In recent issues of the Signs of the Times we have shown from the Scriptures that when the judgment day is imminent, the nations of earth will be angry. And the great day of God is to be immediately preceded by the gathering of the whole world in battle array. The Word of God is very explicit in telling us of this war spirit that will pervade the world in the last days. “The spirits of devils, working miracles, . . . 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.” Rev. 16:14. Then it is clear from this scripture that the “whole world” will be gathered to the battle of “that great day.” And it is just as clear also that it is the “spirits of devils” that stir up this fighting host in the closing days of time.
The Protected Cruiser Charleston.—Displacement, 3,730 tons; speed, 8.2 knots. Her protective deck has 2-inch armor on the flat and 3 inches on the slopes. Main battery has two 8-inch and six 6-inch guns; secondary rapid-fire battery consists of four 6-pounders, two 3-pounders, two 1-pounders, four 37-mm. Hotchkiss, two Colts and one field gun. Of this class* of vessels Great Britain has 123, France 47, Germany 13, Italy 23, Austria 8, Russia 3, Spain 12, Denmark 5, Netherlands 10, Turkey 6, Portugal 4, Sweden and Norway 2, and the United States 16.
The Monitor Amphitrite.—Displacement, 3,990 tons; speed, 10.5 knots; deck armor, 1¾ inches; side armor, 5 to 9 inches; barbettes, 1½ inches; turrets, 7½ inches. Main battery consists of four 10-inch and two rapid-fire 4-inch guns; secondary rapid-fire battery has two 6-pounders, two 3-pounders, two 37-mm. Hotchkiss, and two 1-pounders. Of this Monitor class the United States has five.
Some have thought that it was possible to buckle on the soldiers’ carnal weapons in the cause of Christ. But the Master has plainly stated the principles that are to govern His followers. He says to them: “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Matt. 26:52. Every one can understand this language. It says unequivocally that “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” The sword, then, is a thing that is destined to perish. And at the same time when the sword perishes, “all they that take the sword” shall perish with it.
With such plain utterances before us from the Author of Christianity Himself, none should fail to understand that it is no part of a Christian’s work to draw the sword and kill people. And every one should know that in the last days the “spirits of devils” will be especially active in leading men into the carnage of war.
Then we should not make the mistake of following Satan when it is our intention to follow Christ. And if we desire to be perfectly sure that we are following Christ, we should be particular to study His Word, and then do what it says. When that Word tells us that “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword,” we should heed it. To do anything else is to join with the “spirits of devils” in the preparation for the “battle of that great day.”
The preparation for war in these times is something that is simply terrible. We are living in a most wonderfully ingenious and inventive age. And in recent years a large part of this genius has been expended in devising instruments and weapons for the navy and army. Says Mr. Park Benjamin in a recent Independent:—
The advance in means of naval warfare has been greater since 1860 to the present day than from the invasion of Xerxes to the first-named date.
The old wooden vessels and muzzle-loading, short-range guns of fifty years ago would stand no chance whatever in a combat with the armor-clad and heavily-armed war ships of to-day. Even one of the smaller modern gunboats like the Marietta, shown in our cut, with only her small guns, would have been a very serious menace to a whole fleet half a century ago; for she could, with these modern cannon of only the smallest type, have fought at a greater range than the best of war ships fifty years ago; and then the rapidity of her fire would have enabled her to belch out a regular torrent of steel.
An unprotected cruiser like the Detroit, with her heavier guns of the rapid-fire type and her high rate of speed, could have worked a severe hardship on the best navy afloat in 1850; and, perhaps, if skilfully maneuvered, she would have wholly destroyed it; while a protected cruiser like the Charleston, with her 8-inch guns supplemented by her rapid-fire battery, could have amused herself as a child at play, while she destroyed whole navies and placed the coast cities at her entire mercy. An armored cruiser like the New York, or a5great monitor like the Amphitrite, would have been needless in the fifties of the present century. One or two vessels of the smaller and weaker class of what is found in the navies to-day would have been the terror of the seas in those times; while a great battle-ship such as has been built during the last three decades, with a good base of supplies, could have safely contracted to have destroyed every ship in the world, and laid every seaport city in ruins; and all this without very much risk to any of her officers or crew.
The Unprotected Cruiser Detroit.—Displacement, 2,098 tons; speed, 18.7 knots; armor, ⅜-inch water-tight deck; main battery consists of ten 5-inch rapid-fire guns. Secondary rapid-fire battery has six 6-pounders, two 1-pounders, two Colts, and one field gun. She has two torpedo tubes. Of this class* of vessels England has 3, France 14, Germany 6, Austria 2, Russia 20, Spain 4, Denmark 1, Netherlands 2, Turkey 2, Portugal 3, Sweden and Norway 4, the United States 5, Japan 22, China 17, Argentine Republic 4, Brazil 9, Chile 3, Peru 1.
One can scarcely realize the wonderful strides that have been made within a single lifetime in this awful work of devising instruments of war. Can there be any doubt, as we contemplate these things, that we are actually in that time when the “spirits of devils” are doing their terrible work of preparing the whole world for that last great battle. Reader, think of these things. More on the subject next week.
T.
The Armored Cruiser New York.—Displacement, 8,200 tons. Speed, 21 knots.
Armor: Belt, 4 in; deck, 3 to 6 inches; barbettes, 10 inches; turrets, 5½ inches;
main battery consists of six 8-inch and twelve 4-inch rapid-fire guns. Her secondary
rapid-fire battery is eight 6-pounders, two 1-pounders, four Gatlings, and two
field guns. She has two torpedo tubes. Of this class* of vessels Great Britain has
18, France 13, Germany 7, Italy 8, Austria 2, Russia 14, Spain 8, the United States
2, Japan 4, Argentine Republic 1, Chile 2.
The Gunboat Marietta.—Displacement, 1,000 tons; speed, 13.03 knots. Main battery consists of six 4-inch rapid-fire guns; secondary battery, four 6-pounders, two 1-pounders, one Colt, and one field gun. Of the gunboat class,* England has 62, France 49, Germany 3, Italy 2, Austria 8, Russia 14, Spain 24, Denmark 9, Netherlands 51, Turkey 12, Portugal 2, Sweden and Norway 21, United States 18, Japan 9, China 16, Argentine Republic 7, Brazil 27, Chile 10.
