p. 512 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 41, No. 32. (8/18/1914)

"Thou Shalt Not Be Afraid"

THE ninety-first psalm will be more and more a tower of strength and comfort to those who know God and believe His word. Among its consoling utterances we read: "He will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked. For Thou, O Jehovah, art my refuge! Thou hast made the Most High thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent." Ps. 91: 3-10.

"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night," is the divine assurance. Neither will we be afraid "for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."

Observe that the text says, "Thou shalt not be afraid." God, by His mighty power, will place a wall of protection about His people, that will remove all fear. They will stand in the very midst of the dangers, and a thousand will fall at their side, and ten thousand at their right hand; yet they will not be afraid, for they know the Most High and His infinite power, and are trusting, with successful confidence, in His great promises.

Fortifications and protections that men build may be broken down, but God's promises are an everlasting foundation that can not be removed. He who knows God, and the power of His blessed word, is not afraid, no matter what the terrors or the difficulties that may be storming about him.

This world has passed into a time that will try men's souls. If you do not know the blessed experience of a personal acquaintance with the living God, you are missing everything in life that is of value. Take His word, believe His promises, and enter into the fortress of strength, of quietness, and of joy, that He has prepared, and thus get ready for the great day that will burst with terrors upon this world, but that will also open the gates of glory, everlasting joy, and immortality, to those who love and serve God.

Alcohol's Awful Record

Col. L. Maus, chief surgeon of the United States army, in the American Patriot for March, says:

"The United States contains the following number of adults and children suffering from insanity, feeble-mindedness, idiocy, epilepsy, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, deafness, dumbness, blindness, physical deformity, pauperism, or criminality, for which alcoholic beverages are largely responsible:

Insanity	200,000
Feeble-mindedness and idiocy	150,000
Epilepsy	75,000
Deaf and dumb	100,000
Blind	50,000
Physical deformity	300,000
Tuberculosis	500,000
Venereal diseases	7,500,000
Paupers	100,000
Criminals	500,000
Total	9,475,000

"This is more than one tenth of our whole population."

"Let those who drink liquor, and those who defend the liquor traffic, reflect on the amazing destruction of normal humanity wrought by alcoholic liquor."

Mr. Verran, prime minister (labor party), Australia: "If the workers could solve the problem of the drink traffic, they could put an end to all the social troubles behind it."

The Religious Element in the European War

THE pope has sent out word requesting his people in all parts of the world to pray for the restoration of peace in Europe. This request in and of itself alone is very commendable, for certainly all Christians should join in praying for peace. Yet some of the strongest Catholic powers in the world are in this conflict. Russia, to be sure, is not one of these; but the Greek Catholic, which is her state religion, is very similar to the Roman. It is also noticeable, in connection with this war, that the great powers engaged are calling upon God, through their leaders, to give success to their armies.

Things of this character show that men, in times of great stress, instinctively desire to turn to some higher power, outside of themselves.

One of the many things that the prophecies make clear for this time, is that amid the rioting and strifes and wars of these last days, will be developed a great religious power, which will undertake to control and guide, and thus suppress war and establish peace. But God has not vouchsafed to work through such organizations and such powers, that maneuver politically under the name of religion; hence there is coming a great religious despotism, and the papacy will stand at the head of it. Conditions are before the world that will cause men who do not know God to turn frantically to this man-made religious power, to save them from ruin. Yet this will only help their ruin forward. All these things are made clear in God's word; and in these troublous times, we should be studying the grand old Book, that we may have our bearings, and know what to do and where to stand.

Battle-Ships and Big Guns as Peacemakers

THE story has been told all around the world, of how big guns in fortresses and on great battle-ships, together with the many other modern weapons of destruction, were making war such a terrible thing that the nations would not fight. Hence most of the periodicals, in harmony with the views of many statesmen who do this, have been calling the great battle-ships "our peacemakers."

But how absurd all those theories appear, in view of the furious war that is now raging in Europe! Men are rushing at each other with these destructive weapons of war, and do not seem to be in the least afraid.

The facts are that the many people who have been saying the world has reached an era of universal peace, were unable to harmonize their theories with the realities of war preparation, and so to help make those theories coincide with what actually exists, they were claiming that the battle-ships and fortifications, with their big guns and with all the rest of aerial, submarine, and terrestrial armament, were tending toward peace.

God's word has said that the last days should be characterized by a spirit of war, and that finally the world will reach its climax and come to its end amid the great destructions of the war of Armageddon. God's word has this thing right, and we should study and know that Word, and not depend upon the theories of men.

Appealing to the Bankers

By Editor

THE liquor interests are turning in every direction to seek to gather influence to withstand the rising sentiment of prohibition. For instance, a circular has been sent out by the National Liquor Dealers' Association to the bankers of the nation calling upon them to use their influence to defeat the Hobson-Shepard resolution before Congress, looking toward nation-wide prohibition. The circular appeals to the banker on the ground of the business that will be destroyed if prohibition should carry. He is urged to both wire and write his congressman, protesting against this Hobson resolution.

Of all the people that the liquor interests should appeal to, the bankers are the very last; for it has been the universal experience, where the saloons have been put out, that bank deposits have been thereby greatly increased. So from the standpoint of mere dollars, it is to the banker's interest to favor the Hobson-Shepard measure.

But we must not forget that this is not a fight for dollars, but it is a struggle to save men and women from destitution and misery and from all the rest of the evils that the licensed liquor traffic is producing in all nations throughout the world.

To Bible Students

By Editor

THE Fireside Correspondence School desires to call the attention of those who may have become interested in the study of the Bible through reading the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, to its courses in Bible study entitled "Bible Doctrines and Life of Christ." About thirty other subjects also are offered, in history, English, mathematics, language, and business. For further information address, stating the subjects in which you are especially interested, Fireside Correspondence School, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.

We wish to repeat and to emphasize what is considered to some extent in the first pages of this issue, in regard to the continuance of the war that is now progressing in Europe. God's prophetic word is clear on the point that He will hold these winds of strife in bounds, until the work of proclaiming the soon coming of Christ and the saving message of His word is carried into every corner of the world. Consequently we know that He, in His providence, and for some wise plan of His own, has permitted the angels that are holding the winds of strife to loosen, their grasp for just a little. But this thing will quiet down in order for His work to go forward. A little time may be required to check these active forces of war, but it can not be very long. We say this not as a human speculation, but present it on the authority of the prophetic Word.

IN the Pacific Medical Journal for July, an article by Dr. Hans Karfunkle, of Berlin, describes a method of treating tuberculosis with living bacilli of a different kind. The treatment has resulted in a very high percentage of cures, even among advanced cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. The theory of the action of these bacteria is that they develop a ferment that destroys the fatty capsule by which the tubercular organism protects itself, and thereby exposes it to the attack of the bodily forces, which make short work of it, by producing a special poison against it. The Journal editorially intimates that this is about the only really new discovery, in the line of treating tuberculosis, that has been made since the early Greeks, who anticipated the modern milk diet and fresh air treatments.

THE Romish church has apparently shown one commendable characteristic in its persecution of heretics. Its very violence showed that it considered spiritual welfare as being just as important as any other. Notwithstanding, it was wrong for at least two reasons: first, not recognizing the fact of there being room for difference of opinion on the disputed points, it treated dissenters as wilful perverts; and secondly, pain and punishment were used as though they had power to change the convictions of the mind. In these days, we need a revival of this consideration of belief and faith as life and death questions. If our neighbors are destitute and sick, every Christian must feel called to help. Equally should our hearts be stirred if they are in unbelief. If the Word is true, the need in the latter case is the greater.

THE liquor forces are desperate. For instance, $25,000 in cash was offered by the Illinois Personal Liberty League to Bosworth & Co., who have dramatized Jack London's "John Barleycorn," if they would agree not to exhibit the moving pictures in six specified states till December 1, 1914, when the elections will be over. "John Barleycorn" knows the liquor curse in Mr. London's observations and personal experience. The offer was refused. The editor of the Register-Leader of this town could have made it very profitable had he been willing to let his paper be used by the liquor traffic alone in Mountain View's fight for liberty. The editor prized men more than money.

IN the annual address of Carl J. Hoster, president of the United States Brewers' Association, Chicago, October 19, 1911, he says: "The people of the United States are aroused as they perhaps never have been before to the evils of intemperance, and the abuses in the conduct of the retail trade."

WEST VIRGINIA's last "wet" day, June 30, closed, it is reported, with a grand drunk and five whisky homicides. Could a better justification of prohibition be furnished?