Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 18
March 9, 1967
NUMBER 43, PAGE 6b-7a

The Great Wall Of China

Jefferson David Tant

Recently I came across an interesting and fascinating bit of information. It had to do with the incredible wall of China, which was built more than 200 years before Christ.

The wall, which was built to protect China from invaders, stretched for nearly four thousand miles, and contained enough material to build a wall eight feet high and three feet thick which would completely circumscribe the earth at the equator.

Note the description Earl Nightengale gives of the wall:

"The workmen, and it's been estimated that there were a million of them, dug a pair of parallel furrows in the solid rock, about twenty-five feet apart. Along these two lines they piled up a foundation of squared granite blocks, six to twelve feet high and about four feet wide. This served as the base for a brick face that tapered to a thickness of about eighteen inches, twenty or more feet high. Between these two granite-based brick walls the builders used clay or earth, rammed down by foot-power or by timber pile drivers. Lastly, a brick platform was constructed over the clay, linking the inner and outer faces of the wall and providing a roadway along which the defenders could march or ride. There were also built watchtowers and garrison towers. The towers, which may have numbered 25,000 in all were mostly 40 feet high and 40 feet square at the base sloping inward to 30 feet square at the top..."

Mr. Nightengale goes on to state that there were possibly 15,000 other towers placed to the north of the wall to serve as sort of an "early-warning" system.

Now, how long do you think it took to build this almost unbelievable structure? With all our modern machinery and technical skills, how long do you think it would take to build in our own age. Hang on, now it took Meng Tien, who got the contract for the wall, SEVEN YEARS TO BUILD IT! That, to me, is the most incredible part of it all. Could we do it in even TWICE the time today? How did they do it? MANPOWER! They got workers, and got them to work. Simple as that.

Isn't this precisely what happened with respect to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah. Neh. 6:15 says of this rather formidable feat: "So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the full month Elul, in fifty and two days." The speed of the Israelites accomplishment astounded their enemies and caused much consternation among them. How was this great work done so quickly? MANPOWER! "So we build the wall. and all the wall was joined together unto half the height thereof: FOR THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND TO WORK." (Neh. 4:6) Here was the unbeatable combination of (1) workers, and (2) a determination to work.

Doesn't this explain the fantastic success of the spreading of the gospel in the early church? In Colossians 1:23 Paul wrote of the "gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven..." Do you realize that this statement was made just a scant 30 years after the establishment of the church in Jerusalem? And are you aware of the absence of radio, T.V., the printing press, and fast transportation? What was the key to such tremendous success? MANPOWER! Acts 8:4 says of the disciples, "They therefore that were scattered abroad when about preaching the word." Not the apostles alone, nor elders, evangelists, etc. BUT THE DISCIPLES! Beginning with a handful of dedicated and consecrated workers, the kingdom of God was made known throughout the known world in just one generation.

And what will be YOUR excuse, brother and sister in Christ, when you stand before the judgment throne on that awful day and are asked, "Why?" What can you plead as a REASON for unprofitableness-- for failing to bear fruit? There is no such reason!

Our wildest dreams of growth and progress for the church of God will be realized if only members of the church would put together the ingredients for success--a worker plus determination to get the job done.

We KNOW this can get the job done, for we have the record of history so testifying, both profane and sacred. MANPOWER! Every child of God working to save the lost. And just think of the tremendous consequences depending upon the work YOU PERSONALLY DO-- the salvation of your own soul, and the souls of those who hear you. (John 15:1-6, I Tim. 4:16)

May God bless our every effort to build.