Fair Warnings by B. M. Minor

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 27, 1872

Fair Warnings.

By B. M. Minor

FAIR warning of what? Why, that the coming of the Lord is near at hand, even at the doors. Matt. 16: 27: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Here is a plain, unqualified declaration that the Lord is coming. Those who believe that this coming is to be a spiritual coming should read and study, Acts 1: 9, 10, 11, which plainly teaches that Christ shall so come as the apostles saw him go. There is nothing there about a spiritual ascension or a spiritual coming; the 9th verse reads, “And a cloud received him out of their sight;” not a spirit, but the Lord himself. Christ assembled with the apostles personally, ascended in person, and will come in person, is the plain meaning of these passages, and many others that might be quoted.

Adventists generally are sorry to see so many deny their having any means of knowing when the coming of Christ is near at hand. Those who make this denial often quote Matt. 24: 36. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of Heaven, but my father only.” This passage, in the minds of many, settles the whole subject. The first part of the chapter, from which this quotation is taken, is as a sealed book to them. I am acquainted with no Adventists that profess to know of the day or hour of Christ’s coming. But we do profess to believe, and to know, when that coming is near at hand. The evidence is plain that Christ intended to give his disciples the signs of his coming. Matt. 24: 3. “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Here the question is plainly and pointedly asked. Did the Lord evade the question, and tell them it was not for them to know? No! just the reverse of this. The Lord tells them, personally, the signs that would take place, and the disciples seem to have been satisfied with the reply.

Why should not this reply satisfy us also? We have seen nearly all of those signs fulfilled, and yet many are not satisfied. Christ’s answer to the apostles, the fulfillment of the prophecies, and the fulfillment of the signs, are a conclusive answer that the Lord intends that we who are now living should know that his coming is near at hand. The Bible and historical evidence should settle this question with all seekers after truth who are not afraid to meet it.

Dear reader, if you do not now believe in the near coming of Christ, I ask you to give the subject a careful, earnest, and prayerful investigation. At the same time study yourself a little, and see if you are not so wedded to the things of this world that you have more pleasure in them than you have in contemplating meeting your Lord at his coming. If so, throw yourself unreservedly upon him; seek for pardon and light, and be assured that if you do so you will get it. When you can truly say you would be glad to meet the Lord, then will the truth and light shine before you as it never did before. Then will you say that the warning is a fair one, that it is easily comprehended by earnest, prayerful seekers after truth. Christ knew that the warning would not be generally heeded or believed, and plainly told the apostles so, as recorded in Matt. 24: 37–39, another evidence that his coming is near at hand; for the time has come when the majority will not endure sound doctrine. Men are now great lovers of pleasures, and evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, from day to day.

Dear reader, the prophecies are nearly all fulfilled, the signs have nearly all taken place, the third angel’s message is being proclaimed. Take warning in time. Be found prepared to meet your Lord. The time is short. The great event will soon be

upon us. We must meet the Lord face to face. Think of this. Let us all try to realize this fact, show our belief by our actions, and do our whole duty. Let each one of us believe the Lord has some special work for us, and then so perform it that it may be well with us in the end, and that we may enter in through the gates into the city.

B. M. MINOR.

Mendocino Co., Cal., July 12, 1872.