The Coming of the Lord

The Coming of the Lord.

“A town in California has been destroyed by an earthquake, with the loss of many lives. Almost simultaneously with this intelligence comes the news that Antioch, in Syria, has been almost totally destroyed, and that fifteen hundred persons lost their lives. Scientific speculation and inquiry have been unable to invent a satisfactory theory or to discover the true cause of these terrible phenomena. There is, however, one thing about them most certain, though most scientists to-day mock at or deny it,—earthquakes, like all other natural phenomena, are among the means of God's moral government over men. The ‘uttermost parts of the earth are afraid’ at such ‘tokens’ of his power. The physical forces which produce them may be yet beyond our knowledge, but their moral connections and causes are clearly taught. They are because of sin. They execute the wrath of God on a guilty race. They are among the signs which shall precede the coming of the Lord, both in his millennial kingdom and at the last day (Matt. 24:7). The present century has witnessed a noticeable increase of these phenomena, and the past three or four years have been quite unprecedented in their number and severity. There are many, and we are of the number, who believe that this fact is not without its significance in connection with the word of prophecy. Furthermore, we believe that the universal spread of the Christian religion will, in the gracious and faithful providence of Him who holds all these mighty powers in the hollow of his hand, relieve the world of these terrible visitations, as of pestilence, famine, and war. The holy peace which will wrap the earth like a garment when Jesus Christ takes to him his power and will be felt to the deepest center. We believe as firmly as Huxley or Darwin in the universal reign of law; but we believe in spiritual laws, which interlace and work with all natural law; and in a Divine power, which includes and controls all the powers of nature. Now we have made our confession, and we wait to hear the coarse laughter of some infidel, who has eyes, but sees not; who can discern the face of the sky, and unfold the hidden secrets of nature to the world's wonder and delight, but who cannot discern the signs of the times.”