Our Times | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 29, 1866

Our Times.

THE times in which we live are ominous. All lines of prophecy indicate that we are near a crisis in our world's history. How soon it will come we know not. The question of the pre-millennial Advent is growing in importance every day. There are points on which pre-millennialists—that is, Adventists and Millenarians—differ among themselves, but we are agreed in looking for the speedy coming and kingdom of Christ, and as to the condition of things after he comes, we are sure all will be right. In the light of prophecy we see a storm gathering which will soon burst over our fire-doomed world, and, in view of it, we cannot but urge the sinner to flee to Christ as the only refuge from the wrath to come. The golden moments of probation are rapidly fleeting, and what is done must be done quickly. Nothing but an affectionate, practical confidence in Christ will deliver us from the gathering storm of Divine wrath.

"O Church of Christ! read the signs of the times." Beyond the storm lies the calm; beyond the gloom is the glorious sunshine of Immanuel's land. The warfare is now, the victory hereafter. Here is labor, yonder rest. Here the cross, there the crown. A mixture of good and evil we have now, and—as Lord John Napier said in 1593—"undoubtedly to the

world's end these vices shall ever increase," but despair not. Our Jesus will triumph. The glory from his throne will rest where the shadow of his cross has fallen. The earth, man's lost inheritance, will be restored to its pristine beauty and blessedness; and in that world to come the "people shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever," and the knowledge of the Lord cover the earth as the waters do the channel of the great deep. May our home be there."

Rev. J. K. Lord, in his discourse on "Christ's interest in the opinions of the multitude regarding himself," says:

"We believe in Jesus the Nazarene, crucified, dead, buried, rising, ascending, interceding, coming to reign, coming in the clouds of heaven, in the chariots of salvation with the thousands and ten times ten thousand at his feet. We believe in him, and though unbelief grows bolder and more bold, and pride rears itself more loftily, and degenerate man strains for Divine power and honors, still do we believe in Christ and in him alone. We will wait with him and for him; and when he comes, we will give him a welcome such as earth never has heard. The song of the morning stars shall be forgotten as the song of the redeemed breaks forth with all its accumulated harmonies, and 'pure concert.' Yea, angels shall stop to listen, and look down to see the ransomed hosts as they wind up the everlasting hills, and roll forth from van-guard to rear-ward the mighty chorus, 'Glory to the King of kings.' And from eye to eye, and heart to heart, in all that angelic throng the inspiration shall flash; and they shall catch the strain, and strike all their golden wires, and send back from Heaven to earth the thunder peal of praise, 'Glory to the King of kings!' And Christ, the Man, the God, the King: oh! how he will rejoice, for himself and for us! With all the glory on his brow will he look down upon the advancing multitudes, and say, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' And when we hear him, again will we cry out and shout, and all Heaven shall swell the chorus—Glory to the King of kings!"—Review of Objections to Error, by J. M. Orroch.