“Prepare War . . . Let the Heathen Be Awakened”
By F. A. ALLUM
A FEW YEARS AGO STUDENTS OF PROPHECY and others were accustomed to see and hear many statements made regarding the partitioning of China among the Western powers. The “kings of the East” referred to in the prophecies of Revelation were supposed to be the Western powers in the East, and not the Eastern powers themselves. To-day such references are very infrequent, and the student of prophecy knows that when God’s Word speaks of the “kings of the East,” it means the Eastern powers themselves, and thus added force is given to such prophecies. At the present time the consensus of public opinion is that China will be able to maintain her integrity. It might naturally be asked, What has brought about such a change? Was the opinion which was expressed so freely and so recently entirely without foundation?—No, for at that time China was viewed in all her weakness, and that weakness was revealed by such conflicts as the despicable Opium Wars, and later, by the Chino-Japanese War. But since that time China has been slowly awakening out of the sleep of centuries, and now, like a giant refreshed, is bending all her energies to the task of modernizing her army and navy that she may be prepared for the great battle of the future. Perhaps nothing has given more impetus to this movement than the success of the Japanese arms against the “Colossus of the North.” Then it was seen that Oriental forces, when well-trained and equipped, were more than equal to those of Russia. China was not slow in learning the lesson in all this, and we are not to suppose that Japan was behind in helping China to realize the importance of her victory. The result is that the lessons taught by that war have been well learned, and to-day those who have the privilege of living within the borders of the “Middle Kingdom” see on every hand signs of a wonderful activity. China has learned that that which made Japan successful in her late war was her Western methods. Probably the Celestial, with his hatred of the foreigner, would not allow that this is so; nevertheless, it is acknowledged by the feverish thirst which is manifest in even the ordinary Chinese scholar to learn Western languages and methods. At the present time a knowledge of the English language is required of every official applying for office. This movement is embracing many things that were once thought to be too ancient to be moved. Foot binding, the queue, and education, have become subjects of popular discussion. And the latest development is the promise of a constitution. That many of these reforms are genuine can not be doubted; for the evidence is abundant. Take, for instance, the question of education; on every hand we see governmental schools being erected, and many of the teachers receive from ten to twenty pounds a month. During the last two years thousands of students have gone to Japan to study. One of our missionaries states that there are fifteen thousand Chinese students in Tokyo alone. Nowhere, however, is China’s reformation more apparent than in her remodeled army. When one compares the present up-to-date, well-equipped soldier with the sloucher of a few years ago, the contrast is vivid. This was apparent to all who witnessed the recent maneuvers held at Chang Te Fu. At this place from twenty-five to thirty thousand troops were assembled, and the display was witnessed by the representatives of all the powers. For three days a sham battle was fought, and the troops were engaged in all the movements of actual warfare. To the non-professional the scene was one of intense excitement, especially when the maneuvers culminated in a grand bayonet charge, and thus a glorious victory was won for the northern army. When one remembers that these foreign-clad, well-equipped men are Chinamen, and belong to the most conservative of all nations, then, and not till then, does the full meaning of all this flash across the mind. And what does it all mean? When read in the light which is shed from the prophecies of God’s Word, it will be seen to be full of moment to all. It is the fulfilment of the words of the prophet Joel, written so many years ago: “Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your ploughshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves round about. . . . Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.” Joel 3:9-12. To-day, the last of the great heathen powers is being “wakened,” and is coming up. Yes, and coming to what?—To the valley of Jehoshaphat, where the battle of Armageddon is to be fought, and that battle ushers in the end of all things. Then the opening heavens will reveal the Son of man coming in all his glory, and happy will be that person who can in that day look up and say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.”