p. 4 | A Call to Greater Consecration by T. W. Thirlwell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 24, 1915

A Call to Greater Consecration

By T. W. Thirlwell

T. W. THIRLWELL

Men everywhere are appalled and horror-stricken at the awful international conflict into which Europe has suddenly been plunged. The greatest war in the history of the world is now being waged, and written upon the pages of history with human blood. Nation after nation has been drawn into this terrible whirlpool of destruction, and it would seem as if this war would not end until all the civilized nations be involved. The nations which have declared neutrality, time and again find themselves facing complications that tax them to the utmost to keep from being compelled to enter the war in self-defense. “In point of magnitude the present war is absolutely without a parallel. Never in all the history of the world have there been marshaled on the field of battle

armies that even approached in numbers the hosts which are now drawn up on the frontiers of Germany and Austria. To appreciate the stupendous character of the war of the nations which is now taking place on the continent of Europe, we must bear in mind two facts: First, that it is a war to the death; second, that in the full realization of the absolute finality of the result, every one of the contending nations has already called out, or has stated it would do so, the whole of its trained reserves, thus putting some sixteen millions of men under arms.”

The following quotation appeared in the Review and Herald under date of March 14, 1912, and describes the scenes which are now meeting their fulfillment, but were then future: “Troublous times are right upon us. The fulfilling of the signs of the times gives evidence that the day of the Lord is near at hand. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the future. . . . The crisis is stealing gradually upon us. . . . Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agents to work, that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied, and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of God’s mercy be forever shut. The time is right upon us when there will be sorrow that no human balm can heal. Sentinel angels are now restraining the four winds, that they shall not blow until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads; but when God shall bid his angels loose the winds, there will be a scene of strife such as no pen can picture. The ‘time of trouble, such as never was,’ is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality, but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.”

These words, although written several years ago, are worthy of the most careful consideration at the present time. Truly, no language can describe the frightful scenes taking place in the conflict of the nations.

For years we as a people have been looking forward with much apprehension to the time when this war cloud would burst upon the earth. We have watched the nations in their vast preparations for war, fulfilling the prophecy of Joel. “Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.” Now we see these fearful implements of war let loose upon humanity with such deadly effect.

Never, since the days of Noah, has the world seen the fulfilling of prophecy freighted with such solemn and fearful import. Surely we are living in a solemn time. The Eastern Question is hanging in the balance; we know not how soon the Turk may go to Jerusalem, and then we can look for the final gathering of the nations for the battle of Armageddon. God’s people have never stood in a more solemn time. We have evidence before our eyes in the fulfilling of prophecy of Daniel, that the work of the judgment is fast closing, and that earth’s probation is about to close forever. Do we realize the seriousness of the days in which we are now living? The end is right upon us. We may truly speak of earth’s time as days, for not many years will pass until Christ shall come.

We as a people can see that the world has entered upon the last great struggle before the final plunge into the battle of Armageddon. We can see that God is seeking to call the attention of mankind to the last great message of warning and mercy, that shall finish the work of God in the earth. May we not ask ourselves the question, What does this mean to us as a people? Has God no special warning in this for his people? Yes, most emphatically, yes. While it is true that this means much to the world, it means infinitely more to God’s professed people. While God is speaking in unmistakable tones of thunder to the world, is he not speaking in unmistakable tones to his people, seeking to arrest them, to call to their attention the shortness of time? The world is fast hastening on to the end, and many of God’s professed people are carelessly going on in the ways of the world, unheeding the messages of warning. God calls his people to come out from the things of the world. His command is for a closer and deeper consecration of heart and life, to finish the work he has given them to do. Many of God’s professed people are not ready to meet their God. O that the church itself realized the meaning of these things in the sense that it should! We see fulfilling before our eyes one of the most significant present-day prophecies, and yet how many look upon it in a cool, matter-of-fact sort of way. They fail to see in this any special warning for themselves. They seem to think that they are all right, and they are not aroused to seek for a greater work of grace in their hearts and lives.

“How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, of destruction by fire and flood, with great loss of life and property! Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks of seemingly disorganized, unregulated forces, but in them God’s purpose may be read. They are one of the means by which he seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger.

“There are many, many in our churches who know little of the real meaning of the truth for this time. I appeal to them not to disregard the fulfilling of the signs of the times, which says so plainly that the end is near. O, how many who have not sought their souls’ salvation will soon make the bitter lamentation, ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved.’”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VIII, page 252.

This is God’s warning call to his people to arouse from this condition into which so many have fallen, and to prepare to meet him. This warning call should take hold upon every Seventh-day Adventist with irresistible force. “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel,” should be the watchword of every Adventist household. It should lead to such a searching of heart, such a putting away of sin, as never before characterized this people. Let this warning stir us to the depth of our hearts, and let such a deep, whole-hearted preparation of heart and life follow throughout our ranks, as will bring upon us the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain.

(To be continued)