Signs of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 50. (12/21/1915)

Signs of the Times

Dec 21, 1915

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 21, 1915

The Philippine Islands and Our Labors There

By Arthur G. Daniels

How the Islands Were Discovered — The Native Savage Tribes — Other Natives of High Order

What the United States Is Doing There — What the Missions Are Doing

By ARTHUR G. DANIELS

THE history of Protestant missions in the Philippines dates from the year 1898, when these islands passed from Spain to the United States. Marvelous changes for the better have been effected during this short period by the earnest, intelligent labors of Protestant missionaries. I know of no people in mission fields more responsive to the gospel message than the Filipinos.

Magellan, the great Spanish navigator and explorer, discovered the Philippine Islands in the year 1521. The first island of the group which he sighted was Mindanao, at the extreme south. Continuing his journey northward, he came to the island of Cebu, where he landed, and maintained his headquarters until he was slain by the natives on the adjacent island of Mactan. After Magellan's death, his men returned to Spain.

In 1565, Miguel Lopez de Lagaspe, who was sent out by Philip II, king of Spain, reached the island of Cebu, discovered by Magellan forty-four years before. Five years later, Luzon, the largest island of the group, was taken. Manila was made the capital, and the group of islands was called the Philippines, in honor of Philip II, king of Spain.

THE PEOPLE

When the Philippines were discovered, there appeared to be three general classes of people inhabiting the islands — the Negritos, the Igorots, and the Filipinos. All together, they numbered less than a million.

The Negritos are believed to be the original inhabitants of these islands. They belong to the family of dwarfs of the Malay peninsula, the Andaman Islands, and the equatorial forests of Africa. The average height of the men is about four and a half feet. The women are still smaller. Their color is dark brown, their hair is woolly, their eyes are large, and their features are regular and well shaped. These people live in the forests, and resist all attempts at civilization.

Another class, known as the Igorots, the Moros, the Manguianes, and others, are supposed to be the descendants of Malayan invaders who found their way to the islands many centuries ago. They are a strong, warlike, savage race, who live in the mountainous regions, resisting, to the present time, all approaches of civilized men.

The third class, those who may be called the real Filipinos, are descendants of a higher and more cultured class, who came to the islands from the Malayan people in the East Indies. “All through the central islands, Cebu, Panay, Negros, Leyte, Samar, Bohol, and northern Mindanao, are the Bisayas, the largest of these peoples. At the southern extremity of Luzon, in the provinces of Sorsogon and the Camarines, are the Bicolis. North of these, holding central Luzon, Batangas, Cavite, Manila, Laguna, Batan, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija, are the Tagalogs, while the great plain of northern Luzon is occupied by the Pampangos and the Pangasinans. All the northwest coast is inhabited by the Ilocanos, and the valley of the Cagayan by a people commonly called Cagayanes, but whose dialect is Ibanag.”

THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The Filipinos now number about seven millions, while the savage tribes of the forests and of the mountains are supposed to be only about one million. These people are divided into about seventy different classes or tribes, speaking more than thirty languages and many dialects. Since the occupation of the Philippines by the American government, an extensive and efficient public school system has been established, with the English language as the basis of instruction. The English that is learned by the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos

in the ten thousand public schools in operation is gradually giving the people a common language.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTESTANT MISSIONS

During the three hundred years of Spanish and Catholic rule in the Philippines, Protestantism had not been allowed to reach the people, nor had the people been permitted to read the Bible in their own language. As soon as Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila became known to the world, various missionary societies took immediate steps to enter the Philippines. They established mission schools, mission presses, medical missions, and evangelistic chapels among the people. They have translated the Bible into many languages and dialects, and have sent Bible colporteurs among all the people, to place the book of God in their hands. Missionaries have learned the languages spoken by the masses, so that they can preach to them the gospel of salvation. They are also training hundreds of the new converts for missionary work in behalf of their own people.

Group of Leaders in Counsel in the Philippines

This service has surely wrought marvelous changes among the people. They have received a new vision of life, a new hope, and a new purpose for which to live. The reformation that has been going on is very manifest to the observant visitor.

OUR ENTRANCE INTO THE PHILIPPINES

In 1905, Pastor G. A. Irwin, president of the Australasian Union Conference, while en route from Australia to China, spent a few days in Manila, gathering information regarding the needs of the people. This visit led to the sending of Brother R. A. Caldwell to the Philippines a few months later, to engage in colportage. In April, 1906, Pastor and Mrs. J. L. McElhany were sent by the Australasian Union Conference to establish a mission in Manila. These workers distributed a large quantity of religious literature printed in the English language. As a result of this work, and of cottage meetings held among Americans, a number of persons were won to the obedience of the gospel. In the early part of 1908, Mr. and Mrs. McElhany were called to New Zealand; and in December of the same year, Pastor and Mrs. L. V. Finster, of Australia, were sent to Manila to continue the work.

MISSION BUNGALOW
Home of the superintendent of the Philippine Mission. — MISSION BUNGALOW Home of the superintendent of the Philippine Mission.

In the meantime, the literature work was faithfully and successfully carried forward by Brother Caldwell and his wife. They placed in the hands of the people 1,000 copies of “Patriarchs and Prophets,” 1,000 “Coming King,” and 1,000 “Thoughts on Daniel,” in Tagalog. They also distributed many copies of smaller books.

Thus for two full years the work of seed sowing had been going on.

In our next article, we shall tell of the splendid harvest now being reaped in this encouraging mission field.

Where We Get Both Life and Righteousness

By G. W. Wells

There Is But One Source of Supply — One Man Brought Sin and Death, and One Man Brings Righteousness and Life

By G. W. WELLS

“By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5: 12.

For six thousand years, this old world has been groaning under the crushing weight of sin and death. “By one man sin entered into the world.” When sin had so entered, none of his, by themselves, could possibly rise above that which he had entailed. None could possibly receive from him more than he had, consequently he sunk the human race under the power of sin. As a consequence of sin, we have death. “So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

SIN AND DEATH CAME BY ONE

“By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Verse 18. The thought is: By one man sin came, therefore by one man righteousness must come; by one man death came, therefore by one Man life must come. And just so certainly as we became heirs of sin by that one man in the beginning, just so certainly we must become heirs of righteousness and life by that one Man who has appeared “in these last times.” 1 Peter 1: 20.

THE LAST CHANCE

There is no hope of righteousness or life for any soul except by that one Man—the last Adam. True it is that He is called “the second Adam.” But the Scriptures also call Him “the last Adam,” and that is better; for if He had been only “the second Adam,” there might have been some grounds for the suggestion, “There may be a third Adam, and that will give me another chance.” But that will never do. There will be no third Adam. “The last Adam” who can ever come has come; and through Him, and Him alone, may we have life. Whosoever shall not be delivered by that last Adam is forever lost. “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

The first Adam sinned; and by him, we became heirs of sin and death. The last Adam sinned not; therefore by becoming heirs of Him, we become heirs of life and righteousness.

ONLY ONE SOURCE OF SUPPLY

It must be clear to all, that life and righteousness come from one source, precisely as do sin and death; and that source must not be myself. Neither sin nor death entered the world by us, but by that one man. The one who stood back of the man was Satan. Thus Satan is the real source of sin and death. The man was the channel through whom he plunged this world into sin. On the other hand, our God alone is the source of life and righteousness, and “the Man Christ Jesus” is the channel through whom life and righteousness come to us. Yes, Jesus is “our life.” He is “the Lord our righteousness.”

“By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Rom. 5: 19. It was by one man we were made sinners, and certain it is that by one Man we are made righteous. No man was ever made righteous by his own doing. You and I were not made subject to death, heirs of sin, by our own sinning. Sin was in us when we were born. Indeed, it was the leading thing in us. But thank the Lord, the time came when we were “born again,” “born from above,” created in Christ Jesus, made new creatures. Yet even then no good thing appeared in us, nor can any ever appear in us, that does not originate with Him who caused us to be born again.

It is “by the obedience of one” that we are “made righteous.” Therefore we read, “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.” Rom. 3: 20.

THE LAW CANNOT MAKE US RIGHTEOUS

The law was not given to make men righteous, nor to make them guilty; but “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” It is to show men that they are guilty. Before the law, every mouth is stopped, and “all the world may become guilty before God.” Verse 19. Through the “knowledge of sin” revealed by the law, men may see their guilt, their true condition,—that they are lost and in need of a Saviour.

“The law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 5: 20, 21. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” Rom. 3: 21, 22.

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

Please notice, men are “justified by faith,” saved through “the righteousness of God.” This is the truth forever and for all people. It is for all who believe in Jesus.

God's righteousness is for us now. This

is made very emphatic in Rom. 3:26. Let us put verses 21 and 26 together: “Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, . . . to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

So we see that that “now” is an everlasting word. It was “now” when Paul wrote it; it was “now” when Luther believed it and preached it; it is “now” to-day; and all that believe, may rejoice in the abundant fullness of the free gift of righteousness.

Changed Into Christ’s Image

“CHRIST’S followers have no need to try to shine. If they will behold constantly the life of Christ, they will be changed in mind and heart into the same image. Then they will shine without any superficial attempt. The Lord asks for no display of goodness.”

Life Is the Seed-Time for Eternity

By John Angell James

It is not possible to set out in the Christian profession with a more instructive or impressive idea than this: Life is the seed-time for eternity.—John Angell James.

Continue reading: Inscribed on the Rocks to Convince Us