p. 656 | Hysterical and Mad

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 19, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 41.

Hysterical and Mad

THE general condition of the whole world to-day is that of hysteria and madness. Follies and sports are absorbing the interest and attention of multitudes. Amusements for great masses of people are no longer used for the purpose of occasional relaxation, but the individual seeks to be as continuously as possible in the intense excitements of hilarious frivolities. Many of the days and nearly all the nights of the week are occupied in this way by large numbers of people.

Interspersed with these periods of carousal, frolic, and fun, these same individuals are often plunged in the deepest gloom. They seek to relieve their sadness by the intoxications of pleasure, which are usually attended by the more material intoxications of alcohol.

This situation is decidedly unnatural, and these alternating paroxysms of hilarity and sadness keep whole sections of society in an unbalanced condition. This hysteria makes the people responsive to any excitement, so that the violence of the mob is almost a natural condition.

But stronger and even more deep-seated than this hysteria of folly is the madness of the age. Europe is a human slaughterhouse. One nation after another is plunging into the awful fray.

During the first year of this war, the Balkan States, usually so excitable, have been kept comparatively quiet; but now they are in commotion, and it looks as though all the Balkan territory would soon be arrayed on one side or the other of this titanic struggle. This madness is awful. Human words are powerless to describe it. And the most horrible thing about it is that the so-called Christian nations of the world are the great leaders in cutting loose these rivers of blood.

Every human theory and human speculation concerning the brotherhood of man has been overthrown; and on the other hand, every statement of the divine Book concerning these times has been verified. God has graciously pictured most clearly the conditions of these times. He has told us that lovers of pleasure would constitute one of the perils of the last days. He has also told us that the spirits of demons would stir the world with war madness. The nations would be angry, so the prophets have said, when the great day of God is imminent.

In view of the conditions in this time, who that understands the Bible predictions, can be so foolish as to make a mistake? To use the words of one of the inspired men of old: “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.” Zeph. 1:14.