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The Last Effort

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 25, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 40, No. 2.

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The Last Effort.

In the World's Crisis of June 12, 1872, the New England organ of the First-day Adventists, published in Boston, Mass., and having the largest circulation of any Adventist periodical, we find the following:—

OUR LAST EFFORT.

“The Judge standeth before the door.”—Jas. 5:9.
The evidence points to 1873 as the time when Christ shall come, and we shall be called to give an account of our stewardship. The warning must go forth. Immediate action is demanded to give a distinctness to the cry—“Behold! the Bridegroom cometh!” We are already engaged in this work, and are sending out tracts; also receiving funds for this purpose. Let all who have hearts that beat in this direction, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest. Send funds or pledges for this purpose to Geo. T. Adams, Agent of the Adv. Chris. Pub. Society, or to L. T. Cunningham.
“Previous acknowledgments,......... .........$552.00 A brother (to L. T. C.),........................25.00”
Will this be their last effort? Does any one suppose such a thing? No; this farce has been enacted over so many times that every one knows that when this time passes, this particular time will be quietly dropped, and without apology, without explanation, without any show of chagrin or humiliation on account of their failure, they will coolly set to work to re-tinker their prophetic reckoning, and set a new time.
If this only would be their last effort, if they could be made to take an oath, or be put under bonds, to close up the folly of setting new times with this effort, we could look with more patience upon the movement. But the past history of this branch of Adventism does not warrant us to hope for any such thing; and so we suppose the doctrine as a whole must bear the burden of this terrible incubus till the consummation.
The true cry, “Behold! the Bridegroom cometh,” was long ago given; and if those who are engineering such movements as above noticed are not acting the part of the foolish virgins of the parable of Matt. 25, we know not where to look for a fulfillment.