THE more we think of the present war the more truly do we appreciate the words of the inspired prophet Isaiah: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” The English speaking world stands aghast at Herrvon Bethmann Hollweg’s contemptuous exclamation, “just for a scrap of paper.” We are accustomed to say, “An Englishman’s word is his bond,” and when that word is committed to paper we regard the promise as sacred indeed. Now, it would appear, there is nothing very grave in a breach of promise — from a Prussian point of view — and we are invited to concede a principle which, carried out to its logical conclusions, would mean the annihilation of every great committal. In an hour when sentiment can very easily be inspired by fallacious reasoning, it is necessary that we should know that the present European conflict has arisen from a powerful nation’s utter disregard of what its prominent Minister terms “a scrap of paper.” The “scrap of paper,” as a matter of fact, was a solemn international treaty, which, according to the laws of modern ethics, was binding to the last degree on those who subscribed their signatures. We have joined our allies in the present war “just for a scrap of paper.” To an Englishman, honor is the angel with the flaming sword who stands at the gate of life. What we have written, we have written, and by our promise we stand or fall. Rather than be false to our written word we are prepared to shed our last drop of blood. This noble attitude on the part of our country at the present time is suggestive of a vaster theme, to which we shall presently direct our attention.
At the beginning, let us recall that every privilege we enjoy as citizens of a great Empire is guaranteed to us by a “scrap of paper.” We notice that an American contemporary draws attention to this fact, and reminds its readers that Magna Charta is a scrap of paper, and the Declaration of Independence, and the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. And it wisely adds: “Respect for these scraps of paper measures a nation’s honor no less than its freedom. Our democracy itself is only a scrap of paper, but it loses forces no autocrat can stay. The German Army is the most wonderful military machine ever constructed by the hand and brain of man, but in the final reckoning of history this ‘scrap of paper’ will prove more powerful than all the Kaiser’s legions.” If we are to be judged by our fidelity to principle, we have no uneasiness as to the final reckoning of history. And, what is more, we shall yet prove that a scrap of paper is mightier than the sword. The terrible sack and massacre of Louvain — which is miles from the scene of real fighting — is yet another illustration of Prussian disregard for international law and Christian honor. It is an act of barbarism which has aroused the just indignation of all right-thinking men. As Christian people we must face facts as they are, even though all our old hopes have to be buried. We are not bitter, much less vindictive, and even through our tears we will strive to see our enemies in the best light, but the plain truth has to be admitted; true progress has been put back a hundred years.
Never in our lifetime shall we see the old friendship with Germany re-established. Germany has proved herself to be the enemy of the gospel of Christ, the enemy of Christian restraint, and there is only one thing left for spiritually minded people to do: they must pray for their enemies, and if it be said that this is impossible, we will make bold to suggest a prayer which fell from the lips of our blessed Lord: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” When a professing Christian nation can stoop to the infamous deeds of the last few weeks, there is no other judgment to pass. We are persuaded that our own country in this hour of bitter trial will remain loyal to every “scrap of paper” relating to our honor; and we sincerely believe that the deplorable events to which we have drawn attention will stimulate our own integrity, and quicken our own sense of right and wrong.
There is, however, a vaster theme which may well engage our thoughts at the moment. Do we realize that the revelation of the eternal God to sinful man is literally committed to a “scrap of paper”? Do we understand that the promises of Jehovah are given to us in written form? And do we see what would happen to us if He were to regard His pledges in the same way that our enemies have regarded their obligations? When we open the precious Book and read what God has promised to do for those who are obedient to His will, do we grasp the fact that our hope is built on nothing less than Jehovah’s word and righteousness? Have we ever stood before the amazing truth, “He by Himself hath sworn”? And do we say, “We on His oath depend”? As we face these searching questions, let us recall some words of assurance. We go back to an early age of the world when faith in God was young, and when darkness was round about the holy mount; and Joshua, old and well stricken in years, makes this noble declaration: “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, not one thing hath failed thereof” (Josh. 23:1414And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. (Joshua 23:14)) “Not one thing”; the smallest scrap of God’s paper is a holy pledge.
Or we turn to the second letter St. Paul sent to Timothy, and we read: “If we are faithless, He abideth faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.” Here, it should be noted, is nothing capricious; the suggestion is not that “He may not deny Himself,” but cannot. It is a fixed and eternal law of God Himself. In fear and trembling we may write our pledges and make our vows, and in the hour of supreme trial we may renounce the “scrap of paper,” but it does not affect His integrity: “He abideth faithful.”
But there is one passage which covers everything “For how many soever be the promises of God, in Him is the Yea, wherefore also through Him is the Amen, unto the glory of God.” It matters little for the moment how many and varied are the promises of God; the great fact to be noted is that in Christ they are all Yea and Amen. Not one thing has failed, and not one thing will fail of all the good things which the Lord our God has spoken concerning us. We must risk everything on the “scrap of paper,” for the promises of God cannot be broken. If God were to break His promise to a single soul that trusted Him, the earth would fall into a confusion beyond all our imaginations. Every hour and every second in this matchless universe, to feathered creature, string shoot, and trusting soul, God is fulfilling His word and honoring His promise. Our prospects, therefore, are always as bright as the promises of God. We may go to the blessed Book and receive His promise, and although it seems little more than a “scrap of paper,” we may prepare accordingly—we may take His pledge into account.
“The Life of Faith”