Current Events
By Daniel C.O. Opperman-1992
New York and San Diego Shake Hands
Another dream of science vanishes and a historical fact takes its place. Again the “impossible” is accomplished. The two army fliers who spanned the continent with their giant monoplane the T2 in a non-stop flight from the rugged shores of the stormy Atlantic to the sun-kissed strand of the smiling Pacific set a new pace in their epoch-making flight that opens the door to unthought-of achievement.
How space is being annihilated! Yesterday these remote cities were nearly 3,000 miles apart. Today the same distance translated into terms of time puts them no farther removed from each other than New York and Philadelphia were in the days of the ox cart and the overland stage.
And what marvel. Did not the prophet David, whose prophetic vision, like a long ranged telescope pierced the twenty-five centuries that lay between his time and ours declare that in the latter time “many shall run to and from and KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED?” The great increase of knowledge ofwhich he spoke was reserved for the “end time.” And indeed one of the most evident “signs of the time” is the fact that in the last two centuries knowledge has increased a hundred fold more than it did in all the sixty centuries before it taken together. Surely we are living in the Last Days. Behold the Judge standeth at the door.
Is There a New Mohammed?
Rumor has it that a new successor to the militant “Prophet” is about to appear from the desert fastness of southern Mesopotamia. From the Crossroads of Arabia come many well authenticated tales of the preparations of a “worthy successor” whose appearance on the stage of action will probably be timed with a view to seizing the sceptre of an Ottoman Empire in a manner sufficiently spectacular and impressive to unify Islam’s detached provinces and vagrant peoples for another invasion of Europe to obtain “converts by the sword.”
Turkey is much in the political limelight today. Her move meets dominate the scene of world affairs in the Near East. But Constantinople represents only the political side of the Mohammedan faith. Far more potent than this is the religious aspect, which has always centered about Mecca. The city on the Bosphorus stands for Islam politically, but Mecca, the birthplace of the founder of their religion and the shrine of literally thousands of pilgrims every year represents the spiritual side–the side from which issues the passion, the hatred, the wild fanaticism of the nation–the real factors that have made the countries invaded by this dread foe run red with blood.
While adherents to the Mohammedan faith are a varied people, ranging from the cultured, pedigreed families of Turkey and India to the untutored Aborigines of Africa and Abyssinia, yet there is one bond that unites them, stronger than any political or regional tie, and that is their religion. And when it is considered that there are nearly two and a half times the number of followers of “The Great Prophet” as there are people in the whole United States, it is evident that any move on the part of this ponderous “Klan” will be watched with the keenest interest.
Paul prophesied that in the last days “perilous times will come.” And, mingled with the blessings of this enlightened age are the perils of these initial stages of the great anti-Christian world insurrection. Already we can hear tramp, tramp, tramp of Armageddon’s martialed armies.
Britain’s New Prime Minister
These are days of great political upheavals. The imperial toboggan slide began during the early period of the war, when rulers abdicated in swift succession as whole royal families were rendered penniless over night has not spent itself.
Great Britain’s fourth premier since the beginning of the World War has just taken his seat. Bonar Law, the retiring incumbent resigned ostensibly because of ill-health. But no facts having yet been reached the public press would seem to warrant his “abdication” on this ground.
The situation clearly stated simply is that the diplomatic tangle of European affairs is becoming so complex that Mr. Bonar Law, along with scores of other statesmen could see no solution to their international problems. His retirement from office simply gives another man-Mr. Stanley Baldwin–a chance to try his hand at this international chess game.
England’s latest ultimatum to Russia has been accepted only in part. This in not surprising. A diplomatic understanding never will be arrived at when one of the countries whose national emblem is fittingly represented by a bear attempts amicable negotiations on Bolshevik terms. Russia’s dictatorship long ago snuffed out the last glimmering spark of statesmanship within her borders. She has ceased altogether to speak or understand the language of diplomacy.
Strenuous effort is being made, however, to restore the “Balance of Power” in Europe. But how can they ever strike a balance with so many unknown quantities on the scales. No one knows where the other nation stands on anything, and hardly where they themselves stand. It is this want of fixed policy, this lack of pronounced leadership that is only adding difficulties to this commercial and political aftermath of the war.
Many men close to the situation are fervently praying with an air of expectancy for another Bismarck or Napoleon to arise with sufficient command of world affairs to shape the international policy of this well nigh dismembered continent.
They have but to wait till the great time-piece of God strikes the hour, and a man will come forth with more back bone than Bonaparte ever possessed, whose iron scepter will bear a more inflexible rule than did ever the scepter of the Iron Chancellor. The Little Horn of Daniel’s beast vision will soon make his appearance among the other ten kings.
Elder D. C. O. Opperman’s name first surfaces on the Pentecostal scene in the year 1907. He pr obably came into the experience that year in San Antonio, Texas. At that time he was the leader of a Bible school located in Joplin, Missouri. From this school emerged some of the outstanding early Pentecostals of the day, including Opperman himself and Elder H. A. Goss. From 1908-1914, Elder Opperman operated ten Bible schools in such states as Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Texas and Arkansas. From his background it is evident he was an educated man, unusual for a born again individual in those days. He was a proponent of his students going into the hedges and highways, and he placed them on graduation in various locales to “propagate the faith.” In 1914 along with such notables as E. N. Bell, M. M. Pinson, J. Russell Flower, A. P. Collins, and others, he was involved in the establishing of the Assemblies of God. In 1915, a “New Issue” began to spread like wildfire across the country, creating no small stir. It centered around the basic philosophy that Baptism was to be administered in the name of “Jesus only.” This new revelation would literally shake the foundations of the Holiness brethren. Elder Opperman would eventually fall prey to the new “heresy” and become a “oneness” advocate. In January 1916, he was elected chairman of the General Assemblies of the Apostolic Faith. This organization would later merge with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World in 1918. He served the P. A. of W. faithfully in a variety of roles and positions. Opperman, along with Elders E. W. Doak and G. T. Haywood incorporated the P. A. of W. on January 25, 1919. His reputation grew out of the fact he was a tireless foreign missions worker. Much credit is due Elder Opperman for the existence of the P. A. of W. even to this day. It is thought he passed this life about 1923.
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS TAKEN FROM EARNEST CONTENDERS FOR THE FAITH BY ELDER JAMES L. TYSON, AND PUBLISHED BY PENTECOSTAL PUBLICATIONS, 1982, PAGES 12-15. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
