The Last Message of Mercy Examined
☞ Says a writer in a leading first-day Adventist paper, “God has given to us the last message of mercy to the world.” Does the writer believe this? and does he claim to be carrying out such a mission? If so, we inquire, What is the last message that is to be given, in probation, to a perishing world? It is brought to view in Rev. 14:9-12. There can be no mistake about this; for the very next event is the appearing of the Son of Man upon the great white cloud. And the message that last precedes this event is what is there brought to view as the third angel’s message, the burden of which is a warning against the worship of the beast and his image, and against the reception of his mark; in contrast with which is presented the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. But does the writer herein referred to, make this the burden of his preaching? Is it his work to warn men against the worship and the mark of the beast? Is he endeavoring to sustain a reform upon the commandments of God? No; but rather he racks his brain to see what opprobrious epithets he can invent, and what severe denunciations he can bestow upon those who are, or at least claim to be, doing this very work. Yet we, in his vocabulary, are fools, and fanatics, and he, occupying only a negative position on the great themes of the message, or, at least, treating them with silence, is the one who is giving the message. So oblivious to the most glaring inconsistencies do these minds become which are led by the spirit of error.