The public press of Europe is today dank and dark. It is poisoned and prejudiced with reports of ambition, hatred, war, and revenge—and all in the setting of false news and twisted truths. The mob mind, as usual, stirred to frenzy by plotting politicians, canonizes the evil and crucifies the good. We do not think that another world war is just at hand, but things are in the worst jam of all history and cannot go on in this way indefinitely. It really seems as if the hosts of evil are concentrating everything in the supreme effort to win in the final controversy of earth.
Mankind feels uprooted. Society is breaking. Goodness, morality, holiness, and even decency seem dead, or at least dormant. The national and international channels of industry and trade—the means of making a living—are like the river Euphrates, drying up. Governments of every kind stand helpless. One country after another, though deifying the supremacy and autocracy of the totalitarian state,—making man a god,—declares itself bankrupt, unable or unwilling to pay. The power of law is despised.
But the state of religion is even more deplorable. The gigantic priesthoods and cults of superstitious heathendom have lost their former strong grip on the multitudes—a fact of great promise and of great peril. Islam stands divided between frenzied fanaticism and skeptical stupidity or indifference. The Papacy, proud and boasting of progress, though defeated in some lands, is near its triumph of glory—and then of final doom.
Weakened by Modernism and internal dissension the Protestant bodies are not only in hostile confusion, they are alarmed, retreating and financially embarrassed. What graphic evidence of this was seen in the recent session of the "Life and Work" congress, where many noble, godly men tried earnestly, but in vain, to stem the tide. Even the great cause of foreign missions, that supreme, acid test of any church, is waning. Because of decreasing incomes, scores of missionaries from different societies are being called home.
However, in the midst of the present world downfall, three vital facts of courage and hope stand forth: (1)Weary and troubled by the prevailing unrest, thousands are turning with earnest longing to the Bible and divine things. (2) In this day of darkness and despair, God has sent His message and messengers. The advent hope and movement is the beacon light of this age. (3) To many of our leaders and members is coming a new spiritual life and power, and a new missionary zeal. The angel of Revelation 18:1 is doing his appointed work.
This is indeed the day of God for the advent cause. If we fail at this time, we fail forever. We must now appeal for larger things in the Lord's work. We as workers must lead our people in a great advance. That advance must be on our knees, for we shall win only through humble, prevailing prayer. We need to evaluate anew the worth of a soul. Money and all things earthly lose in value every day. The only things worthwhile are the things of God —to exalt Christ, to defend the faith, to over-come sin, to save the lost. - -The--appalling religious apostasy of our day should, yes, must lead us into a new love, a new loyalty, and a new zeal.
Middlesex, England.
