THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.
By G. B. Thompson
THE New York World of Aug. 8, 1901, speaking editorially, expresses the following truth:— Men are still willing to spend more money and work greater marvels in order to kill each other, than to promote peaceful trade and travel. This is a sad commentary on the boasted civilization and piety of the twentieth century, yet it is true nevertheless. When in Cape Colony a few years since, I was conversing with an inventor. He had somewhat recently perfected a device by which some of the accidents at railroad stations which maim and kill people might be avoided. He went to England and sought out some of the prominent railroad officials, hoping to interest them in the invention. One of them said to him, “Young man, you are on the wrong ‘track, if you want to make a fortune as an inventor. ‘Life-saving devices are not so much sought after; ‘but if you want to realize a fortune, go off and invent something by which men can kill and destroy ‘each other faster than ever before, and both fame ‘and fortune await you.’” That the genius of man is used in destructive lines is clear to all. Look at the massive guns of various kinds, huge ships of war, and the numberless devices prepared by the nations to take the lives of each other. The trend of everything betokens a time of trouble such as never was, and only those whose names are in the book of life will be delivered. Dan. 12:1. Reader, is your name in the book of life?