October 2015 Signs of the Times Newsletter

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October 2015 Signs of the Times Email Newsletter   The Signs of the Times newsletter is a collection of stories and quotes from past issues ofSigns and These Times. ***************************      A story is told of Lapaux, a member of the French Directory, that with much thought and study he had invented a new religion, to be called “Theophilanthropy,” a kind of organized Rousseauism, and that, being disappointed in its not being readily approved and adopted, he complained to Talleyrand of the difficulty found in introducing it.      “I’m not surprised,” said Talleyrand, “at the difficulty you find in your effort. It is no easy matter to introduce a new religion. But there is one thing I would advise you to do, and then, perhaps, you might succeed.”      “What is it? What is it?” asked the other with eagerness.      “It is this,” said Talleyrand; “go and be crucified, then be buried, and then rise again on the third day, and then go on working miracles, raising the dead, and healing all manner of diseases, and casting out devils, and then it is possible that you might accomplish your end.”      And the philosopher, crestfallen and confounded, went away silent.—Selected, Signs of the Times, February 24, 1904. Quote: “When a man is a god to himself, he is a devil to others.”—By Charles G. Bellah,Signs of the Times, September 17, 1929. *************************** Don't miss the November 2015 issue of Signs of the Times: To order Signs, call: 1-800-765-6955 or ONLINE! ***************************      The story is told of a Persian prince who was about to ascend the throne. Acutely aware of his need for more knowledge, he summoned his wise men and commanded them to prepare a history of mankind. Twenty years later the scholars brought him six thousand books. Too busy with the affairs of state to wade through that many books, the king told his wise men to edit their work and to condense their findings into one book.      Another twenty years passed, and the scholars presented the king with the book he had asked for. The king, however, was dying and was not able to read any of the book. From his deathbed he looked up at his wise men and cried, “Then I shall die without knowing the history of mankind!”      “Sir,” said one of the group, “I will sum it up for you in a few words: They were born; they suffered; they died.”—By C. William Fisher, These Times, June 1969. Quote: “I wish I were big enough to honestly admit all my shortcomings; brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant; tall enough to tower above deceit; strong enough to welcome criticism; compassionate enough to understand human frailties; wise enough to recognize my mistakes; humble enough to appreciate greatness; staunch enough to stand by my friends; human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor; and righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.”—Unknown, These Times, January 1968. *************************** NEW from Pacific Press—Charmed by Darkness by Roger Morneau. Charmed by Darkness is the full account of Roger Morneau’s miraculous deliverance from Satan’s altar to God’s mercy seat. It sheds light on the titanic struggle taking place in the world today and warns of the subtle, hypnotic lure exerted by spiritualism. It is a life-changing story that affirms our only hope is to be found in Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice and death on the cross. Read the first chapter of this book online. ORDER online or from your local Adventist Book Center--1-800-765-6955. ***************************      We speak a strange language.—The construction of the English language must appear most formidable to a foreigner. One of them, looking at a picture of a number of vessels, said, “See, what a flock of ships!”      He was told that a flock of ships was called a fleet, and that a fleet of sheep was called a flock. And it might have been added for his guidance in mastering the intricacies of our language that a flock of girls is called a bevy, that a bevy of wolves is called a pack, and a pack of thieves is called a gang, and a gang of angels is called a host, and a host of porpoises is called a shoal, and a shoal of buffaloes is called a herd, and a herd of children is called a troop, and a troop of partridges is called a covey, and a covey of beauties is called a galaxy, and a galaxy of ruffians is called a horde, and a horde of rubbish is called a heap, and a heap of oxen is called a drove, and a drove of blackguards is called a mob, and a mob of whales is called a school, and a school of worshipers is called a congregation, and a congregation of engineers is called a corps, and a corps of robbers is called a band, and a band of locusts is called a swarm, and a swarm of people is called a crowd.—Selected, Signs of the Times, April 9, 1894. Quote: “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.”—By Phillips Brooks, These Times, February 1968. *************************** Place this in your church bulletin or newsletter: Want to connect with your neighbor? Maybe a loved one far away? Why not send Signs of the Times®? Each monthly issue offers a colorful and interesting presentation of the full gospel message. The result is changed lives! Send a subscription today. Order from your Adventist Book Center. To order call: 1-800-765-6955 or online at: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/signs-of-the-times-magazine-yearly-us-subscription.html ***************************      One of the simplest and best illustrations of “faith” which I remember to have seen is a story told by M. Theodore Monod. A Sabbath-school teacher, when teaching his class on one occasion, left his seat and went around among his scholars with his watch in his hand. Holding it out to the first child he said:    “I give you that watch.”      The boy stared at it and stood still. He then went to the next and repeated:     “I give you that watch.”      The boy blushed, but that was all. One by one the teacher repeated the words and action to each. Some stared, some blushed, some smiled incredulously but none took the watch. But when he came nearly to the bottom of the class a small boy put out his hand and took the watch which the teacher handed to him. As the latter returned to his seat the little fellow said gently:     “Then, if you please, sir, the watch is mine?”      “Yes, it is yours.”      The elder boys were fairly roused by this time.      “Do you mean to say, sir, that he may keep the watch?”      “Certainly, I gave it to any boy who would have it.”      “Oh, if I had known that,” exclaimed one of them, “I would have taken it.”      “Did I not tell you I gave it to you?”      “Oh, yes; but I did not believe you were in earnest.”      “So much the worse for you; he believed me, and he has the watch.”      Saving faith is as simple as this. It just takes God at His word and trusts Him. Though it sounds too good to be true, yet Christ is the gift of God, freely and fully offered (John 3:19), “his unspeakable gift.”—By James Neill, Signs of the Times, June 28, 1883. Quote: “When a man sings his own praises, his song is pretty sure to be a solo.”—By Charles G. Bellah, Signs of the Times, September 17, 1929. *************************** FREE! Are you looking for a daily devotional? Right to your smartphone? Get the FREE “Devoted” App for your phone: The DEVOTED app for iPhone is available here.  The DEVOTED app for android is available here.  Or visit the app store on your phone and look for: "Devoted Pacific Press". ***************************      Dr. W. J. Dawson tells of six genuine surprises which will come to the person who begins to tithe their income:      1. At the amount of money they have for the Lord’s work.      2. At the deepening of their spiritual life in paying tithe.      3. At their ease in meeting their own obligations with the nine tenths.      4. At the ease in going on from one tenth to larger giving.      5. At the preparation this gives to be a faithful, wise steward of the nine tenths that remain.      6. At himself in not adopting the plan sooner.”—By H.M.S. Richards, Present Truth, Vol. 27, No. 20. Quote:  “I never look upon the money I earn as my own. It is only a fund entrusted to my care for proper disbursement.”—Fritz Kreisler, Present Truth, Vol. 27, No.20. ***************************      A company of monks in the olden time lived together in a monastery, working busily tilling the land and caring for the sick and poor, yet ever hallowing their work with prayer. Every evening they sang the beautiful hymn “Magnificat” at their vesper service, but as they grew old their voices became harsh and broken, and they almost lost all tune, but they still sang on.      One evening a stranger youth came in to see them. He was strong and handsome, and when they began the “Magnificat,” his lovely, clear voice soared upward, as if to sing at the very gate of heaven. The poor old monks listened, enraptured with the wonderful music, until they forgot to sing themselves.     That night an angel, so the legend runs, appeared to the eldest monk and asked, “Why did not the holy hymn ascend to heaven at evensong as heretofore?”      And the monk, astonished, replied: “Oh blessed angel, surely it did ascend! Heard you not in heaven those almost angelic strains from the voice of our gifted brother? So sweetly he sang that our poor voices were hushed, lest we should mar the music.”      But the angel answered: “Beautiful it may have been, but no note of it reached to heaven. Into those gates only music of the heart can enter.”—Selected, Signs of the Times, March 6, 1901. Quote: “The biggest brain is the one that can think most of others.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, April 27, 1915. *************************** Read an eBook today—visit www.AdventisteBooks.com You’ll find the largest assortment of Adventist eBooks available. ***************************      A newsboy, to sell his papers, told a lie. The matter came up in Sunday school. “Would you tell a lie for three cents?” asked a teacher of one of her boys.      “No, ma’am.”      “For a thousand dollars?”      Dick was staggered. A thousand dollars looked large.      “Oh,” thought he, “would it not buy lots of things?””      While thus he was meditating, another boy said, “No, ma’am.”      “Why not?” asked the teacher.      “Because, when the thousand dollars is all gone, and all the things I got with them are gone too, the lie is there all the same,” answered the boy.—Selected, Signs of the Times, March 19, 1896. Quote: “When Christ told Peter to ‘feed my sheep,’ He did not mean for Peter to fill them up with ice-cream and cake.”—Unknown, Signs of the Times, April 30, 1896. *************************** Share your faith using Pocket Signs. See the great topics available: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/pocket-signs.html *************************** Be the Best of Whatever You Are! If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill,      Be a scrub in the valley—but be The best little scrub by the side of the rill;      Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,      Some highway happier make; If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass—      But the liveliest bass in the lake! We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew,      There’s something for all of us here, There’s big work to do, and there’s lesser to do,      And the task we must do is the near. If you can’t be a highway, then just be a trail,      If you can’t be the sun, be a star; It isn’t by size that you win or you fail—      Be the best of whatever you are!—By Douglas Malloch, These Times, May 1961 *************************** Compiled by Dale Galusha. Please pass this newsletter on to others.