p. 75 | OUR RESPONSIBILITY by Charles P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1877

OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

By Charles P. Whitford

We are a people claiming to be called of God to proclaim to a dying world his last message, that of the third angel of Rev. 14:9-12. God has committed to us a work of immense magnitude and of vast importance. It is to give warning to the world of the near advent of Christ, and to teach the true preparation for that great event. Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, would gladly have lived here; and in addition to the light which they had, behold the things that we see.

If upon men in other ages there was laid a great responsibility, surely upon us there rests a greater. While they had messages from God for the people, and were charged with the responsibility of delivering them faithfully, we have one with which the gospel of Christ culminates. The closing up of God’s great work cannot be of less importance than the beginning; and if those sent by him to commence the work were held responsible for the execution of that which they were commanded to do, surely they who are called upon to finish the work are equally responsible for its completion.

If it was required of them to sacrifice as they did, and to testify to the truth at the loss of all things, can we reasonably suppose there is less required of us, living where we do, with the light we have, and the doom of the whole world about to be witnessed? And do we believe this? Have we really the faith we profess to have? Do we at all feel the dread responsibility under which we are placed? The world has the utmost need to understand that the advent of the Saviour is swiftly approaching and that it will very soon be witnessed.

When God caused this great truth to be brought to our knowledge, he made us debtors to our fellow-men to make known to them what he had given to us. This vast indebtedness is upon us, and it can be discharged only by faithful, self-sacrificing efforts.

Are we not greatly unlike prophets, apostles, and the faithful in other ages, in the execution of our great mission to this perishing world? Oh! this great responsibility! Would to God we could feel it.

We must set ourselves to this work as those who labor to save the perishing, and who think not of their own ease or convenience or comfort. God calls us to labor and not to faint. Dear brethren, let us respond to this call. Our time for labor will soon be past.

CHARLES P. WHITFORD.