The Third Angel’s Message.
By Uriah Smith
No work can be entered upon with that enthusiasm and zeal necessary to carry it through to a successful termination, unless those engaged in it have confidence in its success, and approve of the time, the ways, and the means of its prosecution. We would briefly call attention to the extent of the work of the Third Angel’s Message and what is required to fulfill it. The commission under which this special work is prosecuted was given to John in these words: “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Rev. 10:11. It would be difficult to put any construction upon this language which would show any limit to the work brought to view. Again, in the prophecy where this message is specifically mentioned as the third and last in the series of closing messages, it is said: “And the third angel followed them,” referring to the two preceding. Looking back to the first message, the record states that it was to go “to every nation and kindred and tongue and people,” and it was to be proclaimed with a loud voice. The third follows this, and is also proclaimed with a loud voice. It will be seen at once that this message cannot be limited to any9smaller proportions than the first. It follows it How far? To a quarter or a half of the nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples, or to the whole of them? Should it leave any of them out, in so far it would not follow the first; but the prophecy says it follows it. The same conclusions are necessarily drawn from what is said respecting the power with which these messages are proclaimed. The first is uttered “with a loud voice.” The same is said of the third. What constitutes the loud voice? Not simply the power with which it is attended in a limited locality, but the wide extent of its proclamation in connection with the power which everywhere attends it. If its extent is any less, or its power is in any respect weaker, it is not proclaimed with as loud a voice as the first. But the prophecy puts it in this respect on an equality with the first. We have reached the generation in which all is to be fulfilled. We see the work that is to be done. In view of it all, can any one say that too much has been undertaken, or that too much is in contemplation? Have we opened our few missions any too soon? Have we started a few printing offices before they should have been started? Ought we to have put off to a later day our tract and missionary, city mission, and colporter work? What faithlessness, what folly it would be to do less! We are none too soon. We are not doing too much. More must be done. More can be done. And when we have gone to the extent of our ability, God will multiply the fruits of our efforts, and multiply our reward. The millions of earth can be speedily warned; the message can go with power and lighten the world with its glory; the work can be cut short in righteousness, and the faithful laborers enter into their reward. U. S.