p. 205 | Indications of the End by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 12, 1871

Indications of the End.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THE other day I was deeply interested in a job of carpenter's work, to have it done by a certain time. The carpenter told me it should be done by the time desired. Day after day I watched the work but could see little progress. Every thing looked to me about the same from day to day. Certainly I thought, precious time is passing and little is being done. But at length he was ready to put together what he had been at work upon; then how quickly it was done! More appeared to be accomplished in an hour than had been before in days.

From this I can learn a useful lesson concerning God's work. I sometimes become impatient and almost discouraged by the apparently slow progress the cause is making from year to year. In some respects it would seem as though the work was almost at a stand still. The coming of the Lord would appear to be no nearer than it was years ago; but when we take a comprehensive view of the work in its connections, things are moving rapidly very rapidly, every year toward the final consummation.

The closing message is to affect all nations and all classes of men, and even the earth itself in its physical condition. Morally, religiously, and politically, men must be prepared, be ripened, for the events that are to transpire at the coming of Christ. It is not only God's people that is to be prepared. They could make little headway in the work, if God did not previously prepare men's minds for the work. When God promised Abraham the land of Canaan, he could not then take possession of it “for the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.” Gen. 15:16. The Amorites must become ripe for destruction before God would drive them out, and give the land to his people. Four hundred and thirty years the seed of Abraham waited for that promise; they became a nation of slaves and apparently their hope was lost. But at last when the Canaanites are ripe for it, when the Egyptians are ready to act their part, and the Israelites theirs, what mighty events are crowded into a few years! How quick the building goes up after the materials are all prepared.

Christ, the Messiah, was the great hope of the Hebrew people. Every prophet that came upon the stage pointed to him with glowing words of hope. All hearts were eager for his coming. Yet generations, centuries, ages, passed slowly by with no indication of his advent. And when he is born into the world, thirty long years still roll on before he begins his work. At length all things are in the right condition; then what wonderful events were crowded into three or four years!

So it has always been with the work of God. Its preparation is slow and tedious. The hasty and faithless ones become tired, discouraged, and turn away from it. The faithful alone hold on to the end. But when all things are finally ready, with what astonishing rapidity the most wonderful events are crowded into a few days!

Notice a few of the many ways in which we see all things preparing for the last loud warning and the final end.

1. When Jesus comes, the world is to be morally corrupt as it was in the time of Noah and Lot. Matt. 24:37–39. The last few years has produced such a terrible increase in moral corruption that thinking and observing men are noticing it and feeling alarmed about it. Every year it grows worse faster.

2. Religious formality, hypocrisy, and worldliness are to mark the nominal churches when the Lord comes. They are to so far degenerate as to even become the habitation of devils and every unclean and hateful bird. 2 Tim. 3:1–6; Rev. 18:2. Nothing is more marked than the rapid apostasy of the Protestant sects for the last few years. All their pious members, leading men, and periodicals confess it with sorrow. A short time ago one needed to be cautious how he spoke of the fall of Babylon; but now it gives little or no offence to the people. Indeed, they see it more readily than other points. All candid persons are coming to feel and acknowledge that a reformation must soon be effected in some way or religion will lose its hold on men. It is coming to be no uncommon thing for notorious liars, swearers, drunkards, adulterers, &c., to be members in good standing in churches. I know these things to be so. They are fast ripening for the cry, “Come out of her my people.” The following from The Nation is to the point:—

“If religion is to retain much influence on human affairs, the church must return to its ancient ways. Not only must it rebuke immorality, but it must not furnish a sanctuary for criminals. It fell into that error once before, in evil days, and it atoned for it heavily. For, although it is doubtless true that the spectacle of corruption, and of successful and unabashed corruption, in every variety of form, is very debauching, and that the state of things in this city is very likely to demoralize profoundly a very large proportion of the generation which is growing up under it, and which retains no traditions of the earlier and better time, it is also true that the great cause of morality is never left without champions and defenders. The sight of ruffians on the judgment-seat, selling justice with ribald jokes; of ruffians in the legislature, selling laws; of ruffians stealing millions of poor men's money every year, and spending it in “toys and lust and wine;” of great bankers and merchants conniving at their theft and smiling on them, as they gorge themselves; of church members taking their wages to do their bidding and further their schemes—may well be believed to be playing terrible havoc with the manners of the millions of young men and women who, standing on the edge of the arena, are asking themselves the tremendous question, What weapons are lawful in this great battle of life? But then, it must not be forgotten that spectacles of this kind disgust and rouse, if not as many as they seduce, enough both to save society and avenge it.”

3. The principles and doctrines of the present truth are becoming widely known through all the country. We can not go into a town large or small but what there are more or less persons who have heard or read on present truth, and are favorable to it. All these things are silently but surely preparing the way for the closing work to be done quickly. God's eye is on all parts of the work, and he keeps all moving together. The progress of this work is not to be marked simply by the numbers who actually and openly embrace it. Far from it. Thousands are hearing and reading now who are thus being prepared to fully embrace it by and by.

4. The rapid extension of railroads, steam boats, telegraphs, printing facilities, &c., is preparing the way for the closing work to be done as it were in a moment, when all things are ready. Dan. 12:4. Nah. 3:3, 4. What could we have done in warning the world, with only the facilities for traveling and publishing of a century ago? Comparatively nothing. Thus we see God preparing the way before his people.

5. Notice the extensive efforts made the few past years to spread the Bible and the gospel among all nations, thus fulfilling Matt. 24:14. None shall have an excuse when the Lord comes.

6. See the field where providence has raised up the last warning. In America all nations are represented as in no other country in all the world at any time. Not a nation of any account but what has more or less representatives here. Through these all can readily and rapidly be warned.

In short, the materials are all being worked out, are nearly ready, and soon the building will go up. Courage, friends, God is in the work. Only have patience and faith.

D. M. CANRIGHT.