ntja-ed at the Post-Ofee in Oakland, Cal. 
TRUST. 
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. 
DISCIPLES were being daily added to Christ, and 
people flocked from cities and villages to hear 
him. Many came to him for baptism; but Christ 
baptized none. His disciples performed this ordi-
nance. And while Christ's disciples were baptiz- 
ing large numbers, there arose a question among 
the Jews and the disciples of John, whether the 
act of baptism purified the sinner from the guilt 
of sin. The disciples of John answered that John 
baptized only unto repentance, but Christ's disci-
ples unto a new life. John's disciples were jeal-
ous of the popularity of Christ, and said to 
John, referring to Christ, " He that was with thee 
beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, 
behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to 
him. John answered and said, A man can receive 
nothing except it be given him from Heaven." 
In this answer John virtually says, Why should 
you be jealous on my account? " Ye yourselves 
bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, 
but that I am sent before him. He that hath the 
bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the 
bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, re-
joiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. 
This my joy therefore is fulfilled." 
John, so far from being jealous of the prosperity 
of Christ's mission, rejoices as he witnesses the 
success of the work he came to do. He assures 
his disciples that his special mission was to direct 
the attention of the people to Christ. "He must 
increase; but I must decrease. He that cometh 
from above is above all. He that is of the earth 
is earthy, and speaketh of the earth. He that 
cometh from Heaven is above all. And what he 
hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no 
man receiveth his testimony." 
John assured his disciples that Jesus was the 
promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world. As 
his work was closing, he taught his disciples to 
WHEN dark and drear the way has grown, 
And somber clouds my soul bedim, 
My soul shall trust in God alone, 
" My expectation is from him." 
When on the Lord " my mind is staid," 
He keeps my heart in " perfect peace;" 
And nought can make me feel afraid, 
For " everlasting strength " is his. 
It matters not what may betide, 
Though earth and hell my soul pursue; 
With God, my Saviour, on my side, 
"I will not fear what man shall do." 
When dark forebodings fill thy soul, 
And doubts and fears disturb thy breast, 
Upon the Lord thy burden roll, 
And he will give thy spirit rest. 
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;" 
Nor to thine understanding lean; 
Thy doubts and fear shall soon depart, 
And leave thee tranquil and serene. 
" Wait on the Lord," where'er thou art; 
"Good courage " take, nor doub his word; 
" And he shall stren4then " we 1 " thine heart." 
Again I say, " wait on the Lord." 
—E. A. Boynton. 
eural 
Mission of John the Baptist. 
" Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22 : 12. 
VOLUME 9. 
OAKLAND. CALIFORNIA, FIFTH—DAY, MARCH 1, 1883. 
NUMBER 9. 
S. D. A. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
(For Terms, etc., See Last Page. ) 
look to Jesus, and follow him as the great teacher. Christ; but they could not communicate with him 
John's life, with the exception of the joy he ex- immediately, because of the crowd who were 
perienced in witnessing the success of his mission, bearing the sick to Jesus. The afflicted, blind, 
was without pleasure. It was one of sorrow and and lame, were passing through the throng. The 
self-denial. He who heralded the first advent of disciples of John saw the miracles of Christ, and 
Christ, was not permitted personally to hear him, that at his word the lifeless clay became animate, 
nor to witness the power manifested by him. and the glow of health took the place of the pal-
John's voice was seldom heard, except in the for of death. Jesus said to the disciples of John, 
wilderness. His life was lonely. Multitudes had " Go and show John again those things which ye 
 flocked to the wilderness to hear the words of the do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, 
wonderful prophet. He had laid the ax at the the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the 
root of the tree. He had reproved sin, fearless deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor 
of the consequences, and prepared the way for have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is 
the ministry of Christ. �
he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." 
Herod was affected as he listened to the pointed �
In these words John is gently reproved for his 
testimony of John, and, with deep interest, he impatience. The cautious reproof returned to 
inquired what he must do to become his disciple. John was not lost upon him. He then better un-
He was convicted by the plain truths uttered derstood the character of Christ's mission. And 
by John. His conscience condemned him, for a with submission and faith, he yielded himself 
woman of vile passions had gained his affeeL into the hands of God, to live or to die, as should 
tions and controlled his mind. This unprincipled best advance his glory. 
woman was ambitious for power and authority, After the disciples of John had departed, Jesus 
and thought if she became the wife of Herod, her addressed the multitude concerning John, " What 
object would be gained. As Herod listened to the went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A 
practical truths proclaimed by John, reproving reed shaken with the wind ? " Jesus knew that a 
the transgression of the law of God, and setting reed trembling in the wind was the very opposite 
forth the future punishment which the guilty of John's character. John could not be moved by 
must suffer, he trembled, and greatly desired to flattery, nor be deceived by prevailing errors. 
break the chain of lust which held him. He Neither could he be turned aside from the work 
opened his mind to John, who brought Herod to he came to do, by rewards, or worldly honors. 
the law of God, face to face, and told him it would He would preserve his integrity at the expense of 
be impossible for him to have part in the king- his life. Steadfast as a rock stood the prophet of 
dom of the Messiah unless he should break away God, faithful to rebuke sin and crime in all their 
from the unlawful connections with his brother's forms, in kings and nobles, as readily as in the 
�
 wife, and, with his whole heart, obey the corn- unhonored and unknown. He swerved not from 
mandments of God. �
duty. Loyal to his God, in noble dignity of moral 
Herod was inclined to act upon the advice of character, he stood firm as a rock, faithful to 
John, and stated to Herodias that he could not principle. 
marry her in defiance of the law of God. But " But what went ye out for to see ? A man 
this determined woman would not be thwarted clothed in soft raiment ? Behold they that wear 
in her designs. Intense hatred was awakened in soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went 
her heart toward John. Herod was weak in ye out for to see ? A prophet ? Yea, I say unto 
principle, vacillating in mind, and Herodias had you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of 
no great difficulty in re-establishing herself in his whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger 
favor, and holding her influence over him. Herod before thy face, which shall prepare thy way be-
yielded to the pleasures of sin, rather than sub- fore thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them 
mit to the restrictions of the law of God. �that are born of women there hath not risen a 
When Herodias had gained influence over Herod, greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, 
she determined to be revenged upon the prophet he that is least in the kingdom of Heaven is 
for his daring to reprove their course of crime. greater than he. And from the days of John the 
And she influenced him to imprison John. But Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven suffer-
Herod intended to release him. While confined eth violence, and the violent take it by force." 
in prison, John heard, through his disciples, of the �
The people whom Christ addressed well knew 
mighty works of Jesus. He could not personally that the apparel worn by John was the opposite 
listen to his gracious words; but the disciples in- of that worn in royal palaces. Christ virtually 
formed him, and comforted him with a relation inquires, What motive induced you to flock to the 
of what they had seen and heard. �
wilderness to hear the preaching of John ? The 
John having spent his life in the open air, in wilderness is not the place to find those who live 
active, persevering labor, enduring privations, delicately, and who clothe themselves in rich, soft 
hardship, and toil, he had never before experi- apparel. Christ would have them observe the con-
enced the trials of confined living. He therefore trast between the clothing of John and that of the 
became desponding, and even doubts troubled him Jewish priests. The prophet wore a plain, rough 
whether Christ was indeed the Messiah. His dis- garment, possessing no beauty, but answering the 
ciples had brought to him accounts of the wonder- purpose for which clothing was first designed. In 
ful things they had witnessed in the ministry of marked contrast to the clothing of John, was the 
Christ. But he concluded that if Christ was in- gorgeous apparel of the Jewish priests. The bur-
deed the Messiah, he would publicly proclaim den of the priests and elders was outward display, 
himself as the Saviour of the world. �
thinking that they would be reverenced in ac- 
John had indistinct ideas of the kingdom Christ cordance with their external appearance. They 
came to establish, as also had the disciples of were more anxious for the admiration of men, 
Christ. They thought Christ would establish a than for spotless purity of character and holiness 
temporal kingdom, and reign upon the throne of of life, that they might meet the approval of God. 
David in Jerusalem. He became impatient be- Christ admonished his disciples, and also the mul-
cause Christ did not immediately make himself titude, to follow that which was good in the teach- 
known, 
 
assume kingly authority, and subdue the ings of the scribes and Pharisees, but not to inai- 
Romans. He hoped that if Christ established his tate their wrong example, and not be deceived by 
kingdom, he would be brought out of prison. He their ambitious pretension. 
decided that if Jesus was really the Son of God, �
He says, "All therefore whatsoever they bid 
and could do all things, he would exercise his you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye 
power and set him at liberty. �
after their works; for they say, and do not. For 
John sent his disciples to inquire of Christ, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, 
" Art thou he that should come, or do we look for and lay them on men's shoulders; but they them-
another?" The disciples sought the presence of selves will not move them with one of their fin- 
C,bie *ign5 of the 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, FOR THE 
98 �
TH �
 SIGNS OF THE TIMES. �
Vol.. 9, No. 9. 
gers. But all their works they do to be seen of Testament as now used are the invention of a ble, and is less ambiguous. Yet there are places 
men; they make broad their phylacteries, and printer, Robert Stephens by name, in imitation of in our old standard version where the punctua-
enlarge the borders of their garments, and love those made for the Old Testament by Rabbi Na- tion needs to be changed before the Scripture 
the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats than. They were first introduced in 1551, in an will be in harmony with itself. One notable in-
in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, edition of the New Testament printed by Steph- stance is Luke 23 : 43; by placing the comma 
and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi." �ens. �
after "to-day," instead of after "thee." Then 
John saw that the Jews who made high preten- �
As for punctuation points, with the exception it will harmonize perfectly with .Zecb. 9 : 12 and 
sions to piety, were exalting and glorifying them- of the period, no such things were known when John 20 ; 17, and with the whole course of Script-
selves. Portions of the law were printed and the New Testament was written, nor for a long ure on that subject. 
bound upon their foreheads, and about their time afterward, for the writing in the oldest �
Now we come to the marginal references. The 
wrists. God had commanded the children of manuscripts is all in capital letters without accent first introduction of these was in Coverdale's Bi-
Israel to have a ribbon of blue in the border of or mark of any kind, not even spaces, between ble, the first English translation of the entire 
their garments, upon which was embroidered the words. Here is a copy of the first few lines Bible, which was printed in 1535. The marginal 
words of the law, which expressed in short the of the gospel of John as it was written:— �
references were few however, but they served as 
ten commandments, to remind them of their duty �
" INTHEBEGINNINGWASTHEWORDAND an introduction, and as an inducement to others 
to love God supremely, and to love their neighbor THE WORDWAS �
to follow his lead. The next was King James' 
as themselves. The farther they departed from WITHGO D. ANDGODWASTHEWORD. �
translation of 1611, now our Authorized Version. 
their primitive purity, and simplicity in their HEWASINTHEBEGINNINGWITHGOD �
This had in the first edition, 6,588 references in 
words and example, and the more their works ALL WEREM ADEBYHIMAND WITH �the Old Testament and 1,527 in the New. In an 
were directly contrary to the law of God, the OUTHIMWASMADENOTONETHING �edition printed by J. Hayes, in 1677, there were 
more particular were they to make broad their THAT WASMADE IN HIMLIF EWAS. �14,699 references in the Old Testament and 9,857 
phylacteries, and add to the words that God had �
About 400 A. D. Jerome, and others from him, in the New. In Dr. Scattergood's edition, 1678, 
specified that they should have in the ribbon of used points that correspond with our comma and there were 20,357 references in the Old Testa-
blue. In their outward appearance, they were colon, but they did not go into general use at all. ment, and 11,371 in the New. In Bishop Teni-
expressing exalted devotion and sanctity, while Again in the eighth century the stroke now called son and Lloyd's, 1699, there were 24,352 in the 
their works were in the widest contrast. �comma was received, and Jerome's points were Old, and 13,717 in the New. In Dr. Blayney's, 
The spirit of reform was stirring the soul of again used at the command of Charlemagne, and 1769, there were 43,318 in the Old Testament, 
John. The spirit of wisdom and the power of in the ninth century the Greek note of interroga- and 19,898 in the New. In Bishop Wilson's, 1785, 
God were upon him. Inspiration from Heaven tion, which is now our semicolon, was first used. there were 45,190 in the Old Testament, and 19,-
and holy zeal led him to denounce the Jewish But it was not till the invention of printing that 993 in the New, making total in Old and New of 
priests, and pronounce the curse of God upon them. any of these points came into general use. Thus 65,183. These with perhaps a few additions are 
They made high pretensions to godliness by their the colon and the period began to be used about the ones we now use, and thus we have Acts 20 : 
gorgeous apparel, while they were strangers to 1485, the comma was next given a better shape, 7, and 1 Cor. 16 : 2 referring to Rev. 1 : 10. No 
mercy and the love of God. And while the and the semicolon added about 1521, and in Sir doubt these Bishops believed, as many will claim 
Pharisees were very exact in their dress to inspire Philip Sydney's "Arcadia" 1587 they all appear, now, that the first day of the week is the Lord's 
awe and command respect of men, they were ab- as also the note of interrogation, the asterisk, day, but the Scripture does not say so, and their 
horred of God. They did not conform their heart and the parenthesis. �
running the references from one to the other does 
and life to the will and word of God. They de- �
Then again, there were no acknowledged rules not make it so, any more than the references 
ceived themselves with the vain supposition that to guide the editors and printers in the use of the from Lev. 16 : 10, 21, 22 to Isaiah 53 : 6, 11, 12, 
eternal blessings were theirs by virtue of the points, consequently they were placed just as and 1 John 2 : 2, &c., make Christ, the Holy Say-
promises made to Abraham, the father of the each one pleased, and very often arbitrarily. iour, the scapegoat. Neither of these is any 
faithful. They were not clothed with humility. And yet again the same editors and printers nearer to the truth than is the explanation in the 
They bore no resemblance to the faith and piety would change the punctuation in the different margin of Daniel 9 : 24, in saying that the sev-
of Abraham. They had not earned by integrity editions of the same work as they were succes- enty weeks begin from the twentieth year of Ar-
and purity of life, moral worth, which would sively printed; especially did Stephens vary his taxerxes. And not one of all three is any nearer 
ally them to Abraham as his children, to share points in every edition of the Bible that he to the truth than is the margin of 2 Chron. 21 : 
with him the promises. �
printed. And more than that, this variance in 12, in explaining the writing which came to Je- 
the punctuation of the Bible is not yet ended, horam from Elijah the prophet, when it ,says, 
Value of Marginal References. �
as any one may prove by comparing copies of " Which was writ before his [Elijah's] death." 
the Bible printed only as far back as 1830 or Everybody knows that there is no truth in that, 
BY ELD. A. T. JONES. 
�
�
1840 with the later editions, and looking at Matt. for all know that Elijah never died, but was 
19 : 28 and Heb. 10 : 12. In the earlier copies, at caught up alive, by a whirlwind, into heaven. 
�
As A kind of religious "last ditch," the mar- Matt. 19 : 28 you will see the comma placed after �
All this goes to show that the references are 
ginal references of Acts 20 : 7; 1 Cor. 16 : 2 and " regeneration " in the passage reading thus:— not to be followed implicitly as are the Scriptures, 
Rev. 1 : 10 are adopted as proof that the first " Verily I say unto you, That ye which have fol- but simply and alone, as helps to the study of the 
day of the week is the Lord's day, and therefore lowed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Scripture. As such they are a very great help. 
holy. �
man shall sit in the throne of his glory," &c, But always bear in mind that the plain reading of 
I would not utter a word against the use of whereas in the later copies the comma is placed the word of God is to be taken above any, or all, 
the marginal references of the Scriptures as helps after " me," thus: " ye which have followed me, references, punctuation, or division of verses or 
to the study of the sacred word; but there are in- in the regeneration when the Son of man shall chapters. 
superable objections to their being adopted as the sit in the throne of his glory," &c. See what a �
• � 
basis of doctrine, or their use as authority in con- difference it makes. The first would imply that �
Who are Orthodox? 
nection with the word itself. �
Christ had been regenerated. But the difference 
The marginal references, the punctuation, the in Heb. 10 : 12 is still more apparent, for in the 
WEBSTER defines orthodox as, "Sound in the 
divisions into verses and chapters, are all the older editions the comma is after " sins," thus; Christian faith; believing the genuine doctrines 
work of men. Not of men met together for that "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice taught in the Scriptures." According to this def- 
purpose as in the translation of the Scriptures; for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of inition, can one be orthodox who denies the Script-
but by several men at different times, and each God," where in the newer editions the comma is ural doctrine that the seventh day is the Sab- 
independent of all the others. �
placed after " ever," thus: " But this man, after bath, and instead of it, places the first day of the 
First was the division into chapters. This was he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat week, for which they know there is no Scripture 
made by Hugo de Sancto Caro who was born at down on the right hand of God." While the command, as they often admit, but only a custom 
St. Cher, Dauphine, France, about A. D. 1200, was first would make Christ sat down at the right hand of long standing in the church ?. When questioned 
created a cardinal by Pope Innocent IV., in 1245, of God forever, the last only makes one sacrifice as to the practice of following a church custom 
and died in 1263. In preparing to make a con- for sins forever, and then sat down at the right that is opposed to the word of God, they reply 
cordance to the Latin Vulgate version of the hand of God only "till his enemies be made his that, "It does not matter which day we keep, so 
Scriptures, he divided both the Old Testament footstool." �
long as we keep one out of each seven," and they 
and the New into chapters, and that division still �
To any one who will compare the Revised New claim that this doctrine is orthodox. Then why 
remains as he made it, in all our Bibles. �Testament with the old version of common use, do they say that we are not orthodox ? for we 
Next was the division into verses. The first it will be apparent that the Revision Committee keep one day in each seven. But an association 
direct step toward this was taken by Rabbi Mor- did not hold themselves subject to the punctua- of ministers in this State, not long ago, decided 
decal Nathan, a celebrated Jewish teacher, in a tion of the common version, but changed it that those who believe in keeping the seventh day 
" Concordance to the Hebrew Scriptures," corn- wherever they chose; and it would seem that are not orthodox. In substance, their doctrine 
posed A. D. 1438 to 1445. In this concordance, he their changes are not always for the better, for amounts to this: Keep any day in seven, only do 
made the division into verses, and marked every instance, Matt. 27 : 52, 53. From this it would not let it be the seventh day, but the first. "Con-
fifth verse with a Hebrew numeral letter. Then appear that at the death of the Saviour, " many 
in 1661, Athias, a Jew of Amsterdam, printed an bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were sistency thou art a jewel." �
W. M. HEALEY. 
edition of the Hebrew Bible, in which he adopted raised; " and yet did not come out of the tombs 
the verses of Rabbi Nathan, and marked every till after his resurrection, which was the third day A GOLDEN STATEMENT.--Remember John Trapp's 
verse with the figures in common use 1, 2, 3, 4, after his death. Such a thing is hardly to be golden statement: "God respecteth not the arith-
&c., &c., except the verses previously marked with supposed, but rather, as our old version gives it, metic of our prayers, how many they are; nor 
Hebrew numerals by Rabbi Nathan. With the that, at the death of Christ "the graves were the rhetoric of our prayers, how neat they are; 
rejection of these Hebrew numerals, and placing opened; and many bodies of the saints which nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they 
instead the corresponding figures, the verses and slept arose, and came out of their graves after are; nor the music of our prayers, how melodi-
numbers of Nathan and Athias are still retained his resurrection," that is, the graves were opened ous they are; nor the logic of our prayers, how 
in all the copies of the Bible in other languages. at his death, when the earth quaked, and the methodical they are; but the divinity of our 
But observe, this refers only to the Hebrew Bible rocks were rent; but the saints did not arise till prayers, how heartsprung they are. Not gifts, 
i. e. the Old Testament. The verses of the New after his resurrection. This looks more reasona- but graces prevail in prayer.—Examiner. 
ti 
MARCH 1, 1883. 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIM �
FilS. �
99 
Is the Reformation Complete ? 
BY ELD. I. J. HANKINS. 
EVERY work of reform meets opposition. As 
the work grows in strength, the opposition in-
creases. But why are reformations necessary ? 
Because men have neglected, or have not made 
a proper use of, the light and knowledge they 
have had. Especially is this true when we speak 
of religious reforms. Our minds at once revert 
to the important religious movement of the six-
teenth century, in which Martin Luther was the 
prominent character. His object was, not to 
bring out new truths, but to restore the truths 
taught by Christ and his apostles—truths which 
for ages had been covered over by papal super-
stition. It was by preaching the plain, simple 
truths of the Bible that the papal errors were 
exposed. 
The Roman bishops were sensible of the weak-
ness of their position, and when it was to be 
tested in open discussion they greatly feared the 
consequences. And they had cause to fear; for 
the gross darkness, under whose cover they had 
committed their crimes, must soon vanish before 
the light of the gospel as presented by the great 
reformer. 
Luther points to the close of the discussion at 
Leipsic as the moment of his emancipation from 
the papal yoke. " Learn from me," said he, 
" how difficult a thing it is to throw off errors 
confirmed by the example of all the world, and 
which, through long habit, have become second 
nature to us." 
For several years after Luther began to expose 
the errors of the papacy, he still retained his 
connection with the church. He did not at once 
discover all the errors in the creed of the Ro-
manists, nor the terrible wickedness of their 
practices. But as light broke in upon his mind, 
these iniquities appeared to him in all their enor-
mity, and he resolved to expose them, even at 
the risk of his life. It required no small degree 
of faith and courage to stand up in defense of a 
doctrine which, if' maintained, would undermine 
the foundation of Popery. " I am surprised," 
said Dr. Eck, Luther's opponent at Leipsic, " at 
the humility and modesty with which the rev-
erend doctor undertakes to oppose, alone, so 
many illustrious Fathers, and pretends to know 
more than the sovereign pontiffs, the councils, 
the doctors, and the universities! . . . It would 
be surprising, no doubt, if God had hidden the 
truth from so many saints and martyrs—until 
the advent of the reverend Father." Nor is this 
so strange after all; for error is always surprised 
at the appearance of truth,—though its humble 
and modest garb should not occasion surprise, 
because truth is always clothed in this manner. 
Not very unlike the days of Luther do we find 
the professed Christian church in our time. Peo-
ple are married, as it were, to some particular 
church, and they express great surprise at any 
intimation of error in their creed. 
All Protestants believe that Luther was a 
special agent in the hands of God in breaking 
the Roman yoke, and freeing God's true people 
from papal errors and superstitions. But, it may 
be asked, did Luther finally discover and eradi-
cate all papal errors? And are the churches 
sound in their religious principles to-day? Let 
the various opposing sects answer in the negative. 
Then how, since there is such a diversity of 
opinion, shall errors be corrected, and the pure, 
unadulterated principles of truth be established 
in the churches ? Only in one way can this ever 
be accomplished, and that is by comparing very 
critically our various theories with the Bible—
the only true standard—and conforming to its 
teachings. This course would unite the people 
of God, because the Bible teaches but one doc-
trine. But, alas! we find too few that, when 
convinced of error, will renounce it, or exchange 
it for truth, and are therefore not so sanguine as 
to hope for this desired unity. 
The Christian world has for some years past 
avoided religious controversy. Each sect has 
seemed to feel satisfied with its creed, not per-
haps because they know of a surety that it is 
founded upon the Bible, but because it has been 
handed down as the religion of their fathers, 
and established by learned and eminent men. It 
is a question whether or not these eminent divines 
are not more highly regarded by many than the 
apostles themselves, and the creed of the church 
considered of greater authority than the Bible. 
The prevailing sentiment seems to be, " I am 
rich and increased with goods, and have need of 
nothing "—let me alone. If there is a well-
established doctrine in any particular creed, one 
that has stood the test of severe criticism, it may 
be discussed at length to the perfect satisfaction 
of its adherents; but let a point in which there 
is an apparent weakness be suggested for inves-
tigation, and there is a cry raised at once. We 
do not believe in religious discussions; they 
create strife and division. But this claim only 
betrays a conscious weakness in the positions of 
those who present it. 
Man trusts his eternal salvation to the per-
formance of certain requirements which he sup-
poses are found in the Bible. But when the 
thought is suggested to him that in all proba-
bility he is following tradition instead of the 
Bible, it should be his first duty to settle the 
matter by careful and prayerful investigation; 
and, if he find himself arrayed on the side of 
error (though he may have been honest), to 
change immediately to the platform of truth. 
Christ found a people in his day who trans-
gressed the commandment of God by their tradi-
tion, and he said that they worshiped him in 
vain. Martin Luther found many of the same 
class; and even in our own age of boasted light 
there may be found not a few who are more will-
ing to follow the customs of their fathers than 
they are to obey the commandments of God. 
The reader doubtless believes that the keeping 
of the commandments of God is necessary to 
man's salvation, and that " whosoever keeps the 
whole law and yet offends in one point, is guilty 
of all." Now allow me to suggest a thought 
which may not have occurred to all the readers 
of the SIGNS. Are you well satisfied that the 
observance of the first day of the week for the 
Sabbath is not authorized by custom and tradi-
tion instead of by an express command of God? 
Do not reply as others have done, that it must 
be right, or the church would long ago have dis-
covered the error. Thus did people reason in 
Luther's day, as was seen in Dr. Eck's remarks; 
and thus have some tried to reason away every 
work of reformation. But this is poor satis-
faction to the earnest seeker after truth. if the 
work of reformation for our time consists in a 
restoration of the seventh-day Sabbath, as the 
SIGNS affirms, this then becomes the matter of 
vital importance to every lover of truth. And 
vain would be the efforts of man in opposing it; 
for what can the opposing arm of flesh effect 
when God has set his hand to the accomplish-
ment of his work ? 
Old Testament Criticism. 
IN the N. Y. Observer, Professor Shedd, of 
Union Seminary, gives the following clear state-
ment of the real point at issue in the contro-
versy as to the authorship of the Pentateuch:— 
" There are two views of the Old Testament; 
the historical or traditional, and the rationalistic 
or critical, so called. The one is held by the 
church, the other is held by parties and individu-
als, sometimes within the church and sometimes 
outside of it. 
" The historical or traditional view is: That the 
books of the Old Testament are the infallible 
word of God communicated to a small circle se-
lected out of the people of Israel for this pur-
pose. Certain holy men of old spake as they 
were moved by the Holy Ghost. These books, 
consequently, do not contain the religious ideas 
of the Hebrew race, but the teachings of the 
Supreme Being. The Old Testament, though 
Hebrew in language and modes of expression 
and forms of thought, is not Hebrew literature, 
but divine revelation; because literature, prop-
erly so called, is the natural and spontaneous 
product of a national mind. Originated in this 
manner, the Old Testament religion, unlike the 
natural and national religions of the world, is 
homogeneous in its nature. It is pure monothe-
ism, from first to last; from Genesis to Malachi. 
From beginning to end, also, it contains the prom-
ise and the doctrine of a Redeemer, and of re-
demption. There is no polytheism, deism, or 
pantheism in the religion of Israel, as enunciated 
by Moses and the prophets. The Hebrew people 
themselves, from time to time, were more or less 
idolatrous and deistical, but the religion which 
Jehovah gave them through inspired individuals 
had nothing of this tincture. In brief, the Old 
Testament is a revelation, not an evolution; a 
revelation from the divine mind, and not an evo-
lution of the Hebrew mind. 
" The rationalistic or critical view is: That the 
books of the Old Testament are the product of 
the common Hebrew mind, as this spontaneously 
developed in a national literature from age to 
age. The religion of Israel, like the religions of 
Babylon and Assyria, of Egypt and India, of 
Greece and Rome, has no uniform and homogene-
ous character. It begins, like all human relig-
ions, in polytheism, and passes gradually upward 
into monotheism. 
" This theory supposes that there was no super-
natural revelation of religious truth to the He-
brew people, but only that ordinary unfolding of 
man's religious nature, which is common to every 
nation. The books of the Old Testament are a 
history of this unfolding in the case of the He-
brews, and are no more infallible and entitled to 
be the rule of religious faith for all mankind 
than any other books or literatures which con-
tain similar accounts of national religions. In 
brief, the Old Testament is an evolution, and 
not a revelation; an evolution of the Hebrew 
mind, and not a revelation from the divine mind. 
" Such are the two views of tie Old Testament. 
They are antagonistic in every fiber. In the en-
tire history of opinions, there are no two theories 
that are more hostile and deadly to each other 
than these. The latter of these two views calls 
itself the ' critical' theory, but the method by 
which it is attempted to be established is wholly 
uncritical." 
progress in the Truth. 
PROGRESS belongs to the human mind. The 
converted man is illuminated, but he does not at 
once discover or apprehend all truth. The treas-
ure hid in the field is only revealed to the man 
who searches for it. There is "strong meat" for 
men, and we are warned not to be children in 
understanding. However ably men may sum-
marize truth, it is utterly impossible for any creed 
to give so correct an exhibition of it that it shall 
not make more of one truth than another, both of 
equal importance, and to avoid altogether neglect-
ing others. Yet as all Scripture is profitable for 
our instruction, we ought never to rest from the 
most anxious reach into the meaning of the divine 
volume. 
To be thoroughly furnished with Christian 
knowledge, we must remember the mutual relation 
of truths, and realize their conjoined influence 
in promoting the highest and best form of Chris-
tian character. It is possible to magnify a truth 
till its influence on one's self shall be as pernicious 
as a positive error. Such was the case with the 
men whose course constrained Paul to ask: "Shall 
we continue in sin that grace may abound?" It 
has been well remarked that some people have 
been so afraid of justification by good works, 
that they took care to have no good works. The 
controversies of every age tend to the obscuration 
of some truths by the prominence given to what 
may be the " present truth." 
Progress in divine knowledge greatly tends to 
the enjoyment and strength of the spiritual life. 
The consolations of the divine word are most 
attainable by the man who has striven most to 
understand its meaning, and for service to our 
fellow-men, we can only gain the character that 
leads men to glorify God as in the highest sense 
we learn the " truth as in Jesus." 
Let it not, however, be thought that progress 
in the truth is evidenced by changeableness of 
doctrinal views. There are people who gain noto-
riety by espousing opinions which are new to 
them, and discarding sentiments they have here-
tofore held. We are exhorted to leave the prin-
ciples of the doctrine of Christ, and go on unto per-
fection; but we are not in doing this to leave or 
dishonor Christ. We may leave the first elements 
of Christian truth as we leave the alphabet behind 
when we make progress in literature; but we shall 
with true progress, become only the more firmly 
grounded and settled in the faith.—Baptist Weekly. 
HUMILITY is to make a right estimate of one's 
self. It is no humility for a man to think less of 
himself than he ought, though it might rather 
puzzle him to do that.—Spurgeon. 
EACH man is a hero and an oracle to somebody, 
and to that person, whatever he says has an en-
hanced value.—Emerson. 
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our 
gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon 
shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, 
nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the 
day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you 
by any means, for that day shall not come, except 
there come a falling away first, and that man of 
sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who 
opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is 
called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as 
God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself 
that he is God." We are not concerned, just now, 
about the identification of the " man of sin," but 
remark, in passing, that there are some character-
istics here which fit the Papal power better than 
any personage or thing that has ever appeared on 
the earth. The titles which are given to the chief 
Pontiff in Rome, as " our Lord God, the Pope;" 
the prerogatives and powers he claims, as the 
vicar of Christ; the homage he receives, in the 
bended knees and prostrate forms of the multi-
tudes that do him reverence; and the place he 
occupies on solemn occasions in the " temple of 
God," so called, all point to him as the only one 
on earth who " exalteth himself above all that is 
called God or is worshiped," and who claims to 
exercise divine authority in the church. 
But the fact most important, in this connection, 
is the apostasy or " falling away " predicted. It 
was, evidently, a great departure from the sim-
plicity of the gospel, whose origin could be traced 
to elements already at work in the church, and 
whose results were to reach onward through the 
centuries to the revelation of Christ. It was also 
to be closely related to the coming of the lawless 
one, the man of sin, whose coming was " after the 
working of Satan with all power and signs and 
lying wonders." This apostasy, if we can at all 
depend on the facts revealed in the unimpeachable 
history of the church, began in the days of the 
post-apostolic fathers, and reached its full develop-
ment in the fifth century, when worldliness and 
fanaticism combined almost destroyed the spirit-
uality of the Church, and the Pope aspired to 
universal sovereignty. If this is correct—and 
who can successfully controvert it ?—then it is 
impossible to believe that the coming of Christ, 
about which we read in these epistles, was a 
figurative coming to destroy Jerusalem. And 
whether our interpretation of the " apostasy " be 
correct or not, it is evident that the " falling 
away " did not take place in time to allow the 
revelation of the " man of sin " to antedate the 
downfall of Jerusalem. That event took place 
A. D. 70, about forty years after the ascension of 
Christ, and not to exceed sixteen years after the 
date of this epistle. It cannot be that the apostle 
wrote this earnest entreaty to the Thessalonians 
not to be shaken in mind, as though the day of 
Christ was near at hand, if it was within sixteen 
years of its consummation, and the date being 
unknown, it might happen even sooner than that! 
And then there was something in the apostle's 
mind connected with the coming of Christ, which 
he called " our gathering together unto him." 
But there was no " gathering together unto him " 
when Jerusalem was destroyed, and there was to 
be none; for the disciples were instructed not to 
gather together at that time, but to " flee to the 
mountains." 
Thus it appears, in every aspect of the case, 
that this fancied "figurative " advent fails its 
supporters, and leaves their theories of retribution, 
which depend upon it, without the semblance of a 
foundation.—Second Coming of Christ, by Bishop 
Which Is the Greater Wonder'? 
BY ELD. R. F. COTTRELL. 
THE unbelief, repeated murmurings, and the 
disposition of the Israelites to turn to idolatry, 
after they had seen God's wonders in Egypt and 
at the Red Sea, and had seen his glory upon Sinai 
and heard his majestic voice from its fiery summit 
proclaiming his holy law, is truly a wonder. The 
people of the present day are astonished at it; and, 
instead of accepting it as a true picture of fallen 
human nature, in which they may, as in a glass, 
behold themselv
es, they come to the conclusion 
that that people were the most flagrantly wicked 
of any that have ever existed upon the earth. If 
we had only been there and witnessed those mira-
cles, how believing and obedient we should have 
been! We imagine that we should not have been 
tempted to bow down to the idols of Egypt and 
100 �
SIGN -S OF TI-1 �
 TIM �
1-1]S. �VoL, 9, No. 9. 
Christ's Coming at the Judgment. 
(Concluded.) 
OUR next appeal is to Paul's epistles to the 
Thessalonians. It is freely admitted that the 
proceedings of the day of Judgment did not form 
the theme of these epistles, and, therefore, what-
ever light they shed upon the subject in hand 
comes incidentally. It is, however, none the less 
clear when it comes, and none the less satisfac-
tory because it comes as it does. We commence 
by reading from 2 Thess. 1 : 3-10: " We are 
bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as 
it is meet, because that your faith groweth ex-
ceedingly, and the charity of every one of you 
all toward each other aboundeth ; so that we 
ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, 
for your patience and faith in all your persecu-
tions and tribulations that ye endure; which is a 
manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, 
that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom 
of God, for which ye also suffer; seeing it is a 
righteous thing with God to recompense tribula-
tion to them that trouble you; and to you who 
are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus 
shall be revealed. 
 from heaven with his mighty 
angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them 
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel 
of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished 
with everlasting destruction from the presence 
of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 
when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, 
and to be admired in all them that believe (be-
cause our testimony among you was believed) in 
that day." 
In this passage two things are apparent, which, 
together, make out that the coming of Christ is 
the day of Judgment. First, the unbelieving and 
disobedient shall then be punished; and, second-
ly, the punishment is that final award which fol-
lows the judgment. The first point is plainly af-
firmed, so as to admit of no denial. The last 
point, though not stated in so many words, is 
quite evident from the nature of the language 
employed: " Who shall be punished with everlast-
ing destruction from the presence of the Lord, 
and from the glory of his power, when he shall 
come to be glorified in his saints." There is no 
doubt that the punishment is connected with the 
coming of Christ, and, from the terms in which 
it is described, it must be final. It is no tempo-
rary infliction, no preparatory or premonitory 
judgment, to be renewed or repeated or reversed 
at a subsequent day. It is expressed in the 
strongest language that ever occurs with reference 
to the ultimate doom of the ungodly, and cor-
responds in this respect with the terms of the final 
sentence pronounced by the Son of man when he 
gathers the nations and separates them as a 
shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats, and 
consigns the condemned to everlasting fire pre-
pared for the devil and his angels." 
In the preceding epistle this same coming of 
the Lord is connected with the resurrection of the 
dead, as we have seen in another chapter. We 
turn to it here to show that in that epistle, and in 
the immediate connection where the resurrection 
is described, the retribution of the ungodly is 
recognized as occurring at the same time, and in 
language that properly denotes the day of Judg-
ment, and is positively and uniformly applied to 
that day. Let us read the paragraph as written, 
without regard to the division of the chapter: 
" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven 
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and 
with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ 
shall rise first. Then we which are alive and 
remain shall be caught up together with them, in 
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so 
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, com- 
fort one another with these words. But of the 
times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need 
that I write unto you. For yourselves know per- 
fectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a 
thief in the night. For when they shall say, 
Peace and safety, then sadden destruction cometh 
upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, 
and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are 
not in darkness that that day should overtake 
you as a thief." 1 Thess. 4 : 16, to 5 : 4. Here 
the descent of the Lord from Heaven, to raise the 
dead, is called "the day of the Lord," and it is 
affirmed that " the day of the Lord so cometh as 
a thief in the night." And the Thessalonians 
knew this so perfectly that it was not needful 
that the apostle should tell them anything con-
cerning the time of the advent. They knew, as 
well as he, that the time was not revealed, but 
purposely left in all uncertainty, the times and the 
seasons being left in the Father's own power. 
They must have learned this from some one who 
had told them the words of the Lord himself, 
which he so frequently used in the presence of the 
disciples. " Watch, therefore, for ye know not 
what hour your Lord doth come." " For ye 
know neither the day nor the hour wherein 
the Son of man cometh." " But of that day 
and hour knoweth no man, no, not the 
angels of Heaven, but my Father only." This, 
then, is " the day of the Lord that so cometh as 
a thief in the night," the day that " overtakes" 
the unwatchful as a thief. It brings not only sur-
prise, but " destruction." It is " the day of Judg-
ment and perdition of ungodly men," and they 
that are unready " shall not escape." It is the 
same day of which Peter says, " But the day of 
the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the 
which the heavens shall pass away with a great 
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent 
heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein 
shall be burned up." It will be observed that 
in this Peter used the same words that Paul did in 
regard to " the day of the Lord." They both had 
in mind the same day, and Paul alludes to the 
destruction " it will bring upon the ungodly, and 
Peter expressly calls it " the day of Judgment and 
perdition of ungodly men." Where, then, is there 
room for doubt that the unrevealed day of the 
Lord's second coming is the day of Judgment ? 
It is certainly the day of the resurrection of the 
dead, and no less clearly is it now shown to be 
the day of final retribution. Thus inseparably are 
the great events of" the last day " linked together. 
The coming of Christ and the resurrection are 
joined together; the coming of Christ and the 
Judgment are joined together, and, as another 
chapter shows, the resurrection and the Judgment 
are joined together. Then, " what God hath 
joined together let not man put asunder." 
This showing is met by the assumption that the 
coming of Christ, treated of in these epistles, was 
not a personal, but a "figurative," advent—that 
same " figurative" advent supposed to relate to 
the destruction of Jerusalem, which we have so 
fully considered and refuted. But we must look 
at it again in this connection, or be thought 
neglectful of something which our " liberalistic " 
friends regard as highly important. 
First of all, our attention is called to the fact 
that the Jews were somewhat numerous in Thes-
salonica, and that they bad a synagogue there, 
and were full of zeal for the maintenance of their 
own worship. Acts 17 : 1-13. This is to assure 
us that the Jews, who were the persecutors of the 
disciples at Thessalonica, would be interested in 
the judgments that might befall their brethren in 
Jerusalem. But suppose this to be so, since the 
Lord made no promise to come again at that 
time, but warned his disciples not to be deceived 
by the appearance of false christs, on what ground 
the Thessalonian Christians could be expected to 
interpret the language Paul addressed to them 
concerning the coming of Christ, the resurrection 
of the dead, and the retribution of the wicked in 
the day of the Lord, as relating to a figurative 
coming at the destruction of Jerusalem, is some-
thing which ordinary minds can neither see nor 
comprehend. The truth is, that figurative com-
ing, which has figured so largely in modern expo-
sitions, is simply a figment of the fancy, without 
foundation in the Scriptures, and without use or 
meaning in exegesis. 
It is probably true that some gathered the 
impression from Paul's first epistle, in which he 
spoke of " the day of the Lord " coming " as a 
thief in the night," that they ought to expect the 
coming of Christ very soon—to regard it as 
imminent "—and needed further admonition on 
that point. If such were the case, it is evident 
that they did not confound " the day of the Lord " 
with the national disaster that awaited the Jews. 
There is absolutely nothing to warrant any sup- 
position to that effect. But whatever their thought 
in regard to the nature of the advent—and it 
is pretty certain that they began to cherish the 
idea of a speedy personal coming to raise the dead 
and punish the wicked—the apostle did not 
rebuke their error on that point, but only in 
regard to the " imminence " of the event. There 
was, doubtless, reason for his solicitude in relation 
to this matter, as the earnestness of his expostu- 
lation shows too much feeling to have arisen with-
out the perception of danger to his brethren. His 
language is, " Now we beseech you, brethren, by 
MARCH 1, 1883. �
TI-I-[-1, SIGNS OF TI-1 �
P, TIM I-1,S. �
101 
other surrounding nations. Like the Jews in the �
and be buried, and then go forth to labor patiently 
days of Christ, th language is, If we bad lived in �
ght c*abilath—#cfrant. �
but joyfully for the perishing. 
the days of our Fathers, we would not have been 
�
Ybu may be inclined as a teacher to underesti- 
partakers with, them in the blood of the prophets. �
 mate the importance of your office. Be assured 
But the solution of the mystery is, idolatry was �
A Word to Sabbath-school Workers. �
that the faithful minister of Christ has no more 
the fashion in those days—it was a common cus- �
responsible position, save with reference to the 
tom to break the second commandment of the dec- 
BY ELD. G. D. BALLOU. �
extent of his field, than yourself. Your work is 
alogue. The same species of idolatry is not now in �
to deal out spiritual food to hungry souls; this is 
vogue in countries called Christian. It is not the �
THE nature and importance of the work we are what God calls the minister to do. Your calling 
custom in these countries to worship a calf; as in engaged in will permit of an occasional appeal to like his is holy and dignified. Put your hearts in 
Egypt of olden time; but it is the custom to break stir our minds to activity. We have intrusted to the work and labor because you love to be a co-
the fourth commandment of that same decalogue, us the most important branch of education—the worker with Jesus. Many souls will thus be 
the utterance of the same voice that forbade idol- culture and development of the spiritual nature. saved to the church, and the eternal results will 
atry. And there are many who, knowing that We cannot neglect this work nor regard it lightly, bring full satisfaction for all toil and cross-bearing. 
the holy law of God requires the observance of without suffering both temporal and eternal- loss. 
the seventh day, would willingly obey, only that Minds must be instructed in the knowledge of �
Prize Work. 
it is the prevailing custom to observe the first in God so that they may have a foundation on which 
its stead. They would be glad if it were the fash- to base their faith. The pure seeds of truth must �
WORK done in order to win a prize is not likely 
ion to do what God says, but it seems to them be planted in the mind and heart before the seeds to be one's best work. A " prize story," or a 
impossible, since all their friends and neighbors of sin have taken root. We must make every "prize picture," or a prize artistic design of any 
observe a different day. They may be so far effort to occupy the soil of the heart first. Great kind, is rarely first-class work in its line. It may, 
enlightened as to know that the "man of sin," mistakes are made in not doing so. It is far indeed, be better than its competitors—althoUgh 
the great apostasy predicted by the apostles, the easier to keep an enemy out than to dislodge him that is not a certainty; but it is hardly possible 
pope of Rome standing at the head, has made the after he has intrenched himself. We must fortify that the highest and noblest activities of mind 
change from the day God appointed—his holy the approaches to the soul, then we can foil the and heart should be drawn forth merely to win 
rest-day—to another; yet since it is the established enemy. Spare no pains to interest, impress, and a prize. When one is thoroughly absorbed in 
custom they fancy they can yield to it and yet instruct the youngest scholars. Don't neglect work for his work's sake, or for the sake of one 
please God. �
these little minds. They are as plastic as wax dear to him, he is in a way to put his whole soul 
As the ancient idolaters could follow the customs now. Soon they will sear and harden under sin- into his endeavors, as he could not be in the mere 
of their times, and though too much enlightened ful influences unless you throw around them the purpose of going ahead of rivals. A good illustra-
to regard idols as truly gods, yet could excuse spirit of the gospel. Let the most pious, loving, tion of this truth is given in a recent sketch of the 
themselves by the thought that they only wor- thorough teachers have charge of these little ones. life of Giovanni Dupre, an Italian sculptor, who 
shiped the true God through the similitude of a Now is the time to begin to make Christians of died in Florence a year ago. After several 
graven image; so these seem to imagine that they them and if you don't do it, Satan and his agents attempts—more or less successful—at winning 
can please and honor God, and keep in spirit the will begin to make sinners of them, �
prizes by artistic execution, Dupre was working 
fourth commandment, while they openly disregard �
The Sabbath-school work should connect very hard for another prize, when word came to him 
the God-appointed day, and keep in its stead the closely with the home work—the two should be that the proffered prize was withdrawn. "In his 
rival sabbath of the man of sin—the day on which inseparably united. Preparation at home will in- first fury of disappointment, he dashed his model 
the popes have sabbatized, and not the one on sure success in the school. Where home influ- to the ground, and broke it to pieces. And yet 
which the great Creator rested from his work. 
�
�
ences cannot be controlled, let there be such a vig- this very passion was but another step to his fame; 
orous spiritual influence in the school that it will for in his repentance he determined to atone for 
that a people having the light of the experience 
Now I ask, Is not this the greater wonder— reflect back into the home life and be like the it by some grand work--a work which should live, 
of ancient Israel on record for their instruction cheerful rays of the sun, stealing through the and which he would produce alone, with no 
and admonition (see 1 Cor. 10), and all the subse- narrow window of the dungeon to cheer the lonely thought of winning prizes, and with no help from 
quent history of the Jewish people down to their inmate. There must be a life-giving power in the academies. Then it was that he designed and 
rejection of the promised Messiah; and further- Sabbath-school. The healing beams of the Sun wrought his Death of Abel, on which his future 
more, all the light of the present dispensation, of righteousness must arise and shine into the fame was builded; and which can never be forgot- 
with its record of the fulfillment of the ancient hearts of all. �
ten by one who has looked on it in the Pitti 
The routine work of studying and reciting the Palace, in Florence. Had Dupre continued to 
prophecies and also the predictions of the apostles, 
warning all of the usurpations of the great epos- lessons must not be the great end to be attained. work for prizes, his best energies would never have 
This should only be the channel through which been called forth; and his permanent reputation 
tasy and its corruptions of the word of God, 
 
think- This streams of heavenly grace shall flow into every would never have been secured. And so in every 
ing itself able to change God's times and laws 
(Dan. 7 : 25) and living at a time when these pre- heart. Knowledge is important as a means to a department of mental activity; prize-offering and 
dictions have become matters of history, and also higher end. Look beyond to the 'grace which prize-seeking cannot bring out the best that is in 
brings salvation, to th3 peace which is like a those who are possessed of high possibilities.— 
when the final warning against these corruptions 
is being given,—is it not, I ask, the greatest of all river, and to love that passeth knowledge. 
 
wonders that people can disregard what God has "Knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth" �
IT is a solemn fact, that, taking the world at 
said, and in its stead do what he expressly warns [buildeth up]. Charity—supreme love to God and large, of every three persons walking on the vast 
such love to our fellows as dwelt in the bosom of 
them against, and still hope to be accepted in his �
globe, two have never heard of the Saviour, have 
sight? (!) If Israel and the "mixed multitude" Jesus—must come in and melt away our icy cold- never seen a Bible, know nothing of Heaven and 
ness. Let this work be wrought in you, then nothing of hell.—Rev. Daniel Wilson, Mildmay 
that left Egypt with them were an astonishingly 
peace and joy will be your portion, and you will 
wicked rabble for falling into the customary sin of' �
Conference. 
their times, what shall be said of those now living rejoice in your efforts to help the Sabbath-school. �
 
in this enlightened nineteenth century who, with When the eternal salvation in the kingdom of 
A Valuable Book on an important Subject. —New Edition. 
all the light of the past and the present, can disobey God becomes the object of all your praying and 
 
what God has plainly said, because it is the custom studying and teaching and giving, then the Great THE LIFE AND EPISTLES OF 
to do that which he has not commanded? A sub- Teacher will come in and accept your services, and 
stitute for what God has commanded is not accept- your school will become his school—the school of �
ST. PAUL. 
able. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before Christ. Does not your heart yearn for such re- 
the Lord, and they died. Lev. 10. Can we follow suits and privileges? They may be yours, only �
By W. J. CONYBEARE, M. A., LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, 
live for them faithfully. Supplicate the throne of' �
CAMBRIDGE, AND J. S. HowsoN, M. A., PRINCIPAL OF 
their example and hope to live ? Rather let us �
THE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE, LIVERPOOL. 
learn the lessons which the records of the past are grace frequently for that spiritual power that will 
 
designed to teach us, and so escape the dangers make your labors effective, and enable you to 
A NEW and popular edition, complete in one volume with index, chrono-
continually hold an influence for good; and when logical tables, and notes. 
that are imminent. "Now all these things hap- �
The purpose of this work is to give a living picture of St. Paul himself 
are you have prayed, watch thereunto with all per 
and
unto them for ensamples; and they �
and of the circumstances by which he was surrounded. To accomplish 
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends severance. �
this much more has been done by them than to present a mere transcript 
of the Scriptural narrative. For example, to comprehend the influences 
Do not be discouraged if you do not imme- under which the Apostle grew to manhood, we must realize the position 
of the world are come. Wherefore let him that 
diately see all accomplished that you may desire. of a Jewish family in Tarsus, and must understand the kind of education 
thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 �
which he would receive as a boy in his Hebrew home, or in the schools 
Cor. 10 : 11, 12. �
Do your part faithfully, and that will encourage of his native city, and in riper years "at the feet of Gamaliel" in Jeru- 
salem; while to understand his history as a missionary to the heathen, 
others. Permanent growth is generally slow, and we must know the state of the different populations which he visited, 
it is this kind ofgrowth that is needed. It is the and the character of the Greek and Roman civilizations of his time. 
What Dr. Geikie has done for the Life of Our Lord, Conybeare and 
Two WORDS.—One man's manner may be more Lord's work we are doing, and he will help us as Howson have done for the life of St. Paul. As a picture of the ch iliza-
effective than another's oratory. 'William Pitt fast as we are ready. If all who appreciate these tion of Paul's time, their book is admirable, and shows thorough famil-
iarity with all those places and aspects of truth which study can make 
once made an attack on Sir William Baker, a words would begin at once to prepare their hearts available in interpreting the wonderful life and teachings of the Great 
Apostle to the Gentiles. It is a work of gigantic industry and profound 
member of the House of Commons, in which he to receive the grace of God, they would soon be- learning, and has already passed through many editions. 
charged him with having made a large sum of come fountains of grace from whence the healing 
money by a fraudulent contract. �
streams would flow, and oh, what a refreshing �
TESTIMONIALS. 
Baker rose quietly and said, " The honorable would follow! �
TIIE Life and Epistles of Paul, by Conybeare and Howson, is emphat- 
gentleman is a great orator, and has made a long �
Neglect no longer to cherish the plants of love
ically a standard work, so thoroughly executed that it seems doubtful 
) that it can be much improved upon. I have often referred to it in my 
and serious charge against me. I am no orator, joy, peace, and gentleness. They are tender plants studies, and always with profit. The apostle Paul was not only,' to use 
and therefore shall only answer him in two words: and unless you cultivate them they will not thrive. phaisrtowofn words, "in labors more abundant," but his letters form a large 
the literature of the New Testament. It is not for the mere 
Prove it." �
Discipline self. Restrain those unholy, hateful gratification of curiosity that we wish to learn what we can of such a 
man
Having thus spoken, he sat down amid the ap- traits which you despise in others, and which the with his untiri 
By studying his personal history and the circumstances connected 
. 
ng labors, we are able to enter into the spirit of his work, 
plause of the members. His brief reply gained Lord disapproves in you. Cherishpity sympathy, and far better to appreciate what he has written. I can cordially rec- 
, 
ommend this book to all students of the New Testament. 
the ear of the House, and his manner satisfied all and a forgiving spirit. It will cost you pain, but �
J. H. WAGGONER. 
that the charge was a calumny. Two words had pleasure and peace will be the fruit. Go down �
TIIE Life of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson, I regard as a hook of 
refuted the orator's harangue. �
into the valley of humility, and there let self die Testament history. 
great merit, and one e of rare usefulness to the earnest student of the New 
ELLEN G. WHITE. 
102 �
THE SIGNS OF TEE �
 1-i, TIM �
 HIS. �
Vol,. 9, No. 9. 
world that he gave his only begotten Son." If we take 
for granted that the death of Christ meets every de-
mand of the law, yet so long as he is the gift of God, 
there is mercy in the transaction." 
Can any one gainsay this, and show that man did, by 
the fulfillment of some condition, procure the sacrifice 
of Christ, on which all our hopes of eternal salvation 
rest ? 
When Christ shall cease pleading "for the sins of the 
whole world,"—when his priesthood shall be ended,—
then the plagues of God's wrath will be poured out upon 
a guilty, unrepenting world. The common bounties 
and mercies of life, which all men now receive alike, 
will be withdrawn. Then the whole race will under-
stand that which they will not now consider, that Jesus 
is their constant benefactor; for truly, in a certain 
sense, he is " the Saviour of all men." But do all men 
recognize their obligation, and fulfill a condition that 
Christ may thus become their benefactor ? They do 
not. These mercies are bestowed unconditionally; they 
are the necessary concomitants of the plan which 
embraces human probation. They are necessary in or-
der that probation shall be complete, and that men 
may live under such circumstances that it is possible 
for them to embrace the offer of salvation and have 
eternal life. For without these the race would soon be-
come extinct, and none would remain to save. 
And yet again, by virtue of his power to redeem, he 
reverses the consequences of the fall by bringing all 
men from the dominion of that death which we suffer 
because of our relation to Adam. As the resurrection 
reaches all classes, just and unjust, it is proved to be 
unconditional, and therefore that provision of grace by 
which it is effected must be unconditional. 
The fact that Christ died for man does not make his 
salvation a necessity nor a certainty. He did not die 
in order that any man must be saved, but he died 
in order that all may be saved. Our brother further 
says:— 
" Certainly if eternal life is unconditionally brought 
to man, then all men to whom it is thus brought will 
have it—cannot help having it." 
We do not view it in that light. It is brought to 
them, and placed within their reach, without any con-
dition or work on their part. But suppose they refuse to 
receive it; what then ? And could they refuse it if it 
were not brought to them ? As it is said in the book in 
question: " How can they be said to neglect so great 
salvation, Heb. 2 : 3, if no salvation was provided for 
them ? " Page 160. 
Again our brother says:— 
"A scheme might be arranged sufficient to benefit one 
thousand persons, and still the design of the primary 
movers in it embrace only ten men." 
The design of this, as well as of ,the expression before 
quoted, is to chow that all embraced in the plan, or all 
to whom salvation was brought, will be saved. The 
Scriptures directly negative this. It is true that a plan 
might be sufficient for a thousand, and embrace only 
ten; but if the movers in it declared explicitly that it 
was for the whole thousand, and if the entire thousand 
were exhorted to come and receive it, and earnestly 
warned against the consequences of rejecting it, and if 
they were told that their loss was because they would 
not come and accept it, what then must we think of 
the person who yet declared that it was designed for 
only the few who did accept it ? If men bring upon 
themselves swift destruction by denying the Lord who 
bought them, 2 Pet. 2 :1, is it consistent with his word 
to say that they were destroyed because the Lord did 
not buy them ? 
All readers will please bear in mind that there is the 
closest friendship and fullest confidence existing be-
tween the objecting brother and ourself. There is no 
controversy, as that word is generally understood. We 
write for the truth, and for profit. May the Spirit of 
truth guide us aright. 
igit5 of Oe 
"Can ye not discern the signs of the times ?" 
J. H. WAGGONER, �
 EDITOR. 
J. N. ANDREWS, 
CORRESPONDING EDITORS. 
URIAH SMITH, 
OAKLAND, CAL., FIFTH-DAY, MARCH 1, 1883. 
Conditional and Unconditional. 
AN esteemed brother objects to an expression of ours 
in the work on the Atonement, as follows:— 
" With the highest regards for you I am obliged to 
say that I cannot receive some statements contained 
therein as being sound and true. For instance: On 
page 161, third line from the top, you state that Eter-
nal life through Christ was freely and unccnditionally 
brought to man.' And you cite in proof Rom. 6 : 23. 
Of course you immediately quote passages to show the 
conditions of eternal life, which most effectually de-
stroy the force of the statement and show it to be un-
sound. 
We think our position is correct, and our statement 
not unsound. Moreover, we think we guarded the 
statement so that there is little chance for misappre-
hension if the whole paragraph be considered, and not 
merely a single sentence. We spoke of the differ-
ences between the Calvinists and Arminians and said:-- 
" The great question to be decided is this: In what 
respect is the gospel plan unconditional, and in what 
respect is it conditional? If there is anywhere such a 
distinction, and if we can clearly trace the line, the 
subject must then be relieved of much difficulty. Ex-
amining this, we find the introduction of the gospel, or 
setting forth Christ as the way of salvation, is uncon-
ditional; but the application of the gospel to individ-
ual salvation, is conditional. Thus, it is not said to the 
world, nor to any part thereof, that if they would be-
lieve or do any certain thing Christ should die for them. 
But it is said that if they will believe and do certain 
things they shall be saved by his blood so freely and 
unconditionally shed for the sins of the world." 
We presume our brother will admit that the whole 
plan of salvation was laid upon the death or sacrifice 
of Christ, and that his blood alone cleanses from all 
unrighteousness. And we think it is not too much to 
ask him to concede the soundness of our position, or 
show that there was a condition laid upon man whereby 
he might secure the death of Christ, or the shedding of 
his blood for the remission of his sins. We have studied 
this subject with great care for years, and we have 
never yet found any such condition presented in the 
Scriptures, and we still believe that "God so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son," and that 
the all-important gift rested upon no condition for man 
to fulfill in order that the Son might die for him. 
On pages 81, 82, the same point is brought to view in 
noticing the errors of popular authors in regard to the 
penalty of the law, and whether Christ suffered it for 
man. The following language is there used:— 
Burge on the Atonement, says: If a man engage 
to perform a certain piece of work, for a reward which 
is proposed, it makes no difference whether he do the 
work himself, or procure another to do it for him. Let 
the work be done according to agreement, and he is en-
titled to the reward. So, if Christ has done for believers 
the work which the law required them to do, God is 
now bound, on the principle of strict justice, to bestow 
the promised reward, eternal life. There is no grace, 
but stern, unbending justice, here.' Pp. 202, 203. 
"Barnes takes substantially the same view, and both 
aver that Christ did not suffer the penalty of the law, 
but something substituted for the penalty. Did this 
illustration merely go to show the insufficiency of 
Christ's obedience to moral law to make an atonement, 
without the suffering of death, there could be no objec-
tion raised against it. But it goes far beyond this. In 
order for an illustration to be worth anything, there 
must be some analogy between its main points and the 
thing illustrated. in this case there is none whatever. 
"Man is a rebel, condemned to death; the law can 
only be satisfitd with the taking of life. Now in re-
gard to rendering satisfaction to a broken law there 
cannot possibly be anything existing between sinful 
man and his Creator, answering to the nature of a con-
tract, as this illustration supposes. But its defect is 
most plainly seen in this, that man does not, and can-
not, procure a substitute. If man by his own efforts 
had procured the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ, 
atonement would rest on an entirely different footing 
from what it now does. Any illustration based on such 
an utter impossibility, which is so contrary to evident 
truths, and to the who}e revealed plan of the atone-
ment, cannot aid in a correct understanding of it. God 
has set forth his Son to be a propitiation—to suffer 
death, the penalty of the law, for us; so that his sub-
sttutionary sacrifice is the gift of God, even as Christ 
himself was the gift of God. "For God so loved the 
The World's Correction Line. 
SURVEYORS find it necessary to have
‘ a correction 
line, and so do navigators. It is a fact known to every-
body that when we journey east or west we are con-
tinually changing from the time of the locality whence 
we started. But these changes do not affect the identity 
of the days. Yet some are so exceedingly superficial 
in their knowledge of the subject that they suppose 
(or at least say, for it is difficult to understand how any 
sensible man can actually suppose) we cannot keep the 
seventh day unless we all keep the same time. That 
objection assumes that the seventh day must commence 
in all places at the same time! He must be wise in-
deed who will argue on such an assumption. Yet some 
do it; for instance, our neighbor of the Advocate in 
San Francisco. Everybody knows that we commence 
the Sabbath at sunset; but does anybody suppose that 
the sun sets at the same time in all places? or, does 
anybody suppose that, because the sun does not set in 
all places at the same time, therefore we cannot know 
when the seventh day begins in different localities? 
They might as well tell us at once that because the 
sun does not set at the same time in Oakland that it 
does in New York, therefore we cannot tell when it 
does set in Oakland ! 
How do they avoid the difficulty in the time of keep- 
ing Sunday which they seem to suppose exists in regard 
to the seventh day ? Shall we suppose that at that 
time they are all asleep, and unconscious of the fact 
that midnight does not come in all places at the same 
time ? Something of that kind must be the case, for 
it is certain that they give proof that they are in mid-
night darkness whenever they speak on this subject. 
No, we cannot keep the same identical time in all 
places and keep the same identical day, for the evident 
reason that the day does not commence at the same 
time in all places. This our opponents have learned; 
yet we are left to infer from their pretended arguments 
that they have not yet learned that the same fact ex-
ists in regard to the Sunday. Poor seventh day! in 
the estimation of feeble, erring, self-willed men, it is 
beset with unusual unfavorable circumstances; yet it 
has the commandment of God to sustain it, of which 
the " day of the sun " is in great need to give it au- 
thority. 
This question of diversity of time is not new with 
us, though our opponents often talk as if they were 
imparting to us some much-needed information. Some 
years since, a Congregational minister by the name of 
Baird published sermons against the Seventh-day Ad- 
ventists, in which he tried to ridicule us for " erroneously 
supposing that there is a sudden transition of twenty-
four hours' time" in crossing "an imaginary day line 
somewhere in the Pacific Ocean." Of course in writ-
ing thus he betrayed his ignorance of the most common 
facts of travel. In our reply to him we said:— 
It is a fact well known to scientific men and to navi-
gators that each day of the week commences in the 
Pacific Ocean. If the reader will take the trouble to 
examine past volumes of the Scientific American, he 
will find the subject treated on by different writers at 
different times. The conclusion of all is the same, 
because it is not a mere theory—" an imaginary day 
line," as Mr. Baird says—but a settled fact. 
It is well known that in traveling either east or west 
we find our time-pieces continually varying from the 
time of the different localities through which we pass. 
To keep our watches with sun time, that is, true, or 
correct time, we must often set them by local time. 
The whole amount of such changes in traveling around 
the world, will be twenty-four hours. For if we travel 
eastward we must correct our time-pieces by setting 
them forward four minutes to each degree, one hour 
for every fifteen degrees, and of course twenty-four 
hours for the complete circle. Having changed our 
time twenty-four hours in going round the world, it is 
evident that, on returning to the locality whence we 
started, we find there tne same time with which we 
started, and to conform to that time we mu-t drop out 
of our count all the variations we have made in tray-
eling. The effect is the same in traveling westward, 
but the order is reversed. 
It is always a fact that a person starting in China 
and traveling westward will find that his enumeration 
of the days of the week will agree with that of every 
place through which he passes until he again reaches 
the Pacific, in California. And reversing the order, 
starting at San Francisco, he may travel eastward, and 
he will find that his days of the week agree with those 
of every place through which he passes, until he reaches 
the other shore of the Pacific. Through Asia, through 
Europe, across the Atlantic, and through America, no 
change is found. But let him start from the coast of 
China and cross the Pacific Ocean, and the case is dif-
ferent. On landing at San Francisco he will find his 
week one day in advance of those living there, unless 
DR. SPRECHER, of Calvary Church, San Francisco, 
in the course of a recent sermon on "Science and Mir-
acles," uttered the following, which we heartily in-
dorse: "When God gave the ten commandments on 
Sinai, he did not propose that men should obey them 
if they commended themselves to the natural heart; 
but that they should obey because they were the voice 
of God. Truth is not always seen and appreciated at 
first. It generally requires a certain favorable state of 
the heart." We wish the Doctor would come down 
to particulars, and make an application of the above 
statement to the fourth commandment. 
MARCH 1, 1883. �THE SIGNS OF THE TIM �
Fi:S. �
103 
The Two Covenants. 
Practically there is not a particle of difficulty in find-
ing the day in any locality; no confusion is produced 
by correcting the count in the Pacific Ocean. This is 
easily proved. Vessels are constantly plying between 
California and Asia, and this change of a day is made 
on every trip. When our opponents find a vessel in 
San Francisco harbor which lost its count in coming 
from Asia, and has landed here reckoning by a different 
time from that reckoned in San Francisco, then they 
may revive their objections. Until that time they will 
show their wisdom by holding their peace. 
(Continued.) 
WHAT is meant by the word covenant ? In the 
books of the New Testament, the words covenant and 
testament are used as signifying the same thing. They 
are, indeed, only two different translations of the same 
Greek word, diatheke. So that when our Lord says, 
This cup is the new testament in my blood" (Luke 22: 
20), it is the same as if he had said "This cup is the 
new covenant in my blood." Webster thus defines 
covenant:— 
" 1. A mutual consent or agreement of two or more 
persons, to do or to forbear some act or thing; a con-
tract; stipulation. 
"2. A writing containing the terms of agreement or 
contract between parties." 
He thus defines the word contract:— 
An agreement or covenant between two or more 
persons, in which each party binds himself to do or 
forbear some act, and each acquires a right to what the 
other promises; a mutual promise, upon lawful consid-
eration or cause, which binds the parties to a perform-
ance; a bargain; a compact. 
The act by which a man and woman are be-
trothed, each to the other. 
" 3. The writing which contains the agreement of 
parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves 
as a proof of the obligation." . 
It appears, therefore, that the word covenant has two 
leading significations: 1. That of agreement, or con-
tract., between parties. 2. That of a writing contain-
ing the terms or conditions of such agreement. In the 
first and fullest sense, a covenant is a contract, or 
agreement, with the conditions on which that contract 
is made. In the second and more restricted use of that 
word, a covenant is the terms or conditions of such 
contract. 
Such being the signification of the word covenant, 
let us now ascertain what it was which constituted the 
first covenant. We have ascertained who were the con-
tracting or covenanting parties, viz., God and Israel; 
and when this covenant was made, viz., when God took 
that people by the hand to bring them forth out of 
Egypt. But what was the covenant itself into which 
these two parties entered ? 
If we take the first definition then, without doubt 
it was the mutual agreement, or contract, made at Sinai 
between God and Israel respecting the moral law. 
But if we take the second definition, it was the 
law itself; for that embodied the conditions of the cov-
enant. 
Which of these views is the right one ? Those per-
sons who hold that the law of God still remains in force, 
believe that the truth is stated in the first of these two 
answers. But those who believe that the law was abol-
ished at the death of Christ, do, with equal assurance, 
maintain that the law of God alone was the first cove-
nant, and that the second of these two answers is the 
right and proper answer. One party, therefore, asserts 
that the law of God, or ten commandments, was the 
first covenant. The other, that the mutual agreement 
between God and Israel concerning that law constituted 
that covenant. 
Let us now trace the acts by which God and Israel 
entered into covenant. When we have noted all these, 
we shall be able to determine the truth in this case. 
Thus we read, Ex. 19 :1: "In the third month, when 
the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land 
of Egypt,,the same day came they into the wilderness 
of Sinai." And the people encamped before the mount. 
" And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called 
unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou 
say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Is-
rael: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and 
how I bear you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto 
myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, 
he corrected his count by one day, on the ocean. And 
in like manner, if he crosses from California to China, 
he will find himself one day behind the inhabitants of 
China unless he corrected his time, by onetwhole day, 
on the passage. This is not " imaginary." The prov-
idence of God has preserved the certain knowledge of 
the order of the days of the week by indicating where 
each day begins, and where the correction must be 
made. 
We might quote from the Scientific American to 
verify this fact, but for brevity's sake will content our-
self with an extract from the remarks of a corre-
spondent of the Buffalo Express, who crossed the Pa-
cific in July, 1874. He thus gives his experience in 
crossing the day line:— 
"No one thing on shipboard creates so much excite-
ment, or gives rise to so much discussion, as the drop-
ping of a day on the 180th parallel of longitude; and 
particularly to those who have been several times over 
the route, are these arguments laughable. It is evident 
that a uniform place must be established for days to 
begin, and mariners—or astronomers, I don't know 
which—long ago agreed upon the 180th degree as that 
place; and they decided that ships going east should 
there pick up a day, and those going west should drop 
one. This point we reached about eleven o'clock P. m., 
Saturday 25, and over we skipped into Monday, July 
27. We had gone to sleep on Saturday night, and 
waked up on Monday morning, much to the disgust of 
the Rev. Mr. �
, a missionary from Siam, who had 
prepared a sermon for the lost Sunday. On Saturday 
we were six hours and forty-four minutes behind our 
Buffalo friends; on Monday, seventeen hours and six-
teen minutes ahead of them." 
Commenting on this again, we used the following 
language in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, May 3,1877:— 
An exchange says, " When it. is noon at Washington 
it is nine o'clock in the morning at San Francisco." 
Then Washington is three hours farther advanced in 
the same day than San Francisco, and of course Wash- 
ington will see the next day three hours before it is 
seen in San Francisco. And he who starts from San 
Francisco with a watch indicating true time will find 
that his watch is three hours behind true time when 
he arrives in Washington. Say I am now writing in 
San Francisco at noon of Monday, April 23. Going 
instantly to Washington, we find at the same time it 
is Monday, 3 P. M. The same distance east of Wash- 
ington we find 6 P. M., and once more the same distance 
we find 9 P. M. Counting the day from sunset, and it 
is evident that at some point in the last-named distance 
we suddenly passed from Monday into Tuesday, though 
it is still Monday where we started. Now if we should 
insist, inasmuch as we started with true time, and our 
watches are accurate* time-keepers, that therefore they 
indicated true time at all the places we visit, we should 
find ourselves disagreeing in time with all the people 
of the several places, and with the sun also, the great 
time indicator. 
We are thus explicit on this point to fix on the mind 
of the reader the fact that we must correct our time 
in traveling. Having, as supposed, changed our watches 
nine full hours, it is plain to see that if we return to 
San Francisco they will vary nine hours from true time 
here. Hence, we must drop nine hours to restore our 
reckoning. 
We have now seen the necessity of changing our 
time, but we have not yet found the day line. In 
traveling eastward we have changed our time to keep 
in harmony with the inhabitants of the several places 
visited, and in this we have succeeded. Continuing 
our journey we pass to the opposite side of the earth, 
and our time varies twelve hours from San Francisco 
time. True, our watches in both places indicate twelve 
o'clock, but not the same twelve o'clock; one is noon, 
the other is midnight. Continuing to travel in the 
same direction the same distance, we will change our 
time to the same amount, namely, twelve hours more, 
making twenty-four hours. But this will bring us to 
our starting place, and again it is twelve, noon, both 
to us and to the people of the city, but not the same 
noon according to our reckoning. We have been 
regularly setting our time-pieces forward, and in the 
whole journey have set them forward twenty-four hours. 
But if it is Monday noon to the peOple of San Fran-
cisco, and our reckoning is twenty-four hours ahead of 
theirs, it is, of course, Tuesday noon to us at the same 
time. If we drop twenty-four hours out of our reck-
oning, one day, we shall restore ourselves to San Fran-
cisco time. 
Now we come to the interesting point. In our trav-
els we were constantly changing our time-pieces to 
avoid any discrepancy of time between us and the 
iehabitants of the different places visited, and we suc-
ceeded all the w ,y till we returned to the starting 
point, and here we found that by the same process, we 
had run into a discrepancy of twenty-four hours. 
This is a fact which we cannot ignore. Our earth is a 
globe—we travel round a circle. Were it an unlimited 
plane all corrections of time would be in the same 
direction, travel as far as we would. But as we com-
pass the circle we find the necessity for a general cor- 
rection of all the gradual changes we have made. This 
is made by what is called the day line. Such a line 
exists, as we have shown, in the Pacific Ocean. The 
line in the Pacific is recognized by all navigators, and 
is the only place where one can be located to prevent 
confusion and secure a uniform enumeration of the 
days of the week. 
and keep my covenant, then ye shall b a peculiar 
treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is 
mine; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and 
an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt 
speak unto the children of Israel." Verses 3-6. Here 
is a definite proposition from the God of Heaven • "IF 
YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE, . . . then ye shall be to 
me a peculiar treasure." 
Next we read the action of Moses, the mediator be- 
tween these parties. Having received this proposition 
from the Lord, he immediately bore it to the people: 
Thus we read of his action: "And Moses came and 
called for the elders of the people, and laid before their 
faces all these words which the Lord commanded him." 
Verse 7. The proposition of the Most High was thus 
submitted to the people of Israel. And now observe 
their answer: "And all the people answered together, 
and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." 
Verse 8. 
Thus the people with one voice accept the conditions 
offered them, and pledge themselves to their fulfillment. 
And now it is the business of the mediator to return 
this answer to him who had made the proposition to 
them. And thus we read again: "And Moses returned 
the words of the people unto the Lord." Verse 8. The 
preliminary contract was thus closed. The remainder 
of the chapter is devoted to the preparation of the feo-
ple to hear, and the descent of the Almighty to speak 
the ten commandments. Verses 9-25. And now the 
voice of God utters the ten words of the moral law. 
Ex. 20 : 
"And God spake all these words, saying, I am the 
Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the 
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
" Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, 
or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, 
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to 
them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a 
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 
the children unto the third and fourth generation of 
them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands 
of them that love me and keep my commandments. 
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God 
in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that 
taketh his name in vain. 
" Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six 
days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the 
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it 
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy 
daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor 
thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; 
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh 
day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it. 
"Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days 
may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God 
giveth thee. 
"Thou shalt not kill. 
"Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
" Thou shalt not steal. 
" Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh-
bor. 
" Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou 
shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, 
nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any- 
thing that is thy neighbor's." 
These words the Lord spake," says Moses, "unto all 
your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire 
of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great 
voice; AND HE ADDED NO MORE." Deut. 5 : 22. This 
was THE VOICE OF GOD, which the people had so sol-
emnly covenanted to obey. Ex. 19 : 5. 
When the ten words of God's voice had thus been 
heard, and the people had witnessed the awful display 
of the divine majesty, then they removed and stood 
afar off. And they besought Moses to stand between 
them and the great God whose voice they had heard 
and whose majesty they had witnessed. Ex. 20 :18. 
"And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near 
unto the thick darkness where God was." Verse 21, 
The remainder of the chapter, and all of chapters 21, 
22, and 23, are devoted to statutes and judgments, 
partly defining man's duty toward God, but principally 
relating to his duty toward his fellow-man. With 
these are precepts of a ceremonial character, but the 
larger part of these chapters is made up of precepts 
stating the principles of justice among men. These 
three chapters were spoken to Moses only, who was in 
the immediate presence of God. �
J. N. A. 
ghe Pi55ionar. 
LABOR is rest—from the sorro e s that greet us; 
Rest from all petty vexations that meet us, 
Rest from world-sirens that hire us to ill. 
Work—and pure slumbers shall wait on thy pillow; 
Work—thou shalt ride over care's coming billow; 
Lie not down wearied neath woe's weeping willow ! 
Work with a stout heart and resolute will. 
104 �
T111-41 SIGNS OF TH �
1-1, TIMES. �
VoL. 9, No. 9. 
Thoughts on the Twelfth Chapter of 
Hebrews. 
(Continued.) 
"AND let us run with patience the race that is set be-
fore us." The word here rendered "patience," has the 
added idea of "perseverance." The same word in Rom. 
2 :7 is rendered "patient continuance." Not only must 
we " endure hardness " as good soldiers, but must per-
severe in so doing. " He that shall endure unto the 
epd, the same shall be saved." King Darius bore the 
highest testimony to Daniel's Christian character when 
he said, " 0 Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy 
God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver 
thee from the lions ? " and it is very doubtful if Dan-
iel would have been so miraculously preserved if his 
service had been a fitful one. The figure itself which 
the apostle introduces—that of a race—implies constant 
progress. No man who runs a race with any intention 
of winning, ever stops in the course; much less does he 
ever turn back. " No man having put his hand to the 
plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." 
" Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our 
faith." The idea of continuity is still brought to view. 
We are to look to Jesus, to the exclusion of all others. 
Greenfield gives the following definition to the wo d 
rendered "looking:" "To look steadfastly, to behold, 
i. e., to look away from all other things and fix the view 
on a particular object." In the ancient races, the one 
who had charge of the contest sat at the goal which 
the runners were to touch, and held the prizes up to 
their view. The runners, eager to win, could not look 
at anything else. If they turned their heads to one 
side, they would be impeded just so much, and would 
be in danger of losing the race. So in the Christian 
race, he who loses sight of. Jesus, is lost. 
This expression, " looking unto Jesus," can lot be 
dwelt upon too much. People sometimes look at others 
for the purpose of finding fault. No one needs to be 
told that this is all wrong. But there is another way 
in which we look at our neighbors, that is almost as 
productive of bad results. We sometimes contrast our-
selves with those whom we think are better than we 
are, and who doubtless are better. We say, If such 
an one has fierce struggles, and finds himself yielding to 
temptation, there is no use for me to try to overcome." 
This reasoning would be in order, if we were obliged 
to trust in our neighbors for help, or to depend on our-
selves. But to all the exhortation is given, " Look to 
Jesus." We are to look to him for " grace to help in 
time of need." We are saved, not through our natural 
.goodness, but by the blood of Christ, and that is free 
for all. He has no choice of persons to whom he shall 
impart his grace. His love is infinite, and therefore 
can reach to the vilest sinner as easily as to one whose 
life has apparently been upright. Abraham was called 
the "friend of God," not because his natural dispo-
sition was better than that of anybody else, but be-
cause he believed God; and Cain was rejected solely 
on account of his lack of faith. We have no business 
to look at ourselves or others, or to compare ourselves 
with others. We have only one on whom to fix our 
eyes; and this is the faith that gives us the victory. 
" Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." 
Christ is the author of the faith. Not merely of our 
faith, as our version has it, but of faith in the abstract. 
‘` There is none other name under heaven given among 
men, whereby we must be saved." There can be no 
faith except in Christ; confidence put in any other is 
not faith, but presumption. We cannot save ourselves; 
neither can any man, or any system of man's devising 
save us. Christ is also the perfecter of the faith. This 
may mean that faith ends with him; that all faith, as 
we have just said, is centered in him. It is he, also, 
who presents the prizes at the end of the race. When 
we see him as he is, then faith will be lost in sight. 
There will no longer be any occasion for faith, for, as 
the psalmist says, we shall be satisfied. 
(To be Continued.) 
THE Examiner (Baptist) says that " the recruits 
of educated young men to the ministry are not enough 
to fill the gaps made in the ranks by death. It is only 
a question of time when the exigencies of the case will 
compel the churches to call untrained or half-trained 
young men into tie ministry, to fill the places for which 
thoroughly-trained men cannot be found." 
Missionary Work in the Third Angel's 
Message. 
BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL. 
THE work in which we as a people are engaged 
is, in many respects, unlike all other denomina- 
tional enterprises. It is not a work which pre- 
sents one or two main features merely, but every 
point of practical Bible truth is made a specialty. 
Ft not only inculcates the Sabbath reform, but 
every good principle contained in the Bible. We 
believe in heeding the instruction of the apostle 
to eat and drink to the glory of God, and to dress 
modestly, as becometh the church of Christ. 
" Whose adorning let it not be that outward 
adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of 
gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be 
the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not 
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and 
quiet spirit." 
These truths are presented before the world as 
a specialty, having in view a definite Object, 
namely, a preparation to meet God. To this 
generation it is said: "If any man worship the 
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his 
forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of 
the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured 
out without mixture into the cup of his indigna-
tion; and he shall be tormented with fire and 
brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and 
in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of 
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: 
and they have no rest day nor night, who wor-
ship the beast and his image, and whosoever re-
ceiveth the mark of his name" Rev. 14 : 9-11. 
This truth is not of such a character that it 
makes no difference whether men believe it or 
not: but it presents as a warning against its re-
jection the most awful threatenings found in the 
Bible. It restores every lost 'or downtrodden 
truth of past centuries as presenting salvation to 
the receiver, and condemnation to those who 
reject it. 
The message is given in haste. Men and 
women who listen to this solemn warning will be 
witnesses of the outpouring of the vials of God's 
wrath; and those who reject it will receive the 
same, and be destroyed thereby. " And the first 
went, and poured out his vial upon the earth: 
and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon 
the men which had the mark of the beast, and 
upon them which worshiped his image." Rev. 
16 : 2. 
This is a warning which will be given but 
once. There are prophecies which refer to 
events like the rise and fall of nations, which 
are repeatedly fulfilled, as those concerning "wars 
and rumors of wars; " but not so in this case. 
Like the rising of the sun as it lights up the east-
ern horizon, dispelling the fog and mist until the 
whole earth is lightened with its cheering rays, 
so it is with this work. It is represented in 
prophecy as small in the beginning, but gradually 
increasing as it gathers truths from every part of 
Inspiration, until it goes forth in majesty and 
power, arresting the attention of people and na-
tions, from the king on his throne to the humblest 
peasant in his cot. It will present itself before 
the world as embracing every genuine reform: 
And when the message has gone to every nation, 
kindred, tongue, and people, has gathered to-
gether in the truth the meek of the earth, and 
they have enlisted under the blood-stained ban-
ner of Prince Immanuel—then the curtain drops 
upon the scene, and the wicked are destroyed 
from the face of the earth. 
This people will have a different experience 
from those who have seemingly learned every-
thing necessary to their advancement, and grad-
uated in spiritual things. They will have the 
experience of genuine reformers; not learning 
to-day that the light of yesterday was darkness, 
but gathering additional light, and thus growing 
in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. W ays and means will be 
devised to carry forward this work upon a larger 
and still broader scale, until the influence of it 
will be felt to earth's remotest bounds. 
The commandments of God and the faith of 
Jesus embrace all the practical truths applicable 
to the present time. God will honor this message. 
Those who have no other earthly interest, and 
whose lives are devoted to the promulgation of 
this cause, although they may be despised by 
men, will be honored in Heaven. It is. not a 
high-sounding title which gives vitality and 
power to this work, but the spirit of our Lord 
Jesus Christ witnessing to every unselfish act. 
It may be the sending of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES 
to some unknown person, if it be done in love 
and faith, that the Spirit of God will make fruit-
ful of good results. Therefore the first inquiry 
of the heart should be, How much can I do ? 
How much of means, or of physical and mental 
strength, can I put into this cause during the few 
remaining days of my probationary time? How 
much of my past life can I redeem by using what 
I have acquired of means, experience, learning, 
and ability in this closing work? 
It is solemn but still glorious to live in these 
closing moments of the world's history. May 
God give us wisdom, integrity, and courage to 
finish our work, that with joy we may exclaim 
with the apostle, " I have fought a good fight, I 
have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of 
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous 
judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me 
only, but unto all them also that love his appear-
ing." 
Among the Churches. 
AT Arbuckle one man signed the covenant, and 
others manifested an interest which we hope will 
ripen into faith and obedience. 
At Nevada City and Grass Valley we have 
twelve or fifteen who keep up Sabbath meetings 
in each place, as it is not convenient for them to 
meet together in one company. But during my 
stay they all met at N evada City, and I preached 
five sermons to them. I became much interested 
in this company that they be so imbued with 
the message that through them its light may 
shine out clearly before the thousands of unbe-
lievers. 
At Auburn and Newcastle, there are ten or 
twelve, mostly sisters, who meet at a private house 
for Sabbath meetings. We were not able to pro-
cure a suitable place for evening meetings, at the 
time we were there, and after visiting most of the 
members, we drove on to Rocklin, where we found 
another little company, which attracts the atten-
tion of the people to the truth of God. We had 
some good meetings with them and also had a 
goodly number of those not of the faith who lis-
tened with interest to the words spoken. 
I am now at Placerville where I design to re-
main this week and then visit Sacramento. Thus 
far in our work we have had good meetings with 
our people, and feel satisfied that much good has 
been done. There has also been, in several places, 
an interest awakened outside, which I could not 
spend time to follow up; but I feel certain that if 
it could be done, good results would be reached. 
I see the need of earnestly praying " The Lord 
of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest." 
W. M. HEALEY. 
Placerville, February 20, 1883. 
Educated Women. 
EDUCATED women have a wide sphere. There 
is, indeed, some discussion as to its exact bounds. 
Some doubt, for instance, whether they have a 
legitimate function in the pulpit. Our own view 
is that character and ability are God's chart of 
duty. 
But whatever may be decided in regard to the 
pulpit, there is one field where educated women 
are in demand. That is the home. The educated 
woman is the best wife, the best mother, the best 
house-keeper, the best economist. The " coming 
men " could afford to pay all the expenses of a 
full training for their future wives merely for the 
greater good they would receive from them. 
In these days we pity the ignorant mother. Six 
years of hard study are well invested, if for noth-
ing more than to be able to answer a thousand 
questions which curious youngsters will be ask-
ing in a few years. 
MARCH 1, 1883. �111-1 SIGNS OF THE TIIVI �
105 
ards have always more or less cerebral diseas 
And so this voluntary habit, long indulged i 
becomes master, and overpowers the will a 
forces the victim down to death. At the last no 
a sound tissue or particle of flesh can be foun 
from the sole of the foot to the crown of th 
head. 
The liquor trafac is dangerous, because 
destroys our statesmen and the distinguishe 
among us. We have witnessed the sad sight o 
a drunken President drivelling the silly vapo 
ings a a drunkard in the presence of the title 
representatives of the governments of the worl 
No class of officials, sacred or secular, has e 
caped the blight of drink; and since the legaliza 
tion of the traffic the scourge in high places h 
increased. 
Some of the brightest names of our histor 
have fallen victims to strong drink. Vice-Pres 
ident Wilson says: "In this country, and in thi 
age of light, we have an army of five hundre 
thousand drunkards; fifty thousand of this num 
ber annually sink into drunkard's graves. A 
army of half a million in Christian America 
How fearful the thought, how appalling th 
spectacle! " 
The liquor traffic is dangerous, because i 
destroys our wealth. Much has been shown o 
its waste, so details will not be given here. Re 
member that the annual cost, as shown, is $2,550, 
000,000 in this country. In the city of Ne 
York, in the single year 1878, $60,000,000 wer 
spent for intoxicating drinks, In 1877, a dis 
tinguished lord shows that for intoxicatin 
drinks in the British Isles, more than $700,000, 
000 were expended in a year. This was mor 
than $20 to every man, woman, and child in th 
kingdom; and this was for the liquor drank b 
the common people, and does not include tha 
drank by the aristocratic and upper classes, the 
drinking wine, etc., which cost a much large 
sum during the year. Gerrit Smith, a fe 
years ago, when in Richmond, said to the colore 
people: " If you will. not drink a drop of liquo 
for thirty years, I will guarantee that you wil 
own half' the land in Virginia." Mr. Greeley 
just before he died, said that during the forty 
years he had lived in New York, the poorer 
classes of the working people had spent enough 
for whisky to have given them half the property 
in the city. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous, because it 
corrupts the ballot-box and demoralizes our pol-
itics. J. G. Gurney once said that " a pint of 
whisky in a politician's hand on election day 
would control more votes than a pint of brains in 
a sober man's head." Daniel Webster, although 
addicted to the fearful vice, said in a speech in 
1835, "Intoxicating liquors are a danger to the 
ballot-box, a menace to our institutions without 
an equal." And yet we are told to keep temper-
ance out of politics—that is a moral question. 
Well, we will consent to keep, temperance out of 
politics if the other side will keep intemperance 
out. Dr. Dick says: " When intemperance pre-
vails a barrier is interposed to every attempt to 
raise man from the moral and intellectual degra-
dation into which he has sunk; and where it is 
so, no power can irradiate his mind with knowl-
edge. With his passions stimulated, his moral 
powers enervated, he has no faculty for self-gov-
ernment, and is dangerous to society." 
The debauchery of our times, the corruption of 
our ballot-box, are proof beyond cavil of this 
truth. In large cities the elective franchise is no 
better than a farce. Drunkenness has turned 
this highest privilege of a freeman into a two-
edged sword that is being used by bad men to 
cut down and destroy forever self-government. 
The scenes often occurring in the two houses of 
Congress are sickening to think of. In July, 
1878, sixteen Senators, in a public place, were 
drunk at one time, and four times that number 
of Representatives were under the influence of 
strong drink. A noted writer for one of the 
largest journals in the country, says, "Drunk-
enness is proving 'the cause of death to many 
Congressmen." 
The liquor traffic is dangerous because it 
produces 87 per cent. of the crime in the whole 
country. And to punish legally-produced crime, 
50 per cent. of the cost of maintaining the courts 
is expended. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous because it 
produces more misery than ail the other crimes 
combined. The suffering of women and children, 
brought on them by it, no•pen can describe. The 
w 
misery in the world to-day, by this dragon of 
death, drapes all Heaven in black, and stirs to 
wild outbreak the chambers of hell. This curse 
is insatiable. The soul is ruined by it, and death 
crowned a king. The grave is robbed of hope, 
and on the fretted arch of the celestial its endless 
work is written: " No drunkard shall inherit the 
kingdom of God." 
Finally, the liquor traffic is dangerous be-
cause it is in direct violation of the commands of 
God. This is its great, its infinite danger, That 
which violates moral law is wrong—is crime of 
the bighest degree. But. that which is allowed 
by custom and law of the creature, which is di- 
rectly prohibited by the Creator, is sin—deep 
and deadly sin, and brings a ruin temporal and 
eternal. Such a sin is the legalized liquor traffic 
of modern civilization. 
In the light of the foregoing, every considera-
tion of humanity urges us to rise in our majesty 
and rescue the perishing. Every impulse of the 
heart, which beats in love for man, urges us to 
save the dying. The bodies of unnumbered mul- 
titudes are wasting away amid the slow fire of 
this consuming traffic. The best hopes of the 
race are imperiled—sorrow is surely settling 
down upon the weeping soul. The danger is in- 
finite, the results eternal. The longing cry of 
the lost at this shrine appeals to us in agony to 
reach forth in the strength of God and snatch 
them from the very jaws of death and the gates 
of hell. Shall we falter; shall we sleep; shall 
we count the cost when both temporal and eter- 
nal life are in the balance ? No, no, a thousand 
times no! But with leaning on Omnipotence, 
and hand strong in the Almighty, let us lift the 
fallen from the lazar-house of sin, and place them 
securely on the Everlasting Rock. And as the 
traffic goes down, down, down forever, let us 
thank God for his wondrous work. And as the 
saved come up, up, up from the squalor of death 
and the ruin of despair, singing the diapason of 
the Immortal King, let us thank God for his 
matchless love. Let joy supreme thrill our heart 
as the temperance banner shall crown the temple 
of our purified liberty; and as it rises to its holy 
place amid the perennial blue, fruited with Chris-
tian, temperance work, may an enfranchised na-
tion ring out in anthem peal: " Grace, grace unto 
it."—Col. Jesse Harper. 
The Hidden Side. 
IT is one of the happiest things for man that 
nature is on the side of virtue, that those who live 
the most virtuous lives and who take the best care 
to preserve the purity of their bodies and their 
minds have the greatest happiness in life. If the 
young men and young women of to-day could 
only be taught fully to realize this great *fact, we 
venture to think that nine out of every ten of 
them, who otherwise would go wrong, would be 
restrained. 
This great truth ought to be dinned into their 
understandings with repeated emphasis, and illus-
trated by hard, practical facts from every-day life, 
and not merely left to the effect of a few moral 
maxims. They see no ill consequences flowing 
from vice and dissipation. These are carefully 
screened from view; and few quote these conse-
quences as a warning. It is in our jails, our pen-
itentiaries, our lock-hospitals, our lunatic-asylums, 
and our Work-houses that the fruits of early dissi-
pation are to be found.—Selected. 
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THE liquor traffic is dangerous, because it 
menaces civilization and is the mortal enemy of 
Christianity. The law protecting and giving 
legal existence to the liquor traffic is a devilish 
yahoo who takes all that is 'deformed in man and 
energiz6s it until every • part becomes a genii. 
These demons go about strong in the support of 
law, dragging to death—not only temporal but 
eternal—all on whom they lay their infernal hand. 
The legalized liquor traffic is a danger, indeed. 
A LETTER from India reports that one of the 
serious obstacles to the work of teaching. the chil-
dren of the poor is the increasing intemperance 
of the lower classes in Bengal. Within a. few 
years the price of intoxicating liquor has become 
so low, and the manufacture of it so general, 
that even the women and the children are form-
ing intemperate habits. Ten years ago, the writer 
says, an intoxicated woman or child was never 
seen, but now the sight is common. Not unfre-
quently the schools_ are broken up by a drunken 
row, and the children are sometimes found. too 
drunk to read. The schools have to be moved in 
some instances in order to get the pupils away 
from the sight and stench of the public stills. 
AN angry liquor-dealer, prosecuted for breaking 
the law, bluntly revealed the secret of his law-
defying business. "Judge," said he, "there's no 
useof your trying to stop liquor-selling. Just as 
long as there is eight cents profit on a .ten-cent, 
drink, rum will be sold, and no one can stop it." 
" It is a strange, a woeful sprite 
As ever frightened human sight." 
The danger is infinite, because the liquor 
tire destroys the physical, intellectual, and 
moral powers. Drunkenness is surely burning 
out the very germs of manhood, permeating the 
coming generations with the virus of death. 
The baleful effects are becoming hereditary. 
The fearful law of transmission is showing itself 
in the degeneracy of the race wherever intoxi-
cants are used. A high medical authority says: 
" The vitality and the physical and mental organ-
ization. of the infant proceed directly from the 
parent." In regard to drunkenness the trans-
mitted virus may show itself in the child, grand-
child, or great-grandchild. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous, because it is 
the greatest social evil that affects the human 
race. Sir James Greenwood says: " Whatever 
difference of opinion of other causes, no sane 
man will contest the fact that drunkenness has 
wrought more mischief than all 'other social evils 
put together." Again: There is not a &I'm of 
human sin and sorrow in which it does not play 
a part." 
The celebrated Dr. Guthrie, of London, in a 
letter to a committee of the House of Commons, 
says: " Believe me, it is impossible to exaggerate, 
impossible truthfully to paint the effect of this 
evil either on those who are addicted to it or 
those who suffer from it. Crushed husbands, 
broken-hearted. wives, and, most of all, those 
poor, innocent children, that are dying under 
cruelty and starvation, that walk unshod the 
winter snows, and with their matted hair and 
hollow cheeks and sunken eyes glare out on us 
wild and savage-like from patched and filthy. 
windows. Nor is the curse confined to the low-
est stratum of society. It has cost many a ser- 
vant her place, and yet greater loss, her virtue. 
It has ruined trades, despoiled the coronet of its 
luster, and damned without number." 
The liquor traffic is dangerous because of 
the poisonous adulterations of all intoxicants. 
The belief. that there is now any such thing as 
pure liquors is a myth. But if there were, what 
of it ? Nothing; for the consequences that flowed 
from the drinking of pure liquors in the day of 
their existence, were fearful indeed. And now, 
when we add to this dark picture this—the 
drinking of adulterated liquors—and they are all 
the kind we have—then the picture becomes a 
wide-spread ruin, a very valley of the shadow of 
death. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous because it' 
 
encourages the use of intoxicants as a medicine, 
thereby cultivating a taste for drinks, which may 
ultimate in the destruction of both soul and body. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous, because it 
promotes drunkenness; drunkenness is aberra-
tion, and constant drinking ultimates in delirium, 
and finally insanity. Says a noted medical writer: 
" One of the most terrible results of drinking is 
the inducing of that kind of insanity which takes 
the name of delirium tremens." He describes 
this insanity thus: " The casualities of the dis-
ease are convulsions, coma, which, if not imme-
diately fatal, are apt to leave the sufferer a wreck 
for the remainder of his life. 
The liquor traffic is dangerous, because it 
creates an appetite that at last becomes irresist-
ible. We would speak now briefly of the patho-
logical, or, as it is called, the proximate cause of 
drunkenness. No impression from any source 
can affect the mind except through the brain: 
In drunkenness, therefore, it is the brain that is 
principally affected. It is only through a healthy 
brain that healthy manifestations can emanate. 
Intoxicants destroy the cerebral texture; and the 
act is now well established that habitual drunk- 
Zemptranfe. 
The Danger of the Liquor Traffic. 
rifice, or anxiety off? " Behold," says St. James, 
"we count them happy which endure." 
Ah! there is the shadow, and beyond, looking 
at the unseen things, shines the clear light of that 
Sun which is risen with healing—healing for 
wounded, tired, discouraged hearts—in his wings. 
Is it not foolish,—no, is it not wicked,—to walk 
shivering in the shadow, when by one step, into 
full faith and acceptance of God's will, you may 
be in the warmth of his presence ?—Hope Ledyard, 
in S. S. Times. 
At the Prison Gate. 
106 �
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. �VoL. 9 No. 9. 
bite dome circle. 
Written for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
G-A.'1`11En '1`11E STINLIG-11T. 
He had a little talk with my man, and made a 
bargain with him. That night, just at the hour 
for the shop to close, we three went into the 
work room. 
" Here is a poor fellow who was discharged 
this morning from the Connecticut State's Prison,' 
said the proprietor. �
I am going to give him 
a start in life by taking him into the shop; he 
will begin work to-morrow.' 
" There were indignant glances among the 
men, and one spoke up, hastily :--- 
"' I shall leave if he stays. I will not work 
with a jail-bird.' 
" Very well,' said the employer,' any one who 
wishes to leave, can bring in a bill of his time 
in the morning.' 
" Only one man, the man who had constituted 
himself spokesman, left. 
" Ten years later that discharged convict was 
the owner of that manufactory, and the man 
who would not work with a jail-bird,' was one 
of the journeymen. As I said to begin with, 
that was thirty years ago. The man whom I 
met at the prison door is now a Senator in thp 
Legislature of our New England States. He 
said to me the other day :— 
" I tremble when I think what the result 
might have been had an evil instead of a good 
friend met me outside of the prison door.' "—Ad-
vocate and. Guardian. 
I WAS walking along the street the other day. 
 
when I saw a young girl, whom I knew, and a 
little tot of three years, crawling along disconso-
lately on the shady side of the way. It was a 
side street, and no one was passing, so I called out, 
" Come over in the sun, Mollie." 
The girl looked up, crossed over, and we walked 
on together, the child dancing along in the hap-
piest manner. 
" Why, how pleasant it is on this side I " ex-
claimed Mollie. " I had no idea it was so warm 
and cheerful. We were half frozen, and 1 was 
going to turn back." 
How like that is so many a Christian life? 
How many find the "narrow way" cold and 
dreary, and are inclined to turn back and give it 
up entirely. And, yet, there is the Sun, and they 
might walk in his light; there is the bright, 
sunny path of entire and full consecration, of un-
wavering faith, of perfect submission to him who 
" knoweth the way that I take." Let us see if 
we can find the way out of the shadow into this 
sunlight. 
The very darkest, coldest shadow comes from 
want of faith. You are wrapping yourself up in 
your feelings, your attainments, your understand-
ing of God's word. No wonder you shine dis-
mally, and that the way seems cold and dark. 
Look across; see such as Frances Ridley Haver-
gal or Hannah Smith, and, I trust some among 
your own personal friends, walking in bright sun-
light, never thinking whether they feel aright or 
have yet attained to anything, never questioning 
God's word. It is enough that Christ has been 
perfect for them, that he leads them. 
"Ah! but," says one, " some lives are full of 
shadows—full of trouble." 
Thank God, lives are not like houses—they can 
be brought into the sunlight; and we know that 
even this created sun has power to break away 
all shadow—how much more the Uncreated Sun 
who longs to shine full upon us! I do think we 
look upon trouble in a very unscriptural way nowa-
days. I am quite sure that in the apostles' time 
there were many in the church who were endur- 
ing great sorrow and affliction, apart from the 
fierce persecution which raged, for it may be that 
great persecution brings with it an exalted state 
of mind; so we will not consider that at all. But 
I am sure that many a mother, in the apostles' 
time, was mourning the loss of her darling, many 
a wife was dragging through years of devotion 
to one who was blind to all her self-sacrifice, many 
a man was beset by terrible business difficulties. 
Yet, did the apostles pity them, and wish it were 
in their power to take the load of sorrow, or sac- 
" PASSING the State's Prison in Wethersfield on 
foot, one spring morning, thirty years ago," 
said an old gentleman recently (one of the prison 
commissioners of the State of Connecticut), " I 
saw the gate open, a man come out, and the gate 
close again. The man looked pale and worn and 
sad. He stood by the gate, in the broad May 
sunshine, in a perplexed, undecided way, and I 
noticed that the tears were streaming down his 
cheeks. He looked up and down the road, up at 
the sky, then stood with bowed bead. 
" Where now, my friend ?' I asked cheerfully. 
"‘ I don't know, good sir,' replied the, man 
sadly. I was just thinking that I would throw 
my hat straight up into the air, and go the way 
the wind blew it. I would rather go back into 
the prison, but. they won't have me now that I 
have worked out my sentence. They won't have 
me there, and I don't suppose they will have me 
anywhere,' he went on, in a broken voice, but 
1 have got to be somewhere. I don't know what 
will become of me; foresight isn't as good as 
hindsight, sir.' 
" I am walking to Hartford ; take passage 
with me ?' I said. 
" You won't care to be in such company,' he 
replied, looking at me incredulously. ' Perhaps 
you don't understand that I have just worked 
out a sentence in the State's Prison here.' 
" I understand,' I said. ;We are all wayfarers ; 
come along, and we will talk the matter over, 
and decide as we go what can be done for you.' 
" It was a lovely warm day. We walked slowly 
and talked a good deal, or rather my companion 
talked, and I encouraged him to do so. He 
answered my questions frankly, clutching hun-
grily at my ready sympathy. He was very free 
to talk of himself, and said at last as I smiled at 
some unimportant disclosure :— 
"'Reserve was never one of my failings, sir. 
If I tell anything I tell all. That is the way 
I came to get into prison. Had I kept silent, 
I should have gone free. But by this time my 
heart, full of pent-up sin, would have been a 
mass of corruption.' 
"I found that he had made shoes in the prison. 
' I never had a trade before,' he said. �
I think 
if I had, I would not have fallen into errors. 
Had I had a legitimate way of getting a living, 
I would not have been tempted as I was. I have 
a good trade to begin on now, however. I have 
brought that away with me, as well as a bitter 
memory and a lasting disgrace.' 
"' It is not the fact of your being in prison, 
but the crime that carried you there, wherein lies 
the sin,' I said. 
" But those who are not found out escape the 
disgrace,' he replied bitterly, with a deep sigh, 
and I hastened to say :— 
" ' I think I know a man here in the city who 
will hire you. He is a large shoe manufacturer, 
and I am sure he will make a place for you as a 
favor to me, even if he does not really need a 
man.' 
" The more I thought about it, the more con-
fident I felt that my friend would take him into 
his manufactory. 
" ' If I were in your place,' I said, as we entered 
the city, I would not lisp a word about having 
been in prison.' 
" The poor fellow stopped short and looked at 
me. The hopeful look dropped out of his face, 
his eyes filled with tears, and he said in a broken 
voice :— 
" You have been very kind, but I had better 
bid you good-by, sir. I can not live and lie. I 
promised my God last night in my cell that was 
so dark at first, but so light at last when Jesus 
came to me there, that I would be true whatever 
befell me, and I will keep my word.' 
" ' Forgive me for tempting you at the outset,' 
1 said. ' Come on.' 
" I saw my friend, and told him the whole story. 
Iron Shod. 
THE safety of the mountain climber depends up-
on being well shod; therefore the Swiss guides 
wear heavy shoes with sharp spikes in the soles. 
On a bright July morning, a famous man of sci-
ence started with two gentlemen to ascend Pitz 
Morterasch, a steep and lofty snow mountain in 
Switzerland. Though experienced mountaineers, 
they took with them Senni, the boldest guide 
in that district. After reaching the summit of 
Morterasch they started back, and soon arrived 
at a steep slope covered with a thin snow. They 
were lashed together with a strong rope, which 
was tied to each man's waist. 
" Keep carefully in my steps, gentlemen," said 
Senni, " for a false step here might start the 
snow, and send us down in an avalanche." 
He had hardly spoken when the whole field of 
ice began to slide down the icy mountain side, 
carrying the unlucky climbers with it at a terri-
ble pace. A steeper slope was before them and 
at the end of it was a precipice. The three fore-
most men were almost buried in the whirling 
snow. Below them were the jaws of death. 
Everything depended on getting a foothold. 
Senni shouted loudly, "Halt! halt!" and with 
desperate energy drove his iron-nailed boots into 
the firm ice beneath the snow. Within a few 
rods of the precipice Senni got hold with his feet, 
and was able to bring the party all up standing, 
when two seconds more would have swept them 
into the chasm. 
The hair-breadth escape shows the value of 
being well shod when in dangerous places. The 
lesson is especially needed by the young. No 
boy is well prepared for rough climbing, un-
less he is well shod with Christian principles. 
Sometimes temptation ices the track under him, 
and then he must put his foot down with an iron 
heel, or he is gone. A poor boy of my acquaint-
ance signed a pledge never to taste liquor. One 
day his rich employer invited him to dinner. 
There was wine on the table, but the lad was not 
ashamed to say, 
"No, I thank you, sir; I never touch it." 
Then came on a rich pudding, which the boy 
tasted and found there was brandy in it, so he 
quickly laid the tasted morsel back on his plate. 
The employer discovered that the boy had 
" pluck " enough to stand by his convictions, and 
he will never be afraid to trust him. He is a 
sure-footed boy. 
God knows what steep places lie before us. 
He has provided the " shoes of iron and brass " 
for us to put on. They are truth and honesty 
and faith and courage and prayer. A clear con-
science will keep the head- cool. And up along 
the hard road there is a sign-board on which is 
written in large bright letters, " He that walketh 
uprightly, walketh surely."—Dr. T. L. Cuyler. 
OUR grand business is, not to see what lies dimly 
at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. 
—Carlyle. 
On, the sunbeam's magic power! 
It I rightens all the earth, 
Filling all hearts with gladness, 
Giving all beauty birth. 
Yet the same bright beams are falling 
Through the void without our air, 
Their golden gleams diffusing 
No warmth or brightness there. 
And wherefore those outer regions 
So dreary and dark alwa,y ? 
No power to stay the sunbeams 
On its shining path have they. 
Is it thus we are wrapped in shadow 
While the light of a Saviour's love 
Is falling treely, 
Oar gloomy path above? 
In vain are the rays from Heaven, 
The message of holy cheer, 
If the soul stays not the sunbeams 
That would scatter its doubt and fear. 
The grasp of a living faith— 
This must the promise . laim, 
This gather the heavenly radiance 
In a risen Saviour's name. 
Away with the doubts we cherish! 
Will He not faithful prove 
Who hath sealed with his precious life-blood 
The message of his love ? 
Who treasure the beams of blessing, 
Great shall be their reward,—
Life's desert wastes shall blossom, 
A garden of the Lord. �
M. D. 
Walking in Shadow or Sunlight. 
MARCH 1, 1883. �THE . SIGNS OF THE TIM �
IH:S. �
1.07 
—The Bible is wholly put into eight African tongues, 
and partly into thirty-four more, and the thirty-fifth is 
being prepared for. 
It is said that Mormonism is steadily spreading 
over Idaho, one-third of the population already belong-
ing to that class of people. 
—The Oakland branch of the Salvation Army an-
nounces that General Booth, head of the army in Eng-
land, will soon visit this city. 
' �
—The Roman Catholics have been in China three 
nundred years, and they have not yet given the Bible, 
or any portion of it, to the Chinese. 
, �
—The Jewish Times speaks of a church that has a 
debt of $200,000, and forcibly says: "We do not be-
lieve in dedicating debts to the service of the Lord." 
—Prof. Bernhard Weiss, of Berlin University, places 
the writing of the Book of Revelation at A. D. 70, and 
that of John's Gospel about twenty or twenty-five years 
later. 
—The first newspaper in India was published by 
Baptist missionaries in 1838. Now there are 240 papers 
/published there, over 100 of them in their native lan-
guages. 
—There are 120,000,000 women and girls in India, 
and at the most liberal estimate not more than one in 
every 1,200 has yet been placed under any kind of 
Christian instruction. 
The Advocate across the bay seems to think that 
the murder of Dr. Glenn was owing to the repeal of 
the Sunday Law. This gives us a clew to the cause of 
the Tehachepi disaster, and the floods along the Ohio. 
—One of the Chickasaw Indians proposed to the 
American Bible Society to pay half the cost of sup-
plying the school children of his tribe with New Tes-
taments if the Society would pay the other half. The 
Bible Society accepted the offer and forwarded him a 
box of 500 New Testaments, which he is now distrib-
uting. 
The first instance of a priest of the Greek Church 
turning Presbyterian, occurred in New York a few days 
ago. At the last meeting of the New York Presbytery, 
Dr. Crosby stated that Rev. Bjerring, formerly rector 
of the Greek Church of that city, wished to become a 
member of the Presbytery. A committee was appointed 
to confer with him and report at the next meeting. 
Dr. Nevins, for t.en years of the American Pres-
byterian Mission to China, has labored in a thickly-
settled province where twenty years ago the name of 
Jesus had not been heard. His circuit extended over 
1,000 miles, and he labored five years before he had a 
convert. He is now on his return to his field, where 
he expects a Christian welcome in over 200 villages. 
There are now sixty central stations where the gospel 
is regularly preached by native converts. 
The Sunday Law is being strictly enforced in 
Saxony. The Minister of the Interior has ordered that 
in the future workmen employed by the Government 
shall rest on Sunday; and the magistrates of towns and 
villages are prohibited from having work done on a 
Sunday which can be done on any other day. The 
police are instructed not to allow the peasants to work 
' on Sunday in the fields, carpenters to ply their trade, 
sailors to load or unload ships. Hunting, and other 
amusements, by which divine service might be dis-
turbed, are prohibited; and especially military shooting 
parties are no longer allowed to practice with music on 
Sunday morning during the time of service. Noisy 
amusements are interdicted, and all beer saloons and 
dance halls are put under police surveillance Saturday 
night and Sunday.—Chronicle. 
—Hon. Wm. E. Dodge, who recently died in New 
York, will doubtless be remembered for his charities, 
more than for his success as a business man. It has 
been estimated that there have been years in which his 
benefactions averaged $1,000 a day throughout the 
year, while frequently the sum given away by him 
amounted to $250,000, and at no time within several 
years did it fall below $200,000. Mr. Dodge was also 
consistent in his religious life, always living strictly up 
to his convictions. He had much stock in railroads, 
and was a Director in several companies, but he in-
variably sold out, no matter what the sacrifice, and 
withdrew from the company, as soon as it began to run 
trains on Sunday. We cannot but admire such con-
sistency, because of its scarcity, even though it was 
exercised toward the Sunday. Were all the advocates 
of Sunday observance so careful, the Sunday-law ques-
tion would be quickly settled. 
—In the last number of the North American Re-
view, Bishop McQuaid (Catholic) had an article on the 
" Decay of Protestantism," which has called forth a 
great deal of.comment. The Bishop argues that piety 
is dying out of the church; that ministers are worldly, 
caring more for wealth and a position than for the 
gospel; and that there is getting to be the greatest loose-
ness in matters of doctrine. This last needs no argu-
ment; and granting that, the others must of necessity 
follow. The article sets forth the moral delinquencies 
of the Protestant denominations in a strong light, and 
many religious journals are seeking to refute it. Some 
are content to say that it is not true, but a writer in 
the Occident brings the strongest argument yet pro-
duced in rebutal. He argues in substance that the 
Bishop's assertions in regard to Protestantism cannot 
be true because the Catholic church is not increasing 
in numbers! But this is no more to the point than is 
the Bishop's conclusion that because religion is dying 
out among Protestant denominations, therefore it is 
gaining among Catholics. We would suggest to those 
who come within the scope of the Bishop's criticism, 
that there is a practical way of disproving the �
of 
his article, which they would do well to adopt. 
News and Notes. 
—Eight convicts in the Missouri Penitentiary at 
Jefferson City, rebelled on the 23d ult., and, setting fire 
to the buildings, attempted to escape. They were .cap-
tured, but the fire damaged the State buildings to the 
amount of $300,000. As a consequence of this offense, 
the Governor has sent a message to the State Legis-
lature, recommending the passage of a law making 
such offenses punishable with death. 
—Rumors of war with China still continue rife, and 
point to the possibility of a war at no distant date. 
Of the 7,000,000 yen which is expected to be realized 
by the recently imposed extra taxation, 3,000,000 is to 
be devoted to the navy, 1,500,000 to the army, and the 
remaining 2,500,000 is to be kept as a reserve. It is 
here stated that two iron-clads, originally commenced 
in Germany for the Chilean Government, are to be at 
once acquired. Native journals state that all the fac-
tories, etc., remaining in Government hands are to be 
disposed of to raise money for war-like purposes. The 
Jiji Shinpo, a native paper, referring to the appre-
hended hostility of China towards Japan, says that the 
patriots of the Celestial Empire are advocating war .in 
order to punish the Japanese and prevent them from 
heaping any further insults upon China. 
Obititar. 
GLENN.—George Albert, son of Wm. N. and Victoria 
E. Glenn, of Oakland, Cal., was born July 4, 1882, and 
died of pneumonia, Feb. 22, 1883. 
Bro. Glenn has stood connected with us in the work 
in this office for several years. In this affliction he and 
his family have the sincere sympathy of a large circle 
of friends. We endeavored to impart comfort at the 
funeral from the words of Jesus in Mark 10 13-16. 
' EDITOR. 
A BOOK FOR THE TIMES. 
THE RELIGIOUS A illigiVDMENT TO THE 
CONSTITUTION; 
OR, 
THE SABBATH, THE SUNDAY, THE CHANGE, AND THE 
RESTITUTION. 
THE object of the proposed Constitutional Amendment, together with 
the authority for it, is fully canvassed. 
The views of the leaders of the parties both for and against the Amend-
ment are fairly given in this book. 
The present agitation of the SUNDAY LAW makes this book especially 
interesting and instructive at this time. 
380 pp. Bound in cloth. Price, $1.00. 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
THE SPIRIT OF GOD: ITS OFFICES AND 
MANIFESTATIONS TO THE END 
OF THE CHRISTIAN AGE. 
BY ELDER J. H. WAGGONER. 
THIS is a brief but ',comprehensive argument on the solemn and im 
portant subject of the Spirit of God. Its chapters embrace the following 
heads: The Holy Spirit of Promise; The Power from on High; Circum-
cision of the Heart; The Unity of the Faith; The Law and the Testi-
mony; Try the Spirits; The Great Commission; Gifts in the Reformation; 
In the Present Century; Spirit of Prophecy Restored. These are sub-
jects of vital importance to all, and especially to those who are looking 
for the return of their Lord. 144 pp. Price, 15 cents. 
Address, �
SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, CaL 
BIBLE SANCTIFICATION: 
A CONTRAST OF 
TRUE AND FALSE THEORIES. 
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. 
THIS is a pamphlet of only 84 pages, but its value is not to be judged 
by its size. It is just what its title indicates: a faithful presentation of 
Bible truth on this important subject, and an exposure of the false theo-
ries prevailing in regard to it. Every believer in Bible truth should read 
it. �
Buy it, read it, and lend it to your neighbor. Price 10 cts. 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, CaL 
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING HOUSE, 
PUBLISHERS "SIGNS OF THE TIMES," ETC. 
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In the Best and Latest Styles, and at Satisfactory Rates. 
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In all its Various Branches, Promptly Executed in the Most 
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12th and Castro Streets, Oakland; 
Or, 529 Commercial Street. San Francisco. 
Religious Notes. 
Twenty-two persons were drowned on the 22d ult. 
by the wrecking of a steamer on the Bosporus. 
A bill has been introduced into the Montana Leg-
islature providing for the punishment of bigamy and 
polygamy. 
—A dispatch from Hongkong, dated Feb. 21, says 
that the United States steamer Ashuelot is lost. Eleven 
of the crew were drowned. 
An explosion of giant powder occurred at the rail-
road works near East Portland, Or,, on the 23d ult., by 
which ten Chinamen were killed. 
--Thirty-five packages of opium, valued at $15,000' 
were discovered by the San Francisco Custom-house 
officers, on board the City of Tokio. 
—Large quantities of mineral specimens from Utah, 
Idaho, and Montana Mines, have been shipped to the 
International Exposition at Amsterdam. 
It is stated that letters have been received by the 
authorities, containing threats to blow up the Kremlin 
at Moscow, where the Czar is to be crowned. 
A boat containing a funeral party of eight persons, 
who were crossing the Mississippi near Clinton, Ky., 
was capsized, and the whole party were drowned, last 
week. 
—The Erie road is building a locomotive to prac-
tically test an invention for at once consuming smoke, 
and heating air from the waste steam for use in warm-
ing cars.. 
Governor Butler proclaims April 5th as a fast day, 
and especially exhorts ministers to feed their flocks 
with the divine word, and not discourse upon political 
or other social topics. 
—Last year, the New York Exchange sold 32,700,000 
bales of cotton, of which 600,000 were delivered. The 
32,100,000 not delivered represents the gambling in 
cotton alone on " margins." 
—Six new names are added to the list of those killed 
in the Diamond Mine disaster, at Braidwood, Ill., mak-
ing eighty in all. The water is yet so deep in the mine 
that no bodies can be found. 
Thos. W. Palmer, of Detroit, has just received a 
letter from Sweden relative to lands in Michigan for 
a colony of 1,500 or more families of Swedes who 
desire to settle in that State. 
—Seventy persons were fatally poisoned in a lumber 
camp near Saginaw, Mich., last week. The cook was 
a new hand, and had mixed strychnine with the bis-
cuits, thinking it was saleratus. 
The president of the Empire Mining Company, of 
Summit County, U. T., having been given the agency 
of a large estate in New York, has proved to be a 
defaulter to the amount of $800,000. 
—A bill has been introduced into the Kansas Leg-
islature making public drunkenness a misdemeanor, 
punishable by a fine of $10.00 or imprisonment in the 
county jail for thirty days, or both. 
—The Ohio River is falling, and no more danger is 
apprehended, but the Mississippi is rising, and the out-
look is anything but pleasant. The river at Cairo, Ill., 
is higher than was ever known before. 
—The frequency of the raids made upon the Chinese 
gambling dens of San Francisco, as reported by the 
daily papers, leads us to wonder if none but Chinese 
are engaged in the unlawful business of gambling in 
that city. 
—The daily papers are full to overflowing with the 
details of horrible crimes. Even if we were willing to 
publish such things, we could not do it, as we would 
have no room left for other news. The land is defiled 
with blood. 
—Forty students at St. Petersburg have been im-
prisoned for expressing doubts as to the administrative 
ability of the Minister of Public Instruction. It is 
hardly to be wondered at that nihilism flourishes under 
such treatment. 
A dispatch from Denver, Col., Feb. 24, says: " At 
Leadville and surrounding towns the small-pox is rag-
ing. All efforts to retard the spread of the disease 
failed. The schools are closed, and the situation is 
becoming alarming." 
—Reredell, one of the defendants in the star-route 
case, has turned States' evidence. He pleaded "guilty 
as charged in the indictment," and threw himself on 
the mercy of the Court. His testimony makes the 
prospect look dark for his fellow conspirarors. It is 
thought certain that his evidence will convict them all. 
Eighteen children were crushed to death during 
a panic caused by an alarm of fire in a school attached 
to a Catholic Church in New York, Feb. 20. The fire 
was insignificant, but the children rushed out, and were 
precipitated to the floor below by the breaking of the 
stair railing. By a system of drill this might have 
been avoided. All the victims were girls. 
THE articles in every department of this week's paper 
are interesting and instructive. A 'large part of the 
contents is original. The importance of the subject is 
a sufficient reason for calling special attention to the 
objections and answers on the atonement, in the first 
editorial. We hope to be able to publish at considera-
ble length on this subject in this volume. 
The article by Bishop Merrill is worthy of a careful 
reading. Although the Bishop does not consider the 
Judgment in its various phases and relations, his argu-
ment is none the less forcible. If some small writers in 
the Methodist Church would carefully read the Bishop's 
book they might be instructed, and save themselves 
from the humiliation of uttering some unwise things. 
Hard at Work. 
108 �
THE SIGNS OF THE �
VoL. 9, No. 9. 
Eke *ign5 of tke 
OAKLAND, CAL., FIFTH-DAY, MARCH 1, 1883. 
This Week's Signs. 
Time of the Resurrection. 
ELDER LITTLEJOHN, of Michigan, is publishing in 
the Review and Herald a series of articles on the time 
of the resurrection of Christ. At this time they are not 
concluded, but we find them of unusual interest. They 
will be of considerable length for our paper, but we 
expect to publish them or a material part of them, as 
the argument appears to us conclusive, and cannot fail 
to be both interesting and profitable to our readers. 
Two Months' Subscription. 
A MISSIONARY worker in an eastern State gives us 
the following as the result of getting a friend to take 
the SIGNS two months: " This led him to investigate 
further, till he and his wife commenced to keep the 
Sabbath; and by their labors ten others, adults, are 
keeping the Sabbath. He says all this is due to the 
SIGNS. I think six of these converts are or have been 
school teachers. Others whom I got to take the paper 
for two months are interested." 
These are the results as now seen, but the full results 
will not be known till the great day reveals them. 
Work in Harmony. 
A FRIEND asks for advice in regard to the matter of 
canvassing for the SIGNS, and wishes to know if he had 
better select a place which he thinks would be suitable 
for tent labor, and thoroughly canvass it. ,We suggest 
that before he does this he counsel with some experi-
enced minister who labors with a tent in his State, or 
with the Committee of his Conference, in regard to the 
time and manner of canvassing in such a place. It 
might be very important to canvass the place at the 
proper time if a tent is expected to go there. And it 
is best to counsel and so understand what are the pros-
pects. of a tent going to that place. Our work will al-
ways be more satisfactory to ourselves and to others, 
and be more effective, if there is a mutual understand-
ing between those who are in any wise connected in 
their labors. 
Visit to Healdsburg. 
LAST week we took a hasty visit to Healdsburg. Our 
call there was very short, but very gratifying to us, 
We found Sister White in good health, and of good 
courage. She is making good progress in her work on 
Volume Four of Spiritual Gifts. She has efficient 
assistants, and is very pleasantly situated for her work. 
Books to Canada. 
THE following, which we copy from the Review, will 
be of interest to our readers :— 
By a recent ruling of the Canadian Postal Depart-
ment, it is decided that bound books cannot be sent into 
Canada by mail. They must go by freight or express, 
so that duties can be collected on them. Under these 
circumstances, the office will keep a supply of bound 
books with Eld. A. C. Bourdeau, South Stukely, P. Q., 
and our Canadian friends can get them by mail from 
him." 
To S. S. Superintendents. 
ONCE we had occasion to caution our schools against 
electing as superintendents those who did not take an 
earnest interest in the work. Now we wish to say a 
few words to superintendents. 
Study the lessons thoroughly. The teachers and 
scholars will all expect to receive help of you on their 
lessons, and if you are not prepared to give it, they will 
be disappointed, and their work will not be so well done 
thereafter, because their confidence in the leader of the 
school is gone. 
Have your school thoroughly organized, so that 
when the school is assembled you know just what you 
can do, and what you are going to do. 
Do not have any changing of teachers during the 
quarter if it can possibly be avoided. A class cannot 
make good progress without a steady teacher; it takes 
some time for a teacher and class to get acquainted and 
have confidence well established. A stranger cannot 
understand them as well as a regular teacher, and can-
not benefit them as much. 
Have something for every one to do, and keep 
them all busy during class exercises. If visitors come 
in, old or young, invite them to take a place in some 
class. 
Have your school as quiet as is consistent with 
the work, and have good order positively. 
A Sunday Argument Illustrated. 
THE Lord always called that day of the week upon 
which he rested, the seventh day. And this was the 
Sabbath of the Lord—the day upon which he rested 
from his work of creation. But some are so determined 
to have their own way, and elevate the first day over 
the seventh, that they say that that day was properly 
the first day. Dropping out of the account that it was 
Jehovah's seventh day in creation week, they solemnly 
proclaim that, though Adam was created on the sixth 
day, he never saw the whole of that sixth day, and 
therefore the seventh was his first complete day ; and 
therefore man's first day is the Sabbath, and therefore 
not that self-same day—the true seventh day—but 
another day, the original first day of the week, is the 
Sabbath. Probably logic never run riot so wildly in 
all the world before. The Scriptures never make men-
tion of the first day that Adam saw; but the testimony 
of the Scriptures is of little worth in the estimation 
of Sunday people. Sunday must be upheld by some 
means; and the greatest absurdity is grasped with the 
greatest avidity if it only has the appearance of giving 
aid to the cause of the venerable day of the sun. 
We lately struck an excellent parallel to this Adam's 
first-day argument. A bright little girl went to Sunday-
school. Her catechism had been neglected at home, 
and the teacher commenced the work. 
" Who was the first man ?" 
" My pa," was the ready reply. 
" Oh, no," said the teacher, " your pa was not the 
first man." 
" Well, he was the first man I ever saw, anyway," 
was the decisive answer. 
Was not the little girl right ? Her pa was the first 
man as surely as the original Sabbath—the seventh 
day—was the first day. 
Goldbeck's Musical Instructor. 
WE have received the January number of this 
monthly. It is in magazine form, and is just what :Ni5 
professes to be—a musical instructor. Its exposition of 
the "Art of Music " is in three graduating courses. The 
lessons and explanations cannot fail to be useful to 
every student. The name of Robert Goldbeck is a suf-
ficient guarantee of its thoroughness. Published in 
St. Louis, Mo., at $1.00 a year. M. Gray, San Fran-
cisco. 
THE Sabbath-school Department of the SIGNS will 
be temporarily discontinued during the present review. 
At the beginning of the next quarter the schools will 
begin the study of the book of Acts, when we hope to 
make that department both interesting and profitable. 
OTJR COUNTRY'S FUTURE FORETOLD. 
THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY. 
BY ELD. U. SMITH. 
THIS is a full exposition of a portion of prophecy which applies to our 
own Government, showing the position the United States holds in proph-
ecy, and the part it has to act in the closing scenes of time. 
THE SUNDAY MOVEMENT, 
Which is now attracting such general attention, is thoroughly canvassed, 
and abundant testimony is given to prove that it is fast coming to be the 
ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION in this country. Facts and statistics are 
largely presented, showing in the most conclusive manner that this Gov-
ernment is the one pointed out in the prophecy quoted. 
200 pp. Bound, 40 cents. Paper covers, 20 cents. 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
SABBATH READING 
FOR THE HOME CIRCLE. 
COMPILED BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. 
THESE are some of the few really good books. For twenty years Mrs. 
White has been:selecting choice, interesting, and instructive stories, the 
best of which are presented in these four volumes of 400 pages each. It 
would be difficult to find a better collection. The selections have been 
carefully made, and none need fear to place them in the hands of the 
young. They are not, however, designed exclusively for the young, hut 
are adapted for general home reading. All the members of the family 
circle will find something in them to entertain and instruct. They are 
Jan the thing for holiday or birthday gifts. Price per set, neatly put up 
in box, $2.25. Address, �SIGNS OF THE TIMES, OAKLAND, CAL. 
NEW MUSIC ! THE LAST IS THE BEST I 
JUST PUBLISHED, 
BY GEO. D. RUSSELL, 126 Tremont Street, Boston, a new book of Music, 
entitled, 
PEARLY PORTALS. 
BY D. S. HAKES. 
The music and words of this book are mostly entirely new, and well 
adapted to the Sabbath-school and social circle. It is receiving the most 
unqualified praise from all who have examined it. The music is of a high 
order throughout, and yet not at all difficult. 
160 pp. Per copy, 35 cents; $3.60 per dozen. Bound, 50 cents; $5.00 
per dozen. 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE 
Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists. 
A twelve-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the 
Prophecies, Signs of the Times, Second Coming of Christ, Harmony of the 
Law and Gospel, with Departments devoted to Temperance, The Home 
Circle, the Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school. 
Price Per Year, �
- �
- �
- �
- �
- �
- �
- �
- �
- �
$2.00 
In Clubs of five or more copies to one address, to be used in Mis- 
sionary Work, • �
- �
- �
- �
- �
..... 1.50 
Address, �
SIGNS OF THE TINES, ()Aland, Cal. 
—OR-- 
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, ELD. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, RAVENS- 
Michigan. �
wood, Shirley Road, Southamp- 
MRS. ELIZA PALMER, Sec. N. E. Tract �
ton, England. 
Society, South Lancaster, Mass. Mas. C. L. BOYD, Salem, Oregon. 
WHEN we returned from the East we found a great 
many things on our table which demanded our atten-
tion, beside the regular work of the office. If some 
matters are delayed we hope our friends will bear with 
us, for we found those who had labored here in our ab-
sence nearly worn out with overworking, and we were 
not in a condition to write constantly. It has been 
difficult to do justice on every point: to give prompt 
attention to all the business which came to hand, to 
give some rest to our associates, and to avoid prostrat-
ing ourselves with overwork. 
We cannot imagine a more beautiful scene than is pre-
sented from the windows of her study; the combination 
of valley and mountain, vineyard and orchard, is truly 
pleasing to the eye. Those who are interested in her 
work, and are acquainted with her love for the beauti-
ful in nature, will be pleased to hear of her favorable 
situation. 
The unusually cold weather somewhat hindered the 
work on the new building known as the boarding house; 
but the material for finishing has been so prepared' that 
it can be pushed forward with great expedition when 
the plumbing is done and the plastering finished. It 
was prudently considered better to delay the plastering 
than to finish it in weather which was not favorable to 
doing a first-rate job. The whole building is inclosed 
and presents a fine appearance. 
The prospects of the school are bright, and Professor 
Brownsberger is of excellent courage. The enrollment 
of pupils is 117, a nd the regular attendance slightly 
less. The instruction given in the school is fully ade-
quate to the wants of all the pupils; Bible history is 
very properly made the foundation of instruction in all 
history, and this comprises all the study of the Bible 
that the most advanced can take in connection with 
their other studies. We are highly gratified with the 
progress made in school matters in California in the last 
year. 
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