WAR has broken out between the Dutch Republic in South Africa and Great Britain. War at any time is a great evil, but it is especially so when waged between Christian nations. It is the spectacle of two Christian nations at war that at the present moment rivets the attention of the world. The spectacle is a lamentable one and must fill the heart of every lover of peace with sorrow and shame. The antagonists, moreover, are a stupendous contrast in strength and numbers. Think of the British Empire with its 400 millions of a population, and the Transvaal Republic, a mere handful, not 100,000 people altogether. According to human calculation there can be little doubt as to the result of the conflict; the Boers (or farmers) as the inhabitants of the Republic are called, must be defeated. Not certainly without a fierce struggle and great loss to this country. The question as to who is in the right is a different one, and is so complicated in many ways that personally we do not profess ability to settle it. To use a common phrase, there are likely faults on both sides. God is judge of all the earth, and will give justice to each one. His dealings, however, are often mysterious to us, and the right decision of many causes will not be known until the last day. Success and defeat on the plains of time are not necessarily equivalent to righteousness and unrighteousness. The righteous are often in adversity when the wicked are flourishing like a green bay tree.
There are many wheels in the movements of providence. The ostensible cause of this war is a controversy about political rights. There may be a more secret cause of it in the sins of the conflicting nations. The Boers have undoubtedly their sins to account for, and to all appearance are to get sharp chastisement for them. But the British nation has also her large reckoning of sins, and will not escape the righteous judgment of God. It seems to us this nation is filling up the cup of her iniquities, and it will be no surprise though she should suffer very severely during the present war. Of course, many are sublimely insensitive to our national sins, but that does not make them any less, it rather shows that our declension has gone well nigh irrecoverably deep. Look at the almost entire disregard of God and the Bible in the deliberations of our legislature, the prevailing desecration of the Lord’s day in our towns and villages, the drunkenness, gambling, and immorality which abound on many hands, and the indifference, irreligion, worldliness, contempt of God’s ordinances which have come upon us like a flood; and let anyone who knows the past history of this land, say if we are not ripening for the judgments of God.
In connection with this war, we cannot fail to see the finger of judgment apart from the particular question at issue. The chief reason why there are so many British people in the Transvaal is the existence of gold there. We do not take up the absurd position that it is wrong to go in search for gold. It is quite lawful to do so, and many upright men have engaged in the work. But the fact nevertheless remains that the search for gold, when not regulated by the highest principles, strengthens the basest passions of the human heart. The gold seeker at home and abroad is frequently one of the most unscrupulous of men. The Scriptures are verified to the last degree—”But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”—(1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.) As far as we learn, the Outlanders of the Transvaal, with the exception of a small minority, are just an illustration of these verses. Johannesburg, the centre of their operations is said to be a cesspool of iniquity. Need we be surprised that the Lord has manifested His displeasure against them by permitting the present state of things to arise? Many of these men were brought up in religious surroundings in the home country. Not satisfied with a plain living here, they went out to seek a fortune in South Africa. There they have chosen to cast off the restraints of their early training, and to go in for a gross irreligious life. The greed of gain has taken possession of them, and all the commandments of God must go to the winds. The Lord’s day is there, as elsewhere, treated with great contempt. Now, for all this God will bring the Outlanders to judgment. They have already felt the touch of His finger, but if they repent not, they will know the weight of His arm to the full. We have no difficulty then in understanding why Britain and the Boers are at war. The British at home and abroad are to be chastised for their contempt of God and His commandments.
We read in the newspapers humiliating accounts of the war spirit as exhibited in the wild enthusiasm that attends the outgoing of forces from this country. Thousands of people, in a state of mad excitement, have been thronging and cheering our regiments during the process of embarkation for the seat of war. Many poor young fellows of the reserves are leaving their homes perhaps never to return. Their friends stand weeping at the railway station, while the promising warriors wave their adieu with the one hand and imbibe draughts of stimulus from the whisky bottle with the other. Truly a sad sight and not a hopeful outlook for the future!
The meaning of war is realised by very few. It not merely means the loss of many precious lives, but the loss of many precious souls also. The poor, godless soldier is insanely unconscious of the melancholy prospect that is before him. He rushes on in the pursuit of undying fame and glory, when, the bullet striking him in a vital part, he is precipitated, with his wretched lust-bemangled soul, into the blackness and darkness and torments of an undone eternity. Let no one suppose this is an imaginary or fictitious picture. There is nothing in all the world more terribly real than this. What a different spirit then should animate the soldier than that which generally pervades him! Instead of trusting to his own sword or rifle for success, he should fix his confidence upon the mighty power of God. Instead of breathing out boastings and threatenings, he should pour out his soul in confessions, petitions, and cries to God. Instead of defiling his lips with the rollicking bacchanalian song, he should tune his voice for the songs of Zion. There were soldiers in days of old who were also soldiers of Jesus Christ. Prayer and praise were heard upon the battlefield. The worship of God was observed in the soldiers’ tents. All this we fear is becoming a thing of the past. The Boers are more noble than we in this, let their present contention be right or wrong.
In conclusion, we express the hope that this war may be brought to a speedy end. All who fear the Lord will certainly pray for this. As yet, the British arms have been successful, though attended with heavy losses, and before these pages are in the hands of our readers the final battle may be fought. It is devoutly to be wished that at the end of the conflict matters will be settled in a way consistent with the principles of that righteousness which exalteth the nations of the world.
“TAKE away a toy from a child, and give him another and he is satisfied, but if he be hungry, no toy will do. Thus, as newborn babes, true believers desire the sincere milk of the word; and the desire of grace in this way is grace.”—John Newton.
“THE generality make out their righteousness by comparing themselves with some others whom they think worse; thus, a woman of the town, who was rotting in the Lock Hospital, was offended at a minister speaking to her as a sinner, because she had never picked a pocket.”—John Newton.