SIGNS IN THE RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL, MORAL, PHYSICAL, AND POLITICAL WORLD.
By D. T. J.
BY D. T. J.
The church is not left to read the signs of the second coming of her Lord in the heavens alone. “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth, distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” The signs first appear in the heavenly bodies, afterwards upon the earth. Others have treated of the former, calling attention to their literal fulfillment; it remains for us to look for the signs in the earth.
Signs in the Religious World.
Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy what the religious condition of the world will be in the last days, or just before the second coming of Christ:—
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
In the last days those who have “a form of godliness,” that is, those who make an outward profession of religion, will be guilty of the sins here enumerated. The prophecy does not say that all professed Christians will be of this character, but the influence is unmistakable that the general tendency of the professedly religious world will be in the direction, and of the character, here described by the apostle. He refers to the work of Jannes and Jambres in resisting Moses as an illustration of the extent to which men will go in the last days in resisting the truth. He then refers to his own persecutions which he had suffered for the truth's sake. Having prepared the way, he states two propositions by way of contrast; the first is, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” and the second, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” In the beginning of the following chapter he gives his charge to the church, through Timothy, in the most solemn terms:—
“I charge thee therefore [because of these evils that were going to come into the church] before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; take thy position in season and out of season.” Rotherham's translation.
A little further on he gives the reason why it would be so essential for the teachers of the Gospel to be earnest and true men, always ready to take their position on the unchangeable word of God: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
As a fulfillment of these prophecies we call attention to: (1) The general neglect of the study of the Bible among professed Christians, the departure from apostolic purity and simplicity; the introduction of worldliness into the ranks of the church, and even into popular pulpits; a desire for something sensational rather than the plain, cutting truths of the word of God; the tendency on the part of the ministry to satisfy the “itching ears” of the people; and the consequent spiritual leanness in both pulpit and pew. Not many months ago, to the writer's knowledge the popular pastor of a popular church spent his Sunday forenoon hour discussing the subject of stained-glass windows. A recent occurrence in Chicago will further illustrate the point: Dr. Henson, Baptist, preached against the Fatherhood of God, as generally understood. Dr. Canfield, Universalist, responded with some sharp criticisms. Dr. Henson then intimated that Dr. Canfield's church was a circus. To this Dr. Canfield responded that Dr. Henson's church was a menagerie, in which the pastor constituted the whole show. The Interior of October 5 says of this:—
That is as far as this high debate has reached at this time, but both combatants announce that it will proceed with even greater vigor. . . . The labors of both ministers are now attended with great popularity and success. They have crowded houses. A great religious interest has arisen to hear one minister in a richly appointed church call the other a clown, and to hear another in an equally fine sanctuary describe the other as a baboon.
Such are very sad examples of those who have a “form of godliness but deny the power thereof.” When such a state of things exists in the pulpit, spirituality in the church must be at a very low ebb.
(2) The tendency of the churches to call the secular power to their aid in enforcing religious dogmas which the church itself has lost all power to enforce by precept and example. As an evidence of this we call attention to the zeal of church members to enforce Sunday laws through the secular power, where such laws exist, and to secure such laws where they do not exist. It fell to the writer's lot a few years ago to go to the relief of his brethren in a certain state where they were suffering indictments, fines, and imprisonment for quietly working on Sunday, without disturbing any one, after having “rested on the Sabbath day according to the commandment.” In the capitol of the state I met a Baptist minister who was also a member of the state Senate, and represented a district where five men were under indictment for Sunday labor, with fines ranging from $20 to $30 each. I called his attention to this fact, and asked him if he knew these men. He said he knew them well. I asked what class of men they were, for I had never seen them at that time. He replied, “They are fine men; they are among the best citizens we have; one has been a county judge, another was justice of the peace for years, others have held small offices—all are peaceable men.” A bill was introduced into the Senate granting exemptions from the penalties of the Sunday law to those who conscientiously observed another day. This would cover the cases of all the men referred to. When the bill came to a vote under roll call, this same minister was the first man to vote no. Another minister also voted no. Outside of these two, the vote was unanimous in favor of the exemption. Again it fell to my lot to attend the trial of another brother, in another state, also indicted for working on Sunday after having kept the seventh day. The jury was sworn, and each kissed the Bible, which was handed them by the clerk of the court. The evidence showed that no one had been disturbed in any way by the defendant's work. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and assessed the fine at $75 and costs. The prosecutors, witnesses, and jurors were churchmen.
Signs in the Social World.
Christ says: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:37–39. This pointed prophecy describes in unmistakable language the social conditions that will exist in the world just before the second coming of Christ. We look for its fulfillment, and what do we find?—Trusts, syndicates, and various monopolies practically control all business. The poor are oppressed that unprecedented fortunes may be piled up by the rich. Institutions of learning that are supposed to be established for the purpose of educating and moulding public opinion in harmony with principles of justice and right, are so far under the influence of the millionaires who are their beneficiaries that if a voice is raised in behalf of the rights of the laboring classes, that voice must be silenced for fear of offending the beneficiaries, and thus injuring the financial prospects of the institution. Position in society is dependent more upon wealth and political influence than upon virtue and intelligence. Marriages are contracted9on grounds of interest rather than from love or fitness for companionship. The whole current of society seems to be turned into false channels, with a tendency to lead away from the paths of justice, mercy, truth, honesty, and godliness.
Signs in the Moral World.
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Tim. 3:13. When the time comes that there is a form of godliness without the power, evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse. Evil-disposed men, freed from moral restraint, will increase in their wicked designs and in the boldness of executing them. As an illustration of this we refer the reader to unspeakable wickedness existing in the metropolis of the world, as revealed by the Pall Mall Gazette a few years ago, and to the divorce courts of our own country, which reveal a dark stream of impurity, broad and deep, and which is gathering volume rapidly, to the innumerable and oftentimes nameless crimes everywhere occurring. There is a lowering of moral tone everywhere.
Signs in the Physical World.
“And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” In addition to the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and in the social, moral, and religious world, there are to be signs in the physical world also. The unprecedented tidal waves, cyclones, tornadoes, and destructive earthquakes of recent years, are a remarkable and sufficient fulfillment of the prophecy.
Signs in the Political World.
There is to be also “distress of nations, with perplexity; . . . men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” These are signs that are to appear in the political world. The last quarter of a century has been remarkable for the almost unbroken peace that has reigned among all the important nations of the world. But during this period of peace there has been a preparation for war on a scale that is unprecedented in the history of the world. All the nations of Europe have been laying out treasure in preparing materials of war and supporting standing armies at a rate that must end in bankruptcy if it is long continued. The leading nations are watching each other and are forming alliances and counter alliances. Rumors of war are constantly heard. More than twenty millions of men in Europe alone, including standing armies and reserves, are ready to be called into the field at a day's notice. Each nation feels that the struggle will be so momentous and sanguinary when it does come, that it hesitates to take the step that will lead to war. Yet all feel that it must soon come. The following extract from the Review of Reviews for October is an index to the war feeling that exists in Europe:—
The Eastern Question has been going to bring about war any time for the last ten years, but the war has not come; therefore it may not come this side of Christmas—certainly will not come if the statesmen can fix the date of its outbreak to suit themselves. Unfortunately with these unsettled questions, the trigger is usually pulled by some person much less responsible than the chancellors of Europe. That the courts are uneasy goes without saying.
After referring to the recent meeting of the German chancellor and the Austrian minister of foreign affairs, the writer continues:— This event probably gave rise to the story that is current as to the contemplated accession of Roumania to the Triple Alliance. That, in its strict sense, is probably untrue. The Triple Alliance remains the Triple Alliance still; but at the same time it would not be surprising in the least if it was supplemented by a secret agreement with Roumania to the effect that should war break out under certain circumstances, the troops of King Carl could be counted upon as an available factor on the side of the Triple Alliance in the coming Armageddon.
While international complications seem to be becoming more acute, the domestic situation generally is somewhat placid. . . . Mr. Chauncey M. Depew made the following remarks to a reporter of the New York Sun on the feeling in Germany against France: “I was in Germany on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle of Sedan. The enthusiasm was wild and contagious. It disclosed a deep-seated and almost passionate desire for war with France now, and on any pretext, to settle forever the possession of Alsace and Lorraine, and to so cripple the French that they would no longer be a menace to the peace of Germany, and that the military establishment of the latter country might be reduced.”
Such is the political situation of the world at the present time, and it is a clear fulfillment of what the Saviour said would be a sign of his second coming. Then, so far as the signs given by Christ and his apostles as to the religious, social, moral, physical, and political conditions of the world in the last days are concerned, they are all either fulfilled or so far advanced towards fulfillment that the history of a few months might chronicle the fulfillment of them all.
