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THE SOCIAL QUESTION

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 3, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 5.

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THE SOCIAL QUESTION.

THERE is indeed a social question to-day. And those who have even a smattering of knowledge concerning the events that led up to the French Revolution, are impressed with the fact that the same lawless and revolutionary principles of that period are increasing very rapidly in this country to-day. And under a somewhat different form these same social difficulties present themselves in the other countries as well. Men are fondly hoping that the universal revolution may never come, or some of the more selfish are saying, as did Louis XV. of France, It will not come in my day. The Word tells that there is coming “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan. 12:1.
It is very evident that this prophecy has its application at the close of time, for the resurrection is most clearly brought to view in the text. Then right in the last days there shall be “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” The prophet had been permitted to view the rise and fall of nations clear down to the very end. Yes, even the French Revolution, with its Reign of Terror, had passed before his vision. But with all this scene in full prophetic view, he pronounces the “time of trouble” of the last days the greatest of all “since there was a nation.”
Let all who are so anxiously and earnestly asking what the social and political difficulties of to-day portend, turn to the blessed Book and they will find on its pages a clear answer. They will learn that this rising storm of crime, of difficulty between colossal wealth and abject destitution, of shameless and bold licentiousness, of the mutterings of war among all the nations, together with all the other evils of our day, are but the marshaling of Satan’s forces against that “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.”
Are you sheltered from this coming storm? To-day is the day of salvation, but very soon it must be eternally too late.