Perilous Times by I. J. Hankins

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 20, 1882

"Perilous Times."

By I. J. Hankins

BY ELD. I. J. HANKINS.

THE apostle Paul made use of this expression in describing the condition of things in the last days. Perilous signifies full of danger. The last days, then, will be full of danger. Christ predicted the same condition in giving a list of signs that should precede his coming: He said there would be "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." Luke 21: 25, 26.

We have certainly reached a time when these words have an application. The earth, as well as its inhabitants, seems to be in a state of unrest. All nature seems in disorder. The earth quakes and groans under the curse, giving utterance in storms of wind, rain, hail, and even fire.

"What terrible storms we are having! They are becoming so frequent! and such destruction as follows in their track!" are the expressions we hear on every hand. Men of all vocations are becoming fearful for the future. Farmers plant and sow, but are not certain that they will reap a harvest. Men, who have toiled for more than a score of years to provide themselves and families with the comforts of life, are in a moment left homeless and destitute, their all having been swept away by the dashing flood, consumed by the devouring fire, or driven to atoms before the dreaded cyclone or tornado. How frail is the work of man! and how feeble his power to protect either his property, or his life!

The Psalmist says, "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."

Those who have never been visited with these destructive agents know not how to sympathize with others who have had this sad misfortune. But we know not how soon this may be our experience. The fondest hopes of man, when centered on any earthly object, are sooner or later blasted; yet in spite of this, men plan and labor, as though this world were all there is to live for. Judging from their actions, "their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations."

How can the world be made to realize its dangerous condition, and to prepare for the solemn events in the near future? How shall we learn righteousness? The prophet Isaiah answers the question. He says, chap. 26 : 9, "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."

While other nations have suffered famine, pestilence, and earthquake, and their victims have fallen by thousands, our nation has enjoyed comparative peace and prosperity. It is evident that, as a nation, we have not appreciated our blessings, or, if we have appreciated them, have misimproved them. The Lord admonished his people anciently on this very point. He said to them, "Beware, when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied, . . . that thou forget not the Lord thy God and thou say in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth." Ah, here is our danger. We take the credit to ourselves and give not God the glory to whom it properly belongs; "for" he says, "it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." Where did the great capitalists of our country get the ability to acquire their means? God gave it to them. Soon they will be called upon to give an account of their stewardship. How great will be their anguish of soul when they realize the mistake they have made. Satan presented this world before them as the "pearl of great price," but when they come to reap the final fruits of their labor, it is as the chaff to the wheat—good for nothing but to kindle the fires of the last great day.

When ancient Israel had forgotten God, and gone after their idols, the Lord visited them with judgments until they turned again to him with sorrow and repentance.

Who knows but that the fatal storms and floods that are sweeping over portions of our country, causing such destruction of life and property, threatening poverty, if not famine, are not the judgments of God, admonishing us to turn away from our idols, and to serve the true God? We are now called a "Christian nation," but are we, really? I believe there are good Christian people in all the different denominations of our land. But I am also well satisfied that the majority of even professed Christians love the pleasures of the world,—its pride, wealth, and honor,—much better than they love the cross-bearing, self-denying path that our Saviour trod. The love of the world is sapping the strength and spiritual life of many Christians. What shall be done that they may sever this unlawful connection with the world, and that men may be led to learn righteousness?

The Lord says that showing favor will not do it, but that it must be done by visiting them with judgments. Isa. 26 : 9, 10. We must now expect these judgments; for the time is nearing when God will have a righteous people.

These very judgments which are intended to awaken the people to a sense of their danger, and to the importance of serving God, and laying up a treasure where it will never be destroyed, are at the same time evidences that the great day is near which will try every man's work of what sort it is.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, . . . but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." May we be admonished by the perils that surround us, to heed these injunctions. This is no time to build our hopes on the shifting sands of this world. We want them built on the solid Rock. The labor we perform for self, or the world, may in a moment come to naught; but the work we do for God will stand forever. Who will be among the faithful laborers at last?

There is nothing in this poor world that is worthy of our efforts or our love. The curse of God rests heavily upon the earth. Dangers are increasing on every hand. Perilous times are just before us. The final conflagration awaits us, and who shall be able to stand?

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.