Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-04-16

IouIluSb nave uluHy lliuSS III Tue past
caused the kingdoms Of earth and
their rulers to tremble. But some day,
according to the Scriptures, the final
catastrophe will occur. How near that
day may be who can tell? Quite q
good many earnest Bible students con-
cur in the thought that such a climax
is indicated in the prophecies. for the
year 1915. But be the date as it may,
the fact remains. The prophecy we
are examining is nearly three thou
sand years old, but it is as good, as
sure, and as meaningful today as ever
it was.
We are not Of those who would
harass the minds of our fellows with
fear. Rather we would point them to
the fact that behind this cloud of trou-
BILE there is a glorious silver lining
of Millennial joy and blessing for all
! the families of the earth. Rather we
would encourage all who have the
hearing ear to zeal and faithfulness
in their conservation, that they may
make their calling and their election
sure" to a share in the Kingdom glo-
ries and escape those things coming
upon the earth" duke xxi, 3G). In a
word, the Gospel of Christ is not
message Of damnation and fear and
torture but, as the angels declared,
"Good tidings of great joy which shall
be unto all people" duke ii, 1W.
Deliverance Of the Church Pictured.
In the fourth and fifth verses fol
lowing our text the Church is SYM
I bolically pictured as the City or King
dom of God, his dwelling-place. And
the stream of Truth is represented as
a river making the City clean and
fresh and glad. The proclamation is
made "God is in the midst of her!
She shall not be moved! God shall
help her early in the morning"-early
| in the Millennial morning. The Church
! is to be "a first-fruits unto God" Her
! salvation as the Bride of Christ will
! be accomplished early in this Mil
| lennial morning. Oh, how glad will
be all those accounted worthy Of a
place in that elect Church-"the
! Church aof the First-borns, whose
names are written in heavenw "She
shall not be moved" is in agreement
with the first verse in assuring us that
! Gods people will be preserved from
fear and doubt and misunderstanding
of the events of that "time of trou-
! BILE" and that their faith will enable
them to triumph at time when 9th
ers will be in great distress and per-
plexity duke xxi, 26).
The GentiIes Ragged.
Beginning with the 9th verse the
Prophet gives a brief synoptical pic
ture of the time Of trouble and its
consummation and the Inauguration of
universal peace. "The heathen Gen
tile peoples) ragedr These words
describe the tumult which will pre-
vail amongst humanity in the great
time of trouble before the climax is
reached. "Raging," angry voices arise
from public meetings, and in the more
private meetings of the lodges Of La
| Dor and Capital, and through the col
umns of the Press to the extent per-
mitted. In Germany the "raging"
Press for some time has been muZ-
zled. The same is true in other ma
tions. In Great Britain, in the United
! States and in France there is a fear
of tumult through public Press rag
ing" and everything possible is done
to restrain it. Whoever sees that an
archy is the most dreadful terror con-
! fronting Civilization must realize the
/ wisdom of reasonable restraints upon
his own tongue and upon the tongues
Of others. Nevertheless the Scriptures
show us that all effort to suppress the
! tumult and the angry voices of men
selfshly raging" out against each
other will fail.
The prophetic picture continues
"God uttered his voice; the earth melt
ed" The unfaithfulness Of humanity,
! the clamor of greed, both in rich and
! in poor will be answered by the AL
mighty, "Giver of every good and per-
/ feet gift" He will "utter his voice."
or, as another prophet declares, HE
| win speak to the people in his anger"
! for their correction, for their reproval.
/ The result will be that the symbolical
earth Society will melt-the social
| structure of civilization will disln-
! tegrate Another Scripture declares
that that disintegration will be so
great that every mans hand will be
| against his neighbor,"
! But the Prophet hastens to assure us
that in the midst of all this tumult the
Lord will be with his consecrated peo-
1 Pile We read, "The Lord Of hosts is
with us. The God Of Jacob is our
refuge" This promise applies primari-
| ly to the consecrated Church of Christ
Spiritual Israel. But it also sec
ondarily applies to fleshly Israel, the
Jewish nation, which will participate
in this time Of trouble, but be saved
out Of it, as the Scriptures declare
| Jeremiah XXX, .. In this time Of
trouble the Lords Jewels, his saints.
will be gathered to their heavenly
home, after which Divine favor will
begin to return to Israel Romans xi,
25-3O).
The Psalm closes with a picture Of
the devastation which will prevail
throughout the world as a result OF
human selhshness and blindness.