The Second Coming of Christ.
By E. Hilliard
Our Saviour will come sometime. Can we know anything about the time or the nearness of the event? If so, how can we know? What evidence have we? The Bible furnishes us very clear evidence on this great question. We can know something about it, unless we are willingly ignorant. We believe none can tell the day, or hour, or even the year. We have no faith in those who are continually setting the time; neither do we hold with those who say it may come next week, or it may be a thousand years in the future. God has never brought about any great event in which the destiny of men was involved, without first giving a warning. Noah faithfully warned the antediluvian world of the coming flood. Lot warned the Sodomites, and entreated them to turn from their evil ways that they might escape the wrath of God. John the Baptist heralded the first coming of Christ. Just so it will be before Christ's second advent. Some one will be especially warning the people, and entreating them to prepare for it. As surely as John the Baptist fully knew his mission and that he was fulfilling the prophecy, just so surely will those who proclaim Christ's second coming, know by the inspired evidence, that they are giving to the world the last message of warning to fallen man. Our Saviour has not left the humble seeker for truth to grope his way in darkness. He has given us signs that should precede his second coming, and then commanded us to watch. He says: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring." Luke 21: 25; Matt. 24: 29. We inquire with interest, have these signs been seen? To convince ourselves that they have, we need only to consult the history of the past. Speaking of the Dark Day of May 19, 1780, Noah Webster, in the New Haven Daily, says: "No satisfactory cause has yet been assigned." Also in his Dictionary we find the following:— "The Dark Day, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places, persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known." Many are now living who witnessed the great meteoric shower of November, 1833. To show that this sign also has been fulfilled, we quote from the Connecticut Observer, of Nov. 25, 1833, as follows:— "We pronounce the raining of fire which we saw on Wednesday morning last, an awful type, a sure forerunner, a merciful sign of that great and dreadful day which the inhabitants of the earth will witness when the sixth seal shall be opened. The time is just at hand, described not only in the New Testament, but in the Old. A more correct picture of a fig-tree casting her untimely figs when blown by a mighty wind, it is not possible to behold." See Rev. 6: 13. Christ instructs us that the generation that witness these things shall not pass away until he is seen coming in the clouds of heaven. The last one of these signs having occurred more than fifty years ago, it cannot be much longer before the event will take place. In the extensive preparations throughout the world for a general war, we can see the marked fulfillment of our Saviour's prediction, "upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity." Internal national troubles are perplexing the wisest statesmen. He says that when we see these things we can be as sure that his coming is near, as we can be that summer is nigh when the trees begin to put forth their leaves. "And he spake to them a parable. Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." Luke 21: 29-31; Matt. 24: 32-34. We know that the majority of the people will pay no attention to this great event. They will even scoff at those who do give it attention, and try to prepare for it. Their scoffing only strengthens our faith, for the Bible tells us that in the last days scoffers shall arise and will say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" 2 Pet. 3: 3, 4. Dear reader, do you not want a place in Christ's kingdom as one of the subjects of his immortal reign? Do you not want a share in that world where sorrow is unknown? It is soon to burst upon our vision. Let the nearness of this great event which seals the destiny of all, incite us to diligence in preparing to meet our Lord.
E. HILLIARD.
Medford, Minn.