The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-10
ARAAG[ODON To FOLLOW
DISTRESS If NATIONS
Pastor Russell Says This Time OF
Trouble rs Was Not Since There
Was a Nation
HEARD IN }. NJ. H. s. AUDITORIUM
Says Conflicting Prayers Are Ascend
ing to GOd-Prescnt Condition Pre-
dicted. He says, 2,5OO Years Ago.
Others to BE Involved.

After the War-What?" was the
theme of the lecture of Pastor Rus
sell. delivered yesterday afternoon in
/ the auditorium of the John Mar
shall High School. The meeting. held
under the auspices of the Interna-
tioral Bible Students Association, was
largely attended and was heard with
interest.
Pastor Russelrs discourse on the
Battle of Armageddon he based upon
the words of Jesus respecting the
distress of nations with perplexity."
duke 2l:25, 26.) He pointed out
that the word Armageddon Is used
sym bolicaliy in the Bible to refer 10
the great climax of earth's strife. He
declared that IL would mean the final
overthrow OF the powers of sin, for
thereafter Messiah's Kingdom Will
rule the world. He declared that the
Bible pictures three distinct stages
of the trouble with which this age
will end and the new dispensation
will be inaugurated: First, the present
war; weakening the nations and en-
tightening. second. following the war
a great revolution. symboliCally styled
in the Bible an earthquake such as
never was. since men were upon the
earth third Il period of anarchy,
resulting from the failure of mankind
~ SNJNNN NA''i''NSs' - - tH4N 49," 49,
ditions
This anarchy is In the Bible symbol
ically styled fire. the fire of God $
anger" which will consume the pres
ent heavens and earth---not the literal
eartn, for it "abideth forever" tEc-
clesiastes 1:1p-not the literal
heavens. either The symbolical
heaven is the ecclesiastical systems -
and the symbolical earth is the social
systems OF the present. There will
succumb to the fire of anarchy, which
will destroy all present institutions
and eventuate in the worlds prepare
ton for Messiahs kingdom-'A new
heaven and a new earth'--'the de-
sire of all nationsI'-Rey. 2l.1. HaE
gal "a.
"A New Heaven and n New Earth. "
AS Elijah the Prophet typified the
course of the true Church of God
and her final taking TO heaven, So
these great events coming upon the
earth were shown to Elijah IN ad-
vance of his taking away. The winds
that rent the rocks represented the
present war. The earthquake repre-
sented the revolution. The fire repre-
sented the anarchy. Then follows the
still small voice Of God. 'spea king
peace through Jesus Christ" This is
the rure Message. in contrast with a
confusion OF creeds which have been
preached, and which have misrepre-
scented the Divine Character and Plan.
The knowledge of the glory of God
will then fill the whole earth. until
none shall need to say to his neigh
Dor. know thou Lord; for all will
know ttim.--Jeremiah 5l:34.
The pastor referred to the fact that
all the creeds of Chistendom had mis-
taken this Are to be literal one, in
stead of symbolic. forgetting that fire
Ia repeatedly Used in the Bible TO
represent severe trial Think it not
strange concerning the fiery trial
which is TO try you-"the church. st.
Peters words respecting the fire cor
respond to the words of Zephaniah' S
prophecy q Peter 4:l2:Zephaniah
as. 81 There. after telling about the
fire that would consume the social
earth, the Lord declares that then he
will turn TO the people a pure mes
sage that they may all call upon
His name TO serve Him with one con-
sent. Similarly st. Peter, after tell
ing how the present symbolical
heave ns-ecclesiastical systems-and
the siymbolical earth--the social order
will ass-awaN- in this fire OF
anarchy. SAYS that there will be new
heavens and new earth--a new &C.
clesiastical power ana a new social
ORDER Peter ana.
Pastor Russell declared that this
new heavens will be the church
in glory the true Church of Christ In
Miliennial glory: and that the new
earth will he society reorganized on
its new basis, in harmony with the
Golden Rule of Messiah's Kingdom.
He declared that to think OF the earth
as being burned up at the second
coming OF Christ would mean TO for
get that St. Peter elsewhere tActs
3:1a. I'D declares that at Christ, $
second coming times of restitution
and refreshment would come to the
word. and that this blessing had been
declared by God through all the holy
prophets since the world began.
For 2,500 years God. through the
Rible prophets. has been telling His
people about this great war and con-
corning the more terrible Arranged
don. which will follow 1t; and can we
expect Him to reverse the program
at our behest? (Revelatlon 1913. u.
1853 The prayers OF millions for the
prosperity OF the Germans and the eX-
termination of the allies. and the
PRAYERS of other millions for the sue
cess OF the allies ana the humiliation
of the Germans. and the prayers of
the Pope and of our President and
other good people that this awful war
shall promptly cease, all go unan-
swered The war proceeds and viii
eventuate in no glorious victory for
any ration, but in the horrible mutt
lation and impoverishment of all. II
will be followed by the Armageddon
of Anarchy After that, peace, last
ing peace, may be hoped for. because
God has declared It. 1t will be brought
in by Mcssiah's Kingdom. for which
so long we have prayed Thy King
dom Come
Gods Part In the Present War;
Doubtless many will be shocked
with my declaration that this war and
the resulting greater calamity are OF
Divine permission and arrangement.
clearly prophesled in Scripture. The
gathering of the nations TO the pres
ent struggle is referred to IN the
prophecy of Joel, where The weak ma
tons are called upon to assert their
strength, and where all of them are
commanded to go down to the Valley
of Jehosha phat-Falley OF Graves
the cemetery outside of the city of
Jerusalem being used by the prophet
in illustration OF the terrible slaugh {.
ter now going on.--Joel 80. 16.
Surely this war has brought more
TO the grave than has any previous
trouble; and ii is far from ended. For