"DRIVE THE TURKS OUT OF EUROPE!"
By William N. Glenn
STRANGE as it may seem, this is the slogan of many people who profess to be Christians. From a Christian standpoint we would ask those so-called Christians, Why drive the Turks out of Europe? The mission of Christianity is to make men better, to influence them by precept and example to lead better lives, to the glory of God. But suppose Christians take up arms, carnal weapons, and "drive out the Turks," robbing them of their homes, will that be likely to give the Moslems any better opinion of Christianity? Will such a manner of presenting Christ be likely to draw the Turks to him? Christ says to his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Will the Turks be any more accessible to the Gospel missionary if driven across the Bosphorus and the Hellespont than they are in the European dominion of the sultan? Or is it supposed that European soil is any more sacred than that of Asia? And is it necessary that the unhallowed foot of the Mohammedan must be removed from the sultan's European territory before that region can be Christianized? Suppose all this to be a necessary part of Gospel work, how are we to evangelize Asia Minor and other parts of Asiatic Turkey while the Turks remain? Shall we drive them on and on, into the sea, in order to Christianize the land? But if "Christian" Europe be too sacred for the dwelling-place of the Turk, what about the so-called "Holy Land," which is also a part of his domain? There is no doubt that he will be driven out of Europe, for the prophecy says, a prophecy which many understand to apply to the Turk: "He shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain." And not only so, but he is then to "come to his end, and none shall help him." But the Word does not say that Christians will do any part of the driving out and destroying. Under whatever name it shall be done, it will not be a Christian work. Why?—Because nothing but the force of arms, physical force, can accomplish such a work, and "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." But is it not said "they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds"?—Yes, but not strongholds in the sense of temporal kingdoms; "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, "wicked spirits"] in high places." Whatever these enemies be, against which the Christian is authorized to contend, they are such as can be overcome by the "armor of God." "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Then all that the Christian is to do in the way of warfare is to be done and can be done with the "armor of God." The manner of the Christian's warfare is thus set forth in the Word of God:— "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Eph. 6:14-18. Then Christians have nothing to do with driving the Turks out of Europe, or with driving any people out of any country, or with driving men at all. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men," and this is the message to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as tho God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."