Earlier text: WHAT IS 'BABYLON?'—THE FALL—COME OUT

[Concluded from page 59.]

The call then, is like any other of God's positive commands, addressed to his people as rational beings capable of obeying or disobeying the same, threatening the severest punishment to the disobedient, and promising the richest blessings to those who obey.—This view of the subject renders it highly important to inquire.

3d. To whom is this call addressed? Not to the incorrigible sinner—not to the graceless, formal, cold-hearted and worldly minded professor or church member or minister; but to God's people—his true people who are in Babylon, to them is this call made. Hear it in the words of Him who gave it, and obey when you hear. He says, MY PEOPLE, go ye out of the midst of her. Jer. li, 45.—Come out of her, MY PEOPLE. Rev. xviii, 4. Will God's people disobey this command? They will not—they cannot and long remain his people after they knowingly disobey. The blessings of having a right to the tree of life and of entering through the gates into the glorious city, are only promised to those who not only hear, but do the commandments of God. Rev. xxii, 14. Oh beware lest a love for remaining in Babylon, be the cause of your being forever shut out of the city of God. To more clearly show that this command is specially binding on God's people now, we inquire.

4th. When was this call to be made? It evidently was to be made shortly before the overthrow of Babylon, and soon after her fall. This is the order of these events as laid down by the divine writers.—In Rev. xviii, 2, 3, the fall, corruptions, and crimes of Babylon are named. In verse 4, the call to come out of her is given, and then immediately follows her exaltation and destruction. The same order is observed in chapter xiv. In verse 6 and 7, John "saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

This "everlasting gospel," we believe to be the same which Christ calls, in Matt. xxiv, "This gospel of the kingdom," which was to be "preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations," first before the end of this world, "the hour of judgment," and the appearing of Christ and his kingdom. It has been preached for a few years past, by believers in the near coming of Christ, and has been rejected by the church. They have stumbled at this, to them, rock of offense, and fallen. And this fall is the next event which follows, as recorded by John in verse 8. He says, "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen." And the next event as recorded in verses 9 and 10, is, "And the third angel followed them, saying, with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." And as we have shown in our previous remarks, that Babylon has but recently fallen in her corruption, there can be no reasonable doubt but that the present is the time for the cry, "Come out of her, my people," to be made. We offer the following facts in proof of this position.

1st. Just such a cry as the divine writers described has been made; it perfectly harmonizes with the order of prophetic events, and has been made in just such a state of the church as it was predicted she would be in at the time the cry should be given.

2d. The cry was given by many, obeyed by thousands of God's people, nearly, if not at the same time, in different parts of the country, without any knowledge of what each other were doing, or preconcerted agreement on the subject. The work evidently was and is of the Lord.

3d. The testimony of those who take a different view of this subject is evidence in our favor. Speaking of believers in the coming of the Lord, in Vermont, where many have left the churches, Bro. Litch says:

"The Adventists in Vermont are an honor to any cause—For untiring zeal and fervent piety you will look in vain to find their superiors in any of the churches. The different denominations say, 'You have enticed them away from us—you are breaking up our churches.'"

Speaking on the same subject, Brother Himes remarks:

"We found that the friends and supporters of the Advent cause had, as a general thing, left their respective churches and declared themselves free and independent of all associations that stood opposed to the Advent at hand, whether they professed friendship or hostility. I could not learn that they rejected the idea of a true ministry or church, or the only creed—the Bible; but cling to all these with more interest than ever. They have regretted the necessity of this step. But it was a case of life and death—certain death, if they remained in the old organizations, deprived of their rights and

"meat in due season;" life if they gave up all for Christ and his truth. The fruit of this action has been, and still is, life—a vigorous and strong faith, and a more thorough consecration to God and to the Advent cause.

It has been said, that this movement was got up and carried forward by indiscreet men, disorganizers, come-outers, &c. That there may be some such persons among us we will not deny; but that the great body of the Advent believers who have left the churches are such, we do deny. We say, without fear of contradiction, that they are from among the most wise, judicious, and experienced members of the church. And more, that they are from among the most intelligent, pious, and devoted; and are carrying out the great principles of the gospel in lives of self-denial and consecration, that some of their accusers at least, would do well to imitate.—And though I may not perfectly accord with them in some applications of Scriptures to the Protestant church, which in all conscience are bad enough; yet I feel to stand with them in the humblest position, shoulder to shoulder, in sustaining the Advent cause, till it be consummated by the advent of our King.

The churches have taken such a course in relation to the advocates of the "faith once delivered to the saints," that they could not honestly live with them. And notwithstanding the remonstrances against leaving the churches, heretofore, God has led his people out into a large place, and into rich pasture; and we believe the hand of God is in this matter. "If God has led his people out into a large place and the hand of God is in the matter," then the means by which this work has been effected must be of God also. Well, what have been those means? Nothing less nor more than the cry. "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE"—and the "intelligent" and "pious" have obeyed it. "It was a case of life and death, certain death, if they remained in the old organizations." But the fruit of coming out has been "life—a vigorous and strong faith, and a thorough consecration to God." Nothing but the truth can produce such glorious fruits as are here described. The truth enlightens, sanctifies and makes us free, in this as in every other case when it is obeyed. And if it is binding upon one it is upon all of God's people to obey it. And "death—certain death," will be the fruit of disobedience.

From the forgoing facts, it is evident that the true cry, "Come out of her, my people," is now being made. And considerations of the highest magnitude arise on every hand why this divine command should be obeyed.