Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1916-05-11
FOREsAW THE WAR.
Mr. E. J. Russell Published Prorhecx
IN Burlington News five Years Acc

IN Burlington News five Years Acc.
Mr.. E. J. Russell, our harness man.
rs a close observer Of t,,,ups and j.
student of holy writ. About five vearS
ago he sent The News a communjca-
tlon which we reproduce herewith in
which he foresaw the Europea, con-
dict now raging in the Eastern hemi-
sphere:
A strange contrast, an unacccount-
able discrepancy of Words appears in
the current history of nearly all the
foremost nations of the world. All
DESTROYS Of peace, yet all are pre-
pairing for a The cause of peace
is earnestly advocated by rulers and
Statesmen and We have no reason to
question the sincerity of their words.
There are reasons enough in the minds
of US all why war should be averted.
We know it's dreadful nature, and the
awful results it brings. We know that
war is the foe of human progress, and
that there is a great movement which
extends rel the whole world, for the
eradication of war. Peace Societies
have sprung into being and peace
courts have been established peace is
being talked in all nations. Yet with
all this, the nations are actively in
creasing their ornaments. The leaders
of the nations who are foremost in
talking peace ire responsible for the
increasing preparations for war. The
talk and sentiment is all one way; the
deeds which must lead to results are
all the other way. Thus there are
two opposing movements in among
the nations today, one promising
peace, the other war.It is strange that
no statesman can give a reasonable
explanation. It is a fact known to all
Bible students that there are in the
word of God two prophecies applying
to the latter days which are in sharp
contrast with each other-the one a
prophecy of peace, the other a prop
hecy of war. The one is found in
Micah. 1923 and reads thus: "And
many nations shall come and say,
come, and let US go up to the noun
tain Of the Lord, and to the house Of
the God Of Jacob; and he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in
his paths; for the law shall go for.
OF Zion, and the word Of the Lore
from Jerusalem, and he shall judge
among many people, and rebuke
strange nations afar off; and they
shall beat their swords into plow-
shares, and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more"
The other prophecy is found IN Joel
5:9-14, and is as follows: Proclaim
+ye this among Gentiles, prepare war,
wake up the mighty men, let all the
men of war draw near; let them coma
up. Beat your plowshares into swords
and your pruning hooks into spears;
let the weak say, ] am strong. Let
the heather be Weakened, and come up
to the valley Of Jehosephat; for
there will I sit to Judge all the heath
EN- round about. Put We in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe. Multitude.
multitudes, in the valley Of decision;
for the day of the Lord is neal in the
valley of decision"
We see before us in the world two
contrasting movements, one toward
peace, the other toward war; and we
find in the inspired book two prop
hecies relating to the same thing, the
latter days; one a prophecy of peace
the other of war. Is there a onnec
tion between these things? There
Surely is. These two movements and
these contrasting prophecies, belong
together; and the latter furnish an ex-
planation Of the former.
The prophecy Of Micah tells what
the nations say. They say the swords
shall be beaten into plowshares and
the spears into pruning hooks, and
the nations shall not earn war any
more, shall go forth the law. The
christian nations shall settle all mat
tiers of dispute through a court of ar
Irritation. But the word in Joel tells
what the Lord says; and it contrasts
with what the people say. The Lord
says: ''The plowshares shall be beaten
into swords and the pruning hooks in
to spears" He says, prepare war!"
The people and the nation say peace.
The Lord says war. Which will we
accept? The Lord gives the truth,
certainly. The peace movement of
the day is a delusion. It's advocates
are sincere and the cause is a most
worthy one, but grevicus disappoint-
ment is the certain portion Of those
who build their hopes upon it.
The explanation is that we have
reached the. climax Of this world, anc
the crisis Of the long controversy be.