1%

APRIL, 1978
OF THE TIMES
Registered for posting as a penodiCal—Category A
H. M. S. Richards Jr., who has written the articles covering
pages 1-11 in this issue,is a well-known broadcaster, lecturer
and writer who lives in Glendale. California.

VERY FEW subjects have been his brother Cain. Taking a wife from reports this intermingling of the two
laughed at more than Noah's Flood and among his sisters, Cain went into exile, groups: "The sons of God saw the
Noah's ark. Was there a universal flood? separating himself from the main family daughters of men that they were fair;
Did water at one time cover the entire group. Like two distinct streams, the two and they took them wives of all which
earth, as the Bible reports? family groups flowed along side by side they chose." Genesis 6:2.
The subject of the Flood is a from that point on. Out of these intermarriages came a
prominent story in the Bible, with more For a thousand years the two groups generation of men and women in almost
attention given to it than to creation. Four remained separate, not mingling. The total rebellion against God. Genesis
of the first eleven chapters of the Book of main group remained loyal to God; the 6:5-7 says: "And God saw that the
Genesis are devoted to the record of the splinter group was in open rebellion wickedness of man was great in the
Flood. Many other Old Testament against Him. Here's how the Bible earth, and that every imagination of the
chapters alluded to this event. In the
New Testament, both Jesus (Matthew
24:36-39) and the apostles refer to Noah
and the Flood as though both had in fact
existed.
On the following pages we are going
to examine some of the physical and
cultural evidence that should help us
determine whether the Bible story is true
or legendary. But first let us look at the
Bible story itself as it appears in the Book
of Genesis.
According to the Bible, the world was
created by God in six days; then on the
seventh day He ordained the Sabbath to
be a memorial of His creation work. It is
an interesting fact that the seven-day
weekly cycle has no other explanation
for its existence than this Bible account
of the seven-day creation sequence.
The month can point to the motions of
the moon for its period. The year is
determined by the revolution of the earth
around the sun. But the week has no
astronomical or natural source of origin.
After creation, according to the Bible
account, Adam and Eve failed to follow
God's perfect plan and were driven from
the garden home that had been given
them by God.
Two Family Groups
Outside the garden, they began to
raise a family. The first two sons they
named Cain and Abel. As a result of a
personal quarrel, Abel was murdered by
Archaeologist Dr. Philip Hammond, who spent twenty-five —Sun Classic Picture.
years digging in the Middle East, indicates how archaeologi-
cal finds are helping to prove that the Bible is historically
by H. M. S. Richards, Jr. accurate.

April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 1


thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. And it repented the Lord that
He had made man on the earth, and it
grieved Him at His heart. And the Lord
said, I will destroy man whom I have
created from the face of the earth; both
man, and beast, and the creeping thing,
and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth
Me that I have made them.
Probation Period
At this point God set up a probation
period of 120 years. (Genesis 6:3.)
Noah, the tenth line descendant since
creation, was given instructions to build
a boat.
Noah was a good man. His character
is described in verse 9 by three
expressions. "Noah was a just man"—in
other words, honest, which probably
was an unusual trait of character for that
day. Noah is also described as being
2 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
This drawing by Elf red Lee is based on eye-witness sightings
of Noah's ark on Mount Ararat. The drawing is believed to be human race to an end—to start again.
an accurate depiction of what Noah's ark really looked like. But He allowed a period of probation so
—Sun Classic Pictures.
that men and women could have an
opportunity to see the error of their ways
"perfect in his generations." The margi- and to change.
nal reading says, -upright." Then the And so Noah began to build his boat
Bible adds that "Noah walked with God." on dry land, using the type of timber,
By Noah's time the earth was probably cypress, that the Bible calls
described as "corrupt" and "filled with "gopher wood."
violence." God determined to bring the Only Noah's Family
At the end of 120 years, Noah and his
sons had completed their work. The ark
',ONANZA STANZA stood ready. But for all his preaching,
The stairs of opportunity Noah's only converts were the members
Are sometimes hard to climb;
of his own family. People must have
And that can only be well done
By one step at a time. grown accustomed not only to Noah's
But he who would go to the top preaching, but to the moss-covered hulk
Ne'er sits down and despairs; on the top of the hill.
Instead of staring up the steps But one day something happened that
He just steps up the stairs. must have made even these sophisti-
—Author unknown. cated, sceptical antediluvians open their
eyes in wonder: from the forests and land again. Day after day, one or the animals as a sacrifice to God, a thank
fields animals began to approach the other of them must have climbed to the offering for His protection during the
ark. They made their way into the top of the ark to check out the terrifying and hazardous year aboard
gigantic door Noah had built in the side waterscape. Finally after having spent the ark.
of the ship. Noah and his wife, his three 231 days on board, the crew heard a First Rainbow
sons and their wives, were already shout from the lookout of the day.
"Land," he cried jubilantly. "Land! I see Suddenly a ray of sunlight bursts
inside the huge structure. Noah made a
land!" through the clouds, and in the sky is a
last futile appeal, then the great door
But of course they had to wait more glorious rainbow. It is a sight they have
swung shut.
The Flood itself can be divided into months for the waters to recede enough never seen before, and with amazement
several periods. The first period is one of to allow them to disembark. First Noah and rapture they drink in the brilliant
forty days. Seven days after Noah and sent out a raven, but it came flapping colours that have been broken from the
family entered the ark with all the back to the ark. Seven days later he sent sun's rays by the millions of tiny prisms
animals, the Genesis record reports that out a dove, which promptly came back; a of water vapour suspended in the sky.
the fountains of the great deep were week later, sent out again, she returned This rainbow, God said, was a token of
broken up, the windows of heaven were with a tiny green leaf. Noah knew then His promise that He would never again
destroy the earth by the waters of a
opened, and it rained for forty days and that the earth would soon be a habitable
place once again. universal flood.
forty nights.
And so we come to the end of the
Water came from two sources—from What a day that must have been when
Biblical record of the Flood of Noah. Did
the heavens and from under the surface Noah and his sons ripped away the
of the earth. There must have been a it really happen? Are there any evi-
covering of the ark in order to escape
dences of such a flood about us in the
great volume of stored water, both in the their wooden prison!
world today?
atmosphere and in the subterranean
Can you imagine their joy as they first On the following pages, we discuss
reservoir of the earth. Even after the rain
touched dry land again? Do you see some of the arguments that are
stopped at the end of forty days, the
them as they kneel and kiss the precious frequently raised when the Flood is
water continued to rise for another 110
earth? Now Noah and his sons gather mentioned. Then we look at some of the
days, fed seemingly by the "fountains of
stones into a pile to make an altar. They flood traditions from around the world, at
the great deep." Every 'mountain-top the geological evidences of a world-wide
was covered. Only those land creatures are taking some of the timbers they tore
loose from the ark, and putting them on flood, and finally at the continuing
that had found refuge in the ark were search in this century of Noah's ark. **
saved. the altar. Now they offer some of the
Ak
No Typical Runoff
oat *.•,-- t-',.t-fo..r.----g-wAk#Ati,alfw4"ArtqnAIR
Following the 150 days of rising
waters was a period of seventy-four
days during which the waters began to
recede and the first of the mountain-tops
were seen. This was not a typical flood
runoff, for there was no flow from land
mass to the sea. Since the whole earth
was covered with water, the continental
land masses must have begun to rise;
and as they rose out of the universal
ocean, the water rushed down the
slopes, cutting canyons and gorges as it
hurried back to the level of the sea.
After being tossed about on a
shoreless ocean for five months, it must
have been a real relief to Noah and his
family when the ark rested among the
mountains of Ararat. The tight quarters,
the odours of a thousand animals, the
nauseating roll of the ship as it was
tossed by wind and wave, must have
been a great trial to the passengers of
the ark. But it was certainly better than to
have been left outside.
I can imagine the eagerness of Noah,
his sons, and their wives to get on dry

Dr. Clifford Burdock, a geologist, discovered salt crystals on

Mount Ararat in Turkey. When analysed, these proved to be
sea water. The Bible says that the ark landed on Mount
Ararat.
—Sun Classic Picture.

April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 3

 pia Wirth by H. M. S. Richards, Jr.

4 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978

 SOME HAVE TRIED to laugh the Genesis 8:3 (margin), it was "in going says clearly that thousands of years ago
Flood away. But scientists and near- and returning." it had about the same climate all over its
scientists who have joined in the effort to Wonderful discoveries are being surface. But a sudden change came—
consign the record of Noah's Flood to made in these days, as men turn the not a gradual, but asudden change. The
the realm of myth and fable have a hard great stone pages of God's book of Flood would cause just such a change.
task, because evidences that the Flood nature. And,' if they do not look through Animal and vegetable remains found in
did occur keep popping up all the time. the spectacles of some evolutionary the polar regions uniformly testify that in
Seashells are found on the tops of grandfather, what they read is startlingly former times a warm climate prevailed
high mountains; fossils of forms of sea like the Bible record. God advises us in over the whole globe. That's what the
life are found buried in rock beds along Job 12:7, 8, to read His book of nature: earth says when we listen to it.
with fossils of dry land creatures; proof of "But ask now the beasts, and they shall
Donald MacMillan, the arctic explorer,
a sudden end to many kinds of animal teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and
found a vein of coal thirty feet thick within
life is found all over the world. they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth,
600 miles of the North Pole; and when
High shorelines are found above the and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of
scientists looked at a specimen of it
present water level on most sea coasts. the sea shall declare unto thee."
through a miscroscope, they discovered
Coral, which grows only in warm water, "Speak to the Earth" that it contained the remains of giant
is found in arctic seas. Great veins of
(1) The earth, itself, speaks for God. It sequoia trees, found now only in
coal are found along the arctic shores.
Millions of fish are found buried in vast
desposits of sea mud, now solid stone.
And we might go on and on reciting
similar evidences. There are also
traditions of the Flood among all the
great races of mankind.
Many of the old ideas of materialistic
evolution are now seen to be not only
contrary to the Bible, but out of harmony
with the latest scientific discoveries. The
Bible and nature agree because they
have the same Author. God has two
books, the Book of revelation and the
book of nature; and each throws light
upon the other. The Bible says, "The
Flood came." Nature says. "The Flood
was here."
It is easy to see how the rushing
waters of Noah's deluge, with two flood
tides and two ebb tides each twenty-four
hours for forty days, could remodel the
whole surface of the earth. And the
appearance of the stratified rocks shows
that they did.
Often we see a layer of sandstone,
then a vein of coal, a layer of shale, and a
layer of limestone, with the whole
arrangement repeated in almost the
same order fifty or seventy-five times in
one locality. Such rock strata are found
in almost every part of the world and
suggest the action of the water which
deposited them. As the Bible says in
Polished cross-sections of petrified wood from Petrified
Forest Museum collection.
44 Stratified rocks, with similar layers, repeated over and over, suggest that water deposited them. —U.S. Department of the Interior Picture.

April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 5


California. The scientists said that these
trees existed at a time when the earth
was covered with warm vapour and the
temperature was the same all over the
earth.
The United States Geological Survey
found large deposits of fossil coral in
arctic lands of ice and snow. It is a
well-known fact that coral will not grow in
water colder than 70 degrees; but the
ocean is a lot colder than that up near the
North Pole, where seals and polar bear
now play.
"Ask the Beasts"
(2) God says, Ask now the beasts, and
they shall teach thee." And how the
animals talk on this subject!—not with
audible voices, of course; but the
discoveries of science tell us what they
say to vindicate the history of the Flood
which came suddenly, wiped out mill-
ions of animals in a few hours, and
changed the climate of the world.
Great elephants, mammoths, masto-
dons, huge camels, and strange gigantic
creatures with long names which most of
us can't pronounce, lived on the earth in
vast numbers in those days. All lived on
the same tropical vegetation. Now they
are all gone—Where? That is a hard
question to answer unless one believes
the Bible story of the Flood.
Hundreds of huge mammoths, much
6 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
III
like the giant hairy elephant, have been
found—and are still being found—in the
frozen mud and gravel banks of Siberia.
They have been kept in this natural
deep-freeze for thousands of years.
Their flesh is in a good state of
preservation and is often eaten by men,
as well as by dogs and other animals.
Unchewed grass is sometimes found in
their mouths, showing that they perished
suddenly. Some great catastrophe of
nature buried them under millions of
tons of gravel and clay, then the sudden
cold of the new climate froze them.
"Fishes Shall Declare"
(3) God says, "The fishes of the sea
shall declare unto thee"—and they do.
They are found as fossils in coal beds, in
oil sands, and in great rock layers. And
their story is just like that of the great
beasts—a sudden burial. Whole schools
of fish were suddenly covered by
sediment, most of them being buried
alive and uninjured; and there they are
by uncounted millions to this day—a
large proportion of them with every scale
in position, every fin extended as if in life.
Scientists tell us that much of our Even Darwin ...
petroleum oil has come from billions of Even Darwin said that the evidence
buried fish and animals. But how were convinces us that some great catas-
they buried and preserved? Not by any trophe shook the entire framework of the
slow process, but by a sudden and globe—and it did. The Flood was the
tremendous convulsion of nature. most titanic phenomenon that ever
occurred on earth, or that will occur until
the second coming of Christ.
Here is what the Apostle Peter said
about it: "For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth
standing out of the water and in the
water: whereby the world that then was,
being overflowed with water, perished:
but the heavens and the earth, which are
now, by the same word are kept in store,
reserved unto fire against the day of
judgment and perdition of ungodly
men." 2 Peter 3:5-7.
The world by water perished. That's
Peter's statement. We live today in the
ruins of a wonderful world that existed
before the Flood.
Of course great changes have taken
place on the earth since the Flood also.
The waters, in retreating from the land,
cut mighty canyons, carved shorelines
high up on the mountains, like those
around the Great Lakes and on the
mountainsides above Salt Lake City,
Utah.
We have only to look at the leaves of
the book of nature as they are opened by
rivers, oceans, earthquakes, or by men,
and there we see the word "FLOOD"
written over and over again. **
 Flood Traditions Are
EVERYWHERE
IF THE BIBLE presents a true report of a universal flood a
few thousand years ago, we will likely find traditions of that
by H. M. S.
Richards Jr.
punish him, but left the rainbow behind as a token of
forgiveness.
flood in the folklore of the descendants of the survivors. Since, China
according to the Bible, the entire human race living on earth
today traces its ancestry to those who were aboard Noah's Many interesting traditions and legends come from the land
ark, we should find those flood traditions everywhere. They of China. One legend has the hero, Fah-he, escaping a flood
would have been passed from father to son, father to son, which destroyed the whole human race. Only Fah-he and his
generation after generation. In each case, variations of the wife, his three sons and three daughters were saved. The
story would crop up as the details became garbled in the Chinese character for "ship" still in use is an ancient character
repeated telling. made up of a picture of a boat and eight mouths. This is
A number of serious scholars have collected flood reminiscent of the first big ship, the ark, which carried eight
traditions. Dr. Johannes Riem of Germany says, "Among all persons.
traditions there is none so general, so widespread on earth, Another ancient Chinese legend tells of Nu-wah, who
and so apt to show what may develop from the same material distinguished himself by overcoming a great flood. Interest-
according to the varying spiritual character of a people, as the ingly enough, the Chinese character for "righteousness" is the
flood tradition." picture of a lamb over the symbol for "myself." This recalls the
Flood traditions found by Dr. Riem appear to be most ancient practice of offering a lamb as a burnt offering to expiate
common in Asia and in North America, and least common in sin.
Africa. Dr. Richard Andree, another German scholar,
compiled a collection of eighty-eight different flood traditions. While these flood traditions that come from around the world
Of these, twenty came from Asia, five from Europe, seven from demonstrate the universal belief in the Flood as a historical
Africa, ten from Australia and the South Seas, and forty-six fact, not one of these legends has the simple beauty of the
from the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas. story as it has been recorded by Moses. If you have a Bible,
take it down from the shelf. Begin with the sixth chapter of
Genesis and continue through to the ninth chapter. Though
North America you may find some things difficult to understand, you will be
The Algonquin Indians have a tradition that once a powerful moved by the simple beauty of the story. **
snake became the enemy of man. Out of this conflict came a
flood of water that destroyed all living things. The daughter of
one of the spirits helped some of the people into a boat and
they were saved.
Cuba
The indigenous residents of Cuba tell the story of an old man
who knew a flood was coming. To save himself and his family
along with many animals, he built a boat and so escaped from
the waters. Growing tired of floating around in the boat, he sent
out a crow which did not at first return, but at last came back
with a green branch in its beak.
Africa
The Hottentots of Africa have a tradition that the progenitors
of their race were called Noh and Hingnoh, and a Greenland
tradition tells that in the beginning ten generations of men lived
on the earth. Then there was a great flood. The whole earth
turned over like a boat and the human race was destroyed.
Only one man was saved and he created for himself a woman.
From this pair the present world population is descended.
Hawaii
According to the Hawaiians, the first man was called
Kumuhonua. After a time his descendants became wicked
and careless in their worship of the gods. Only one man,
whose name was Nu-u, was good. He built a great canoe and
put a house on it. Then he stored it with food, plants, and
animals. When the waters of a flood arose, they destroyed all
mankind except for Nu-u and his family. After the waters
subsided, Nu-u looked up into the heavens and saw the moon.
He thought this was the great god, so he began to worship. [The Chinese word for "ship" consists of the symbols for "mouth" and "eight."
Cane, the great god, was highly displeased with this, so he slid To some. this suggests that the ark was a boat which carried eight persons.
down from heaven to earth on a rainbow to rebuke Nu-u.
However, since Nu-u had sinned by mistake, Cane did not
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 7
 Has anyone
'Seen the
• by H. M. S. Richards, Jr.
Femand Navarra, an engineer, discovered in 1955 a large
boat-like structure in the glacier on Mount Ararat. The wood
he recovered has led scientists to the conclusion that he
found Noah's ark.
—Sun Classic Picture.
8 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
I SAT in the jury box and listened to
the judge's instructions. We were to
listen to each witness, he advised us.
Some of the witnesses would tell
conflicting stories. It was up to us as the
jury to determine which of the witnesses
was telling the truth.
In this article, I am going to repeat to
you the dramatic and sometimes almost
unbelievable stories of so-called witnes-
ses who claim to have seen Noah's ark
on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. Did
they really see what they claimed they
saw? Were they deceived by their own
overactive imaginations? Were they
glory hunters craving a place in the
spotlight of human attention?
These are questions you, the jury,
must answer for yourselves as you read
these stories. You will be the ones to
bring in the verdict.
Witness: Sir James Bryce, British
statesman, who climbed Mount
Ararat in 1876.
High on the slopes he found some
hand-hewn timbers, a sample of which
he brought with him back to England.
Invited to address the Royal Geographic
Society, Bryce told of his journey,
displayed his timber sample, and
confessed his own conviction that he
had in his possession an actual piece of
the ark of Noah.
His report received a cool reception by
the President of the Society, and a
downright hostile one by Sir Henry
Rawlinson, famous archaeologist noted
for his part in the deciphering of the
Behistun inscriptions.
You are the jury. Was the timber a part
of the 4,000- to 5,000-year-old ark, or
was it some later monastery or memorial
built by reverent Armenians to com-
memorate Noah's voyage?
Witness: Haji Yearam, seventy-
four-year-old Armenian.
In 1915 the old man told his story to
Harold N. Williams of Oakland, Califor-
nia. Haji related that his home was
visited by three strangers when he was a
teenager living at the foot of Mount
Ararat. They were, he said, men who did
not believe the Bible, and were at the
mountain for the specific purpose of
disproving the Noah story. They hired
Haji's father to be their guide to the
mountain, and the teenage boy to be the
helper.

Not far from the summit, lying
half-submerged in the waters of a little
lake, they found the ark. Inside they
found compartments and animal cages.
The atheistic scientists were furious and
tried to destroy the ship as it lay in the
water. Unsuccessful in this, they
threatened young Haji Yearam and his
father with torture and murder if they
should ever reveal what they had seen
on the mountain that day.
You are the jury. Was the story of Haji
Yearam the long-suppressed memory of
a tired old man who as a teenager really
saw the ark or what he thought was the
ark? Or was it the confused and
desperate self-delusion of a frightened
and lonely patriarch, longing in his
declining years to be thought of as
somebody?
Witness: John Joseph, PrinCe of
Nouri, the Most Venerable Prelate
Monsignor, the Zamorrin Nouri,
Chaldean Patriarchal Archdeacon of
Babylon and Jerusalem, Sacred
Crown's Supreme Representative-
General of the Holy Orthodox Pat-
riarchal lmperiality, Grand Apostolic
Ambassador of Malabar, India, and
Persia, the discoverer of Noah's Ark
This actual photograph released in 1974, shows what looks like a broken-up portion of a large ship lying in a crevasse at the
14.000 foot level of Mount Ararat. Scientists believe this is the other half of Noah's ark which slid down during an earthquake.
and the Golden Mountains of the
Moon.
At the age of twenty, Prince John
Joseph was made Archdeacon of
Babylon, and at thirty-one he was head
of the Nestorian church of South India.
He claims to have discovered gold in the
range of mountains called the Moun-
tains of the Moon.
It was in 1887 that he claims to have
discovered the ark of Noah. He had
already made two other attempts to
climb the mountain and failed. On the
third try, he was successful: and it was
on this climb that he says he found the
ark half covered with snow. It was built of
heavy reddish-brown beams, he says,
and held together with long nails.
He tried to promote the transfer of the
ark from the mountain to the World's Fair
in Chicago in 1893, but was unsuccess-
ful. Apparently, his story was not
sufficiently convincing. His listeners
seem to have considered Prince Nouri
either marvellous or preposterous.
He somehow landed in an insane
asylum in Napa, California; but even that
—Sun Classic Picture.
misadventure seems not to have shaken
the faith of his supporters. He was
released into the custody of a friend, and
later returned to his homeland, where he
is reputed to have received more titles
and honours.
You are the jury. Was Archdeacon
Nouri a true discoverer of the ark? Or
was he a pious self-deluded fraud? Or
was he mentally unbalanced?
Witness: George Hagopian, an
aging, kindly-faced Armenian who
claimed to have seen the ark twice;
once in 1902 when he was ten years
old, and once in 1904.
As the story was told, the boy noticed
his uncle gathering supplies together for
some kind of a trip. "Where are we
going, Uncle?" asked young Georgie.
"We are going to see the holy ark,'
answered his uncle. Then he tells how
they went up, up, up, until they finally
stood by the petrified sides of the ark.
George tells how his uncle hoisted him
up so he could explore the broad
exposed deck, or side, or whatever it
was.
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 9
 A young Washington, D.C., artist
listening to the old man remembering or
seeming to remember the long, almost
forgotten past, sketched out George's
description of the ark.
When George Hagopian heard that
Fernand Navarra had brought back
pieces of wood that he claimed were part
of the ark, Hagopian refused to believe it
could possibly have come from the ark.
"When I saw Noah's ark," he said, "it
was absolutely petrified. It was pure
stone. It would be impossible to break it
piece by piece. I would not believe it if I
saw it with my own eyes."
You are the jury. Did George Hago-
pian really see the ark petrified high on
the top of Mt. Ararat? Or had time and
Armenian legends so mingled them-
selves with his own boyhood memories,
that George could no longer distinguish
the real past from legend and fantasy?
Witness: Fernand Navarra, French
amateur explorer, veteran of three
ascents of Mount Ararat.
On August 17, 1952, along with four
companions, Navarra noticed a dark
shadow in the glacier under their feet.
Carefully they paced off its great size
and decided that it must certainly be the
ark buried deep in the ice. A year later he
returned and again saw the dark
shadow, but again could not get to it.
On July 5, 1955, Fernand Navarra
returned to the mountain with his son
Raphael. Together they returned to the
site of Navarra's discovery of three
years before. There they let themselves
down into a crevasse in the glacier: and
after digging in the ice for some time,
extricated part of a hand-tooled timber.
In Navarra's book, "I Touched the
Ark," he claims to have had the wood
tested by the carbon-14 process, and
found its age to be 4,484 years old.
Later, other ark explorers were able to
secure sample pieces of the Navarra
wood which they sent to Geochron
Laboratories, in Cambridge, Mas-
sachusetts. When the results of the test
came back, Navarra's wood was as-
signed a date of A.D. 260, plus or minus
120 years; hardly old enough to qualify
as a beam from Noah's ark.
You are the jury. What was the wood
Fernand Navarra found in the glacier on
Mount Ararat? Was it part of the ark? If
so, how can we explain the carbon-14
test results from Geochron
Laboratories? Is the carbon-14 test a
reliable way of determining the age of an
object? Or was the wood retrieved from
the mountain by Navarra part of a beam
from a house or monastery built on the
mountain some 1,500 years ago by
devout Armenians?
In recent years expeditions to find the
ark have been virtually stopped by the

How many animals

in the Ark?
How did Noah get all those animals into the
ark?
The Bible says that Noah built a boat, and that in this boat were at
least two of each of the land-roving animals, with as many as seven
specimens of some kinds. According to a listing by Ernst Mayr, a
leading American taxonomist, there are about one million species of
creatures roaming the earth today. Would the ark have had to carry
from two to seven of each of these one million species?
We can begin by eliminating quite a few of this million: 18,000 fish,
for instance. With the entire earth covered with water, Noah had no
need of an aquarium aboard the ark. In addition to species of fish,
there are other water-oriented creatures—sea squirts, sea urchins,
sponges, protozoans. When these are subtracted—all 142,000
species of them—we have a sizable reduction. But the largest group of
all is the arthropods. Among these are lobsters, shrimps, crabs, water
fleas, barnacles, insects—most of them very small and in no need of
the special protective care the ark afforded. And now our number of
species is down to about 35,000.
But let us consider these 35,000 species. We must remember that
the modern designation "species" is not necessarily equivalent to the
Genesis "kind" created in the beginning. Bible creationists are aware
that within certain large family groups, there are hundreds and some-
times thousands of genetic variations.
AND OTHER
QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE FLOOD
For instance, today we have the arctic fox, the grey fox, the red fox,
the wolf, the dog, the coyote, the jackal, the hyena. There is every
reason to believe that all these varieties came from a common doglike
ancestor. Among the cat family are also numerous variations, all
presumably descended from a common cat ancestor.
When all of these facts are considered, we have a much more
workable passenger manifest for the ark.
It might also be remembered that the animals aboard the ark need
not have been full-grown adults. A baby male and a baby female
elephant would have preserved the elephant line just as adequately as
would full-grown beasts.
How about the ark itself? What was its
size?
According to Genesis 6, the ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide,
and 30 cubits high. In order to translate this into a unit of measure
familiar to us, we need to discover the length of a cubit.
The Hebrew word that has been translated "cubit" was 'ammah,
which means "forearm." It seems that ancient carpenters used the
forearm—from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger—to measure
their work. We should not consider this altogether strange. Our own
inch, foot, and yard were likewise originally measured by the thickness
of the thumb, the length of a man's foot, and the measurement of his
girth respectively.

by H. M. S. Richards, Jr.
10 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
 ■
■
Turkish Government. The border lands
■
near the Soviet frontier have been put
out of bounds to tourists without a
special permit, and those permits are
exceedingly difficult to obtain. Will some
explorer find the ark this year? Or maybe
next year? Such a discovery would
capture the headlines in every country in ■
the world. I hope they find the ark.
But until they do, I want you to know,
my faith in the Bible is in no jeopardy. I
know the Bible is true, whether or not the
ark of Noah has rotted away, or been
■
burned by lava, or been crushed by
creeping glaciers. The ark may or may
not have survived, but the Bible will
never be destroyed. It has stood the test
of time. It has come through the attacks
of centuries of enemies, but today it is
stronger and taller than ever. The Bible
is God's Word, and it will stand forever.
**

—Sun Classic Picture.

Of course in earliest times, until the measurements were standar-

dised, a cubit might vary in length. Archaeological evidence from
Egypt demonstrates the cubit to be 20.6 inches. A Mesopotamian
cubit was 19.6 inches. The later Hebrew cubit seems to have been
17.5 inches. Since Moses was the author of Genesis, it might be more
logical to assume he meant the Egyptian cubit, though whatever cubit
we use would not greatly affect the dimensions.
For the sake of a few comparisons, let us translate the Biblical
measurements for the ark into our modern units of measurement,
using the Egyptian cubit as our standard. This would give us a length
of 515 feet, 86 feet wide, and 51.5 feet high. A pretty fair-sized boat,
don't you think?
Seagoing vessels are designed to propel themselves through the
water, but the ark had no need whatever of streamlining. It was built for
safety, stability, and carrying capacity. Thus the ark must have had the
boxy appearance of a barge rather than that of an ocean-going ship.
Consider the carrying capacity of the ark. The Bible says it was three
storeys high. That would give it a deck space of nearly 133,000 square
feet. Its gross tonnage has been estimated at 22,809 tons.
If we were to load the ark with animals, we would need to build a
special railway siding and order 854 standard stock railway cars to
bring the animals. Over 200,000 sheep-sized animals could have
found accommodation in the ark. Though a few of the animals would
certainly have been larger than sheep—baby elephants, hip-
pos, rhinos, etc.—thousands of them would have been tiny—moles,
mice, ground squirrels, etc. We can safely put to rest the argument that
the ark was too small to carry its cargo.
How could four men build such a tremend
ous structure as the ark?
While the Bible speaks only of Noah and his three sons, we have no
reason to suppose that none of Noah's neighbours assisted in the
project. Nor should we think that just because we live in this age of
invention and advanced knowledge, we have a monopoly on wisdom.
The ancients have left evidence of accomplishments that demonstrate
that they were pretty clever. The pyramid of Cheops when completed
is estimated to have contained 2,300,000 stones, each averaging two
and a half tons, with some of the largest weighing 15 tons.
Let us not underestimate the abilities of the ancients. Noah and his
sons may have been aware of techniques modern man has long since
forgotten.
What evidence do we have to support the
view that the Flood covered the entire
earth?
The Genesis story tells us that the Flood lasted 271 days. That is,
from the time that the rain began to fall until the time when Noah and
his family left the ark was more than a year.
It is extremely unlikely that any flood of local proportions would keep
Noah and his family cramped up in the ark for such a long period. It had
to be a catastrophe of far greater magnitude than a river flood in the
Mesopotamian Valley. Thus, if we accept the Bible record of the
Flood's duration, we must also recognise that it was world-wide in
extent.
Where would all the water come from to
cover the entire earth, including the high
mountain ranges?
It is not necessary to assume that the mountains were as high
before the Flood as they are now. In fact, there is strong geological
evidence that very soon after the Flood, violent changes took place in
the earth's crust.
Great mountain ranges were lifted thousands of feet into the air.
This obviously took place after the hundreds of layers of strata were
laid down by wave action. These layers can still be seen in the
mountain ranges.
Imbedded in many of these layers, high above the level of the
oceans, are seashells and other aquatic fossils—positive evidence
that these layers were water-laid.
There is an interesting passage in Psalm 104:5-9 that pictures this
geologic activity of the surface crust of the earth after the Flood:
"Thou didst set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never
be shaken.
"Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment: the waters
stood above the mountains.
"At Thy rebuke they fled; at the sound of Thy thunder they took to
flight.
"The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place which
Thou didst appoint for them."
"Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass, so that they
might not again cover the earth." (R.S.V.) **
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 11
 The Antediluvian
Climate
"AND GOD SAW everything that He had made, and behold,
it was very good." Genesis 1:31.
It cannot be said of the world's climate during historic times
that it has been very good. Can this be said of it during
prehistoric times? Can it be said that the world's climate in
antediluvian days was very good?

or What Kind of The noted Sir Henry Howorth states that, "The flora and
fauna are virtually the only thermometer with which we can test
the climate of any past period."'
Climate Did Noah Other leading scientists agree with him. They agree, too,
that the climate formerly known on our earth was universally

Live In? and continuously springlike in its loveliness.

Professor Alfred Russell Wallace, an eminent authority,
asserts that, "There is but one climate known to the ancient
by HARTNEY MYERS fossil world as revealed by the plants and animals entombed in
12 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
the rocks, and the climate was a mantle of springlike
loveliness which seems to have prevailed continuously over
the whole globe. Just how the world could have been warmed
all over may be a matter of conjecture; that it was so warmed
effectively and continuously is a matter of fact."2
Howorth quotes veteran Arctic explorer, Baron Nor-
denskiold, who states that it appears that the animal and
vegetable relics in north polar climes uniformly testify that a
warm climate in former times prevailed over the whole globe.
This experienced man asserts that, "From paleontological
science, no support can be obtained for the assumption of the
periodical alternation of warm and cold climates on the surface
of the earth."—"The Glacial Nightmare and the Flood," page
45. Speaking about the warm climate that formerly prevailed
over our earth, Howorth states that the widespread fauna and
flora prove that during that era a high temperature prevailed
in all latitudes apparently without a break. The renowned
Figuier, writing about the former warm climate affirms that
what we now call climate was unknown then, that, "There
seems to have been then only one climate over the whole
globe."
There used to be a non-zonal arrangement of the earth's
climate, the temperature of the ocean waters was the same
everywhere, and they did not have any widespread effect on
the distribution of life. Thus stated the leading authority on
paleobotany, F. H. Knolton, in Geological Society of America
Bulletin, 1919, pages 541, 548. (Emphasis added.)
Emeritus Professor of Geology, University of California,
William J. Miller, writing about the seas of the former time
states that they, by allowing "a much freer circulation of waters
between low and high latitudes, no doubt helped to keep the
climate of the earth much more uniform then than at the
present time."3
A Uniform Vegetation
Professor James D. Dana tells us that formerly there was no
frigid zone on the earth. The formation of thick strata of coral
limestone in Arctic regions, he also informs us ("Manual of
Geology," pages 484, 524, 525), "shows that life like that of
the lower latitudes not only existed there, but flourished in
profusion." (Emphasis added.)
Corals which must have warm waters in which to live are not
only to be found extensively fossilised right along polar north
America's coast, they also, as coral limestones, are around
Spitzbergen and many other places in the Arctic Circle—proof
that the waters there were once warm.
The famous Sir Archibald Geikie in "Textbook of Geology,"
page 869, speaks about vegetation that grew luxuriantly within
8°15' of the Pole in areas which nowadays are almost
continually buried under snow and ice.
Professor Sir Albert Seward, formerly of Cambridge
University, writing in "Geology for Every Man," 1943, tells us
that "A luxuriant and uniform vegetation occupied an area
stretching from Central Germany to Southern Sweden, and a
thousand miles father north beyond latitude 70°N. The fossils
from these widely separated localities give no indication of any
such change in the plant communities as we should expect,
and as we find when we contrast Arctic and temperate flora in
the modern world."
During the time when there existed the warm, springlike
climate in the Arctic regions, noble flora in those climes
included pines, magnolias, holly, walnuts, spruces,
blackthorn, poplars, cypresses, logwood, beeches, ivy,
planes, vines, firs, limes, oaks, hazel, elms, waterlilies, many
conifers such as the Sequoia, relation of the gigantic
Wellingtonia of California, and numerous evergreens and very
many other kinds of botanic life. Large forests grew on
Spitzbergen one thousand miles within the Arctic Circle.
Arctic Coal Beds
The size and excellent condition of health these different
vegetations were in and the size and nature of their preserved
cells show that all the time they lived in a very pleasant,
invigorating and warm climate. There was there a lovely
continuous springlike climate. This, of course, means, that the
lovely springlike warmth was there when the trees and other
forest growth began to grow on Spitzbergen and throughout
the regions of the Arctic. Doubtless some were still those that
were created by God.
At the northernmost part of Spitzbergen Archipelago is a
bed of coal that is coated with black shale and sandstone on
which are encrusted fossilised land plants. Encyclopaedia
Americana, 1962 edition, Vol. 7, page 144, informs us that
there are geologists who state that it takes up to twenty feet of
original plant life to make one foot of coal. The coal bed here
mentioned is from twenty-five to thirty feet thick. This means
that in Spitzbergen over all the areas covered by this coal bed
vegetation was piled up to between 500 and 600 feet. Truly did
Dana state that life flourished in profusion in the Arctic regions.
It has been substantiated that formerly a warm climate
prevailed all over what is now Antarctica.
For example, at latitude 85°5' Shackleton found fossil wood
in moraine sandstone. On top of Beardmore Glacier, Scott
discovered fossil glossopteris flora. It is well-known that coal
exists in these polar regions. Shackleton, for instance, found
coal at about 85° and Byrd has told us that in Queen Maud's
Range, 180 nautical miles from the Pole, are huge quantities
of coal that would much add to the world's supply. Of course,
such huge quantities of coal could have formed in the Antarctic
only if there was in Antarctica a warm and favourable climate.
A climate that makes us think of Figuier's statement that during
the former warm climate there seems to have been then only
that one kind of climate over the whole world. And of Wallace's
statement that the then "climate was a mantle of springlike
loveliness which seems to have prevailed continuously over
the whole globe."
Adding to the statements about Antarctica, we observe that
The World Book Encyclopaedia, Vol. 1, page 491, 1964
edition, states that, "Scientists believe Antarctica once was a
warm land covered with trees and plants. They have
discovered fossils of this plant life, along with coal and other
minerals."
"All That Could Be Desired"
In Eastern Antarctica the Beacon Sandstone contains coal
measures. "Coal has been discovered in Coat's Land,
supporting the assumption that much of East Antarctica's
icecap may be underlaid by coal-bearing sedimentary rocks."
Encyclopaedia International, Vol. 1, page 446, 1969 edition.
Evolutionists with their geological succession of ages speak
about a Champlain period. The man often called the father of
American geology, James D. Dana, taught that this period
appears to have been "marvellously genial" for all the world's
continents.4 Writing about the mammalia of this so-called
evolutionary period, he states that, "The great abundance of
their remains and their condition show that the climate and
food were all the animals could have desired. They were
masters of their wanderings and had their choice of the best."5
He also states that the world-wide genial climate that the world
knew was abruptly terminated.6
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 13
 Creationists and diluvialists, of course, do not believe in the
so-called geological succession of ages which ascribes these
wonderful climatic, environmental and food conditions to an
evolutionary Champlain period. Diluvialists believe that Dana
is actually describing part of the antediluvian conditions and is
completely unintentionally misinterpreting the evidence.
Diluvialists believe that the antediluvian conditions were such
that the climate was marvellously genial for all continents, that
both climate and food were all the animals could desire, their
environments were ideally suited to the way of life, instincts,
intelligence, and bodily conformation of each type as severally
endowed by the Great Creator, that they were masters of their
wanderings and had their choice of the best.
Diluvialists believe that the universal, abrupt termination of
the world-wide genial climate was catastrophically caused by
the equally world-wide Genesis Flood and associated
phenomena.
No Desert Life-Forms
To repeat. No one can logically escape the lessons to be
learnt from the fossilisation in both north and south climes.
Corals and reptiles could not have lived in the icy-cold waters
of the Arctic. Plants which live in warm to hot climates "cannot
ripen their seeds and sow themselves under Arctic
conditions."7 Neither could they have done so under
conditions like those presently prevailing in Antarctica. Thus
all the biological evidence is unmistakable. The climate during
which the fossilised fauna and flora lived together on earth was
from Pole to Pole uniformly warm with possibly slight local or
latitudinal variations.
Another significant thing is that during the century and a half
of geological expeditions and explorations never have
fossilised desert life-forms been found. This fact links with the
Here's a
Promise
For You
CIRCULATION FIGURES tell me that multi-thousands of people
read this paper. And that's good, of course.
My confession is, nevertheless, that I don't think of them so much as
I write, but I do picture theindividual reader, saying to myself as I try to
see that one person, "There is somebody out there in readerland with
a very special personal need, a need that can be met by a promise
from God." And, as I see it, meeting some need is what the Bible's
promises are for. They have been tested and tried during centuries of
yesterdays, todays and tomorrows.
Before I put pen to paper I offer up a prayer that goes something like
this: "God, and Father of us all, help me to write something to help
somebody with one of Your promises." And I've just prayed it again.
Feelings of "going it alone" can creep up on the human spirit in a
very subtle way—and take it captive—bind and shackle it. Grief can do
it. So can being overlooked. A major health set-back can also put the
14 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
others as good evidence that earth's fossilised life-forms lived
on itbefore there were intensely cold and intensely hot and dry
conditions. As Professor A. R. Wallace so correctly says, there
is but "one uniform climatic aspect of the fossils."8 And this
aspect of the fossils bespeaks a globe-covering mantle of
springlike loveliness.
This kind of universal mantle being before extremely cold
states and extremely hot and dry states, means, diluvialists
say, that this world-covering springlike loveliness was the
original climate on our earth and that the other states of climate
are secondary in time and could have come into being only by
the original being destroyed catastrophically as one great
world-wide result of world-wide causes.
The vast and uncomputable amounts of fossilised botanic
and zoologic life forms unitedly witness to the truly optimal
living conditions of the antediluvian state of our world.
Scientifically do the fossils so testify. But it is a testimony that is
what it is only because the great God brought into being the
climate, living conditions and the forms of life. And they in turn
bespeak what a wonderful Father-heart of love, beauty and
kindness the great God possesses—a father-heart which
awakens a responsive love, reverence and adoration in His
children on earth. **
Sources of Authority
1. "The Glacial Nightmare and the Flood," Sir H. Howorth, Vol. 2, page 427.
2. "The Geographical Distribution of Animals," Prof. A. R. Wallace, Vol. 1, page 227.
(Emphasis added.)
3. "An lntrodution to Historical Geology," Prof. W. J. Miller, 6th ed., page 131.
4. Manual of Geology, Prof. J. D. Dana, page 997.
5. "Geological Story Briefly Told," Prof. J. D. Dana, page 225.
6. Id., page 427.
7. "The Glacial Nightmare and the Flood," Sir H. Howorth, Vol, 2, page 427.
8. "Island Life," Prof. A. R. Wallace, page 196.
human spirit into the dreary wilderness of "going it alone." You know:
nobody really knows, thus nobody really understands. And to a
degree, that can be true, for that kind of experience is part of life, of
living. I know, for I have been there.
But there is a promise for you. Declares God in Isaiah 46:4, "I have
made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." And for five
times, six times, seven times reassurance in the one verse you also
have "even to your old age," "I am He," "even to hoar hairs will I carry
you." Now here's a promise for you, whatever your stage in life, or your
age! Grief? Yes, it's for that. Being overlooked? Yes, it's for that. A
major health set-back? Yes, it's for that. Do you feel that just now you
are "going it alone"? Then for you just now: "I have made, and I will
bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." You may not feel that way.
No worry. God's promises are better than your feelings. Simply claim
this one of Isaiah 46:4.
Claim? How?
By faith. And faith, you know, is itself a gift from God, and He giveth
liberally—especially to those who have a special need.
John Greenleaf Whittier was a poet that I have thought knew about
the "going it alone" stretches of wilderness way on life's road, and, in
his poet's style, wrote of the relationship between himself and his
promise-giving, promise-keeping God, the God of the whole road:
"Thou who hast made my home of life so pleasant,
Leave not its tenant when its walls decay;
0 Love Divine, 0 Helper ever present,
Be Thou my strength and stay."
"0 Helper ever present." Of course. Ever present. Now.
In full, your promise of Isaiah 46:4 guarantees you: "And even to
your old age I am He; even to hoar hairs will I carry you: / have made,
and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."
"Going it alone"? Not now, really. There's the promise. And it's
God's promise for you in Isaiah 46:4. **
 6 RBE'S PAGE
I'M SORRY, JIM
WE WERE running late that morning, and the bus that would
take us on a conducted tour of New York City had almost filled
when we presented our tickets and took our seats at the very
rear of the coach. We introduced ourselves to the couple al-
ready sitting there. In turn they offered their names, Jim and
Pat Reeves, wheat farmers from "Missour." Evidently your
true native of that State always clips the final vowel in the
name.
Soon the Rabes and the Reeveses were happily engaged in
animated conversation, and a lady in the second from back
row commenced to take a lively interest. She proved to be a
fellow Australian, a Sydneysider employed by the Australian
Government to study social problems and the measures taken
to combat them in this vast city.
So a day that had seemed to commence badly, with a seat in
the coach offering rather poor visibility, turned out wonderfully
well. The marvel of instant friendship and warmth more than
compensated for having to peer out at some of the skyscrap-
ers and other attractions from awkward angles.
Near the end of the day the five of us were sitting in the al-
most empty coach awaiting the return of most of the passen-
gers who seemed to have caught a later ferry from Liberty Is-
land back to Manhattan. The longest suspension bridge in the
world and a view from the top of the Empire State Building
were among the few remaining sights we still had to see in a
memorable crowded day.
Jim Reeves spoke quietly and thoughtfully, "You know, I
haven't been able to get that Buddhist temple in Chinatown out
of my mind. I mean, as a group we accept basically the same
ideas. Even though we are Baptist, Catholic, and Seventh-day
Adventist, the differences in our beliefs are nowhere near as
wide as those between Christians and Buddhists, and yet
there are millions of people in the world who follow the teach-
ings of Buddha."
He paused to stare out over the lawns to the wharf, where a
Blue Circle ferry was docking, and continued, "After we finish
this trip, we are going home to Missour for a few months and
then I am booked to go with an expedition to Mount Ararat. I
believe that Noah's ark is up there somewhere, underneath all
that ice and snow, and it seems to me that someday soon,
maybe even on the expedition I shall be with, the whole world
will be forced to accept unmistakable evidence of the exis-
tence of Noah's ark. I see it as a focal point. If proof is estab-
lished that the ark is actually there, then the whole world must
see that fundamental Christianity is true and that the words of
Scripture are binding on all people everywhere. What a lift that
would give the church!"
So we considered this earnest pronouncement, finding that
we largely agreed with Jim. Then the other passengers from
the ferry started to drift back singly and in groups, and we were
soon sightseeing again. The day quickly came to an end. Our
coach stopped at the Waldorf-Astoria, and our friends-for-the
day alighted, while we continued on our way.
Careful reading of the newspapers since that time has
shown me that Jim didn't have the good fortune of finding the
remains of Noah's ark. For all I know his party may have been
turned back by the Turkish authorities. But as I think back on
the last glimpse I had of them waving to us in the early dusk of
an autumn evening in New York, I wonder if I missed a good
opportunity of adding something worth while to the conversa-
tion that day. I wonder if the discovery of the ark is really as
crucial to Christianity as Jim seemed to think. Perhaps he mis-
sed the focal point.
"As a sign of this everlasting covenant which I am making
with you and with all living beings, I am putting My bow in the
clouds. It will be the sign of My covenant with the world.
Whenever I cover the sky with clouds and the rainbow ap-
pears, I will remember My promise to you and to all the animals
that a flood will never again destroy all living beings.- Genesis
9:12-15, T.E.V.
Human beings have steadily replaced Bible teachings with
their own supposedly simple explanations. Probably the
common, familiar phenomenon of the rainbow was among the
first to receive this treatment. Sure, it is simply the refraction
and reflection of the sun's rays, but it is consistent with the
Genesis account of Eden and the fact that no rain fell prior to
the time of the Flood, and it would have been a marvel to the
eight people who survived the destruction of the world. God
gave man a sign, and he has largely rejected it. Would he do
the same, even in the face of unimpeachable evidence from
Mount Ararat? Man in his finite wisdom demands signs on his
own terms. He chooses to ignore the evidence of the fossil re-
cord and the deposits of seashells on mountain-tops. Probably
it would not take him long to explain away the authenticity of
any discovery on Mount Ararat. It almost seems to me that any
impetus or missionary thrust for fundamental Christianity
would quickly be dulled or even nullified by the same minds
that reject the Biblical creation account.
So I look for another focal point in the story of the Flood, and
find it in the rainbow of God's promise, in His everlasting co-
venant and assurance to His people on this earth that He will
never again destroy this earth by water. I believe He will re-
store the earth to its pristine glory. By His grace I hope to be
numbered with His covenant-keeping people when He comes
to claim His own.
So I'm sorry, Jim. I approve much of your sentiments that it
would be good if the whole Buddhist world, and indeed the
whole world, could see and accept some unmistakable evi-
dence of God's love and power. But I don't believe that evi-
dence is encrusted with the ice and snow of 4,000 years in
Eastern Turkey. I believe it is much nearer than that.
**
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 15
 THE
MYSTERY OF
THE
QUICK—kOZEN
MAMMOTHS
OF .14c
"WHERE FLESH CAN FREEZE in sixty seconds."'
This is Alaska, one of the last frontiers on earth. Here the
summers are brief and tantalising and the black
howling winters can plunge their temperatures to
almost lunar depths, for here we find nature at its
cruelest. Yet here, on Alaska's forbidding tundra, in its
icy grip, is to be found one of earth's most amazing
discoveries.
Almost one-seventh of the earth's entire land surface
(stretching in a giant mass around the Arctic Ocean,
across Northern Siberia, Alaska and Canada), is
permanently frozen. Much of this mass is composed of
sandy silt and loam, all bound together with frozen
water. This mass of frigid stuff is called muck. In this
muck-mass is packed thousands of tons of frozen
animals—mammoths, mastodons, bison, horses,
wolves, bears, lions and sabre-toothed tigers. The flesh
of these frozen creatures of the Alaskan muck is
remarkably fresh—so fresh, in fact, that it can be eaten
not only by dogs, but also by man.
These were the facts I discovered in my recent visit to
Alaska. This took me north of Fairbanks, almost to the
Arctic Circle. I had read many accounts of the frozen
mammoths from the frozen wastes of Siberia. While I
was in Russia I was unable to see at first-hand any of
these mute testimonies of the great catastrophe of the
Deluge. I gained there the impression that they wanted
to hush up the whole matter. The same suspicion
haunted me as I searched for the facts in Alaska's far
north. But here and there the facts emerged.
George Burnside now lives in retirement in Sydney. He has lectured in many countnes and
has travelled widely.
16 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
rge Bumsitle
I saw in Alaska the giant tusks of mammoths, and
teeth and bones of many other creatures taken from
their beds—animals that walked the earth in the days of
Noah.
It was man's greed for gold that was largely
responsible for these dramatic discoveries. Beneath
much of the frozen muck lay gold-bearing gravels, and
the miners had sunk shafts to get at the gold beneath.
As the ground of Alaska is permanently frozen from two
to three feet beneath the surface, even in summer, to a
depth of some sixteen hundred feet, this naturally
proved a great hindrance to the gold miners, but it is a
wonderful preserver of the vast animal remains that are
gripped in this icy grasp.
These mammoths and other animals have apparently
been entombed in a watery grave, which quickly froze,
encasing them in ice which has remained unmelted.
Their entombment and refrigeration has been so
effective that they have provided food for sledge dogs.
"In fact mammoth steaks have even been featured on
restaurant menus in Fairbanks."2 "Every indication is
that the mammoths died suddenly, in intense cold, and
in great numbers. Death came so quickly that the
swallowed vegetation is yet undigested in their
stomachs and their mouths. Grasses, bluebells,
buttercups, tender sedges, and wild beans have been
found, yet identifiable and undeteriorated, in their
mouths and stomachs. What dropped the mammoths
with such suddenness and such unearthly cold?"3
A Grim Charade
Frank C. Hibben writes, "The Alaskan muck is like a

fine, dark grey sand. It is moist, is eternally frozen. . . .
Even in summer the ground thaws only about three feet
down from the surface. Eskimo dogs in the warm
Alaskan summers habitually dig shallow holes in the
ground so that they may lie on the frozen muck beneath
to keep cool. Within this mass, frozen solid, lie the
twisted parts of animals and trees intermingled with
lenses of ice and layers of peat and mosses. It looks as
though in the middle of some cataclysmic catastrophe
. . the whole Alaskan world of living animals and
plants was suddenly frozen in mid-motion in a grim
charade. Here we do not have to reconstruct so much
from parched and weather-worn clues and tit-bits. In
the historical icebox of the Alaskan muck, large
segments of the story of early man lie rigid and cold,
awaiting discovery. Is it any wonder that the old miner
fanned our enthusiasm to fever-pitch with his stories of
bone beds stretching for miles beneath the muck?
"Throughout the Yukon River and its tributaries, the
gnawing currents have eaten into many a frozen bank
of muck to' reveal bones and tusks of these animals
protruding at all levels. Whole gravel bars in the muddy
rivers were formed of the jumbled fragments of animal
remains. The picture was one of abundant animal life of
a bygone era."4
"The immensity of the gold pits were certainly not
disappointing, nor were, indeed, the tremendous
quantities of bone material that we found in and washed
out of the muck. The hydraulic jets of water which
miners used in their modern gold-mining methods, had
sluiced away tremendous quantities of the overlying
muck. In summer, beneath the short-lived Alaskan sun,
the frozen muck masses dripped and fell away in
This young woolly mammoth was found in Alaska in frozen
ground. ft is intact, with skin, hair, and flesh over the bones,
just as it was frozen centuries ago in the Arctic. It is on display
in a deep freeze at the American Museum in New York.
sludgy masses. Within these oozing piles, the bones of
mammoths, camels, horses, moose and carnivores
were everywhere in abundance.
"Most remarkable was their preservation, which
seemed especially outstanding in contrast to the dry
chalky remains with which we were familiar in more
southern regions. The frozen muck had preserved, in a
remarkable manner, tendons, ligaments, fragments of
skin and hair, hooves, and even, in some cases,
portions of the flesh of these dead animals. In one
place, at Cripple Creek, near Fairbanks, we found the
shoulder of a mammoth with the flesh and skin yet
preserved. We tasted the black and sand-impregnated
meat. It was terrible-tasting and gritty. And yet an
Eskimo dog wandered by and ate the stuff readily.
"In one location north of Fairbanks at Rosey Creek, a
bulldozer was being used to push the melting muck into
a sluice box for the extraction of gold. With each
passage of the dozer blade across the melting mass,
mammoth tusks and bones rolled up like shavings
before a giant plane. As the sun melted the black ooze
in and around the bones, the stench could be smelled
for miles around, the stench of some hundreds of tons
of rotting mammoth meat. . . . Apparently, a whole herd
of mammoths had died in this place and fallen together
in a jumbled mass of leg bones, tusks, and mighty
skulls, to be frozen and preserved until this day. Only
the greed of man for gold had opened up their
long-frozen grave."5
What Does It Prove?
Dr. Hibben states, "Mammoths there were in abun-
dance, dumped in all attitudes of death. Most of them
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 17

were pulled apart by some unexplained prehistoric
catastrophic disturbance. Legs and torsos and heads
and fragments were found together in piles, or scat-
tered separately."6 Throughout the Alaskan mucks, too,
there is evidence of atmospheric disturbances of un-
paralleled violence. Mammoth and bison alike were
torn and twisted as though by a cosmic hand in godly
rage. In one place, we can find the foreleg and shoulder
of a mammoth with portions of the flesh and the toenails
and the hair still clinging to the blackened bones. Close
by is the neck and skull of a bison with the vertebrae
clinging together with tendons and ligaments and the
chitinous covering of the horns intact. There is no mark
of a knife or cutting implement. The animals were simply
torn apart and scattered over the landscape like things
of straw and string, even though some of them weighed
several tons. Mixed with the piles of bones are trees,
also twisted and torn and piled in tangled groups; and
the whole is covered with the fine sifting muck, then fro-
zen solid.
What do these facts prove? First, it stands to reason
that animals whose flesh is still preserved must have
been killed and buried and frozen quickly to be pre-
served at all. Bodies that die and are left on the surface
soon disintegrate and the bones are scattered. But
here is evidence of a sudden catastrophe—a deluge of
water followed immediately by a deep freeze. Thus they
prove there was a great catastrophe or cataclysm
which overwhelmed this earth.
Second, this catastrophe involved a widespread
flood of water, which not only killed these creatures
suddenly, but buried them under great beds of silt and
sand.
Third, this same catastrophe was accompanied by a
very great and sudden change of climate. These ani-
mals had lived in fairly temperate conditions and were
overwhelmed and frozen so suddenly, that their flesh
did not have time to decompose.
Eighteen times the Scriptures refer to the Great Flood
of Noah's day. It was the greatest event in history. It
marked the end of "the world that then was." Traditions
of all nations contain its story. The frozen mammoths of
Alaska bear mute testimony to its truthfulness and its
power.
These frigid creatures in their muddy icebox provide
a mystery for the children of men, only because they re-
ject the unerring record of God's infallible Word. How-
ever, their rejection of Noah's Flood merely proves
again the truthfulness of the Word of God, for in disbe-
lieving the Bible statements of the Flood, they are fulfil-
18 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
ling prophecy. "For this they willingly are ignorant of,
that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with
water, perished." 2 Peter 3:5, 6. This prophecy relates
to "the last days" (2 Peter 3:3), when the earth is facing
another flood, not of water this time, but fire (2 Peter
3:7).
The Testimony of the Frozen Mammals
It is worthy of note that the Scriptures devote more
space to the record of the Flood than they do to
Creation. For the first eleven chapters of Genesis cover
over two thousand years, yet one-third of that record
deals with the Deluge. The first chapter of the Bible
deals with the creation of the world. The second
chapter covers the creation of man and describes his
Eden home. The third chapter tells of his tragic fall and
the loss of that Edenic home. Chapter four tells of the
building of the first city, while the fifth records the origin
of nations. Three whole chapters however, chapters six
to eight, tell of the Flood, its causes and the tremendous
results.
Jesus believed in the Flood (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke
3:36). St. Peter believed likewise (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter
3:5, 6). St. Paul also believed in the Deluge and wrote of
it in Hebrews 1 1 :7. No Christian can doubt the divine
record of the Deluge and remain a Christian. His Lord
believed it. Today the stones cry out and proclaim,
"Every word of God is pure," and the frozen mammoths
of Alaska's frigid north confirm it. These are facts, not
theories. There is never any conflict between the Bible
and facts. Facts confirm the Bible, and in turn the Bible
explains facts.
However, the prophecies of our unerring Bible reveal
that multitudes, to avoid these facts and the Scriptures,
would adopt the theory of uniformity—that is, that there
have been no supernatural interventions in history. This
attitude on their behalf is clearly foretold in 2 Peter 3:4:
"All things continue as they were from the beginning,"
they would exclaim. They would be "willingly ignorant"
of the divine record of the Flood. They would be
"willingly ignorant" of a stupendous supernatural
intervention in the programme of the ungodly. In doing
so, they merely fulfil the predictions of the Book they
would downgrade.
"Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee . . . or
speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee." Job 12:7, 8.
The frozen mammoths of Alaska show that their death
was catastrophic and caused by a Deluge. Science
has no reasonable explanation. It refers to their
"mysterious end." The Bible gives a clear, logical
answer, and the earth "speaks" its confirmation of
God's revelation to man. **
REFERENCES:
1. Alaska Construction and Oil, July 1974, page 115.
2. "The Biblical Flood and the Ice Epoch," by Donald W. Patten, page 105.
3. Ibid.
4. "The Lost Americans," page 118, by Dr. Frank C. Hibben, Professor of Archaeology at the
University of New Mexico.
5. Id., pages 121, 122.
6. Ibid.
1)tir Bible says this about-
HOW YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF ADAM had not sinned, it would have been possible for him to form
a righteous character simply by obeying God's law. Because he failed
to obey God, he opened the way for the development of a sinful nature,
instead of a sinless human nature, and all humanity having thus
descended from Adam, has inherited the tendency toward evil.
Therefore, it is an impossibility for man to make himself righteous. Man
is sinful and unholy and cannot perfectly obey God's law. Man's
righteousness is as "filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6. Not one person can
claim righteousness. (Romans 3:10.) However, Christ has made a
way of escape for us. Where Adam failed, Christ was victorious.
"He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our
sins and give us His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and
accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been,
for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in
place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you
had not sinned."—"Steps to Christ," page 67.
1 John 4:19: "WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US."
God has made the first move. He loved us even when we were
sinners (though He hated the sin). When we understand God's love
toward us, it generates a desire to serve Him and respond in love.
Love is the motivating principle of action which awakens in us the
desire to be righteous.
It is a help in this study to understand the meaning of the following
words:
RIGHTEOUSNESS: Rightness. As applied to man: a right relationship
between God and man.
FAITH: Complete trust in God.
GRACE: Favour or kindness. (With sinful man it is unmerited favour.)
JUSTIFICATION: The divine act by which God declares the penitent
sinner righteous, because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
SANCTIFICATION: To set apart; holiness.
There are two errors many Christians fall into, particularly those
who are new to Christianity. 1. That we are saved by our own good
works. This is, in fact, an absolute impossibility. It is the grace of Christ
alone, through faith, that can make us right with God. 2. That Christ
releases man from obedience to His law, because man is saved
by faith alone. It is true that we are saved by faith in Christ, but it is
false to think God saves man in his sin. Sin is breaking God's law. (1
John 3:4.) Christ came to save us from our sins, not in them.
Obedience is the sign of true discipleship. Instead of releasing man
from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of
the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience. Obedience
then, is the fruit of faith.
Galatians 2:16: "Knowing that A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE
WORKS OF THE LAW, BUT BY THE FAITH OF JESUS
CHRIST, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law:
for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
It is impossible for man to be right with God because of his good
works, or by keeping God's law. The fact is, man cannot keep God's
law in his own strength. His nature is depraved and predisposed to
evil. As man accepts Jesus Christ, his faith lays hold of divine power,
and he becomes one with Christ. The converted sinner is declared
righteous. It is not faith that saves; it is Jesus Christ; but faith is the
medium by which we take hold of Jesus.
Romans 4:3, 5: "For what saith the Scripture? ABRAHAM BELIEVED
GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUS-
NESS. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that
justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR
RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Abraham was not justified by his good works, but because he
believed. In other words, he had faith in God. His good works came as
a result of his faith. If we have faith in God, we are accounted righteous
in His sight.
Romans 4:22-25: "And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it
was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be
IMPUTED, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord
from the dead; who was DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES,
and was RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION."
Abraham's righteousness was imputed to him (i.e., credited to him).
So, if we believe in Jesus, His righteousness will be credited to us.
Romans 5:8-10: "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then,
being now JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from
wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, WE WERE
RECONCILED TO GOD BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
We are saved from the penalty of our sins because Jesus' blood
covers them all; we are justified by His blood. Our justification was
made possible when Jesus died and was raised again almost 2,000
years ago. When we believe, and by faith accept our justification, we
are declared righteous in the sight of God. Not our own righteousness,
but His righteousness; hence we are reconciled to God. He has
accepted His Son's sacrifice, and because we have accepted His Son,
we too are accepted.
Romans 3:24-26: "Being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath
set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, TO
DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THE REMISSION OF
SINS THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God; to
declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be
just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."
Our justification is given freely by God's favour and kindness. All
sins are accounted for. Those who believe in Jesus are justified. They
are accounted righteous—just as if they had never sinned.
Romans 5:1: "Therefore, BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE
PEACE WITH GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ."
A CHANGED LIFE
1 Thessalonians 4:3: "FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD, EVEN
YOUR SANCTIFICATION, that ye should abstain from
fornication."
When one accepts Christ, he is justified in a moment. This is true,
but justification does not end there. We continually need justification,
which was made available at the cross, because of the fact that we are
sinners. Sin remains in us until we are changed at the resurrection, but
A Bible Study
with David Pearce
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 19
 it will not reign in the one who trusts in Jesus. Because of Jesus'
sacrifice, the Christian is saved from the penalty of sin. Because of the
indwelling Christ in the life, the Christian is saved from the power of
sin. Because of the Christian's faithfulness unto death, he will
ultimately be saved from the presence of sin.
The New Testament writers had a lot to say about the Christian's
sanctification, or holiness of life. They show quite clearly that the way
one lives is rather important for the professed Christian. If our
justification (declared righteousness) does not lead to sanctification
(holiness of life), then the Christian is not revealing the fruit of a
genuine faith. Justification is the root, and sanctification is the fruit.
Romans 6:19: "I speak after the manner of men because of the
infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members
servants to uncleanliness and to iniquity unto iniquity: EVEN SO
NOW YIELD YOUR MEMBERS SERVANTS TO RIGHTEOUS-
NESS UNTO HOLINESS."
Paul admonishes that the members (body and parts) be used for
righteousness. Once they were used for sinful purposes, but after
conversion this cannot be so; they are to be used to glorify God.
Romans 12:2: "And BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: BUT
BE YE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind, that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.
There is a change in the way of life of a Christian. He is not worldly,
but transformed, reflecting the lovely character of Jesus.
2 Peter 3:18: "But GROW IN GRACE, and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and
forever."
The new Christian is like a baby, but as he grows in grace (i.e., the
development of his Christian character), his understanding of truth
increases, he reflects more fully the presence of Jesus in his life. His
growth does not qualify him for salvation, but if he does not grow, his
salvation is in danger. When one is connected with the Saviour, there
must be growth.
Philippians 3:13, 14: "Brethren. I count not myself to have
apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are
before, I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Growing in grace is not automatic after one has accepted Jesus as
his Saviour. We cannot sit back and say, "Take over, God." Christ
works through us, not independently of us. Our part is to place our will
on the side of God's will. Then in His strength we succeed. In other
words, we are constantly maintaining our faith in Him. Jesus advised
us to "strive" to enter, and this we must do. Don't be mistaken: we are
not victorious because we are striving to overcome evil in our own
strength; this would be righteousness by works; rather, we are striving
against our sinful human natures. We are always confronted with the
choice of following our sinful nature, or our spiritual nature. It is a battle
to choose to be on God's side when it goes against our carnal desires.
Colossians 3:1, 17: "IF YE THEN BE RISEN WITH CHRIST, SEEK
THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God. . . . And whatsoever ye do in WORD OR
DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, giving
thanks to God and the Father by Him."
Here is outlined what Christ has already done for us ("If ye then be
risen with Christ") "our justification," with our response ("seek those
things which are above") our sanctification. The two cannot be
separated. Notice carefully, we take no credit for self for anything—it is
all in the name of Jesus.
1 John 1:8: "IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE
OURSELVES, and the truth is not in us."
While it is true that the sanctified Christian will become more
Christlike, and through Christ's power in his life he will forsake sin, it is
nonetheless true that the sinful nature is still present. If he claims to be
sinless, he is in grave error. The sinful nature, even though subdued,
will remain until the second coming of Christ. The saved Christian will
then find "redemption of the body"—his sinful nature gone—but not
until then.
20 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
John 14:16, 17: "And I will pray the Father, and HE SHALL GIVE YOU
ANOTHER COMFORTER, THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU
FOREVER; even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot
receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye
know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Heaven has provided the best possible help for us to develop a
character like the lovely character of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is always
ready and willing to guide and strengthen.
2 Thessalonians 2:13: "But we are bound to give thanks alway to
God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath
from the beginning CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION THROUGH
SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT and belief of the truth."
Our sanctification is made possible only through the ministry of the
Holy Spirit. Without His pleading in our lives we could never achieve
holiness. His work is to help us attain fitness for heaven.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL
Hebrews 10:16: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after
those days, saith the Lord, I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR
HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS WILL I WRITE THEM."
The gospel does not free man from obedience to the law of God:
rather, it frees him from the law's condemnation. God's law is
unchangeable, a transcript of His perfect character. Willing obedience
to God's laws is a service of love. It is in reality the test of discipleship.
1 John 5:3; 2:4: "FOR THIS IS THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT WE KEEP
HIS COMMANDMENTS: and His commandments are not
grievous. . . . He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
Here is the test between those who love God supremely, and those
who give only lip service.
Romans 3:31: "DO WE THEN MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH
FAITH? GOD FORBID: YEA, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW."
Faith and the law cannot bp separated. We are not saved by faith
and a rejection of the law: we are saved by faith alone, and this faith
alone leads us to honour or "establish" God's law. Obedience is,
indeed, the fruit of faith.
James 2:20: "But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that FAITH WITHOUT
WORKS IS DEAD."
James is speaking of the works of faith, not the works of the law as in
legalism. What he says is very clear; if we claim faith, but our fellow
man sees unrighteous works, or no works to correspond with the
professed faith, then that faith is dead. If there is a genuine faith, it will
be revealed in the "fruit of faith": good works.
1 Timothy 6:12: "FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, lay hold on
eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a
good profession before many witnesses."
Because of God's grace, and what Jesus did for you at Calvary
almost 2,000 years ago, you are offered the gift of everlasting life. If
you accept this gift by faith in what Jesus did for you, you are justified
(i.e., accepted by God, just as if you had never sinned). You are now
accounted righteous because of your faith in Jesus. Your genuine
conversion will lead to holiness of life, or sanctification. Both your
justification and your sanctification are made possible by Christ's
righteousness—not your own. You are completely dependent upon
Him, but you must co-operate with Him and choose obedience. Your
faithful Christian life will lead you to glorification (i.e., at the second
coming of Christ you will be changed to perfection and your sinful
nature taken away).
As we grow in grace, we are strengthened by diligent Bible study,
prayer, and obedience to God's leading. These practices strengthen
the spiritual nature and give power to overcome temptation. Never fail
to consecrate your life to God first thing each day, and ask Him to
guide you. To walk without Him leads to spiritual disaster. Walk with
Him at all times, even as Enoch did many years ago. To walk with
Jesus in this life will mean walking and talking with Him in the life to
come.
If by faith we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will triumph at last.
Christ is our righteousness.
 7. Can a Christian sit back, make no effort in his life,
EXAMINE YOURSELF and expect the prize of eternal life? Philippians
(A Quiz on the Bible Study) 3:13, 14
"I press _
Read the Bible Study carefully before answering the
following questions. 8. How does Colossians 3:1 describe what Christ has
1. What are two common errors Christians make? done for us, and our response? "If ye then
a. That we are saved (this is justification) seek
b. That Christ releases man from (this is sanctification)."
9. Who makes our sanctification (holiness of life)
2. How is a man justified? Galatians 2:16
possible? 2 Thessalonians 2:13
"A man is not justified by
"Hath chosen you
Note. Man cannot credit himself with his own
3. How was Abraham declared righteous? Romans
righteousness. Only Christ's righteousness is worthy,
4:3, 5
both in justification and sanctification. Man's act is to
"His
co-operate with God.
4. By what means is justification made available? 10. Is the law abolished because of faith? Romans 3:31
Romans 5:8-10
"Do we then make void _ _ _?
"Being now _ were reconciled _
1 1 . What is the evidence of genuine faith? James 2:20
5. Even though Christ has died for our sin, what type of
"0 vain man that
life does God expect Christians to live? Romans
12. What admonition is given to the Christian? 1
6:19
Timothy 6:12
"Even so now
-Fight _
6. When the Christian, by faith, accepts what Jesus
Can you see that your salvation does not depend on
has done for him, will his life be changed? Romans
what you can do, but on what Christ has done, and is
12:2
"And be not _ doing, as you co-operate with Him day by day? Yes __
No _
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 the -victory of the
empty tomb
SO MUCH has happened in these last
few days. To Cleopas and his friend it all
seems like a terrible dream. Now as they
walk the winding dusty road to Emmaus,
they recount the swift succession of
events that climaxed with the greatest
tragedy they have ever known.
It is now the third day since Jesus had
been taken by that cruel mob, subjected
to the humiliation of a mock trial, beaten,
and finally put to death. The shattered
spirits of these two men exemplify the
hopelessness and disarray of the
Christian church. The rumour that Jesus
is resurrected serves only to torture their
minds, for they cannot bring themselves
to believe it.
So engrossed were they in their
thoughts that they did not notice the
approach of the stranger. Suddenly,
there He was, walking beside them,
asking why they were so sad, and
rebuking them for their foolishness.
There is an important reason why Jesus
did not reveal His identity immediately.
Their belief in the resurrection must be
built on an even stronger foundation
than seeing with their own eyes the risen
Christ. They must have such convincing
evidence that they will be beyond
accusation of seeing a delusion. Luke
records the evidence Jesus used. "And
beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, He interpreted to them in all
the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself."' When He later appeared to
the other disciples in the upper room,
Jesus used the same evidence. "Then
opener He their minds to understand
the Scriptures, and said to them, Thus it
is written, that the Christ should suffer
and on the third day rise from the dead."2
Champions of the Gospel
As the early church was convinced of
the resurrection, it was transformed. The
22 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
by Peter Jack
disciples had looked upon the cross as a
resounding defeat. They were downcast
and hopeless, with a sense of tragic
loss. Their Bible-based belief in the risen
Christ changed all of that, and forgetting
their fear and timidity, they became the
champions of the gospel, and marched
forward to the spiritual conquest of the
world.
The church today must have that
same resurrection power. Like the
disciples of old, we must follow Jesus
from the tragedy and pathos of Calvary,
to the victory of the empty tomb. This is
the key to our personal victory over sin.
The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the
Corinthians, declared, "If Christ has not
been raised, your faith is futile, and you
are still in your sins."3 Conversely, if
Christ is raised, then by faith we can
have victory over sin.
This wonderful truth is enlarged in the
Book of Romans. Having outlined in the
first three chapters man's sinful and
hopeless condition, Paul then points to
the way of Calvary, and the empty tomb,
as the only way of escape. In the fourth
chapter he reveals that Jesus was put to
death for our trespasses, and raised for
our justification.4 He is saying that
because Jesus was triumphant over sin
and death, so every believer who
identifies with Him can be likewise
triumphant through justification. Justifi-
cation is Christ's victory, judicially
accounted to our credit. This means
forgiveness for every sin. It means that
we are accounted as if we had not
sinned, and therefore acquitted.
This wonderful theme of justification is
further developed in the fifth chapter of
Romans, as Paul tells how we are
reconciled to God by the death of His
Son. He then goes on to say, "Much
more, now that we are reconciled, shall
we be saved by His life."5 Too often we
look to the cross and not to the empty
tomb, to the death of Jesus, but not to
His vibrant life beyond. It is only when we
follow Him all the way that the fullness of
salvation enters our hearts as a living
experience. It is when Jesus becomes a
real person in both death and resurrec-
tion, that the same transforming power
that filled the early church can take
possession of our hearts and lives.
What Justification Means
Paul reveals that just as through
Adam's sin the world became sinful, so
through the righteous obedience of
Christ, all the world is potentially
righteous.6 In fact, we are told in
Romans chapter six, that when Jesus
died on the cross, the whole world
potentially died to sin. We are also told
that, "If we have been united with Him in
a death like His, we shall certainly be
united with Him in a resurrection like
His.-7 To accept Jesus by faith, is
immediately to have His death to sin on
Calvary accounted as our death. It also
means that His victory over sin and
death at the empty tomb, is accounted
as our victory. Pair! is saying that our
willingness to go to the cross with Jesus,
and accept the defeat and death of the
old nature of sin, is the way whereby we
can follow Him to the empty tomb, to
accept the triumph of His victory.
This wonderful message of justifica-
tion declares that our salvation is
dependant on what Christ has done, and
never on anything that we might
accomplish in our lives. Martin Luther
launched the Reformation in the six-
teenth century on the premise of this
glorious truth, as he declared to the
world the fact that we are saved by faith
alone.
Justification is the basic difference
between Christianity and every other
religious philosophy. The story is told of
an old Chinese Christian who was telling
a heathen friend the difference between
Christianity and heathenism. He said,
"One day a man fell into a well and he
could not possibly climb out. No one
could hear his cries for help. After a
frantic struggle he gave up in despair.
Some time later, Buddha appeared, and
looking down into the well, said, 'If you
come up here, I will teach you so that you
will not fall into the well again.' But he
couldn't. Next came Confucius, who
said, 'You poor man, had you obeyed my
teachings, you would not have fallen into
this well.' Again the man was left to
perish. Then came Jesus, and seeing
his hopeless condition, reached down a
strong arm and lifted him out."
Heathenism says that man must
contribute his own works toward salva-
tion, while the gospel of Jesus Christ
offers salvation as a free gift. When
Jesus went to the cross two thousand
years ago, He was, in effect, reaching
down to lift us out of the pit of sin. David
understood that, and declared in Psalm
40, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and
. . . He brought me up out of an horrible
pit . . . and set my feet upon a rock."
David is speaking of a completed work.
He is speaking of justification. His joy in
the Lord shines through the Psalms,
because of the assurance of God's
forgiveness and justifying power in his
life. To follow Jesus to the cross and
then to the empty tomb, is to be led to
receive by faith the gift of His righteous-
ness and the joy of His victory.
Victory and Defeat
Many wonder, however, about the
importance of living a righteous life.
What about our works? Is it important, or
even necessary to obey God? Paul
raises this same question, "What shall
we say then? Are we to continue in sin
that grace may abound? By no means!
How can we who died to sin still live in
it?"8 Paul uncompromisingly declares
that the Christian shall not live in sin. Not
only are we accounted victorious over
sin judicially when we come to Christ,
but we will have victory at the practical
level of our lives. Not only is a Christian
justified and thereby accounted righte-
ous, but he is also sanctified and
empowered to be righteous in his life. It
is vital that we do not confuse these two
wonderful truths. Justification is the
basis of our salvation, while sanctifica-
tion is the result of our salvation.
Justification is judicial and complete,
while sanctification is experiential, and
the work of the lifetime. We don't obey
God in order to be saved, but because
we are saved.
Paul is really saying, in the Book of
Romans, that Christianity is the inter-
mingling of defeat and victory. Our
defeat and Christ's victory. The more we
can comprehend the completeness of
our defeat by sin, the more glorious can
Christ's victory be in our lives. Paul in
testifying of his own experience de-
clares, "For I know that nothing good
dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I
can will what is right, but I cannot do it."9
Beware! Children at Prayer!
During the afternoon a mother had had to
spank her four-year-old daughter because
she had deliberately disobeyed her. That
evening the little girl said her prayers in the
usual way, but ended with these words, ". . .
and Dear Lord, please help me to understand
my mother. Amen."
A young couple and their little girl were
moving from Chicago to New York. On the
night before they moved the mother reported
hearing this prayer from her five-year-old
daughter: "Good-bye, dear Lord. We're
moving to New York. It's been nice knowing
You. Amen."
Little Raymond returned from Sunday
school happy and excited. "Oh Mummy," he
said, bubbling over with excitement, "the
superintendent said something very nice
about me in the prayer today."
"Isn't that wonderful!" his mother replied.
"What did he say?"
"He said, 'Oh, Lord, we thank Thee for food
and Raymond.' "
Here is insight into Paul's struggle as a
Christian. His conversion has led him to
love the law of God and to hate sin.") In
spite of having these obvious attributes
of conversion, Paul confesses his
degradation and defeat.
It is the conscious acknowledgment of
this defeat that enables us to accept the
glory and joy of Christ's victory. The
more we see Jesus and His righteous-
ness, the more we will recognise our
own sinful nature and our need to
depend completely upon Him. Paul said,
"I die daily," but he also declared,
"Christ liveth in me." It is the daily dying
of self that makes room for the living
Christ. Death to self, the acknowledg-
ment of our defeat, is the way to life and
victory in Christ. This is what it means to
follow Jesus to the cross and then to the
empty tomb. Jesus Himself declared,
"Unless a grain of wheat fall into the
earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it
dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves
his life loses it, and he who hates his life
in this world will keep it for eternal life."11
The Christian is always a sinner
whose heart is overflowing with the joy of
salvation. He has discovered with Paul,
that although wretched and degraded in
sin, he has the assurance of deliver-
ance, "through Christ."
Open your Bible to the final verses of
Romans chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7
and chapter 8 to see the recurring
emphasis of the foundation of Paul's
theology, "through Christ." We are
justified and accounted victorious
"through Christ." We are sanctified and
given power to obey "through Christ."
We are uplifted, strengthened and
encouraged "through Christ."
The more Paul realised his human
defeat at the foot of the cross, the more
he could claim victory through Jesus
Christ. He discovered that the secret of a
dynamic, vibrant Christian life is to have
less and less confidence in self and
more and more confidence in Christ.
This can be our daily experience as we
come anew to the foot of the cross to die
to self, and then continue the journey to
the empty tomb where we receive the
gift of a new life in Jesus Christ. **
REFERENCES:
All Biblical references are taken from the Revised Standard
Version.
1. Luke 24:27.
2. Luke 24:45.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:17.
4. Romans 4:24, 25.
5. Romans 5:9, 10.
6. Romans 5:19.
7. Romans 6:4, 5.
8. Romans 6:1-3.
9. Romans 7:18.
10. Romans 7:12, 15.
11. John 12:24-25.
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 23
GOD HAD A WOMAN—NO. 4 IN A SERIES

11
' by W. A. Townend

COME IN. In here you will feel the

security of the choicely located, large
Hasseltine home near Bradford, Mas-
sachusetts, U.S.A.
Note the girl they are calling Nancy.
She's one of the Hasseltine daughters,
living in the midst of elegance, social life
and security in the days before any
American, male or female, had ever left
the shores of that vast land for
missionary service across the seas. But
there's a change coming, and a
significant happening in that change will
take place in this home this very day of
June 29, 1810. Meantime . . .
Let's beam in on Nancy a little more.
Sister Rebecca has a watchful eye on
the steaming vegetables. Another sister,
Mary, is out drawing earthcold water
from the homestead's spring, and
Mother Hasseltine is awake in every
nerve and fibre of her being, for
entertaining is a big thing in her life.
Nancy? Well, she seems to be both the
"efficiency girl" before the guests arrive,
and the sparkle—not a showy sparkle
but a nice, warm, subdued sparkle—that
makes people feel comfortable, secure.
So we see her making a final check in
the large dining-room (not the only one
in the big home). There's white, so white,
table linen, elegant crockery and heir-
loom silver. Everything seems to be "just
so," as people for miles around have
often seen it as they have been guests at
the Hasseltines.
The First Nod and Beckon
But today is different. And today
surely is to bring to Nancy the first little
nod and beckon that will call her from all
the security and the polish of her nice
home, to the point in her life where she
will choose peril as a way of life, because
living her chosen way will take her to it
often.
For now: on with the dinner party.
The guests, all men, have arrived.
Nancy has welcomed them, taking their
wraps and hats, under, no doubt, the
watchful and proud eye of her father, for
he is in the group, and his voice can be
24 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
clearly heard amidst the animated
conversation. And it is animated, for they
are talking about something that's
probably never been discussed in its
present advanced form at a dinner party
anywhere in America. Nancy is very
much aware of this, of course. And who
in that home that day isn't?
Of course, what Nancy does not know
is that the first gentle knock and beckon
of peril at her life's door is on its way. But
for just now we see her, "her cheeks
blushed as prettily as the roses climbing
over the doorway, and tiny soft curls
clustered about her fair neck," as Anna
Talbot McPherson puts it in her very
readable "Spiritual Secrets of Famous
Christians." Famous Christians? Nancy
was to become one, but not as Nancy,
but as Ann, her real name. Ann who?
Not Ann Hasseltine. But Ann . . . Well,
you really need to watch something that
happened at dinner that day to get your
answer. And watch we will. Listen, too.
"A daring undertaking, but a worthy
one indeed." That's the voice of Nancy's
father.
"We would better not try to stop God."
Now you hear the voice of a minister.
"If these are willing to go, ours is the
small task of sending them." And that's
the voice of yet another minister.
One of Four Young Students
Earlier in the day, had you been in the
1810 annual Massachusetts ministers'
session, you would have heard "wild
and romantic- first reactions to a
proposition that had really brought the
session to animated life—the idea of
sending four young Andover Theologi-
cal Seminary students months' sailing
away as missionaries to the heathen of
Asia. This had never been done before,
never by anyone of any group in
America. But. clearly, by meal recess
time, the idea was concrete in the mind
of at least one dinner guest (and no
doubt others, too).
But watch that one in particular.
He's young, tall, handsome, dynamic,
quite obviously a leader—and single. At
the session he has been the spokesman
for the group known as "the missionary
volunteers.- Among other things he
seems to be a kind of "born conver-
sationalist." Not at dinner today, though.
Something else, unplanned and un-
expected, has grabbed his mind, and
more than his mind.
Now see it happening. Nancy is
moving around the outside of the large
table, serving her father's guests, each
with his serving receiving from her a
warm and uninhibited smile, until she
comes to serving him. Eyes meet eyes.
Heart touches heart. Two strangers—no
longer. "Love at first sight." Name it that
if you like. Love has called, beckoned,
and, at the same time unknown to them,
so has peril. There's a ready response to
love on the part of them both. Even if
they had known the extent that peril was
in it, no difference. Love is love.
After a Long Month
Nancy carries on serving the men at
table, with her heart not in the job, but in
one guest. He has become strangely
silent, is, in actual fact, composing a
sonnet about her as he tries to eat. Such
was the first meeting of Ann Hasseltine
and Adoniram Judson who as Mr. and
Mrs. Judson become America's first
foreign missionaries.
About a month after that first meeting
of the two young people, he wrote to her.
What a long month that must have been
for her! We are told that Nancy blushed
rather profusely, as her sisters, suspici-
ous about the letter that had just arrived,
crowded around her, for they all
guessed what might be in it. They were
to be disappointed, it turned out, for
Nancy hurried off to her own room, the
letter unopened until she got there.
Her tear-filled eyes had a faraway look
in them, looking to the East, as she read
the short and direct proposition of
Adoniram Judson that she marry him
and together they sail away, months
away, to India as heralds of the gospel.
Her heart thumped. Head ruled. "Yes,"
that was the answer, not at once, of
course. Four years earlier, well, that
could have been very different. But since
accepting Jesus Christ as her personal
Saviour, Ann had become, as one
student of her life puts it, "a new Ann."
Christian conversion does that for the
converted one. And who but the truly
converted can truly handle personal
peril?
By the way, it took about two months
of intense prayer before Ann's father
gave, willingly, his consent to the
marriage, knowing what it might mean,
and did, for his darling daughter: peril.
She chose it. And in a way, so did he.
And so did young Adoniram Judson,
practically right from the start, as events
lined up.
And So to Burma
After almost four months of sailing, in
winter, young Mr. and Mrs. Judson
reach Calcutta, India, only to be forced
out of the country almost as soon as they
arrive. The powerful East India Com-
pany just does not want them in India.
So, for a year, they literally wander on
land and sea looking for a field where
they can settle (?) as missionaries, and
for the first time in their married days
have a "home," be it ever so humble.
One year and four months after sailing
from America, on February 19,1812, the
peril-pressed Ann Judson puts in her
diary dated June 20, 1813: "We have at
last concluded, in our distress, to go to
Rangoon (Burma), as there is no vessel
about to sail for any other place ere it will
be too late to escape . . . arrest. I have
been accustomed to view this field of
labour with dread and terror, but I now
feel perfectly willing to make it my home
the rest of my life. . . . Adieus to
polished, refined, Christian society. Our
lot is not cast among you, but among
pagans, among barbarians, whose
tender mercies are cruel. Indeed, we
voluntarily forsake you, and for Jesus'
sake choose the latter for our as-
sociates."
This "polish for peril" entry was made
before Ann and Adoniram had seen
Rangoon. What a sight! But there is no
record of a changed purpose despite the
filthy, sludgy, smelly swamp, covered
with bamboo shacks, for miles, as far as
the eye could see—Rangoon of 1813!
Poor Ann. Fear gripped her heart. It was
in her young husband's too. They
prayed. They had to. They searched the
Bible for strength. They had to. And in
their need this promise from God came
to them through His Word, the sacred
Scriptures, "Although I have cast them
far off among the heathen, and although
I have scattered them among the
countries, yet will I be to them as a little
sanctuary in the countries where they
shall come."
Did this promise bring comfort to Ann
during the two years and a half she had
to wait for the arrival of her first letter
from home? We think so. Did this
promise have heart meaning for Ann
when their first baby died two months
after birth? We are sure it did. Did this
promise from God sustain Ann those ten
years in Burma before her first visit back
to America? Another question: How
could she have endured the perils of life
in Burma without the promises in the
Bible becoming God's promises for her?
Never to Return!
Ten years of peril, the first years of
America's first overseas missionaries.
But all was not peril. There was
progress. It may not look impressive to
us today. But back there it was
progress—a bamboo-and-thatch chapel
in Rangoon with twelve church mem-
bers and Ann's weekly Wednesday
night Bible classes. In stark and dark
heathen Burma of 1813-1823, mark you.
And then, in 1823, Ann makes a brief
visit to home in the United States.
Something deep down in her tells her
she will never return. How true! But her
heart is free as she heads off back to
Burma, to Rangoon: but only for a brief
period.
While she had been away some new
missionaries had come to Rangoon.
Both Ann and her husband reasoned
that the work could now be cared for
without them. They must press on with
the gospel message, press on to Ava,
then the capital city of Burma, heartened
by the king's invitation to establish a
Christian mission there. And then peril
pushes itself into Ann's scene, again.
Britain is at war with Burma and, in
consequence, Europeans are suspect,
are, in fact, being hunted and hounded
into prisons.
"You are wanted by the king!" shouts
the gaoler and executioner who has just
forced his way into the Judsons' living-
room at Ave. Ann's husband is thrown to
the floor, bound, dragged away to the
place known as "death prison," Ann the
while pleading for his release. In prison
he is placed in solitary confinement in a
dark, filthy room. His ankles have on
them three pairs of fetters. He can move
only a few inches at a time. And he can
hear the pitiful cries of prisoners who are
being beaten and then dragged off to the
place of execution. Burma needs God!
And that's why Ann and Adoniram are
there.
What a long way off, in both distance
and time, seems that dinner party at
Hasseltine's! So much has changed.
Not Ann's love for Adoniram nor his for
her, nor theirs for God. No. Love
endures all things.
Daily, except when roughly forbidden
by gaol warders, Ann visits her husband
in his loathsome cell, taking him
hard-gotten food. As well, she is either at
the palace or government offices almost
every day, pleading for the prisoners.
And all of this while she is pregnant, . .
for seven months of her pregnancy.
Their baby is born. And then she renews
her vigil at the gaol and her visits to the
palace and government offices, little
baby Maria in her arms.
When Death Was Near
See Adoniram crawling across his cell
to take little Maria in his arms. Feel
what's happening in Ann's heart. Under-
standable it is, she became widely
known as "the heroine of Ave." And
understandable, too, that the loving
Adoniram writes a twenty-four-verse
poem in her honour, during his hours of
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 25

Yr 7-7
loneliness. He later told a friend that
"Ann stood at the prison gate like a
queen. Many times she was allowed to
visit me only at night. They told me how
she walked through the streets of Ava at
the darkest hours protected by an
almost enchanted dignity, and how her
matchless courage won the hearts of
April Fool's Day ...
April Fool's Day began with Noah and the ark, according to the London Public Advertiser of March 13, 1769. On the first day of the Hebraic month,
which now corresponds to our April 1, Noah sent doves from the ark in search of dry land even before the floodwaters had abated. Despatching the
birds on this foolish and ineffective mission was believed to be the basis for the custom of sending people out on foolish errands on April Fool's Day.
26 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
. make no efforts to secure my husband; I
gaolors and nobles alike." God's wo-
man. And for God's good cause she
chose peril, like this:
Without prior notice to Ann, her
husband is carried away, with other
prisoners, to another town, location
unknown. The young mother is almost
frenzied. Out onto the streets she goes,
searching for clues till she gets one.
Then, with the little baby in her arms and
a hastily gathered bag of supplies she
sets out for Amarapura in a boat and
then in an ox-cart. See her: baby in
arms, big moon overhead, two oxen
ahead drawing the metal-tyred spring-
less cart being led by a Burmese lad, led
to where? To what? To where her
husband was, another prison, Ann
thought. But when she arrived at
Amarapura she discovered the prison-
ers had been moved on another four
miles to Aungbinle. So on she goes,
baby in her arms.
Tropical disease lays her low in the
filthy little hut she is just able to slump
into, her body racked by fever and her
little baby wailing for food that doesn't
exist. Days pass, the fever abates
somewhat, and then Ann struggles out
onto the streets, begging food from
kindly hearted Burmese mothers. And
then to the gaol, where she has to beg
for permission to see her Adoniram,
whose health is little better than her own.
And this kind of life-style goes on for
another six months.
Ann's condition deteriorates. Bur-
mese neighbours gather around to see
her die. She seems to be drawing her
last laboured breaths.
Is the recital of all this depressing
you? Don't let it. It is being written to
inspire you. For one big thing, you are
not hearing complaints from Ann. I
haven't been able to find the record of
them. Here is God's woman on the
special piece of life's road that God has
mapped out for her, for reasons best
known to Him. And we say that
reverently.
Although death was expected, Ann
didn't die. She lived to write to a friend, "I
could not rise from my couch. I could
could only plead with that great and
powerful Being who has said, 'Call upon
Me in the day of trouble, and I will hear,
and thou shalt glorify Me,' and who
made me at this time feel so powerfully
this promise, that I became quite
composed, feeling assured that my
prayers would be answered."
Surrendered to His Will
One more appeal by Ann to the
governor, an appeal by him to the High
Court of Burma, and Adoniram was
released from prison.
 He hurried to the place where his
beloved Ann was, and to their baby. Ann
didn't come to the door of the hut. He
stepped inside. And there, lying on the
floor was the almost lifeless form. It
stirred. Eyes opened. Brown eyes met
brown eyes, as they had at the dinner
party. The love was still there, bigger
and stronger than ever, but the same
physical Ann wasn't there any more.
Never was again. But will be, one golden
day soon, clothed in eternal youth, the
perils all passed, for ever. God, hasten
that day.
There did come a period of compara-
tive peril-less living for Ann and
Adoniram Judson when they estab-
lished a Christian community, after the
war was over. And as you probably
know, Adoniram Judson worked eigh-
teen years translating the Bible into
Burmese, the translation being to
Burmese what the King James Version
has been to the English-speaking
peoples. Ten years of this monumental
work Ann saw, but not the last eight. Nor
did she see the establishment of the
large mission press. Nor did she see the
large Rangoon Baptist college and the
158 organised Baptist churches in
Burma with their almost 10,000 mem-
bers. Before these things happened Ann
was at rest.
Her call came while her husband was
absent from the mission headquarters,
October 6, 1826, when she was "torn
from her husband's bleeding heart and
from her babe."
Just before the end Ann whispered, "I
must die alone and leave my little one.
But as it is the will of God, I acquiesce in
His will." And isn't that the way you
would expect God's woman to die—as
she had lived—surrendered to God's
will?
Not peril, but pleasing God, was the
real issue, the dynamic factor, in the
short life of Ann Hasseltine Judson. Who
follows in her steps? God's women, and
men, are needed today in our world, as
they were needed in the Judsons' world
of yesterday. And God has not changed,
nor have His promises. Who follows in
Ann Judson's steps? **

A Story for the That story was to teach us that often our difficulties can
become blessings, as the following true story shows.
There was no happier person anywhere than Mrs. Harris,
because she was the mother of a brand-new beautiful baby

Boys and Girls girl. As she looked at the dear little face of her daughter, she
made all kinds of plans for her. Bernice, as she named her,
should have the best of everything. Nothing would be too good
for her. But her mother didn't know just then that the baby had
only one leg. There was no leg where the other one should
have been. There was only a little foot somewhere up near her
hip.

OUT OF
DIFFICULTIES,
BLESSINGS
by Myrtle O'Hara
VERY MANY YEARS ago I heard a story which I have never
forgotten. It was not a true story, but it taught an important
lesson. It was about a little girl called Grace, who was born with
a crooked spine which made a hump on her back. The child
wondered why she was so different from other children, and
she became very shy and sensitive. Her mother told her that
she would understand some day, but in the meantime she
could be the nicest little girl there ever was and people would
love her for her own sweet self and would not notice her
deformed back.
One day a prize was to be given to the most beautiful child in
her town. Grace wanted to see all the children in their pretty
clothes, and she would have loved to have been at the party
and eaten the delicious food, but she couldn't bear to have
people looking at her and feeling sorry for her, so she stayed at
home. Later, when she thought no one would be about, she
crept to the hall and peeped in. Someone saw her and called
out in astonishment: "Look at Grace!"
Everyone turned to look. Then someone else brought her
inside and the people just stared and stared, for out of her
hump had come the most glorious wings imaginable, all silver
and gold and covered with stars. Then and there she was
declared to be the most beautiful child in the village.
The shock to the baby's parents was almost more than they
could bear. They felt that all their plans were now useless, and
they spent their time and money taking her from one doctor to
another, hoping for a miracle. But nothing could be done for
Bernice. As she grew she longed to be able to run about and
play with other children, but she didn't waste time in useless
regrets. She was a sweet, happy child and never complained.
She was a good student, and there were so many things she
could do with her hands. Her crutches and wheelchair enabled
her to get about, and she was always doing something for
others. Her mother said she didn't know how she could
manage without her.
One day she heard a musician play a harp, and she loved
the music so much that she asked her mother to buy her a
harp, which she did. Now her days were filled with pure joy as
she learned to play the instrument. The years passed and
Bernice became an accomplished harpist. Her playing
brought much happiness to many people, and Bernice
seemed to be the happiest of them all.
Then a wonderful thing happened. A clever doctor operated
on her hip and fitted her with an artificial leg. She soon learned
to walk and could then do practically all the things that people
with two legs could do. Now she was like everyone else, and in
addition had her gift of music. She said she was not sorry she
had been born crippled, because if she had been like other
children she would never have learned to play the harp so
skilfully. The pleasure it gave her more than made up for her
loss during the first years of her life.
So, girls and boys, if you have something to bear which you
can't understand, know that in His own good time God will turn
it into a blessing. Ask Him for help and strength to bear your
trial cheerfully and sweetly and trust Him for your future. He will
not disappoint you. **
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 27
YOUTH TALKBILo
AN OPEN-MINDED PARADOX
My sister, a devout "born again" Christian, implied
recently that I would have difficulty reading with an open
mind, the book "More than a Carpenter," because all my life
I have been an avid reader while she, who reads only the
Bible and selected literature related thereto, is a
possessor of an open mind. Surely we have a paradox
here! Do you think it is fair and sensible for a person to say
that the only way to keep an open mind is to consider only
one side of an argument or discussion?
Your annoyance is easily understood in the circumstances.
It would be easy to rush in and take your part, declaring
emphatically that the more widely read a person is, the more
open their mind. However, that, too, may be a hasty and even
narrow assessment of the situation.
On the face of it, the more widely read a person is, the more
open we might expect he will be to new ideas and suggestions.
But is this necessarily so? On average we may say it would be
most likely. This, however, is not the way to discover the truth
of a matter. It is like saying, "Most people who live in Australia
read and write English, THEREFORE if a person lives in
Australia, he must be able to read and write English." On
average this would be true, but it is also true that there are
hundreds of adults in this country who cannot read or write our
language. What I am trying to point out, is that the reading of a
lot of books, or the failure to do so, is not necessarily a
guarantee of an open mind. The two are not inseparably
linked.
The reading of a wide variety of literature is certainly a likely
way to develop an open mind, if by that term we mean a mind
that is prepared to evaluate new ideas and examine
propositions in the light of what we know to be true, as
opposed to theories we hold dear. But as we both know, there
are some very well educated people who are far from having
an unbiased approach to every subject. Most politicians are
widely enough read to have a thorough understanding of the
philosophy of their opposition, but would you say that as a
group they have an open mind to the subjects they approach
and debate?
So to me the test is not how much has been poured into a
person's mind, but how does he/she evaluate such material?
You have probably met some Christians whose minds were as
narrow as a knife's edge, but it would be surprising if you did
not know many unbelievers who were just as prejudiced.
Narrow mindedness is not the exclusive province of Christians
or non-Christians, but a disease to which the whole world
appears to be prone. I would concede that Christians have
less excuse, since they are dedicated to upholding truth, but
even that lofty ideal is not one they hold exclusively. To be fair,
we must consider both sides of a debate, but to be honest and
have a sporting chance of arriving at what is true, we must
admit when our case is weak, and as you probably know, that
is hard to do if it gives the opposition some advantage.
One more thing. Truth is not settled by debate. It is possible
to win an argument and still be in error. And that situation
seems to be a very dangerous one indeed, for the "winner."
SIGNS OF CONFLICT
From reading the SIGNS, December 1977, the following
notes were gleaned, and some of the contributors' ideas
seem to conflict at times. Would you care to comment on
these notes?
28 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
cK
Faith comes only by reading the Bible. Romans 10:17.
The unspiritual cannot understand the Bible.
The most educated person unaided by the Spirit cannot
grasp it.
God uses men and women today to reveal understand-
ing to others, but if the others have not the Holy Spirit,
how can this be?
To find the way to eternal life, you must find Jesus first.
How does one find Jesus without understanding?
Faith must be based on some form of understanding—if
not intellectual, then it must be revelation. Then only
those to whom God has revealed understanding can
receive the Holy Spirit. What purpose then is all the
preaching and all the explanations of God's Word; the
heathen, which includes me, can only wait for the
Revelation. This throws freedom of choice out the
window. And why does God give the gift of intelligence?
Well, my friend, your letter contains a great deal upon which
to comment, so you must understand if the reply is relatively
brief when commenting on subjects that have occupied the
minds of some very great scholars, and been the theme of
many books.
To say that faith comes only from reading the Bible is an
oversimplification, for where does this leave those who cannot
read? In the context of the passage, Paul is really saying that,
in order to be saved, you must believe, and in order to believe,
you must hear what is to be believed. Scholars of the Greek
language tell us that there is no difference between the words
faith, and belief, and what is to be believed in this case, is the
message about Christ. How the message comes may vary.
Now to the matter of the "unspiritual and uneducated"
grasping the meaning of the message of Christ.
It isn't so much that what is said is contained in a secret code
that only the initiated can understand. The message is quite
clear. However, what is hard for many to grasp is the way the
sin problem is said to be dealt with in the plan of God, and the
coming of Jesus. The assertion that there is nothing that man
can do to earn, or even contribute in the slightest way to his
salvation is not easy for many to accept. And formal education
is no help in this matter. It is useful from the standpoint of being
able to read and understand what the Bible writer is saying, but
the "unspiritual person" just doesn't want to respond, and
further, if he does respond, it is only through the prompting of
the Holy Spirit.
In this sense, all men are equal. They all need the Holy
Spirit, they will all probably resist Him at some stage; and
those who do not, will be those who believe His prompting.
And that is the purpose of the preaching, and writing. You may
call it revelation if you like, but in the name of justice, if this is
so, then all men must have some form of revelation. This is the
argument of Paul in Romans 1. As you say, if this applies to a
select few, as some would have us believe, then choice goes
out the window. Again, if some measure of intelligence is not
needed, then neither is any measure of understanding, and at
that point I get bogged down.
As mentioned at the beginning, the issues you raise are very
complex, and many brains superior to mine have struggled to
make it simple, with varying degrees of success. Discussing
the subject sometimes helps, as many can testify, but it would
be a very wise, or very foolish man (I'm not sure which) who
would claim to "know it all." If first of all we are convinced of the
love and justice of God, then those things hard to be
understood can be left with Him. If we are not convinced of this,
then none of it matters, does it? **
PLAINTALIky
STUNTED VISION
ONE OF THE GREATEST scandals of Christianity is
the fact that most Christians suffer from a vision so
stunted that they shame the purposes of God. Perhaps
this is why the world's conception of a saint is of a man
who goes about with downcast eyes and an apologetic
air of intruding on the business of men. What ought to
be, of course, is a vision of a man whose eyes are alight
with the glory of God and whose stride bespeaks the
limitless faith that can see no horizon save that of the
celestial city. This is the pathetic fallacy that lies behind
that well-merited rebuke, "Your God is too small."
Why is this? It is a perversion of everything that the
Christians of the early church knew. Persecution they
shrugged off. Discouragement they knew not. Failure
was unthinkable. If ever a man knew trouble, it was the
Apostle Paul. Five times beaten to the point of death,
thrice shipwrecked, drifting helplessly on the ocean for
twenty-four hours, suffering from exposure and
starvation, deprived of sleep and knowing no place
where he might rest in safety, he dismisses all this as
"this slight momentary affliction." 2 Corinthians 4:17,
R.S.V. There is a magnificent scorn in his terse
comment, "None of these things move me." Acts 20:24.
What a man! No, that is wrong, and Paul would have
been the first to tell us so. What a Christian! should be
our comment. The secret lay, not in his virile manhood,
but in the viewpoint from which he saw life. We, who so
often adopt the perspective of moles, see only
mountains of difficulties. Paul, who had the vision of
heaven, saw only molehills. "The fault, dear Brutus, is
not with our stars but in ourselves." Too often we have
the grasshopper mentality (Numbers 13:33), and with it
we shame the name of Christian.
Read the letter to the Ephesians and see how
gloriously Paul exults in this vision. The following
extracts are taken from Phillips's "Letters to Young
Churches."
"Here is the staggering thing—that in all which will
one day belong to Him we have been promised a
share." Ephesians 1:11.
"How tremendous is the power available to us."
Ephesians 1:19, Phillips. "For the church is His body
and in that body dwells fully the One who fills the whole
wide universe." Ephesians 1:23, Phillips.
With such a vision, how could a man walk but with
head erect, with eyes aglow and with the swinging stride
of a pioneer who sees, not the ruts in the road, but the
towers of his visionary future. Paul well knew "that inner
illumination of the Spirit which will make you realise how
great is the hope to which He is calling you." Ephesians
1:18, Phillips. Suffering saint he was, but spiritual Uriah
Heep, never! The last thing he ever thought of was
apology. He was sorry, not for himself, but for those who
fondly imagined they controlled his destiny. Nothing
stunted in that magnificent gesture with which he
confronted the haughty pair, Felix and Agrippa.
A. L. HEFREN
Hide those manacles on his wrists! Never! Instead he
almost flourishes them as symbols of his inner freedom.
The dynamic scorn with which he dismisses his
shackles, "Except for these chains" (Acts 26:29,
R.S.V.), could not fail to impress his royal audience that
it was the king, not Paul, who was bound, held by the
mastery of his passions.
If this tremendous vision were that of Paul alone, we
could comfortably dismiss it as merely a fluke of
personality. But it characterises every man who knew
the risen Christ. It took the moral coward Peter and
transformed him into a lion in the presence of his
enemies (Acts 4:8-12, 20). Stephen died, his face
battered with stones, but with a beatific smile on his
pulped lips. Rome took John in his old age and exiled
him to the barren, rocky and empty Isle of Patmos,
where he saw visions of the New Jerusalem that
inspired this uneducated fisherman to write some of the
most exalted imagery in the Bible.
Every man who knew Christ saw life with new eyes.
The distances of eternity became the immanent vision
of the present. The things of this earth became strangely
dim. Nor was this confined to the first century. A tinker
thrown into Bedford Gaol became the author of that
deathless classic, "Pilgrim's Progress," when he came
to know his Lord. Wesley, an unsuccessful and
discredited preacher, became the greatest evangelist
since the days of the apostles when his "heart was
strangely warmed."
Perhaps this is why young people today so often turn
away from the church. They do not catch the vision
exalted. They reject the myopic vision of so-called
Christianity for the equally short-sighted dreams of the
world. It is the nature of youth to seek the challenge of
new ways and to face the perils of the unknown. Why
should they then be inspired by the gospel of a
quivering, pale Galilean, more feminine than mas-
culine?
Such a picture is utterly false. Jesus was a man's man
with a capacity to take punishment without retaliation
when the possibilities of such an answer were
boundless. He was no pallid aesthete, no wildly
visionary revolutionary. Jews fled from their money
before the flash of his eyes, and Pilate was moved to
exclaim in unwilling admiration, "Ecce Homo!"
Throw away your prejudices and your pseudo-
sophistication. Come face to face with the Christ of the
Gospels, and reread the exciting stories of the Book of
Acts. Then take Christ at His word and commit your life
to Him and start living. Living, I said, not merely existing.
If you want a life of limitless adventure, be a
CHRISTIAN. Christ never leaves a man where He finds
him, but sets him out on a voyage of self-discovery of
which only God knows the appointed port of destiny. If
you think your Christianity is only for weaklings, try the
real variety. **
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 29
BIBLE ANSWERS
NERVOUS COLLAPSF
I am a lady teacher with what seems an overwhelmingly
busy programme, and I am fearful of nervous and
physical collapse. Has Scripture any counsel for such as
I? I.W.
Scripture says: "I mean not that other men be eased, and ye
burdened.- 2 Corinthians 8:13. And the counsel from Jethro to
overloaded Moses is appropriate: "The thing that thou doest is
not good. Thou wilt surely wear away . . . for this thing is too
heavy for thee." Exodus 18:17, 18. Think, too, on Jacob's
words regarding his work as a shepherd, and remember that
God is more merciful still: "I will lead on softly, according as the
cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to
endure. . ." Genesis 33:14. Paul tells of one who "for the
work of Christ" "was nigh unto death, not regarding his life"
(Philippians 2:30), and the same apostle urged another "do
thyself no harm" (Acts 16:28).
As one studies the communal life of Israel one cannot but be
impressed with the stress on change and recreation. Leviticus
23 tells of the oft-recurring festivals which the people enjoyed,
and a considerable part of every year was devoted to such
periods of rest and rejoicing. They were an enlargement of the
Sabbath principle of rest. It is certain that God does not require
that of us which would destroy our health, and the latter should
be cherished as sacredly as the character.
Now for some practical suggestions. Firstly, remember that
it is as much a duty to rest as to work, and that recreation alone
can refresh body and mind sufficiently to maintain a heavy
schedule of work. Secondly, because continual contact with
people usually results in nervous attrition, it is imperative that
you regularly pursue such activities as will counter such
attrition—activities which by their pleasing nature give a boost
to the physiological processes of the body. Constant strain
depletes the adrenals, but change and joy renew the entire
hormonal system. So cherish some hobbies, particularly the
reading of inspirational literature such as biographies of great
Christians. Thirdly, keep in mind that "when two duties clash,
one ceases to be a duty." God wishes you to serve, even to
serve much, but He does not rquire that you like Martha should
be so "cumbered with much serving" that you lose your peace
of spirit.
Lastly, nervous health cannot be maintained without
abundant, regular, vigorous physical activity. Find some
physical pursuit enjoyable to you (preferably one in company
with friends) and make it as much a part of your daily
programme as your prayers.
SINS AND SEPARATION
Where does Scripture say that a Christian's sins do not
separate him from God? Is it indeed true that the sins
against which we war do not bring condemnation? W. W.
As part of the Lord's Prayer we have the petition, "Forgive
us our trespasses." It is linked by "and" to the previous request
for daily bread and therefore implies our constant need of
forgiveness. Christ was no strained fanatic who conceived that
His followers would never err. We should remember that while
there is no excuse for sin, there is forgiveness.
30 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
DR. DESMOND FORD
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our
sins." 1 John 2:1.
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8, 9.
"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in
my members. 0 wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God;
but with the flesh the law of sin. [But] There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 7:22-8:1.
Let it be noted that the last passage is not describing a man
guilty of gross overt sins, but one so sensitive regarding the
depths of the law's requirements that the slightest diminution
of zeal and love in feeling threatens to precipitate a mountain
of guilt but for the assurance that those "in Christ" are not
condemned for their unwilling shortcomings. Also note that
Christians, though fallible, do "walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit." And finally, never forget that God's mercy is as
infinite as all His other attributes and that "He delighteth in
mercy."
FUTURE INDEFINITE
I am a student who has not yet settled upon his
life-work, and whose future in every way seems uncertain.
What should I do? W.
Moses was once asked: "What is that in thine hand?" and of
another God enquired, "What hast thou in the house?"
Exodus 4:2; 2 Kings 4:2. The talents with which we were born
indicate our life-work. We need to enquire as to what
distinctive abilities reside within us. Usually our hobbies
indicate our strengths, and it should always be remembered
that "our work should be our hobby, and our hobby our work."
What you finally settle upon should be something you love so
much that you would pay to do it if you weren't paid for doing it.
May I recommend two texts of Scripture to you?
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33.
"I being in the way, the Lord led me." Genesis 24:27.
To have a hierarchy of values whereby we make first what
God declares is of primary importance, guarantees the
successful outcome of all other matters. If we will walk in the
way of righteousness so far as we understand it, the Lord will
lead us in all other matters as well. As regards immediate
practical steps, you should, while striving to do well your
immediate tasks, be also enquiring through people and books
as to all those types of careers which seem the most related to
your special talents. Talk to people in various vocations, and
even observe them at work. The Lord has promised to guide
you by His Spirit if you are truly His.

GLORIFICATION
What is meant by "glorification," and where does the
Bible discuss it? E.
Salvation is usually described under three heads:
Justification which is the removal of the guilt of sin;
Sanctification which is the warfare of the Christian against all
forms of behaviour which reflect sin's continuing power;
Glorification, which is the renewal of the whole being by God's
miraculous work at the second advent whereby the presence
of indwelling sin in our members is eradicated. Consider the
following scriptures:
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from
another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It
is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in
dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is
raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual
body." 1 Corinthians 15:41-44.
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
"And if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ: if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also
glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us. . . . Because the creature itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until
now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of
the body." Romans 8:17, 18, 21-23.
Notice the frequent use of the word "glory" in these
passages, which usage is responsible for the term
constitute the prevailing tenor of our behaviour. See Romans
8:1
Thirdly, when tempted follow the apostle's advice in
Romans 6:11-13: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye
should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your
members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God."
In other words, when experiencing temptation, recall that
legally you are reckoned by God as having died with Christ,
and therefore there is no necessity for you to yield to the
Tempter. Satan is a defeated foe, and the believer stands at
liberty on resurrection ground. This is already true in God's
reckoning, and can be so in our experience if we will but
choose to believe it at the point of temptation.
Fourthly, remember that whatever gets your attention gets
you. It is not wise to dwell on our besetting sins even in prayer.
Make central instead the grand truths of the New Testament
regarding God's love, salvation, and ever-present strengthen-
ing Spirit. Practise the claiming of the promises and venture to
believe without first seeing. There is no substitute for "the
expulsive power of a new affection." So crowd your mind and
life with Christ and good that evil is expelled as surely as is the
darkness of a room when the light is switched on.
Fifthly, remember we are body-souls, not body plus soul.
Whatever improves your physical health makes it easier to
practise faith and obedience. There are no substitutes for
temperance, sunshine, proper diet, and abundant physical
exercise. Men don't die—they kill themselves, both physically
and spiritually. Remember that while the devil tempts some,
others tempt the devil by becoming careless in their physical
and spiritual habits. **
"1.111 IM PM Nor gm RIP
4/78
You Like the

'GINS
"glorification" being applied to that complete transformation of
Christians at the coming of the Lord. It is this transformation
that abolishes original sin, that is, our innate propensities I
towards evil. I
THE BIG QUESTION I
How can I overcome my besetting sins? Y. OF THE TIMES?
First of all, seek deliverance from guilt by accepting what
Christ has already done for you by His life and death. The Then why not subscribe regularly for yourself or for a
moment you surrender to Him, believing in His finished friend? Just fill in the coupon below and send it with $4.75
atonement, that moment you are declared righteous, and the Ifor all addresses in Australia (for rates to other countries
Spirit of God begets a new life in your soul. See Romans see the subscription rates listed on page 32 ), and we'll
3:20-28; Romans 5:1-5; John 3:3-16. do the rest.
Secondly, remember that there is no condemnation for sins Please send a subscription for one year to the following
against which we war and which we hate and which do not person; I enclose the sum of $
Name

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE ... Address

we shall be asking the question "Is anybody out there?" and
"out there" means beyond the clouds, beyond the sun, beyond
Postcode
the stars. As a corollary to this, we shall want to know whether
the astrologers and the occultists have anything to tell us. (Please print clearly)
We shall also run the usual features and several other arti- Sender's name and address (if gift subscription)
cles, two of which will be of particular interest: Edna Heise's
intriguingly titled, "A Proposal Can Begin at the Wrong
Place," and Desmond Dunn's article on the Trinity, "The
Triune God." Please tick 0 if this is to be a continual gift subscription.
April, 1978, SIGNS OF THE TIMES :: 31
CONTENTS pitrITT
VOLUME 93, NUMBER 4 APRIL, 1978
A family magazine dedicated to promoting evangelical Christianity, upholding Jesus Christ
as man's only Saviour and soon-returning King, and presenting the Bible as the inspired
Word of God and our only rule of faith.
EDITOR - - - - ROBERT H. PARR POSTSCRIPT
Editorial Assistant

Periodical Manager
James H. Rabe
John Sherriff WHEN IT'S NOT NICE
Art Director

ARTICLES
Alan Holman
TO BE NICE
WHEN I LIKE people, it's very difficult to hurt their
Was There a Flood? H. M. S. Richards, Jr. 1
Planet Earth Speaks H. M. S. Richards, Jr. 4 feelings (unless I like them a lot, as in the case of my
Flood Traditions Are Everywhere H. M. S. Richards, Jr. 7
Has Anyone Seen the Ark? H. M. S. Richards, Jr. 8
wife—I can hurt her feelings quite readily, maybe to get
How Many Animals in the Ark? H. M. S. Richards, Jr. 10 some assurance that she really cares, by her response.
The Antediluvian Climate Hartney Myers 12
The Mystery of the Quick-Frozen Mammoths of Alaska George Burnside 16 It doesn't make sense, whatever the reason). In fact, I'm
The Victory of the Empty Tomb Peter Jack 22 very reluctant to offend anyone I meet, stranger or
friend.
REGULAR FEATURES Isn't that nice? I'm so sensitive to others' feelings. A
Here's a Promise for You W. A. Townend 14
Rabe's Page James Rabe 15 virtue, right? Wrong! It's a handicap I have to struggle
Your Bible Says This About
How You Can Be Saved David Pearce 19 with often.
God Had a Woman—"She Chose Peril" W, A. Townend 24 It's all very well to exercise great tact, to empathise
Story for the Boys and Girls Myrtle O'Hara 27
Youth Talkback Gordon Box 28 with everyone, to be considerate of their feelings.
Plain Talk Arch Hefren 29 Everyone should do all that. But there are times when
Bible Questions Answered Dr. Desmond Ford 30
Pruitt's Postscript Jim Pruitt 32 it's selfishness, pure and simple, to bend over
backwards trying to soothe someone's feelings.
OUR COVER PICTURE is a Harry Anderson painting depicting the rainbow of promise after
the floodwaters have subsided. One such time is when my child requires discipline.
Surveys have shown that children are far more secure
CO-OPERATION CORNER and content when their parents show both love and
From time to time SIGNS readers forward donations to us for various worthy causes. We
are happy to acknowledge these gifts through our columns, and to disburse the gifts as
firmness, when needed. They want to know what the
directed by the donors. On behalf of the various funds mentioned we gratefully acknowledge limits are. They don't want to go through life with parents
the following donations.
who one day will give them anything, and the next day
A. R. Woodlands, Mission Work $22.00; Anon., Mission Work $70.00; L. Pamett, Mission
Work $50.00; D. Lawson, Mission Work $7.00; T. J. McGraw, Braille Bibles $100.00; L.H., will become enraged over nothing. They are most
Vic., Hungry Children, New Worker Fund $100.00; A.H., W.A., Worker's Wages in Unentered
Territory $60.00.
satisfied when there are clear lines of conduct set up for
• A publication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is printed
them, lines that are enforced.
and published monthly by the SIGNS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Australasian Conference Just as giving in to a child who is being unreasonable
Association Limited (Incorporated in New South Wales), Warburton, Victoria, Australia, and
is registered as a periodical in Victoria,
is not the loving thing to do, so it is not truly considerate
• All payments for subscriptions should be made to the Signs Publishing Company, of another to let them go on thinking you approve of what
Warburton, Victoria. 3799.
you are against. In the long run, it is better for all
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: concerned to make it quite clear where we stand. More
Single Copies 45 cents often than not, they will be appreciative and take our
One Year Subscriptions: position into consideration. We gain their respect.
To Australian addresses $Aust.4.75
To New Zealand, Papua New Guinea SAust_4.75 Most of all, it is important to be frank and honest when
Other overseas countries $Aust.6.90
(New Zealand Subscribers—please pay to Signs of the Times,
talking to an unrepentant sinner about salvation. It will
Box 10-031, Auckland, New Zealand.) do him not a bit of good to let him think that he isn't so
bad, that God thinks he's all right because of the efforts
MOVING? he's making, etc. No, he must be told that, like every
Naturally, you'll want your SIGNS OF THE TIMES human being, he has a sinful nature to which he has
delivered to your new address with no interruption. Just yielded, and because of which he is doomed unless he
be sure to give your old as well as the new address. recognises his unworthiness and comes to the cross of
Perhaps this coupon will help. Christ with sincere contrition.
IMPORTANT: Please return your SIGNS wrapper with He will not be pardoned of sin if he thinks that, by and
your new address. It gives us your computer code. large, he's pretty good. He can only be pardoned when
he sees his need for a pardon. Will your refusal to upset
New Address him lead him to throw himself on the mercy of God
through the shed blood of Jesus Christ? No. You must
be honest. What matter your standing with that lost
Postcode
sinner? It is his standing with God which is of utmost
Name
Old Address importance. Don't be the nice guy who pats him on the
back and sends him a little farther down the road to
Postcode perdition. —Jim Pruitt.
32 :: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, April, 1978
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