July, 1935
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
254
militarism. It is scarcely sixty days since Chiang Kai-Shek, generalissimo of the National government’s armies in China, ordered the immediate construction o f an efficient fighting machine. All male high school and college students were ordered to undergo at once a year’s period.of inten sive military training. Last April, Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of State in the cabinet of President Hoover, speaking at Princeton, N. J., said: Fifteen years ago, we were flushed with the enthusi asm of success. W e had been called out to saye the,-world. . . . After the great victory, it seemed as if it would be a comparatively easy matter to make secure these ob jects for which we had fought. Now, fifteen years after ward, these hopes seem to have crumbled into ashes in our hands. The miseries of an unparalleled economic de pression have enveloped the earth. Instead of peace, we see violence all around us. Instead of law and stability, revolution and change have swept over most o f the nations. Three years ago last January, Mrs. Allie Hazard Moore, internationally known astrologer, treasurer o f the Ameri can Academy of Astrologians— credited with forecasting the World War—declared that the stars are predicting an other period o f world-wide chaos and violence. She said: The United States is asleep on the edge of a volcano. Even now, China, Japan, India, and Spain are in dis tress. And Russia, Italy, and Germany are not far from chaos. This country sleeps, all unmindful o f the subter ranean rumblings which presage a period of upheaval and conflict. But her prediction was not altogether pessimistic, for she continued: When the smoke clears away, there will come a great Teacher who will lead the world out of violence, confu sion, and bloodshed, into light and peace, about the fall of 1936. Now, the writer holds no brief for astrology, nor for any other ism that throws open doors for demon powers to come in with their messages from the nether world. On the other hand, he does not ignore the fact that demons, at the first coming o f our Lord, seemed to understand Him •better than most men understood Him (Mk. 1 :23-25; Lk. 8:27, 28 ). Likewise, they grasped the truth of the preach ing of Paul better than even the most modern o f our mod ernists (Acts 16:16, 17) ! A t least, the prediction o f the Kansas City astrologer is interesting in the light o f present- day events. While we regret the setting of any date, and refuse to join the unregenerate in thinking o f our blessed Redeemer as merely “ a great Teacher,” yet we do believe that “ the United States is asleep on the edge o f a volcano,” only too “ unmindful of the subterranean rumblings.” W e believe that the three godless spirits o f Socialism, Communism, and Fascism are leading the world, with a rush, on to Armageddon-S“ violence, confusion, and bloodshed.” But, we also know that in that darkest hour, the “ Sun o f righteousness,” will burst through the clouds, and in His “ rising” (Isa. 60 :3 ), “ light and peace” shall.be enthroned where gross darkness and wild beasts now reign. In that day, whose dawn is nigh, “ The mountains [king doms] shall bring peace to the people, . . . by righteous ness . . . . In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abun dance o f peace so long as the moon endureth . . . . He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight . . . . blessed be his glo rious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen” (Psalm 72).
xJMyHouseofJJftj
"Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Psa. 127:1). High upon the pinnacle of dreams I built my house of life; Walled every room with beauty, Vowed no strife Should ever be admitted as a guest, in readiness my house should wait For my returning from each quest. Forgetting storms that find the highest hill, Without a backward glance jI turned away; Bravely it battled dogged elements, But time found there its prey. The drifting years were its lone visitors; I heard of days of revel in the halls; M y dreams warned me that I should hurry back, There were so many tear stains On the crumbling walls. Today I have come back from wandering— Is this my lovely house? This ruin, shattered, torn? Where are the beauty, sunshine, and the mirth, The dreams that cradled it Since it was born? Slowly have I walked about the rooms, Communed at length with loneliness, and doubt: It seems that since I did not heed their call, M y dreams believed me dead, And so moved out. Oh, surely, I will build it up again! There lives a Carpenter who knows The secrets of the storms, And winds, and strife; I trust His hands to furnish every room, This Carpenter who His miracles has wrought In many a broken, battered House of life. — Evelyn Pea rle Sloatman.
Verily, when spirits o f violence such as Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and other well-known madcaps are enthroned with such mighty power as they are, the days o f Noah have come again. Today, personified spirits o f violence— “ strong men,” as they are being called—men who are a law unto themselves, rule in absolute power over three and a quarter million of Europe’s three and three-quarters mil lion square miles, governing 285 million o f her 485 million inhabitants. Little wonder that the nations o f other conti nents are feverishly building their fortifications! Napoleon once said o f China: “ There lies a lion asleep! L et him sleep!” But even the almost countless millions o f China are astir— the lion is awaking—with the spirit of virulent
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs