Signs of the Times

Great political upheavals in the Middle East have changed the governments of three Arab states and brought Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s dream of a United Arab Empire closer to reality. In the past six months Yemen, Iraq and Syria have experienced swift military coups, as pro-Nasser forces have taken control of the governments.

Yemen

In September of 1962, Nasser engaged military forces to assist in the overthrow of the feudal dynasty of Yemen. Egypt dis­patched 12,000 troops with heavy air sup­port to the northern border to insure the permanence of the pro-Nasser revolutionary government of President Abdullah Salal. It wasn’t until December 19th that the United States announced diplomatic recognition of the revolutionary government, on the con­dition that Nasser would pull out his troops. It was feared that the presence of this military build-up would incite an all-out Arab war. Nasser agreed to withdraw his troops, providing Saudi Arabia and Jordan ceased their military aid to the de­posed Royalists. He failed to do this; in­stead, increased Egyptian military forces to 23,000.

Yemen fought fiercely against the pro-Nasser forces. Financial aid from Jordan and Saudi Arabia hired 30,000 fierce warlike tribes from the wilds of Yemen who engaged in savage and primitive com­bat with the Egyptian troops. The superior weight of Nasser’s strong military strength backed up with Russian built MIG fighter jets overwhelmed the opposition and ensured the security of Salal’s new govern­ment.

The United States was compelled to step in as negotiator to exert pressure on Saudi Arabia to prevent all out intervention that could have resulted in a major Middle East explosion. At the same time steps were taken to prevent an attempt by Yemen to overthrow Saudi Arabia. Britain has deep interests in the oil rich shiekdoms that must be protected. Nasser, of course has an intense interest in the rich oil supplies of Yemen, now in control of officials sympathetic to Egypt and hostile to the oil monarchs of the rest of the Arabian Penin­sula. Nasser is eyeing these rich oil shiek­doms adjacent to Yemen that are now under British protectorate.

Iraq

A bloody revolt that swiftly overthrew the government of Abdul Karim Kassem and added to Egypt’s hope for Arab unity, took place on February 8th of this year. Kassem was killed, and through strong Communist opposition, a group or revolu­tionists fought their way to the control of the government. Bloody reprisals against the Communists have resulted, with scores being killed, others hunted down and either shot or jailed.

The new leaders are members of the Barath (Resurrection) Socialist Party, founded in 1951, who are advocators of a Socialist Arab unity. The party has fol­lowers in Lebanon and Jordan as well as in Iraq and Syria, claiming to be “admirers” of Nasser but not his men. “Unaligned in world affairs”. Iraq under Kassem was the biggest Soviet salient into the Middle East. This ever throw means a great loss to the Russians.

The Soviets had sold Kassem 14 fac­tories, a railroad, four state farms, a radio station and a telephone exchange; all on time. In addition to these, military aid in the form of Arms, MIG-21 jet fighters, ground to air missiles, hundreds of tanks and artillery vehicles, radar equipment and other essentials were supplied Iraq. When the government toppled, there were 1500 Russian military and civilian technicians in Iraq.

Syria

Right on the heels of the Iraq coup, pro-Nasser military forces succeeded in seizing control of the Syrian government. The rebels promised a “hand of freedom” to the United Arab Republic’s Nasser. It was just 18 months ago that Syria severed re­lations with the U.A.R. Deputy Premier Ali Saleh el Saadi of the new Iraqi government announced that “his country, Syria and the United Arab Republic will definite­ly unite.” This statement came from a meeting between an Iraqi official delega­tion and Syrian government representatives, in which it was agreed that efforts would be consolidated to effect union.

The joint meeting proposed that Syria, Iraq and U.A.R., Algeria (whose leader Premier Ahmed Bene Bella had close ties with Nasser throughout Algeria’s long war with France) and Yemen join in a unified military command as a step towards Arab confederacy. El Saadi recommended that these five nations should be given the prerogative to cross over borders of any of the five states “in the event of being threat­ened by outside aggression”; or if any member state were menaced by “an inter­national plot backed by imperialism to topple the progressive government.”

Although Salah El Bitar, the new Pre­mier of Syria refused to give any comments on his government’s policies, it was hinted that a reunion with President Nasser’s United Arab Republic was now possible.

Jordan, Iraq and the U.A.R. were quick to grant formal recognition to the new rev­olutionary junta. As the Tidings goes to press, the United States also made diplo­matic recognition.

Nasser’s dream of a United Arab republic

With the promising changes in Algeria, Iraq, Yemen and now Syria, Nasser’s hope of some day having a united Arab world seemed a step closer. It does not appear, presently, that any of the new revolutionary governments will merge with Nasser’s Egypt. The Egyptian president, realizing this, has now made it known that he is willing to accept a union of Arab states having common aims. He would still like to see a “free” Arab empire stretching from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans, which would lay the ground work for Egyptian sharing in the oil wealth of the Middle East.

There is considerable concern among Western diplomats that Saudi Arabia might be the next to be toppled by pro-Nasser forces. Some warned that a coup in Jor­dan would make the already precarious Israeli border dispute even more explosive, perhaps igniting a new Arab-Jewish war. With the coup in Syria, Israeli armed forces were put on the alert. Should Jordan fall to pro-Nasser forces, Israel will be virtual­ly surrounded by hostile and aligned Arab states. Apart from the hand of God, Israel would surely be swallowed up. However, it is not in the Divine plan that the descendents of Esau and Ishmael should gain the ascendency over Israel. Quite the op­posite is true, as is evident from the pro­phecy of Obadiah, who foretold the con­quering of Israel’s latter day foes through the power of “saviours” ruling from Mount Zion:

“And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepha­rad, shall possess the cities of the south. And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.” (Obadiah 20-21)

The year that has just closed has been one of many crises. It has witnessed more than once the two great nuclear powers poised on the very brink of war. Many had thought that the nature of circumstances would surely precipitate the world into a nuclear conflict. Time and again mounting tension between the world powers seemed to make a fighting war inevitable. The recent crisis in Cuba has brought home to all a realization of just how quickly a nuclear conflict could be started.

One would have supposed that the events of the past year would have brought the allies of the two camps closer together in an effort to consolidate their defensive strength. Instead, a rather strange trend of circumstances has weakened alliances on both sides of the iron curtain. Weakening factors have crept in and have tended to separate and isolate nations, who, a short while ago were dependent on one another for survival.

Britain’s fight for Survival

Suffering from internal and external diffi­culties, swift moving events have plunged Britain into a lesser role in world affairs. The closing months of 1962 have demon­strated just how severely she has suffered. France’s President de Gaulle has refused Britain membership in the Common Market unless severe prerequisites are met. France possesses what amounts to veto power in the continental European body, and thus is in a position to press Britain for concessions which would be impossible for her to make. Gone are the days when Great Bri­tain could rely on her Commonwealth na­tions for aid both financially and politically. Some of these are neutral, some uncommit­ted, and at least one has leanings toward Communism. The only assurance that Bri­tain emerged with from the Nassau talks with U.S. President Kennedy in December was that the United States would do what it could to get her admitted into the Common Market.

To add to the embarrassing position Bri­tain now finds herself in, the United States decided to shelve the nuclear Skybolt mis­sile, thus dashing to pieces Britain’s hope of achieving an independent nuclear cap­ability. The U.S. had promised to supply Britain with at least 100 Skybolt missiles. The constant failure of the missile to func­tion properly and the probable $2½ billion which the United States would have to pour into it, made the decision inevitable. The blow was somewhat softened by the offer to supply Britain with the tested and proved Polaris missiles. However, it is esti­mated that it will be 1970 before Britain can produce nuclear powered submarines from which to launch them. By then, it is probable that the Polaris missile will be­come a part of an overall European nu­clear force. Eventually, it is planned that this missile will be incorporated into a supranational NATO nuclear force.

All in all, relations between Britain and the United States have suffered, as Britain has declined in power and importance in world events. Following is a quotation from U.S. News and World Report, that expresses this reduction of power: “Asses­sing Britain’s strength at the time of the Nassau meeting, American experts came up with this gloomy picture: Within 20 years, Britain’s control over 510 million people in an Empire of 16 million square miles has shriveled to shreds of an Empire with fewer than 25 million people outside Bri­tain.”

French Independence

The offer to provide France with the Polaris missile or ultimately include France in an European nuclear force was flatly re­fused by President deGaulle. The rift be­tween the U.S. and Britain was viewed sus­piciously by France who is holding out for a separate and independent nuclear deterrent. “We will build and employ ourselves our own atomic force,” said de Gaulle. “I have several times indicated publicly French policy on defense and the armament which France feels necessary for her own defense. I repeat that France intends to have her own national defense.”

France, like Great Britain does not have the submarines necessary to launch the Po­laris missiles, nor does she have the capability of producing nuclear powered subs. Assistance would also have to be given to reduce the size of France’s war heads, which weigh twice as much as the Polaris payload.

President de Gaulle’s blockade to Bri­tain’s entry into the Common Market and his rejection of Polaris missile offer by the U.S. was regarded as a double damaging blow to the Western Alliance. It is ap­parent that France resents the leading role that America is playing among European nations, undoubtedly visualizing herself as the leading power in the new “United States” of Europe.

Russia-China ideological war

The Western Alliance is not alone in her suffering of internal problems. The Com­munist bloc also is experiencing trouble be­tween its two biggest powers; Russia and Red China. The Kremlin’s drift to world conquest by means of economical superi­ority and other ways short of war is in direct opposition to China’s insistence of conquest by force. Nikita Khrushchev is fearful that an irresponsible action by China might precipitate the world into a nuclear war. If Russia and the United States, the two leading nuclear powers were destroyed, China would emerge as the victor. Even if two or three hundred million Chinese per­ished in the holocaust there would still be a half a billion to take control of the world.

Mao- Tse-tung feels that Russia is keep­ing China in the background as a second rate world power Khrushchev’s peaceful coexistence is viewed as defeatism by Red China, who strongly believes and advocates that war with the United States is inevitable if Communism is to triumph. Apart from party affiliation, there is little to hold these two powers together. Their histories have been one of constant warfare and invasion. Even today long stretches of the 5,000 mile border that separates Russia and China are indeterminable. Red China has never relinquished its claim to outer Mongolia, now a Soviet satellite.

As the Tidings goes to press, a Com­munist Party Congress is in progress in East Berlin, being attended by 2500 delegates from 70 Communist parties. Walter Ul­bricht, the East German leader has lashed out viciously at Red China for its attack on India and criticism of Russia’s go-easy policy.

This unrest and division on both sides of the iron curtain is the result of fear. The differences that have separated and weakened both sides have sprung from man’s inherent propensity for violence. The apostle James pin points the cause of the present deplorable conditions; “From whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1) Jesus foretold the great perplexity that would envelope all nations at the time of the end, as the world slipped into that dan­gerous and fearful plight, wherein men’s hearts would fail them for fear. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring. Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21:25,26) The world per­plexity suggests a condition in which there is no way out. This is precisely what has happened among the Gentile powers. Their alliances, which yesterday appeared so formidable, today collapse in a moment. The fear of annihilation is so great that partner­ships and agreements, in times of impend­ing trouble become worthless.

Only with the appearance of the Son of God and the establishment of the Kingdom of Peace, will the nations of the world be free from the fear and uncertainty that pre­vails today. Only when the implements of war are destroyed, and the nations of the world prevented from rising against one another through the power of that law that will emanate from Mount Zion, will the way to peace be made clear. When Christ sits enthroned on the restored Kingdom of Israel, as Prince of Peace, and when the Word from Jerusalem teaches and edu­cates men and women in the ways of God, that perplexity will vanish. In its place will come that peace of God that passeth all un­derstanding, guiding and keeping the peo­ples of the earth in the happy conditions that shall prevail in a cleansed and regen­erated world.

“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? . . . It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.”  (Isa. 40:12,22)

The edge of space

Space probes, experimental outer-space flights, manned earth orbits and other “Buck Rogers” type of activities has virtually filled the headlines of our newspapers since the last issue of the Tidings. As this article is being released for printing, a radio command is being transmitted one and one half million miles into space to a receiving device aboard a 447-pound vehicle speeding to­wards a rendezvous with the planet, Ve­nus. Through a slight rolling motion by its Atlas-Agena booster, Mariner II was sent off course 223,000 miles. The elec­tric signal turned the nose of the space vehicle towards Venus and fired a small liquid fuel rocket in its tail that sent the craft streaking to its destination (within 9000 miles of Venus) at 6687 miles per hour. It is calculated that the Mariner II will pass by Venus on December 14th, relaying to scientists here on the earth valuable information regarding the possi­bility of life on the sister planet.

This feat by U.S. scientists followed closely on the heels of another signifi­cant Russian “first”. On August 11th, Russian Cosmonaut Major Andrian Gri­gorievich Nikolayev blasted off from the Soviet rocketdrome in Central Asia into an orbit around the earth. Every 88 min­utes the Russian cosmonaut circled the globe at heights of between 112 and 156 miles. Twenty three and a half hours later, another space man, Lt. Col. Pavel Romanovich Popovich was also hurled into space in a capsule. Shortly after the two space craft established radio contact with each other. At times they were well within sight of each other, coming within 75 miles, and travelling in parallel or­bits. After three days, Nikolayev achieving 64 orbits and Popovich 48, the two were safely brought to earth within six min­utes of each other. Thus, the first step in orbital rendezvous was taken. Through manual control, the two vehicles, while in orbit, could have been jockeyed much closer, giving hope to the Russians of achieving the first lunar flight. Together, they travelled 2.8 million miles, a dis­tance equivalent to 5 round trips to the moon.

Race to the Moon

It is quite obvious that Russia clearly holds the edge in manned space flights, having set records that may take the United States two years to match. The race to the moon is on in earnest. The United States has set a target date of 1967, when it is hoped that an Ameri­can will land on the moon, collect im­portant scientific data and return to the earth. The budgeted cost for this feat will range from 20 billion dollars to 40 billion, involving a mobilization of manpower of 100,000 workers. The 500,000 mile flight plan has practically been drawn up, awaiting the development of the giant rocket Saturn C-5, that is designed to propel the Apollo spaceship in an orbit about 100 miles from the moon A smaller ship will then be launched to take the astronauts to the moon’s surface and back again to the mother vehicle.

The wall of mortality

How puny and insignificant must man’s efforts appear to Him who sits on the circle of the earth The scientists’ efforts to venture away from this terrestrial globe and into the mystery of outer space is forever doomed to failure, be­cause of man’s inherent mortality The most that mankind can hope for is to perhaps explore this solar system with its sun and orbiting planets.

We are told that the sun which com­prises the center of earth’s solar system is but a small star among the myriads of suns that comprise this galaxy It is estimated that there are 100 billion stars or suns in the galaxy, sometimes called the milky way, of which our own solar system is but an infinitesimal component.

The incalculably small design of man’s experience can best be appreciated when one considers the tremendous distances revealed in the heavens about us Space must be measured, not in terms of miles or even millions of miles, but rather in “light years” A light year is the distance light would travel in the period of one year Light streaks through space at the speed of 186,000 miles per second, which means that one light year is equivalent to 5,800,000,000,000 miles The diameter of our galaxy is in excess of 100,000 light years, the nearest star being some 25 million million miles away Measured in terms of light years, our sun is 8 min­utes away, while the most distant object discernable with the unaided eye, the Andromeda galaxy is some 1,500,000 light years distance.

The universe is comprised of many galaxies In our own, the average distance between galaxies is 1,000,000 light years In consideration of these awesome figures It is quite understandable why the mor­tality of man prevents him from es­caping his own solar system.

The heavens declare his glory

Well may Isaiah inquire “Who hath meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowl­edge, and shewed to Him the way of understanding?” (40:12-14)

With the same effortless ease that one would draw a curtain, has Yahweh gar­nished the heavens above One of the purposes stated recently for the race for the moon is to determine the origin of the universe and to find if the movements of the planets and the position of the stars is guided by chance (as a huge per­petual motion machine) or by some un­explained fixed laws The movement of the heavenly bodies is so constant that their functions can be predicted with absolute certainty. It has been established that in the past 6000 years, the rotation of the earth upon its axis has not varied so much as one fourth of a second. If proud, doubting man, wise in his own conceits, could only accept the Divine answer: “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their hosts by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one falleth.” (Isa. 40:26) David pays a fitting tribute to the omnipotence of the great Creator: “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.” (Psa. 147:4,5).

If the Creator is capable of amusement, He must surely be smiling at the weak efforts of His creatures of the dust. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: The Lord shall have them in derision.” (Psa. 2:4) To the child of God, the Infinite expanse of the skies speaks in discernable tones of the power of their magnificent Originator. Here, in terms that stagger one’s senses (for the facts of the universe cannot be denied) is the concept of eternity, and a type of God Himself. To all intents and purposes, space continues without termination, the meagerest of whose distances, man must measure in terms so large as to be in­comprehensible. God is like this. Isaiah refers to Him as the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, while David cries “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth, and the world, even from ever­lasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psa. 90:2).

Even more marvelous to us is the fact that this noble Being has condescended to lift us from the mire of sin and mor­tality and fashion us after His own Di­vine nature. All He requires of us is that we humbly submit to His righteous will, that these vessels may be moulded into the image of His Son. More pre­cious to our Heavenly Father is our lov­ing obedience than all the myriads of lifeless galaxies. Though the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him He has promised to dwell in the hearts of all who approach Him in reverence and hu­mility. “For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa. 57:15).

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty Behold, I come as a thief Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame And he gathered them together unto a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon  (Rev 16:13-16)

French Diplomacy

In keeping with prophetic symbols used elsewhere in the Word of God in which animals are used to represent men or nations, and to find exactly what is intended in this hieroglyph, we must look for some contemporary world power that would strongly influence and pro yoke the nations of the world to military unrest This European power must also, in some way be associated with the frog, in order to make the symbolism come alive before us A little research will re veal to us that France has been recognized in political heraldry with the frog Three frogs were the old arms of France, being used on ancient coins and banners Even in modern times, writers have associated France with frogs

During the 19th century, three wars have been provoked through the political influence of France described by John as being out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are the Crimean war of 1853, when Louis Napoleon provoked the Sultan against Russia, (mouth of the dragon Constantinople), the Austrian war against France in 1859, (mouth of the beast Vienna), and when the Pope under French protection was induced to make war on the revolutionaries in 1867, (mouth of the false prophet—Rome) The history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries display French diplomacy as either directly or indirectly influential in the cause of most of the wars and revolutions in Europe The defeat of France under the leadership of Napoleon III by the Prussian forces in 1870, resulted in the unification of Germany, whose bloody exploits and heinous crimes against humanity in recent years has appalled the world The work of the frog like spirits in the formation of Ger­many and the resultant intensity of wars among European and Asiatic nations is truly leading them to Armageddon.

W H Boulton in The Apocalypse and History , page 172, writes, The history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries has shown France to be a storm center, the direct or indirect cause of most of the wars and revolutions which have happened since the closing years of the eighteenth century The revolutions of 1789, 1830 and 1848, the wars of Napoleon I, the intrigues and diplomatic wars of Napoleon III, the later colonial enterprises and their resultant crises, are the result of the influences of the frog like spirits. The indirect influences are also evident, and have resulted in unprecedented armaments and war—the preparation of angry nations for the day of Armageddon

Algeria – Operation 1830

The provokative effects of French di­plomacy are still being felt among the European nations in ever increasing tempo. France’s president de Gaulle’s de­cision to grant Algeria political inde­pendence has provoked seven years of senseless and inhumane savagery that has sackened the world Literally thou­sands of Europeans and Moslems have been murdered over the question of Al­gerian self determination The Secret Army Organization has committed crimes against humanity in an endeavour to keep Algeria French On July 1st the French flag will give place to the Algerian Na­tionalist Movement Meanwhile the S A 0 has adopted a new policy called Operation 1830, the year of the French colonization of Algeria, whose announced purpose is to reduce the country to the state in which the French found it more than a century ago. To put this policy into effect the die hard European settlers have engaged in a systematic campaign of physical destruction of the land The scorched earth policy has already resulted in the burning of several of the Europeans own schools, as well as government buildings, oil tanks and any other build­ing of importance that is vulnerable to attack The University of Algeria was burned to the ground, destroying with it a library of 600,000 books On June 14th, a broadcast of the Secret Army Organization announced that a ration of gasoline was being given to all Europeans leaving the country, with which to burn all possessions being left behind Europeans have been requested to leave Algeria by July 1st, so as to allow the S A 0 to launch its campaign of destroying French oil installations in the Sahara, blowing up of dams and leveling of factories

Communist take over?

The terrorists have provoked a mass exodus of Europeans from Algeria, who have fled to France for greener pastures France s Ministry of Finance has disclosed the fact that over $2 billion have left Algeria The daily number of refugees arriving in France has climbed from 3,000 to 8,000 During the month of June it has been estimated that one fourth of the European population have fled Algeria What is of great conster­nation to the Algerians is the fact that with the Europeans moving out, is the irreplaceable loss of skilled labour Civil servants, teachers, doctors and technicians have stated that they will not work for a Moslem government, and have joined the exodus to France This raised the question as to the survival of Algeria, a question that is of great concern to the world Among the Nationalist leaders, there is a large group that would like very much to invite technicians to come from the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Red China in order to acquire the technical skill needed to fill the vacuum created by the Europeans In U S News & World Report magazine for June 25th, Jacques Soustelle, former governor Gen­eral of Algeria is quoted as saying that the country (Algeria) once the Mos­lems come to power, will go Communist in order to get the technical managerial and business skills needed to operate their new nation

French leadership in Europe

Soustelle, in an article in the National Review, also charged de Gaulle with dis­interest in future Communist activities in Algeria, saying that what de Gaulle real­ly wants, is to “play a role of leadership, apart from Anglo-Saxons.” To this end he has abandoned France’s overseas pos­sessions to concentrate his dream of “European hegemony, isolationism and neutralism.” In an announcement to the French people, President Charles de Gaulle stated that with the Algerian in­dependence, France will be freed for a more active role in the world. One of the more prominent of these will be France’s position in the nuclear club. De Gaulle is determined that France will build her own powerful independent nu­clear capability, a step that will indeed serve to increase her prestige among European states, and pose her as a power to be reckoned with.

The Common Market

The Common Market, so much in the newspapers these days, is a grouping of six nations — France, West Germany, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Luxem­bourg, who are endeavoring to gradual­ly eliminate tariffs on import trade among themselves. Within the Common Market nations, tariffs have already been re­duced 40% on industrial products and 30% on farm products. The ultimate goal of this coalition is to completely abolish all tariffs and restrictions on trade within it by 1969. There are about 170 million persons in this area, just 15 million less than the population of the United States. What is actually being produced here is a sort of United States of Europe, with a long range plan of political integration. The influence that such a grouping will have on the world can only be imagined. France, the most powerful of the six nations is in an envi­able position so far as trade bargaining is concerned, Great Britain would like very much to enter the group, but de Gaulle is a little fearful that their en­trance would endanger the power and prominence that France now holds. Though the president is cool to Britain’s entrance, pressure from the other nations for Britain’s market may force her ac­ceptance.

Britain’s entrance into the Common Market might have disastrous effects on her commonwealth countries. The three “advanced” members, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have registered pro­tests because of their dependence on trade with Britain, the world’s largest food importers. New Zealand sells 90% of her butter and cheese and 95% of her frozen lamb and mutton to Britain. The other Common Market nations are able to produce these commodities in suffi­cient volume to fill Britain’s needs, and Britain may be compelled to buy from them. This change would prove an economic disaster to New Zealand. Aus­tralia, also, who sells about 28 million bushels of wheat a year to Britain would be seriously effected if the Commonwealth is left out of the Common Market.

These are only a few of the serious problems facing Europe because of the diplomacy of France, whose dogged emergence from each world crisis places her in a more seemingly powerful poli­tical position than before. The decisions and plans of France in our day like the unclean spirits like frogs are producing great and far reaching effects on the world, and in many ways are creating crises and conditions that will inevitably lead the world to Armageddon. The bright side of this condition to the stu­dent of prophecy is the fact that the advent of Christ is shown to be near. He who prophesied of the gathering of the nations to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, also wrote, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watch­eth, and keepeth his garments clean.”

Closing the Gap

Early in the morning of April 25 high over the barren wastes of the coral atoll at Christmas Island in the Pacific, the United States set off its first nuclear device as tests were once again resumed. Failure on the part of Russia to agree to a suitable in­spection system to insure a realistic test moratorium had forced the U.S. to begin this new series. Although it was apparent that the free world did not want nuclear tests to commence again, it was inevitable that it should. It was suspected that Russia herself is intending to begin a new series, which may account for her reluctance to agree to a workable cessation of tests. To the time of this writing, there have been about ten shots, many in the atmosphere and some in the sea. Tests have also been conducted in Nevada, underground.

A great deal of secrecy has surrounded this latest series of tests in the Pacific. No reporters are allowed to witness the blasts; no published photographs, and no announcements as to the success or failure of the shots. The meager information leaking out (generally only stating whether the explosion took place in the atmosphere or in the sea and the approximate yield range) seemed almost superfluous in view of the fact that all nations realize that it was Russia who broke the voluntary moritorium. The advance that she made in her last series of tests posed a very real danger to the United States in the arms race, and military men here feared that the balance of nuclear power would be tipped in her favour. The present series being conducted by the U.S. is intended to close up this gap, and develop and test weapons that have never been fired with nuclear payloads.

The arsenal of nuclear war machines now being stockpiled is fantastic, as billions of dollars are being spent in their development.

The size of the Russian arsenal is difficult to determine because of their reluctance to publish facts and figures. But that of the United States, at least in part, is easy to approximate. By the end of the present year it is almost certain the U. S. will have completed 129 Atlas missles at 11 bases, 54 Titan (second generation) missiles at 8 bases. 54 more by the end of 1963. In ad­dition to these bases, it is planned to have 800 third generation Minuteman missles at 5 bases by the end of 1964. Presently, the strongest retaliatory force lies in nu­clear bombers and Polaris submarines, con­stantly on the move, making their destruc­tion by the enemy virtually impossible. This force, together with missiles stationed overseas, is calculated to be capable of unleashing the equivalent of 16 billion tons of TNT on an enemy nation within the first twenty-four hours of a battle — even after absorbing the first strike. This plan of war­fare is so skillfully laid out that it is almost certain that neither Russia or the United States would be so foolish as to start a nuclear war. An all-out battle with the weapons presently at their disposal would spell doom for all major nations in the world.

A False Hope

Many see in this stalemate a strong as­surance that nuclear war will never come about; that the cold war will remain as such, and that eventually a millenium of peace through the very fear of war will be enjoyed by all the world. Such reasoning relies upon nuclear power being within the hands of responsible, God-fearing men who would possess sufficient intellectual and emotional balance to act wisely at all times; men who would have enough re­gard for his fellowman as to preclude the possibility of his committing social immoral acts. But, is this a sound and reliable assurance? Can mortal man, as such be count­ed on to act always in a rational and stable manner? We need only to look about us and observe what is going on in the world to come to our senses. The further one strays from the influence of Christ’s teach­ings, while at the same time becoming com­pletely involved in the materialism of the world, the more he becomes animal like in his thinking. One needs only to remem­ber the chaos that reigned in the Congo a few months ago, when murder, rape and savagery was committed daily between the various tribes. However, we don’t have to search history to find instances when men were ruled solely by their natural propensi­ties. Neither do we have to go to the dark continent of Africa to find wanton disre­gard for the welfare of others. We need but to pick up the newspaper delivered to our front door, or turn on the radio news to suddenly be brought to our senses. The present situation in Algeria is enough to disgust all decent minded people. The heinous crimes against humanity commit­ted daily are sufficient to match the bloody and violent history of France. The Secret Army Organization, determined to keep Algeria French have resolved to achieve their aims or destroy Algeria. The terrorists have threatened, “If we are forced to leave, we will leave the country the way we found it in 1830.”

The wanton and senseless destruction of human lives appalls even the hardened. Children are not even spared, as early in May the S.A.O. plumated a booby trap car loaded with explosives and metal into a crowed of Moslem dockers. Children had been taken there in the supposition that the S.A.O. would not strike the Moslems as long as they were present. The explosion killed 62 Moslems and wounded 110, many of whom were children. The violence con­tinues to the present time, as the S.A.O. continues its butchery in the hope that the Moslems will be provoked to an all-out racial war, and thus wreck the cease-fire agreement.

Sober Reflections

How foolish it is to suppose that the mere knowledge of nuclear capability will forestall modern warfare. Many leading scientists are convinced that a nuclear war is a statistical certainty. Eventually some unstable or evil person who delights in destruction, and whose sanguinary tenden­cies escape ordinary detection will be in a position where he can effect the launching of a nuclear devise and so precipitate a world-wide catastrophe.

God is allowing the world wide arma­ment, in preparation for war for one rea­son: that His name might be glorified in the earth. Mankind’s utter disregard for the commandments of Christ will ultimately lead him to his own destruction, apart from Divine intervention. The facts before us should cause us to soberly reflect on our own position. It is quite easy to be swept along with the tide of human emotion and reasoning, refusing to believe the obvious signs about us; to be so involved in the affairs of this life as to cease looking for and praying for the coming of Christ. We should bear in mind always the words of the apostle, Paul, who cautions us; “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:28)