PROPHECY

Southland Times, Issue 24174, 10 July 1940, Page 3

PROPHECY

To The Editor

Sir,—The coal supply of Britain seemed likely to fail. Nature had been liberal, but the wanton waste of her valuable resources filled men of science with serious misgivings. Think of posterity, said the wise men of Britain. What has posterity done for us, asked the fools. The pasture lands of the Middle West were ploughed up and used as arable land. After us the deluge, was the cry: Now the United States of America rejoices in the possession of a huge dust bowl. These are serious instances of man’s disregard of the rights of posterity; but the most serious has never been mentioned. In the Sacred Scriptures there are many prophecies: many but not very many. A large number - of these prophecies have already been used up. Hundreds did duty in the Great War. More hundreds are being used up now. Not 10,000 years have passed since the prophecies were uttered. What will be the fate of our descendants a 100,000 years hence; 200,000 years hence? Not a prophecy will be left for their guidance. Coal may be replaced by other sources of power. The dust bowl may once more be made into pasture land. But whence will come fresh prophecies to take the place of the old, since the gift of prophecy is no longer found on the earth? Let me implore the interpreters of prophecy, who are so active just now, to think of posterity. Surely some prophecies have their application not now but 300,000 years

hence. Let them leave some crumbs for future ages. Let them not distort the clear meaning of the sacred text. “He was bruised for our iniquities” clearly refers to the past and not to the future. If you twist the meanings of the words, you can make anything of anything. Have mercy on our far-off offspring, ye men of spiritual vision.— Yours, etc., J. P. DAKIN. July 8, 1940.