Commerce and War

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 19, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 19.

AN ARMORED AUTOMOBILE, CARRYING SEVEN MACHINE GUNS, USED BY THE MEXICANS IN THEIR FIGHTING

THERE have been reports current that gigantic commercial associations and corporations have been both stirring up and financing rebellion and disorders in Mexico. In consequence of this, Representative W. D. B. Ainey, on May 4, introduced a resolution in Congress directing the House Foreign Affairs Committee to make an investigation of this matter. Representative Ainey is reported to have said, "But for American brains and money, there would have been but few wars in Central and South America."

Men of enormous wealth see opportunities in many of these countries for making money, provided they can have men to their liking in power. And it is a sad commentary on the times in which we live, that notwithstanding our great enlightenment, men will, for the mere hope of making money, drive nations into war, regardless of the bloodshed, the destruction, and the heartaches that may thereby be caused.

Of course some plan must be studied to make these wars appear patriotic and reasonable. Some false motive must be set before the people, and presented until it becomes popular and sentiment is aroused that will break forth into the flames of war.

It would seem our civilization should have outgrown such things. Men have fondly hoped and taught that the twentieth century was giving us a moral power that would obliterate war. But among many other things, this twentieth century has given us the greatest and most far-reaching commercial enterprises and combines that the world has ever known anything about. The greed that has entered into commerce stops short of nothing in reaching its desired ends. God foresaw this, and He told us, hundreds of years ago, in the plainest language, that we may—

"Be sure of this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Men will be selfish, mercenary, boastful, haughty, and blasphemous. They will be disobedient to their parents. They will be ungrateful, ful, impure, incapable of affection, merciless, slanderous, wanting in self-control, brutal, careless of the right, treacherous, reckless, and puffed up with pride. They will love pleasure more than they love God; and while they retain the outward form of religion, they will refuse to allow it to influence them." 2 Tim. 3:1-5, Twentieth Century Translation.

These verses give the "twentieth century" translation of some words that were written something over eighteen hundred years ago by the inspiration of the Almighty. They tell us that we will have difficult times in the last days, because of the selfishness, the mercenary spirit, the brutality, the treachery, the want of self-control, and the recklessness of men.

This scripture should be kept well in mind and closely studied in connection with conditions that are prevailing. The prophetic utterances that God has made all through His word in regard to this time in which we live, could not have been made plainer or clearer. The verses here quoted are a sample of divine predictions.

Just beyond the difficulties and the perils that evil men are stirring up in this time is the eternal haven of rest. If we are not prepared to enter into it with inexpressible joy, it will not be because God has failed to make things plain. It will not be because of a lack of clearness in His prophecies, and of earnestness in His entreaties and warnings.