THE COMING CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 8, 4 October 1917, Page 3

THE COMING CRISIS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Undoubtedly higher (?) criticism, maae in Germany, and espoused by many clerics Ehroughout Christendom, is largely responsible for the great tribulation into whioh the world,lias entered. Is this not the "noisome and grievous sore" of Eev. xvi? It has led up to the pouring forth of the- other six "vials" wHich culminate in the "voices" of the aeroplanes and the '"thunder and lightning" of the guns and bombs, and the "great and mighty earthquake (revolution) suoh as never was since men wore upon the earth. While 2 Chron. xxsvi is a wonderful example of how history repeals Itself. Second Kings, 17, is a still more wonderful facsimile of what has happened to more than one of the nations at war to-day. But what is of greater importance to us is the fact that verse 13 contains the remedy, the cnly essential remedy for strife outsido the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. It the nations would comply with veree 13' (lucky number, says_ someone), the war would cease automatically. ' , I should also like to point out that it is not coiTect to say that nn Almighty and All-wise God has "allowed" such a crisistb come upon our nation. Here are the words which Almighty God put into the mouth of the Prophet,, Isaiah, (Isa. I, 11, III): "Behold tho Day of the Lord (the Lord's Day, Rev. I, 10). cometh, cruel-both'with wrath and fierce anger, to lay tho land desolate, and will punish the world for thoir evil and the wickod for their iniquity. I will cause th'e arrogancy of tho proud to -ease. Everything that is found shall be thrust through, and every one that is found unto them shall fall by the sword, their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. When ye spread forth your hands (iu prayor) 1 will hide mine ey«e from you. lea! when yo make many prayers I will not hear. Behold! My anger ehall be poured out upon man and beast." If the prophet had eaid that in that day man shall lavish his money on benches and aeroplanes it would not have been understood. What the prophet did say waa: "In that day man ehall cast' his idols of silver and gold whic'ji he has made lo the moles; and to tfie oats." » , ■» ■ Wβ see by the above and meny, many, kindred passages, that God is greatly to be' feared. He is not the namby-pamby Being He is usually represented to .be. ' Let us rather say witn the prophet of. old, "The fierce wrath of the Lord is upon us" (2 Chron. xxvin, 11). Note in the earlier verses of this clapter that, like ourselves, they "did ¥ot tbat which was right in the Bight of the Lord," and , 120,000 valiant men were slain in one day "because they had forsaken the Lord God." Unfortunately for the world another gospel has been preached, sectarianism, materialism, evolutionism, deism, 'pantheism, and a .Hundred and ono other "isms." These can portend only one thing, the mo6t awful drsaster amongst the nations which ever was known. ' ■ ; 1/ Schiem and division, of'which tlere i>re different degrees, include sectarianismXand every description of industrial, religious, civil, and international etrife. They are the natural product of unrighteousness 1 , and the disregard of God's Word, and if we would avoid them we must return unto the Lord. Mankind is at the present-time endeavouring to serve two masters, the futility of which is everywhere apparent. Strife would disappear automatically if-the nations would "hear" the voice./of the Lord; prayer without turning from sin (repentance) is useless (Mark vii, 6-10). Before Pod can "hear" us wo must first hearken to Him, and if it were possible for us to destroy all our enemies—which it is not—He would still have the famine and the pestilence at His disposal. God has now commenced to U'ke in hand what the nations might have accomplished voluntarily. .With, all our education and worldly wisdom there is "a famine of hearing the words,of the Lord" (Amos viii, 11), and we are living in a fool's paradise, gaiety and frivolity, und men are "lovers of pleasure more thnn lovers of God," a period in the world's history which is likened to midnight darkness; "Darkness shall cover the earth, gross darkness the people (and parsons)." The "midnight cry" has gone forth, "Bohold the Bridegroom Cometh, and He shall put' dowu alj> rule and all authority and power, for He must rc-ign until Ho hath putall enemies uuder His feet. At present, oven in churches, tho man who accepts the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ . (Matt. 5 to 7) is considered a lunatic. Of course, that is all in at-cord with prophesy. , Prophesy also that after the Great Tribulation all will be "cranks," instead of one or two here and there, as at present. The duty of a crank is to turn, and in thoso daye men shall "turn" their swords \nta ploughshares," for "when God's judgments (war, famine, and pestilence)- aro apon the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righetousness (rigbtlivinb'). , " Isa. xxvi, 9. Is it in vain that the terrible and mighty instruments wjth which God is smiting the earth aro boing fashioned before our vory eyes? Is it in vain that tho Word of God still cries out in tones of entreaty and love, "O earCh, onrth, i . earth, hear the word of the Lord: 1 ■ "These be the days of vengeance."—! ' * ,D ' eb " .TOHN P.WOTMAN,