p. 427 | A LIGHTED PATHWAY by L. A. S.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 2, 1901

A LIGHTED PATHWAY.

By L. A. S.

The pathway of divine truth is a pathway of light. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” wrote the psalmist. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,” is the assurance of Jesus. God has never left His people in darkness. Always there has been the “more sure word of prophecy,” which, as “a light that shineth in a dark place,” revealed the pathway leading to the heavenly land. And in this latter age of the world, when “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people,” and there is a confusion of voices crying “Lo, here,” and “Lo, there,” the true pathway is still brightly illuminated.

In “Early Writings” (page 10) we have this description, showing the source of the light that makes plain the pathway for God’s people to-day:— “I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, ‘Look again, and look a little higher.’ At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted, ‘Alleluia!’ Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path, down into the dark and wicked world below.”

Do we justly appreciate this wonderful provision that has been made for us? Do we rejoice in being in a pathway that is lighted up by the clear illumination of the message proclaiming the hour of God’s judgment and the proximity of Christ’s second coming; so that we are in no uncertainty as to the future of the world and of the Church? Do we realize the difference this merciful provision has put between our position and that of others who have not seen this light, or who have turned from it?

The earth is full of commotion and confusion. Men of the world have become drunken with the pursuit of wealth, knowing not that they are laying up treasure for the last days. The devices by which men’s minds are distracted from the themes of divine revelation, and engrossed with business and pleasure, are being rapidly multiplied. New religious sects—the outcome of church dissensions and efforts to exalt self—have been rapidly springing up during the last half-century. The nominally Christian churches have ceased to advance, and are wandering about in uncertainty. They see no definite outline of the purposes of God before them. They believe time is to go on and on indefinitely, and with this view there has come to them the idea that they have a mission to reform earthly governments. Seeing that the forces of evil are increasing in the earth, they believe that it is necessary to reform and enlist the political powers against these evils if they are to be subdued. And beyond this conquest of the powers that be, the churches see a vision of the setting up of the kingdom of Christ. Since God reigns, they say, it must be that truth and righteousness, as represented in His Church, are to prevail on the earth. Thus the Church is to go forward, not to the evangelization of the earth to prepare the way for Christ’s second coming, but to the conquest of the earth for Christ. The kingdom is to come, according to this scheme, not as a stone cut out “without hands,” which sweeps away everything before it, but as a kingdom entering the world “through the gateway of politics.”

Ah, it was at that very point where the bright light was set up behind the Advent people, that the churches missed the path. Had they received the message which proclaimed the hour of God’s judgment and the coming of the Bridegroom to receive His elect, they would not now be occupied with schemes of earthly conquest. They would not be busy with plans to reform the world and set up the kingdom of Christ through politics—following a mirage which ere long is to vanish, and leave them wandering in the desert.

We can hear the voices of some among these who realize that the Church is not making progress—that something is wrong. Here is one who writes in a late issue of the Outlook, expressing himself upon the particular need of the times. A prophet is wanted, he says. He realizes that “the need is for prophetic utterance. A word is wanted that shall come to the churches and to men’s hearts, with the authority of the voice of God.” “We are waiting,” he says, “to hear God speak to the children of Israel that they go forward.” Were he but in the right pathway, he would know that prophetic utterance has been fully given, that the word, speaking with “the authority of the voice of God,” has indeed come; that the forward call has long been sounding to the children of Israel.

And shall not we, who have upon our pathway the bright light of so great a truth, be sanctified by that truth before men, that they may see and know that the message we proclaim is indeed the gospel message for this time, and the light for which they are groping? L. A. S.