MEETINGS IN MICHIGAN by Joseph Bates

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 26, 1869

MEETINGS IN MICHIGAN.

By Joseph Bates

Our last report was from St. Charles. From thence, Dec. 3, we came to Tittabawassee, Saginaw Co., where we were very kindly received and cared for by brethren and sisters in the Lord, who had recently commenced the keeping of the commandments of God and faith of Jesus in the third angel’s message, and erected a commodious and convenient house to worship in, under the labors of Bro. M. E. Cornell. From the 3d to 9th, we held eight meetings with them and one in Midland. They were encouraged, and many declared their determination to wait and watch for the return of the Lord from the wedding. Some had waxed cold, but resolved to press forward with the church and overcome.

From Dec. 9 to 23, we were holding meetings with the four churches in Tuscola Co., namely, Tuscola village, Centerville, Vassar, and Watrousville. At Vassar our place of worship on the Sabbath was crowded with Sabbath-keepers from three of the above-named churches. At Watrousville, the following Sabbath, the brethren had so far completed their house of worship that nearly all the Sabbath-keepers in the county, with many of their friends, were pleasantly accommodated and interested in the meetings. Many were manifestly strengthened and encouraged while at the meetings, and in celebrating the ordinances of the Lord’s house, and professed an anxious desire to be “waiting and watching for the Master’s return, who is to bring the morning.” God grant that they may be found ready in that day.

Centerville, the county seat, is increasing its population so fast with strangers from abroad, the brethren are anxious to have a messenger give a course of lectures in the village, and they will endeavor to sustain him.

Dec. 24–28, we were visiting from house to house, and holding meetings with the church in Holly, Oakland Co. Two were added to the church. Brethren from Tyrone, Fentonville, and S. Genoa, came to the meetings. Many testimonies were borne in our social gatherings to the edification and encouragement of those present. How encouraging to hear the people of God declare their ardent desires to be in a waiting, watching position for the return of our Lord from the wedding. Our prayer is, that not only these and all which we have so recently visited, but all the remnant people of God, everywhere, may strive most earnestly to get into this important position.

To strengthen and encourage our hearts to press forward unwaveringly in this heavenly work, let us bring to remembrance the work of the great camp-meeting gathering at Wright, the first week in September last, where this startling truth was presented to the waiting congregation by Bro. and Sr. White, and Bro. Andrews, and set home to our hearts with power by the Spirit of the Holy One; and also Bro. Smith’s report of the same in Review for Sept. 15, 1868, particularly the following extract from the last paragraph in the first column:

“Prominent among the the truths presented was the startling fact that the return of the Bridegroom from the wedding, is his coming out from the most holy place, whither he went in to the marriage in 1844. In what a solemn position does this place the church—waiting, not for the appearance of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, which is not to come unheralded; but for the time when his work in the most holy shall close, and the day of probation end. And this coming is to take place—at what hour we know not; this coming is to be sudden; at this coming we are to be ready to open unto him immediately.”

“Jesus has left us word, ‘Watch ye, therefore; for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.’ We are waiting and watching for the Master’s return, who is to bring the morning, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

“What time is here referred to? Not the revelation of Christ in the clouds of heaven to find a people asleep. No; but his return from his ministration in the most holy, laying off his priestly attire, and clothing himself with garments of vengeance, when the mandate goes forth, He that is unjust let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous let him be righteous still; and he that is holy let him be holy still.

“When Jesus ceases to plead for man, the cases of all are decided forever. This is the time of reckoning with his servants. Those who have neglected the preparation of purity and holiness, fitting them to be waiting ones to welcome their Lord, their sun sets in gloom and darkness, and rises not again. Probation closes. Christ’s intercessions cease in Heaven, and it is finally sudden upon all, and those who have neglected the purifying of their souls by obeying the truth, are found sleeping.” Page 94.

“The Master has come, and instead of their being ready to open unto him immediately, they are locked in a worldly slumber, and are lost at last.

“A company was presented before me in contrast with the one described. They were waiting and watching. Their eyes were directed heavenward, and the words of their Master were upon their lips, ‘What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.’ ‘Watch ye, therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.’ The Lord intimates a delay before the morning finally dawns. He would not have them give way to weariness, nor relax their earnest watchfulness, because the morning does not open upon them as soon as they expected. The waiting ones were represented to me as looking upward. They were encouraging one another, repeating these words, ‘We are in the third watch, waiting and watching for the Master’s return. There remains but a little period of waiting now.’” pp. 95, 96.

“The passing of the second watch has brought us to the third, and now it is inexcusable to relax our watching. The third watch calls for threefold earnestness. To become impatient now would be a loss of all our earnest persevering heretofore. The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have his people perish, has been the reason of so long delay. But the time of the coming of the morning to the faithful, and the night to the unfaithful, is right upon us. By thus waiting and watching, God’s people are to manifest their peculiar separate character from worldlings. By our watching positions we are to show how truly we are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth.” pp. 97, 98.

From the foregoing statements we learn that we are in the closing up of the third watch, (Mark xiii, 35,) which brings the morning, and the coming of said morning is now “right upon us.” Then our Lord returns from his ministration in the most holy place, and probation ceases forever. And also that “this is the time of reckoning with his servants.” “Blessed are all those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.”

“Watchmen on the walls of Zion, What, O tell us, of the night? Is the daystar now arising? Will the morn soon greet our sight? O’er your vision shine there now some rays of light? “Light is beaming; day is coming! Let us sound aloud the cry; We behold the daystar rising Pure and bright in yonder sky! Saints rejoice now—your redemption draweth nigh.”

JOSEPH BATES.

Monterey, Mich., Jan. 8, 1869.

P. S. In Review for Oct. 6, 1868, p. 197, column 2, 6th paragraph, I made an error of a few words relative to the watches, which I wish to correct, that it may read as follows: Most prominent among the truths presented was the startling fact that we are now in the closing up of the third watch which brings the morning (Mark xiii, 35); and the return of our Lord from the wedding (Luke xii, 36,) is not his coming in the clouds of heaven, as has been supposed, &c. J. B.