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an iron man beating with a flail upon the souls of his congregation。 But
the souls of the faithful at Crome were made of india…rubber； solid rubber；
the flail rebounded。 They were used to Mr。 Bodiham at Crome。 The
flail thumped on india… rubber； and as often as not the rubber slept。
That morning he had preached； as he had often preached before； on the
nature of God。 He had tried to make them understand about God； what a
fearful thing it was to fall into His hands。 God they thought of
something soft and merciful。 They blinded themselves to facts； still more；
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they blinded themselves to the Bible。 The passengers on the 〃Titanic〃
sang 〃Nearer my God to Thee〃 as the ship was going down。 Did they
realise what they were asking to be brought nearer to？ A white fire of
righteousness； an angry fire。。。
When Savonarola preached； men sobbed and groaned aloud。 Nothing
broke the polite silence with which Crome listened to Mr。 Bodihamonly
an occasional cough and sometimes the sound of heavy breathing。 In the
front pew sat Henry Wimbush； calm； well… bred； beautifully dressed。
There were times when Mr。 Bodiham wanted to jump down from the
pulpit and shake him into life； times when he would have liked to beat
and kill his whole congregation。
He sat at his desk dejectedly。 Outside the Gothic windows the earth
was warm and marvellously calm。 Everything was as it had always been。
And yet； and yet。。。It was nearly four years now since he had preached that
sermon on Matthew xxiv。 7： 〃For nation shall rise up against nation； and
kingdom against kingdom： and there shall be famines； and pestilences； and
earthquakes； in divers places。〃 It was nearly four years。 He had had the
sermon printed； it was so terribly； so vitally important that all the world
should know what he had to say。 A copy of the little pamphlet lay on his
deskeight small grey pages； printed by a fount of type that had grown
blunt； like an old dog's teeth； by the endless champing and champing of
the press。 He opened it and began to read it yet once again。
〃'For nation shall rise up against nation； and kingdom against kingdom：
and there shall be famines； and pestilences； and earthquakes； in divers
places。'
〃Nineteen centuries have elapsed since Our Lord gave utterance to
those words； and not a single one of them has been without wars； plagues；
famines； and earthquakes。 Mighty empires have crashed in ruin to the
ground； diseases have unpeopled half the globe； there have been vast
natural cataclysms in which thousands have been overwhelmed by flood
and fire and whirlwind。 Time and again； in the course of these nineteen
centuries； such things have happened； but they have not brought Christ
back to earth。 They were 'signs of the times' inasmuch as they were signs
of God's wrath against the chronic wickedness of mankind； but they were
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not signs of the times in connection with the Second Coming。
〃If earnest Christians have regarded the present war as a true sign of
the Lord's approaching return； it is not merely because it happens to be a
great war involving the lives of millions of people； not merely because
famine is tightening its grip on every country in Europe； not merely
because disease of every kind； from syphilis to spotted fever； is rife among
the warring nations； no； it is not for these reasons that we regard this war
as a true Sign of the Times； but because in its origin and its progress it is
marked by certain characteristics which seem to connect it almost beyond
a doubt with the predictions in Christian Prophecy relating to the Second
Coming of the Lord。
〃Let me enumerate the features of the present war which most clearly
suggest that it is a Sign foretelling the near approach of the Second Advent。
Our Lord said that 'this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations； and then shall the end come。'
Although it would be presumptuous for us to say what degree of
evangelisation will be regarded by God as sufficient； we may at least
confidently hope that a century of unflagging missionary work has brought
the fulfilment of this condition at any rate near。 True； the larger number
of the world's inhabitants have remained deaf to the preaching of the true
religion； but that does not vitiate the fact that the Gospel HAS been
preached 'for a witness' to all unbelievers from the Papist to the Zulu。
The responsibility for the continued prevalence of unbelief lies； not with
the preachers； but with those preached to。
〃Again； it has been generally recognised that 'the drying up of the
waters of the great river Euphrates；' mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of
Revelation； refers to the decay and extinction of Turkish power； and is a
sign of the near approaching end of the world as we know it。 The capture
of Jerusalem and the successes in Mesopotamia are great strides forward
in the destruction of the Ottoman Empire； though it must be admitted that
the Gallipoli episode proved that the Turk still possesses a 'notable horn' of
strength。 Historically speaking； this drying up of Ottoman power has
been going on for the past century； the last two years have witnessed a
great acceleration of the process； and there can be no doubt that complete
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desiccation is within sight。
〃Closely following on the words concerning the drying up of
Euphrates comes the prophecy of Armageddon； that world war with which
the Second Coming is to be so closely associated。 Once begun； the world
war can end only with the return of Christ； and His coming will be sudden
and unexpected； like that of a thief in the night。
〃Let us examine the facts。 In history； exactly as in St。 John's Gospel；
the world war is immediately preceded by the drying up of Euphrates； or
the decay of Turkish power。