Contents of the Golden Age

Social and Educational

Familt ov Six Generations . . .

Political—Domestic and Foreign

Items op Current Interest

Japan's Culminating Horror

American Relief in Russia

Germany’s Impending Crisis

Progress of Fascism.................

Spanish Military Coup

Out of the Leucue. Yet In ... .

Peerage and People ....

Babylon Still Drunk

Bow Will You Die?

Armageddon Due to Selfishness

Ten Days to New Zealand

Turks. Egyptians, and Asiatics

Philippine Perplexities

Sacrificing the Farmers ;

Automatic Safety for Trains ......

Evidences of the Millennium ...

Prize-Fighting and Civilization

Back from Death Sleep

Science and Invention

Causes op Climatic Changes . .

Climatic Changes In Palestine .....

Home and Health

Lccssteb against Vaccination

Religion and Philosophy

Judo* RtyrrmroBD at Madison Squabs Gaxuen .

"Restoration op Israel”

Pastor Russell’s First Book (Part I)

Has God a Plan?

The Bride iind the Bridegroom

Not a Second Chance

Studies in Tat Hasp op God"

PubUnbad every ether Wednesday at 18 Concord Srr*et. Brooklyn, N. T_w U. B. A_ by WOODWORTH. HLPdlNGS A MARTIN

Ooyertnera eed propneton A<Mr?«t. ti Coacurd Atrcrt. Brooklyn. N. y„ 0.8. A. CLAYTON J. WOODWORTH . . . Editor ROBERT J. MARTIN Bu*id«b Manaatf C. E. STEWART .... Axstacant Editor WM e HUDGTNGS Sec'y and Treaa. Fits Ckxt* * Copt—SI.00 a Year Mark Icsmittanccs to TBS GOLDEN AGE gOBBlGS OW1CI1: SrirwA.....34 Craven Terrace. LaDcaater Gate. London W 3

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Entered as eerond *‘~tt matter at Brooklyn, N. aaocr the Act of March 3, xa79

The Golden Age

Volume V                      Brooklyn, N. T.. Wednesday, November 7, 1923                     N—bet MS

Items of Current Interest

IT IS our opinion, several times expressed in these columns, that merely to try to keep in touch with the day's news, floating with it as it , rises and falls, is a poor way to read the signs of the times. The reason for tins lies in the impossibility of determining with any fair degree of accuracy what is news and what is propaganda. All the big business interests use the news associations for propaganda purposes, and it is only after the lapse of some little time that the reasons for things come to light. However, as many of our readers seem to prefer current items we continue to furnish them.

Japan’* Culminating Horror

THE Japanese earthquake is believed to be the most stupendous earthquake horror that ever visited the earth, a presage to the impending social convulsion, the rumblings of which are even now alarming all the nations of the world. It is significant, in the minds of some, that it should follow so closely upon the heels of the announcement that Hirohito, Prince Regent, on his recent visit to the Vatican, received baptism at the hands of the Pope himself- Was the earthquake a hint of divine displeasure at this act?

That Japan is flirting with the Vatican, for some reason, is apparent from the fact that the government is again planning to send an em-■ bassy thither, and this despite the fact that the Japanese lower house of parliament only last year overwhelmingly defeated a similar movement. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" How much better it would be for all the statesmen of earth if, instead of trying to hold the people longer in subjection by old methods of intrigue and superstitious reverence for absurdities, they would . turn to the Lord, in whom alone are wisdom and strength to guide in this evil hour.

The known dead in the earthquake number

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followed by a typhoon which deluged everything with a torrent of wind and rain. The river Sumida, equalling the Hudson in size, changed its course; new islands appeared in the ocean; old islands disappeared.

Part of the Japanese fleet was destroyed; all the government buildings were destroyed; all the banks were destroyed; the fire which raged for two days was visible for two hundred miles, and was so intense that a temperature of 150 degrees was registered in many places. After ten days the steel vaults were still so hot that they could not be touched.

The principal prison opened its doors, and 1,500 prisoners were freed. The wild animals confined in the zoos escaped, and added to the horrors of the street scenes. Before aid could reach the stricken cities, food riots had broken out; and military punishment was visited upon the transgressors.

In the most severe of the shocks the ground rose and dropped four inches. Imagine an entire building, and everything in it, dropped four inches vertically, and this operation repeated many times; and it will be understood why almost no human structure was left standing in the stricken area.

Thirty thousand bales of silk, one-tenth of Japan’s output for an entire year, were destroy, ed, resulting in the closing down of many American factories.

’ The whole earth trembled with the shocks. By the seismograph, which is an instrument so * delicate that it will record the earth tremors caused by starting a street-car three miles away, the shocks were detected in San Francisco, London, Brussels, and Florence, Italy.

The ocean waves caused by the earthquake traversed the six thousand miles from Japan to California in forty hours, or at the rate of one hundred fifty miles an hour. When they reached the California shores, they still retained a height of twenty feet near Los Angeles, the swells breaking completely over a fifteen-foot breakwater and carrying away lumber piled along the shore.

Four days before the earthquake, a shock in Hawaii opened a crack ten feet wide and seven hundred feet long, in the famous volcano of Kilauea. Through this crack molten lava is rushing with a roar that can be heard a mile away.

American Relief to Japan

WITHIN two days of the catastrophe Ameri>' chn vessels loaded with 1,000,000 pounds of rice, 500,000 pounds of beans, 500,000 soldier rations for one day, medical supplies for 50,000 troops for three months, 400 large tents, and cots and blankets for 20,000 men were rushing ~ to the scene. This was but a handful, however, to what was needed; and funds were swiftly raised all over America, in response to presidential appeal, so that immense quantities of all kinds of supplies could be dispatched from ' Pacific Coast, Philippine, and Chinese ports — with the least possible delay. The relief fund at this writing has reached $9,527,700.

In New York city many physicians and nurses volunteered to go to Japan to give their ~ services free. The promptness, generosity, and effectiveness with which America responded has sealed American and Japanese friendship in a way which nothing else could have done. Seemingly this removes completely all friction between the two peoples.

Moreover, it is claimed that this disaster is so great, destroying, as it did, all the buildings in Japan’s capital and greatest city, that it has become virtually impossible for Japan to think of engaging in hostilities for twenty-five years to come; and by that time no nation on eartlfwill be interested in such madness.              \

American Relief in Russia

COL. Wttjjam N. Haskell presents a most astonishing account of the work done by the American Belief Administration in Russia during the past two years. With the full consent and cooperation of the Soviet government, the United States Government stepped in, to the tune of $24,000,000, and the American people stepped in, with $36,000,000 more of their own savings; and the things that CoL Haskell accomplished with that money are almost beyond belief. His work ended with the month of. August, this year.

Two hundred and fifty shiploads of food, seed, clothing, and medical supplies were sent from America to the famine-stricken land. During the worst period, relief stations were opened in 35,000 localities, and 11,000,000 persons were fed daily. Fifteen thousand hospitals were put in operation, water systems were purified, publie baths were opened, and roads were repaired.

Let other nations boast of their military successes and their commercial conquests, bat here is a real triumph in which all that is best in 'American character, courage, and energy finds expression. Ninety percent of all that was done for Russia was done by this movement The report says:

“To the minds of the Russian common people the American Relief Administration was a miracle of good, which came to them in their darkest hour under the Stars and Stripes. It turned the comer for civilization in Russia. It lifted the Russian people from despair to hope. Communism is dead and abandoned and Russia is on the road to recovery. The realization by the Russian people that the strong American system was able aud contained die spint to save these millions of strangers from the death that had engulfed them, must have furnished food for thought.’*

But although the American Relief Administration accomplished much, let no one imagine that conditions in Russia are ideal. Several reports which are before ns show that Russia still has great numbers of homeless children. These wander about the cities or from town to town, “grubbing for an existence like wild goats in a desert.”

It is said that there are upwards of a million and a quarter of these in the Ukraine alone, many of whom are sure to perish during the coining winter because the relief funds have become exhausted. Moreover, the Russian crops are not so good as wa$ expected.

Communism in Practice

THE Soviet law allows each private citizen ten square yards of living space. This works out as follows: A modern home, two stories high, containing the usual three rooms down stairs and three rooms and bath upstairs, occupies about eighty square yards per floor.

According to Soviet law such a home must shelter sixteen persons. This would mean that four persons must sleep in the living room and in each bed-room of the house. If less than tfee above number of persons is sheltered the authorities can billet strangers on the home. There is no liberty in Russia.

The Soviet government leaders do not seem to be making any effort to extend their movement into Germany. They are said t8 believe that unemployment, food shortage, and cold are needed to make revolution in Germany feasible, but that these conditions are in sight, and that when they are sufficiently pronounced Communism is sure to follow.

A newspaper correspondent reports to the New York Times that in five days' inquiry in Berlin among foreign observers, diplomats, and other well-informed persons, he was unable to find anybody who doubted that it would be long before Germany would be in the hands of either a Fascist! or a Communistic dictatorship.

Germany's Impending Crisis

THE German mark used to be worth about twenty-four cents of American money. That was before the Kaiser started on his campaign to give Germany a place in the sun. On September 18th. 2.900.000 marks could be obtained for one cent, all of which proves briefly that militarism does not pay.

Some of the recent values which con be obtained by Americans with their own money, when they are fortunate or unfortunate enough to be in Germany, have recently appeared in the press. One hundred street-car rides can be had for one cent; 300 newspapers can be had for one cent; 600 dozen carnations can be had for one cent; rooms can be rented for 17 cents a day; but butter costs 25 cents per pound, and bread 10 cents a loaf, the latter being nearly the American price.

A Financial Madhouse

WITH money so constantly changing in value in Germany, the prices of many things remain fixed where they were before the war. But when a person comes to pay the bill every item is multiplied by a given amount, the proper multiplicator f.,r that day, or for that hour.

A cable to the Wall Street Journal in August declares:

“Germarij is e financial madhouse, *here tittering Reichshauk directors in*         They are sitting in

long conferences, uncertain whether to feed me nysterical public further stimulants in paper mark notes or to introduce gold credits and gold deposits and admit that their own paper notes are worthless. Either path will lead to a crash.”                         '

It is a common thing in Germany now for

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poor women to wander about the streets, with tears streaming down their cheecks, holding out handfuls of worthless money which will not buy the simplest article. Farmers are declining to sell* Iheir products; hoarding is widespread; food supplies require and receive special guards: workers are asking and receiving pay in goods. In the city of Cologne one-third of the shops are closed altogether, because the stocks of goods are sold out or are being hoarded, while the remainder are open about four hours per day.

The British Holiday Fellowships are associations of hirii-minded and good-hearted British citizens who spend their vacations in foreign lends, mingling with the natives, and who thus endeavor to bring about a better feeling and a better understanding of how to deal with problems affecting such countries. During the past vacation season these gentlemen leased a number of old German castles, and thus inaugurated a new industry in Germany, where great need is felt for every aid that can be obtained.

Thus far the French occupation of the Ruhr has been an expensive failure for the French. Before the occupation France was getting p-ghty-three percent of all the coal coining to L r under the Versailles treaty. This coal was irjied and paid for by Germany. Now the French, unable properly to handle the German intricate mining system, are receiving only onetenth as much coal; and the coal is mined and paid for by France.

Can Germany Pay?

POLITICAL economists are having a hard time trying to figure out what Germany can pay in the way of furthering reparations. Some of them hold that the mind of man is unable to figure out any way by which the German nation can ever make good more than a small part of the damage done by German forces in France and Belgium.

Others contend that though the common people of Germany have been taxed all they can bear, larger levies can be made upon the wealthy; and that the cash payment of reparation amounts to creditor nations would automatically increase German markets so that more could be paid. There is probably some truth in this latter proposition. But much would depend upon tariff walls. They might be so constructed as to shut out quite effectively. German goods altogether.

Some American statesmen and economists . see a deliberate plot in Germany to avoid payment of reparations and to wipe out the German debt. Indeed, the German debt is practically wiped out now; for it was mostly represented in paper money and bonds which have lost their value and will surely be repudiated.

The losers in this transaction have been the German workmen, who have been paid in this paper money, and whose savings were invested in these paper securities; also the friends of Germany abroad, who have invested something like $8,000,000,000 in this worthless paper money and paid for it in gold.

The gainers in the transaction have not actually gained yet. Who the gainers are or will be, if able to carry their point, is explained by Senator Duncan Fletcher of Florida in the Manufacturers Record. He notes that as a result of the war England, France, Belgium and Italy are bent double with burdens and bound with obligations, but says of Germany:

“The German middle-class investors and endites have been virtually ruined, but the great industrial and -speculative lords have acquired most of t’^e substantial wealth of the nation. Now, if reparations are paid they will have to pay them. They own the German gold or properties abroad, and they own all the means of manufacturing production at homo. The people have the marks, and they have the goods. To save their massed wealth, dominate Germany and perhaps the world, these plutocrats must defeat the payment of reparations If they accomplish this feat, they will be more advantageously placed than any other industrial group in the world. When the occupying troops entered the Buhr, General DeGouttc remarked that the last battle of the war of 1924-18 was beginning. TVho wins it/ he said, ‘wins the war? He spoke the truth."

Progress of Fascism

THE Roman Catholic Fascists movement, i. e., — the plan for seizure of liberal governments by anarchists of the Mussolini type, proceeds apace. At Nuremberg, Germany, early in September, Field Marshall Ludendorff gathered 200,000 (some despatches say 500,000) of the German members of this movement, urging the seizure of Germany by monarchist forces, and hailing the seventeen-year old Prince Ferdinand, eldest son of the Kaiser's new wife, u Germany's future Kaiser.

One of the principal speakers at the meeting was a Catholic priest who, with fiery oratory, put the Fascist! oath to a vote, resulting in 150,000 (some despatches say 400,000) persons making the sign agreed upon in advance, the raising of two fingers of the right hand

Premier Mussolini, Italy's castor-oil anarchist, has issued a decree which, among other ' things, provides fines and six months' imprisonment for the printing of anything reflecting unfavorably upon the Pope, state religious institutions, or those in charge of the state affairs, thereby meaning himself. Mussolini has shown how easy it is for a Boman Catholic, who has the support of Boman Catholic soldiers, to seize and destroy the liberties of a country. The movement is spreading rapidly in all Catholic lands.

An idea of the ruthless way in which Mussolini is handling things may be seen in the fact that he has arbitrarily suppressed thirteen benevolent institutions in Naples, and diverted their funds "to assist other institutions of a worthy character.”

Fascist! and Biff Business

IT IS quite probable that big business is getting ready to give the word when the general European Fascist! coup is to come off. Berlin despatches in August, published in the Chattanooga News, report that the Morgan interests have secured control of the greatest gun-works in France, the Schneider-Creuzot works, and large British interests, the Busso-Asiatic Limited, in conference with Mr. Morgan, angling for control of Krupps, the great German gun works.

What object could Mr. Morgan have in wanting to get control of the two greatest gun-plants in Europe, unless he hoped to have use for them, or wanted to make sure others would not use them to defeat his plans f

One thing is sure: Mussolini could not have overrun Italy without the connivance of big business and the church, which are now having things all their own way in that country. And the Fascist! movement cannot spread over the whole world without similar connivance.

In line with the foregoing thought is the news that Hugo Stinnes, the German industrialist, is •spinning threads for an alliance with French industries.” A Paris despatch in the New York Times, dated September 3, declares:

"For some time there have been conferences between members of the French government and members of French industry for the purpose of working toward the economic accord desired alike by German and French big business interests.”

This is preceded by the acknowledgment that Hugo Stinnes has been seeking such an arrangement persistently for eight months but says:

"The Premier [Poincare] has ah agreement with the French industrials that they will undertake no big business agreements with the Germans before the Paris Government signifies that the right time has arrived.”

Spanish Military Coup

IN A recent issue we published a report from a correspondent in Spain regarding Spanish losses in Morocco. Under the able leadership of Abd-el-Krim, civil and chemical engineer, linguist, and graduate of at least one European, university, and equipped with airplanes, and all the latest devilish appliances for "civilized” war* fare, the Moors have visited upon the Spaniards one defeat after another.

The Spanish-Moroccan war has now been in progress several years, at a cost of upwards of $200,000,000 per year to Spain. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers including British mercenaries, have been sacrificed, all to no purpose; and many are said to have been tortured most atrociously before death put an end to their miseries.

Weary of being sent to Africa to an almost certain death, the soldiery of Spain has at last revolted and seized the government. Martial law has been declared all over Spain; and the control of everything is, like the government of Oklahoma at this writing, absolutely in the hands of the military.

What relation the overthrow of the Spanish government by the soldiery bears to the overthrow of the Italian government by the Mussolini group of ex-soldiers does not appear at this writing. In both instances the king, rather than lose his throne, let the soldiers have their own way. All justices and magistrates have been notified that they are subject to military orders. A humorous item is that King Alfonso sent a telegram to the Barcelona garrison, the one that started the revolt, thanking them for

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their loyalty to him and to the country. What a crazy world I '            -

Italian papers seem to think that the Spanish coup is another Fascist! triumph. The Messa-gero remarks that the Spanish nationalist military party naturally grew more powerful st Barcelona, the center of Spain's labor and socialist movements, just as in Italy the Fascisti started in Milan, Italy's labor eenter. The Cor-riere d’Italiano comments similarly, declaring that Barcelona was chosen in advance as the scene of the uprising, for that very reason.

Out of the League, Yet In

THE United States participates unofficially A in the League of Nations. That is to say, it cooperates with the League in the Commis-. sions on Health, Opium Traffic and Traffic in Women and Children, and on Disarmament It does not participate in the six other activities of the League, namely, those on transit, finance, mandates, intellectual cooperation, the Saar and Danzig; but it maintains a wing on the Assembly floor, where it keeps in touch with all that goes on and participates as far as American laws permit

Geneva, where the League meets, is a Protestant town, inhabited by a class of fine, dependable people. Here Cesar and Hannibal crossed the Rhone on the excursions which made them famous. Here Calvin and Knox preached in the dawn of the Reformation.

The League of Nations now has a membership of fifty-four nations, ten more than it had at the outset. Bolivia, Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Luxembourg sent no delegates to the Assembly, which opened in Geneva early in September of this year. A Cuban was elected President of the League for next year. Mexico still holds aloof; Russia and Germany are outcasts ; the United States is in and out.

World Court and League

THE American Bar Association at its annual convention in Minneapolis the last week in August went on record as approving the entry of the United States into the League of Nations via the World Court route. The British Bar Association is arranging the details. Next year the American Bar Association will meet with the British Association in London, probably to

get its-final instructions as to just what to_ do to “put it across." .      ■         .                   ..

Big business does certainly want the United. States in the League, and is willing to go to * any expense to get what it wants—and what the common people of America do not want—participation of America in the League. If all those lawyers together cannot figure out some way to get Uncle Sam into the League whether he wants to go in or not, then it will be the first task undertaken in the interest of big business in which they have failed.

The International Federation of War Veter* ans, which met at Brussels in September, also advocates the World Court, and would have it “provided with the physical power of coercing governments to appear before it or of having its judgments executed when pronounced." Perfectly logical That means a reliance upon the League of Nations to carry out its decrees;

Senator Oscar W. Underwood, aspirant for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1924, made the statement in Chattanooga about the same time that “the World Court cannot be divided from the League of Nations unless ws want to make it a joke."

Next year will probably mark the most deters mined and aggressive effort to get the United States into European affairs, by hook or by crook, that has ever been tried. Working toward this end is the American Peace Award, which announced its Jury of Award about the middle of September. Colonel House, former personal representative of President Wilson, is one of the prominent persons on the jury. He was active in the formation of the League. About every association of prominence in the United States u pledged to aid in the popularization of the award when made.

The “David's Throne" Humbug

BUT if, as Mr. Barnum claimed, “the American people love to be humbugged," the British people love it none the less. In West* minster Abbey British kings and queens are solemnly crowned while seated on a stone which the attendants in the Abbey unblushingly claim is the very stone which Jacob had for a pillow when he saw the ladder reaching into heavem. *

The attendants go on to explain that all the Israelitish kings, including David, were crowned while seated on the same stone; and that Jen-miali and the daughters of Zedekiah fled with it to Ireland, where one of the daughters married a descendant of the tribe of Dan. It is further claimed that Queen Victoria traces her ancestry from that same Irish chieftain, and that that is the reason why James I made the lion of the tribe of Judah the standard of Great Britain.

The next thing you know some flunkey will discover that Rebecca's earrings and bracelet have been in the royal family right along, and that every Prince of Wales throughout the ages has been frequently seen wearing Joseph’s coat of many colors.

Then it will lie wrung from somebody that the furniture in Buckingham Palace is mostly made of material which was used in the construction of the ark, and it will be timidly admitted that the organ used in the Westminster Cathedral was the one that Jubal made.

Indeed, we are looking any time now for the solemn announcement that after every royal marriage the new couple are clad for a time in the original garments that Adam and Eve had when they left the Garden of Eden.

We have been modestly hiding these things from our readers; but as others are putting them forward we feel that we must publish the full list. We feel that somebody must do something to keep the king business alive; trade in this line has slumped dreadfully since 1914.

Peerage and People

fpILERE was a time, not so long ago, when a A British statesman who could obtain a peerage and a seat in the House of Lords felt that he had taken a long stride forward. But since the able and efficient Lord Curzon was passed by as candidate for Prime Minister solely because he is a member of the House of Lords, ~ no able man wishes to be transferred to it, and it is easy to be seen that that august body is on the way to its end.

The Government did not dare place any of the nobility in such an important position. In the event of his administration being unsatisfactory to the people (and it is very hard for any administration to suit the demand 3 of the people in these days) the result might easily be the overthrow of all royalty and the end of the monarchy.

One of the able men now connected with British royalty is Lord Birkenhead. At the eighth annual convention of the Canadian Bar Association, held in Montreal early in September, he made the following statement regarding the body of international law that was in effect at the time of the outbreak of the World War:

“There have been hundreds of years of Christianity and. civilization, and yet today the cruel and poignant troth confronts him who cares to understand the troth that the great war story merely demonstrated the moral bankruptcy of that system which has been laboriously and painfully compiled by the humanitarian and intellectual effort of centuries.¹*

Babylon Still Drunk

IT IS a good sign that people are giving mon and more attention to the subject of how to prevent wars. A school teacher in Toronto has come forward with the sensible suggestion that the proper place to preach peace is in the schoolroom; but that it is fruitless to do this when every school history is filled with the glorification of military heroes and largely ignores, or clothes in commonplace fabrics, the achievements of peace. Germany was tuned into a nation of crazy militarists by the simple expedient of filling the minds of the young with military poison.

Mr. David Lawrence, just back from an extended tour of Europe, where he studied conditions and talked with statesmen, financiers, and people in all walks of life, tells the reason why Europe is without peace. In an article in the Washington Post he says:

“Behind the scenes of diplomacy is big business. Stretching eager hands for booty these captains of industry manipulate the parliaments and legislative bodies of Europe as surely as the ventriloquist does ths puppet on his knee. Newspapers right and left an subsidized or controlled. With one or two exceptions the words ‘public opinion* mean the tyranny of certain groups who play upon popular emotion the tan— that stimulate the dance of commercial or financial ambitions. That is why governments are so inconsistent and powerless; and that is why so many Americans, after peering behind the scenes, shake their heads dubiously, pack their luggage and thank God for the Atlantic ocean.

“The commercial game which helped so much tn plunge Europe into battle nine years ago still goes an through manipulated governments, while mothers look anxiously at their growing sons and wonder whether they are raising more cannon fodder for the great cataa* trophe that is coming within another five or ten yean if Europe continues its suicidal pace of today. But can

Europe fight so soon again? Isn't everybody exhausted ? There is no exhaustion of hate or greed. Hungry people grow desperate and fight hardest when their backs are against the wait Central Europe has not yet reached that point; but goaded on, it will soon begin to disregard all governments, and mistakenly geek to accomplish through anarchy what democracy has failed to do.”

Why Remain Dumb!

Abthub Ponsokby, M. P., visions the next war, in which certain zones will be selected for demolition. The first to perish will be the women and children. Pointing out how easy it would be for airmen to accomplish their objec

tive, even without any further advances in avia- / tion, he adds:                                     .

"No city, village, building, or railway will be safe. The rain of explosives, well aimed and highly destructive, will spare nothing above ground, while the gas bombs will cover the whole district with a pall of heavy gas, which will make life above ground impossible for days. Bailway lines will be torn up, so that escape for the inhabitants who are not crushed under the ruins of their houses will be impossible. Driven under ground, if they can find such a refuge, the panic-stricken population will remain cowering in terror, lest on emerging " they may succumb to poison gas or again become the target for another shower of bomba. Within a couple of hour? of the declaration of war this diabolical rain from the sky will begin.

"This is the point which Christian civilization has reached in the twentieth century. These are the plana which are being worked out and perfected in the War Offices of the Powers of the Western world. This is the new method which man in his wisdom has devised with a view to settling international disputes. This is the way in which science is serving mankind. This la what long efforts at education and enlightenment liave brought us to. This is what highly developed, psychologically sensitive man approves of today.

"Or, if he does not, if his conscience molts at such barbarity; if his soul is sickened by the thought of such devilish cruelty, and his mind recoils at such senseless futility, why on earth doesn't he say so? Why does he remain dumb, submissive, acquiescent, while these plans are actually and positively being prepared and perfected under his nose—plans for his own annihilation? Man is planning his own destruction, and that of civilization, without cause, without defense, without protection, and without the smallest hope of any real victory.”                                          *

Armageddon Due to Selfishneu

COMMENTING upon Judge Rutherford's declaration that the Armageddon above described is now sure to come, resulting in a disaster beyond the description of human words, but that afterward the Lord will bring order out of chaos, establish peace and righteousness, with the happy outcome that millions of people now living on the earth will live on forever in peace and happiness here on earth, the Springfield, Ohio, Sun says:

"Such sublime faith ai this merits more attention than the cold respect of a passing glance. If some measure of it could enter the councils of the world's rulers, who are presently unable to determine whether they ought to keep on remaining in the Ruhr or get out of it. to pay their debts or not to pay, to grab other nations' territory or let it aione,. Armageddon's final victory might be won without firing & shot or breaking another human head.

“One trouble with the world’s quarrelsome statesmen is that they are forever disputing over which nation has the right to claim the special benediction of the Almighty for their policies and undertakings, while at the same time with their wars, transgressions, and selfishness contending to see which can make the least use of His nrccepts. This is no way to hasten the advent of Millennium for which they are always praying.”

Gold Hunger in Europe

UE gold hunger of the poverty stricken nations of central Europe is so great that the

Austrian Government is reopening gold mines in Austria, which were originally worked by the Romans, hut which have not been worked for four hundred years. The ores are said to assay one ounce of gold to the ton. If the macliinery which is being installed is up to date, and it probably is, the reopening of the mine will doubtless be a profitable venture.

But the time is near when gold will be at a discount Men will be worth much more. The Lord declares that men shall cast their idols of gold and their idols of silver to the bats and to the moles; and that He will make a man more precious than gold, yea, than the golden wedge of Ophir.—Isaiah 2:20; 13:12.    ’

Ten Days to New Zealand

INSPIRED by a praiseworthy desire to get into touch with her great empires at the other end of the world, Britain is arranging for a service of large airships to India. Australia, and New Zealand, and expects to land mail from London in New Zealand in ten days. If this plan goes through, it will be the most extraordinary transportation project in the world.

New Zealand is a coining country. It is claimed that two million additional persons could easily find a livelihood there at once. The scenery is unsurpassed; game is plentiful; the natives are the finest native people on earth.

Some of these Maoris live near the hot springs, for which New Zealand is famous. It is literally possible for them to catch fish in one stream and to cook them in another, only a few yards away; and they often do it. The Maoris enjoy fishing more than they do working: the same may be said of -ome white persons.

Speaking of fish, a Seattle mining man, returning from a trip through British Columbia, reports that at the foot of Salmon Glacier, in a place where the river had swollen and then receded, he saw many salmon from four to six feet, long suspended from the limbs of trees. Has anybody a more interesting fish story than that, or'a more improbable one!

Turks, Egyptians, and Asiatics

R. HIT JAS, an American doctor connected with Red Cross work at Saloniki, has returned to Amp ri ch. with good impressions of the Turks. He declares that Turkish women are really well treated; that there is no commercialized vice, no drunkenness, and but little polygamy; that the Turks are eager to give satisfaction to those with whom they deal; that they expect and ask a much less profit on their goods than either Jews or Greeks, and that they are truthful.

The Greeks themselves gave the mayoralty of Saloniki to a Turk, declared by Dr. Hillas to be as fine a man as he ever met. Under the beneficent rule of the Lord’s kingdom the Turks will be as desirable citizens as any other on the planet.

The annual Summer Institute of Politics at Williamstown, Mass., has been taking note of the fact that a sullen, smoldering hostility to the white races is spreading over all Asia and Africa. In Egypt the cry is being raised louder and louder, "Egypt for tfie Egyptians.”

The colored races are now increasing rapidly. During the past century the population of India has increased from 100,000,000 to more than 300,000,000. The transportation of Asiatics over great distances has now become an easy matter. If the United States had not interfered by legislation, there would most surely be at least 50,000,000 Orientals in America today.

The depression which has characterized business in many parts of the world does not seem to have affected Palestine, according to reports which have reached us. There has been widespread building activity. Many Jews are adopting Biblical Hebrew names, 1,643 certificates for such changes having been issued in 1922.

Philippine Perplexities

EARLY in the Summer the entire Philippine cabinet and council of state resigned, setting forth as their reason that they considered General Wood’s government of the islands too autocratic. They allege that he attempted to force the successfully government owned and operated Manila Railroad Company out of the hands of the government and into the private hands of New York bankers. In a previous issue we have published Governor Wood's reasons for doing this.

No doubt General Wood has the usual faults of a military dictator, yet his administration of Cuba many years ago was noted for its excellence. He accomplished wonders for Cuban sanitation, and prepared the island for the almost unbroken record of liberty and the good record of prosperity which it has since enjoyed.

General Wood thinks privately owned and operated enterprises more apt to succeed than public ones; and that the proper administration of the Philippine National Bank, which has been back of Philippine public utilities, requires that they should be made profitable financially as quickly as possible.

It is just possible that some of General Wood's New York friends, who were ready to pay $1,000,000 or more to make him President, are desirous to get hold of some of these properties. They do not generally let any chances to obtain public utilities escape their sticky fingers.

Uncle Sam⁹* Investment*

THE United States Government continues to make money, after its usual fashion. It has just sold for the modest sum of $50,000 the naval training station at Newport, for which it paid £7,000.(100. We could have hoped that $70,000 would be obtained so that the people would have received back one cent out of each dollar invested; but perhaps that was expecting too much. The wonder is that some dollar-a-year patriot did not take the property away outright, without paying anything for it, in view of what was done to the Custom House in New York years ago.

And Uncle Sam may not even get one cent on the dollar for the seven destroyers which ran aground oS San Diego. How it happens that sea experts could plan their work so badly in < time of peace that seven expensive vessels could all be destroyed in one maneuver, while three others barely escaped destruction, is a mystery to people that have to work for their money. All that we know is that the vessels were running twenty miles an hour in a fog, paid no heed to correct radio signals sent from shore, and were piled up on the rocks one after another as fast as they got there. A few days later one navy vessel rammed another neafe Boston.

Seventy Year* of Shame

SOME of the worthy people of California, heartily ashamed of the treatment of the California Indians, are bringing again to light the treaty by which, on the part of the Indians, 400 of their chiefs and head men relinquished their right to California in exchange for certain lands, live stock, clothing, machinery, and in* straction. The treaties were not ratified by the United States Senate, but the Indians weraeon> pelled to keep their part of the bargain.

In other words, the Indians were shamelessly robbed; and although the robbery was done seventy years ago, and all the statesmen in the United States know about it, the.injustice still stands. This is like going to a railway station and laying down $10 for a ticket. The ticket agent takes your money, but does not give you a ticket, nor will the conductor let you ride oa the train. You go back for your money, but the agent refuses to give it to you,.beeanse that was your part of the contract.                     .

Sacrificing the Farmer*

Un 1TED States Senator Shipstead, of Minnesota, in an address before the FarmerLabor Party of Illinois, has brought to liffbfs the reason why the Federal Reserve Boar< so deliberately and so ruthlessly immolated the fanners in the Fall of 192L

As he put the matter, Wall Street, with its usual gambling propensity, had loaned $8,000,000.000 to $10,000,000,000 in Europe in the expectation that Europe would quickly regain its footing after the war; but the expectation was not realized, and in order to recoup quickly their losses they turned upon their friends. As the Senator put it, and we think truthfully*

"The Board used the very power created to prevent panics to create an artificial one and rob the American people of billions.”

Captain Kidd did not hesitate to slay his friends; but one can hardly imagine him seeking out the builder of the ship in which he sailed and swinging him to the yard-arm, as the Wall Street crowd swung the farmers in the Fall of 1920.

Recently published statistics show that in the past year the average American farmer received for his year's work about $20 in cash more than he received for his work the year previous, but the outlook for next year is not so good. He will receive less for his grain, so little in fact that it will not pay for the raising; and his $20 is liable to be all expended before the next presidential campaign is finished.

It will be a generation at least before the farmers will forget or forgive what the Federal Reserve Board did to them in the Fall of 1920. The Federal Reserve Board is now under new management, and its present policy toward the .farmers is said to be quite changed; but this is like locking the stable door after the horse has been stolen.

Another thing: Nobody can tell when the irresponsible group that has controlled the Federal Reserve will choose to work the pumphandle and produce another period of inflation followed by subsequent deflation to suit its purposes. A little real honesty or‘common sense on the part of Ampri^R^ great financiers is always appreciated, however. -

Canada is trying hard to find some solution of the problem of low prices for wheat by organizing wheat pools in each of the provinces, with a view of holding the wheat out of the market temporarily and marketing it throughout the year in an orderly fashion. .

It is hoped by the promoters that this method of marketing may aid the fanners by as much as ten or twenty cents per busheL Farmers west of the Missouri river are reported as also holding back their wheat from market, though this seems to be an individual policy rather than any general pool arrangement.

Coak Bread, and Bricks

WRITER in the New York Times makes the evasive statement regarding Governor

Pinchot that "as to his suspicion of profiteering in anthracite, there would seem to be no more grounds for it than for suspecting that there is profiteering in flour when bread is selling for practically as much today, with wheat at one dollar a bushel, as when wheat was selling for double that price.”

This is no argument at alL If a mau is held up and robbed of part of his money in one block, and then goes on and is robbed of the rest of it in the next block, does that prove anything as to the honesty of the second thief ?

The fact of the business is that when the price of anthracite was suddenly doubled during the war, even the great financiers were afraid that they had overdone the matter; and in their financial papers the hint was given that it might be prudent at an early date to restore to the people a part of what had been taken from them.

But if the coal barons and their railroad partners took from the people several dollars a ton more than was necessary or more than was fair, it may be set down as a certainty that they will give nothing back. Not only that, but they are certain to give prices another boost Indeed, the boost-'of fifty cents to one dollar per ton has already been made.

Within the district that makes brick for New York city the brickmakers have raised the price $9 per thousand bricks during the past year; and the .bricklayers have set their limit at a thousand bricks per day and have asked for and obtained $2 more per day. Rents continue to mount skyward as a result. The situation gets more and more impossible of solution every day.

Preservation of Order

EVERY now and then some of the forces that are antagonistic to the interests of the workers get alarmed for fear that the courts are crowding them too hard. The Philadelphia Public Ledger uses the following language in referring to Judge Wilkerson's order 'in which he made permanent Attorney General Daugherty's injunction against the railway shopmen:

“This injunction was amazing in its sweep. It was more binding than any in our long history of industrial war. It silenced men's tongues,-bound their arms, and tied up union funds so they might not be used on tbs strike. More than 400^000 men and their officers wen placed under duress. This action has the look of an

industrial mistake, a judicial error, and a political blunder. Labor’s arm will be nerved for further blows against the use of injunctions in maintaining order and protecting the public. It will be dragged into the coming national campaign to feed the fires of radicalism.”

A report has been filed with the United States Coal Commission by some independent investigators in which it is brought to light that the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company employs 407 private sheriffs; and that in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in which the great W. J. Rainey Company operates, there are 6,180 deputies, paid by the coal companies, engaged in preserving "order.”

The kind of order these men are supposed to preserve is disclosed further in the report, which presents copies of the leases which the men must sign in order to obtain a home. Only three kinds of visitors may come to these homes without violation of lease; the doctor, the moving-wagon man, and the undertaker. But if they have a phonograph, and wish to play it, these tenants may play, *‘My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty." They may also vote for the perpetuation of these, America's new institutions.

Automatic Safety for Train*

THE Pennsylvania Railroad has installed on its Lewistown Branch an automatic train control system that is said to eliminate collisions and make it impossible for two .trains to come together though they be given orders to do so. It is beyond human regulation, and is controlled by electricity. The apparatus has been under test for over a year. The tracks are electrified, and the engines equipped with the device.

The track is divided into sections of one mile each. If two sections^ are clear, the train may proceed at full speed'; and even at full speed the train cannot proceed beyond the maximum speed set for that section. If only one section is clear, the train is automatically slowed down to the medium speed for that section.

If no section is clear, or a switch is open, or the device itself ceases to work properly, the train is automatically stopped, unless the engineer turns a switch in his cab which will allow him to proceed at slow speed which is regulated by the apparatus.

In the cab are three bulbs over which the engineer has no control, and which indicate to < - £ him at all times the maximum speed at which < he may proceed under any and all drcum-stances. The “A" bulb indicates “high”; the "R* bulb "intermediate”; the "S” bulb "low” or stop.

This seems to be the last word in "safety first” for the running’bf trains, and evidences the fact of the nearness of the Lord's kingdom on earth; for the Prophet declares that in that time "they shall not hurt nor destroy in all iff) [His] holy mountain [kingdom].”—Isaiah 11:9.

266 Mile* per Hour

T EAVING the ground at a speed of seventy J-J miles an hour, and returning to the ground^ at the same rate of speed, the fastest airplane' now travels at the rate of 266 miles per hour. In one hour, at that rate of speed, the airman could go from New York to beyond Boston or Washington. In two hours he could go from New York to Cleveland or from London to Edinburgh. In three hours he could go from New York to Chicago, and in twelve hours from New York to Los Angeles. It would seem as if the limit of airplane speed must surely be near, but airmen predict an ultimate speed of at least . six hundred miles per hour in the upper high-velocity air currents.

Standardisation of Article*

THE work of simplifying civilisation goes on. . The national Chamber of Commerce, at Washington, continues its work of inducing manufacturers to reduce the number of sizes and designs of standard articles in common use. Among the items recently standardized are milk bottles; twelve varieties of quart sizes were reduced to three varieties; ten sizes of caps were reduced to one size. Paint and varnish manufacturers have reduced the varieties of containers, and have eliminated many colors and —-shades of paints, stains, enamels, and varnishes.

Hotel chinaware has been reduced from 700 varieties to 165 varieties. This refers only to design and not to decorations or colors, which ■are left to preference. Asphalt pavers reduced the asphalt grades from 102 to 10. Common brick were standardized at 8x2*£x3%”. Sizes, types, and varieties of wire fence were reduced from 552 to 69.

After hundreds of years of agitation the Greek church has finally adopted the Gregorian calendar. Those who were living under the old calendar did not have in their lives any dates from October first to thirteenth, 1923. Their first October date was the fourteenth. But they did not lose anything out of their lives; they lived those days in September. They did not start to live in September, according to calendar, until we had been enjoying the month for ^thirteen days.

Evidences of the Millennium

THERE is no hint in America of any intent on the part of the buying public to do without the luxuries to which it has become accustomed. Fur purchases, largely for account of American users, in the great wholesale fur market at Montreal are reported as three times as great as in the Fall of 1921, and sixty percent greater than a year ago.

An evidence pointing in the same direction was noted by the writer the other day. An apartment house is going up in the neighborhood. A handsome seven-passenger Studebaker automobile drew up in front of it at 8:30 in the morning, and out climbed six stalwart, well-dressed plasterers.

It is all right, if they can afford it; and who says that they cannot afford it if they can manage to get steady work at the present going rate of $14 per dayt Many of the Wall Street buccaneers have incomes scores of times greater, and have never done an honest day’s work in their lives. ’

Dr. Charles F. Steinmetz, the General Elec-trie Company’s wizard at Schenectady, bids us cheer up. He predicts that in fifty years the cost of electric lights will be but one-fiftieth .what they are now, that the wind and sun will * be tapped for power, that art will be universally recognized and sought, that starch and sugar will be as cheap as sawdust, that agriculture will be a luxury and cities smokeless.

Dr. Steinmetz also says that the people will be healthier, and that no one will be expected to work more than four hours a day. That sounds like the Millennium; and the best of it all is, that it is the Millennium, really and truly; for the Millennium is actually here. The long-promised reign of Christ, earth’s new King, is begun.

Negro Migration

THE Negroes continue to migrate northward, led there by opportunities opening in the steel industries, owing to the abandonment of the twelve-hour day. The South views the departure of these Negroes with mingled feelings. In some sections they view the situation with alarm, as they are already short of help. In others they declare themselves well pleased, because they beHeve that by a greater distribution of Negroes over the North the Negro problem will cease to be a sectional one.

Troubles in the Negro section of Johnstown, Pa., one of the steel centers, led the mayor of the city to order all recent Negro arrivals to leave town. This.was an illegal act on his part; but upwards of two thousand of the Negroes obeyed the order. Three policemen had been killed; the mayor had great provocation.

Prize-Fighting and Civilization

ONLY a few years ago prize-fighting was forbidden in nearly every state in the Union. That was while America maintained a pretense of being a civilized country. In that day, only a little more than ten years ago, it was necessary for the plug uglies to travel all the way to Nevada in order to find a-substitute for civilization sufficiently low to permit them to try to batter each other to pieces.

But the preachers have changed all that The World War gave them their chance. They glorified the murder of one man by another, using their pulpits for recruiting stations. And since the war they cannot very well say anything against prize-fighting. Some of them have actually gone into the ring, particularly the fighting parson of Coffeyville, Kansas.

At the recent Dempsey-Firpo fight in New York 85,000 persons paid a total admission fee of $1,250,000 to see one big brute whip another in three minutes and fifty-seven seconds. Arthur Brisbane, editorial writer of the New York American, attended and gave his impressions at the ringside. He sized up this flower of American civilization in the following language:

"One man cuts the other’s eye open. A ferocious yell of pleasure from the darkness tells you that even mediocre fighting is very pleasant, for those that don't have to do the fighting. In addition to. being brutal, prizefighting is cowardly. Among the tens of thousands here yon could find materftl for a firsfclass grand hurried retreat in any battle. Men that like to see fighting don’t like to share in it It is amazing with what patriotic unanimity our best prize-fighters answered Uncle Sam’s call in the big war, and hurried off to teach boxing to soldiers, here in the training camps.”

Against this close analysis by a great writer, consider the following extract from a “sermon" by the "Reverend” Frederick E. Hopkins, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Michigan City, Indiana, Sept. 16:

"Bill Muldoon, boxing commissioner of New York, has done as much for our country as ex-President Eliot of Harvard. We need both. They educate men who make great poems and great punches.

. "What is the matter with the modern teachers of morals, that they denounce the feats of athletic skill and applaud the dough-faced pacifist?

"The modern moralist will uphold as magnificent examples of physical fitness such Bible characters as Samson. and then wish to throw Dempsey and Firpo into jaiL                                      -

“But there is no distinction in what Samson did with the jaw bone of an ass when he met the thousand or more Philistines, and what Dempsey did to the so-called Tull of the Pampas’ after Dempsey had been introduced to the canvas and did a neat back flip through the ropes to the press pita.”

Multiplication of Defectives

DUCATORS and thinkers are alarmed over the rapidly increasing evidence that defectives are multiplyirg as never before in the history of the race. Insane asylums and homes for imbeciles are filled to overflowing, and the tide is ris’ng. Harry Olsen, Chief Justice of the Municipal Court of Chicago, writing on this fiub.v-c* in the New York Times says:

“'fhere always have been defectives and defective stocks; but until quite recently the environment of Northern peoples was so harsh and rigorous that the defective stocks tended constantly to be uprooted, to be bred out of existence. The defectives had much the higher mortality rate, especially among infants. Now we find the ordinary conditions of a century ago, to go no further back, are reversed. The normal have cut their rate of reproduction, and at the same time invited defectives to multiply freely with a guarantee that their offspring will be coddled and nourished and protected and brought by every artificial means to an age when reproductive instincts will provide another generation.”

Of the various possible remedies which occur to him, withdrawal of aid from the unfit, multiplication of police, putting to death of habitual criminals, deportation of undesirables, sterili- ' zation and segregation of the unfit of both sexes in separate farm colonies under State control, J-Judge Olsen thinks the last named method is the only one to which society would consent, and that it could be made a success. He gives most convincing figures to show that almost all criminals come from defectives, or the union of defectives, who can be and should be segregated from their fellows now, before more harm is done. Christ's kingdom will solve it alh

More Serum Squirting

ARENTS in Scranton who do not believe in having the blood streams .of their children

polluted by filthy serums are alarmed and distressed by propaganda in the papers of that city subtly conveying the threat that hereafter the school children must submit to both vaccination and antitoxin treatment or be compelled to leave school. It is a great injustice that some doctors, in order to push their theories, should thus put parents to the expense and inconvenience of providing private instruction for their children.

By the way the propaganda is put forward one would think that, instead of a great injustice being committed against the parents and against their children, both are placed under lasting obligation. Here are a few paragraphs of the propaganda as it appeared in one of the city's newspapers:

"Scranton will soon be on a par with New York and other leading cities of the country when it comes to protecting the health of its children.

“Dr. F. R. Wheelock, director of the city department of public health, has been advised by Dr. W. E. Keller, chief medical supervisor for the Scranton School district, that the medical committee of the local school board has sanctioned a movement begun by the health director with a view to having school children of certain^ ages immunized from diphtheria by means of the toxin antitoxin treatment

“Approval of the school board to the antidiphtheria treatment culminates many months of eJ^rt on the part of Dr. Wheelock, who a few weeks ago instituted, with the cooperation of the state department of pnnlio health and local welfare agencies, a campaign *4 inoculate every child in this city of pre-school sgt The urive has been waged successfully, and several rhmuand children are now taking the treatment at clinics established in various parts of the city.

"Under a plan worked out by Dr. Wheelock, and ftailar to that already in operation in many progressive cities throughout the country, Literature will be forwarded* to all the public schools shortly on the immunisation schema. Teachers will distribute blanks which, when filled out by the parents, will entitle every child to permanent protection from the ravages of diphtheria."

Back fnm Death Sleep

Charles Netts, 1025 Pine Street, Springfield, Ohio, is reported in the newspapers as having died after an operation, two surgeons who operated upon hire concurring as to the facts. After fifteen minutes adrenalin was injected into his heart in the effort to restore life, and with success. Two hours subsequently he revived: and a Springfield newspaper gives his opinion of his experiences in his own language:

“I have read many stories telling of the experiences of persons who died and were brought back to life, and of the things they saw while in that condition; but let me tell the world rijrht now that those stories are all wrong. I did not hear any harps playing, and I did not see a single angel. I guess I felt just as I do when I am asleep; and I thought the doctors were kidding me when they told me that I had been dead. But after they had convinced me of the fact, I was sure glad to get back to this old earth once more.”

Mr. Notts' experience is in full accord with the Scriptures. The prophet Daniel speaks of the awakening of "many that sleep in the dust of the earth.” Another prophecy says: “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust." Our Lord declares that the dead are in their graves, where they remain until the resurrection. How foolish the high-priced theologians all look in the face of Mr. Netts* experiences, and in the light of the Bible!

And the spiritists, who also claim that the dead are alive, look just as foolish as the theologians. Conan Doyle says spiritism is sweeping the American public from end to end, and that it is creeping into what is known as orthodox theology. No doubt these observations are correct, and it is no credit to the intelligence of either party named.

IT WILL be news to some that a prospective settler to this country, say a hardy and every way much-to-be-desired Briton, may get as far as Quarantine, and then be sent home because his ship arrived fifteen seconds after the month of August had expired. Just that thing would have happened to two thousand immigrants but for the courage of Immigrant Commissioner Curran, in New York Harbor, who protested the ruling of his superior officers at Washington and made an urgent appeal for reconsideration. Major Curran may lose his job, but he says that he would rather not be a party (o such a “fiendish” ruling.

THE most perfectly shaped volcano in the world is said to be Mount Mayon, in the province of Albay, Philippine Islands. No matter from which side the mountain is viewed, the cone is almost perfect in symmetry. There is a small extinct volcano in northern California similarly symmetrical .

Judge Rutherford at Madison Square Garden

TUDGE RUTHERFORD, during August, C gave his celebrated lecture on “All Nations Marching to Armageddon, but Millions Now Living Will Never Die” to record-breaking crowds in Tacoma and Los Angeles. His friends in New York city engaged Madison Square Garden and set about for a tremendously advertised meeting on the same subject October 21st.

One million two hundred and fifty thousand circulars were distributed to the homes; large advertisements were on the billboards; nearly all New York's big dailies carried large display advertising. It was specially announced that an electrical instrument would be used to amplify the voice so that all could hear. Approximately 14,000 people heard the lecture.

That 50,000 people were not turned away is due to the fact that the clergy have prejudiced the people against the International Bible Students Association by slander, misrepresentation, and concealment of the truth. Many have been driven away from anything and everything pertaining to the Bible because of the confusion among the clergy, so apparent in the discussion between Modernists and Fundamentalists. Of course, the Jews (and a large part of New York

_ city is Jewish) are not supposed to listen to any lecture on the Bible given by a Christian.

That the audience was well pleased and dey    sired to. look into the conditions of the world

I ‘    from the standpoint of prophecy was evidenced

j by the sale, after the lecture, of 3,200 volumes of i     Mr. Rutherford’s book, “The Harp of God,” and

'     the lingering of hundreds to talk it over with

those acquainted with the subject.

<■ When stunning blows were registered by the :     Judge against the tactics of the clergy in keep

ing the people blind to God’s truth by “hiding the < key of knowledge,” the people .showed by ^r vigorously applauding that the truth of the matter was dawning upon their minds. Religiously, the world is in a stupor, caused by doctrines of Satanic origin, passingas the teach_; ings of Jesus, of which there are none so damaging to reason as “the divine right of ■I¹ ‘ Idngs and clergy” and the "immortality of the ^:      human soul,” which latter doctrine vitiates a

' fundamental doctrine running through the entire Bible, i. e., that the penalty for sin is death.

This doctrine of demons (for such it is) obviates the necessity of a resurrection of the dead. If the dead are not dead when they are dead, how can there be a resurrection of the dead? This truth is beginning to seep through the armorplate of false theology.

Judge Rutherford’s arraignment of the clergy was as a class; he mentioned no individual It is fast becoming seen that paid preachers, paid choirs, and expensive parsonages are not necessary, but are really hindrances to the cause and purpose of Christianity.

The clergy have themselves in admiration, they glorify themselves, they lower the standards to suit the money portion of their congregations, and their inconsistency in trying to represent Christianity under those conditions is most flagrant.

To see the inconsistency of the preachers one has only to recall how the preachers everywhere fought the presentation of the “Photo-Drama of Creation” in 1914 (because Pastor Russell, the predecessor of Judge Rutherford, was the author), while in 1923 they are busily engaged in bringing movies into their churches to keep up the flagging interest, and some of these movies are of questionable character. The “PhotoDrama of Creation” was illustrative of the

Bible in a reverential way to attract people to the study of God’s Word.

In the reconstruction of the world, outside of religion, nothing needs more castigation for its diabolical efforts in upholding the Satanic order than the public press-r-the newspapers. After Judge Rutherford’s lecture, where so many people came to hear and took such a deep interest in the Bible view of passing events, and where so much money had been freely spent in publicity, only one paper, the New York American, gave any mention, and that about four inches of a very modest part of the lecture listened to with rapt attention by 14,000 persons.

The papers say that they are the mouthpieces of public opinion, of the things in which the public is interested. If it is murder, a divorce suit, rape, or a bank looted by thugs, the so-called press gives plenty of publicity. Pages after pages for days were utilized to work up the public to the fact that two horses were about to run a race, which turned out to be a very disappointing affair.                  .

But when*a real man with a sincere desire to do his fellow man good and wipe away tears from the cheeks of many of the poor groaning creation had a message of hope, of succor, of consolation, and had suggestions how to avoid trouble and sorrow, pointed ahead a few years to a time of blessing by divine power, and used the Bible in support of his views, the people were left to think that such things are not of public interest and are unworthy of investigation.

Big business, big politics, and big preachers did not like the preaching of Jesus. They hired the soldiers who witnessed the fact of his resurrection to say that his disciples came by night and stole the body away; and everyone from that day to this who has dared to preach present truth has been persecuted, hated and, if possible, put to death. Darkness hates the light because its deeds are evil. .

It is true that the truth of the Bible is inimical to the interests of the Big Three, because all three are actuated by selfish motives; and they control the Press; they realize that to hold advantage they must keep the people in ignorance. Knowing that the people must read something these give them such information as to keep them in ignorance and superstition; and when one breaks the bands that hold him to the slavish practices of the plutocrats, the hypocrisy of the clergy, and the false standard of patriotism he is branded as a seditionist or a bolshevik, is labeled "an undesirable citizen”; and the newspapers do their bit in sustaining the false charges.

Judge Rutherford points to a change of dispensation—a complete reversal of society— giving Bible evidence that we are now passing out from under the machinations of the human family's arch enemy, the devil, into the glorious reign of righteousness, truth, peace, happiness, ------. and life everlasting, under Christ. The thing now impending is the battle of Armageddon, which will wipe the old order from the slate.

Of course, those well situated and selfishly satisfied with society as now organized disbelieve any testimony of the Scriptures; and patting themselves on the back in the face of the terrible trouble in the world they think that they have it within themselves to be the saviors of the world.

. The newspapers have a great responsibility. In supporting the unholy trinity they are reprehensible. If they should turn from their evil practices, how great would be the good for the people at large! Much of the trouble couching panther-like across our pathway would be lifted. But God's kingdom is shortly to fill the whole earth, and the Lord shall be crowned in the minds of all order-loving people King of kings and Lord of lords; and those who refuse to bow in submission to that gracious arrangement shall with the devil, lick the dust.             .

“Restoration of Israel”

AT NEW YORK, Tuesday, October 23rd, at Manhattan Opera House, Judge Rutherford was scheduled for a lecture on the "Restoration of IsraeL” The house was filled, about 2,600 being present.

A number of Jews were present, knowing that Mr. Rutherford is friendly to the orthodox Jew and his endeavors to exercise faith in his God , in the face of many difficulties.

It was expected that many Jews would be at the lecture; for the announced topic seemed to be of more interest to Jews than to Christians, though when the Christian is rightly informed he sees that the restoration of Israel is a necessary part of the program of the Christian's God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the holy prophets; and he sees that Israel's { regathering is the harbinger of everlasting peace and of the setting up of the kingdom for which Christians have so long prayed.

One of the pleasant surprises of the evening was the receipt of a letter from a Jew, greatly beloved by all the New York people and especially by those who are sympathetic with the Zionistic movement, Mr. Nathan Straus. Moreover, the stage was beautifully decorated by an exquisite floral display sent by Mrs. Straus as a personal token of good wishes to the speaker. The letter from Mr. Straus follows:

"Driftwood," Mamaroneck, Oct. 23,1923.

My Dub Judgb:

I only saw the announcement of your meeting tonight in this morning's N. Y. American. I fully agree with what you say about Israel ZangwilL He is a Jew absolutely in name only. I did not know his views when I invited him to be my house guest After the Carnegie Hall meeting I took an apartment for him in the city, where he is living now.

As one who is deeply impressed with the prophecies of the Bible and with the aspirations of my people for their regathering in Palestine and the restoration of their own land, I hail you as one of the prophets who will help the Jews towards the realization of their hopes of two thousand years. They are willing to wait and work, without injury to the rights of any other people.

I bring to your attention the enclosed pamphlet, which you will surely find interesting. Mr. Blackstone had this reprinted for me when I met him many years after it had been published. In all admiration of your unselfish efforts, I remain            _x

Very sincerely yours,

Nathah Straus*

Family of Six Generations

IT IS not often that a family can boast in the richness of six living generations. The penalty of death rests heavily upon our race, taking away our loved ones, very often in infancy, with the average duration of life about forty years. The accompanying reproduction of a large photograph is remarkable in that it shows a happy representative of each of six generations, all alive at the present time. Only the baby in the arms of its mother is masculine. But more remarkable yet ■ is the fact that there are just twenty years between each generation — the ages running 1, 21, 41, 61, 81 and 101, evidently being all firstborns.

The old grandmother, hale, hearty and happy, appears to be able to endure the stormy blasts of a few more Marches and escape the swinging scythe of Father Time for some time to come. We wish for them the lovinglundhess of our great Creator, His providential care overshadowing them, sparing them the necessity of being put into the cold, cold ground, in order that they may pass through the “time of trouble” into the Golden Age of prophecy and be among those millions now living who will never die; for the kingdom of the Lord, so long prayed for, is very close at hand.

Then, having been brought through the “fire” which dissolves the present order, they may become franchised citizens of the New Order under Christ, who will place before them truth and righteousness and life everlasting. Then grandma, great-grandma, great-great-grandma, and great-great-great-grandma may grow into mental, moral and physical perfection by growing down to the ripeness and beauty of aged thirty; and the baby and mother may enjoy the same privileges by growing up to aged ’ thirty, and there remain.

What a happy earth 9) this is yet to be, whet Christ stops people from dying, curing every ailment, and then calls all from the graves (John 5 :28, 29, R V.) that they, too, may bask in the smiles and blessings of the Messianic reign; when the goodness, the benevolence, and all the sterling qualities of every being are to be brought out and developed into the image and likeness of God, as human children of the Most High, if they will but bow to the gracious arrangement of that time!

They are:

Mrs. Fannie Patterson, aged 101 August 27,1923;

Mrs. Mary Mooney, aged 81 Sept, 1923;

Mrs. Montie McAfee, aged 61 October, 1923; Mrs. James Blalock, aged 41 April, 1923;     >

Mrs. E. D. Norris, aged 21 November, 1923;

E. D. Norris, Jr., aged 1 year July, 1923.

We are indebted to Mrs. R E. Wilson, of Rome, Ga., who is personally acquainted with the group, for the following: \

Little E. D. Norris, Jr., is probably the only youngster in the country who receives the personal attention of a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a great-great-grandmother, and a great-great-great-grandmother.

VOTtMIX* T. 1923

His great-great-great-grandmother, Mrs. Fannie Waters Patterson, celebrated her one hundred and first birthday, August 27th, 1923. Since reaching her hundredth anniversary, Mrs. Patterson has led a rather secluded life. Up until the last few years, however, her days were full of strenuous activity on her 200-acre farm, six miles out of Adairsville, Ga. She has always been much interested in farm and garden work. Raising chickens was her chief hobby until several years ago, when she sustained a serious fall, which made it necessary for her to depend upon a cane in walking, and confined her to the house. Only recently her eyesight has begun to fail; but also recently, her hearing, which for the past few years has been bad, has been restored, and she hears now almost perfectly. She rarely ever leaves home now.

In spite of her quiet mode of life Mrs. Patterson's home is the center for many happy family reunions. When a family reunion is held at the Pattersons¹ there are sometimes eight children, fifty-two grandchildren, sixty-eight great-grandchildren, twenty-three great-greatgrandchildren present and, last, young E. D. Norris, Jr^ who is Mrs. Patterson’s greatgreat-great-grandchild.

Like the grandmothers of the past generation Mrs. Patterson sits in her favorite corner in the home in which she has lived for over half a century. Sometimes she relates whimsical stories, principally tales of her earlier days, when Andrew Jackson’s name was in the headlines, when the neighbor boys went away to fight in Mexico, the troublous years of civil strife. She relates stories of dealings with the Indians, which are very interesting.

The story of the Patterson family is an interesting one in itself, encompassing happenings of a hundred years; and reaches back into the history of our South Carolina and Georgia pioneers with the perils of an usettled country in their wake.

Mrs. Patterson’s grandparents, the Rev. Charles Smith and his wife Nancy, came over from England during the Revolutionary days in 1777, settling first in Virginia, but later moving southward to make their home in Spartanburg, S. C. Here their daughter Nancy Smith was married to James Waters; and Fannie Waters was born in Spartanburg on August 27 th, 1822, the first of the twelve children of James and Nancy Waters, there being seven daughters and five sons. Two of Mrs. Patterson’s sisters are living, Mrs. R. T. Reece of Fairmount, 6a^ aged 8G, and Mrs. W. J. Watts of Rome, Ga.

James Waters moved from South Carolina with his family across the mountains to Adairsville, Ga.; and at Adairsville, Mrs. Fannie Waters Patterson was married, and has made her home near there since that time.

Causes of Climatic Changes ByH.Siliaway

PLEASE allow me to offer a few suggestions in regard to the possible physical causes of climatic changes which are taking place and which are exciting so much comment. *

One of die divine commissions originally given to man was to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28); and, like the one to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, this commission has been but little affected or interfered with by man's rebellious course and its resulting condemnation. The climatic changes, so noticeable in recent years, seem clearly attributable to man's activity upon the globe.

With the condensing of the thick canopy of watery vapors surrounding the earth, and with their precipitation in the deluge of Noah’s day, the gaseous envelope of earth was left very thin. It is this envelope that protects the earth from the intense cold of space by holding and equalizing the heat action of the sun’s rays, and it also preserves the natural surface heat of the earth itself.

We think it reasonable to suppose that a thickening of this gaseous blanket is necessary before a perfect climate would be possible. Apparently it has been left to mankind to do this, through the loosing of immense quantities of light gases which ascend through the oxygen belt of the atmosphere to a permanent suspension above.

Certain forms of chemical action and all forms of combustion produce gases. It seems evident that there is an element of these that remains permanent. The formation of gases through man's activities was very slow during the earlier centuries, owing both-to the light population and to the lack of scientific knowledge ; but the past century has been very productive of these through the general use of combustion in the production of mechanical energy, and in the extensive use of explosives.

This production of energy through combustion is now at its height, and will soon speedily begin to wane through the development of higher and better forms of productive energy. The time must come when the use of combustion for practically all purposes will be super-, scded by less crude methods.             .

Climatic Changes in Palestine           '

THE climate of Palestine would seem to be a sensitive barometer of the climatic influences at work upon the earth. The first evidence which we have recorded is that of-the terrible electric storm which centered over and burned Sodom and Gomorrah, precipitating a heavy deposit of salt over their sites.

While the Lord was able to produce this storm miraculously, it would seem more reasonable to suppose that He merely overruled an existing atmospheric state of the region at that time to accomplish His purpose. Evidence is not lacking that there have been other storms of a similar character in other parts of the earth.

Electric storms of such severity and character could not well occur under passive climatic conditions, and would seem to indicate a sudden disturbance and change in climate of considerable magnitude somewhere.

Possibly it was about this time that the great freshet occurred that broke up the glacial ice which at one time covered the northern half of North America. That its breaking up was sudden and not gradual there is abundant evidence.

With the land surface of the Northern Hemisphere as it now is, this glacial ice could not well have survived the summer sun of a halfdozen seasons. But it is possible that at one time land occupied some portion of what is now Ilie North Atlantic. Perhaps the legend of the sunken continent of Atlantis may not have been altogether a myth.

The subsidence of this land would effect a change in the ocean currents, altering the channel of the warm waters of the southern seas, sending them much farther northward than formerly, and thereby materially altering the climate of both! North America and Europe. Such a sudden climatic, alteration would naturally be productive of terrific atmospheric disturbances of an electrical character during this period of climatic transition, of which the storm that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and that worked such great physical changes in the part of the country over which it centered, was possibly a part.

Radical Changes Expected Soon

WITH the change in ocean currents, the arctic ice-cap most probably quickly receded to almost the limit* of where it was found to be a century ago. The nearer the approach into the arctic regions, very naturally the slower would be this process of receding; and because of thisjind other reasons it would take some time for the climate to reach a settled state.

Evidence of this climatic transition is seen in the seven years of unusual productiveness followed by the same period of famine in Egypt, in the days of Joseph, the famine also extending over what is now Palestine. Afterwards Palestine became very fruitful, and was probably at the time of the Exodus the garden spot of the earth. The Lord described it to Moses as a land flowing with milk and honey.

This fruitful condition remained until New Testament times, when after the dissolving of the Jewish polity the climate of Palestine assumed a semi-arid state. This denoted that climatic changes were taking place favorable to certain other parts of the earth, but having a contrary influence on the climate of Palestine.

The present transition of climate was first noticed in Palestine about 1878, in a gradual increase of rainfall and a returning of that country toward its former fruitfulness. It was probably about this date that the arctic ice-cap again started to recede as the direct effect of the deepening of the gaseous sea above the lower atmosphere of the earth.

The general unsettled climatic state which still prevails is undoubtedly caused by an abnormal circulation of ocean currents in the Northern Hemisphere, due to some obstruction or to earthquakes. With its correction, or other convulsions, climatic extremes must cease; also its correction will very likely result in the earth’s coming to rest from the shock of the deluge, which it has not yet done, as is proved by the continuance of earthquakes, tidal waves, and volcanic eruptions, all of which are due to a continued kinking or vibration of the earth's erust

The process of these corrections will very likely cause some terrible physical manifestations during the time when this process is going on. The Scriptures seem to indicate clearly something of this character in the very near future.

(The foregoing article was written July 4, 1923, two months before the Japanese earthquake).

Leicester Against Vaccination ByF.R. Freer

FROM time to time articles for and against vaccination have appeared in The Golden Age, and the subject is evidently of great interest to many of your readers. I am therefore sending you an extract from the Leicester Mail (England) which may be of service to your journal.

Leicester is a progressive city of 235,000 inhabitants, and has gained considerable fame because of the active part the citizens took in the fight against compulsory vaccination. Mention of this has, I believe, already been made in one of the articles that appeared in your paper. The extract follows:

“Aiderman Hill, IL P. for West Leicester, in the House of Commons yesterday asked the Minister of Health if he could say what was- the percentage of vaccinated and unvaccinated cases in Leicester for the past five years; how many cases of smallpox had been notified for the city during that period, and the number of deaths, if any, for the same period.

“Lord Eustace Percy said he assumed that the first part of the question related to the children born in Leicester during the past five years. Particulars were not yet available for 1922, but during the previous five years only 3.5 percent of the newly-born children were vaccinated, the bulk of the remainder being exempted from vaccination by reason of their parents or guardians making statutory declarations of conscientious objection. No cases of smallpox had been notified in Leicester, and there had been no deaths from that disease during the past five years."

Reference was also made to Leicester in The Golden Age, No. 94, when the organization in this city of the so-called "soviet republic of

Great Britain" was mentioned. This movement was never a serious one, and it evidently obtained a prominence in the press out of proportion to its actual importance. However, your comment that 'such a movement was significant' was undoubtedly correct; for it was surely an illustration of “the sea and the waves roaring." The restless, discontented masses will, when the occasion comes, sweep away the mountains (kingdoms) of this world, and they shall then become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

In conclusion I would like to say how glad I was to read of the termination of the convictleasing system in Florida, through the instrumentality of The Golden Age; and also to thank you for your interesting impressions of Great Britain. Burns said:

“Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel’s as ithers see us!

It wad frae monie a blunder free us, An? foolish notion."

And I have more than half a suspicion that he was right

A Correction

FROM the contributed article which appears in The Golden Age No. 100 omit the last sentence at the bottom of page 668 and the first sentence at the top of page 669. These statements are true enough, taken by themselves, but not when taken in connection with the sentence that follows them.

*Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.

“His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower."

Pastor Russell’s First Book—In Three Parts (Part I)

THAT our- Lord intended us as Hia disciples to understand that for some purpose, in some manner, and at some time, He would come again, is, we presume, admitted and believed by all familiar with the Scriptures. But the object of that coining is viewed from widely different standpoints, and seen in as various colors as there are glasses; each observer honestly and sincerely desirous of seeing and understAnding the subject correctly. We shall no't attempt in these few pages to give all that can be presented upon this subject, but simply offer a sketch of what we understand the events and their order to be, giving as far as space will permit the Scriptural evidence favoring it. hi doing so we shall endeavor to exercise Christian courtesy when referring to the views of brethren who differ from us.

The writer believes that in order to an understanding of this subject it is necessary for us to have some clear conception of God's plan for the salvation of the world of mankind. If we can obtain this it will unquestionably give us information very valuable in the consideration of our subject: for in that plan not only the first but also the second advent has an important place. Here a vital question arises, viz.:

Has God a Plan?

OR DID He in an idle moment frame this world and bring us, His creatures, into existence simply to exercise His creative power; entirely unmindful, or uncaring, what should be the result to us of that existence 1 Many who love the Lord with all -their hearts speak of Him and His work as though this were the case. They think of the fall of Adam, by which “sin entered into the world, and death by [or as a result of] sin” (Romans 5:12), as an emergency entirely unexpected and unprovided for by the Creator.

Such naturally regard the salvation provided through our Lord Jesus Christ as an afterthought God, having been thwarted by an agent of His own creation, the devil, now sought to repair the mischief by providing a way by which a few of these creatures could be saved. They regard the present and past contest between good and evil as a race between God and the devil, in which, so far, the devil has been the more successful They hope and trust, however, that before the winding up of all things, the numbers of the saved will be greater than those of the lost, and so God, even without any plan, come off conqueror.

But, Christian friends, He who would rebuke a man for building a tower without first counting the cost, shall He build and people a world without counting the cost! Nay, verily; God has and always has had a plan, a purpose; and all His purposes shall he accomplished. He works "all things after the counsel of his own will.”

Not only is this’ true, but He has revealed His plan to us in “the Scriptures, which are able to make us wise,” and given us His holy spirit to enlighten our understanding, “that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:12), which things the world cannot see (v. 14); they are revealed by the spirit in answer to diligent search. “If thou seekest after wisdom, and liftest up thy voice for understanding, yea: if thou searchest for her as men search for silver; then shalt thou find the knowledge of God.” “When he, the spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth.”

The spirit does this as we have seen through the Word, the lamp. But God’s Word, the Bible, is a revelation not intended for one decade or century, simply; but to the conditions of His people at all times and in every age. It is continually unfolding to us some new, fresh beauty of which but a short time before we had not even dreamed. It is because of this continuous unfolding of truth, as it becomes “meat in due season’’ to the household of faith, that under another figure the same Word is compared to "a lamp to our feet"; for 'the path of the just shines more and more until the perfect day? It shone somewhat away back in Enoch’s day, and has been increasing ever since; not that light yesterday is darkness today, but there is more light today by which we can still better appreciate that of yesterday.

Have we as a church all the light now? Cer; £ tainly not; nor shall we have until the "perfect day" Whilst we remember, then, that

"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform,"

we should be ready and watching for the earliest glimpse of the next unfolding of His revehu tion of Himself and His plan, remembering that

"His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour"

We will now see what we can find of God’s plan revealed in His Word, therefrom to judge of the object of our Lord’s return.

We lay down as a foundation, then, whether the plan is so far unfolded that we can fully comprehend it and see the connection which must exist between the past and present dealings of God and that plan or not: First, God has a purpose or plan; second, That plan is based and founded upon love, for "God is love.” —1 John 4:8.

We .do not cast aside God’s justice, etc.; but whatever His plan, it must comport with His character, Love; for "he cannot deny himself”

The Christian church is about equally divided upon the question of Election vs. Free Grace, or Calvinism vs. Arminianism; a small number proportionately believing in Universalism or /- the final eternal salvation of all mankind. * Doubtless all familiar with Scripture know that each of these positions is supported by much Scripture; and yet, can they all be true? Must there not be some connecting link which will harmonize and reconcile them? Surely this is the case, for God’s Word is not yea and nay. Let us examine the first two, Calvinism and Arminianism, separately; the last, Universalism, is so flatly contradicted by much direct Scripture that we shall measurably pass it by unnoticed. And what we have to offer on the - others is not designed as a fling against any of the "branches of the true vine”; but strongly expressed to call special attention to the more uncomely features of those doctrines which their strongest advocates will concede are weak points.

Calvinism virtually says: God is all-wise; He knew the end from the beginning; He had a plan which was to save a few, mi for my merit m them, but of His sovereign choice He elected these to eternal life, all others to eternal death. He could as easily save all men, but He does not want to: He is able but unwilling to save any but a few.

Arminianism virtually says: God loves all His creatures; His tender mercies are over all His works. He is trying His utmost to save them all, but is not able: only the very few, ths "little flock.” Sin slipped past Him, entered the world at the outset, and has gained such a foothold that only by the aid of His children can it be overcome, even in ages.               7

As before suggested, each of these, although apparently antipodes, have some Scriptuni basis and, we believe, when properly arranged are in harmony with each other.

We will now look at the Bible; first at a dark picture, then at a brighter one. Here we find that though little light was given as to man’s salvation and future happiness at the first unfolding of the plan, even that little was not given to the world at large, the masses, bnt to a few patriarchs, among whom were Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These were chosen, elected, not alone from the world, but from among the other members of their families, as it is written: "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated [loved less].” Isaac alone of all of Abraham’s children was the child of promise. Of Abraham it is written, 'Thee only have I chosen of all thy father’s house?

At Jacob’s death the principle of election changes, but the fact remains. All of Jacob’s children are thereafter recognized as God’s representatives, His church or people. There on his death-bed the old Patriarch blesses each of his sons and gives to Judah the sceptre, symbol of nationality, saying, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet,, until Shiloh come.” This was fulfilled to the letter. That tribe represented the nation until Christ came. To this one nation God gave the Law, in which was shadowed forth the Gospel. This shadowy light, the Law, was given to no other nation or people; it was exclusively to Israel, as we read: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth” We will therefore designate this the Jewish or Law age.

At the death of Christ another change takes place. The Law ends. He made an end of the Law, "nailing it to his cross,” and introduced a new dispensation—the Gospel of grace under the law of the spirit This is not restricted to one nation as was the Law, but is free to all, to be "preached in all the world for a witness” before this age ends. (Matthew 24:14) But although we are to know no difference in our presentation of it to all people, God has been guiding and directing its course. Under that direction we of Europe and America have been more favored than the inhabitants of other parts of the earth. Why did the light of truth and salvation, started by our Lord and His apostles in Palestine, travel northward and westward through Europe and America, rather than southward and eastward through Africa and Asia? Did it happen sot Oli, no! Our Father is at the helm; He is guiding His truth.

True, now the Bible is published in the language of every nation. It is now being “preached to every nation” (not individual); but this we - may say has all been done during the present century. Yet today four out of five of the inhabitants of earth know not that Jesus died for them. Here is a sense in which God is even now electing. He elected to send the Gospel to you and me and our fathers, and He chose not to send it to yonder Hottentot and his fathers. But, says one, God works by instrumentalities. He has been wanting His people to come to the work, and by giving of the money and talents which He so freely bestowed on us we may, through missions which He will bless, have the privilege of being coworkers with Him.

To much of this we can heartily assent We believe that through us God is working; that He is pleased with our zeal in His service. But we cannot for one moment suppose that the eternal welfare of four-fifths of the human family is made to depend entirely upon the zeal and liberality of the other one-fifth. No! No!! The God of love is not experimenting at the expense of the eternal happiness of the great mass of His creatures.

We see, then, that in some sense God has so far been electing the church. But why! He must have' a purpose and object in so doing/ He has a plan, and doubtless it is far greater and grander than ever entered into the heart of man to conceive. What say the Scriptures t

In the promise of God to Abraham: “In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the -earth be blessed,” God’s plan and purpose is stated in one sentence. Paul, in an inspired comment upon this promise (Galatians 3), says: "He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Is it Christ Jesus individually that is here referred _ to as the one seedf No; the Apostle continues (vs. 29): "If ye [the church] be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to * the promise'* (as originally made to Abraham). We learn that God had us comprehended in His plan when speaking to Abraham. Not only Christ Jesus, the Head of this seed, but they that are Christ's—the little flock—as members of His body; and this one seed will not be com- ’ plete until the last member of that body is perfected. This thought is maintained throughout the Epistles—Christ, “the head of the body, the church.” (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:23; 4: 12; 5:25-32; 1 Corinthians 12:12,27; Romans 12:5, etc.) The figure is carried yet further. We, His disciples, arc spoken of as filling up the measure of Christ’s sufferings. (Colossians 1: 24; 2 Corinthians 1:5:2 Timothy 2:10) And we have the promise that "if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him."

The promise to which we are heirs declares that when this seed is complete all nations shall be blessed in it. A promise made away back in Eden, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, crush evil and sin, is another to which we are joint-heirs. But did not Jesus do this—bruise Satan—when He diedt No; the death of Christ and the subsequent persecution of the church are .the “bruising of the heeL” Paul says that Satan is to be bruised “shortly” under the feet of the church, Head and body. —Romans 16:20.                  .

The Bride and the Bridegroom              '

GAIN the same thought is expressed under the figure of the bride and the bridegroom.

The church is represented as a chaste virgin espoused to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2) As such we are now betrothed and have received

the seal of that engagement, the firstfruits of the spirit Not married, not the bride yet, but waiting and longing for that union with the Bridegroom. When He went away He said: “I will come again and receive you unto myself?’ He expressed it so in the parable of the Ten Virgins. When the bridegroom came, "they that were ready went in to the marriage.” There and then we shall enter upon the full realization of the "things which God hath in reservation ^;or those that love him.”

All, we presume,. will agree with us when we say that no matter how much enjoyment we have prior to the resurrection, we certainly wait until then for the full measure. The whole church or body is complete before the final rewards are given. Hence, when recounting the ancient worthies, the Apostle says that they received not the promises, "that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11: 39,40) And of himself when about to die he said: "I have fought a good fight . . . 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 appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7,8) True,we now have and enjoy many blessings in Christ. Now we have the peace that the world can neither give nor take away. But all this is but a foretaste; the weight of glory comes over there. We now, in a certain sense, have begun our office as kings and priests, conquering self and the lusts of the flesh, and "ottering up sacrifices unto God”; but it is only in the same sense that we are now spoken of as being risen with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places. By faith in His promises we anticipate the glory and the rest that remains; and although beset with trials and troubles in life, we have a peace to which the ■g*rorfa is a stranger.

When the Lord promises, saying, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,” and "To him that overcometh will I give power over the nations, does He mean it 1 Is he to "sit on the throne of his glory”? Will He take to Himself His great power and reign over the nations? Surely, His word cannot fail; it will be as real a reign over the nations for us, the church, as for Him. God gave Christ “to be the head over the body”; and He that hath freely given us Christ, "shall he not with him also freely give us all things?* Yea, verily, brethren, we have not realized oui "high calling which is of God in Christ Jesus.* We are called to sonship of God, and not this alone, but to be joint-heirs with Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the little company God foresaw away back in Eden, through whom He is shortly to bruise Satan and bless all the families of the earth. It is this company to whom Peter refers (Acts 15:14), saying,“God ... did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.” We are the virgin, soon to receive the name of our Lord, "a new name . . . which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

It was for these Jesus prayed (John 17): "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me”; and not "for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they, all may be one" in me. This oneness and unity the Lord did not expect in this present time. He says He came to bring division. Consequently He is not disappointed nor thwarted in His plans. In the parable of wheat and tares He tells us that the enemy would sow tares among the wheat; and they look so much alike that we cannot separate them. “Let both grow together until the Aar-vest"; “the harvest is the end of the world” [aion—age]. Then He will have them separated.

Yet, as Jesus says, "the Father heareth me always,” we may know that at some time they all will be one in Him. When? At the resurrection, when we are united to our Head, becoming the "one seed,” at the marriage when we are united to the Bridegroom and we twain become one. But although this prayer was mainly for the church, yet Jesus loved the whole world. Yes; He died for the world, and they have a place in this prayer. But notice where. He prays for the church first, that they all may be made one in Him; then the object of the union is “that the world may believe.” But the believing of, and prayer for, the world is after the marriage of the chaste virgin. For this marriage “ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the spirit, . . . groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body”—this one body of which we each are members.

When we (the Gospel church) are redeemed is God’s plan accomplished? No; it is only begun. It is a grander, a more lofty plan. Not only do we groan for this consummation, hut we have seen from our Lord's prayer that the world has an interest in it; and Paul positively asserts that "the. whole creation groaneth and _s travaileth in pain together.” What are they expecting! Certainly not what we are looking for. They do not expect to form part of the body. No; "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19) Not Son of God, but sons. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

What interest has the world in our manifestation or shining fortht Simply this: Until we are manifested, although we are the “light of the world” and it is blessed by this light which we are to let so shine that men may glorify our Father in heaven, yet how much more will it be blessed when we “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom,” when separated from the world as vzell as from the tares in the harvest. (Matthew 13:43) If we now are a blessing to the world as light-bearers, poor and weak though that light often be, are we surprised that the hope of the world is. this shining forth of the church! Paul tells us why they wait and groan for our manifestation. “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” That is, when the church has been delivered from the present condition, subject to death, the bondage of corruption, then the world at large will have an opportunity in the same direction—“that the world may believe”; and as many as do so “shall be delivered . . . into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” They shall become sons, but not jointheirs. This will be the distinction between them and us, the Gospel church.

God loves all His creatures, not because we love Him, but from pure benevolence. “God so loved the world”—while we were yet sinners. But He is a God of,order. He has a plan and is carrying it out. During the past six thousand years He has been getting ready, preparing the instrumentality through which to bless the world. The time seems long to us mortals, but not so with Him who is from everlasting to everlasting.

This “little flock” who receive the kingdom are hut “the firstfruits unto God of his creatures.” (James 1:18; Revelation 14:4) If there is a firstfruits there must of necessity be more of a harvest, else the language is senseless. Ephesians 2:7 deciares' the object of God in our salvation to be, “That in the ages to coma he might show the exceeding riches of his grace.”

But let us follow the church, the firstfruits. We last saw her as the chaste virgin going in to the marriage when the Bridegroom came. We next hear the great voice of a multitude saying (Revelation 19:7), "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage^ of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready,” We have heard of the marriage ' —listen! the angel says to John (Revelation 21: 9,10): "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, ■ the Lamb's wife.” We want to see her, let ua follow. "And he showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” Are we to understand that this city it a symbolic representation of the church! Yea, just as in another symbol she is the "temple of God.” But what of die precious stones of which it is built! These are the same as the stones of the spiritual temple; t. e., living stones—the same that Paul speaks of as "precious stones* (1 Cor. 3:12), or the jewels of Malachi 3:17.

When this city “shines” the nations will walk in the light of it Now they are blest by the feeble light of the church; then they will walk in the perfect light which will shine from her. (Revelation 21:24) There flows a river from under the throne, “a river of water of life.* Not the ordinary kind of water. No; this is the “water of life.” the kind the Lord promised to give us. and which He does give now to every one begotten. “It shall be in you a well of water.” This kind of water would not flow in a natural river bed; but this same sort is here brought to our view as flouring a broad, deep, mighty river. No longer the little well, no _ longer confined to the few, the "little fl^pk,” buW j; “whosoever will” may partake of it freely. There the spirit and the bride will say, Come; and he that hearetb will say, Come. It will be free to all But notice when; it is in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1), in the next dispensation. The church is not the bride now, but a chaste virgin. When she is married, united, she will be the bride; and then it is that she says, Come', to whosoever wilL

Oh, can we not pray from the depths of our hearts, Come, Lord Jesus! come quickly I Shall

we not, since we and all creation wait for it, rejoice at the sound of the Bridegroom's voice, as He nears our dwelling! We do rejoice and lift up our heads, knowing that our redemption draweth nigh.

This is a glorious prospect for both the church and the world. But how about those who died not having heard the name of Jesus, who did not enjoy the privileges of light! Must these all suffer the loss of eternal life and hap-c. piness with not even an opportunity to lay hold of it simply because they lived before God’s plan had so far developed as to embrace them! Or shall we go to the other extreme and say, God will save all those who have never had light and truth! If this be true, we have made a great mistake in sending missionaries with this light to the heathen. We know that when it is presented to them they do not all receive it and become Christians; and if in ignorance they would all be saved, we not only do them a positive injury but waste numbers of valuable lives and millions of money. And, further, if God can consistently give these eternal life without a trial or probation, why did He not give us all as good a lot and save us all without „ our coming into the present probationary condition! Or why did He not kindly leave us all in the dark, and thus save ail!

Neither of these lines of human reasoning will stand the test. We must see what God’s plan-book, the Bible, has to say on the subject. But first let us take a glance backward and see about what proportion of our fellow creatures have a personal interest in the matter. We have * seen that during the first 2,100 years only a few patriarchs were chosen. This brings us down to the time that the nation of Israel became God’s representatives, at the death of Jacob, > . the last patriarch. Of all others Paul declares: t "Death reigned from Adam till Moses’’—or rm-til the Law, which was given to but one people; and of these only a very few were saved, only those who could rise above the type and discern the antitype. The value of the Law in saving men may be gathered from St Paul’s teachings. He says: “That no man is justified by the law ... is evident.” (Galatians 3:11) “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight.” (Romans 3:20) “For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is’ dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) “If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.” (Galatians 3:21) “For the law made nothing perfect.” (Hebrews 7:19) “Wherefore then serveth the lawf It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made." (Galatians 3: 19) That is, the seed of Abraham, not the fleshly descendants; for, says Paul: “The children of the fleeh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” (Romans 9:8) Children of faith, Christ and the church.—Galatians 3:29.

Today about one individual in five knows that Christ Jesus died for him. Until the present century, and during the dark ages, prolmbly one in forty knew it

Whether we can understand God’s dealings or not, we may rest assured that ‘the God of all the earth will do right’ But we are anxious to have the matter cleared up, if it can bo. from God’s Word. For, unquestionably, the facts already obtained from the Bible appear to clash directly with some of the plainest statements of Scripture. For instance, we read of Jesus: “That was the true Light which lighteth even/ man that someth into the world.” How shall wo understand such a statement? Thousands of millions have not even heard of Him. Are we certain that hearing of Christ is essential! May they not be saved by living up to the light of nature! It is certain that they must hear of Christ before salvation; for, says Paul: “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard!”

The conditions of salvation are "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Again, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Must; if saved at all, it must be in Him, It they could even do by nature many things contained in the Law, we have seen that the Law could not give life; for “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified.” Again we read: ‘Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man.’ But if they never hear of it, and are never benefited by it, how can it be said to be "for every man"? Again, “There is one God, and one mediator, between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for aU, to be testified in due time"

Ah! here we have it. God is a God of order.

He has a “due time* for everything He does; and when His “due time” comes, it will be testified to all men that “Christ died for the ungodly/' That true Light shall yet lighten every man that ever came into the world. It certainly was not His plan to have it testified to them in the ages past, else it would have been done. But it will be testified in due time.

This is the time of “restitution of all things" mentioned by Peter (Acts 3:21), of which he says “God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” This is not for the church, but for the world. The church gets something far better than a restitution. The whole human family get back in the second Adam all they lost in the first Adam. They did not lose eternal life or a spiritual existence in the first Adam. He was a probationer for eternal life himself; and as a stream cannot rise higher than the fountain, we could not lose more through his disobedience than he possessed. He lost natural life and obtained temporal death. Consequently the restitution through Christ would only give to the world natural life and a natural body at their restitution, such as Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter had when brought to life again. Of the church, the dead in Christ at His coming, alone it is said: "Sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body." All others rise fleshly, natural bodies and liable to die again.

The Law contains no higher promise than that of natural life: "That thy days may be long upon the land"; and no threatening more severe than temporal death. They that disobeyed were to l>e “stoned, or thrust through with a dart” Eternal life or death are not mentioned in it The Jews had an idea of a future life in Christ’s day, but not from the Law. The heathen had an idea also without any revelation, simply a guess. For Christ “brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2Timothy 1:10) If He brought it to. light, it was not brought to light by Moses. '

We find the matter clearly stated in Romans 5:18,19: "As by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation [death]; even so by the righteousness of one, the'/ree gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous,” i. e., justified to life as stated above.

They rise simply to have during the Millennial age what we have had during our lifetime, vis., to hear of the love of God and the death of Jesus for them, and to have an opportunity to accept of Him. They will not all receive Him; for we read of some who were cast into "the lake of fire,⁰ "the second death," even at the end of this Millennial age (Revelation 20:14, 15), when they will have had a knowledge of the truth, which will then have been testified to every man.

Now we can understand 1 Timothy 4:10: “We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." All men are to be saved from all they lost in Adam; while those that believe are to have an especial salvation, the eternal.

Not a Second Chance

rpHIS will not be a second chance. It cannot be another or a second chance unless they have had one chance; and we have just found that so far the masses have had none. No! we advocate no second chance for any man, but refer to Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-28: If we sin wilfully, turn our backs upon God’s salvation and the blood of the covenant after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for us. Christ died once for all, and it will be testified once; but He will die a second time for no one. He "dieth no more.”

To the justice and mercy and love of this plan of God, when realized, we think the church and the world can say, 'Amen. True and righteous are Thy judgments, Lord God Almighty.’ It makes a harmony out of the various heretofore conflicting texts of Scripture. We can see now how and why some were chosen or elected in Christ; how and when God is no respecter of persons, and the grace for all who will receive it, with ample place for all the scripture supposed to teach universal eternal salvation; and with it all we begin to see a depth and scope to God’s plan we never before dreamed of. With Cowper we would say:

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face."

STUDIES IN THE “HARP OF GOD” ()

rr~n With tsaue Number 60 wa began running Judge RutberfonTa new book. ITT1 *Tbe Hurp at God”, with accompanying questions, taking the place of both Jyjpg Advanced and Juvenile btoie Studies which hare been hitherto published.

“•When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary He provided the ransom-price, because His was the death of a perfect hnman being, exactly corresponding with the perfect man Adam. Adam's death, however, was the result of a forfeited right to live. Jesus' death was a sac-Crifice- Adam was a sinner and died a sinner. Jesus was perfect, holy, and without sin; and while He died in the same manner, yet by His death He did not forfeit the right to live as a human being. By dying He reduced His perfect human life to an asset that might thereafter be used to release Adam and his offspring from death.

²³⁰We here give an illustration to aid in understanding this point. For convenience we will call a man John. John is languishing in prison because he cannot pay a fine of one hundred dollars. He has a brother named Charles who is willing to pay the fine for his brother John, but who has no money with which to pay. Charles is strong and vigorous, has time to work, is willing to work, and can earn money by working; but his strength and time and willingness will not pay the debt for John. Mr. Smith has some work to be done and is willing to pay money to have it done. Charles engages himself to work for Mr. Smith and earns one hundred dollars and receives that amount in cash. By his labor Charles has here reduced his time and strength and vigor to a money value and has received that money value, which money has purchasing power and which can be used to pay John's obligation and thus release him from prison.

^x - “•Charles then appears before the court * which has entered judgment against his brother John, and offers to pay the one-hundred dollars which the law demands of John. The money is accepted from Charles and John is released. By this means John is judicially relieved from the effects of the judgment and is set free, and his brother Charles has become his ransomer or deliverer.

“‘In this illustration John represents Adam. Because Adam violated God’s law, Jehovah judicially determined that Adam should forfeit his life by dying. He enforced this judgment during a period of nine hundred and thirty years, during which time Adam begat all of his children. We can say, then, that Adam and all those who have died and are in their graves are in the great prison-house of death, and that is what the Prophet of the Lord calls it— Isaiah 42: 7.

“*In this picture Charles represents Jesus. It was God’s will that the perfect man Jesus should redeem Adam and his offspring from the prison-house of death. Jesus was willing to pay Adam's debt and redeem him; but the perfect, righteous human being Jesus could not accomplish that purpose while living in the flesh, for the same reason that Charles could not use his strength, time, and energy to pay the debt of his brother John, but must first reduce those things to a purchasing value. Jesus must reduce His perfect humanity to a purchasing value, which we may call merit, and which merit or purchasing value would be sufficient for the payment of Adam's debt and release Adam and his offspring from that judgment. In order to provide this price it waa necessary for Jesus to die. In His death upon Calvary, then, He produced the price. But the value of that price must be presented before Jehovah in heaven itself before Jehovah could release Adam or his descendants from the effect of death. And this, we shall see from the Scriptures, is what was done.

QUESTIONS ON THE HARP OF GOD*

What is the distinction between the death of Adam and the death of Jesus? fl 238.

Bv dying as a man, what did Jesus provide for man's benefit? fl238.

Give an illustration showing how Jesus' death provided the price for the release of the human race from bondage, fl 239-241.

Could the perfect man Jesus deliver the human race from death and remain alive as a man? fl 242.

What must Jesus do in order to red^n mankind? fl 242.

What did His death upon Calvary produce? fl 242.

Where must the value of that ransom-prise be pro-sentM? fl 242.