TO THE SWIFT? TO THE STRONG?
By L. A. R.
NOT enough of the war has been fought out yet to show whether Germany is going to fulfil the great claim she has made for herself in the matter of preparedness and ability in maneuvers. Germany has been the most boasted nation in matters of war, and has almost held herself up as a model. PREPARED FOR ANY SURPRISE
It has been declared that Germany was ready for the instant mobilization of her armies. Plans for the invasion of every European and transatlantic country, including the United States, were said to lie ready for use in the drawers of special receptacles at her war office; and immediately on the declaration of war, every officer, man, and boy in the service would be informed by telegram of the outbreak of hostilities. Being in possession of secret instructions, the purport of which he is sworn not to divulge, each man in the vast German fighting machine knows exactly the place assigned to him, and what he has to do when the army has taken the field. All Germany's railways and streets have been built with an ultimate idea of war; and every truck, open or covered, is marked with figures denoting the number of horses and men, and the weight of the guns that the car can carry in war time. Russia has thought to circumvent the preparedness of Germany by building her railway lines with a different gage; but the Germans have arranged their trucks in such a way that they can be adapted to the Russian or any other gage. Special armored trains are in readiness within sheds in the neighborhood of every fort of importance. Material for bridges is ready for conveyance by rail to any spot desired. The railway system is owned by the government. The state bank of Germany, on declaration of war, will take entire charge of the war treasury until loans are raised. All Germany's forts and fortresses are armed and equipped to overflowing with ammunition, supplies, stores, and provisions, so that they are ready for the outbreak of hostilities, and could undergo prolonged sieges. A dark brown bread called kommis brot is specially prepared to keep fresh for weeks. In fact everything is ready down to the last button on the last soldier's coat. Target practise, new guns, dirigibles and aeroplanes, terrible explosives, ironclad automobiles, exploding shells — everything that Germany can get together — are massed to make possible the swift and terrible blow. Furthermore, Germany has a secret service agency in every nation on the globe. Everything is done to keep the rank and file of the army in as magnificent physical condition as possible. NOT TO THE SWIFT OR THE STRONG
Thus Germany seems to be both the strong and the swift. But the word of God declares that in the councils of the Almighty, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. If it is for the good of the human race, and the advancement of God's great purposes, for Germany to win in this struggle, all her war preparedness may be of great effect. But if the ambitions of Germany are selfish, if her blows against the nations would put back the plans of God for man, then the very ability of Germany shall work out her own defeat. For thus has it been in every age. GREAT WAR PLANS THWARTED IN OTHER DAYS
The Philistines in ancient times, with their mighty Goliath, supposed they had an absolutely certain means of conquering the nations; but one smooth stone from the brook, in the hands of a child of God, brought all their war preparedness and power to naught. Again, in the times of Alexander, the Persians supposed they had an indomitable host; but the Greek phalanx drove them into irretrievable ruin. The Austrian troops were unconquerable; but there was a way to break through their lances, and Arnold von Winkelried found that way as he rushed forward. "'Make way for liberty,' he cried,
'Make way for liberty,' and died." Until that moment, the mountaineers were beginning to despair of making an impression on their apparently invulnerable opponents; but as the knight of Unterwalden rushed forward, grasped with outstretched hands as many points as he could reach, buried them in his bosom, and bore them by his weight to the earth, his companions rushed over his dead body into the breach he thus had made, slaughtered the armor-encumbered knights like sheep, and threw the remainder into confusion and dismay. The Swiss lost only two hundred men, while the Austrians lost one thousand, including six hundred counts, barons, and knights, among them Duke Leopold. And thus the battle of Sempach stands out vividly in history as a victory for the Swiss. So, too, when the mighty English forces under Packingham moved forward to the attack of New Orleans, General Jackson had only his raw, untrained Kentucky sharpshooters behind the cotton bales; but when the smoke of battle cleared away, Jackson's forces had lost but six dead and seven wounded, while the British losses ran up into the hundreds. THE WEAK TO CONFOUND THE MIGHTY
Even a modicum of history can teach us that the words of inspiration are profoundly true. Not always is the race to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, and not always is God on the side of the strongest battalion. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Cor. 1: 27-29. I know of no greater lesson to point in the time of this great European war than the great lesson that we ought all to learn, of the supremacy of God. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is firmly seated upon the eternal throne. No one can change His plans. His purpose is purposed upon all the earth, and His hand is stretched out upon all the nations. What He has purposed, none can disannul; and His hand stretched out, none can turn back. Isa. 14: 26, 27. Yes, "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" "Those that walk in pride He is able to abase." Dan. 4: 17, 35, 37. SEEMING FAILURE, BUT EVERLASTING SUCCESS INSTEAD
Even the death of the Son of God is seen to be ultimately the death of the captain of evil, and what looked like failure in the life of Christ turns out to be the headlong ruin of the whole kingdom of evil. And thus we see the wrath of man and even of devils made to praise God; and that portion of wrath which can not serve God's purposes, by the Lord restrained. Ps. 76: 10. So let us look higher than the smoke of the European war, that our minds by faith may go up to Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and know that out of even this wrath of the nations, this wrath of men, God yet shall work out His eternal purposes. And when we thus know that God is supreme, we can behold nation rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, yet we shall not be terrified. Luke 21: 9. Even now, in this time of fear and war, Christ as truly is speaking as in the days of peace, "Come unto Me," He says, "all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." O, the infinite peace that is begotten in the soul through trust in Him!