p. 8 (296) | THE LESSON OF KANSAS by C. M. S.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 8, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 19.

THE LESSON OF KANSAS.

By C. M. S.

The saloon trouble in Kansas is another example of the growing spirit of disrespect for law, and of collusion between the known breakers of the law and those sworn to enforce it. In November, 1880, Kansas adopted the following amendment to its State constitution: “The manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors shall be forever prohibited in this State, except for medical, mechanical, and scientific purposes.” Later the places in which liquor was sold were declared public nuisances. Further the Kansas law provides that:—

“It shall be the duty of all sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables, mayors, marshals, police judges, and police officers of any city or town, having notice or knowledge of any violation of this law, to notify the county attorney.”

The law then requires that this officer shall investigate the case, and prosecute it just as he does other cases. If he fails to do his duty, the law provides that the attorney-general shall appoint an assistant attorney-general for the very purpose of enforcing that particular law. The prohibitory law of Kansas seems to be as complete as it is possible to make a law, covering the thing to be prohibited, and making the necessary provision for its own enforcement; but under that law, under a prohibitory State constitution, saloons have not only continued to exist, but have shown a tendency in the last few years to increase. This is no fault of the law; it does not prove that prohibition of the traffic is a failure. It does prove that the liquor evil is a strong and strenuous foe of the race—a foe that is making every effort to overthrow all opposition and nullify all laws that are against it. Its success in this line does not prove the insufficiency of the law, but is another evidence of the general decadence of respect for all law, which was to mark the period of the last days; not only a spirit of disrespect for law, but a spirit of making merchandise out of the law, holding it over the head of a law breaker to make him pay a bonus for the privilege of breaking it. These are things of every-day occurrence at the present time; but the Lord pointed out more than twenty-five hundred years ago the time in which they were to occur, that we might know when His coming was near. To the child of God it becomes another mile-stone on the road to the kingdom. Here are the prophet’s words:—

“They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire; so they wrap it up. The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; the day of Thy watchmen and Thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.” Micah 7: 2-4.

The Lord puts the two things in immediate connection—the laxity and bribery in matters of justice, and “the day of Thy watchmen and Thy visitation,” when the “perplexity” of the wicked shall come. That time of “perplexity” is the time described by the Lord Himself in the days immediately preceding His second advent, when there should be “upon

the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21: 25-27.

So in these tendencies of the times we see the omens of the dawning day. The Saviour tells us in the same discourse (Luke 21: 28), “When these things [the signs He has pointed out] begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Those things which were given, in both the Old and the New Testament, as omens of His advent, have more than begun to come to pass. They are about us on every hand, standing witnesses to the truth of God’s Word and heralds of redemption day. C. M. S.