THE COMING DAY by Lillie D. Avery

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 3, 1876

THE COMING DAY.

By Lillie D. Avery

All nature seems, in solemn tones, To warn the nations that the end is nigh. The very earth is shaken, rent, and torn, By frightful earthquakes; and the upheaving sod Buries whole cities in a single night! Though ghastly famine shows her hideous head, And “pestilence stalks forth” by night and day To visit judgment on the ungodly race, Still, heedless of his doom, the robber lies In wait for spoil! The murderer lifts his arm, To strike his unoffending victim down. The skeptic lifts his daring voice aloud, Denies the Bible, and makes void God’s law!

The idle scoffer joins the awful cry, And wages daring war against Jehovah! The hypocrite, with meek, averted eye, Is plotting evil in his bosom still; The “fawning publican,” the Pharisee, The midnight ruffian, and the ungodly mass, All, heedless of their fearful, hastening doom, Are rushing blindly on!

And thus it is, and thus ’twill be, until He comes again whose right it is to reign. Then will the earth be purified with fire, And made to be the fit abode of saints. Roll on, old earth, and bring the blessed day, That day when thou shalt be restored again To all the beauty which thou didst possess Six thousand years ago!

LILLIE D. AVERY.