How Far Are We from Revolution?
THERE are times when everything seems to move peaceably, and we think it will continue so. There are times when mob spirit is manifest, and we get somewhat of an idea of the condition of things underneath the surface. Men of note have declared within the last few years that the world is sleeping upon a volcano, and now and then utterances of radical Socialists or anarchists emphasize these statements. Take the following, for instance, from the Chicago Inter-ocean of the report of the meetings in Union Square, New York City, March 28. The correspondent's report begins with a conversation between a policeman and the Inspector of Police: "They have brought many carts into the Square to serve as speaking stands," reported a policeman. "Drive them away; use your clubs if necessary," replied the Inspector. A man in the crowd hearing the command, pulled a paper from his pocket, tapped it with his finger, and said to the Inspector: "That is the strongest thing in America. It is the Constitution of the United States. It says that the people have a right to peaceable assemblage." The reply of the Inspector was, holding aloft his club: "This is the strongest thing in Union Square." The crowd fell back before the bluecoats, and a man in the throng started up the defiant battle-song of the French Revolution, "The Marseillais," and surging in and out, the march of the people began, bearing mottoes like these: "We Demand Work."
"Why Should We Go Hungry?"
"Public Thievery Makes Private Property." Then came the mounted police, a splendid company which bore down upon the multitude like so many mounted soldiers in the French army. "Drive them into the East River," commanded the Inspector. The horses turned into the crowd; many fell beneath the hoofs of the animals. The reporter tells us that the red-hatted Socialist columns dashed backward and massed upon the sidewalks; on came the charging police cavalry, pushing, even on to the sidewalks with their prancing horses. The Omaha World referring to it declares that "it reads like a page from Carlyle's 'French Revolution,' or like an account of what might have happened in darkest Russia." It is a significant comment on the condition of things in free America in the 20th century. How They Regard Protestants.
The Western Watchman (Catholic) of May 21 has an editorial on the dissolution of Methodism, and declares that when they, at their recent assembly at Baltimore, repealed the rule against theaters, cards, and dancing, it was amidst the deafening applaud of over seven hundred lay and clerical delegates." The Watchman draws contrast between this and the beginning of Methodism under Wesley. It says: "Now in the year of our Lord 1908, the grandest general assembly ever held by Methodists in any country has decided to let down the bars and permit the profane children of Belial to enter the fold. The last distinction of the true Methodists has disappeared and 'Zion has capitulated to the enemy.' There is no longer a shadow of reason for the continued existence of a Methodist Church. It has seen the end of its usefulness; the time has arrived for it to die, and die it must. We have been asked if we could rejoice at the dissolution of Protestantism, and we answer in the affirmative. If asked now if we see with pleasure the ruin of the work of John Wesley, we answer in a similar manner. 'Why should these weeds occupy the ground?' " This from Father Phelan sets forth very frankly and emphatically the attitude of Roman Catholics toward Protestantism. It tells some plain truths to which Protestants would do well to take heed. Just as soon as Protestantism left its Bible, it became weakened; its only hope is to go back to Protestant principles, which are really New Testament, Pentecostal principles. In that only lies its power. The Coming Revolution in the East.
Not many years ago Emperor William made himself quite famous as an artist, in a great painting called "The Yellow Peril," in which the yellow races were represented as a great cloud overwhelming Europe. Just recently Justice Harlan of the Supreme Court of the United States, in his speech referred to the same thing as the yellow peril. He said: "We refer to the people of Asia as the yellow race. There are 400,000,000 Chinese, as strong physically and mentally as we are. There is over there another nation whose people are progressive and ambitious. We may some day see a skilled army in Japan of 5,000,000 to 10,000,000. They will say: 'You claim Europe as your country; this is ours. Get out.' I don't think they have any such idea now, and we have no hostility toward them, but there will be a conflict between the yellow race and the white race that will shake the earth." We read in Revelation 16:12 of certain changes that are to take place that "the way of the kings of the East might be prepared." The kings of the East must refer to these great Eastern powers. A few years ago some thought China was to be divided among the powers of Europe; Japan would be constantly held in check, but there seems to be very good reason to believe that when the time comes for action, China will be a great martial nation, and will have as allies in that last great conflict Japan on the one side and some of the great tribes of India on the other. It is well to study the prophecies of God's word concerning these things in these days. Heavy rains visited northern Texas and Oklahoma May 22 to 24, and the Red, Canadian, and Trinity Rivers were so swollen that all bridges were either made unsafe or swept away. For many days all traffic north of Fort Worth, Texas, was suspended, the high water exceeding any known by the oldest inhabitants. Thousands of sheep and cattle were drowned, and it has been reported that about twenty persons perished. The Texas Pacific Railway bridge between Fort Worth and Dallas was swept away from its foundation on the 26th, carrying eight or ten people down with it. Only four of these were saved. The water and light plants of Dallas have been under water, and in large sections of the city the water has been from one to three feet deep. One of the most serious features of the disturbance has been the washing of the contents of the sewers back into the city, which is likely to endanger health. Guthrie, Oklahoma City, and other large cities have suffered severely. The property loss will reach several millions of dollars. Elder Clarence Santee, who furnished us the information, adds these striking words: "It does seem that every effort of this old earth is an extreme attempt to still hold its way, and that every storm has a destructive center. The judgments of the Lord are certainly felt in the land." To break all previous records has been the ambition of the Atlantic steamship lines of late years. On her last trip the Cunard liner "Mauretania" broke the record over the long course from Queenstown to New York, covering the distance in four days, twenty hours, and fifteen minutes, with an average speed of 24.86 knots. This beats the record of her sister ship, the "Lusitania," by seven minutes. The race question is becoming a tremendously serious one. One of the more recent indications, perhaps, is the organization and spread of what is called "The Anti-Miscegenation League," the center of which seems to be Vicksburg, Miss. Its name indicates its purpose; namely, to prevent in every way the mixing of the black and white races. Judge Thomas M. Norwood goes so far as to suggest, according to the Atlanta Constitution, that the evil should be made a capital offense, the guilty man hanged, and the woman sent to the penitentiary for life. The League hopes to accomplish something by the scattering of publications and appeal to the people. The Constitution remarks: "These are but scattering indications of the gathering storm which is unquestionably soon to sweep the South." The one hundred twentieth general assembly of the Presbyterian Church, held in Kansas City the last week in May, passed resolutions against the alliance of Presbyterian synods with anti-saloon leagues or other non-ecclesiastical organizations. While Presbyterians believe in temperance and good government, they evidently do not believe in yoking the church up with organizations carrying on work outside the church, a belief and practice every religious body might follow with profit to itself. The church and truth of God need no alliance with the world for strength or advancement; in fact, such alliances divide the interests and lessen the powers of the church. The trustees of Stanford University, Palo Alto, Cal., have taken a splendid and a decided stand in regard to the drink question. Their rulings apply not only to drunkenness on the campus, but the Academic Council is instructed to prohibit the use of liquor in fraternity chapter houses, student clubhouses, and other student lodgings. The presence of liquor on any premises leased from the university will be sufficient cause for the revocation of the lease and the suspension of the guilty parties. This action is largely the result of the vigorous efforts of the Student Affairs Committee to absolutely suppress the use of liquor, both on and off the campus. America's two great perils, says Cardinal Logue, of Ireland, who sailed from America June 6 after a visit of several weeks, are overprosperity and divorce. In his farewell address, he said: "Prosperity and material power are beset with dangers; prosperity often degenerates into luxury, and power may turn into injustice. America, I am sure, will be well able to take care of herself in the face of a foreign foe; her greatest enemy will be within her own borders. Luxurious living would weaken the strength of the country, and injustice would ruin its prosperity." Accidents in the Navy.—Under full steam, making nineteen knots an hour, Admiral Sibree's flagship, the "Tennessee," of the Pacific cruiser fleet, burst a steam-pipe of one of her boilers, June 5, while on her semi-annual official speed test provided for by the naval regulations. Six men were killed by the escaping steam, and eight others were terribly scalded, literally cooked by the boiling water and steam. During the past five years, since the modern naval policy was inaugurated, 125 men have been killed and 68 injured. According to a statement made by Captain Wentworth Harry Moore, who has just returned to the United States from San Salvador, where he incurred the displeasure of the president, "there is a spirit of unrest among all the Central American states at present, and something will happen very soon. President Cabrera, of Guatemala, holds the rulers of all the little countries down there together, but he will not last long, according to present indications, and when he goes, they will all go." June 5, eight persons were killed and twelve injured when a car crowded with passengers on their way to attend the June ball of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., collided with another car, utterly wrecking both, and strewing the tracks with the killed and wounded. The Attorney-General of California recently decided that the laws of that state do not permit separate schools for negro pupils. The issue was raised at Riverside where there are many colored pupils in the schools. Lightning killed two persons and injured eight others in central Ohio, May 31. A number of horses were killed, several barns were burned, and much damage was done to crops by the lightning in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon and Kenton. The temperance cause in Oregon scored a number of victories in the last election, June 1. The eight "dry" counties voted to remain "dry," and twelve new counties went over to the prohibition side.