The World's End by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jul 7, 1904

The World's End

By W. A. S.

THE world seems very young in the vigorous Northwest, which is planning to celebrate its centennial next year,—the hundredth anniversary of the opening of the Columbia River country by Lewis and Clark's expedition in 1805-06. Men of the world think of a vast future before this new country, now stirring with a new life under the development of the British Northwest and the Alaska country. The world seems just beginning in the far Northwest.

But contrast the new West with the old East. The world is already dying in the ancient East. The process of dissolution is going on before our eyes, to the accompaniment of famine, pestilence, earthquake, social misery, and war. The world is breaking down under the devouring curse down in the regions where human history had its second beginning after the flood.

It would be of little use for one to boast of a strong right arm, if already decay and blood-poisoning were set in at the nether extremities. In but a little time the whole body would be broken up. Just so it is of little use for the

new West to plan for generations to come, when already this process of decay has set in down in the nether parts of this old earth. Even among the heathen, thoughtful observers have a conviction that the age is tottering toward its end. The earth is breaking up under the curse (Isaiah 25), and the ancient peoples of the earth are marching downward in sad procession, pressed lower and lower under the crushing burden of hopeless existence. It is the curse that must quickly spread over all the earth; and already it is bearing heavily upon the New World.

It is not only time for the world's end, but geographically the pilgrimage of the human race has reached the end of the world. From the East the human family have pressed on westward over Europe, over Africa, and then over the Americas. Now the westward movement halts at the Pacific shore. The tide of emigration has swept over the Northwest, and right on up into Alaska. The world is compassed. There is nothing more to the westward. Across the Pacific lie the overpopulated countries of the Orient, where the westward course of empire began. We are at the world's end in the pilgrimage of man.

And already, young as the cities of the new West are, one can readily see upon them the marks of premature decay. They are already old in vicious ways. No longer have the new corners of the earth the hardy, simple strength of pioneer countries of a few generations ago. The whole earth is growing old in sin, and its limit is almost reached. Now we are to hasten through it with the final message of warning, and then swiftly the end will come. W. A. S.