Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-24
WAR TAKENAS
GODS JUDGMENT
BY SOME PEOPLE.
Others, Says Rev. Geo. Mo-
Nicely, Assert That God Is
Not Controlling Factor.

pastor of the Elizabeth Avenue Bap-
tist Church, in his sermon last night.
tbs subject was What in the World
Are Things Coming To? Hear What
God Says!" The text was at will
come near to you to Judgment, say
eth Jehovah of the hosts (Malachl
ill.,, 81. He continued:
History is being examined for prec-
edents and set forth as proof that
results of a certain kind are sure to
follow at the end of the war. Some
are sure that the things now being
done upon tho earth are the judg-
ments of God on the wichedness OF
nations. Others stoutly maintain that
God may be eliminated as a control
ling power in national affairs, because
inlquities are permitted such as no
power for righteousness might per-
NIT. These last see God not at all; tho
first see Him, but not nigh. In the
day of Judgment God will draw nigh.
/ VIII come near to you to judgment,
sayeth Jehovah of Hosts
1.-THE apostle Paul standing forth In
the middle of the assembled Athenian
philosophers on Mars Hill, place
made awful by the arraignment and
condemnation of Socrates on the
| charge of innovating on the state re-
| ltgion, solemnly declares to those
seekers after news that God had ap-
| pointed day in which He would
| Judge the world. The newness in this
proclamation was not in the an
nouncement of God as the Judge, for
that men already knew, but in the
announcement that God had appoint
ed day for that judgment. These
| then are what things are coming to:
The judgment day of Almighty God.
Religious Solidarity.
I'm the early days of Christian faith
there was national solidarity. From
Caesar Augustus went out a decree
that all the world should be taxed.
There was also a religious solidarity
state religion, that was looked upon
as securing salvation TO the citizens of
the state who conformed to its laws.
Much was spoken of man as a whole
and very little thought of man as an
| individual. 1t was believed that one
could not be saved without all being
| saved. Tho national life was much
valued. tho individual very little.
Jesus Christ spake very much of the
individual. One sinner repenting
caused Joy in heaven. And when in
structing His disciples regarding their
labors He gave notice of His intention
| to break up the world solidarity into
individual groups, saying: All power
| is given unto me in heaven and earth.
| Go ye, therefore, and make disciples
world solidarity in order that men
might be loosed from their bondage
| to national gods, which were no gods,
but creatures of mans Imagination.
and be turned to serve the living and
true God, and to wait for His Son
from heaven
"This rendlng apart was the first
result of gospel preaching. These
| that have turned the world upside
| down are come hther, and these all
| do contrary to the decreeS of Caesar,
was the accusation brought against
| the disciples at Saionica. Paul had pro
| claimed the name of Jesus Christ as.
| the only name under heaven whereby
| men could be saved Tho heather
| raved against his preaching and
called for faitlIfulness to tho heather
| gods, lest judgment come upon the
| nation. The apostle boldly proclaimed
| that no judgment would follow tholr
| turning away from idols, not only
| because they were turning to the true
| God. but also because the work of
| judgment had been deferred by God
until a future time. God was now
commanding all men everywhere to
| repent because He was giving them
space TO repent, having appointed q
day in which He will Judge the world
Men are therefore not to look for
| judgment to be speedily executed up-
ON evil things, but to account that
tho long suffering of God with tho
wickedness of men. means salvation
to some who will repent, taking
thought of that great day when He
who said, Vengeance is mine, I will
repay will come near to men for
| Judgment.
Difficult to Know Gods Mind.
ait 10 not a difficult task for ii1en
to ascertain the method and mind ,f
God regarding Judgment The Bible
abounds with prophetic statements
regarding Gods dealings with the ma
tions. These statements are not made
In dark or dubious language. The
prophets to whom these visions OF
judgment came were commanded to
write the vision and make 1t plain
The meaning. therefore, is capable OF
being understood, and much of proph-
ecy may not be mistaken. The state
ment of the prophet Daniel regarding
tho four great world powers that
should fill all time is very easily un-
derstood by him who reads. The
course of these empires was shown
not only TO Daniel. but also to tho
Gentle emperor who was the first OF
the imperial line.
"The viewpoint of Daniel, the Jew
ish prophet, and of Nebuchadnez2ar,
however. was different. The one saw
these empires under the guise or
humanity represented in the human
form. The prophet. having Gods
point of view, saw them as four de-
structive beasts. tho last being the
most terrible. These things the COM
mon people hear and receive. Some
of the moro noble search the Script
ures, and finding these things to be
SO arc led further to see how 1t was
Aufa Iant he
would suffer "a dissolution, and after
period of time become reunited
again as a ten-kinged confederacy.
"Profane history, which begins
where prophecy begins and where
sacred history left off. records the
truth of prophecy. Babylon, Persia,
Greece and Rome are matters of pro-
fame history. The dissolution of the
Roman empire, since which there has
been TO world government, is mat
ter of common knowledge. That
which is now Conyulsing the earth rs
the reunitlng of the decomposed units.
Rent asunder by the preaching OF the
gospel according as peoples. tongues
and languages believed or did not be-
lieve. and that for which the gospel
was preached, namely, gathering out
of the world a people for His name
having been nearly accomplished, the
world parts are now uniting again
The Violences and bloodshed with
which they become detached from
their affiliations of statecraft do not
denote that God is Furnishing them for
their evil doings. Rather does 1t uri-
cover the cruel, inordinate ambition
of some men, which will bring upon
them, and those who take pleasure In
supporting them, the swift vengeance
of God, who will Tread upon them IN
His anger, and trample them In His
fury I will come near to you TO
Judgment sayeth Jehovah of Hosts.