Peace and Safety by M. E. Cornell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 11, 1875

Peace and Safety.

By M. E. Cornell

“When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,” &c. 1 Thess. 5 : 3.

By this scripture we learn that even down to the very end, when the signs are all fulfilled, and the awful time of trouble shall burst upon the world, the siren song of “peace, peace,” will be heard. Those who have no light because they do not take heed unto the sure word of prophecy, will be lulled to sleep with the song of peace and safety, and thus the awful day will come upon them as a snare.

The past winter it appears that many of the leading D. D.s, have raised the cry as if by common consent. Reports from the pulpits of New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, all show the same spirit. In some cases, they have declared in so many words that “morality and religion are gaining ground in a greater ratio than ever before in the world’s history.” What a rare specimen of putting darkness for light is this! Just now, when the statistics of the whole world show that the increase of crime is more than tenfold greater than the proportionate increase of population, and the nations are preparing war on a larger scale than ever before, men will call black white, and declare exactly the opposite of the truth. The papers are more and more loaded with dark details of crime. Taking up a Chicago daily, we note in the columns of crime record the following headings:—

“Child Drowned by its own Mother,” “A New York She-devil Roasts her Child to Death,” “Wife-murder,” “The Roach-Dunlap Murder,” “Cutting Affray,” “Murder Trial,” “Wheat-bin Thief,” “Thieves Captured,” “Jewelry Stolen,” “Escaped Murderer Killed,” “Safe-blowing,” “Murder at Milford,” “Murderous Riot,” “Other Butcheries,” “Murderers Sentenced,” “Bank Robbery,” “Forgery,” “Woman Murdered by her Own Husband,” “Hanged for Rape,” “Stealing,” “A Young Burglar,” &c., &c.

The above is only a part of one day’s record. Who can doubt that we now have a fulfillment of the prediction, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold,” and also that men “shall wax worse and worse.” Among the characteristics of the “last days,” the apostle Paul gives “without natural affection,” “fierce,” &c. 2 Tim. 3 : 3.

Blackwood’s Magazine states that “in the United States the moral picture is no less dark and fearful. We have the record of eight hundred suicides annually; eight hundred murders; one hundred thousand thefts, thirty thousand deaths by drunkenness, and five hundred thousand cases of assault and battery.”

The Christian Union, of Nov. 4, 1874, says:—

“It is not to be denied that corruption, both in private and public life, is lamentably frequent, that crime of every grade abounds.”

The Watchman and Reflector says:—

“The sea of crime, always beating and surging and roaring around us, has lifted itself to an unusual height, and is deepening its thunderings.”

It seems that while the masses are blinded by the cry of “peace and safety,” a few men get their eyes open far enough to see the rolling billows of evil, and they speak out as above. They seem occasionally to become partially awakened, and for the moment are alarmed, and if they would only arouse themselves fully, there might be some hope for them but they soon settle down again to slumber and sleep on. “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. 5 : 6.

M. E. CORNELL.

Armada, Mich.