WE have been asked whether the present course of events in the Far East modifies the views expressed in “Russia’s Destiny”?
Not in the least. Ezekiel 38 and 39 cannot be affected by passing events. If the Christian’s kingdom belonged to this world, the sudden and amazing awakening of the Japanese people might well cause alarm. In the course of a few years they have sprung to the very front ranks as a military and naval power. They, much better than Russia, could educate the vast hordes of Chinese, who only want leaders to become as formidable as their neighbors.
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The present check to Russia will doubtless teach their rulers the lesson that national greatness cannot be reached through oppression of the people, and through religious superstition and bigotry.
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May we not see in Japan’s successes in Korey God’s answer to His people’s prayers? How many a heart has been lifted in earnest supplication both in private and public prayer that God would protect His people in Korea, and no suffer the horrors of war to hinder His work in the gospel. Had the Russian soldiery, drunken with victory, swept the Korean peninsula with their cruelties and barbarities, how different would the result have been! Truly God answers prayer in ways His people little expect.
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Has not Russia a lesson to learn because of its persecution of the Jews? The atrocities and murders of Kischineff have not been unobserved by high Heaven. Greater judgment yet will fall upon the empire of the North — “It shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezek. 38:1616And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:16)). It will be observed that no mention is made in this chapter of ships; the great company that will come up upon the land is described as an “army, horses, and horsemen.” This is quite in keeping with an association of the Eastern nations under the leadership of Russia; not that the king of the North will be without his ships (Dan. 11:4040And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)), only this will be before the scene described in Ezekiel takes place.
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Canon Henson has voiced the utter infidelity that is, alas! to be found amongst a large and increasing number of the ordained ministry of the day, both in Church and Dissent. He speaks of the Bible containing “incredible, puerile, and demoralizing narratives.” Is he ignorant, or does he assume that his readers are ignorant, of the fact that the very narratives he impugns have been amply verified by recent discoveries? Records are constantly coming to light, turned up by the excavator’s pick-ax and shovel, which show the absolute reliability of the Bible. Saving faith can only be produced by the action of the Spirit of God through the Word upon the heart and conscience, but it is presuming upon people’s ignorance or indifference to speak of the Bible narratives as a “pack of lies, too gross for toleration.” We say nothing of the appalling blasphemy of it — and this from a Canon of the Church!
Christian readers, what Church can this be that tolerates such ministry, or is incapable of dealing with it? Certainly it is not the Church of God! “Be not partakers of her sins” (Rev. 18:2-42And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation 18:2‑4)).
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Dr. Clifford, rejoicing over the Canon’s unbelief, hopes that the day is not far distant when his brethren in the Establishment will break away from the fetters of their system sufficiently to be able to read portions of Shakespeare, Thomas Carlyle, &c., in the pulpit, as he has for long done himself. He is kind enough to allow that the Bible will still, no doubt, be useful for moral instruction!
It is refreshing to turn away from all this to what God is doing for the honor of His name and the glory of His Son. From where we write a mighty movement is taking place amongst the people. Crowds of young and old are attending the gospel meetings, and many are being saved.
Since March last year, when we first suggested times of special prayer for God’s blessing to souls, we have heard of multitudes of men, women, and children being converted in the British Isles.
“ Pray, brethren, pray! The sands are falling;
Pray, brethren, pray! God’s voice is calling.
You turret strikes the dying chime;
We kneel upon the verge of time:
Eternity is drawing nigh.”