The Second Advent by JOS. CLARKE.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 12, 1867

The Second Advent.

By JOS. CLARKE.

THE Second Advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, about which so much has been said and written by those who love his appearing, is doubtless near at hand. His first coming, according to previous appointment in the prophetic Scriptures, is a sure guarantee that he will fulfill his promise to come the second time without sin unto salvation. To doubt upon this point is clear evidence of an uninformed mind or a perverted judgment. This glorious event has been the fervent desire of the church from the days of Enoch. All have looked forward to it with ardent longings and rapturous anticipations; and though the ancient worthies knew that centuries would intervene between their time and this sublime event, yet they waited just as patiently and expected it as certainly, as we do now, who with joyous anticipations are expecting to witness the most sublime and glorious scene ever beheld since sin came into our world. Upon no point of doctrine is the Bible more clear and distinct than upon this. Signs in the heavens above and in the earth beneath, and events among the inhabitants of the earth, all contribute testimony to the same effect. This subject has been the theme of inspired men of every age; and as they meditated upon it their hearts became warm with holy fire, they became more heavenly and angelic, and a power and an eloquence more than human became manifest in their language and writings. This noble subject lifted them from the groveling sphere of the unbelieving world around. They peered far into the future by the light of inspiration; and from the dim and shadowy future they drew solid consolation and support.

The future! oh! how dark to the mere statesman, politician, or worldling! How constantly are their hopes and plans for the future shifting and uncertain! Not so with those holy ones who have resigned themselves to sleep, in the full assurance of the resurrection at the coming of our Lord. Their hope is not the illusion of the imagination, nor is it a dream, but it is a full assurance and well grounded hope, very soon to be realized. Those sleeping saints have slept through the long night of error and darkness; but behold the day breaketh! soon they will awake! Does not the Lord have a desire to the work of his hands? Does he not desire to behold his servants who have slept so long? Is he not as weary waiting for the Bridal Morn as we? Do not angels weep with longing, aching hearts to see the faces of those devoted ones who went with holy calmness to the martyr’s cruel death? Are we alone in desiring the soon coming of our blessed Lord who promised to come again, having prepared mansions for his saints? Ah! there are preparations being made for the sleeping saints; they will not be ushered into a place unprepared and confused, but all will be ready ere they awake.

Come then, blessed Master, and awake thy holy people from their long sleep, and rescue thy waiting ones that remain upon the earth. JOS. CLARKE.