No Apology by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Nov 24, 1910

No Apology

By F. M. W.

PASSING years demand no apology to the world for the movement which this journal represents. The nearly fifty years of its history have many times demonstrated the character of its mission and the correctness of its claims. Based upon prophetic prediction, the sure word of prophecy continually grows more sure, and emphasizes with every fulfilled and fulfilling specification the strength of the positions taken. Scripture after scripture clearly reveals that this movement is in God’s order, and that we are living in the closing years of earth’s history.

The prophecies of Daniel 2, 7, and 8, bring to view the rise and fall of the great world-empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome. The division of Rome into ten parts, as accomplished in the first few centuries of the Christian era, is clearly outlined. The rise of the Papacy and its warfare against God and truth, and the time of its exercise of great authority, from 538 to 1798 A. D., are graphically portrayed.

Continuing the prophecy of Daniel 8, we are brought to the seventy weeks of Daniel 9, a part of the 2300-day period of the preceding chapter. This period began in 457 B. C., at the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, reaching in weekly sections to the finishing of the wall in 408 B. C., the baptism of Christ in A. D. 27, his crucifixion in A. D. 31, and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles in A. D. 34, culminating with the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the beginning of the investigative judgment, in 1844.

In chapters 11 and 12, with one sweep of prophetic vision, the seer of God sketches a continuous history of the world from the Medo-Persian kingdom down to the dismemberment of the Turkish empire, which in our day has been so rapidly going forward. Next is the standing up of Michael.

Coming to the book of Revelation, the prophetic Word has proved as unmistakable. The message to the seven churches and the messages of the seven seals reveal clearly the experiences that have befallen the Christian church from the first century to our own day. The events of the seven trumpets were accurately pointed out, the sounding of the sixth trumpet bringing us down to the loss of Ottoman independence in 1840. The time of this political catastrophe, based upon the correct computation of the period, “an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year,” of Rev. 9:15, was confidently predicted by the early advent believers some time before this date, and was as accurately fulfilled. The sounding of the seventh trumpet, still future, marks the close of earth’s history.

France has done its Heaven-defying

work, as recorded in Revelation 11, the prophecy bringing us to the time pointed out by the great prophetic sanctuary period of the 2300 days, when “the temple of God was opened in heaven,” and the work of the investigative judgment was begun.

Revelation 12 has met its record in the history of the church under pagan and papal persecution. Pointing out the efforts to destroy the Child of the church, Christ Jesus, the 1260 days of papal persecution, the helpful influence of the Reformation in preserving the church, and the final wrath of the dragon against the remnant church because of the commandments of God and the spirit of prophecy, we are again brought down to our own day.

The United States, true to the description of the inspired penman, in Revelation 13, has arisen at the exact time and in the precise manner foretold. It is fast doing the very work, the making of an image to the beast, which the prophecy points out. The three messages of Revelation 14 are going to the world, as announced, and constitute the great movement in which we are engaged, sounding the warning against the powers of antichrist, and proclaiming the positive doctrines of the second advent of the Lord and the claims of God’s law. The great church-and-state movement, against which this threefold message warns, is being rapidly developed in every quarter. The powers of earth are combining against the truth of Jehovah. Spiritualism has arisen, and is doing its baneful work.

Supplementary to these great lines of prophecy, the Scriptures predict, as forerunners of the second advent, numerous other signs and conditions. Thus we have the signs in the heavens, as recorded in Matthew 24 and other scriptures; signs in the physical world, as indicated by earthquakes, tidal waves, and mighty upheavals; signs in the social world, as predicted by our Saviour in Luke 17; signs in the political world, as brought to view in the third chapter of Joel; signs in the industrial conditions which exist, as portrayed by the apostle James and other Bible writers; and signs in the religious world, as outlined in the second epistle of Timothy, Revelation 17, and many other scriptures. These are fulfilling before our eyes with a fulness and intensity which admit of no doubt as to their application to this age.

Based upon these infallible predictions, this movement finds its place, and demands and commands the attention of men. Its range is world-wide; its mission, the awakening of the human family to the time reached in earth’s history; its object, to prepare man to meet his Maker. It needs not to readjust its reckoning, change its dates, or revise its conclusions. Time proves its positions impregnable, and gives emphasis to its deductions. Since its rise, unfolding events have elucidated uncertain meanings, clarified and enlarged the general scope of vision, and caused at times modifications of minor details of conclusion; but the fundamental principles and all-essential features have been strengthened year by year through continued study, and the searching, critical attacks of its opponents. Advancing light in the future will lend further confirmation to these great principles, because their depth and breadth are not yet fully comprehended; but no future light will unsettle the experience of the past, nor will any new movement succeed to this. This movement constitutes the closing gospel work for mankind.

Many of its early promoters have passed away, but it still lives, an enduring monument of its heaven-born inception. God buries his workmen, but his work lives on. Under ban of worldly governments, through persecution by opposing powers, in spite of betrayal by false friends, it has still moved forward. Unwise advocates in the future may trail the standard in the dust, its principles may be forsaken, it may be opposed and rejected; but out of the confusion and delusion of the last days, from the noise and din of contending elements and principles, it will emerge triumphant at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Toward this grand culmination of earth’s history we are rapidly moving.

Let us not cast away our confidence, but, reviewing the evidences of the Word, and seeing in the passing events of the present hour the striking confirmation of the correctness of our position, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. He is faithful that has promised. Soon he who shall come will come, and will not tarry. We need not apologize for our faith; it is founded upon the sure word of prophecy, and upon the eternal principles of unchanging truth. F. M. W.