THE WINGS by M. W. Howard

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 14, 1868

THE WINGS.

By M. W. Howard

During my recent wanderings, to while away some unoccupied moments I took up the secular paper of the vicinity where I was then sojourning. Almost the first item on which my eyes rested was this: “A Second-Adventist preacher has set the 2nd day of October, as the last day of the world. Get your wings ready.”

The thing might have been only a fabrication gotten up for effect, I thought, or it may have foundation; yet this satirical fling started me upon a reverie—a reverie profitable to me though I cannot now fully recall it. Nevertheless I will attempt to communicate a few of the leading thoughts. I mused upon the unprofitableness of setting definite time, and thus unnecessarily provoking sneers from the opposition. But this was only a passing thought, for the exhortation, “Get your wings ready,” took precedence in my mind. For wings, or what shall amount to the same thing, are to be furnished through Christ to all, whether alive to be changed in that day, or whether at the voice of the archangel they have come forth from their graves, as taught in 1 Thess. iv, 16, 17.

And then I queried, Can good result from evil designs? God can make the idle word from the scoffer's lips or pen, carry conviction to a hitherto thoughtless heart. But must not the “hands be clean which bear the vessels of the Lord?” Paul refused to approve the promulgation of truth, coming from a disreputable source, when the damsel followed his company declaring, “These men be the servants of the Most High God, which show unto you the way of salvation.” Acts xvi, 17.

Humanly speaking, or from a human stand-point, it might be argued that a class would have been directed to Paul, and perhaps benefited, who otherwise would have never heeded him. And so I left this an open question when perhaps I should not, for “Paul was grieved and turned and rebuked them.”

And my mind reverted to the wings again: and I said, Oh yes! “Get ready the wings,” for that is synonymous with Christ’s “robe of righteousness”—that “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” in peace. But with it we shall be counted worthy to attain unto the first resurrection, and “to stand before the Son of man.” Then, in that great day when “we that are alive shall not prevent them that sleep,” each can stand with arms outstretched towards our heavenly rest, and our Great High Priest,—our Redeemer, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, shall accomplish all the rest; and we “be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be forever with the Lord.” Forever with the Lord. Oh! ecstatic hope. Let not “the voice of the wicked make us afraid.” Have the wings ready, and all will be well. But oh, how much is couched in that scoffing injunction. “Who can abide the day of his coming,” and “Who shall be able to stand?”

M. W. HOWARD.

Malone, N. Y., July, 1868.