What Is the Significance of These Unprecedented Conditions? — Clear Scriptures Plainly Foretell the Story
By H. C. HARTWELL
THIS article reached us just before the great war of Europe broke out. The importance of the many prophecies that tell the meaning of the war spirit of this time, and also of those other prophecies that tell the meaning of concentrating wealth, can not be overestimated. They need to be repeated and emphasized again and again. Their import is clear and obvious. They should be urged upon the minds and consciences of the people.
EDITOR.
Boston Photo News Co. HOTEL DE VILLE (CITY HALL), BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
EARTH'S civilized (?) governments spending thousands of millions annually on war."
"Millions of men are taken from useful work and kept ready to be used as fighting-machines."
"Hundreds of millions are spent for fighting-ships absolutely worthless to the world, except as checks on possible attacks."
"Nations live like armed bandits of olden days, with their minds on bloodshed and battle, and their millions spent for murder or preparing for murder."
PREDICTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF EVENTS
The above quotations from the Boston Sunday American, January 4, 1914, merely bear out the statements of Bible prophecy given centuries ago with reference to this very time of the world. "Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." Joel 3:9, 10. "And I saw three unclean spirits . . . the spirits of devils . . . which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16:13, 14.
Armed to the teeth, and bending every energy to take advantage of the very latest inventions for killing and maiming human beings and destroying property, the nations of earth are under an awful burden in the endeavors to keep up in the race with their powerful neighbors. The more horrible and deadly the newest discovery may be, the more eagerly it is sought as an acquisition for greater effectiveness in some terrible conflict in the future.
Many are talking eloquently of disarmament and universal peace in the near future; but it is written, "They have seduced My people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace." Eze. 13:10. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1 Thess. 5:3. "And the nations were angry." Rev. 11:18. "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Rev. 16:16.
THE OVERTHROW OF TURKEY
The battle of Armageddon will be introduced by the overthrow of Turkey. This fact is generally recognized. Lord Salisbury, of Great Britain, in his Mansion House speech, November 9, 1895, said: "Turkey is in that remarkable condition that it has now stood for half a century, mainly because the great powers of the world have resolved that for the peace of Christendom it is necessary that the Ottoman Empire should stand. . . . The danger if the Ottoman Empire should fall, . . . would be that the fire there lit should spread to other nations, and should involve all that is most powerful and civilized in Europe in a dangerous and calamitous contest."
Kossuth said, "In Turkey will be decided the fate of the world."
SICK MAN OF THE EAST AND DANIEL THE PROPHET
Inspiration speaks plainly of the overthrow of this "sick man of the East," in the eleventh chapter of Daniel's prophecy, when [[FIGURE]] "he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." Dan. 11:45. The rapidity with which Turkey has been deprived of its territory and power during recent months is an indication that the great powers of Europe have about abandoned it to its fate, and that ere-long it will be driven from Europe.
The most terrible and solemn scenes of earth's history are connected with this event; for it is written that "at that time . . . there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. 12:1.
THE COMING CRASH THROUGH CONCENTRATED WEALTH
President Lincoln said, "A time is coming which alarms and unnerves me, when all the wealth will be in the hands of a few."
What do we find to-day?
A few multi-millionaires whose fabulous fortunes make it possible for them to control the wheels of industry throughout the country. Gigantic combinations, forcing out of business the independent man with his family to support. Great corporations placing their own price upon the necessities of life, and grinding down the wages of the producer.
United States statistics show that as long ago as 1890, two per cent of our population owned seventy per cent of our entire wealth.
This unequal distribution is comparatively a new thing. In 1890 the Boston Globe said, "Men now living can remember when there were not half a dozen millionaires in the land." To-day there are thousands of millionaires, and to be accounted a person of great wealth one must be a multi-millionaire.
It took only forty or fifty years for one man to climb from a poor lad, walking the streets looking for a job, to the top of the ladder, as the richest man in the world, with a fortune, it is said, of $1,000,000,000 — more than Adam would have been worth if he had lived to the present time, and had saved $150,000 annually.
A SIGN OF THESE DAYS
Two thousand years ago this accumulating of colossal fortunes on the part of a few wealthy men was foretold in the following striking words: "Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth" — the armies of heaven.
"Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. . . . Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you." James 5:1-4.
Seventeen years ago, in the September Arena of 1897, Mr. Tawheneck declared: "We are standing on the threshold of a great4conflict, — a conflict between concentrated wealth on one side and the organized wealth producers on the other. The longer this issue is kept in the background, the harder will be the struggle when it does come; for come it must. Great questions, like heavy trains, move slowly; but when they do move, the opposing forces meet with the clash of colliding worlds."
Unions, strikes, riots, and all attempts to meet this situation with the power of force, will produce no permanent relief. In the midst of the turmoil and uncertainty, the words of the prophet ring out in the following encouraging language: "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. . . . Establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5:7, 8. This glorious event will usher in God's everlasting kingdom of peace, and "with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth." Isa. 11:4.
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