Sunday Morning at the Birmingham Christadelphian Ecclesia, No. 85
“Exhort one another daily.”—Paul.
The Declaration of War by Russia against Turkey.
p. 260It would be unnatural to allow the present occasion (April 29) to pass without taking some notice of the great events that have begun to transpire since we last assembled around the table of the Lord. As you are aware Russia has declared war against Turkey, contrary to the expectation of the public in general, which down to the last moment fostered a belief that the Eastern Question would be settled without a resort to arms, and already we hear of rapid movements on the part of the Russian armies. This event, which is contrary to the general expectation, is the one event we have been looking for, for a long time. We have been looking for it p. 261because it is revealed through Daniel, Ezekiel and John (taking them conjointly), that in the time of the end, the Turkish Empire, in a state of exhaustion, would be invaded and overthrown by her powerful Russian neighbour from the north.
And we have been looking for it, and watching the symptoms of its approach with an intensity of interest attaching to no other human anticipation, because we have been led by the same revelation to look in connection with it for the return of Christ to the earth, which is all our salvation and all our desire. For many years we have been talking to one another about it, and to a limited extent we have called the attention of the public to the matter. But to many, our words seemed the words of fanaticism. Even to certain classes of brethren perhaps, it seemed pretty much a matter of sensational talk, ending in nothing; but now the very event we have been looking for has blazed forth in lines of fire before the gaze of all the world What has been a matter of expectation and faith for many years is now a matter of sight. Of course, some will say it is the mere natural evolution of politics; a mere result of the sufferings inflicted by Turkey upon the Christian races who inhabit her empire. But this does not take away from the significance of the event. We all know that God makes use of the discussions and the passions of men to bring about the purposes He may have formed concerning their affairs. With the means by which a predicted result is brought about, we need not trouble ourselves much, though the process of its fulfilment may be interesting. What we have to do with is the fact, in its naked simplicity, that for whatever reason, Russia in this time of the end, has at last made war on the power holding Jehovah’s land. It is a great reviving of the eyes to those who “in weariness and painfulness and watchings oft” have for a long time been tracing the finger of God in the affairs of the nations, it is indeed a great reward of itself to live to see with our eyes the fulfilment of what is written in the sure word of prophecy. It helps us to realize that so it will be with the coming of Christ, to which these events are related: a matter of longing faith for generations at last overwhelming us with joy at its actual occurrence. As sure as Russia has declared war against Turkey, so surely will Christ be manifested as Russia’s destroyer on the mountains of Israel, and conqueror of all kingdoms upon earth.
But it may be said, Russia has declared war with Turkey before now, with no other result than a re-adjustment of their political relations on a new basis, and that what has happened before may happen again. Russia was turned back in the struggle upon which she entered in 1854, and so some may say it may be again. There is a cogent answer to any suggestions of this sort, and we cannot perhaps do better on the present occasion than look at it briefly.
When Russia declared war in 1854, the minds of the brethren then, as now, were greatly exercised with interest and hope. There was, however, a difference in the particular view in which it was regarded from that in which the present declaration presents itself. Although we were delighted with the event, and disposed to regard it as the commencement of the appointed movement of the King of the North, we could not, and did not shut our eyes to the fact, that there was a substantial margin both as regarded time and events to be filled up before we could look for the Lord’s coming, We distinctly recognised that at least fifteen years must elapse before the most desirable event could be looked for, on account of the period prophetically assigned for the Papal domination, lacking that number of years of its completion. We also saw that several important changes had to transpire in European affairs before the time was ripe, and the most we hoped for was that the p. 262Russian movement then commenced would continue concurrently with those changes, and be protracted till the end itself was reached There was not of course at that time, the same prevalence of understanding that now exists; I mean the same power to perceive independently the grounds of these expectations. We were indebted more or less to Dr. Thomas’s readings of public events. Under his guidance we were able to see in the light of the prophets that several obstacles lay in the way of that early consummation of the time of the end, which the movement of Russia might otherwise have led us to look for. Some of these will be recognised, when I say that at that time, Turkey was in a state of comparative vigour, not having reached the point of exhaustion required by the symbol of the dried river. France was in the ascendant under Louis Napoleon as the Imperial arbiter of Europe. We knew that her power had to be broken, and that the Empire which had come up like a meteor must disappear like the same before France could take that subordinate position in the European body politic required by her symbolization, as one of the ten horns to make war against the Lamb at his appearing. The Pope at that time was the sovereign ruler of three states, in which the remnant of his original power was upheld by French bayonets, with the consent and approbation of a hundred millions of European Catholics. The going forth of the Franco frog-demons from Constantinople, Vienna and Rome, had not as yet complicated the affairs of the nations with that pre-adventual war-developing effect which the symbolism of the sixth vial required. Then, nothing tangible was heard of anywhere in the shape of schemes for the regeneration of the Holy Land and its ancient inhabitants the Jews; and as the partial re settlement of the land of Israel was a pre-adventual necessity, the absence of any sign in this direction, excluded sanguine expectations Finally, Turkey was supported by three powerful Allies, whose co-operation in the war, seemed to interfere with the application of Daniel’s prophecy of an unaided war between the King of the North and the occupant of Thrace and Syria
For all these reasons, the anticipations of the brethren were tempered with a sense of unripeness in the situation which prevented undue expectation. But now, the scene is totally changed. All the obstacles formerly existing have disappeared one by one. To begin with, the time is up. The period of Papal domination ended in 1866-8—at the time appointed. The power of the Pope passed visibly away before the eyes of the world when (Papal Austria having been overthrown by anti-Papal Prussia) the French troops returned after the temporary evacuation of 1866, and administered the government of the Pope in the name of the French Emperor. In 1870, even this form of Papal power vanished from sight before the advance of the Italian troops, who, consequent on the German overthrow of the French, took possession of Rome, and put an end to “the temporal power of the Pope,” which with his ecclesiastical power disappeared so far as that means power to punish ecclesiastical offences with civil disabilities. Next, the French Empire has accomplished its mission in embroiling Europe from the three appointed centres—Constantinople, Vienna and Rome; and having done this, it has passed away, as Dr. Thomas always said it must. It passed away with a great noise, and left France helpless in the grip of Germany, by which its power to control European events has been effectually neutralised, and the leadership transferred to Russia. Next; Turkey has sunk to that point of political weakness and disorganization which the symbol of the dried Euphrates requires. She is the byeword of Europe. Her existence, formerly the dread of p. 263civilization, is now the political anomaly of the time—the dried and shrunken shadow of former greatness—the laughing stock of politicians. In this state, she has had the hardihood to provoke war with the formidable power of the north; and whereas, in 1854, in a state of comparative strength, her own power was backed up with the resources of the British and French Empires and the kingdom of Sardinia, in alliance with her, she is now without a friend, and stands face to face with a power whose military strength is just as much superior to what it was in 1854 as Turkey is inferior to what it was at that time.
Then the Holy Land has come into much notice of recent years. It has been the subject of a scientific survey: it is the object of various schemes for the re-settlement of the Jews in a limited way. We ourselves, you all recollect, as Zion’s children taking pleasure in her stones, took part on a certain interesting Sunday morning about two years ago, in a contribution called for by an appeal which went through the world on behalf of the Jews and the Holy Land. As a matter of fact, Jerusalem is reviving, both as regards Jewish buildings and Jewish population, while all the rest of the Turkish Empire is in a state of retrogression, and it only requires a change of government to stimulate the existing schemes into the degree of activity necessary to bring about that partial re-occupation of the mountains of Israel which must precede the Russian perdition there. Finally, the preparation of a people, waiting and watching for the coming of the Lord, has attained a much more advanced point of development than was the case in 1854. In fact, such a people could scarcely at that time be said to exist The foundation was laid for their development; the rudiments of their existence were visible; but as a people, they were only in embryo. Even now, there is nothing to boast of, but as compared with what existed then, the latter-day situation has received an element of completeness in the creation of a private, unofficial, unknown body of people whose leading characteristic is that looking and longing for the appearance of Christ, which Paul defines as an attribute of the accepted found alive in the day of his coming.
In the light of all these facts, it will be seen that there is a great difference between the Russian declaration of war in 1854 and that by which our hearts have just been gladdened. In 1854, we were gladdened, but the gladness was mixed with a feeling that the end could not yet be. In 1877, our gladness is stimulated by the perception that nothing necessarily lies between us and the event upon which our hearts are set with strong desire—the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is this which imparts such peculiar zest and yet solemnity to the events now begun. We have waited long, and patiently, and persistently called attention to what is written in the Scriptures of truth during all that time. Those of us who have not waited so long cannot well enter into the feelings of pure satisfaction with which long-deferred hope (not, however, thanks be to God, allowed to sicken the heart) is now realised before our eyes. All of us, however, have a common interest in this ripening of the Divine purpose on the earth. These events among the nations are interesting only because of their relation to the re-appearance of Christ in the earth to place the name and the wisdom of God where they ought to be among men. Away from this event, they would be the opposite of cheering: they would be terrifying as pointing to the possible re-establishment of barbarism. But comprehended as the prelude to the kingdom of God, they inspire us with a feeling of anticipation too great and high and wide to be expressed.
However, Christ is not here yet; and p. 264we may have to wait longer than some may think probable from present appearances. Let us prepare for whatever may be in store for us in this respect. Events may rush on without delay in the channel of our expectations, but they may not, and yet establish the vision. Those of us who have been watching the signs of the times for nearly a quarter of a century, can remember how frequently it happened that when things seemed to go wrong, it afterwards turned out that this going wrong of things (as we imagined) was the very means of bringing about the result we were looking for. So, should the Russian conquest of Turkey be a slower process than we are expecting, or should even the process be stopped in course of time by a treaty of peace which should leave Turkey still an independent, though reduced Power, and Russia only a little enlarged in territory, let us not imagine there is any failure in the prophetic word, which deals rather with the sequences of events than the time occupied in their development Let us rather be prepared to look upon such an issue as the preparation for the next and final step, Peace there must be at some stage or other of the events now in progress; at least it is natural to think so. It is scarcely conceivable that the Jewish colonization of the Holy Land could take place in a time of war. It seems reasonable to expect a lull in the course of events for the accomplishment of this item in the programme. The present attack on Turkey is necessary to precipitate this; for not otherwise could the English Government be influenced to coincide in so revolutionary a measure as the separation of Egypt and Syria from the Turkish jurisdiction, and the substitution of British suzerainty for that of the Sultan. The final triumph of the Russian Gog is not to be looked for till England is in this position, and the Jews under her wing: a remnant of the Turkish Power might survive the present attack—to be engulfed in the renewed military inundation from the North by and bye.
On the other hand, there may be no halt in the progress of events. Russian success may be so decided that the Turkish power may collapse entirely, beyond the power of any of the governments to save a vestige of it, and England may be forced into the acceptance of a territorial partition which would give her the southern section of the Turkish Empire. In this case, Syria might be occupied without delay by the thousands of Israel, who are only waiting the signal in all parts of the world; and with very little interval the career of the Russian conquest, impatient of restraint, might quickly be resumed, with the result of bringing the hosts of Gog to the mountains of Israel, to be smitten by the Lord. The advanced state of the times and the state of alliances on the Continent, admits of the possibility of this, in which case, the Lord’s arrival to judge his household might be a matter of any day’s occurrence.
It is ours, while rejoicing in the glorious phase into which the signs of the times have passed, to be prepared for any unrevealed vicissitude that may be in store for us, or, on the other hand, to be ready to be hurried at once to that consummation in the presence of the Lord. It is obvious that one matter and one matter only, will be the subject of engrossing solicitude with every enlightened saint; the crisis will become unspeakably momentous in its individual bearing when Christ is announced in the earth. The supreme question will be: “what is Christ’s estimate of my relation to him?” This is a question depending upon present facts. If we are walking in the way marked out in the directions of the spirit in the writings of the apostles, we have no reason to fear. Much will be forgiven to those who are of a broken and contrite heart, trembling at the word of Jehovah, and addicting themselves to those things in which He delights. Those who have p. 265cause for apprehension, are those whose affections are set on things on earth, and whose hearts but feebly care for the things of God, and who, in consequence, walk but very slackly in accordance with the commandments delivered unto us. Those who are oppressed with a sense of self-deficiency—provided it do not amount to the possession of an evil conscience—wrong themselves in abandoning hope. “God hath not called us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is not unrighteous to forget our work of faith and labour of love. Its being mixed with fear is a recommendation rather than otherwise; for thus we are required to work out our salvation. We are commanded to work in the spirit that is able, with a full discernment of its truth to say when we have done all, “Behold, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.” When this is our case, we may take comfort. We have to deal with a judge who is merciful to the shortcomings of those who love him. He has said “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.” The misfortune is that people don’t “come” in the sense of his words, but rather go away, “every one to his own way.” Such as wait on him, with hearts hungry and thirsty after righteousness, may remember with joy that such have a merciful and faithful high priest in Christ, before whom they may with the confidence of love and the boldness of a good conscience, stand for manifestation in the day when he gathers to himself for the great work of the age to come, the men and women whom God hath given him from all the generations of the human race.
EDITOR.