A SIGNIFICANT RECORD by M. C. W.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 15, 1914

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 36.

A SIGNIFICANT RECORD

By M. C. W.

THE following record of "assassinations of exalted personages in all countries in the last fifty years," excepting the last two items, which we add, is clipped from the New York Thrice-a-Week World:

Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States, April 14, 1865. Michael, prince of Servia, June 10, 1868. Prim, marshal of Spain, December 28, 1870. Earl of Mayo, viceroy of India, February 8, 1872. Abdul Aziz, sultan of Turkey, June 4, 1876. Alexander II, czar of Russia, March 13, 1881. James A. Garfield, president of the United States, July 2, 1881. Marie Francois Sadi Carnot, president of France, June 24, 1894. Stanislaus Stambouloff, premier of Bulgaria, July 25, 1895. Nasr-ed-Din, shah of Persia, May 1, 1896. Canovas del Castillo, premier of Spain, August 8, 1897. Juan Idiarte Borda, president of Uruguay, August 25, 1897. Jose Maria Reyna Barrios, president of Guatemala, February 18, 1898. Elizabeth, empress of Austria-Hungary, September 10, 1898. Humbert, king of Italy, July 29, 1900. William McKinley, president of the United States, September 6, 1901. Alexander, king of Servia, June 11, 1903. Draga, queen of Servia, June 11, 1903. Bobrikoff, governor-general of Finland, June 16, 1904. Von Plehve, Russian minister of the interior, July 28, 1904. Charles, king of Portugal, February 1, 1908. Louis, crown prince of Portugal, February 1, 1908. Sergius, grand duke of Russia, March 13, 1908. Prince Ito of Japan, October 26, 1909. Peter Arcadovitch Stolypin, premier of Russia, September 14, 1911. Jose Canalejas, premier of Spain, November 12, 1912. Nazim Pasha, Turkish minister of war, January 23, 1913. Shafket Pasha, grand vizier of Turkey, June 12, 1913. Francisco I. Madero, president of Mexico, February 23, 1913. Jose Pino Suarez, vice-president of Mexico, February 23, 1913. George, king of Greece, March 18, 1913. Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, June 28, 1914. Jean Jaures, editor, legislator, socialist, philosopher, of France, July 31, 1914.

Such methods were common in the barbarous ages of the past; but in the increasing light of Christianity and extended civilization, such things should not exist. Yet while fourteen of these assassinations occurred during the first thirty-five years (1865-1899) of the period named, nineteen occurred during the last fifteen years (1900-1914). Such things may be expected when Christianity is held as a form and not as a life, when religion is but a veneer and not a matter of character.

This record may be taken as among the troublous things that cause crowned heads to lie uneasy, nations to be perplexed, and men's hearts to fail them for fear. But these are tokens of the coming of the Prince of peace. Luke 21: 25-27. M. C. W.