THE
WAR
THE
WEATHER
& GOD
by
---------------o---------------o---------------
Chapter 6
What shall
be our summing up of all these truly remarkable historical facts, for facts
they all are?
What
shall we say of “That Restraining Hand” which manifested itself time and time
again as we have seen? What shall we say of all these interventions of the
“Weather” and the elements?
What
shall we say of those Victories that followed “National Days of Prayer?”
Can we dismiss them all as “CO-INCIDENCES”
and happenings of Fate, or may it not be that the same Hand which Restrained at
Stalingrad, at Moscow, in the Pacific Seas and at Cassino, is the very same
Hand which controls the Elements, and decrees the Weather. Tat same Hand, which since Creation has
ordered that “Seedtime and Harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter,
and Day and night shall not cease?”
As
it has not failed in the latter, so we have seen it has not failed in the
former, and Never will.
Surely,
in all honesty and sincerity (if we really wish to be honest), we must admit
that it is so; and further, that it is nothing short of the very same hand
(which holds the reins of the Universe and Governs Supreme in the affairs of
men today) which, in answer to man’s
sincere Prayer on those Days of National recognition, granted Divine and
Miraculous deliverances.
Only
those who wish to thank otherwise can dismiss such overwhelming
evidence, which upon any other theme, would be brought forward with abounding
confidence.
We
make bold to say with the Psalmist, that these are God’s DOINGS, and are truly
marvelous in our eyes. Do you not
agree?
This
Volume has been specially written and prepared to this end, and dedicated to
the Service of God for distribution at cost, in order to broadcast this
important message to those who have “ears to hear.”
We
are persuaded that this favoured Nation of ours has left God too much out of
account. Although, as we have seen, He
has endeavoured to prove to us that the final issue rests with Him, for He
controls the weather; and although our Leaders fully acknowledge that these
successes and disasters ARE due to events beyond human control, YET, we DO
NOT publicly acknowledge God’s
sovereignty and supreme power, and until we do, Victory can never be ours in
the fullest sense of the word. To win
the War even, will not be the end, or even Victory, as our Leaders are now
telling us. To win the Peace will be equally difficult, but herein lies the
KEY to ALL TRUE VICTORY.
EVERYTHING
of earth is liable to FAIL, and crumble beneath our feet, as we have surely
seen in this War time and time again; but there is ONE who never fails, and His
Might and resources are ALMIGHTY and LIMITLESS. When all other Allies FAIL, here is an unfailing source of strength
and power. One who has NEVER failed
those who REALLY-(and I emphasise that word-REALLY)-TRUST HIM.
The
way out of the darkness for this Nations, and in fact the Nations of the World, and all free men, is to get BACK TO
GOD. If men and women today only realized the Almighty Power of God they would
be flocking to the House of Prayer daily.
General Sir Wm. Dobbie, late Governor and G.O.C. of Malta, said when addressing a large London meeting recently:
“Don’t you think that wars, like other
judgments of God, are sent, or allowed, in order to teach us something which we
cannot, or will not, learn in any other way; I personally, am convinced that
through
this war in order to bring us to a proper attitude of mind towards Himself.
But we are ignoring Him; we are indifferent to Him; we think that we can, by our own efforts win the Victory. But we cannot do so.
VICTORY IS
THE GIFT OF ALMIGHTY GOD,
who alone
is the Arbiter in human affairs. We
have got to learn that lesson as a nation; and I believe God is trying to get
us to learn it, in His great mercy.
He has delivered us from disaster, and yet He has, so far, withheld success from us.
Even if we did win the war, we would make an awful mess of the peace if our attitude towards Him was not right.”
How true
his words are!
But let me
continue, For Gen. Dobbie is not the only leader who has spoken thus. It is another of the remarkable facts of
this war that so many of those in the forefront of the fray have publicly
expressed themselves thus, and may it not be another of God’s over-ruling
Providences in permitting such men to be in such positions at just such a time
as this?
Surely one
of the most strikming instances of this over-ruling Hand in an Hour of need is
to be seen in the coming into power, just at the critical moment, of our own
Prime Minster-the Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill.
Writing in
the “Sunday Pictorial” – as long ago as November 27th, 1932 (seven
years before this War), G. Ward Price (who is today one of our leading and most
far-seeing Journalists), wrote under the heading “The Right man in the wrong
place” as follows:
“When the
history of this long post – war crisis through which we are living, comes to be
read by Britons yet unborn, one question they will ask and wonder is: ‘Why
did England make so little use of Winston Churchill?’”
And then
Ward Price added this significant and almost prophetic utterance:
“God’s
greatest gift to the British Nation throughout its history has been the right
men at the right time.”
But seven years ago, was NOT God’s right time for Winston Churchill to come to power, therefore that unseen Restraining Hand was exercising its power, mysterious as it seemed to such as G. Ward Price. BUT in the hour of need, the Right Man comes forward to the right place which none can deny.
Think too, of General Chiang Kai-Shek, the Christian General of China and his Christian wife, of whom a certain Canadian Official said recently that during a Japanese Air Raid when he himself was trembling from head to foot she went on writing as quietly and as calmly as if nothing was happening. Later, being invited by the General to stay to evening devotions he did so, and for thirty minutes God and His word held the attention of this Man of God.
Says the Canadian: “A Bible was
produced, and the General began by reading some Scipture. Then the three joined in Prayer, the General
leading. I never expect to hear such a
prayer again in all my life. He began
with a simple expression of thanks for their personal safety. Then he added thanks for the courage of the
Nation under fire. Then he prayed for
strength for the men in the field, and along the firing lines; he prayed for
strength for himself, and added a most earnest plea for guidance and wisdom,
that would not fail the people.
In the simplest and humblest terms, he
laid himself at the service of Almighty God, and begged that he might know the
Divine Will, and do it on the morrow.”
And is it
not impressive to read Madame Chiang Kai-Shek’s own comment upon her childhood
days and to learn some lesson from it in the light of OUR children’s spiritual
education in these modern days:
“One of my strongest childhood
impressions” she says,”is of my mother going to a room, she kept for the
purpose on the third floor, to pray.
She spent hours in prayer, often beginning before dawn. When we asked her advice about anything she
would say, “I must ask God first.”
Asking God was not a matter of spending five minutes to ask Him to bless
her child and grant the request. It
meant waiting upon God until she felt His leading.”
Such
Mothers give the world such Great Leaders.
We have surely to thank God, that such as these are Leaders among us today.
But let us go on: Think of Admiral Sir John Tovey, C. in C. the Nore, who told his officers and men that the complete lack of casualties, to men and ships, when the Bismark was sunk was, in his opinion, an answer to prayer.
Then there was the Staff Officer who helped plan the Madagascar Campaign, who said: “Every detail was prayed over.”
And Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, before the anxious operations of Crete, asked a Chaplain’s Conference to pray for God’s help.
And Admiral Nimitz, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, wrote to a Sunday School Class thus:
“The prayers of these boys are appreciated by the officers and men the Pacific Fleet. It is an assuring encouragement to them. I know that the prayers of these boys for ultimate victory will be answered.”
And General MacArthur who before he graduated, had read the Bible through six times, asked divine guidance for his leadership in the South-west Pacific. He said:
“At the altar where I first joined the sanctuary of God, I ask that you seek divine guidance for me in the great struggle that looms ahead.”
And in
recognition of National Bible Week, General MacArthur said that because of “the
spiritual significance” of the world conflict, we can “declare our faith and
confidence with God’s help in our final victory.”
“I read my Bible every day, gentlemen, and I would advise you to do the same.”
Such is the reported advice given by General Montgomery to a gathering of his officers. But again reference must made to this great General’s early training, and the influence of a godly mother.
“Picture
Post” of October 126th, 1943, says of Lady Montgomery-the General’s
mother:
“Permeating her life, her home, her
character, is her strong sense of religion.
Lady Montgomery is an
ardent Protestant in an ardent Catholic country. She holds prayers t 8.30 every morning in the private chapel,
says Grace before every meal. She knows
the Bible as so many Victorians knew it-almost by heart.
She takes a great
interest in the teaching of Christianity to children. She has written many religious books, including a Life of Christ
for children. She believes that
children should be taught the Gospels and a belief in prayer at an early age.”
I repeat, such mothers and such
parentage give the world its true leaders.
May we heed such lessons as these today.
In the first World War, it will be
recalled, there was an issue of Khaki-covered New Testaments, with a
commendatory message inside the cover from Lord Roberts. In the present war the United States War
Department ordered New Testaments for distribution to such troops as apply for
copies. Stamped on the cover, in gold
lettering, is a message from President Roosevelt, in these terms.
“Throughout the centuries
men of many faiths and of diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book words
of wisdom, counsel and inspiration. It
is a foundation of strength, and now, as always, an aid in attaining the
highest aspirations of the human soul.”
Recall also Viscount Gort, whom
some jeeringly call the Praying General; Generals Wavell, Alexander, Anderson
and Maitland Wilson not forgetting Mr. A.V. Alexander, First Lord of the
Admiralty, who recently said in reply to one who commented that “It must be a
great thing to be First Lord of the Admiralty.” “Yes” he replied, “But there is
a greater thing, I am a Baptist local preacher.” And no doubt you could readily add many more.
These are MEN in the true sense of
the word-leaders of men-who know and believe sincerely that God
Himself-ALONE-is the NATION’S GREATEST NEED: the WORLD’S greatest need today.
I repeat, thank God that there are
such men in such places of power and authority, and I am persuaded that these
are the men that God IS using, and WILL use, to honour with Victory, when we
are ready to receive it from His Hand.
----0-----0----