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Editorial

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 4, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 1.

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Editorial

By Editor

Light Ahead

In response to the inquiry, “Watchman, what of the night?” as recorded by the prophet Isaiah, the watchman responded, “The morning cometh.” While darkness surrounded him, he recognized in the distance the omens of breaking day. In the great moral darkness which covers this earth and fills the world at the present time, we can see the signs of the dawning of the day of light and eternal gladness. The year just closed brought its full measure of these indications.
While perhaps no one event stands out with startling significance, the combined testimony of many events, the aggravated conditions existing in the political, social, commercial, and religious worlds, the combines and combinations, associations and federations, having for their objective purpose the creation of the very conditions pointed out in the prophetic Word,—all these speak in unmistakable language of the times upon which we have entered, and of the surety of our hope in the soon coming of the Lord. In considering evidences of the Lord’s soon coming we do not need to base our faith upon the fulfilment of one sign. We can appeal to a multitude.
In Christian experience we hope that the closing year has been one of great victory to our readers. Where this has been the case, let us thank God. Wherein failures have been made, let us make the wrongs right through sincere repentance, confessing and putting away sin, and let us rise above the pall of defeat for the year to come. We can not afford to take time and energy from the living present to waste in useless regretting. We must forget the things that are past, and press forward toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Learning lessons from the mistakes of 1911, let us eliminate from our lives during the year to come the principles which have led to our downfall.
In thus learning, by God’s grace we may rise triumphant over our weaknesses.
God still lives. He is our mighty helper. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Let us place our hands in his, and fearlessly enter the new year whose portals open before us. He will be our stronghold. Through his grace we may make it the very best year in all our experience.
“Come, let us anew our journey pursue, Roll round with the year, And never stand still till the Master appear. His adorable will let us gladly fulfil, And our talents improve By the patience of hope and the labor of love.”
“Our life as a dream, our time as a stream, Glides swiftly away, And the fugitive moment refuses to stay. The arrow is flown, the moment is gone; The millennial year Rushes on to our view, and eternity’s here.”
“O, that each in the day of his coming may say, ‘I have fought my way through; I have finished the work thou didst give me to do.’ O, that each from his Lord may receive the glad word, ‘Well and faithfully done! Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne.’”
F. M. W.