The Providential “Now” by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 25, 1909

The Providential “Now”

By W. A. S.

In all the story of special providences there is no record more striking than that of the providences by which the way has been prepared for the advent message to go quickly to the ends of the earth.

“Up; for this is the day,” was the word of the Lord to Israel in a crisis; and as the host responded, the very stars in their courses fought for them. “Up; for this is the day,” is the message to us now, not only by the sure word of prophecy, but by every turn of a world-shaping providence.

Opening Providences. — Prophecy had declared that when the hour of God’s judgment came, in 1844, the last message was then to be carried to every people. But when that hour came, half the world was practically closed to missionary effort. And note, now, the fact that since that very time it has been one succession of opening doors, till even Tibet, “the great closed land,” is really opening, and we know of only one principality, Nepal, a lesser state of northern India, that can be said to be closed to missionary propaganda. With the coming of the message came the opening of the way for it.

Swift Providences. — The message of the prophecy was to go swiftly, within one generation. A few years before 1844, men were traveling about the world little or no faster than five thousand years before. Suddenly, and largely within the memory of some still living, the world has been reduced to small compass by the development of swift means of transportation and communication. Only a few weeks ago the Mission Board held a conversation with India by cable, receiving word one day, answering the next, getting reply that evening, and answering next morning. Providence has prepared the means for quickly covering the field of effort, to “the uttermost parts of the earth.”

Language Providences. — The message of the judgment hour, with its warning against perversions of the truth and its call to the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, was to go to every “tongue.” A few years before 1844 the Scripture itself was translated into but few languages outside the European family. But this has been the generation of Bible translation. The Word of God now speaks in over five hundred tongues. It is a most marvelous fact to contemplate; and wherever that Word goes, it is teaching the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and telling of Christ’s coming again. More and more frequently we are hearing of persons catching the truths of the message from reading the Bible alone; and a preparation for a wonderful work and a quick work, as the Holy Spirit is poured out, is being accomplished by this widespread distribution of the Word of God. It has come about in our day. And we can never be clear of guilt if we do not move faster in the work of putting the helps to Bible study, our literature, into the languages. Our missionaries are just getting ready to go at it in earnest. It is for us to provide the means.

“Up; for This Is the Day!” — That is the cry of world-moving providences to our ears, in tones like the trump of angels. It calls every sleeper to awake. It calls us to turn sharply away from all selfishness and covetousness and wastefulness, and to devote our means to the work of hastening the third angel’s message to the world. The voice of Providence silences every voice that would lift itself against the missionary forward movement with counsels of delay. Providence is not delaying. There is call for the action of a whole people now. Every day the open doors seem threatening to close again, so far as peaceful and unhindered occupancy is concerned. But the providential ordering still holds in check the winds of strife. As the angels hold, how earnestly they must look to see the people of the prophecy spring into the open ways. Everything cries, “This is the day.” No Seventh-day Adventist can face the facts without praying to God for a deeper consecration of heart and a knowledge of how to do more to hasten the message on. From every corner of the earth these flaming providences signal for the largest week-of-prayer offering ever given. It is no time to settle down comfortably to plan for many years to come. “Up; for this is the day!” W. A. S.