p. 303 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 19. (5/11/1915)

Earlier text: THE Far-Reaching Influence of Obedience

Our Representatives

UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN

Alabama Tract Society, Room 316, Lyric Building, Birmingham, Ala.

Alberta Tract Society, Lacombe, Alberta, Can.

Arizona Tract Society, 417 West Fifth St., Los Angeles, Cal.

Arkansas Tract Society, 37 E. South St., Fayetteville, Ark.

British Columbia Tract Society, 1708 Maple St., Vancouver, B. C., Canada.

California Bible House, 537 25th St., Oakland, Cal.

California-Nevada Missionary Society, 341 E. Lodi Ave., Lodi, Cal.

California Tract Society, Northwestern, 537 25th St., Oakland, California.

California Tract Society, Southwestern, 417 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, Cal.

California Tract Society, Southern, 417 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, Cal.

Central California Bible House, Box 304, Fresno, Cal.

Chesapeake Tract Society, 1611 Tenth St., Baltimore, Md.

Colorado Tract Society, Eastern, 1112 Kalamath St., Denver, Colo.

Colorado Tract Society, Western, 122 So. 8th St., Grand Junction, Colo.

Connecticut (See New England, Southern).

Cumberland Tract Society (Eastern Tennessee), Graysville, Tenn.

District of Columbia Tract Society, 708 McLachlen Bldg., Washington, D. C.

Florida Tract Society, Room 11, Yowell-Duckworth Block, Orlando, Fla.

Georgia Tract Society, 169 Bryan St., Atlanta, Ga.

Greater New York Tract Society (See New York).

Hawaiian Tract Society, 767 Kinau St., Honolulu, H. T.

Idaho, Northern (See Upper Columbia Tract Society).

Idaho Tract Society, Southern, Room 237 Sonna Building, Boise, Idaho.

Illinois Tract Society, Northern, 3645 Ogden Ave., Hawthorne Sta., Chicago, Ill.

Illinois Tract Society, Southern, 304 W. Allen St., Springfield, Ill.

Indiana Tract Society, 521 E. 23d St., Indianapolis, Ind.

Iowa Tract Society, Nevada, Iowa.

Kansas Tract Society, Room 615 Butts Bldg., cor. First St. and Lawrence Ave., Wichita, Kan.

Kentucky Tract Society, Box 398, Nicholasville, Ky.

Louisiana Tract Society, 810 Jackson Ave., New Orleans, La.

Maine Tract Society, 75 Grant St., Portland, Me.

Manitoba Tract Society, 290 Bannerman Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Maritime Tract Society, Can. Pub. Assn., Oshawa, Ont. Canada.

Maryland (See Chesapeake Tract Society).

Massachusetts Tract Society, 607 Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass.

Michigan Tract Society, East, 426 Trumbull Ave., Detroit, Mich.

Michigan Tract Society, North, 510 Petoskey St., Petoskey, Mich.

Michigan Tract Society, West, 1214 Madison Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Minnesota Tract Society, 336 East Lake St., Minneapolis, Minn.

Mississippi Tract Society, 932 Union St., Jackson, Miss.

Missouri Tract Society, 203 W. Franklin St., Clinton, Mo.

Montana Tract Society, 411 S. Black Ave., Bozeman, Mont.

Nebraska Bible Supply House, 905 N. California Ave., Hastings, Neb.

Nevada (See California-Nevada Missionary Society).

New England Tract Society, Northern, 136 N. Main St., Concord, N. H.

New England Tract Society, Southern (Rhode Island and Connecticut), 51 Whitmore St., Hartford, Conn.

Newfoundland Tract Society, Box 217, St. Johns, Newfoundland.

New Hampshire (See Northern New England).

New Jersey Tract Society, 200 Columbia Ave., Trenton, N. J.

New Mexico Tract Society, Box 286, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

New York Tract Society (Greater), Room 902, 32 Union Square, New York, N. Y.

New York Tract Society, Eastern, 317 W. Bloomfield St., Rome, N. Y.

New York Tract Society, Western, 527 Garson Ave., Rochester, N. Y.

North Carolina Tract Society, 234 Summit Ave., Greensboro, N. C.

North Dakota Tract Society, Drawer N, Jamestown, N. Dak.

Ohio Tract Society, Box 8, Mount Vernon, Ohio.

Oklahoma Tract Society, P. O. Box 644, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Ontario Tract Society, Box 308, Oshawa, Ont., Canada.

Oregon Missionary Society, Western, 508 E. Everett St., Portland, Ore.

Oregon Missionary Society, Southern, 1164 Military St., Roseburg, Ore.

Pennsylvania Tract Society, Eastern, 4910 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Pennsylvania Tract Society, Western, 7155 Mt. Vernon St., Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rhode Island (See New England, Southern).

Saskatchewan Tract Society, Box 244, Regina, Sask. Can.

South Carolina Tract Society, 1208 Calhoun St., Columbia, S. C.

South Dakota Tract Society, Drawer R, Redfield, S. Dak.

Tennessee, Eastern (See Cumberland Tract Society).

Tennessee River Tract Society (Western Tennessee), 509 Cole Bldg., Nashville, Tenn.

Texas Tract Society, North, Box 15, Keene, Texas.

Texas Tract Society, South, Box 755, San Antonio, Texas.

Texas Tract Society, West, Amarillo, Texas.

Upper Columbia Tract Society, College Place, Wash.

Utah Tract and Bible Society, 776 E. 6th South, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Vermont (See Northern New England).

Virginia Tract Society, 2705 W. Main St., Richmond, Va.

Washington Missionary Society, Western, 228 S. Brannan St., Auburn, Wash.

West Virginia Tract Society, 124 Marion St., Fairmont, W. Va.

Wisconsin Tract Society, Box 57, Grand Rapids, Wis.

Wyoming Tract Society, Crawford, Neb.

Above is a list of our authorized agencies and depositories, and we invite you to communicate with them if you wish to secure any books of periodicals advertised in this journal.

World Conference on Faith and Order

By Editor

SOME three or four years ago, the Episcopal Church in the United States launched a movement looking toward a conference of all the religious forces of the world, to see if they could not find a basis for combination and unity. Plans were well matured for such a conference to be held, possibly in London; but the European war has broken up their work so that for a number of months past very little has been accomplished. Recently, however, activities on the part of the promoters of this proposed conference have been renewed with increasing vigor.

Sunday, May 16, is set apart for all the churches, not only of the Episcopalians, but as many others as will join them, “as a day of special intercession, with a sermon on behalf of Christian unity and the world conference movement.” The secretary of this movement says that he is receiving an increasing number of letters “showing a world-wide recognition of the necessity of a visibly united church in order to make Christ’s law of peace and righteousness and love effective.” He furthermore says, “A number of sympathetic letters have been received this winter from very eminent officials of the Roman and Eastern churches and of important Protestant communions throughout the world.”

There is indeed a growing “world-wide recognition of the necessity of a visibly united church.” And it is literally true that this sentiment is receiving “sympathetic” attention from “the Roman and Eastern churches” as well as “Protestant communion throughout the world.”

Underwood & Underwood
GENERAL SARRAIL — Underwood & Underwood GENERAL SARRAIL

We desire to keep it continually before our readers that one of the greatest prophecies in all the Bible is concerning a world federation right at the close of time that will unite all the religious forces of the world in one great body. The only possible exceptions in this prophecy are the Mohammedan world, which will clash with the confederacy, and all true followers of the Bible, who will obey the injunction of the Lord, and say “not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” Isa. 8:12.

The Bible strongly teaches the unity of true Christians. In the Lord’s remarkable prayer for His church, as recorded in the seventeenth of John, He prayed: “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” Verse 21. The unity called for in this text and similar passages is a very different thing from a political confederacy that would combine all the discordant elements that have a religious name or creed.

There is something very fascinating about political religious movements, and the men of this generation have become infatuated with the idea that they can inaugurate such a movement that will be an exception to all the cases afforded to past history; but the prophecy of the Bible shows that this last one will be no exception to those which have gone before. It will end in a clear despotism—the worst the world has ever seen.

If the individual will take the pains to study the Bible closely for himself, he will find that the religion of Jesus Christ is designed for the conversion of the individual, and these individual units make up the church of Christ. Christ has promised His church persecution and trial. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12), is the inspired statement. Said the Saviour, in His prayer for the church, already referred to, “The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” John 17:14. And on the same occasion, while in intimate conversation with His disciples, He said: “Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.” John 16:2-4.

We have many scriptures of this character which promise tribulation and persecution to the individual who follows the Bible, but nowhere does the Bible teach that the church of Christ will become so strong that it can wield a political influence and dominate things in the nations and states of the world. Yet, as has often been pointed out through these columns, some of the most striking of the prophecies of the last days are those which tell of the mighty religious combination that will seem to sweep everything before it. In surprise and admiration the world will exclaim, in the language foretold by the prophet: “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” Rev. 13:4.

The world at large will not accept God’s prophecy. Indeed, we know from the prophecy itself, that the world will oppose and ridicule the very idea of this prophecy applying to the movements that are progressing in the world. But the reverent student of the sacred Book will be able to see clearly. He will know where to take his stand, and how to avoid being caught in the fatal meshes of the terrible delusion that Satan is preparing as his great climax to his sinful operations.

Special Issue Next Week

By Editor

As announced in last week's paper, our next issue will be devoted exclusively to the great topic of the second coming of Christ. The matter has been prepared by the advanced students of our Washington Missionary College. Our readers will receive a treat. All the articles are carefully prepared under the direction of the teachers, and present the great soul-stirring doctrine of the Master's coming in a clear, direct manner.

Swinging into Line

By M. C. W.

THE prophecies of God in the book of the Revelation, chapter 12 to 17, clearly show that the papacy is to be restored; that all the nations shall bow at her feet. Precedent to this is some form of temporal sovereignty.

This claim of the papacy to temporal power has not been recognized by the Protestant powers of Europe, nor of late years by France. England for four centuries has repudiated the pope's claim to temporal power. But at this present time she has restored diplomatic relations with the Vatican, and Sir Henry Howard is now her accredited representative at St. Peter's. Now the last to report is little Protestant Holland. A dispatch to the Associated Press, dated Amsterdam, April 22, says:

“Monsignor Nolens has left for Rome on a mission for the Dutch government concerning the restoration of the Netherlands' representation at the Vatican. It is understood that Monsignor Nolens will be the representative appointed.”

The United States has not yet yielded. How long will she withstand the pressure brought to bear upon her? M. C. W.

A Wicked Measure

By M. C. W.

Among the measures reported for favorable action in the Senate of California is a bill which “forbids any employer to attempt to control or interfere with the social or business dealings of any of his employees outside the scope of their employment.”

We have not seen the bill; but if this is a correct statement of it, it is a wicked thing. If such a bill becomes law, an employee might be a gambler, a saloonist, a divekeeper, at night; but his employer could not interfere with him or discharge him. He might be an associate of harlots or pimps; but the law would forbid the employer’s interfering, and to discharge him would be to interfere. Such a life must have a debasing, degrading influence upon his associates; but its purposeful activities lie outside of business hours, and that life must not be touched.

We cannot believe that the legislators of California will put such a law, with such potencies for evil, upon the statute books. An employer ought to have the right to guard the integrity and reputation of his house, and guard his employees from unholy and debasing associations. To do this, he must take cognizance of those whom he employs, outside of their business hours. M. C. W.

Beer Knee-Deep

BEMIDJI, Minnesota, has had a very interesting experience. A brewery company in that place failed to comply with the treaty of 1855 with the Chippewa Indians, as recently construed by the Supreme Court of the United States. As a consequence, government agents, directed by Henry A. Larson, chief special officer for the suppression of the liquor traffic among the Indians, seized the Bemidji brewery, and emptied great vats containing seven carloads of beer into the streets. The beer, valued at $4,500, flowed down the gutters and into the lake. Men in rubber boots waded in beer one foot deep on the brewery floors while policemen kept the crowds back.

Japan, China, and the Cry for Peace

JAPAN is quarreling with China. Some of the leading diplomats of the world are working hard to keep them from going to war. Japan has a modern navy. She has a well trained army. China is quite unprepared from the standpoint of both army and navy, and those who are urging the increase of army and navy in this country are pointing to conditions in China as a great object lesson. Many texts and pretexts are found from which to urge the strengthening of warlike preparations. The sentiments looking toward war are crowding out the sentiments of peace, and yet we are standing in the presence of the time when all of this world will finally say that everything is peace and safety. These anomalous conditions cannot be understood except as they are studied in the light of prophecy.

Calamities of the Closing Days

The dispatches tell of the great floods and storms in some of the Southern States. They also tell us of the heat wave that is scorching the Eastern States from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic coast. The heat is the most intense for April that any of the records present. These unusual conditions are becoming more and more marked each year. They are causing terror in many hearts; but they need not if we understand their meaning, and know the power of Him who will protect amid the calamitous scenes that will involve the whole of this world during its closing days.

Allied Campaign Against Constantinople

The forces of the allies have opened the campaign against Constantinople with renewed vigor. Troops are being put ashore to fight on land, the British and French fleets are bombarding the forts of the Dardanelles, and the Russian fleet is battering away at the forts on the Bosporus. Present indications are that the next few weeks will go far toward settling some of the problems of the war that center in Constantinople.