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Knowing the Time

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 20, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 34.

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Knowing the Time

By R. D. QUINN

R. D. QUINN
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” That we are nearer the coming of Christ and the end of the world than we were when we first believed the advent message, all will agree. But the great question for each to ask himself is, Am I nearer to God in holy life and living than I was when the message first came to me?
Where are we in the history of this work according to Matt. 24:29-35? Let the spirit of prophecy speak: “At the close of the great papal persecution, Christ declared, the sun should be darkened, and the moon should not give her light. Next, the stars should fall from heaven. And he says, ‘Learn a parable of the fig tree. When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors.’ Christ has given signs of his coming. He declares that we may know when he is near, even at the doors. He says of those who see these signs, ‘This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.’ These signs have appeared. Now we know of a surety that the Lord’s coming is at hand. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away,’ he says, ‘but my words shall not pass away.’”—“The Desire of Ages,” page 632.
From the foregoing nothing could be plainer than that the time here spoken of is the generation that witnessed the falling of the stars over fourscore years ago. Brethren, we must be nearer the end than any of us realize.
The Lord has sent this message to his people: “A crisis is to be revealed in the great and prolonged controversy in the government of God on earth. Something great and decisive is to take place, and that right early. If any delay, the character of God and his throne will be compromised. Every movement in the universe of heaven is to prepare the world for the great crisis.”
How could the character of God and his throne be compromised? We can conceive of but just one way. He has told us plainly in his Word that he is coming in this generation; and though heaven and earth pass away, his word will not pass away. Now, if by our unbelief and covetousness we so delay the work of God that this generation shall pass away before his appearing, then truly would the integrity of God, his word, and his throne be compromised. But this can never be. Time will never again be a test. “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
The devil has tried to make covetousness, selfishness, and the love of earthly possessions the ruling traits in the character of God’s people in these closing days, and thus hinder and delay the work of God. But all such will soon be separated from the company of believers.
The time has come for that subtle spirit of the world to be banished from the lives of God’s children, and for this message to go free. How much longer can we in middle life so conduct this work as to delay, and delay, and yet bring the end in this generation? Let every one who is willing to take his stand anew upon the definite platform that this generation shall see the end, examine himself whether he is in the faith, and whether he has at this hour that courage which is born of faith in God’s divine Word and the testimonies of his Spirit. There is the dawning of a new day in this message. There is a new experience. The vitalizing power of the Spirit of God is coming upon the servants of God; and this is what has brought the change.
On one occasion God manifestly witnessed to the preaching of his word, and before the meeting closed, an opportunity was given to those who wished to give of their means for foreign mission work. Without any urging, men gave hundreds of dollars to the work, and in a few minutes considerably more than one thousand dollars was given to missions. Not only on this occasion, but in a number of recent meetings, money was given more readily than I had ever seen it given. This is the experience of many of our brethren. Surely we have come again to those days when men will sell their possessions and goods, and come and lay the price at the feet ofthose who will make distribution to every field as it has need. The time has come for greater things. Let us be of good courage and press the battle to the gates.
South Lancaster, Mass.