THE TURKISH DIFFICULTY by Wm. Penniman

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 23, 1875

THE TURKISH DIFFICULTY.

By Wm. Penniman

BY. WM. PENNIMAN.

It is interesting to the student of prophecy, and especially to those who believe in the soon coming of Christ, to watch the progress of those events which indicate that the final consummation is near, and that the time is at hand when the everlasting kingdom of God will be set up, and “the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” To understand the prophecies, we must, by the help of God, not only look into the history of the past, but also consider events transpiring at the present time.

To prove that this question as it pertains to Turkey is working out results in accordance with the word of God, we refer the reader to “Thoughts on Daniel,” remarks on Chap. 11:40–45. This work, published nearly three years ago, in commenting on a part of the forty-fifth verse, contains the following:—

“And mark, also, how applicable the language to that power [Turkey]: ‘He shall come to his end and none shall help him.’ This plainly implies that this power has previously received help. And what are the facts? In the war against France in 1798–1801, and in the Crimean war in 1853–6, Turkey received the assistance of other powers, without which she would probably have failed to accomplish her object. And it is a notorious fact that since the fall of the Ottoman supremacy in 1840, that empire has existed through the sufferance of other powers. Without their pledged support, she would not be long able to maintain even a nominal existence, and when that is withdrawn she must come to the ground. So the prophecy says the king comes to his end, and none help him; and he comes to his end, as we may naturally infer, because none help him; because the support previously rendered is withdrawn.

“Have we any indications that this part of the prophecy is soon to be fulfilled? As we raise this inquiry, we look not to the dim and distant ages in the past, whose events so long ago transferred to the page of history now interest only the few, but to the present, living, moving world. Are the nations which are now on the stage of action with their disciplined armies, and their multiplied weapons of war, making any movement looking to this end?”

“All eyes are now turned with interest toward Turkey; and the unanimous opinion of statesmen is, that the Turk is destined soon to be driven from Europe.”—Pages 338, 339.

From the following quotation, taken from the New York Weekly Witness of Dec. 2, we can see how nearly the thoughts expressed above accord with the facts in the case.

When the “lately sick but now dying man” is driven from Europe, we may look for a further fulfillment of that prophecy.

“A sudden change has recently come over the Eastern Question. It has now reached a critical stage. So far as can be ascertained it is obvious that Austria is no longer uncertain what part she is to take. Some assurances must have passed between the emperor of Austria and the czar. All the indications point in the direction of the semi-independence of Herzegovina. The great powers seem to have determined that the degree of freedom now enjoyed by Servia, Montenegro, and Roumania, shall be extended to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The object of this is not difficult to perceive. It is clear that the dismemberment of Turkey is meant. Province by province has been placed in a position of real though not ostensible antagonism to the Porte, and the probability is that when Bosnia and Herzegovina are severed the stay of the Turk in Europe must be short.”

“The understanding between Russia and Austria must have included an arrangement for the preservation of peace among the Transleithan subjects of the latter; for if the Slaves on the other side of the Austrian frontier should unite in one form of government when Bosnia and Herzegovina have thrown off the Turkish yoke, there is no saying how soon this union movement might extend into Austria.”

“As it is therefore apparently certain that Bosnia and Herzegovina are to be set free, the grand bone of contention becomes more defined, and the powers which will take a share in the struggle for its possession have great interests at stake. Germany does not regard with favor any further advance of Russia into Europe. To the ‘land-hunger’ of the new empire, the control of the mouth of the Danube by Russia would be very unpalatable. The possession of Constantinople by the czar would be still more disagreeable to Germany, as she is exceedingly ambitious of becoming a great maritime power, and the fewer aspirants to the place she covets in Europe the better are the chances for her success. Cooped up by Constantinople on the one hand and by Copenhagen on the other, any Russian fleet in the Black Sea or the Baltic would be of little avail in a war to be decided by a naval engagement.

“Austria has little to gain by the further aggression of Russia unless that power will protect her from any fresh annexation by Germany. Disraeli has spoken for Great Britain. British interests are to be jealously guarded, and this means, if it means anything, that the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles will be closed against the exit of a Russian fleet in the direction of Egypt or India. Very much will depend upon the sympathies and aspirations of the persons who may be in charge of the government of France as to the part she will take in the final disposition of the lately ‘sick’ but now dying ‘man.’ Italy will be guided by the course Germany will pursue, as the papal claims prevent her leaning towards France.

“The actual solution of the difficulty would therefore be sought in what Germany might be willing to do. Bismarck will not allow the map of Europe to be changed to any great extent without making the new boundaries of states conduce directly to the advantage of Germany. What Germany wants is additional sea-coast. The possession of Belgium and Denmark would reconcile that power to a very considerable modification of her present views with regard to Turkey.

“Events are evidently watched carefully at Berlin. It is not impossible, as has been suggested, that there is a hope of extending the German Empire some day to the Adriatic—a contingency not so absurd as it looks at first sight, if the condition of Austria is considered. If Germany finds that Turkey will be rent asunder without any benefit to herself, Austria will receive a persuasive message from Berlin presenting several forcible reasons why Russia should be kept at a distance. Turkey may be maintained for a few years in possession of the small amount of territory remaining to her after the Christian provinces are all independent through the jealousy existing between the great powers, but the end of Turkish rule in Europe, with the complications which must ensue, cannot be far distant.”