The Closing Messages.—No. 8.
By R. F. Cottrell
The three angel messages were given in prophecy to describe the position and work of the people of God of the last generation just prior to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amid the perils, delusions, and false teachings, of the last days, these messages were intended to so clearly point out the true church, describing its position and work, that the humble believer might find the truth and get a preparation for that great event. One genuine message on time was to be given, and no more. Hence all other time messages are spurious. One time message we have had, answering the prophetic description precisely. “It found the nominal churches asleep upon the subject of the second advent, dreaming of the world’s conversion. But the truth was clear, and, in the hands of devoted men, powerful. Everywhere the message was proclaimed it produced general conviction. The Scriptures were searched as never before; a great revolution117in religious belief took place in a few short years; and at least fifty thousand in America alone, became decided believers.” Prophecies and signs fulfilled tell us unmistakably that we are in the last days—in the time to look for these messages promised by the word of God. If they fail to come, the promise will prove a failure. A message has come, answering the description precisely. Is it from Heaven?—is it the fulfillment? If this is false, how shall we know the true? What is the difficulty that men cannot believe? Adventists were mistaken and disappointed. We admit our error, and it is scripturally explained. But has not the prophecy of a message on time been fulfilled? If it has been given, and, as we have shown, at the right time, then the word of God stands verified, and unbelievers are unbelievers, no more nor less. Where is your faith in the Bible as the word of God? Why were the prophecies given, but that they might be understood, believed, acted upon, and thus prove a benefit to us? The first angel’s message was a time message; the second and third are not. The first was to arouse men, the second to show them their danger, and the third to tell them what to do. The first was to awake men from delusive dreams of peace and safety and a long time of prosperity to the church on earth, by the startling fact that the Judgment is right before them; the second to show them that nominal Christianity is corrupt and cannot be relied on; and the third to show wherein it is corrupt, and what is necessary to be done to escape the impending wrath of God. These messages have been announced in the order given in the “sure word of prophecy,” and light has increased at every step, and still is increasing. We cannot be mistaken in believing that the Author of this prophecy is fulfilling it. If so, momentous consequences depend upon how we receive and act upon these messages from God. May God help his honest children, and those who desire to be such, to believe when he thus speaks to them by his word and providence, learn what he requires of them—wherein they need reform—and do his bidding, keep his commandments, walk in the faith once delivered to the saints, and so be prepared to escape the seven last plagues and enter into the joy of the Lord at his coming, which is near, even at the door. Men are dreaming of being saved by faith, while they disbelieve and reject the plainest teaching of the word of God. Let us be aroused and try ourselves whether we are in the faith—whether we do truly believe the word of God. Those whose faith is anchored on the word of God will stand in the time of trouble, which is before us, and finally stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. But those who disbelieve, neglect, reject, and despise, that word, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.