p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 28. (7/22/1913)

Earlier text: Special "World's Christian Citizenship Conference" Number

Missionary Experiences in China and Fiji

The church in Mountain View had an excellent feast,—two of them, in fact, June 28 and 29. On June 28, the afternoon of Sabbath, Pastor J. E. Fulton, president of the Australasian Union Conference, which stretches from little Pitcairn Island on the east to undefined regions on the west, talked not of his big conference with its hundred different languages and two or three hundred different tribes and tongues and peoples, but of personal missionary experiences of his own during his work in Fiji Islands and elsewhere. The facts which he recited revealed in the clearest sort of way the tremendous power of the word of God to meet all kinds and classes.

The evening of June 29, Pastor F. A. Allum, of the Central China Mission, told us of his experiences. Seven years ago, when he went to China, there were about forty converts, all told, to the last great message. Now there are over a thousand. He told of the personal experiences of himself and wife; of the calls which they had, far beyond their power to fill; and the blessed ingathering of souls in the very midst of heathen China. Both of these experiences demonstrated the power of the printed word to reach hearts. Many of those who had embraced the truth in the islands of the sea, and in China, had learned it simply and solely by reading. They had recognized, however, the power of the Word, and they longed for a personal knowledge of Jesus the Saviour. All Christian hearts were filled with gratitude to God for the way He had wrought with these brethren, and bade them Godspeed as they went on their way to their chosen fields.

Chicago Bans Indecent Public Acts

By Editor

The city of Chicago has passed an ordinance to prohibit all public acts of an indecent nature. This puts under the ban of the city's law all suggestive and indecent songs, suggestive gestures, and others acts and expressions of a similar character, in public places. Many other cities could follow Chicago's example to good advantage. The vice commission in that city, as well as the special committee of the senate of the state of Illinois, are doing vigorous work in their efforts to put down vices and indecencies. Let us hope and pray that they may ever be courageous and successful in their good work.

The Whisky Bottle Tombstone

The picture of a quart whisky bottle has been going the rounds of some of the papers, with the inscription that it is "the most expensive tombstone in the world." Many a man consumes his income and slowly destroys his life by the use of whisky and other strong drinks, and certainly a very appropriate tombstone to place over such a man's grave would be a whisky bottle. And while it would be a very insignificant affair to look at, yet at the same time there are few graves that are marked by tombstones that are more costly.

Anti-Saloon League Year Book

By Editor

The Anti-Saloon League Year Book for 1913, edited by Ernest H. Cherrington, editor of the American Issue, published by the Anti-Saloon League of America, has come to our table. The price of this, bound in manila, is twenty-five cents, in cloth fifty cents. It may be obtained from Mr. A. M. Gandier, Room 400, Book Concern Building, San Francisco, California, or the American Issue Press, Westerville, Ohio. It is an encyclopedia of facts and figures dealing with the liquor traffic and the temperance reform. Every temperance worker certainly needs it, and ought not to be without it. Its tables of statistics, its diagrams, the vast amount of facts which are here compiled, is a tremendous battery in the hands of the temperance worker.

In the Balkans

By Editor

How much is to be depended upon in the reports from the Balkans is a matter of question. We have said this over and over again during the war between Turkey and the Balkan States. We have no reason to believe that it is otherwise now. Since the war with the Turk was over, it has been told by those in good authority that very many battles were reported that never took place, and some of the severest engagements were not reported at all. Just now, at any rate, the Balkan States are demonstrating the truth of the old heathen proverb, “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” It would seem, looking at it from a plain, common-sense view, that the little Balkan States are certainly making fools of themselves, that after they had fought and conquered under the most solemn compact of loyalty and earnestness and zeal, then if they were unable to settle the affairs, that they could have left it to some one mediator, or two mediators, among the great nations of Europe. What will probably be done is that they will so weaken themselves as to be open to attack from any quarter.

A despatch from London, under date of July 7, tells us that after ten days of more severe and deadly fighting than anything in the last Balkan war, the Servians have lost more men than in the whole previous campaign. Desperate fighting with varying fortunes is proceeding along the Vardar and Bregalinitsa rivers, which seems to be in favor of the Bulgarians. It is declared that Bulgaria has invaded Servia through Belogradchyk, and reached Nish,— Servia's most important fortified town,— thus cutting the Servians off from their capital. The Bulgarians evidently have defeated the Servians. It is said that the fighting was inhuman, that men regardless of life, threw away guns and used bayonets as daggers, and the slaughter was unmerciful. Both Rumania and Turkey, it is said, are preparing for war. Reports of the conflict between Bulgaria and Greece are uncertain. In fact, according to latest news, nothing of the above, regarding great victories, may be true.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, JULY 22, 1913