The Signs of the Times, vol. 13

March 31, 1887

“Fearing the Lord and Serving Idols” The Signs of the Times, 13, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

A reader of the SIGNS asks an answer to the following questions:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.1

“If a person hears ‘present truth,’ and, feeling anxious about it, goes to the Lord for guidance, and receives the answer in a dream that he is to keep both days [i.e. Sabbath and Sunday], is it sure to be from God? SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.2

“Would it be keeping the commandments of God to keep both days?” SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.3

To both the above questions we can say emphatically, No. For what reason? This:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.4

1. The Lord has plainly declared that “the seventh day is the Sabbath.” That is his “holy day.” Six days of the week he has given to man in which to work, but the seventh day he demands shall be devoted to his service. Now when the Lord has declared one thing in his word, he will not reveal something directly contrary by means of a dream. But if it be urged that if the answer by dream is that both days shall be kept, that is not in opposition to the word of God, we answer, SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.5

2. To do what God has not required, is to do directly contrary to his word. The truth of this will appear when we consider that in his word God has required everything that is right, everything that is duty. There is not a thing which man ought to do, that is not commanded in the Bible. Then if a person does something which the Bible does not require, he evidently must be doing something that is not right, or that is wrong. We repeat: if the Bible requires everything that is right, there can be nothing right which is not required in the Bible; but everything that is not right is wrong; therefore everything that is not required in the Bible is wrong. SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.6

The same truth may be stated thus: The fact that a certain thing is required as a duty, shows that something entirely different, and opposed, is not a duty. If God is so careful lest we should do wrong, that he tells us just what he wants us to do, it is evident that if there is something that he does not tell us to do, it is because he does not want us to do it; and to do what the Lord does not want us to do, is just as surely a sin as it is to fail to do what he wants us to do. The man to whom the Lord should sternly ask, “Who hath required this at your hand?” would be as much at a loss for an answer as the one to whom he should say, “Why hast thou not done this?” SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.7

Now just as surely as the Lord does require the observance of the seventh day of the week, he does not require the observance of the first day of the week. The commandment says, “Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.” While it is doubtless true that this is not an imperative order that every man must work during the whole of the six days, it is a permission to work on any part or the whole of the six days. The six days are given to man; they are termed “the six working days” (Ezekiel 46:1), in distinction from the Sabbath, which is a rest day. God has laid no more claim to Sunday than he has to Monday or Wednesday; and to do service which the Lord has not commanded, is to follow the commandments of men, “which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; and not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.” Colossians 2:23. SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.8

More than this, the Sabbath is the great sign of which we are to indicate our allegiance to the true God. Sunday, “the wild solar holiday of all pagan times,” has been adopted by the Roman Catholic Church as the badge of its power, and as the sign by which men may indicate their allegiance to the Papacy. As a Catholic writer says, in keeping Sunday Protestants do homage, in spite of themselves, to the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore if a man observes both Sabbath and Sunday, he thereby professes allegiance both to God and to the Pope. But Christ says, “No man can serve two masters.” God requires undivided service. Such worship as was rendered by the Assyrians who were placed in Samaria, is not acceptable to God. They “feared the Lord and served their graven images.” Such ones need an Elijah to say to them as he did to the Jews who were running after Baal, the sun-god: “If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21. SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.9

A few words about going to the Lord for “guidance” in regard to the commandments. We cannot regard it as anything else than an insult to the Lord. When God has plainly revealed his will, it is certainly, to speak plainly, impudent to turn right around and ask him if he means what he says, and if he will not make an exception in the case of the petitioner. Balaam tried that once. The Lord told him not to do a certain thing; but Balaam went to the Lord again and again until at last he actually received permission to go. The end, however, to which Balaam came should serve as a warning to others who feel inclined to ask the Lord to give up his way for theirs. When God has spoken, let man hold his peace. W. SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.10

“Creation and Redemption” The Signs of the Times, 13, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

The following extract represents a view of these great events which is exceedingly common:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.1

“The work of creation cost but a word. ‘He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast.’ The work of redemption cost infinitely more than creation. It cost the death of Christ. As the work of redemption is grander than that of creation, so the Lord’s day, which commemorates its completion, is higher, holier, grander than the Jewish Sabbath, that commemorates the completion of the creation.” SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.2

We never read such a statement without a feeling of sadness at the thought that it represents the limited ideas of the work of God, which are entertained by the great majority of people. Such statements do not indicate that the ones making them have exalted ideas of the work of redemption, but that their ideas of the work of creation are extremely narrow. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.3

It is the height of presumption for anybody to compare creation and redemption; for both are infinite, and far beyond human comprehension. Suppose you take a person who is unacquainted with geography, and place him in an elevated position on the Isthmus of Panama, where he can view at the same time the two oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Now ask him which is the larger; if he expresses an opinion, it will be only a conjecture based on no foundation whatever; for he cannot see any difference. His eye can take in just as much of one as of the other, and for aught that his observation teaches to the contrary, they both stretch away into infinite space. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.4

Stand at the base of two mountains, whose peaks towering up into the sky, are lost in the clouds. Now tell, if you can, which is the higher. You say that you cannot, because you cannot see to the top of either one; and even if you could, your eye could not measure the difference between them, if there should be any. So it is with creation and redemption. Both works are the product of infinite power combined with infinite love, and could have been accomplished by nothing less. But if nothing but infinite power and infinite love could create or redeem the world, certainly nothing less than infinite wisdom can comprehend either one, must less grasp both in one thought, so as to compare them. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3. Does that text say that we understand creation? Not at all; it says that we understand that the worlds were formed out of nothing, by the word of God. How do we understand this? Through faith; we know it simply because we believe the word of God, which declares it. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.5

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth,” “for he spake, and it was; he commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:6, 9. Here we have the statement of the fact which we understand only by faith. God spoke, and the worlds came into existence. How easily it was done! says one. Easily done? Yes, easily done by infinite power; but who can conceive of power that could by a word cause that to exist, which previously had no existence? Because God so easily accomplished the work of creation, are we therefore to esteem it a light thing? Far from it. Says the psalmist: “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.” Why? “For he spake, and it was; he commanded and it stood fast.” The power of God as manifested in creation is a most stupendous thing, calling for wonder and awe. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.6

Let the one who thinks that the work of the creation was a comparatively small affair, try to create something. Let him attend to make a grain of sand. Let him attempt to make something out of nothing. Attempt! How can he attempt? What would be the first step? All the power of all the created intelligence in the universe is not equal to the creation of the smallest atom of matter. All the combined intelligence of men and angels cannot approach to the shadow of an imagination of how such a thing could be done. Yet God did it with a word. Does that statement depreciate the work of creation? Not by any means. It simply shows the inconceivable power of God. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.7

The Sabbath was given to men in order that he might contemplate the power of God, and so lead to greater reverence for him. But someone may say that it would be monotonous to meditate week after week upon one thing. Not unless the man is in one of the classes mentioned in Psalm 92:6. The creation of God, like himself, is infinite; and as men by searching cannot find out God, so as to know the Almighty to perfection (Job 11:7); so no man can ever fathom God’s creation. Only when we rightly understand the object of the Sabbath, can we appreciate the psalm for the Sabbath day:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.8

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High; to show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.” Psalm 92:1-6. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.9

It would be folly to attempt to convey to anyone, by words, any sense of the work of creation. All that we can do is to tell the reader to meditate upon it. But let no one think that the work of creation was simply a manifestation of power. In the creation, God’s love is also manifested. Was it not unselfish love that caused God to create beings in his own image, capable of the highest pleasures, and setting before them an eternity of life, in which their mental and spiritual natures could continually develop, so as to make them capable of still higher enjoyment? Those who fail to see the love of God in creation, should remember that the great work of redemption is only for the purpose of bringing men to the enjoyment of that for which he has created. We are not comparing redemption with creation, for that is impossible; but we are showing that in the creation God manifested love as well as power. But if it is admitted that the love of God combined with his power, in creation, it must be admitted that the creation was the result of infinite love as well as of infinite power; for God, the infinite, must love to an infinite degree. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.10

The Sabbath,-the seventh day,-was instituted as a memorial of creation. This is necessarily admitted in the claim that Sunday should be kept instead of Saturday because redemption is greater than creation. Now the man who says that the Sabbath ought no longer to be kept, thereby says that God’s power and love should be no longer remembered. And that is equivalent to saying that God himself ought to no longer be remembered! And that is still further equivalent to saying that the work of redemption ought not to be considered; for God is Redeemer as well as Creator. In other words, no one can speak slightingly of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation, without disparaging the work of creation; but he who has narrow views of the love and power of God in creation, necessarily has narrow views of God himself; and he who has narrow views of God, cannot place a high estimate upon the work of redemption. And now we can better understand these words: “Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifieth them.” Ezekiel 20:12. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.11

Of the greatness of redemption it is not necessary to speak here particularly. They who affect to compare creation and redemption, profess to adore the infinite love and power manifested in the gospel; although, as we have shown, they can have exalted ideas of this only in proportion as they entertain exalted views of God’s love and power in creation. Enough to say that the redemption of man is accomplished at an infinite cost. Says Paul: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Chri st.” Ephesians 3:8. And Peter says that even the angels desire (but in vain) to comprehend the love of God as manifest in the gospel. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.12

Should not so great a work as this be commemorated? Should not men leave something to keep the great work of redemption in mind? Most assuredly, but not at the expense of the memorial of creation. The idea that men cannot show their appreciation of the plan of salvation without despising the work of God in the creation, is as monstrous as the idea that is sometimes advanced, that men cannot worship Christ without turning away from their allegiance to God! On this matter of recognizing the work of redemption, by some act, we have the following points to offer:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.13

1. The work of redemption, instead of having been completed at the resurrection, is not yet completed. Redemption is complete only when all the effects of the curse have been obliterated. When redemption is completed, there will be no further work to be done for man. That is the crowning act in the great plan of salvation. Christ is made unto us, “wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Redemption is the last of all. It includes not only salvation from sin, but from death and the possibility of it. It includes also the renovation of the earth. Read a few texts:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.14

Ephesians 1:13, 14: “In whom [i.e., in Christ] ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Here we see that the Spirit is given to those who believe, not because they are redeemed, but only as a pledge of their future redemption. Now read a still more direct statement concerning those who have this witnessing Spirit. SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.15

Romans 8:22, 23: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” What this redemption of the body is, Paul shows in Philippians 3:20, 21:- SITI March 31, 1887, page 199.16

“For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.1

Then it is utterly impossible to commemorate completed redemption, because we are yet waiting for redemption. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.2

2. The work of redemption must be kept in mind, but by the appropriate ceremonies. There is not an intimation in the entire Bible, that God would have us keep Sunday or any other day in commemoration of the work of redemption either partial or complete. When people do what the Bible does not tell them to do, they always make mistakes. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.3

In Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:14 we are told that we have redemption through the blood of Christ. But his blood was shed upon Friday; must we therefore conclude that we must keep Friday? By no means. After giving the manner of celebrating the Lord’s supper, Paul says: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do the show the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Corinthians 11:26. There is a divinely appointed ordinance by which we can commemorate so much of the work of redemption as has been completed. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.4

But is there nothing as a memorial of the glorious resurrection of Christ? Indeed there is. Says Paul: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3, 4. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.5

In baptism we have a memorial both of the death and the resurrection of Christ. “Oh, but,” says one, “that is only a single act; we want a constantly recurring memorial of the resurrection.” We submit that the Lord knows what we want, far better than we do; but it is a mistake to say that the remembrance of the resurrection lies only at the beginning of the Christian life. Read again: “That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk [every day] in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [all our lives] in the likeness of his resurrection.” So the whole Christian life, if it is indeed a Christian life, is a constant likeness of the resurrection of Christ. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.6

We have only touched upon this great theme, but we have indicated the proper lines for thought upon it. We find that we do not have to belittle one part of God’s work, in order to greatly appreciate another part. On the contrary, we cannot properly appreciate one part of his work without exalting every other part, for all are related. Both creation and redemption are to be ever kept in mind. By the Lord’s Supper we show the Lord’s death till he come, to redeem us; and then we will “sing the song of Moses the servant of God [Exodus 15:1-19,] and the song of the Lamb.” (Revelation 15:2, 3)-celebrating redemption completed. And then will creation itself be commemorated as it should be, for then will men properly appreciate the love and power of God; therefore “it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 66:23. W. SITI March 31, 1887, page 200.7

“The Lord’s Prayer. Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” The Signs of the Times, 13, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”

Nothing less than divine wisdom could have framed this petition, so simple and so reasonable is it. Human greed would ask for enough to-day to supply all possible wants for the future; but if that were granted, the person could use no more of it to-day than he would use if he had only enough for to-day’s needs. Not only so, but human greed would overreach itself. Thus, if the man should to-day receive enough for all time, he would have no occasion to ask for anything to-morrow. He would trust in his possession instead of God, and would soon forget God. Thus cutting himself off from the only power that can bestow and preserve, he would soon lose what he has, and then have nothing either for to-day or to-morrow. Riches make to themselves wings and fly away. But the man who every day asks for provision sufficient for that day, with the assurance that he will receive it, is far better off. He has enough for to-day, and that is all he could use anyway. And then he does not wear himself out in the vain effort to take care of property that he has stored up for the future. His future supply is in the hands of God, who thus becomes his banker. Surely the man who has all he needs, just when he needs it, while someone else takes care of that which he does not actually need, is far better off than the man who has only what he needs to-day, but who is burdened with the care of a lot of stuff that he may never need. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.1

This petition teaches contentment. The conclusions in the preceding paragraph are in harmony with the teaching of the apostle Paul. Said he: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.2

Here the apostle brings out an additional danger from not trusting God for our daily bread. It is that the man having more than he needs for to-day, is tempted to use more than he needs. Thus his thoughts become centered entirely on self and the gratification of his own desires and lusts, which increase and multiply with the gratification, until he is finally drowned in perdition. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.3

The apostle continues: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” This is in harmony with the petition which the Lord has taught us. We are not taught that to have riches is sin, for the Lord gives some men power to get wealth, but that the sin comes in setting one’s heart upon them. The possession of riches is a great danger for Christ says: “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” This is because it is next to impossible for one who has riches to keep from setting his heart upon them, and so neglecting to trust in the living God, and forgetting that it is God who gives us all things richly to enjoy. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.4

This is taught by the parable in Luke 12:15-21. “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.” Here we see that it was not the man’s superior skill that brought him his wealth, but the providence of God in giving “rain and fruitful seasons.” And the man thought: “What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, ‘This will I do. I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits, and my goods, and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry.” If he had listened to the Lord, he might have known what to do with his goods. Says the inspired word: “Charge them that are rich.... that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Instead of this, the man trusted in his riches, and had nothing. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.5

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” Why is the man called a fool? Because the fool, according to the Bible, is one who says in his heart, “There is no God.” This man acted as though there were no God, because he assumed that he must take care of himself, and left God out of the account altogether. He may have been a professor of religion, but he was practically an atheist. There are thousands of such men in the world to-day. But no matter how much they exalt themselves (for the man who by his actions assumes that his prosperity depends upon himself alone, virtually puts himself in the place of God), they will in the end be put in fear, and be made to know that they are but men. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.6

“So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” We have already read from Paul the injunction to rich men to lay up store for themselves “a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” In the Sermon on the Mount Christ said: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21. Neither of these texts implies that the kingdom of God can be bought with money. But they both teach that no man can reach Heaven unless he has his treasure there. It is not that his wealth buys him a place in the kingdom of God, but that his thoughts are of God and Heaven, and thus he prepares for Heaven. In all his ways he acknowledges God, and thus God directs his paths. SITI March 31, 1887, page 203.7

At the present time the principle contained in the petition, “Give us this day our daily bread,” needs to be taught; because the tendency of the last days is all against it. We read: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.” James 5:1-3. This does not apply to the millionaires alone, but to all who are heaping treasure. That is, to all who allow their treasures to “heap” up or accumulate. Some time ago we saw a gold piece that was discolored by rust. We asked what caused it, and learned that it had been paid out by a woman who, having a little more money than she needed, had buried the surplus in the ground. She was not a rich woman, but we could not help thinking of the words of James. But the principle of heaping up treasure was there, which showed distrust of God. And what made it worse was that the woman professed to believe in the soon coming of the Lord. Whether we are poor or rich, let us “beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth;” and let us not fear to trust the Lord, knowing that if God clothes the grass and the lilies of the field in beauty, and provides for the sustenance of the birds of the air, he will much more care for those whom he has bought with the blood of his own dear Son. The sacrifice of Christ is the pledge of God’s care for us. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32. W. SITI March 31, 1887, page 206.1

“Back Page” The Signs of the Times, 13, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

The Knights of Labor are beginning to join the clamor for enforced Sunday observance. At the meeting which they recently held in Chicago, to consider this matter, “Mr. McFadden, of District 57, representing 10,000 men, said that his assembly had passed resolutions forbidding any member to buy or sell on Sunday.” The Knights will be a valuable. Reinforcement to the “National Reform” cause. We shall now have a chance to see whether the devotion of the National Reformers to anti-secret society principles is strong enough to lead them to refuse to cooperate with the Knights in working for a Sunday law. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.1

We learn that the Massachusetts Legislature has been discussing a local option Sunday Law, the idea being that a uniform law cannot be enforced, and that each town should in this matter legislate for itself. We suggest as a better plan, an individual option law. Let Sunday be kept by each individual who wants to keep it. Then if there is a community where all want to keep Sunday, they will have a Sunday law. But don’t compel a few people to keep Sunday, against their conscience, because the majority have not conscience enough in the matter to keep it without making a law to compel themselves to keep it. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.2

Newspapers that deal largely in gossip and sporting news usually make that work when they venture to make a statement on a subject connected with the Bible. The S. F. Chronicle, speaking of the liberation of Freeman, the Pocasset child murderer, says: “A head of a family who adopts the Mosaic doctrine that he has the right of life for death over his offspring, is better behind bars.” We fully agree, that a man who thinks he has a right to kill his children, is a dangerous man to be at large; but we would like to know the whereabouts and the writings of Moses there is any such doctrine as that a father has the right of life or death over his offspring. People hold the Bible accountable for a good many things that exist only in their own brain. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.3

In answer to the question, “Do we get our immortality through belief in and acceptance of Christ, or is it inherent in the entire race?” The Christian Union recently said: “We are not prepared to answer this question dogmatically; neither opinion has some support from Scripture. Belief in what is called a conditional immortality is comparatively modern, we believe, but has certainly grown within the last quarter-century.” SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.4

The answer (?) is correct with the exception of two points: Inherent immortality finds no support whatever in the Scriptures; and the belief in conditional immortality is by no means modern; it is as old as the knowledge of gospel truth among men, and is taught all through the Bible. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.5

The San Francisco Evening Bulletin has an editorial entitled, “The Reign of Peace.” The second sentence of which reads thus: “It is now evident that there will be no war in Europe for a least a few months.” And then the writer adds: “It will be happy circumstance of the duration of peace can be measured by years.” Here is a good text for those who preach a temporal millennium of peace and safety. It is actually certain that, if something unexpected does not happen, there will be no war in Europe for a few months! It is quite probable that there will be no fighting until the weather becomes more favorable for the movement of troops. And this is “the reign of peace.” SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.6

Religious liberty has had a narrow escape in Texas. A rigid Sunday law bill had passed the Assembly and had been favorably reported upon by the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, before those who would be most affected by it-the Sabbath-keepers-were aware that there was any effort on foot to secure a Sunday law. By prompt action the insertion of a section making an exception in favor of observers of the seventh day was secured, and at last reports it was thought that this amendment would be accepted by both Houses. The principal opposition to making this provision for Sabbath-keepers came from a member who is a clergyman. Yet some people will persist in declaring that there is not the slightest possibility of religious persecution in this country. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.7

“The Arbiter of Europe” The Signs of the Times, 13, 13.

E. J. Waggoner

It is stated upon the authority of the Journal des Debats that the Prussian minister at the Vatican has suggested that the Pope convene a European Congress to settle the Eastern and Egyptian questions. “This,” says the Catholic Mirror, “would be ‘a consummation devoutly to be wished.’” Certainly all Catholics do devoutly wish for everything that will in any way intend to the restoration of the temporal power of the Papacy, and a congress of the kind proposed with a long step in that direction. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.8

There is certainly a growing disposition among the great powers of the earth to confer honor upon the Pope; and while there is not the slightest chance that the peace of Europe can be permanently preserved, stranger things have happened than that an effort be made to close forever the temple of Janus by making the Bishop of Rome arbitrer, not only of Europe, but of the world. SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.9

It was only a few months ago that “his holiness” was called upon to decide the dispute between Germany and Spain relative to the Caroline Islands, and within a few weeks past he has meddled in German politics to the immense satisfaction not only of Prince Bismarck and Emperor William but of President Grevy as well. In close connection with this comes the proposition of Austria that the “holy father” should act as referee in the Bulgarian difficulty; and now to cap it all comes this proposition from Germany that he shall be acknowledged as the arbiter of Europe. Is not the world about to fall down at the feet of the Papacy and worship “the beast which had the wound by the sword and did live”? SITI March 31, 1887, page 208.10