THE APPROACHING CRASH by William Mayhew Healey

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 2, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 43.

THE APPROACHING CRASH

By William Mayhew Healey

World Conditions Foretold — False Principles Leading to Another Religious Despotism — It Will Be World-Embracing, and Will Triumph — Its Career Is Short — The Great Climax

By WILLIAM MAYHEW HEALEY

Since the days of Noah, in the time of the Flood, the world has never seen such awful and startling conditions as prevail to-day. The most friendly relation existing between great nations is suddenly shattered; and, aroused from their pleasing dream of universal peace, they rush madly forth to kill and to be killed.

What part, if any, will the United States of America have in this bloody drama? Will our fathers, husbands, and brothers be drawn into this great whirlpool of slaughter?

What will be the outcome of this strife and war? Man cannot tell. Will God answer? “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.

FORETOLD TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Twenty-six hundred years ago, the Lord told His prophet Isaiah that “in the last days” “many people” would declare that the world was entering a time of universal peace. Isa. 2:1-4.

Fifty years later, the Lord called Micah’s attention to this doctrine of peace, that would be taught in the “last days,” telling him that “many nations” as well as “many people” would proclaim it. Micah 4:1-5.

THEY HAVE SAID, “PEACE, PEACE”

The past ten years have given us the fulfillment of these prophetic words, in the almost universal cry of peace. The Lord said men would cry, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jer. 8:11. The Lord told His prophet Joel that when they were crying, “Peace,” and “the harvest is ripe,” they would “prepare war.” Joel 3:9, 10.

Educators have been saying, “The civilized world has become too intelligent to engage again in any general war.” Theologians have declared, “The world is growing better, and has risen above the level of war.” A class of political teachers, with their followers, have been saying, “We will stop war; for our party, composed of laboring men, will not take up arms against each other.” Nations have held their national and international peace councils, saying, “We will have no more war, but will arbitrate all questions of difference.”

The god of war suddenly sweeps away these assertions and resolutions, like chaff before the wind; and the “many people” and “many nations” who made them, are suddenly plunged into the most terrible war the world has ever known.

These things show that man does not know himself, and is not able to tell what he will or will not do; but God knows “what is in man,” and can tell him, from the beginning, what the future will bring, and what the end will be. We should learn, from what our own eyes see and our ears hear, that it is safe to take the word of God, and not the declarations of men.

WORLD CONDITIONS REVEALED

In the “Revelation of Jesus Christ,” chapter twelve and onward, the Lord has revealed the condition of the world and the duty of His people in the last days.

The dragon of Revelation 12 is Satan manifest through the work of pagan Rome. The woman is the church. Jer. 6:2.

The child is Jesus, who was “caught up unto God, and to His throne.” See Heb. 8:1.

The beast of Rev. 13:1-10 represents Rome in its so-called Christian or papal form of government. Verse 7 says, “And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” The historian Gibbon said of Rome: “When that power fell into the hands of one man, the earth became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal, to flee impossible.”

Verse 10 says that after this great exercise of power, the beast “shall go into captivity.” In 1798, Berthier, a French general, entered the city of Rome, made the pope of Rome a captive, and declared Italy a republic, free from church control. Ever since Rome fell, in A. D. 1798, she has lamented her loss of power to rule in all the affairs of men. Daniel said of Rome, “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.” Dan. 7:26.

PROPOSED TO RESTORE THE CHURCH

In 1800, Napoleon proposed to restore the church to its former power in religious matters, while he would retain for himself civil authority. This was practically impossible, because the power of the church to advance her cause had been by the use of civil authority. She had made more converts by the sword than by the Spirit of God and His word. Her wounded power was not healed. Pope Pius X mourned the loss of power, and while grieving over earth’s carnage, on his dying bed, said, “In ancient time, the pope, by a word, might have stayed the slaughter; but now he is impotent.”

Italy sustains the head of the church in Rome, because it brings many tourists and travelers, who otherwise would not visit the place, and they spend millions of dollars there. To Italy the church is a business asset. Probably more favor is shown the Church of Rome in the United States than anywhere else, partly because of the liberal spirit of the country, and partly because the church is more liberal here than elsewhere. Another reason is that the church controls about one tenth of the votes of the country, which causes the politicians to bow low.

BEAST COMING OUT OF THE EARTH

When the first beast went into captivity — 1798 — there appeared “another beast coming up out of the earth.” Rev. 13:11-17. This power being “another beast” existing at the same time as the first one, it must of necessity arise in territory not previously occupied by papal Rome — the first beast. This points to America as practically the only place to look for it.

The United States was the only government that was “coming up” in 1798. It came up “out of the earth”; that is, from natural resources, and not by conquest. In 1803, five years after it was seen “coming up,” the United States purchased from France the “province of Louisiana,” comprising over 1,000,000 square miles of territory, at a cost of about twenty-seven dollars a mile. Those who opposed the purchase, said it was “nothing but swamps and niggers.” One hundred years later, the state of Louisiana, which constituted less than one twentieth part of the entire purchase, was supporting a population of nearly a million and a half of people, and annually exporting agricultural products, in excess of all her imports, of about five times the cost of all the original purchase.

In 1867, the United States paid Russia $7,200,000 for about 500,000 square miles of what was known as “worthless Alaska icebergs.” In less than thirty years after the purchase of Alaska, its annual export of salmon exceeded the price paid for the territory, and the gold output was about one and one fourth times as much each year as the price paid for the country. Besides gold and fish, the country has valuable furs, silver, lumber, and coal.

These two incidents, out of many, are mentioned to show how fully this country has fulfilled the prophecy of “coming up out of the earth.”

FOUNDED ON LAMBLIKE PRINCIPLES

The government is founded upon the lamb-like principles of being “by the consent of the governed,” and all are free to “worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.”

The hour of exaltation is the time of special danger to governments or individuals; and the prophetic Word declares that this country, in the height of its power and glory, will depart from the principles of justice and liberty that made it great, and will speak “as a dragon.” “And he exercised all the power of the first beast before him.” That beast, papal Rome, exercised power to direct and control all nations, in both civil and religious matters.

WORLD-WIDE INFLUENCE

In fulfilment of this prophecy, we have looked for the United States to exercise a world-wide influence in deciding and shaping both civil and religious issues. And when the government lends its influence and power to support and enforce any church creed or dogma, it forsakes its true principles, and becomes an “image” of Rome.

The Church of Rome points with pride to her work of substituting the first day of the week, Sunday, for the seventh-day Sabbath, as a proof, or “mark,” of her authority to change the law of God. The following is from a standard Roman Catholic work entitled “Abridgment of Christian Doctrine”:

“Question: How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?”

“Answer: By the very act of changing Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of.”

GOD WOULD NOT MAKE SUCH ABSURD CHANGES

The more prominent denominations of Protestants in America have federated together for the purpose of controlling legislation in the interest of the church, and compelling Sunday observance. There are many Protestants and Roman Catholics who are true friends of liberty, and opposed to adopting the errors of the “Dark Ages,” and to having our religion defined and enforced by civil law.

All religious legislation assumes that man is above God. If Sunday keepers establish Sunday, by civil law, for the Sabbath, and God accepts their act, and later the Jews come into power, and change the day of rest to the seventh day of the week, then, according to the Lord’s own precedent, He would be obliged to accept the work of the party in power; and if the Mohammedans should sometime rule the country, and place Friday, their day of rest, in the law of the land, God would be obliged to change His law again. God makes laws for man, and not man for God.

A FAVORED ARBITER

The United States is the most favored country on earth, and is rapidly becoming the arbiter for other nations. When Rome was in authority, the disputes of nations and kings were referred to the pope of Rome. The troubled nations and rulers of to-day make their complaints to the president of the United States.

As the scourge of war, famine, and pestilence more fully exhausts the resources of war-stricken lands, the people will more and more desire to pattern after the United States, that they may enjoy her blessings.

In Revelation 17, Rome is represented by a scarlet-colored beast with seven heads—seven forms of government existing at different times, the last of which was the papal. The beast had also ten horns, representing the ten kingdoms into which the empire was divided. Upon the beast sat a dissolute woman, the symbol of a fallen church. God calls the church unchaste when she forsakes the Lord, her true husband, and unites with earthly powers—civil governments—and looks to this unholy alliance for support.

UNITE IN RELIGIOUS DESPOTISM

These “ten kings” or ten divisions of ancient Rome “receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Verses 12, 13. We know of no time in the history of these kingdoms when they were agreed among themselves, and with the Church of Rome. Early in their history three of them, the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths, were overthrown because they disagreed with the church. There is no harmony at the present time, when three of the most prominent of those powers—Germany, Great Britain, and France—are engaged in deadly conflict.

How long the present conditions will exist, we are not informed; but according to the prophecy, we look for a time when all the world will reach an agreement to have peace, through the influence, largely, of the United States. And with the United States, they will adopt severe laws to compel the observance of Sunday. “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Rev. 13:14.

MIRACLES AND SUNDAY LAWS

These miracles and wonders that will be done in this country will lead to strict Sunday laws, thus making the image, and enforcing the mark, of papal Rome. “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Verse 15.

Rev. 12:17 reads, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman [the true church], and went to make war with the remnant [last] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Wherever, in the world, God’s commandment-keeping remnant people are found, this war will be waged against them. The unfaithful church will have accepted the commandments of civil government, and the testimony of miracle workers. The Lord does not leave any to be deceived without warning, or to be led into error without a chance to know the truth. He sends them a message of admonition to keep His commandments, and a warning cry that “if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” Rev. 14:9, 10. This is God’s last message of salvation, and will be preached until probation closes, when all have decided for or against God’s word.

CRY BOTH PEACE AND SAFETY

Human probation does not close in a time of general war, but in a period of apparent peace. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” 1 Thess. 5:3. This “destruction” must be after probation has passed, for there is no way to escape it.

We have heard the cry of “Peace, peace.” But there has been no cry of “safety,” because there has been no feeling of security, but a constant sense of danger and fear, which is shown by the great preparation for war while talking peace. Each of the nations engaged in war declares that it wanted peace, and only prepared for war out of fear that others would not keep the peace.

RELIGIOUS DESPOTISM GIVES A FEELING OF SAFETY

Just before the end, the nations of earth will be in a condition where they will feel safe. This is when they have formed a compact between the ten kingdoms of ancient Rome, together with the United States, and the beast, through its image. “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” Rev. 17:17.

WILL BE DONE QUICKLY

This time is said, in verse 12, to be “one hour.” Some have thought this is prophetic time, or fifteen days of ordinary time. It seems hardly possible that so much as is done in this period could be accomplished in so short a time; but we cannot limit the power of God, and with Him “a day is as a thousand years.” However, the period must

be a brief one. The Greek word hora, translated “hour,” is indefinite as to length of time. At this time, those who keep the commandments of God will be to the worshipers of the beast and his image a disturber of their peace, as they continue to plead with them to turn from their worship of the beast and obey God.

KEEP SUNDAY OR DIE

In the days of the martyr Stephen, the people “were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” For this reason, they put him to death. And so it will be in this time. It will be decided that those who do not observe Sunday shall be killed. It will appear necessary for the different governments to agree on some definite time when this decree shall go into effect,

that the work may be done simultaneously, to avoid the danger of the people’s fleeing from one nation to another.

GOD CAN DO NO MORE

When this decree is signed, God can do no more for fallen man, who has forsaken God, rejected His word, and turned to kill His servants. There will be another class, principally in the Old World, that may be expected to refuse the papal “mark” of Sunday observance. We refer to the Turk, whose Mohammedan teaching has been to observe Friday as his day of rest and worship. The signing of this decree of death to all who will not keep Sunday, is the signing of a death sentence for every Mohammedan who will not recant, and prove untrue to his religion.

GOES FORTH WITH FURY

Daniel says of the Turk: “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Dan. 11:44, 45. What “tidings” could trouble the Turk more than the announcement that in a few days his entire nation must meet death on account of their religion? It is this “tidings” that causes him to “go forth with great fury.”

THE CONFLICT AT JERUSALEM

The Mohammedan people number about one sixth of all the inhabitants of the world. It seems that an effort will be made to gather this vast host of 250,000,000 at Jerusalem, where the Turk will have established his new capital, in the “holy mountain.”

This gathering is not merely for defense, but with a determination “utterly to make away many.” There would appear to be but one thing for the allied nations to do, in safety to themselves, under these conditions; and that is, to unite in sending an immense force, as quickly as possible, to attack the Turk and his followers while they are mobilizing at Jerusalem.

CHRIST STANDS UP

Daniel informs us that the going forth of the Turk to Jerusalem is at probation’s close: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12:1.

With the close of human probation comes the pouring out of the “seven last plagues” from the vials of wrath in charge of seven angels. “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast.” Rev. 16:2. This is followed by the other plagues in rapid order; for according to Rev. 18:8, they all fall in one prophetic day, a literal year.

God keeps His people free from all these plagues. “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Ps. 91:10. “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.” Mal. 3:18. As the wicked, while suffering from the plagues, are compelled to “discern” between those who keep God’s law and those who worship the beast, they will, according to the nature of the sinful heart, blame others for their own wrongdoing. They will manifest the bitterest hatred toward those who taught them to worship the beast and his image, and deceived them by the miracles and wonders performed.

We may not conceive of the intensity of their hatred, seeing the Spirit of God has been withdrawn from them. They do not wish to remember that they deliberately chose popularity, the authority of civil law, and miracle-working power, in preference to righteousness, the law of God, and the power of His Holy Spirit.

Shortly before this, these same ones were giving their whole “power” to sustain the beast. Rev. 17:12, 13, 17. Their change of attitude toward the fallen church is given in verse 16: “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”

When the sixth plague falls, it is “upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Rev. 16:12. The Euphrates is a symbol of the Turk’s possessions. Rev. 9:14. Water is the symbol of people. Rev. 17:15. This plague so destroys and weakens the Mohammedan people, that it leaves the way “prepared” for the kings to go up against them to an apparently easy victory, and the spirits of demons urge them on.

MIRACLE-WORKING DEMONS

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Rev. 16:13-15.

The dragon — paganism — and the beast — the papacy — enforced their religion by the sword. When Protestantism arose, it declared for liberty of conscience; but it departed from these principles, and uses civil power to compel the conscience in the observance of its creed, especially its Sunday rest. Thus it proves a “false prophet.”

These are spoken of as religious bodies. Out from each of them God has gathered many faithful souls; but as classes of religionists, they turn from Him, and He gives them to the control of “unclean spirits.” “And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.” Verse 16, A. R. V. This is Mount Mageddo, near Jerusalem.

The result of gathering all nations against the Mohammedan at Jerusalem is clearly set forth by Zechariah: “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled.” Zech. 14:2. Verse 3 reads, “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.” The Mohammedan, who, like others, uses the sword to advance his religion, will fall by the sword; and God will smite the conquerors with a plague, presumably the sixth plague, which had fallen upon that country, and so weakened—“dried up”—the Mohammedans as to make them an easy prey. “And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” Verse 12.

THE LAST GREAT HAILSTORM

When the seventh angel pours out his vial of wrath into the air, a cry is heard from the throne, “It is done.” The earth is then utterly broken up, the islands flee, and the mountains fall. “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent [about fifty-seven pounds]: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” See Rev. 16:17-21.

God has been long prepared for the “day of battle,” and in His great armory He has been holding His munitions of war. They were there in the days of Job. “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” Job 38:22, 23.

In the midst of earth’s commotion, Christ appears for His people who have trusted in Him for deliverance. He has kept them while the plagues were falling, and from the power of their enemies, and from destruction in the battle of Armageddon. They look up, and say, “This is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.” Isa. 25:9.

HARVESTING SCENE IN NORFOLK, ENGLAND
The war drain has thrown much of the burden of farm work upon the women. — HARVESTING SCENE IN NORFOLK, ENGLAND The war drain has thrown much of the burden of farm work upon the women.