Signs of the Times (magazine)

Signs of the Times is a monthly magazine originally published by Pacific Press, a Seventh-day Adventist publishing house. Signs presents articles that are considered to be helpful in assisting readers to live in modern society. The magazine focuses on life's-style issues, health articles and Christian devotional and other religious articles. From its historical roots, the magazine emphasizes the second coming of Christ to this earth and living such lives so as to be able to meet Jesus at His second coming.

Signs of the Times
EditorMarvin Moore, Lee Dunstan, Gerald du Preez
CategoriesChristian - Seventh-day Adventist
Frequencymonthly
PublisherPacific Press; Signs Publishing Company, Australia; Southern Africa Union Conference
First issueJune 4, 1874
CountryUnited States, Australia, South Africa
Based inNampa, Idaho
LanguageEnglish
Websitewww.signstimes.com
ISSN0037-5047

Signs of the Times library reference number is OCLC 10930013. The editor of the American edition is Marvin Moore.

Signs is also available as an Australian version also known as Signs of the Times published by Signs Publishing Company. The Australian editor is Lee Dunstan.

In South Africa the Southern Publishing Association published a South African edition until 1990. From 1990 - 2012, Dr Eric Webster served as manager/editor of Signs, publishing the magazine on behalf of the Southern African Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (SAU). Webster retired at the end of 2012. Dr Gerald du Preez now serves as editor, with the management and publishing of Signs, South African edition, directly under the Communication Department of the SAU. Signs is published on a bi-monthly basis in South Africa.

All three publications collaborate on articles, layout and editorial policy.

History

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Signs of the Times was first published on June 4, 1874 by James White as a weekly newspaper,[1][2] making it one of the longest running, continuously published, religious subscription magazines. (A Millerite magazine of the same name had been published earlier). Signs was significant in the founding of Pacific Press. The magazine conveyed Adventist viewpoints to those outside the Adventist faith, becoming the first significant publication to do so.[3] The magazine changed from a weekly to a monthly publication in late 1956.[4] The circulation was 275,000 in 1964.[5] With a circulation of around 300,000, Signs of the Times was available in over 100 countries in 1974.[2]

Until April 1984 another magazine These Times was published for distribution east of the Mississippi River while Signs was distributed west of the Mississippi River. The current magazine is a merger of These Times with Signs as of that date.[6]

In 2007, Signs changed format to a smaller size and more pages with the change being effected in South Africa in the latter part of 2013.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Land, Gary (2009). The A to Z of the Seventh-Day Adventists. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 274. ISBN 978-0-8108-6826-7. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b "Seventh-day Adventists Mark 'Signs' Centennial". Petaluma Argus-Courier. October 5, 1974. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Hillerbrand, Hans J. (2014) [2004]. Encyclopedia of Protestantism. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-92472-6. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Wirsing, Dale (April 1, 1959). "Pacific Press employees work with 'sense of mission'. Church-owned firm is Mountain View's biggest". Peninsula Times Tribune. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Ezettie, Louis (September 2, 1964). "Adventist Activities In Napa County Have Increased". Napa Valley Register. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Signs of the Times". www.adventistarchives.org. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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