The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-12-23
WHO WILL GAIN POSSESSION
OF THE EARTH?

To the Editors
The great war which is now raging
in Europe, naturally raises the question
of the future mastery of that portion
of the world. Should there be deci-
sive outcome to the struggle, the vic
torious power would be in position
to dictate terms to Europe; and from
the mastery of Europe it would be but
a step to the position of world suprem-
acy.
There exists, however, an impossible
barrier in the pathway to this coveted
goal of power. The word of the Al
mighty has declared that there will
never again be upon this earth a sue
cessor to imperial Rome. No conqueror
will ever arise who will be able to
bring the world to his feet. No nation
will ever be able to bring all the other
nations into subsection.
This is plainly stated in the prophecy
of Daniel, chapter two, where, in ex-
planning to the king Of Babylon his
dream concerning the great image, the
prophet Daniel declared: "And where
as thou sawest the feet and toes, part
of potter's clay and part of iron, the
kingdom shall be divided;
And whereas thou sawest iron mixed
with miry clay, they shall mingle them
selves with the seed Of men: but they
shall not cleave to one another, even
as iron is not mixed with clay
Since the decline and fall Of the iron
monarchy of Rome, there have been
repeated efforts to weld together into
one solid mass the broken fragments
10
Charles V. and Napoleon Bonaparte cs.
1 sayed to become rulers of the world;
but none of them could cement the iron
and clay Of the prophetic image. They
were striving against the fiat Of heaven
As one writer has forcibly expressed
it.: "The earth reeled under the fierce
charges Of these world-empire grasping
warriors, but the word of the Lord
stood fast, and Europe remained
divided"
Nor has the effort to bind the nations
together into one by marital alliances
been any more successful. The royal
} families have been intermarried extern
lsively, but the ties thus formed have
accomplished nothing toward political
union. King George of England is
cousin to the German Kaiser, and the
Gear Of Russia is a relative, also. Yet
this relationship does nothing to pre-
vent war. In no instance has Their.
been cleaving together of the king
doms through the marital "mingling'
Of which the prophet spoke.
Yet there is to be another and fina
universal kingdom, foreshadowed by
the t'stone' of this prophetic dream
which "smote the image upon his fee
that were Of iron and clay, and brak'
them to pieces.'' Dan. 2:34. For thi
, stone it was said by the prophet, tina
| it "became great mountain, an.
, filed the whole earth;" and in the ex
PLANTATION of this portion Of the dream
, the prophet said: GIN the days Of thes
! kings shall the God of Heaven set VI
a kingdom, which shall never be de
, stroyed: and the kingdom shall not b.
left to other people, but II shall breal
i'll pieces and consume all these king
> dOms, and it shall stand foFever.,' Dan
2:35.44.
= We are living today at a. time whe
all the events pointed out by inspire
!, prophecy as marking the approach O
that kingdom, are with but one or tw
exceptions, in the past. Almost tn
: very last sign of it's coming was state
by the Saviour in the words: 'Thi
j. gospel of the kingdom shall be preach
! ed in all the world for witness unit
/. all nations; and then shall the en-
, Gomez Matt. 24:14. That this worl
has now almost been accomplished
= every person knows who is acqnainte
with the extent of Christian mission
AIRY effort at the present time.
q Very sincerely yours.
r. w. CROSKREY,
Rider of the Seventh-Day Adxentis
Church.