Part 45 (1/2)

At the time when the first foreign missionary movement was being launched in America, Robert Fulton's steams.h.i.+p, the ”Clermont,” was making its first trip on the Hudson.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HIEROGLYPHICS

The ”Ox Song” of the Egyptian thres.h.i.+ng-floor.]

In 1838 the first s.h.i.+ps to cross the Atlantic under steam power alone--the ”Sirius” and the ”Great Western”--came into New York from Liverpool, a few hours apart, forerunners of the fleets that furrow all the seas today, making quick pathways for the gospel messengers to all lands. Verily, they are a gift of G.o.d's providence to this generation, when all the world is to hear the gospel message.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CUNEIFORM WRITING

An account of the capture of Babylon, B.C. 538. From the cylinder of Cyrus.]

”He hath made the deep as dry, He hath smote for us a pathway to the ends of all the earth.”

In 1825 Stephenson built his first railway pa.s.senger locomotive, which may still be seen in the Darlington railway station, in England. It was the beginning of the great revolution in land travel. The late Prof.

Alfred Russel Wallace, scientist, wrote:

”From the earliest historic and even prehistoric times till the construction of our great railways in the second quarter of the present century [the nineteenth], there had been absolutely no change in the methods of human locomotion.”--_”The Wonderful Century,” p. 7._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ma.n.u.sCRIPT WRITING

The process by which the books of the great library of Alexandria, Egypt, were made.]

For nearly six thousand years men had traveled in the old way. Why should these revolutionary changes in travel by sea and land come abruptly just at this time?--Because the time foretold in the prophecy was at hand, when the last gospel message was to be carried quickly to all the world--”to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”

We see the hand of the living G.o.d opening the doors into all lands, and His wonderful providence laying at the feet of this generation agencies for quickly covering the whole earth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GUTENBERG'S FIRST TYPES

Reproduced from the first edition of the famous forty-two-line Latin Bible, printed by Gutenberg.]

Later came the electric telegraph, for the quick transmission of news.

It was in 1837 that Cooke and Wheatstone in England, and Morse in the United States, made their application for patents on the electric telegraph. It was in 1844 that the first long-distance system was successfully demonstrated--when the historic message was sent from Baltimore to Was.h.i.+ngton, ”What hath G.o.d wrought!” Now news of events fulfilling prophecy, and news of progress and conditions in all lands, are daily spread before the world by this agency of our wonderful time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GUTENBERG PRINTING PRESS

On which was produced the first printed Bible, in 1456 A.D.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE FRANKLIN PRESS

Operated by two men, it has a maximum speed of 250 impressions per hour.]

As the closing events take place, the Lord has in His providence so ordered it that no one need be ignorant of the signs of the times fulfilling before the eyes of men.

”Speak the word and think the thought, Quick 'tis as with lightning caught-- Over, under, lands or seas To the far antipodes.”

Here is an incident ill.u.s.trating the way in which the electric telegraph may multiply and spread abroad the witness borne to the truth of G.o.d in some obscure corner of the earth:

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE HOE DOUBLE OCTUPLE PRESS