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IF WE ARE ONLY READY

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 11, 1869

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 33, No. 20.

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IF WE ARE ONLY READY.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Yes; that is the main point. But the Lord has given you signs by which you may know when his coming is near. Those signs have appeared. Do you believe he has fulfilled them? If not, do you not distrust and disbelieve his word, while you profess to believe in him? Remember that he has said of those to whom he “shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour he is not aware of,” that he shall “cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.” With the hypocrites, because he professed to believe in him, and at the same time disbelieved the promised signs fulfilled which were given to assure him that his coming was near, even at the door. He did not believe the Saviour’s word, when the promised signs were fulfilled. He did not believe and watch for the coming of the Lord. “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” It is the main point to be ready, and one point of preparation is to believe that his coming will follow the given signs, according to his sacred promise, confirmed with the most impressive asseveration: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.” Those who will not believe will be left without excuse.
It is the main point to be ready; but have you obeyed the last message—that of the “third angel?” Rev. xiv, 9–12. Are you keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus? If you are not keeping the ten commandments as they were written by the finger of God, you have a work to do to get ready. There is a work to be done for the servants of God, before the winds are loosed—before the day of wrath comes. They are not sealed, and they must have the seal of God in their foreheads. This message offers you the seal. Will you have it? Or do you prefer the mark of the beast? Do you say you do not understand this message? How then are you ready? It is the main point to be ready. And this message was prepared in prophecy, and is now being proclaimed, that by obeying it you may get ready.
R. F. COTTRELL.