PREPARE WAR by H. S. Harriman

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 27, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 52.

PREPARE WAR.

By H. S. Harriman

BY H. S. HARRIMAN.

WHILE the most energetic efforts are being put forth to establish universal peace among the nations, yet the world goes on arming itself on the most gigantic scale, and, in breathless silence as it were, is patiently awaiting results of the great peace conference, where representatives of two powerful nations were assembled, and arranged conditions for a peaceful settlement in a great and cruel war, in which was fearfully demonstrated the horrible result of death-dealing machinery, invented for the special purpose of wholesale destruction, and human slaughter. And thousands upon thousands, with one accord as it were, with aching hearts and trembling voices are continually pleading before the throne of mercy, praying that we may be further spared from that which has already caused the sacrifice of tens of thousands of innocent souls, and bringing wreck and ruin to as many loving homes, and who against their own wills were forced to enter into the defense of a heartless nation, whose only motive is to gratify the lust of human greed.

Yet this cry of Peace, peace does not portend peace. While the recent difficulty between Russia and Japan has been adjusted, yet there are other problems the solving of which, through international entanglements, may still involve the world in universal war. Prophetic students have long been watching for just such events as are now occurring in the affairs of nations, and were it not for that which is written in the "sure Word of prophecy" concerning the "day of God's vengeance," then we could better hope that the present efforts would be rewarded with success. But the signs on every hand are now so plainly written that all may read.

Instead of peace for the future we may rather look for the sword, and a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. These are the times of which men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, have written; and among the many events which are now taking place, there are none more startling than present distress of nations with perplexity. There are good reasons for the general alarm now manifest concerning international dangers, of which the majority are willingly ignorant. The time is not far distant when it will be demonstrated to the whole world that the power of nations, like that also of the individual, is only human. "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath." Zeph. 1:14-18. If these are the times, afore stated, and the words of God's holy prophets have been rightly applied, then we may reasonably expect the failure of all human efforts to establish a lasting peace.

While with horror and amazement we gaze upon the darkness that is fast approaching a sin-cursed world, yet we should try to fully realize that our hope lies beyond the darkness.

From the lips of Him who spake as never man spake before, we learn that we are now living in times compared with the days that were before the Flood. We may look for evil men and seducers to wax worse and worse, and not better and better, as is so commonly taught. Present conditions must eventually result in a complete overturning of all human affairs, by war, plague, pestilence, and famine.

Another startling "sign of the times" which will also add its terrors in the coming time of trouble, may be seen in the struggle now impending between labor and capital, which already gives sufficient cause for anxiety and alarm, the final result of which may be found recorded in James 5, which conditions were to immediately precede the coming of the Lord, in which event lies the world's only hope.

The Czar of Russia, the Mikado of Japan, and even President Roosevelt himself, are commanded by God's holy prophet to obey the proclamation to the Gentile world which may be found written in Joel 3:9-14, and is in part as follows: "Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near," etc. Instead of universal peace, they are commanded to beat their plowshares into swords, and their pruning-hooks into spears, and the weak are to say, "I am strong." How far the nations of earth have given heed to the above proclamation may be seen in their efforts of late in doubling the strength of their naval forces, each striving to outdo the other in an effort to procure the very latest devices in the art of death-dealing machinery to be used in the wholesale destruction of human life.

This great prophecy, like that of James 5, applies also to conditions that were to obtain just previous to the second coming of the Lord, when there are "multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near, in the valley of decision." Joel 3:14. Until the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, we may still expect that the thoughts and imaginations of men's hearts will be but continually evil. And Jesus Himself says, "As it was in the days of Noah," they "knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." It is also said, "When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them; and they shall not escape."

These are Christ's words, and not mine, and the present movement to establish conditions which would insure universal peace will prove abortive. In Jer. 25:28, it is written, "And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Ye shall certainly drink."