p. 5 | Ripening for the Reaper by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 17, 1907

Ripening for the Reaper

By C. M. S.

THERE is abundant evidence on every hand that the human race is to-day undergoing a rapid ripening process. On the one hand, loyal characters are ripening for eternity; on the other hand, human flesh is ripening for the pale reaper. From a human standpoint, everything favors the latter ripening and hinders the former. But the characters that ripen for the kingdom of God under these adverse conditions will shine with never-dimming luster throughout eternity. The others will be forgotten with the name and all the wicked works of man's great enemy.

The wages of sin is death. Through sin death in all its varied forms came into the world. There are multitudes of immediate causes, but the great cause of all causes is sin. The continual breaking of God's law gave to man a broken character, a broken constitution; and upon this broken constitution earth's myriad maladies are able to prey at will.

In years gone by an occasional plague would sweep over the country, or leave a windrow of its dead around the world, having found in some unsanitary locality a favorable breeding-ground; but the great dread malady of to-day is local to almost all parts of the world, and other diseases which had been dominant only in certain countries are fast taking root and making for themselves homes everywhere—planting the seeds, as it were, for a great future harvest.

Consumption is rapidly increasing, and the human and the brute creations are infecting each other. States and nations are taking cognizance of the tuberculosis peril, and are doing what they can to stop the increase of the contagion. Pneumonia, with terrible swiftness of attack and conquest, is numbering its dead each year by increasing thousands, standing second only to consumption in the number of its victims, and its rapid increase indicates that it may ultimately pass the record of that disease. Other diseases are slowly reaching out their tentacles into the various portions of the earth, seemingly preparing for a great harvest.

Insanity is also rapidly increasing, so rapidly, in fact, that public men stand aghast at the published reports of the statisticians in reference to that disease.

The continual breaking out of the bubonic plague in unexpected places shows how a persistent malady can baffle quarantine laws when fertile soil is provided for its spread and growth.

All this is the fruit of sin. It is working out its weakening process in all parts of the earth. Amid the groans of the dying and the anguish of the sick, the fearful work of Satan is speeding to its end in the earth; and that end will come in the midst of the most terrible diseases. That work of sin is making fertile soil of the human family for the “noisome and grievous” sores that shall fall upon both man and beast when the angels of God are pouring out the vials of his wrath in the earth. See Revelation 16. When that work is going on, God reminds his children to watch and to be ready for his coming. Verse 15. It will be a sign to the faithful that their King is at the door. It is blessed to know that even this strong enemy, disease, can not triumph over the people of God in that time. The pestilence of those days will not be able to fasten itself upon them; for “he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. . . . Thou shalt not be afraid . . . for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Psalm 91.

When we see from the record of the past what sin has been and has done; what it has promised, and how it has kept its promise; what frailty it has put into the human family; what misery and suffering it has caused, and the terrible end of its career so soon to come—when we see all this, what longing it should put into our hearts to be completely free to-day from its contaminating touch. If the tendrils of sin are allowed to twine around our hearts, strengthening by day and by night, we shall go down with sin in the overthrow of its author. We must cut loose from these earthly anchorings, or we can never cast anchor within the veil. And we must not think we have completed the pruning process when we have looked after the wants of the spiritual man. The violation of the laws of health have very much to do in fastening us to the world and strengthening the power of temptation over us. We are in the closing days of the great controversy; the day of final victory is near at hand. The one who would stand in that day must put away sin, and flee for safety to the arms of the Almighty. It is time to do this now; for the Judge standeth at the door.

C. M. S.