p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 29. (7/21/1898)

FOR RELIGION'S SAKE.

By Editor

A LOCAL Fourth of July celebration was held at Ouray, Colorado, as was very proper, to celebrate, we suppose, the liberty vouchsafed us in securing to every equal man his unalienable rights. Of course this must be prepared for. An incident occurred in this preparation, however, which seems to show that one class of men did not believe in the equal rights of the other fellow unless he would join their particular clique. We will let the Ouray Evening Herald of July 1 tell the story:—

“There is one non-union carpenter, in the city in the person of George Burch, who is a Seventh-day Adventist, and a man above reproach so far as his character as a man and a citizen is concerned. The committee having the matter in charge put him to work yesterday morning on the carpenter work around the flag pole. Then some one put up a sign calling attention to the fact that the work being done was ‘scab’ labor. The next move was the appearance of Jas. T. Pierson, president of the Carpenters’ Union, who requested Mr. Burch to sign an application for membership, which was promptly refused. The action of the president was such, then, that Mr. Burch was fired bodily off the job. He holds views in connection with his religious belief that will not permit him to join the union. The Carpenters’ Union refused to take part in the celebration if he was permitted to continue work. Our readers can make their own comments on this matter.”

That is, Mr. Burch could have work if he joined a “union;” he would not then be a “scab;” but as a man apart from the union he had no rights on public work even, worthy of respect. The flag, then, exists for the Carpenters’ Union, and not for the individual. There was a time when liberty in this country existed for the sake of the man. But we still believe that there are Christian men, yes, and men who are not Christian, who prefer to be a free “scab” rather than a union slave. If things go on in this way, how long will it be ere man will be refused the right to “buy or sell” unless he belongs to some great confederation? See the prophecy in Rev. 13:16, 17.

The Cost of War.

—According to the New York Journal of Commerce, the direct expenditure of the government during the four years of the Civil War was $3,180,000,000, of which the war was responsible for $2,920,000,000. Of this amount $730,000,000 was raised by taxation, while $2,450,000,000 was obtained by issuing greenbacks and bonds. The interest of the war debt during and since the war to July 1, 1897, amounts to $2,664,000,000; pensions since the war, $2,126,000,000, making the total cost of the war to the end of the last fiscal year $7,711,000,000. Much of this expense is continuing, and if we are to believe a recent statement of the Commissioner of Pensions, the pension part of the expenditure is to be increased. The country is now paying in pensions and interest money on account of the Civil War about $3,500,000 every week. It is estimated that by the time all the liabilities are settled, the cost of the late war will have amounted to no less than $12,000,000,000, a sum equal to the entire assessed valuation of all the property in the United States at the beginning of the conflict. The present war is costing, it is said, over $1,000,000 a day. This is the moneyed cost. Only God can measure the human and moral liabilities.

The Latest Trust.

The world is trust-mad, and individualism is being crushed out. The latest is that proposed, according to The Charities Review, to consolidate all the charity organizations, hospitals, houses of refuge, etc., of Grand Rapids, Mich., under one head and management. If all charity work is to be done by the machine and proxy method, perhaps the bigger the machine the better; but the truest, blessedest, most helpful charity work is done not by “organizations” but by individuals. Still we believe in organized work; in many cases it is wise and helpful. But we believe in so organizing as to enlist more and more the sympathies and aid of individuals. Thousands of people dying of wealth, lack of interest in life—misanthropes—would find new life and health in coming in contact with, and ministering to the needs of, the poor and unfortunate.

Knowledge Increased at the Time of the End

On July 1, President Seth Low, of Columbia University, delivered a lecture, the opening sentence of which was, “The trend of the century shows a great increase of knowledge.” Every one knows that this statement of Mr. Low is true. But how many know that the prophet says that at “the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased”? Dan. 12:4. We have reached the time when every one admits that “knowledge” has been marvelously “increased.” Had it ever occurred to you that this is one of the sure signs that we are in “the time of the end”?.

Self-Love and Suffering

It is in self-love that suffering begins. No man was ever yet joyful who was always thinking about himself. If we would live the life that is best, we must write the pronouns thou, thine, they, in larger letters than we write those others, I, mine, my. The man that lives for himself, upon himself, is always and everywhere miserable.—Rev. Dr. Fishburn.

Missionary Work in the Philippines

It is said that there is not a Protestant missionary in the Philippines. We trust that in God's providence He will soon open the way for His Gospel of free grace to reach the darkened hearts of the poor natives.

A Fine Fourth of July Number

One of the finest Fourth of July numbers we have seen is that of the Los Angeles Times. The Times is a great paper, well edited, tho a little rabid, and contains an excellent survey of the great world.