George Walker – Nome, North Dakota Convention – November 1 – 4, 1917

If God had taken us home to heaven when we were saved, it would have made it easier for us. Men, down through the ages, have always had that thought in their minds, and this caused them at different times to build monasteries, form colonies, etc. On the last night of the life of Jesus, He prayed to His Father, “I pray not that Thou should’st take them out of the world, etc.” They would rather have gone with Him. God is not going to take us to Heaven when we become Christians or gather us into colonies. His purpose is that we should scatter and shine as lights in the world.

Great and serious questions have arisen in recent years and we must be careĀ­ful to understand, as the children of God what part we are to play. God has not left us in the dark about this. We have His spirit within us to help us discern between right and wrong. We have the word of God without to teach us how we are to act towards all men, Presidents, Kings, magistrates, etc. Read carefully I Peter 2:11-17; Titus 3:1-3, I Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13:1-8.

The Roman Christians lived in the capital of the whole world. The epistle addressed to them was written a little before Nero’s time. Conditions in Rome were in a very confused state. The thirteenth chapter of this epistle was written to answer questions, which rose among the Christians regarding their attitude toward the world, civil government, etc., at that time and the teaching given is just as applicable to conditions as they exist today. In verse four “Minister of God” does not mean preacher of the gospel, but men put in authority such as governors, magistrates, police, etc.

The world is full of confusion today. We have pacifists, socialists, anarchists, I.W.W’s, with their theories and panaceas to meet the world’s need. Many professed Christians are confused and the cause of this confusion, as far as the Kingdom of God is concerned, is that most do not recognize that there are two kingdoms an earthly and a heavenly; a human and a Divine kingdom.

The sermon on the Mount was addressed to those of the heavenly, or Divine kingdom. That sermon was not preached to unregenerate men. If it were possible for men in their natural state to live out the sermon on the Mount, there would be no need to be “born again.” The heavenly kingdom is as a wheel within a wheel. Don’t confuse the two. It was the living out of this Truth that enabled Jesus to keep untangled.

Read carefully Matthew 22:15-22 re; “paying tribute to Caesar;” Luke 12:13-21 re: “dividing an inheritance;” John 18:36 where He says “My kingdom is not of this world.” Jesus always made it clear to the end to His disciples that His kingdom did not interfere with the earthly or human kingdom. The world kingdom may fight but (?) kingdom does not. The example of Jesus (was to ) keep (help ?) us to keep untangled. Paul’s example also. If you are a true child of God, you will never get tangled up in the politics of this world. Always seek to keep clear in your mind and live it out in your life, “I am of another Kingdom.”

Socialists differ from Christians in that they believe outward conditions will make men happy. Christians believe they can be happy despite outward conditions. Socialists believe they can bring about the Millennium through politics, Christians believe the only real and lasting remedy for existing world conditions is the coming again of Jesus to establish His Kingdom and rule the world in true righteousness.

The child of God does not believe in any one Christian nation as true, will be no true Christian nation until Jesus comes back to reign. It will help you to keep from getting into a panic if you remember that God is in heaven, working out a purpose in this war. War stands for hatred, determining boundaries etc. There is no national boundary in the kingdom of God. A Christian cannot enter into the true spirit of war. Hatred cannot reign in the heart of a true child of God. Jesus feels (sic – fills ) the hearts of His followers with compassion and love.

God has always stood for law and order. Be loyal to your government. There is something deeper than patriotism to the child of God. True loyalty to Jesus will ever produce true loyalty to the government. There is the possibility of an awful wave of anarchy and lawlessness sweeping over the country and we should covet when the records are opened that we stood and had nothing to do with bringing that anarchy and lawlessness about. It is a serious thing at this time to utter a disloyal word or sow the seeds of discord and lawlessness.

This country today is steering a course between two abysses – Russia’s weakness or Prussia’s condition, and it is important that the child of God should know how to act wisely. As to our individual attitude toward the war, the preacher cannot make any man a conscience; all he can do is to advise him to go on his knees before God and settle the question for himself. The true Christian of God have ever sought to be loyal to the government, and such sought to be an example to their neighbors. If they suffered and went to prison, it was for Jesus’ sake and not for committing crimes.

We cannot measure men like Woodrow Wilson with the standard of Jesus, but we can give them credit for their love of justice and righteousness, which makes it possible for us to have conventions like this etc. No Christian can claim to be in fellowship with God, who will at the present time speak disrespectfully or disloyally of the president.

At this time, love of truth and righteousness is more important than love of country. We have sympathy with the Germans in this country, who can scarcely help having feelings for their country, but we believe it is important that they should have right thoughts in their minds regarding the war and the Kaiser. A man who has no hesitancy in taking human life is the lowest type of man. I have no hesitation in saying that for years the Kaiser has made manifest that he is a combination of brute and devil.

He teaches his armies to sing Hymns and Psalms while marching to the slaughter of helpless women and children in Belgium. I do not pretend to know how this war will end, but I do know the ultimate end – “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” saith the Lord. Judas helped to work out the purpose of God and the Kaiser is doing the same. When men say, “Might is right,” and act accordingly, the judgment of God and vengeance of god is sure to fall sooner or later. Just as God over ruled in the case of Judas, He will over rule in this case, too. God will bring the Kaiser down in His own time. We do not say that all rulers are Christians: we love them because of their humanity – and love of justice, and because they don’t maintain that “might is right.”

Re: The Red Cross. We encourage all to contribute – liberally but to avoid getting mixed up in their social affairs. Be willing to suffer and sacrifice so that at the end of this war, you will be able to say, “I have suffered as much privation, and endure as much suffering as any.” Christians should practice strict economy in food, etc., avoiding extravagance and wastefulness of every Kind.

** January 19, 1918. (Probably the date a copy of this address was produced)