railroad connections, etc., address the manager, H. F. Litchfield, 308 N. Main Street, Burlington, Vt. Telephone, 358-11.

Medical communications sent to Dr. C. F. Ball, 80 Crescent Street, Rutland, Vt. Telephone 52-4.

Excursion Rates

ST. LOUIS

Round-trip Excursion Tickets to St. Louis and Chicago on sale July 1, 2, 7, 8, 13, 14; August 8, 9, 10, 18, 19; September 5, 6, 7, 8, and October 3, 4, 5, 6, at the following rates:—

To St. Louis $67.50

To Chicago (Passing one way through St. Louis) 72.50

Return limit, three months; stop-overs allowed on both going and returning trips.

THESE RATES GOOD ON OVERLAND LIMITED

Any agent will give you full details, or ask

G. T. FORSYTH, Div. F. & P. Agent

12 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, Cal.

Southern Pacific

Christ Is Coming Again

A study of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, showing prophecy already fulfilled, and proving that the generation now living is the last one before Christ shall come to this earth again.

Bible Students' Library No. 58, 94 pp.

Price 10 cents post-paid.

ADDRESS PUBLISHERS OF THIS PAPER.

More About “Cobblestones”

By Editor

THE following letter appeared in Our Little Friend of July 1:—

Oakland, Cal., July 1, 1904.

To the readers of Our Little Friend:—

Dear Friends: Wouldn’t you like to introduce “Uncle Ben and His Cobblestones” to your friends?

“Of course we would,” is the answer we can almost hear from the 17,000 homes where this letter will be seen and read.

Well, Our Little Friend has a plan that will help you. Here it is: All of Uncle Ben’s stories you have read, and many more pictures than were printed with them, are being bound up in a beautiful book of more than 200 pages, called “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones.”

The price will be 75 cents, but we will mail it to you for 50 cents, if ordered during the month of July, with a promise to show the book to at least ten of your friends, telling them how much you have enjoyed it, and inviting them to buy for themselves.

If more than one order is received from one post-office, the first person ordering will have the choice of territory. Those sending in later must arrange with this person before we will furnish books at this price. So order early.

By this plan you will get your first book for 25 cents less than the regular price, even tho your friends do not buy; and if they do, we will see that you are paid for ordering the books, and delivering them.

Isn’t this an easy plan? Will you not try it?

Yours very truly,

OUR LITTLE FRIEND.

P. S. “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones” will not be ready until late in August, but orders for this sample book at this price must be sent in July.

As a result of this letter, we are receiving a great many requests from children for this sample book and an opportunity to sell it in their neighborhoods. Here are some of the letters:—

To Our Little Friend:—

I will send 50 cents for a sample of “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones,” and will promise to show to all I can. I always loved to read his stories, and love the Little Friend. I think it is the best paper for little ones printed. I am ten years old.

Dear Little Friend:—

Enclosed find fifty cents, for which please send “Cobblestones” to my little daughter Emma. We will gladly show it to ten of our friends, and try to sell to them. Those stories are worth printing, for, while they are interesting and instructive, they also draw the reader to Christ. May God bless them in their work for the little ones.

To Our Little Friend:—

I am glad to welcome your birthday. It hardly seems possible that you are so old, but the years come and go so fast.

Enclosed you will find P. O. note for “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones,” which we hoped would come in book form.

Our Dear Little Friend:—

Please find enclosed fifty cents, for which send me the little book, “Cobblestones,” when printed. I will show the book to as many of my friends as I can. I have enjoyed reading Uncle Ben’s stories very much. I nearly always looked for them first when we got the paper.

To Our Little Friend:—

I have read your letter in the last Little Friend about “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones,” so would like to try selling them. Enclosed you will find fifty cents, for which send me one book. I have been canvassing both last summer and this, and enjoy the work very much. I am twelve years old.

Dear Little Friend:—

Seeing your advertisement in the Little Friend for “Uncle Ben and His Cobblestones,” I send fifty cents for one. I will do all I can to sell them for you. It is a good story, and ought to be in every home.

To Our Little Friend:—

I saw in the Little Friend that you were putting “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones” in a book. I like to hear that, because I have given my little schoolmates all the Little Friends with “Uncle Ben’s Cobblestones” in.

Well, we could go on and fill up the paper with these letters, but these are sufficient to show the interest in the book. As we stated last week, the regular price is 75 cents. The 50-cent offer has now expired, but to those who will solicit subscriptions liberal discounts will be given.

“The Home Over There”

We have sung about it, but do we all know where it is to be? See what page seven of the “Scripture References” says about it.

The price of the pamphlet is 2 cents, or $1.40 per hundred.

ADDRESS PUBLISHERS OF THIS PAPER

TO ADVERTISERS.

The fact that an advertisement appears in this paper indicates that, as far as its managers can ascertain, it is reliable. Extreme care is taken in the securing of advertisements, and losses incurred through misrepresentation of firms advertising in this journal have been made good by publishers. We can give no editorial notices or assurances at the request of advertisers.

TO CONTRIBUTORS.

By Editor

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES is a purely missionary enterprise. For this reason it has felt free to ask for contributions from its friends. It pays nothing for contributions, either prose or poetry, unless solicited by the editor, and then the fact is stated when the articles are asked for. This is a plan rarely followed, but sometimes deemed expedient.

Manuscript Returned.—We will return all unused manuscript desired, if stamp and directions are enclosed. We are forced sometimes to return good manuscript, mainly for three reasons: (a) Sometimes the articles are too long; (b) sometimes we have a number on the same subject; (c) sometimes our plans are such that an article can not be used till it is out of date. We therefore hope that no offense will be taken by those who have freely contributed their best thought, if their productions are returned. When we receive too much matter, we can not use all.

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Articles Desired.—Those which set forth in the Spirit of Christ the great saving truths of God, short and to the point. It is better to treat one important phase of truth clearly, in a short article, than many points vaguely, in a long one. We desire no caustic, critical productions, which might minister to personal pride or pleasure, but can not save souls.

TO OUR PATRONS.

By Editor

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The Future War with Russia

The Future War with Russia.—The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, of July 3, publishes an interview with a Russian prince in St. Petersburg, in which the scion of royalty treated lightly the present defeats from Japan, or the loss of Port Arthur and Manchuria, even. Russia, he tells us, was not yet aroused. The Russian race was not European, except on the surface, but Oriental. From his broken English we take the following: “‘It will take a little bit more yet to give Russia—all the Russia of the people—a veritable scratch, and then there will be a Tartar to be caught which will not keep off the grass for the Geneva convention. The Japanese, the more they make war, the more they are European. But we, the longer we fight, the more we are Easterns, and some day, with her back against the wall of a partisan, Europe, fearing, however, to chip in, Russia will come out wonderfully, like a rat in a corner. It is our way. These etiquettes of fighting, these punctilios of making dead people, they cramp our style. But when we get our shirt out, as Rudyard Kipling says, then there will be a high old kettle of fish. There will be such a war as is not written of, a devastation, a fight to a finish, with nobody to say, O, fie! when there is a hit under the zone, and nobody to shout, Please come out of it, when one is down, and the other is engorging him. Think, only!

“‘There has not been a war,’ he declared. ‘Not in verity, a war of the true actual. War is the end of law, and it is proper to kill wounded, and hang prisoners, and torture spies, and poison water. It is the real thing, but uneasy to do. Yet conceive a great people of Easterns, fighting for very life, why shall they stop at? What can you forbid, with all to lose—life, credit, power, and all, and all? Ah, but Russia will engage herself,—all Russia, the people and the government, fighting together, with money and blood and brains, like the boys of the old brigade. But not yet, mark! Not simply for the Petropavlovsk and Port Arthur. No! She will take a hand when there is danger, and danger so real that it can kindle what is not easy to find in Russia—his imagination. Ah, but once that is done, we shall be busy, and there will be wigs on the lawn.

“‘There will be no revolution [in Russia] when once it is up to us to push the Japanese back or be pushed. It will clear away much of the foolishness that people talk of in peace. Win?—Why, certainly. It is not of a question. When Russia goes to war, it is only a matter of getting her blood up. Make believe you have a lot to lose, and then you fight not only Russia, but the Orient, that knows a thing or two. O, it is no end of a game to be an Eastern,’ he concluded. ‘When you have come to the conclusion of your humanity, you have a fine animal left. It is not only the Western that can make a hog of himself, and you will find that, when Russia is forced to it, she can be simply beastly.’” And then comes Armageddon.

Our Home Department.

By Editor

In our first number of the year we announced a series of home topics by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle. These were completed in our issue of July 6. But practical home themes are well-nigh exhaustless, and we have asked Mrs. Stuttle to continue. Therefore in our issue of July 13 appeared “Patience in the Home;” in July 20, “Rights of the Individual Members of the Home Circle;” in July 27, “Unreasonableness in the Family Government;” in August 3, “Beauty in the Home;” and in August 10 appears “Contentment in the Home.” What needful, important subjects these all are, and what good instructions have been given. There will follow these:— “Politeness and Courage in the Home,” “Faithfulness in the Home,” “Favoritism in the Home,” “Feminism in the Home,” “Economy in the Home,” “Petty Jealousies in the Home,” “Appreciation in the Home,” “Loving Obedience in the Home,” “Cheerfulness in the Home,” “Temperance in the Home.”

We will announce others later. What important topics of study are suggested by these titles? How the very subjects prick our self-complacency, and reveal in the ugly nakedness of their contour our own idiosyncrasies! Well, let us read them, and cherish the good, wholesome, Christian advice they give.

Life Comes from God and Is Regulated by Law

It is strange, isn’t it, how men will accept the more or less modified statements and hypotheses of some biologist, bacteriologist, or other scientist as actual, verified, foundation facts; while they utterly reject the Word of God, against which these scientific conclusions seem to strike? And this in view of the well-known record that the way of truth is bordered with wrecks of scientific conclusions, once considered well founded. So some of Professor Loeb’s theories on life will be demonstrated to be in a little while. The secret of it all lies in these two facts: all life is from God, and life is regulated by law.

Frenzied Finance

“Frenzied Finance.”—In his second article under the above heading, in Everybody’s, for August, Mr. Thomas W. Lawson begins his story of the formation of the Amalgamated Copper Trust, of which he himself was the originator on a different basis. In the first he tells us that there had been, to his personal knowledge, losses to individuals aggregating over one hundred million dollars, thirty suicides and twenty reputable citizens who became convicts, all because of the gigantic scheme and system of the Amalgamated. In the August issue we are informed that Amalgamated Copper “is a corporation with $155,000,000 capital, 1,500,000 shares of the par value of $100 each. Its entire stock was sold to the public at an average of $115 per share ($100 to $130), and in 1903, [four years from its birth] the price had declined to $33 per share.” “It has, from its birth to present writing, been responsible for more hell than any other trust or financial thing since the world began. Because of it the people have sustained incalculable losses, and have suffered untold miseries.” Yet Mr. Lawson tells us that the men who have wrought all this are the finest men socially, clean and honorable in all their domestic and social relations, but as cruel, as relentless, as the grave when dollars are concerned. It is the system which is at fault, Mr. Lawson argues. But the men made the system, and God will hold them responsible for its evil working. The Amalgamated is a child or protégé of the Standard Oil Company, of whom the managers are Henry H. Rogers, William Rockefeller, and John D. Rockefeller, the chief of whom, which will be news to many, is Mr. Rogers. The articles are one of many revelations of overwhelming last-day lawlessness so abundantly foretold in the prophets. In this connection read the article by Professor Rine, on page 4.

Investigation of Senator Smoot

The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections are now holding a session in Utah, taking testimony and further investigating the legality of Mr. Smoot's seat in the Senate of the United States. The action of that body in authorizing said committee to hold sessions during the recess of Congress, at such times and places as the members might choose, shows a determination to probe the question of Mr. Smoot's eligibility to the body. The National League of Women's Organizations, taking an active interest in the matter, and its officers are sanguine of the success of their protest.

American Antiquarian Magazine

Those who are interested in antiquarian lore find a lot of information and interesting discussions of a wide variety in the American Antiquarian for July and August. The opening article is entitled “The Ethnography of Art in America,” by the editor, quite fully illustrated. The ancient sun worship is brought into evidence by an account of the finding of a prehistoric sun-chariot in Scandinavia. The magazine is published at $4.00 a year, monthly, Chicago, Ill.

Labor and Capital

By Editor

There will be two more articles from Professor Rine's pen in his present, intensely interesting, series. But we hope he will not stop there. These form the best treatise ever prepared upon the labor and capital question, and they should have had a wider reading.