The War Lords in Action
By Editor
ON July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war against Servia. The population of the former power is about fifty-one million, while Servia has only about four and a half million. But back of Servia is the Triple Entente, which embraces three of the most powerful nations of the Old World,—Russia, France, and Great Britain; while Austria is a part of the Triple Alliance, Germany and Italy being the two powers associated with her. With the six greatest powers of the Old World preparing to fly at each other in superhuman fury, the European situation is most ominous. We must not forget that we are living in the time that the prophecies point out as one in which unprecedented storms of war are to be stirred up by demoniacal agencies. These same prophecies also tell of the power of God that is holding the winds of war, so that they may not blow upon the earth until He has carried to all the inhabitants of the world, His message of the soon coming of Christ. God's merciful power is working on the one hand to save men, and to prepare them for the coming of His Son and the joys of eternity; while on the other hand Satan is working with masterly demon skill, to destroy men through pestilence and war. Since, as pointed out in the prophecy, God is holding the winds of war, we would naturally expect that as wars do break out, they should be characterized by the suddenness of gusts of wind that have been restrained. All Europe may for a time be embroiled in this war. At the beginning of the recent Balkan war, which appeared for a time destined to involve all Europe, we pointed out, from the prophecies, that it could not continue for very long. The conflict in prospect now will also be of comparatively short duration. God has a work to do in warning the world of the second coming of Christ, and He will not permit these war-mad nations to interfere with that work. We say this not as human speculation, but because it is shown most clearly in the prophecies of the Word itself. Any one who will take the pains to study them, may understand these prophetic utterances, and may see with definite clearness the meaning of all the alarming events that are passing in this unstable world. They may know that war, bloodshed, violence, and rioting will continue to grow worse and worse; for has not the Master Himself said that men's hearts will be failing them for fear while viewing the turbulent and calamitous conditions of the world in these last days? Luke 21:26. And yet, amid it all, there will be a restraining hand. It can go only so far, until after God concludes His work. God has great agencies for peace. Without any question, in holding these winds of war, He is using many of the strong and noble-hearted men and women who are working in the numerous peace societies that have been organized. By a strange coincidence, just as this flame of war is bursting forth in Europe, one of the strongest peace societies of the time, the "Church Peace Foundation" recently established by the two-million-dollar gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie, is about to convene in Switzerland. It is the duty of every Christian to work for peace. Our great Leader is called the Prince of peace. But as we work to promote peace, we must understand that while the war storms of these last days are driving the world to Armageddon, men who ignore or fail to study God's prophetic word will be intoxicated with the idea that they will be able to establish peace on the earth, and that some earthly kingdom will be raised up to maintain it. Yet according to the definite statement of the divine Word, it will be when these mistaken people feel assured of success, and when they are saying, "Peace and safety," that sudden destruction will come, not only to all their hopes and plans, but to themselves, as the climax of the second coming of Christ, is reached. If ever there was a time when men needed to study and to understand the definite meaning of the conditions that surround us, that time is now. God's prophetic word is a treasure that every individual should prize above all earthly things, because it alone gives light that shines through and beyond the troubles of these days.