THERE was a time in our history when Seventh-day Adventists had an excellent knowledge of the Scriptural reasons for their faith. They were able for the most part to give a reason for their hope to every inquirer. We question if nearly so large a proportion would be able to do this at the present time. Many of the older members of our churches who accepted the truth through reading or the preaching of the word years ago, have allowed other questions to come in and absorb their thoughts, to the exclusion or the forgetting of the Bible knowledge which they once possessed of the fundamental features of this message. A large number of young people have come into the church through parental influences who have never had the privilege of listening to a course of lectures on the doctrines held by Seventh-day Adventists.
In the expansion and reorganization of our work during the last decade, with the demands of our foreign missionary operations and the new issues in the way of religious liberty, temperance, and other questions which have arisen, many of our ministers have preached to our churches but little on doctrinal subjects. The result of all this has been to create a constituency who are not well founded upon the peculiar fundamental doctrines composing the message for this time. This is a source of weakness in our cause that should be remedied.
Preaching upon the practical duties of Christian experience, upon home living, the duties we owe to our neighbors, our duty to the heathen,—all these are necessary and occupy an important place in the gospel message; but preaching of this character should not take the place of the plain presentation of the doctrines of Scripture. The reasons for our observance of the Bible Sabbath, our faith in the coming of the Lord, the state of the dead, the destiny of the wicked, the sanctuary in its various phases, the three angels’ messages,—all these subjects should be so plainly taught to the members of the Seventh-day Adventist church that they will become the groundwork of a strong, practical, living faith.
Sometimes we wrongly divide gospel preaching into doctrinal and practical teaching. In reality no such division exists. The most practical themes in all the world to-day are those subjects which constitute the framework of this great movement in which we are engaged. True, they may be presented in a cold, listless, formal manner that will awaken no response in the hearts of the believers, but they may likewise be presented with such power and with so much of the softening, subduing Spirit of God that they will awaken hearts, create new desires, new impulses, new purposes, and result in a great reformation in our churches.
The time of great peril is before us. Error must be met in every form; delusions of every hue and color will present themselves before our people. How can they stand in the perils of the last days if they are not fortified by the Scriptures of truth? In the great temptations which Satan will bring to bear against them, how can they resist his devices unless they meet him with a “Thus saith the Lord?” It was in this way that our Saviour met the temptations of Satan in the wilderness. “It is written;” “it is written,”—this was the one continual argument with which he met the assaults of the enemy. Upon our ministers, upon our church officers, rests the burden of thus seeking to fortify our people.
The efforts of the young people’s department is most commendable in seeking to bring about on the part of our young people, a study of the doctrines of the message. Surely our young people everywhere should embrace this opportunity. It should not be a superficial effort. The end in view is not a formal recognition in the Standard of Attainment certificate which is bestowed; the end to be attained is a knowledge of the Word of God, a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles that have called us into existence as a people.
We appeal to our brethren and sisters everywhere to acquaint themselves as never before with the truths which we hold so dear. This can be done, of course, only by a study of the Scriptures of truth. As never before we should acquaint ourselves with the Word of God. Let us improve well the little time of peace that God now allots us, and prepare ourselves for the events which are soon to take place upon the earth.
F. M. W.
Fashion and Divorce
By C. M. S.
Not all things that are synchronous are related or interdependent; but some are. Among these are fashion and divorce. The increased devotion to the goddess of fashion keeps step with the increase of divorce and wife-desertion. Rev. Myra C. Hoyt, pastor of the Wales Avenue Free Baptist Church, of Brockton, declares that the extravagances and unhealthful fashions in women’s attire are “offensive in the sight of heaven.” There is no question about the truthfulness of this statement. But Mrs. Hoyt might also have stated that they are offensive in the sight of men, and in that fact lies one of the reasons for the increase of divorce. Of course, there are in every country brutes in human form, and immoral persons, whose brutality and unfaithfulness swell the number of divorces. Of this phase of the epidemic we are not speaking.
Fashion and intemperance are two evils which are working to the same end—the ruin of the home; and there are many who believe that fashion is not playing a second part in that blighting work. Fashion is a foe that comes closer into the citadel of a Christian’s heart than any other of his enemies. Wherever selfishness has driven a peg in that citadel, fashion hangs a gaudy cloak to catch the eye, hold the attention, and captivate the heart. As far as that succeeds, piety vanishes, humility gives place to vanity, and the service of self looms high above every other service, even the service of God. That puts a mighty foe of Christianity in the home, and the foe of Christianity is never the friend of the home. With fashion and selfishness conspiring together in the home,13and each strengthening the other, the home is bound to suffer.
Fashion is the foe of Christianity because Christianity teaches humility and the sacrifice of self. Where true humility is, the worship of fashion must die out; but where fashion reigns, humility ceases. Without humility, Christianity can not thrive; and where Christianity does not rule in the home, the home has no safeguard against disruption and disintegration. Thus fashion undermines the home by undermining those things which are essential to its maintenance. Said a noted preacher:—
Fashion is the greatest wrecker of the home. It is a foe to Christianity. Women who labor in the shops here neglect their homes, their families, and their churches for dress. I have had occasion to hear many of their stories. They said their husbands left them. I asked why. They answered, because their husbands could not support them. “Can’t he give you the necessities and comforts of life?” I asked. Invariably they answer: “Yes, but he can’t give me what other women have. He can’t dress me.”
A man must earn not less than fifty dollars a week to satisfy the desires of his wife in the matter of dress. I am speaking of the common people. I do not mean those who are millionaires, and go to extremes.
Christian people would do well to start a reform in dress. I wish we could convince women how foolish it is to wear tight corsets, false hair, and high heels, and persuade them, instead, to dress for the glory of their Maker.
This preacher lays at the door of fashion the responsibility for very much of the increase in the divorce evil. Women having a longing to “dress well,” to “be in style,” make demands upon the family exchequer that it is not able to bear. Then there is dissatisfaction on both sides of the house, discord, recrimination, and separation.
There is in the heart of every true man an intense desire for a place of quiet and peace and happiness and love, a shelter to which he can flee when his day’s work is done, and gain strength and courage for the conflicts of another day. But where fashion rules in that place which he has prepared, he finds no such shelter and satisfaction. The worries of the day are often added to by the worries of the evening when fashion is demanding what he can not supply. And even if actual separation does not come, still fashion drives a wedge of separation between hearts which robs the home of that which alone can make it what it ought to be.
On the other hand, where there has been no lack of money to supply the demands of fashion, the style of the costume worn by many a wife has inspired such a feeling of disgust in the heart of the husband that he has revolted against the ties he promised should always bind him, and has drifted out of the life of the one he had sworn to love, cherish, and protect. The ludicrous headgear, the ridiculous and dangerous hobble skirt, the immodest narrow skirt, the near approach to success of the harem skirt, and the threat of the militant suffragette to don masculine attire completely,—these all are adding to that condition that facilitates the operations of the divorce courts. When men lose their respect for women or when women lose their respect for men, there is not much to hold them together. And just as drunkenness, immorality, and brutality on the part of men cause women to lose their respect for them, so do the follies and foibles of expensive and ridiculous fashions cause men to lose their respect for women. Upon both these lines the way is made easy for one of God’s own institutions—marriage—to be trampled in the dust, and be made a mockery and a jest. And in destroying the home, Satan has destroyed one of God’s most potent agencies for good in this world. Christian manhood and Christian womanhood should rally to its support and protection, and make vigorous war upon those agencies that make war upon the home. C. M. S.
Autumn Council of the General Conference Committee
By William Ambrose Spicer
First Report
The usual autumn council of the General Conference Committee met in Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., October 25. The meetings of the council were held in the chapel of the Foreign Mission Seminary, the visiting representatives present being entertained in the Seminary and the Sanitarium, and in the homes of the people.
The chairman, A. G. Daniells, remarked that again a large amount of work had accumulated for attention. It has often seemed, after clearing away business by a council, that not so much business would need to be done next time; but this is a growing work. Its boundaries are extending month by month. New conditions and forward moves call continually for renewed counsel and planning to meet the situation; and the agenda paper, or list of matters for consideration, showed that this council would have to keep very busily at work during the time of the meeting.
There were present at the council the following:—
GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: A. G. Daniells, W. T. Knox, O. A. Olsen, G. A. Irwin, I. H. Evans, W. B. White, A. Moon, Chas. Thompson, B. G. Wilkinson, C. W. Flaiz, C. F. McVagh, Wm. Guthrie, H. S. Shaw, W. W. Prescott, R. A. Underwood, K. C. Russell, H. R. Salisbury, Dr. Geo. Thomason, M. E. Kern, G. B. Thompson, A. J. Haysmer, C. H. Jones, E. R. Palmer, W. A. Spicer, W. C. White, F. Griggs.
OTHER REPRESENTATIVES: J. H. Schilling, G. F. Haffner, W. J. Stone, R. D. Quinn, W. H. Heckman, E. K. Slade, F. H. Robbins, B. F. Kneeland, A. R. Sandborn, J. L. McElhany, S. M. Butler, T. E. Bowen, N. Z. Town, E. R. Numbers, C. B. Haynes, L. A. Hansen, J. G. Bigelow, R. T. Baer, C. H. Edwards, H. E. Rogers, R. T. Dowsett, E. R. Brown, F. M. Wilcox, A. J. S. Bourdeau, J. A. Ford, H. C. Hartwell, S. B. Horton, D. W. Reavis, S. Mortenson, C. M. Snow, S. N. Curtiss, H. H. Hall, F. F. Byington, R. Hook, Jr.
It was arranged that the sessions of the council should be as follows: 9 A. M. to 12 M.; 2:30 P. M. to 5 P. M.; 6:30 P. M. to 8:30 P. M.
Save for certain executive sessions that might be called for, the Foreign Mission Seminary students under appointment to the fields were invited to be present at the meetings.
Treasurer’s Report
W. T. Knox, treasurer, presented a report of the receipts and disbursements for missions during the nine months of the current year, to October 1. The receipts for missions during this time were $277,238. The disbursements have been $286,132. This shows the need of special activity in gifts for missions during the remaining months of the year.
The report of the ten-cent-a-week fund, which hereafter is to be the fifteen-cent-a-week fund, showed that to October 1 the fund had fallen short of the full ten cents per week per member by $45,181.
The treasurer reported receipts of surplus tithe from the conferences to the amount of $67,301, during these nine months. This, he said, was fully up to the estimate made one year ago, and shows how earnestly the conferences are working to share the tithe with the needy fields abroad and the mission fields at home, which means the great work among the colored people of the South, and the work for the vast foreign and American populations in the Eastern cities.
On the $300,000 Fund, $119,594 had been received up to October 1. Union conference representatives reported, however, that large pledges had been made on this account, which would be gathered in during the closing months of the year and the first months of 1912.
The financial report was examined in detail, and was a cheering one, though the estimate of needs showed clearly enough that we must not for a moment cease bringing in the gifts for the missionary advance.
Ingathering Campaign
Encouraging reports were presented14by C. H. Jones and H. H. Hall, of the Pacific Press, as to the enthusiasm in the ordering of the special Ingathering number of the Signs. The orders have been thus far largely in excess of those for the same time last year. Representatives related interesting experiences in last year’s campaign, both regarding gifts for missions from the public and concerning the splendid missionary work being done in this campaign of visiting the people. It was the mind of the council that the Ingathering campaign should be considered a permanent feature of our work, and it was—
Voted, That we instruct the officers of the General Conference to plan for material from the mission fields for the regular Ingathering Campaign for Missions in 1912.
Spanish Book Work
Reports before the council showed the most encouraging growth of our work in Spanish fields. Actions relating especially to the publishing work in these fields were taken as follows:—
Two members were added to the advisory committee on Spanish publications, making the committee to consist of the following representatives: N. Z. Town, E. R. Palmer, H. H. Hall (America), E. Forga (England), G. W. Caviness (Mexico), W. Bond (Spain), E. W. Thomann (Argentina).
The matter of getting out a Spanish hymn-book was referred to this committee on Spanish publications.
In response to the call from Porto Rico, the Publishing Department was requested to select another bookman for that field, in counsel with the West Indian Union.
The Publishing Department was asked to secure, if possible, two bookmen from Mexico for the Central American field, and to select two men in the States to take up the book work in Mexico.
It was agreed that N. Z. Town, of the Publishing Department, should respond to the call from Mexico to join the brethren in their annual meeting and book convention; also to aid the canvassers to be secured for Central America in opening their work, if he finds that time will allow him to accompany them.
The manager of the Pacific Press stated that that house has purposed that H. H. Hall, representative of their Spanish publishing work, shall also attend this Mexican meeting.
The splendid development of the book work in Mexico is one of the cheering signs of the times, and it is hoped that the Mexican field will be a training-ground for Spanish workers.
It was voted that we ask the European Division to supply, if possible, from Germany a general bookman to take charge of the field book work in the South American republic of Brazil.
Press Bureau
The importance of more general use of the public press in our work was discussed. Elder C. B. Haynes, of Baltimore, by request, read a paper on the subject, and spoke of the large use that had been made of the press in Baltimore during the last tent-meeting season. Of fifty-four sermons preached in that city, fifty-one had been reported in the papers. Brethren K. C. Russell and S. B. Horton, of the Religious Liberty Department, also brought before the council the large work which has been done from the department office in the way of duplicating articles on special features of the message, which have been placed in the hands of our people throughout the country for insertion in the country press. Feeling that this line of work should be further developed, the council took the following action:—
Recognizing the power and value of the public press as an influential medium for conveying information, molding public sentiment, and educating the masses, and appreciating the openings universally existing, whereby the gospel message may go to millions of readers; and,—
Whereas, Encouraging results have already attended efforts put forth in that direction,—
We recommend, That the General Conference employ a man to take charge of and to operate a general press bureau.
Resolution of Sympathy
By standing vote, the council adopted the following resolution of sympathy for Sister Davis, whose husband, Elder O. E. Davis, lost his life in the visit recently made to the far interior of British Guiana, to plant the standard of truth among Indian tribes who were calling for help:—
Resolved, That the General Conference Committee council express its sympathy for Sister O. E. Davis in the great sacrifice she has been called upon to make in behalf of souls in South America’s “regions beyond,” registering also the committee’s appreciation of the loyal service of Elder and Sister Davis in the British Guiana field.
Orphanage for Colored Children
A. J. Haysmer, secretary of the Negro Department, presented for consideration the need of support for the orphanage for destitute colored children, which has been established in connection with the Oakwood Manual Training School, in Alabama. The following recommendation was made:—
Voted, That as a provision of support for the orphanage for colored children at the Oakwood Manual Training School, Huntsville, Ala., we invite the Southern, Southeastern, and Southwestern union conferences to appropriate fifty per cent of their April offering for orphanage work to the Oakwood orphanage, and that we invite the other unions or conferences in America to appropriate twenty-five per cent of their funds from the April orphanage collection to this same purpose.
On Care of Health in the Tropics
It was voted that a manuscript prepared by Dr. Selmon, of China, giving hints on care of health in the tropics, be passed to the secretary of the Medical Department for examination, with a view to issuing it as a leaflet for circulation among our missionaries in all tropical lands.
Rome’s Plans and the Call for Protestant Activity
The hearts of the brethren in the council were stirred as various brethren presented the renewed and definite campaign on the part of the Roman Catholic Church to win back in Protestant lands the prestige that she has lost in the Catholic countries. A representative committee was appointed to give study to the situation, which made a report as follows:—
We view with deep interest the avowed purpose of the Roman Catholic hierarchy “to make America Catholic,” and regard this definite movement to convert the United States to the Catholic faith as a further and an emphatic testimony to the correctness of our interpretation of the prophecies relating to the work of the Papacy in this country.
We note the increasing number of these public functions, skilfully planned by the representatives of the Roman Church, at which are brought together the dignitaries of that church and the highest officials of the state; and we recognize in them the working of that political diplomacy so characteristic of the history of the Papacy which seeks to secure the powerful influence of the government in furthering its aims.
We consider the many national organizations within the Roman Catholic Church, some of which are armed and drilled as military bodies, and the recent affiliation of nearly all these organizations into the American Federation of Catholic Societies, as evidences of a definite preparation to resist any future opposition to the encroachments of the Roman hierarchy upon the liberties of the people of America; and we look upon the boycott, already employed by the federation in its warfare upon publications unfriendly to the Papacy, as an un-American and unchristian weapon, suitable for the Inquisition, but absolutely destructive of freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.
We sincerely regret the wide-spread apostasy from those principles of truth which were vindicated at such cost in the Reformation of the sixteenth century, and we greatly deplore the fact that this apostasy gives so much plausibility to the oft-repeated claim by the Roman hierarchy that Protestantism is dead, and that in Romanism alone does Christianity survive.
We regard what has been designated as “the invasion of Protestant lands by Rome in a spirit of fierce aggressiveness” as a summons to renewed activity in behalf of the message of truth that we are bearing to the world; and we therefore recommend:—
1. That an earnest effort be made during the coming year to increase the circulation of the Protestant Magazine to one hundred thousand copies per issue; and that, as one means of accomplishing this, special attention be given in the sessions of the union conferences to the present status of the controversy with Rome.
2. That a series of pamphlets and leaflets dealing with special phases of the Roman question be prepared and15printed in cheap form for wide circulation.
3. That persons of such ability and training as would render them capable of undertaking this work be encouraged to prepare and to deliver in the cities and upon lecture platforms, as the way may open, addresses upon Protestantism and Romanism, with special reference to the fulfilment of prophecy, and with a distinct purpose to revive the pure principles of Protestantism.
4. That we invite the cooperation of all who are in sympathy with such a movement and who are willing to join us in advocating the same principles of truth.
The report was adopted by the council in the belief that this trumpet-call to service will meet a response in the hearts and activities of our people everywhere.
Further reports must be deferred for the next issue. W. A. SPICER. Secretary.
A Good Name
“ A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.”