IN order to help the public school-teachers in presenting to the children the effects of alcohol as the law requires that they shall, the California Department of Education has issued a pamphlet entitled "Alcohol and Efficiency," giving the scientific conclusion on the subject, reënforced by quotations from men of prominence in various lines of human endeavor and in various periods, from Homer to Kaiser Wilhelm II and Lloyd-George. It may be had free on application to Superintendent Hyatt at Sacramento.
HAVE you learned to trust God? Is He your personal friend and companion? If not, you are in a sorry condition, for there is no power outside of the divine that can protect and deliver us in these days of injustice, political intrigues, and violence. But there is a sure and safe retreat in God. If we personally know Him, we are not afraid, no matter what the surrounding conditions.
THE English government announces that it has made careful and exhaustive investigations of the reports that were made so much of in certain English papers, as well as in the press of the United States, concerning "war babies," and finds that the stories were largely fabrications — that the conditions on the whole are no worse than they usually are in times of war.
TWO eminent investigators in connection with the Rockefeller Institute have announced the discovery of a cure for diabetes. Let it be hoped that in the proving out, their discovery may result in all that is promised; for that is one of the most dreaded diseases of the human family, and for it, up to the present, no cure has been found.
THE English press is having much to say in regard to the outlook of the food supply. The government, having become alarmed at the prospect, has appointed an influential committee to inquire into the conditions and recommend legislation.
THE strain that the war has put upon the nations of Europe, and the indescribable suffering in so many localities, is causing to be raised a strong cry for peace. And let us all hope and pray that it may be brought about.
The Temporal Power of the Pope
ONE of the dreams of the papacy through all the centuries has been that the church should have two arms,—the spiritual arm, exercised by the cardinals, bishops, and priests direct; and the secular arm, exercised by the rulers of states. She believes that the Church of Rome should have sovereign temporal power as well as sovereign spiritual power. And one of the interesting things in connection with the war in Europe, and especially in connection with the peace discussions, is the prominent place given to the papal power.
Of course we must take into account that much of this discussion is colored for the occasion; but whenever you have discussion, you must at least have some basis for it. Prominent in these discussions are such utterances as that all has been done that could "to assure the Vatican that the question of temporal power would be brought forward . . . when the war ended."
Another utterance is, "His holiness has even been assured that to any general conference of the powers preparatory to peace, the holy see will be asked to send a representative."
Further, "The pope will again reign over the historic states of the church."
All such utterances and discussions are exceedingly interesting to the student of prophecy; and equally interesting is the fact that Protestantism is so weakening in its attitude toward the papacy that for the pope again to arise to supreme power will be comparatively easy.
