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THE KING’S BUSINESS
pretation brings the whole subject of proph ecy into disrepute with many. These are days in which Bible students should curb their fancies and exercise a reverent and humble self-restraint in their interpreta tion of prophecy. Are not many of the signs of the end of the world as recorded by Matthew being fulfilled at the present time? Certainly there are many things occur ring in these days that look as if the pres ent dispensation were drawing to a close, and the time approaching when they who are Christ’s would be caught up to meet him in the air, and the Great Tribulation burst upon this world. But we should bear in mind that there have been times in the past history of the world when many things that were occurring seemed to point to the soon' coming of the Lord. Further more, we should remember that Jesus said that when we saw some of these things occurring we should not conclude that He was coming at once, that “the end is not yet” (Matt. 24:6); that is to say, that there were also other things that must occur
before the end came. Above all, we should be very careful not to set dates. Is it unchristian to believe in the signs of the Zodiac? Also to plant potatoes by the moon and plant flowers on flower-day according to the sign? That depends on what you mean by “believing in the signs of the Zodiac." The sun is always in a certain place at a cer tain time of the year; and on the average, in spite of the variations of the seasons from year to year, it may be that the time the sun is in a certain place is a good time to plant certain things. But doing things by the signs of the Zodiac is quite likely to run into superstition, and there is much that is fanciful and foolish in connection with it. Most people are superstitious to a greater or less extent about the number 13, and about Friday, and about a whole lot of other things, and of course there is absolutely nothing in these superstitions. If one has a real healthy and intelligent faith in the God of the Bible and in His Son Jesus Christ, he will be absolutely free from all this nonsense.
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