OUR TRUST | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 13, 1878

OUR TRUST.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” In this time of danger, people are casting about to ascertain their ground of safety, and to determine upon what means they can rely for protection. Some trust in the stability of American institutions. This would be well on certain conditions. These institutions depend upon the intelligence and moral integrity of the citizens. But people seem to forget that a vast horde of the uneducated and vicious of foreign countries have become citizens of this government, who do not understand nor regard the genius of republican institutions, and who care nothing for free government only so far as it favors their own license and self-gratification. When this element preponderates, any one who can calculate cause and effect, can see what the fate of this government must be.

Others look to a strong military arm, and in view of probable demands to be made upon the government for the suppression of labor strikes and Communistic disturbances, call for a strong military man at the head of the government. This has caused some prominent journals to suggest, and warmly urge, the nomination of General Grant as the next Republican candidate for president.

We think we have better grounds for trust than any of these. Our dependence for the future is upon what the prophets have spoken; for behind the prophecy there is an arm stronger than American institutions, or the American government with Grant at its head: it is the arm of the Lord, pledged to the fulfillment of his word. And he has said that the winds should be restrained till the servants of God should be sealed. God has a work to be done, and no elements of strife, until that work is accomplished, will be permitted to so far break forth as to utterly hinder and overthrow it. But the troubles may increase to such an extent as to cause us much more labor and greater sacrifices to accomplish the work we have to do; and we should be preparing for it.

Further than this, we need not be solicitous; for with this work closes the world's probation, when all cases will be forever decided. And when that sentence shall go forth, Rev. 22:12, “He that is unjust let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still,” just before the coming of Christ, verse 12, the world will be ripe for the wine-press, from which there will then be nothing to save it.