p. 247 | WAITING AT THE WRONG DEPOT

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 30, 1867

WAITING AT THE WRONG DEPOT.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Of late I have met with several Adventists who are preaching a definite time for the Lord to come, saying, that it will be this year. They say that all the servants of God must be ready and waiting when he comes, in the depot, satchel in hand, ready to go. All who do not believe definite time they say, are not ready. I have heard them illustrate it sometimes thus: A train is expected to pass a depot at a certain hour, and all passengers expecting to go must be on the platform, satchel in hand, and waiting; so they say it is with them. The Lord is coming this year and they are all ready to go. All who do not believe this definite time they fear are not waiting, and hence will be lost. We think, however that they are not correct who are looking for the Lord to come when there is still so great a work for the church to do in order to be prepared for that event. They are neglecting this work and we fear that they will be found wanting when the Lord does come. Now I think they are making a mistake similar to one which I once made. I was going to Ohio to attend a State Conference. I stopped at Jackson over Thursday night intending to take the cars for Toledo, Friday morning, at five o'clock. It was my last chance to go before the Sabbath. Thinking that I knew all about the trains I made little inquiry. Friday morning long before time and before others were up, I was at the depot, satchel in hand, anxiously waiting for the cars. I often looked at my watch and counted the minutes till the train was due. At length the time was nearly up, but to my surprise I saw no indication of the train, nor any one preparing for it. The depot was not open nor any one stirring. At length the thought struck me that this might not be the right depot; so I found a man and asked him if the cars left this depot for Toledo? He said, “No, sir, that depot is on the other side of the city, nearly a mile from here.” Now I was in trouble. The time was almost expired and I was a mile from the cars. My waiting had been in vain because I had not waited in the right place. I had to make quick work in order to reach the train before it left. Thus I fear it is with our time-setting Adventists. They are waiting as was I, at the wrong depot. I fear that some of these our friends will not find out their mistake soon enough to reach the right depot in time to take the train.

D. M. CANRIGHT.