Signs of the Times for 1941
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SIGNS OF THE TIMES eTHE WORLD' S PROPHETIC WEEKLY Vol. 68, No. 21 May 27, 1941 Circulation exceeds 120.000 copies weekly. THE SYMPHONY OF LIFE See page 4 LA TOUR 6 INT ATIONA L. Boston, home of the "minute men," is now training "minute women." These volunteers will stand ready for service in the Mobile Casualty Corps, the Mobile Canteen Corps, the Radio Corps, etc. All women living in Massa- ZENITH chusetts are eligible to join. • NEAR O FOLLOW the present conflict, one of the combatant's corners—but they, says a writer in Current History, too, have been touched by the war and "o I e needs not a map but a globe." are concerned with its outcome." he volcano which erupted in Europe "Indeed," he continues, "though the in 939 is now pouring its white-hot lava number of soldiers engaged in its battles in years gone by, but, even while they ev r farther and farther afield, even to does not yet compare with the hosts of have closed their eyes and wished, it the ends of the earth. the first World War, the present con- has swept on into new territories and lready, in less than two years, more flict already surpasses the struggle of brought destruCtion and desolation to th. n 1,300,000,000 human beings have 1914-18 in the extent of the areas affected still more helpless millions. Today we • be ome embroiled, or two thirds of the and in the breadth of its strategy. It has must all admit that we are faced with a en ire human race. Another 5oo,000,000 become truly a war of world-wide pro- world calamity of the first magnitude. in the United States, Egypt, and India portions, a war that concerns all human- Here before us is tragedy unsurpassed, ar still technically at peace although ity." literally global in its vastness. he vily involved indirectly. "Alone Many have been hoping against hope No wonder a reader of the Signs wrote a ong nations," says this writer, "the that this war might be localized and con- us last week frOm one of the war zones L. in American peoples are still in the fined within the boundaries of Conti- asking, "How hill it all end?" au•ience rather than in the ring or in nental Europe, as wars were wont to be Aye, how will it all end? Well may we ask. Be g ade, capital of Yugoslavia, as it was in March, 1941. Today all these buildings are in ruins. For ourselves we believe that these INTERNATIONAL awful scenes now taking place through I the world are the beginning of "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation" spoken of in the book of Daniel as one of the unmistak- able signs that the end of the world is at hand. Daniel 12:1. In the San Francisco Chronicle of April 26, Royce Brier, that very able com- mentator on World affairs, wrote these striking sentences: "Someway the air is different now, darker and more solemn with purpose. • It is nothing you can see, nothing the intellect can grasp and sort into pigeon- holes labeled T1oved' or 'Almost Proved' or 'Probable' or 'Possible.' No, it is a changing and rising mood, an inner feel- SIGNS of the TIMES ing that the issue with majestic uncon- every minute, day and night, throughout cern is rolling toward some zenith." OUR COVER this long period. He is right. There is a solemnity, a The blossoming of the desert, now The Bible Society began its work in dreadful solemnity about all that is tak- bringing such incomparable glory to the 2826 in the upper room of the office of ing place. We seem to know in our vast open spaces of the Southwest, is a wonderfully comforting picture in such a printer on Nassau Street, New York hearts that events are indeed moving an hour as this. Though the world may City. Today, from a six-story building, toward some zenith. And that zenith be filled with tragedy and sorrow, hope the Society conducts its activities through is the climax of all history foretold by need not die. God still lives, and His • promises of deliverance will not fail. 24 offices in the United States, and 32 the prophets of old. It is the divine in- This desert shall yet blossom as the rose. foreign offices and distribution centers tervention that earnest Christians have serving more than 40 countries. so long expected in answer to the as- "Whenever there is a war," says the surances of the word of God. the terrors of modern warfare have not Secretary's report, "the Society's records "At that time shall Michael stand up," yet struck. show that there is an increased demand says the prophecy. Yes. At that time. Not the least important of these les- for the Holy Scriptures, and this held When the time of trouble comes. As sons is suggested by a pointed cartoon true during 1940. The number of New tragedy piled on tragedy and sorrow upon by R. 0. Berg in a recent issue of the Testaments issued from the Bible House sorrow, and the burden of human per- Christian Herald. The famous cartoon- in New York, was the largest since 1922. plexity and, anguish becomes heavier ist pictures on one side a ruined church "With the close of 1940, the Thailand • than the mind of man can endure, then Agency of the Society rounded out 5o in England crowded with worshipers Christ will come with His glorious de- who have turned again to religion in the years. It was a notable year because, in liverance. midst of their suffering. On the other spite of war conditions and war prices, "Thy people shall be delivered." side he sets in contrast Mr. Average a reprinting of the entire Bible was com- He will not fail. He will not forget. American reading his Sunday morning pleted. The Thai type has hitherto taken And remember, "When ye see these newspaper and asking himself whether as much space for one line as the roman things come to pass, know ye that the or not he will bother to attend church does for three, but the revised type, oc- kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Luke this week. cupying far less space, makes possible 21:31. Without a doubt the vanishing a much smaller book. With the publica- churches of other lands should warn us tion of the Bible, a 'pocket' size New of the extreme seriousness of this dark Testament, and single Scripture portions, and evil hour and stir us to renewed ap- the 5oth year printing program in Thai- preciation of the religious privileges that land exceeded 12,000,000 pages. VANISHED "In the face of widespread and moun- CHURCHES remain to us. Some day we also may lose them. Let us cherish them, and tainous obstacles China's circulation for VEARS ago we used to write edito- make the most of them, while they are 2940 exceeded that of the year before. rials deploring the emptiness of Eng- ours. The hunger for Scriptures in China in- land's churches. The fact that in many creases continually. To meet this situa- large districts but few people took the tion the Bible Society took extreme meas- trouble to attend church on Sundays ures. Matrices for printing plates were seemed to us a sign of the times. And sent by air to West China. Trucks were it was. But something has happened since NOTABLE purchased to carry large loads from the then. ANNIVERSARY coast to the far interior. Some shipments • Hundreds of those same churches have went up the famous Burma Road. Others vanished. Figures published recently in N MAY 8 the American Bible So- trickled into distant provinces by the London show that up to the beginning O ciety celebrated its 125th anniver- steady and adroit operation of the Chi- of February, 2942, no less than 2,659 sary. During the past century and a nese Post Office. Mounting costs for churches of various denominations had quarter this remarkable organization for printing materials and for transporta- been wholly, or partially destroyed in the disseminating the word of God distrib- tion were only exceeded by the Society's bombing raids. uted over three hundred five million Bi- determination that the Scriptures must Nor has there been any respect of per- bles, Testaments, and Portions, an aver- get through. sons or denominations in this matter, age of four volumes of the Scriptures (Continued on page 14.1 the loss and damage being shared by all. Here is the record of churches com- A view of Umanak, fishing colony on the west coast of Greenland, now under the protection of pletely destroyed: Anglican, 287; Bap- the U. S. Government. INTERNATIONAL • tist, 89; Congregational, 123; Method- ist, 228; Presbyterian, 27; other Free Churches, 22; Roman Catholic, 58; total, 724. Churches seriously damaged are as follows: Anglican, 2,20o; Baptist, 206; Congregational, 98; Methodist, 448; Presbyterian, 18; other Free Churches, 40; Roman Catholic, 135; total, 2,945: grand total, 2,659. The loss in terms of money is not yet known, but must run • into many millions of dollars. These figures represent perhaps the most colossal destruction of religious edifices in the history of the world, an ominous fact not without its serious les- sons to people of other countries where for MAY 27, 1941 HE musicians are seated upon the broad stage and the audience is hushed as the conductor enters fro the wing, takes his place, and lifts his • aton.