p. 3 | Disaster Upon Disaster

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 25, 1906

Disaster Upon Disaster

THIS is a year of disasters. Even those who do not look at current events in the light of prophecy, if they are not blinded by false theories, are forced to take notice of this fact. As an illustration of this statement we quote an editorial from the New York Sun, which appeared in that journal recently under the title “The Act of God.” It is a candid view of the year’s record. The Sun said:—

In the days when to go to sea was a fearsome thing, marine documents, ships’ papers, and the like, bore a somewhat reverential cast. “And so may the good ship end a successful voyage” was the way in which the charter papers were drafted. “The act of God or the King’s enemies” was an invariable exception solemnly stated in policies of marine insurance. In the same sense of recognition of the greater force, that against which man can oppose no resistance, that against which his foresight can adopt no precaution, this has been in a marked degree a year of “the act of God.” In fire and in dust the works of man have gone down to ruin in such a list as few years have shown.

The record opens with Vesuvius. From the impulse of hidden forces the very shape of the mountain has undergone a change. Fire and slag have written on its flanks the lesson of its might.

In the heart of the South Sea the new cone of Mauga Afi is filling up the valleys of Savaii, destroying plantations, and driving the population to seek refuge on other islands, there to begin life anew. News comes but slowly and at long intervals from that distant spot, but within the last few days it has been reported that the activity of the volcano is greatly increased, and calamity is feared.

The havoc of San Francisco is fresh in mind. The earth slid nine inches. The movement was enough to shake into dust the city of the Golden Gate. The same operation of the unforeseeable forces of nature has rattled to pieces Valparaiso, a city which was a wealthy center of the world’s commerce when the ports of North America were little more than havens for the buccaneer.

From widely scattered observatories comes in these last few days the announcement that somewhere as yet unknown, but probably in the southern hemisphere, there has been a crash of earth as great as those which destroyed San Francisco and Valparaiso. It will be long before the site of this latest disturbance is known; it may be that it was entirely submarine, and may therefore never be identified. Again, it may be that the sea has found access to the central fires of the new volcano in Savaii, and that the roof of the island has been blown off in the crash, for a neighboring island stands as a lasting memorial that such was the fate of an ancient volcano in those seas.

These calamities have been monumental. Each would be sufficient to mark an epoch in the annals of disaster; a single year includes them all. Not one could be foreseen by a moment. No measures could be devised to secure protection or means of escape. One recurs to the old phrase and finds nothing that may better describe it than as a year in which the acts of God have been made manifest.

This record of monumental calamities compels men to stop and think, and they can but recognize the fact that the judgments of God are in the land. For several years we have been instructed through the spirit of prophecy that the time was near at hand when there would be a change in God’s method of dealing with the rejecters of his mercy, and we have been exhorted to prepare for this change. The observers of current events are impressed by the succession of calamities, and describe the present year as one “in which the acts of God have been made manifest.”

In connection with the summary of disasters which we have quoted, it therefore seems fitting to call attention to two paragraphs in the article by Sister White which appeared in last week’s REVIEW. They run as follows:—

Ought men to be surprised over a sudden and unexpected change in the dealings of the Supreme Ruler with the inhabitants of a fallen world? Ought they to be surprised when punishment follows transgression and increasing crime? Ought they to be surprised that God should bring destruction and death upon those whose ill-gotten gains have been obtained through deception and fraud? Notwithstanding the fact that increasing light regarding God’s requirements has been shining on their pathway, many have refused to recognize Jehovah’s supreme rulership, and have chosen to remain under the black banner of the originator of all rebellion against the government of heaven.

The forbearance of God has been very great,—so great that when we consider the continuous insult to his holy commandments, we marvel. The Omnipotent One has been exerting a restraining power over his own attributes. But he will certainly arise to punish the wicked, who so boldly defy the just claims of the decalogue.

There is danger that we ourselves may fail to appreciate the meaning of “the acts of God” which are now commanding the attention of others. God is speaking to his people as well as to the world. He is calling upon them to be laborers together with him in proclaiming the message of warning to all the nations, that the way of escape may be pointed out. O that all would heed the call and unite in hastening the work!