THE WAR GOD by George B. Thompson

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 17, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 45.

THE WAR GOD

By George B. Thompson

No Civilized Warfare—The Coming of the Prince of Peace Will End It Forever

As we read the appalling details of the awful catastrophe of war that daily confronts us in the press, we are reminded of the reply made by a father to his boy who asked, "Pa, what is the difference between a civilized man and a barbarian?" The father answered, "A barbarian is a man who knocks your brains out with a club at arm's length, while a civilized man blows them out a mile away."

NO CIVILIZED WARFARE

The present situation in Europe demonstrates, if any demonstration is needed, that there is no such thing as civilized warfare. War is butchery. It is wholesale murder. It stands for sorrow, suffering, and death. As well talk of a constructive tornado as civilized warfare.

Like some mighty Samson, the war god seems to be at work to pull down the temple of civilization, and turn the clock of progress back into the Dark Ages. Half of the world is convulsed by the earthquake of war. The devastations of fire and sword go on daily. A continent is torn and ruined by this awful Moloch. Through the inventive genius of man, new and tremendous dangers face the dismayed inhabitants in the cataclysm of war. In terror they must flee from their homes in the dead of the night, leaving all they have behind, lest some bomb, spreading ruin and death, is dropped upon their defenseless heads from the sky.

THE IMAGINATION STAGGERED

The nerve-racking terror and the awful catastrophe of ruin caused by all that attends a war of such vast proportions as the present one can only be realized by those who are compelled to face the situation. Human suffering is the inevitable symbol of war. It is sufficient to stagger the imagination, and cause the heart to grow faint. Tens of thousands of men are but the pawn in the game of the nations, to be slaughtered—fed to the cannon—to maintain what is called national honor and commercial supremacy. Many of the sufferers are the widows and orphans who are left to mourn in poverty and unspeakable loneliness as victims of the great military struggle. Poverty, ruin, hunger, and famine are the real members of the alliance.

Then comes the burden of grinding taxation to foot the bills caused by the enormous expenditure of funds necessary to defray the expenses of the bloody contest. What the tremendous total will be, no one can even guess. If the war is much longer continued, it is sure to bring financial disaster, resulting in the obliteration of credit.

War means paralyzed industries and a staggering debt. After the glory of victory and the despair of defeat, will come business depression.

NOT TILL THE PRINCE OF PEACE COMES

And when will war cease?—Never while sin is in the earth. The present death struggle will doubtless end sooner or later, when some nation has won a conclusive victory, or all have worn themselves out. But peace will not be permanent or long continued. Not till the Prince of peace comes, and all the nations are carried away like chaff from the threshing-floor, and the everlasting kingdom of God is ushered in, will there be real peace.

Men may talk of peace, and peace compacts may be negotiated with the nations; and all this is laudable, to be sure. But in the end, the work will come to naught. War will come again. Armageddon is ahead of us, a struggle before which the present contest pales in comparison.

THE HOPE OF THE WORLD

The hope of the world is in the advent of the Prince of peace. And it should encourage our hearts to know that His coming is near, even at the doors. By His advent He will make war to cease to the end of the earth. Glad day! G. B. T.