The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-01-20
WARS AND RUMoRs OF WARS
OR "sIGNs OF THE TIMES"
By Samuel Steele.

Students of phophecy are eagerly
watching events in Europe and the far
East. Mr. Carnegie gives his millions
for a Temple of Arbitration at the
Hague, and for the spreading of the
gospel of nationwide peace, but if we
read the Bible Alright, We will see that
there will never be peace" among
the nations of earth until the Peace
Maker" comes; there can be no heav-
emily kingdom on earth without a king
This age shall go down in sorrow
and shame as have all previous dis
pensations History is simply repeat.
ing itself Where is the learning,
culture, boasted civilization of the
world before the flood? Where is the
old Babylonion civilization, the richest
the world ever knew before this age
in which we live? Where is the cul-
turad Greek civilization, and the
Roman Empire of iron? What evi-
dence have we that this sinful age
shall not follow in the footprints of |
those now past? Certainly not the |
Bible. There is false optomism that |
is most dangerous-that which closes |
the eye and common sense to existing
conditions, and "fiddles while Rome |
is burning" However, for the truest
evidence, we must seek the Word of
God
Financial Signs-James 5:1-4, gives
us the financial signs that are upon
us in these latter days" He gives
us picture of the rich men with
their accumulated wealth, "heaping
treasures together for the last days"
Also, he gives us a vivid picture of
the laborer whose hire is kept back
by fraud, and the cries of them which
have reaped are entered into the ears
of the Lord of saboath," i. e., fight be-
tween capital and labor
Certainly, we will all agree that to-
day Mammon is on the throne, and
| the love of God is on the cross. "In
the last days men shall be lovers of
money" Tim. 3:2. Fifty years ago
it was an uncommon thing to see a
millionaire; today a man is not con-
sidered so very wealthy unless he is
multi-millionaire. The money is in
the hands of the few Seven-tenths of
the wealth of this country few years
ago was in the hands of only five fam
lilies. Europe today is as per cent
poorer than she was twenty-five years
ago-the rich becoming richer, and
the poor poorer,
If Adam had saved 100000 per year !
from his day until now, he would not |
be worth what John d. Rockefeller is |
reported to be worth.
Physical Signs-James 5:4-S gives us |
certain physical signs that are upon |
us relative to the end of this age, and |.
the coming of the Lord. He is telling
the Jewish farmer to be patient until
he receive the early and latter rain"
If you will read Jer. 33, you will see
that the latter rain" had been with !
holden on account of Israels sinful
ness This has been true for nearly
1900 years, for no latter rain" has
fallen in Palestine. Two rainy sea-
sons are required to make a crop in
Palestine For all these years that
country has been desolate and void
of vegetation. However, within the
past few years the latter RAIN has
| returned, and God is fulfilling Eek.
36;34-S5. Jerusalem is being rebuilt
and the Jews are returning under
the Zioflistic movement from all parts
of the earth.-Isa, lilo.
In the prophecy of Daniel concern
ing the latter days, he tells us (Dan.
12:4), that MANY shall run TO and
fro, and knowledge shall be in
| creased"
One hundred years ago, the steam
engine was unknown; seventy-fiye
years ago there was no telegraph; |
and fifty years ago a telephone was
unheard of, tosay nothing of the later
inventions for travel. knowledge, etc. !
In 1896 there was in the United States, |
railroad mileage to the extent of 49,
054,S4O,243 miles. In the same year
there passed over these roads 535, 5,l2O,- |
756 passengers The railroad mileage |
for this same year over the world was |
2S, ,677 ,000, 900, with passengers amount |
ing to 1884 00O1OO In other words
Twice the population Vi lhe eai u |"u'u
go on an excursion to the sun ana |
back again nearly fifty times in one
year.
Our educational statistics show as
follows 1901-02, enrolment of schol- |
lars, 17,46O,OOO, increase of 16O,77O
over previous lear. In 1890 we had
1926 high school buildings, Ten years
thereafter we had 6,005, an incresae of
3,479. In 1901 we had 119,496 students
in our universities and colleges, an
increase of 4,225 over previous year.