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High Time to Awake

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 18, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 16.

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High Time to Awake

By T. G. Bunch

T. G. BUNCH
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13:11, 12.
We can not but recognize that these verses are addressed to Seventh-day Adventists, and should come home to every believer in the message like the blast of the trumpet which summoned ancient Israel to prepare for the solemn day of atonement. The trumpet has been blown and the alarm sounded, bidding us to awake, shake off our lethargy, and prepare for the antitypical day of atonement.
Just before dawn is the darkest portion of the night, and also the most difficult time to wake up and keep awake. Darkness now covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. Unbelief in the Bible is shutting out the light of God’s Word, and earth’s inhabitants are groping in intense darkness. Ignorance and superstition prevail. False doctrines invented by the fallen cherub are multiplying by hundreds. False watchmen, instead of giving the alarm, are rocking the people to sleep in the cradle of carnal security. Satan is at work with his anesthetic,—procrastination,—and although all are awakened and caused to tremble, the majority are put to sleep again, to awake only when the night has fully passed and eternity has dawned; when the harvest is past and the summer ended, and it is everlastingly too late. They awake to find themselves in the awful clutches of the seven last plagues.
It is indeed sad to think that some now professing to be Seventh-day Adventists will be among this number. They are saying by their lives “the Lord delayeth his coming,” and instead of giving meat in due season, spend their time smiting the brethren and indulging in worldly pleasure. They do not seem to realize that “the end is near, stealing upon us stealthily, imperceptibly, like the noiseless approach of a thief in the night.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. IX, page 135.
After the fearful awakening by the fury of God’s wrath, those who have been chloroformed by procrastination will have the opportunity of sleeping for a thousand years, and then, after being awakened to receive their just rewards, on and on throughout eternity.
It is now high time to awake out of sleep. The prophecies have almost all been fulfilled; the generation that is to witness the culmination of this earth’s history has almost run its course; the solemn judgment has been in session over sixty-seven years; the last message of mercy to this guilty world is being proclaimed in almost every land; the great seething sea of humanity indicates that the four angels will soon withdraw their restraining power, and the great epoch of human probation will be closed. If ever it was time for God’s people to awake, it certainly is at the present time.
But simply to awake is not enough. We must keep awake; and this can be accomplished only by keeping active. Idleness invites slumber. We are told that “there will be no idler, no slothful one who neglects the work of the Lord, found inside the kingdom of heaven.” Only those who work will keep awake. All who are numbered among the members of the church of the living God must be “living stones.” The following is to the point: “The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church-membership rally to the work, and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers.”—Id., page 117. “When the reproach of indolence and slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will see the providential working of the Lord of hosts. The light of truth will shine forth in clear, strong rays, and as in the time of the apostles, many souls will turn from error to truth. The earth will be lighted with the glory of the Lord.”—Id., page 46.
When all who know the truth become active in giving it to others, we shall enjoy the latter rain and hear the loud cry of the message.
My heart has been made glad during the last few months to see a great awakening among many of our people, and they becoming active in giving the truth to their neighbors. Whole churches are organizing for work. Many lay members are giving from five to eight Bible readings a week. A brother who lately accepted the message, has been the means of bringing three families into the truth. According to the promise, the Holy Spirit is being graciously manifested. Divine power is being revealed and many wonderful conversions are taking place. I have never seen a time when the Spirit was impressing hearts as now. Many are given no rest day or night till they surrender to the Spirit’s pleading. What does it all mean? Surely the end of all things is at hand. The Lord is setting his hand to finish the work and cut it short in righteousness. We are entering the loud cry, and all who know the time and are fully awake and going into the highways and hedges to give the last invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, will enjoy the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and finally, when the conflict is ended, will shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars forever and ever. Let none rest satisfied till they are acting some part in this closing work.
“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” Isa. 52:1; 60:1.
Ashland, Oregon.