p. 91 | SURELY I COME QUICKLY by Mrs. M. C. Baker

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 14, 1876

“SURELY I COME QUICKLY.”

By Mrs. M. C. Baker

THESE are the words of Him who is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.” When Christ ascended and a cloud received him out of sight of the wondering disciples, it was said by the angels that he should come again in like manner as they had seen him go up. It was meet that the angels should appear and comfort the sorrowing ones who had not yet received the Holy Ghost, and were not in a condition to realize the blessedness of the promise, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” To these disciples, who had journeyed with him, listened to his gracious words, seen him die and received him again alive from the dead; on whom he had breathed his own peace, and to whom he had given the promise of the Comforter, the thought was especially consoling that he should come again. But when in wondrous vision he appears to the beloved John on the Isle of Patmos, whither he had been banished “for the word of God” and the testimony of the truth, he leaves a message which is the heritage of the church to the end of time, “Surely I come quickly.”

The coming of Christ is, then, only a question of time. The manner thereof is quite accurately described in the Bible, but of the day and the hour knoweth no man. . . . He will come suddenly to call the world to final judgment. This scene is too graphically described in Revelation to need a repetition here. If the Judgment day is to come suddenly, how important that all who expect to hail his coming with joy see to it that they are clothed and ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is not enough to remember that we were once made the children of God in a bright conversion; for a bright experience may be clouded by so many shortcomings that it may have become valueless. It will not do to solace ourselves that we belong to a church whose discipline is correct in every particular of doctrine; for many names are on church records that were never enrolled in “the Lamb’s Book of Life.” The question is, rather, Are we to-day walking in all the light that ever shone on our pathway? For to us the words of Christ are, “Surely I come quickly.”

Then, again, it is not enough that we believe in a thorough experience in religion. The happy throng whom John saw in vision before the throne were overcomers here on the earth; for they overcame through the “blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony.” They came up through great tribulation, and “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne.”

Believing a state of entire holiness attainable will not render the soul fit for the presence of a holy God, or the companionship of the saved in Heaven. There must be a present, personal experience of the holiness that fits for these associations, else when the Judge comes quickly, we shall find ourselves calling upon the rocks and mountains to hide us from his presence when the great day of wrath is come, and none is able to deliver. To the professed church of Christ, let the admonition come with all the weight and force of a message from the Lord of the whole heavens, “Surely I come quickly.”—MRS. M. C. BAKER, in Free Methodist.