PROGRESS OF ARBITRATION.
By Editor
THE London Daily News, commenting on the "Universal Peace Congress" that was recently held in London, says:— "The agreement [for arbitration] between the States of the two Americas marks a stage in the history of civilization, from which there will be no retrogression. The inhabitants of barrack-ridden Europe may well derive some inspiration from the lesson of the New World. Arbitration has won the day among the States of the two Americas, because sixty millions of people in the great republic have been educated up to the idea." This is news to us on this side of the water. The bloody revolutions now going on in the Central American States do not have much of the flavor of peace; and the men-of-war and the big guns which the United States is building do not look as though this country intended to put its trust in soft words. Never before in the history of the United States, except in time of actual war, has there been so much activity in the way of preparing ships and implements of war. The idea of arbitration has taken hold of but a very few of the sixty-four million people of this country, and with them it is only a dream that shows no signs of materializing. But the News continues:— "The substitution of arbitration for the stupid crime (as it ordinarily is) of war will take place in Europe when the idea of it takes hold of the European mind." A very just and wise remark,—one which shows more wisdom than is generally exhibited in connection with peace congresses, where the idea seems to obtain that good resolutions will bring about the result. Nations are composed of individuals, and before peace can reign when great provocation is given, the hearts of the people must be changed, and that is a work that is not done in mass. When men are "shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace," they will be peace-makers; but the word of God gives no warrant for hoping that any such universal change will be wrought. On the contrary, it says that in the last days perilous times will come, because men will be lovers of their own selves, without natural affection, truce-breakers, fierce, despisers of those that are good, and traitors. See 2 Tim. 3: 1-4. Surely there is no hope for arbitration among people of that description. There will come a time, however, when peace will reign over all the earth, and there will be no need of arbitration, because there will be nothing to arbitrate. And that time is not far distant. But it will be brought about by such a war as the earth has never yet seen, even the battle of the great day of the Lord (see Rev. 16: 14; 19: 11-21; Jer. 25: 31-33); and when evil-doers shall have been cut off, and sin and sinners destroyed from the face of the earth, then "the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Ps. 37: 11.