Mary Ashley Townsend sends to the New York Independent an “Ode to the Czar.” She pays a glowing tribute to his courage, bravery, and greatness, and calls the “women of nations” to “kneel and kiss his hand.” All this burst of emotion and adoration is called forth by the czar’s recent invitation to all the world to join in a peace congress, with the end in view of doing away with war. It will be grand when the time comes for representatives from all over this earth to attend a real peace congress. Many peace-congresses have been held by the men of this world, but war goes on just the same. But the Prince of Peace has sent out invitations to a peace congress. And with the invitation He sends His own perfect peace to every one who will receive it. At the same time Satan is inspiring men to say, “Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” He is talking peace, and since he has no peace to give, is at the same time filling men’s minds with the venom of war. And so the Prince of Peace tells us that before His people, in the fulness of the peace that He is now putting into their hearts, can be assembled in that eternity of quiet freedom from war, the evil one will gather the legions of earth for the final battle of Armageddon. Now, candidly, which looks the most imminent, a universal peace, or the clashing of all of the world’s great armies in Armageddon’s final struggle? Your answer will be greatly influenced by the standpoint from which you take your view. Look at the situation only through the Word of God. Then you will see things as they really are. T.
Common Sense
By G.
Common Sense.—The Christian Citizen has this apt suggestion for overcoming the many evils of which there is so much complaint in the administration of the government:—
“Apply our common sense to all the affairs of government, as we now do to some of them, and as all successful men do to their private business. Not only in war matters but also in peace matters, and all possible matters, of government, the merit system, and that only, should be applied.”
The suggestion is good, and if we should ever be so fortunate as to see it carried out, we would not see any more church interference in political affairs, or political interference in church affairs. “Common sense” always profits by past experience, which shows that the most prosperous days of religious and civil liberty have been when the State and the Church each attended strictly to its own sphere of action. On the other hand, experience has shown that the most distressing chapters of the world’s history are those connected with the church’s efforts to control the governments of earth, and to enforce Gospel precept by means of civil law.
G.
How to Read the Newspaper.
—The Los Angeles Sunday Times, in speaking of “The Power of the Modern Press,” says:—
“Then, take the thoughtful, educated religious man, and he asserts, ‘I read the daily newspaper because I like to know how God has ruled the world since yesterday.’ And the real newspaper gives him the intelligence which he desires.”
But the newspaper only chronicles men’s perversions of God’s rule; and yet, in the light of the “more sure word of prophecy,” God is ruling, and making even the wrath of man to praise Him. God has written the history of this world centuries ago in the books of prophecy; now He is writing in the heavens and in the earth by His overruling providences the fulfilment of His Word through the prophets. Look at the world as reflected in the newspaper through the true glass of prophecy.
