Hasting unto the Coming of Christ.
By D. T. Bourdeau
We need not tarry here many years before the coming of Christ. Aside from the numerous chains of prophecy which show clearly that the Son of Man is near, even at the doors, and that the generation now living, having heard the genuine proclamation of his coming, will witness his glorious advent in the clouds of heaven, we know that the church, by consecration, faith, and corresponding good works, can accomplish the work assigned unto it, in overcoming, and bringing souls into the truth, in a very short time. To illustrate, we will make a very moderate calculation. We will suppose that there are but ten thousand believers in present truth, and that each believer will make it a point to make at least one convert each successive year for the next five years, and that those embracing the truth through their instrumentality, will follow their example in winning souls to the truth. The first year we would have twenty thousand believers; the second year, forty thousand; the third year, eighty thousand; the fourth year, one hundred and sixty thousand; and the fifth year, three hundred and twenty thousand. This would leave a great margin for apostates. Now I do not claim that the Saviour will come in just five years. The definite time of his coming is not revealed in the Scriptures. But I hope he may come before that time. And much will depend upon the faithfulness of the church whether the Lord will come in three, four, or five years. Brethren and sisters, shall we believe, be up and doing, go up at once and possess the goodly land? or shall we through unbelief, and lusting after the so-called luxuries of Egypt, and through fear of inward and outward foes that we have to overcome, linger in the wilderness, go over the same ground again and again, until we learn the lesson the Lord would have us learn. The coming of the Lord must be very near. We have come more than a quarter of a century in the last generation; and the Saviour himself declares that this generation will not pass till all these things be fulfilled. He cannot bear with the indifferent much longer. Let us have more faith in God, and be more in earnest while laboring in his cause, that we fall not by the way, and that others take not the crown we might wear.