Permanent Peace by Wm. C. Gage

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 6, 1865

Permanent Peace.

By Wm. C. Gage

WHILE the hearts of the American people are filled with rejoicing at the prospect of the speedy closing up of our national difficulties, and some are expecting a peace which shall be abiding and permanent, still others, and their number is not small, are jubilantly prophesying the ushering in of the temporal millennium. With our land absolutely reeking with crime and iniquity, it would be difficult to find evidence for such a belief, and we know of nothing which could give rise to such conclusions unless it might be the reaction following the great depression caused by the war. The minds of the people have long been in anxious and painful suspense, hardly daring to hope, as the cruel and relentless tide of war has swept over the country, filling the land with sorrow and grief; and now that this pressure is removed, it is not to be wondered at that the elastic spirit of the masses should rebound even beyond its wonted position.

The student of prophecy is not surprised at such expressions as result from this state of feeling, for he is expecting the cry of "peace and safety," all the while remembering however, that "when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them." The sure word of prophecy "tells us that we are in a time when the spirit of war is to predominate, and the nations are to become angry, which of course is utterly at variance with the idea of permanent peace, and shows us that we have no reason to look for it.

But aside from the scripture evidence we would ask, is there anything in the present state of public opinion to warrant us in believing there can be no abiding peace? We only wonder how any observing person could decide otherwise, and for proof on this point would call attention to the fact that very many of our soldiers are anxious to join the Mexican armies against the French. Notwithstanding their experience in many hard-fought and bloody battles, the spirit of war is not yet extinct, and will not be satisfied until more blood flows and more lives are lost.

But perhaps it will be objected to this that such sentiments

are only those of the soldiers, the men of war, but that the people desire peace. This may be true of many, yet there are multitudes more who are far from being satisfied in view of our relations with foreign countries. At a late meeting for rejoicing on account of the surrender of the rebel armies, a venerable, white-haired clergyman declared that now he wanted Jonathan to go across the water, take John Bull by the collar, and give him a good shaking. The almost deafening applause which followed this remark showed that at least that audience were not prepared to raise a protest against a war with England. Even some of the most peaceably-disposed express themselves to the effect that although they want peace now, they hope the time will come when England will receive punishment at the hands of America.

Now in view of this state of feeling, and the scripture evidence bearing upon the point, we cannot consistently look for anything more than a little time of peace, expecting that when the work has been accomplished of sealing the servants of God in their foreheads (Rev. vii.) the winds of war and strife will no longer be held, but, as described by the prophet Jeremiah "a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth." And while the winds are now being held, may the Lord help us to be of the number who shall receive the seal of God in their foreheads, and thus help to swell the throng who shall stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.

WM. C. GAGE.