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The Message for All

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 30, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 31.

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The Message for All

By W. A. S.

THE advent message of Revelation 14 is God’s word to every creature in these closing days of earth’s history. Christ is coming. That being the fact, the message of preparation for his coming is due to every creature, Protestant or Catholic, heathen or Mohammedan. And we thank God that the threefold message of Revelation 14 wins its way among all peoples. It is the “everlasting gospel” for these last days.
An interesting word comes to us from Japan concerning the proportion of believers coming to us from heathenism. Elder F. H. De Vinney, superintendent of the Japan Mission, writes:—
Some time ago you asked us to report what proportion of our believers came from heathenism, and what from Christian bodies. I have made a careful investigation of two hundred and seventy-nine cases of those now with us in full faith, and find that in eighty cases they were from other Christian bodies or had once been connected with them. In the other one hundred and ninety-nine cases they were fresh from heathenism, and never had any connection or sympathy with Christianity. A few years ago we made the same investigation with about the same result, and I believe this to be a fair showing of the work of the message in Japan.
From all we can learn, the proportion of converts from heathenism is about the same in various older mission fields; while of course in the African interior the believers have come, almost without exception, straight out of heathen darkness into the light of this third angel’s message.
In the great prophetic truths which are God’s witness to the world and his challenge to unbelief, we have the very message by which to appeal to the hearts of men who have not been taught to regard the Bible as of divine authority. We thank God for this definite message that catches the attention of men of every class. The Lord is coming. This being the fact, the message which he himselfhas given to prepare his people for the end is the message that he would send to every creature. In the outline of the advent movement given in the prophecy of Revelation 14 the Lord specifically charges those who bear the message to carry it to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. It is the everlasting gospel set in terms to meet the issues of the very last days.
Just as the gospel message of fulfilling prophecy in apostolic times turned the Thessalonians “to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven,” so the message of fulfilling prophecy in our time, preached in the great mission fields, turns men from idols to serve the living and true God.
It is inevitable that the message should appeal also to Christian converts of other societies in these mission fields. We rejoice that it does; for this whole movement is founded upon fulfilling prophecy, and the time has come for all to hear. Christ’s own inspired word in Revelation 14 demands that just before the end a people keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus shall preach the judgment-hour message, with its warning against following tradition, and its call to Sabbath reform; and with the coming of the hour has come the movement fulfilling the prophecy. It is a message for Christendom; it is a message for heathendom; it is a message for the Mohammedan world. The cry of it is to go through every land, and it matters not where men are, or what their calling or belief, the great overwhelming fact is that the Lord is coming, and he has sent into the world the definite message of preparation for that great event.
At the same time we know that in none of the great mission fields are our workers aiming merely to reach the converts of other societies, nor are they engaged in the work generally described by the term “proselyting.” The great masses are non-Christian, and it is among these masses that the message is to be proclaimed.
Of one thing we may be assured, and that is, no selfish or worldly interests will be served by joining in this movement. The movement offers no inducement of a worldly nature. The message calls for separation from the world, for the sacrifice of every earthly interest, and for the dedication of life and means to the service of God; and with it all there is the assurance that those who turn from tradition to keep the commandments of God will suffer the wrath of the enemy, who, as the prophecy declares, will make special warfare against the remnant church that keeps the commandments of God and has the testimony of Jesus Christ. But it is a good way, the way of this third angel’s message, and the hope that it brings is the “blessed hope.” It is God’s truth for these last days, and we rejoice in it, and rejoice to see others receiving it and joining in the work of carrying the good tidings to those who have not heard.
W. A. S.