SIGNS IN THE RELIGIOUS, SOCIAL, MORAL, PHYSICAL, AND POLITICAL WORLD.
By D. T. J.
BY D. T. J.
The church is not left to read the signs of the second coming of her Lord in the heavens alone. “There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth, distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” The signs first appear in the heavenly bodies, afterwards upon the earth. Others have treated of the former, calling attention to their literal fulfillment; it remains for us to look for the signs in the earth.
Signs in the Religious World.
Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy what the religious condition of the world will be in the last days, or just before the second coming of Christ:—
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
In the last days those who have “a form of godliness,” that is, those who make an outward profession of religion, will be guilty of the sins here enumerated. The prophecy does not say that all professed Christians will be of this character, but the influence is unmistakable that the general tendency of the professedly religious world will be in the direction, and of the character, here described by the apostle. He refers to the work of Jannes and Jambres in resisting Moses as an illustration of the extent to which men will go in the last days in resisting the truth. He then refers to his own persecutions which he had suffered for the truth's sake. Having prepared the way, he states two propositions by way of contrast; the first is, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” and the second, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” In the beginning of the following chapter he gives his charge to the church, through Timothy, in the most solemn terms:—
“I charge thee therefore [because of these evils that were going to come into the church] before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; take thy position in season and out of season.” Rotherham's translation.
A little further on he gives the reason why it would be so essential for the teachers of the Gospel to be earnest and true men, always ready to take their position on the unchangeable word of God: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
As a fulfillment of these prophecies we call attention to: (1) The general neglect of the study of the Bible among professed Christians, the departure from apostolic purity and simplicity; the introduction of worldliness into the ranks of the church, and even into popular pulpits; a desire for something sensational rather than the plain, cutting truths of the word of God; the tendency on the part of the ministry to satisfy the “itching ears” of the people; and the consequent spiritual leanness in both pulpit and pew. Not many months ago, to the writer's knowledge the popular pastor of a popular church spent his Sunday forenoon hour discussing the subject of stained-glass windows. A recent occurrence in Chicago will further illustrate the point: Dr. Henson, Baptist, preached against the Fatherhood of God, as generally understood. Dr. Canfield, Universalist, responded with some sharp criticisms. Dr. Henson then intimated that Dr. Canfield's church was a circus. To this Dr. Canfield responded that Dr. Henson's church was a menagerie, in which the pastor constituted the whole show. The Interior of October 5 says of this:—
That is as far as this high debate has reached at this time, but both combatants announce that it will proceed with even greater vigor. . . . The labors of both ministers are now attended with great popularity and success. They have crowded houses. A great religious interest has arisen to hear one minister in a richly appointed church call the other a clown, and to hear another in an equally fine sanctuary describe the other as a baboon.
Such are very sad examples of those who have a “form of godliness but deny the power thereof.” When such a state of things exists in the pulpit, spirituality in the church must be at a very low ebb.
(2) The tendency of the churches to call the secular power to their aid in enforcing religious dogmas which the church itself has lost all power to enforce by precept and example. As an evidence of this we call attention to the zeal of church members to enforce Sunday laws through the secular power, where such laws exist, and to secure such laws where they do not exist. It fell to the writer's lot a few years ago to go to the relief of his brethren in a certain state where they were suffering indictments, fines, and imprisonment for quietly working on Sunday, without disturbing any one, after having “rested on the Sabbath day according to the commandment.” In the capitol of the state I met a Baptist minister who was also a member of the state Senate, and represented a district where five men were under indictment for Sunday labor, with fines ranging from $20 to $30 each. I called his attention to this fact, and asked him if he knew these men. He said he knew them well. I asked what class of men they were, for I had never seen them at that time. He replied, “They are fine men; they are among the best citizens we have; one has been a county judge, another was justice of the peace for years, others have held small offices—all are peaceable men.” A bill was introduced into the Senate granting exemptions from the penalties of the Sunday law to those who conscientiously observed another day. This would cover the cases of all the men referred to. When the bill came to a vote under roll call, this same minister was the first man to vote no. Another minister also voted no. Outside of these two, the vote was unanimous in favor of the exemption. Again it fell to my lot to attend the trial of another brother, in another state, also indicted for working on Sunday after having kept the seventh day. The jury was sworn, and each kissed the Bible, which was handed them by the clerk of the court. The evidence showed that no one had been disturbed in any way by the defendant's work. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and assessed the fine at $75 and costs. The prosecutors, witnesses, and jurors were churchmen.
Signs in the Social World.
Christ says: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:37–39. This pointed prophecy describes in unmistakable language the social conditions that will exist in the world just before the second coming of Christ. We look for its fulfillment, and what do we find?—Trusts, syndicates, and various monopolies practically control all business. The poor are oppressed that unprecedented fortunes may be piled up by the rich. Institutions of learning that are supposed to be established for the purpose of educating and moulding public opinion in harmony with principles of justice and right, are so far under the influence of the millionaires who are their beneficiaries that if a voice is raised in behalf of the rights of the laboring classes, that voice must be silenced for fear of offending the beneficiaries, and thus injuring the financial prospects of the institution. Position in society is dependent more upon wealth and political influence than upon virtue and intelligence. Marriages are contracted9on grounds of interest rather than from love or fitness for companionship. The whole current of society seems to be turned into false channels, with a tendency to lead away from the paths of justice, mercy, truth, honesty, and godliness.
Signs in the Moral World.
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Tim. 3:13. When the time comes that there is a form of godliness without the power, evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse. Evil-disposed men, freed from moral restraint, will increase in their wicked designs and in the boldness of executing them. As an illustration of this we refer the reader to unspeakable wickedness existing in the metropolis of the world, as revealed by the Pall Mall Gazette a few years ago, and to the divorce courts of our own country, which reveal a dark stream of impurity, broad and deep, and which is gathering volume rapidly, to the innumerable and oftentimes nameless crimes everywhere occurring. There is a lowering of moral tone everywhere.
Signs in the Physical World.
“And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” In addition to the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and in the social, moral, and religious world, there are to be signs in the physical world also. The unprecedented tidal waves, cyclones, tornadoes, and destructive earthquakes of recent years, are a remarkable and sufficient fulfillment of the prophecy.
Signs in the Political World.
There is to be also “distress of nations, with perplexity; . . . men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” These are signs that are to appear in the political world. The last quarter of a century has been remarkable for the almost unbroken peace that has reigned among all the important nations of the world. But during this period of peace there has been a preparation for war on a scale that is unprecedented in the history of the world. All the nations of Europe have been laying out treasure in preparing materials of war and supporting standing armies at a rate that must end in bankruptcy if it is long continued. The leading nations are watching each other and are forming alliances and counter alliances. Rumors of war are constantly heard. More than twenty millions of men in Europe alone, including standing armies and reserves, are ready to be called into the field at a day's notice. Each nation feels that the struggle will be so momentous and sanguinary when it does come, that it hesitates to take the step that will lead to war. Yet all feel that it must soon come. The following extract from the Review of Reviews for October is an index to the war feeling that exists in Europe:—
The Eastern Question has been going to bring about war any time for the last ten years, but the war has not come; therefore it may not come this side of Christmas—certainly will not come if the statesmen can fix the date of its outbreak to suit themselves. Unfortunately with these unsettled questions, the trigger is usually pulled by some person much less responsible than the chancellors of Europe. That the courts are uneasy goes without saying.
After referring to the recent meeting of the German chancellor and the Austrian minister of foreign affairs, the writer continues:— This event probably gave rise to the story that is current as to the contemplated accession of Roumania to the Triple Alliance. That, in its strict sense, is probably untrue. The Triple Alliance remains the Triple Alliance still; but at the same time it would not be surprising in the least if it was supplemented by a secret agreement with Roumania to the effect that should war break out under certain circumstances, the troops of King Carl could be counted upon as an available factor on the side of the Triple Alliance in the coming Armageddon.
While international complications seem to be becoming more acute, the domestic situation generally is somewhat placid. . . . Mr. Chauncey M. Depew made the following remarks to a reporter of the New York Sun on the feeling in Germany against France: “I was in Germany on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle of Sedan. The enthusiasm was wild and contagious. It disclosed a deep-seated and almost passionate desire for war with France now, and on any pretext, to settle forever the possession of Alsace and Lorraine, and to so cripple the French that they would no longer be a menace to the peace of Germany, and that the military establishment of the latter country might be reduced.”
Such is the political situation of the world at the present time, and it is a clear fulfillment of what the Saviour said would be a sign of his second coming. Then, so far as the signs given by Christ and his apostles as to the religious, social, moral, physical, and political conditions of the world in the last days are concerned, they are all either fulfilled or so far advanced towards fulfillment that the history of a few months might chronicle the fulfillment of them all.
THE LAST GREAT MESSAGE.
By Wm. Covert
BY WM. COVERT.
A Simple Outline.
The sign of the near coming of Jesus most prominent and suggestive to the people of God is the proclamation of the great threefold message of Rev. 14: 6–12.
It is a proclamation of the everlasting Gospel, coupled with the following fearful warning, which goes forth 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, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
This is the warning against the worship of the beast or his image, with a statement of what the punishment will be to those who heed not the message.
Following this statement is a description of the worthy characters who refuse to reverence the unholy alliance which demands homage from all. Of them it is said, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
The going forth of this message to all the world is the very last Gospel work to be done in the earth before Jesus comes. Immediately following the preaching of the message John describes the coming of the Lord as taking place:—
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud One sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” Rev. 14: 14.
This text does not describe a sign of Jesus’ coming, but speaks of the very event itself. But the last great sign of his coming, the preaching of the last message of mercy, is even now far out on its mission to the nations. The beast power against which this message warns mankind is that leopard beast which John describes as rising up out of the sea. Rev. 13: 1. It is the same beast that made war with the saints and overcame them (verse 7); it is this power that wore out the saints of God, and thought himself able to change the times and laws of God (Dan. 7: 25).
This beast is the symbol of the Papacy and all its correlative associates in evil. The image to the beast is that grasping, scheming, persecuting church power in the United States of America, which is using the civil law as a cat’s paw to make every soul do its bidding. Wherever the Papacy is the dominant power, it will, of course, endeavor to enforce its own ecclesiastical laws, yet most prominently its chief badge,—the Sunday institution. But in this country professed Protestants are at present doing this work for the Papacy. As matters are now going in this nation, the Papacy can sit and nod assent, while professed Protestants do the unholy work of executing the religious laws placed upon the statute books of the states, which laws simply enforce papal institutions upon unwilling subjects.
The power which is doing the work is not exactly the Papacy, but it is so much like it that in the Scripture it is called “an image to the beast.” Rev. 13: 14, 15.
The attitude of the Papacy is that of a person seated before a camera to have his picture drawn, while our country stands in a receptive mood to receive the impression and give the lifelike touch to the image.
The image has already been quickened into life, and is learning to talk, and it speaks as a dragon, in making war upon those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 12: 17.
It is the mission of the last great message to warn the world against the worship of the beast and his image. It is also to present, instead of the beast worship, the everlasting Gospel. Rev. 14: 6, 7.
In the Gospel are found the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. Rev. 14: 12. Not simply the form of these things, but the very life of Christ, is manifested through his children who truly accept this message. These are becoming a shining mark for the wrath of Satan, and so the last great conflict is on.
Those who had carefully noted the fulfillment of the earlier signs of Jesus’ second coming, such as are indicated by the progress of empires, the darkening of the sun and the moon, the falling of the stars, the signs in the social, moral, physical, and the political aspect of things, had foreseen what the last great message would be. They had through the study of the prophecies become informed as to the issues of the last great conflict, and were, therefore, early in the field with the last great message.
The everlasting Gospel under this message has already developed many thousands who10are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. These are now giving the warning and proclaiming the message upon every continent of the earth and in many islands of the seas. At this very time every principal country in the world is hearing the last great message and furnishing laborers for this work.
If our Saviour could say of the signs in the sun, moon, and stars that when these things begin to come to pass, “then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21: 28), what should be the emotion of our hearts as to the nearness of that event now? Surely it hasteth greatly.
But in conclusion let us take both a retrospective and perspective view of our relation to the end. It is known that in going over a journey every waymark and every station, from the starting point to the end, must be passed before the destination is reached. No gap can be left out by which to shorten the road; but each interval must be filled up in detail. As with journeys, so with time; no invention will shorten it. As distances are made of inches, feet, yards, rods, and miles, so is time composed of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years.
In passing over the line of time not one second could be left out, nor one epoch omitted. In this detailed manner, age after age has slowly “ticked” away, until we now see that the great dial is registering the last hour in the day of probation. We have passed the dark valleys of many ages, and eternal joys are beaming upon us. As we now stand, we must look backward over the line which we have passed in order to read the waymarks which have been erected on Time’s highway. Looking around us now we see ourselves rapidly nearing the end of our journey. Many objects in clear view are plainly described by our Guide-book as being located in the very suburbs of our destination. O, it is inspiring now to see the many “run to and fro”! It is encouraging during these latest moments to read the signs of the times, which show so clearly that we are almost home. In every direction may be seen the heralds of his near coming, speeding their way to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, with the glad news that the Lifegiver hastes his return.
Looking upward we shall soon behold the white cloud that is coming with its thousands of chariots to carry the people of God to their mansions of gold, which have been prepared for their reception.
Dear reader, are you ready for Christ’s coming? Have you by faith received the righteousness of Christ, which will prepare you to stand without fault before the throne of God? If you have not, there is no time to waste before you surrender all your interests into the hands of Him who alone can make you ready for that great event, which is just upon us.
CHRIST IS COMING.
That he will come again, the second time, is generally believed by Christians.
That his coming will be a literal, personal, visible coming, to raise the righteous dead, change the righteous living, and set up his everlasting kingdom by his own power, is believed by many, and abundantly proved by the word of God; that around this coming gather the great events of man's salvation, and upon it, as upon his crucifixion and resurrection, they depend, is also true. Christ's coming is the culmination of “the blessed hope.”
That Christ's second coming is near, the prophecies of the word of God and the signs predicted by inspiration clearly declare. It is the object of this number of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES briefly to set forth a part of the abundant evidence upon this great subject. God is not unreasonable. He has not enjoined the duty to know that he is near, even at the door (Matt. 24:33), and condemned us if we do not, without giving us clear evidence that we may know.
That the reader may at a glance get an idea of the testimony of the word of God concerning the nearness of Christ's coming, we subjoin a diagram outlining eight different lines of prophecy and eight especial signs of the last days.
It is a common saying in England, “All roads lead to London;” for it is the great center of the English life. It is even more true that all paths of prophecy, more or less marked with sign boards, lead to the grand culminating event of the ages, the coming of the Christ. Note some of the important events in these lines of prophecy.
Beginning with the one on the right, we have the prophecy of Daniel 2, the alphabet of symbolic prophecies, revealing in its wonderfully comprehensive record a history in advance of the four great world empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, Rome, its arch spanning the space of time between B.C. 600 to a little beyond our own time, when Christ shall come. The farther end of the arch is obscured by the brightness of the coming glory.
Daniel 7, in the upper left-hand corner, depicts the same four empires under the figures of a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a beast too terrible to describe. Babylon existed till B.C. 538; Medo-Persia, till B.C. 331; Grecia, till B.C. 168; Rome as a united kingdom, till A.D. 351; Rome as a divided empire, until now. The little horn of the apostasy began its persecuting career in A.D. 538 and was checked in 1798, to revive a little just before the Lord comes. The same may be said in substance of Revelation 12 and 13, although in the thirteenth chapter a new symbol is introduced, which applies to this government. These then do not reveal the definite time of Christ's coming, but clearly indicate that the next great event is the setting up of his kingdom.
Daniel 11, at the left of the diagram, is a graphic and literal prophecy of the kingdoms of earth, beginning with Medo-Persia, and closing with “the king of the north,” or the Mohammedan power, Turkey, soon to come to its end. The next event is the standing up of Michael—Christ—to reign, or his coming to reap the harvest of the earth.
Revelation, chapters 6 to 8, is a prophecy of the seven seals, in which is a prediction of the great Lisbon earthquake, Nov. 1, 1755, the darkening of the sun and moon, May 19, 1780, and the falling of the stars, Nov. 13, 1833. The rolling back of the heavens as a scroll, and the revelation of the great Reaper to garner the harvest of the earth follow.
In Daniel 8 and 9 is revealed the great prophecy of earth's empires, in which the kingdom of Grecia is called by name, and its conquest as a world empire foretold 200 years before Grecia came to power. Then follows the long prophetic period of 2,300 days, or years, subdivided into the periods of 49 years, 434 years, 7 years, and 1,810 years, beginning in B.C. 457, and ending respectively in B.C. 408, A.D. 27, 31, 34, and 1844. Here ends the latest definite prophetic period in the word of God, in 1844. No definite time reaches beyond this; and here it is that the oath of the angel proclaims that there should be “time [definite prophetic time] no longer.” Rev. 10:6, 7. In 1844 began the investigative judgment in the courts of heaven (Eccl. 3:17; Rev. 14:7), and what now lies just before is the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven to reward those who are “accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from [out from among] the dead” (Luke 20:35).
In Revelation 8 to 11 we have the prophecy of the seven trumpets, in which, including the two witnesses of Revelation 11, we have the following prophetic dates: A.D. 538 to 1798, the 1,260 years of persecution; July 27, 1299, the beginning of the five months of Ottoman persecution, reaching to 1449, when Constantinople became subject to the Turks. From thence 391 years and 15 days carry us to Aug. 11, 1840, when Turkey lost her independence by its voluntary surrender to the great powers of Europe, and has been known as “the Sick Man of the East” ever since. The next great events in this prophecy are the judgment, the day of God's wrath, the coming of Christ.
In connection with Revelation 12 and 13 is the great threefold message of Rev. 14:6–12, now going to the world. Following this is the coming of Christ on a cloud, “having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle,” to reap the harvest of the earth. See Rev. 14:14–16; Matt. 13:39; Joel 3:13–16. Thus all the prophecies culminate in the one great event of the great day of God, a day of wrath to the wicked, the coming of the Lifegiver to the righteous. Life, Heaven, and Home lie just before us.
Signs of His Coming.
On the Mount of Olives the disciples of Jesus asked him this question, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Matt. 24:3. In reply to this Jesus declared (Luke 21:25–27):—
“And THERE SHALL BE SIGNS in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
Not one sign, but many, not in one place but many places, does God give to the people of earth as heralds of his coming. He hangs them out in the heavens; they are heard in the waves of the sea, in the mighty storms that sweep the earth, in the mutterings of social discontent, in the siren voice of the cry of peace, in the bellowing of the cannon, in the hilarious mirth of the dance of death, in the warning voices of time and prophecy, God's gracious Gospel to men. They are seen in the departure of the church from the simplicity of Christ, in the red hand of increasing crime,—in every direction that we may look are tokens heralding the dissolution of the present world and the coming of the King of the world to come.
A few of these evidences we have indicated on our diagram. The line marked “The Time of the End” is clearly fixed to 1798—the close of the 1,260 days of the persecution of the Dark Ages—by several lines of prophecy, notably Daniel 7 and 11, Revelation 11, 12, 13, and referred to in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. Here began the fulfilling of the11definite-time prophecies of the word of God, the last of which met its termination in 1844. Later than that date no definite time is revealed, but within the time of the end, this side of 1798, within the present generation of men now living, we have the following signs:—
8. Yet, right in the face of those who raise the false peace and safety cry, are going on the most tremendous war preparations the world has ever known, predicted to occur when the harvest of the earth (Matt. 13:39) is ripe and the day of the Lord at hand. See Joel 3:9–14. This is the precursor and preparation of the great battle of the day of God foretold in Jer. 25:31–33; Rev. 16:14; 19:19–21. It is not God who predicts peace in a world of sin; it is the many people and many nations of the apostasy of earth. See Isa. 2:3–5; Micah 4:2–5. But because of this false cry God calls those who give it soothsayers, and declares that he has forsaken them. Isa. 2:6–9. Their work is all mockery, the form of godliness without the power. 2 Tim. 3:1–5.
Other signs might be given, such as the predictions of the rise of Mormonism and Spiritualism, the distress of nations, the gluttony, drunkenness, and licentiousness, and God's last warning message. All these are predicted for the last days with positive certainty. God's language is: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times” (1 Tim. 4:1); “This know also that in the last days” (2 Tim. 3:1); “Knowing this first, that there should come in the last days scoffers” (2 Peter 3:3); “And that, knowing the time” (Rom. 13:11), etc. The word of God is not merely suggestive or uncertain, but express and definite; and just as surely as Israel were destroyed because they did not heed and know the time of their visitation, so surely will the last generation suffer the same fate who do not now heed God's word. See Luke 19:41–44; 1 Thess. 5:3, 4; 1 Cor. 10:11, 12.
“This Generation.”
According to all these lines of prophecy, according to all these special signs, we are dwelling in the last generation, just before Christ shall come. It is to this generation that our Lord refers in Matt. 24:34. He had declared that the signs given above should occur; that the Roman Kingdom would be dismembered, so that nation would be against nation; that the long period of persecution would take place, till his hearers were brought down to the last generation—“this generation,” the generation of which he was last speaking, the generation which should witness the signs of his coming, the generation that should hear its warning. Of that generation, which is this generation, he says:—
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, KNOW THAT IT [margin, ‘He’] is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.” Matt. 24:32–35.
What could be stronger, clearer, more positive? Thrice in God's providence are they repeated, as though he could not suffer his people to forget. (See Mark 13; Luke 21.) Thrice does he tell us that heaven and earth may pass, but that his words will not pass. Thrice are we told that as we see these things it is duty to know that he is near.
It may be said that many of these signs have taken place in past centuries, and this is doubtless true; but in no other generation were they all seen. “When ye shall see all these things, KNOW that He is near, even at the doors.” They are all in evidence. They may all be seen. Tumultuous they throng into this generation, with banners high and lifted up, each clamoring for recognition as a herald of the coming King. The dawn of eternal day begins to light the east; the first rays of light already rest upon the hilltops of spiritual knowledge; only the low, dark valleys are in gloom. Yet, cleaving the power of sin, the shafts of God's truth penetrate the darkness and enlighten clouded minds. Through the miasmatic air of iniquity, the fogs of error, and the storms of strife, rings God's note of warning to every dweller of earth. “Christ is coming; prepare to meet thy God.”
A Glory Gilds the Sacred Page
By Cooper
A GLORY gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age,
It gives, but borrows none.
—Cooper.
Weaving Life's Web in God's Will
“’Tis better to weave in the web of life
A bright and golden filling,
And to do God’s will with a ready heart
And hands that are swift and willing,
Than to snap the delicate silver threads
Of our curious hearts asunder,
And then Heaven blame for the tangled ends,
And sit and grieve and wonder.”
