Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-12-30

ON both occasions
roffTSp nlissfIln his audiences sat
Rzs.,ss,sszl. .il.'' siss'la spellbound for
much longer time thnn the majority
have been IN the habit OF listening 10
discourse. Deep engerness was also
manifested TO receive from the ushers
af the close free copies Of Pastor Rus
eell's Booklet on what Say the Scrip
tures About He'll" The speaker said n
Eighteen centuries and more have
passed Stree lsraers greatest Prophet
Jesus. sent forth bis message OF recon
cIliation 10 God. At the time OF his
birth angel visitors. announcing him,
declared that his birth signified good
tidIngs Of great Joy which shall be 10
MI people" and that this would mean
s.peace on earth and good VIII amongst
mem luke H. 10, III. Yet after
eighteen centuries these prophecies are
stin unfuInlled. We find the world In
more warllkc condition at present than
ever before. Europe has Standing
army OF over a million OF the picked
men OF its several nations. And even
our own country has deemed II neces-
sary 10 considerably increase its stand
ing army. On every sea are great
bnttleshIps requiring thousands OF
men and millions OF dollars for their
up-keep. not to mention the millions
OF dollars which they originally cost
And still more war vessels are plan
ned with greater guns, some OF which
expend thousands OF dollars for pow
der and shells for even one days tar
get practice. Ii Is safe TO say. too.
that the chief interest in and chief
backing OF recent experiments In
aerial navigation come from the War
Departments OF Christendom, which
see IN such devices new method OF
warfare. And the latest Information
IL that new torpedo has recently
been Invented more powerful. more
destructive. more terrible. than any
previous device.
What means this great battle array,
this preparation for. a great struggle
between the nations? Why do not the
nations disband their armies and dis
mantle their navles and turn these vast
ed energies to humnn profit, TO making
the earth 90 blossom as the rose? The
answer is-sln. Sin marred the orig
inal God-lIlkeness OF love in the human
heart and. instead. implanted the op-
posite disposition OF sehshness. BY
heredity sin and selhshness have per-
meated our race. As we read BE
hold. was shapen In inlquiiy; In sin
did my mother conceive me- psalm
II. 81. This Is true OF the entire human
family. We gloss the surface. We
make a show Of giving little money
for the education OF the heather. We
make little show OF religious activ-
fly In Christendom. but the great sur
plus OF wealth Is spent In self-gratifica'
ion--alcoholic beverages alone consum'
ing MANIFOLD the amount doled out TO
benevolent enterprises OF all kinds
Peace, PsaesI but No Peace.
For centuries the world has been cry.
ing out, ''Peace, Peace; yet there is no
peace" but stIll greater preparation for
war. Whyf Because. despite our gloss
OF civilization, the world well knows
IFS own selnshness, It's own greed, its
own thirst for power and II wisely
reasons that in others selhshness and
greed similarly rule. Hence. With all
their proiestatlons Of friendship all the
governments OF the world disirust. dis
believe one another, And now we have
reached a place where the dlsbandlnn
Of the arinies OF the world would be d
dangerous matter. Another million OF
mon thrown on the labor market, al
ready glutted. would be dangerous
Aud 10 leave our cities unprotected
would invite anarchy In every land
We are not endeavoring TO discourage
peace conferences and federatons. WI
a,e merely calling attention TO facts
indisputable facts.
The Scriptures graphically describe
our present condition They give US
sgord- painting OF what Is now going on
saying. "feat your plow-shares int
swords and your pruning hooks Int
spears. Let the weak boast that the!
nre strong" and endeavor TO keep pae
with the strong. "come, get ye dow
20 the Valley OF lohoshophat"--the val
iey OF death the place Of the grea
struggle with which the reign OF IN
prince OF Darkness shall terminate an
which viii prepare the way for Me'
sfnhs Kingdom Docl NJ. A-iA.
Thank God fer the assurances OF 81
Word that the great "time OF trouble
Fnch as never was since there was
ration witch Is about TO burst upc
the world. whose MASSES are bett'
educated than ever before and train,
to the use OF al military equipment
viii be but short struggle The I'M
nation OF the Scriptures y that
those DAYS should not be shortene
no hesh would survive ho, Tor =
slecsss sake BY virtue OF the klnFdo
81 Gods elect helms eS'anliSnsa--'no
days shall he shcrserad 'psn ~ y
eon,e the reign ~ ne i'rlnrr "t -"