The Work Fitted the Time by William Ambrose Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 16, 1905

The Work Fitted the Time

By William Ambrose Spicer

NOTICE how exactly the progress of the Lord's work on earth fitted to the times as “the time of the end” came. By Daniel's prophecy the beginning of “the time of the end” was fixed at the year 1798. Before the end itself should come, Christ said the gospel was to be preached as a witness to all nations. In preparation for this work, Providence had been leading out ever since the great Reformation, it is true, but at that very “time of the end” there was a distinct move in the providence of God, looking toward the carrying of the gospel message to the world.

The beginning of “the time of the end,” 1798, may well stand also for the opening of the great era of modern missions. Just at that time Carey, who had landed a few years before in India, had compassed the task of establishing his work and launching the program of world-wide Protestant missions. Carey's burning zeal, and the bright beacon kindled in Bengal, awakened the church, and lighted up what he, in 1799, described as the “inextinguishable flame in England and all the Western world.” Before that time most churches had scoffed at missions, and regarded work abroad as a rival to the work at home. The missionary awakening touched all Protestant Christendom, and consecrated men and women, impelled by the inspiration of the new time, began to press into even the uttermost parts of the earth.

What Carey was to India, that Judson was to Burma, Livingstone to Africa, Morrison to China, Gardner to South America, and Williams to the island world of the Pacific. After centuries of missionary inaction, the time came when the prophecy was to be fulfilled, the knowledge of God was to be proclaimed in dark lands, many were to run to and fro, and the world was to hear the gospel message.

Just as the call of the hour and the awakening of the world led to the opening of the great missionary campaign, the providence of God was moving on hearts to found Bible societies. It was then that the little Welsh girl made that long journey to secure a Bible, which stirred men of God to begin, in 1804, the remarkable work of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the parent of

many others. As missionaries have thus learned new tongues and reduced unwritten languages to writing, their translations of the Scriptures have been hastened out by the various Bible-society organizations. Thus to-day the Word of God speaks in nearly four hundred languages. At Pentecost, the apostolic era opened with people of a score or two of different nationalities listening to the wonderful works of God, each man hearing in his own tongue. God's providence has prepared the facilities so that the outpouring of the Spirit in the closing days of this message shall cause all the earth to hear again the wonderful works of God.

Everything is ready for a quick work now. Once let the conviction take possession of the heart of every believer in the third angel's message that now is the time to finish the work, and the work can be done without delay. God pledges his power and grace for it, and he has prepared the way. W. A. S.