The Peace of the World and Changing Sentiment.
THE theory that the world is coming to the place that will free us from the alarms of war has been a cherished one with many peace-loving people. In presenting the claim that the world has grown to an eminence of civilization that should preclude war, it has been urged that the equipping of armies and navies should be largely, if not wholly, discontinued. "The money that is being wasted in the building of great navies, and in the organization and equipment of great armies," it has been urged, "should be saved for the development of the occupations of peace." But regardless of the good work of those who have been laboring to bring about peace among the nations, the spirit of war preparation is rising higher and higher. More powerful battle-ships and in greater numbers, are being built each succeeding year. More powerful guns, torpedoes, and other weapons of destruction are being designed and built. More and more of the revenues of the world are being turned into the insatiable demands that seem to be coming from somewhere that the armies and navies shall be kept up to the highest standard which the latest developments can suggest. Much more than half of the revenues of the great nations of earth are being eaten up by the war-gods. Formerly it was the most popular to say that we should not prepare for war because the world was surely coming to an era of peace. But the facts of the awful preparations for war are before the world, and men can not close their eyes to them. And now the line of argument is shifting. The theory is being urged that we ought to make every preparation for war in order to insure peace. A characteristic statement along this line is the one made by Admiral Evans in a recent short speech in San Francisco. He said, "If you want to preserve the peace of the world, give us plenty of battle-ships and fewer statesmen." There seems to be a feeling in the world that some great war is inevitable. Men do not seem to be able to shake off the conviction that it is11coming on with an irresistible power, and definitely sure. Many good people have talked against it, and have done, and are still doing, all they can to hold it back, yet they have the impression that it is coming. They have hoped that we could depend upon the humanity and the civilization of the age to stop it, but now the talk is beginning on every hand that we will have to have mighty fleets and well-trained armies if we are to secure and hold the peace of the world. With such a sentiment as this coming in, and the sentiment is growing in every nation in the world, it is perfectly plain that war preparations will continue to increase in a most marked manner. And when these mighty navies and mighty armies are built up by all the nations, there will come some question that will lead them all into a most terrible war. Some nation will think that it can take its mighty facilities and win, and so it will precipitate the international conflict. Good men and women have fought this awful war spirit, and they are still fighting it. They have hoped to win, and many of them are still heroically working with that end in view. There can be no doubt but that the Prince of Peace is using all such efforts to hold in check the demons of war. But if we will take the pains to study the prophecies of the Bible, we can see that all of this strong tide of sentiment that incites the preparation for war has been clearly pointed out for hundreds of years. The great war of Armageddon is one of the plain prophecies of the Scriptures, and that we are living just before the time for it is equally as plain. But no one need be terrified by the thought of such a war. The ones who stand with God will be strongly protected. They will meet with no disaster, and they will be absolutely freed from all fear. We have the Lord's own promises for this protection, and His promises can not possibly fail. Those who are working to keep the peace of the world should not slacken their efforts, and every one should hold up their hands in the noble work. They are agencies of the Lord in holding the strifes of the battle-field in check until all can have the privilege of learning the great truth of the Lord's soon coming. For all the prophecies make it very plain that the Lord will soon appear in the clouds of heaven; the second advent of Christ is right at hand. And this spirit of war is to grow stronger and stronger until the end. Indeed, it will become so strong that no power short of the second coming of the Lord Himself will be able to put an end to it. We need to know the meaning of all the portentous events of this time, not merely in the field of war preparation, but in every other line as well so that we may stand in the security of the protecting power of God. He has issued the decree that none of His children shall be afraid before the stern perils that are incident to the closing conflict between truth and righteousness, between Christ and Satan. But to be His children we must study His word and learn to obey His will.