PRESENT TRUTH by S. N. Haskell

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 13, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 15.

PRESENT TRUTH.

By S. N. Haskell

BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL.

For about half a century, in a special sense, many have looked for the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In connection with his near coming they have expected the Lord to pour out his Spirit to prepare his people to act their part in the closing work of the gospel. Says the prophet:—

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." Joel 2: 28-32.

These words imply that this prophecy would be fulfilled in connection with the time when the sun should be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, which occurred May 19, 1780. What they received on the day of Pentecost was but the former rain. The prophet thus describes the former and the latter rain: "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." Joel 2: 23.

It should require no argument to show that the gospel has not thus far accomplished its work in the world; and the way is now prepared for the gospel to reach every part of this habitable globe. The islands of the Pacific where cannibalism reigned a few years since, have opened their doors for the Christian religion; Japan, that was ever exclusive to all foreign nations, has welcomed the foreigners to bring to them the gospel of Jesus Christ; China, who had the gospel in the days of the apostles, but whose doors had become closed, by the treaties now formed with Christian nations, protects missionaries in different parts of that empire; every foot of India is claimed by some missionary society as being their territory to carry the gospel to every creature. The interior of Africa has been explored, and open doors invite the missionary to occupy that field. The time has therefore fully arrived when the prophecy of Rev. 14: 6, "I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," should be fulfilled.

The mighty angel having great power, that was to enlighten the earth with its glory, has descended from heaven. The most complete object of the gospel is to be fulfilled at the present time. The outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost was to fit the disciples to do the very work which the church is to accomplish in the closing scenes of this world's history. "Just prior to his leaving the disciples for the heavenly courts, Jesus encouraged them with the promise of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to us as well as to them; and yet how rarely it is presented before the people, and its reception spoken of in the church." This promise has not been dwelt upon as it should be by those looking for the accomplishment of the fulfillment of the gospel. It has been set aside, as if some future time would be given for its consideration. The impression concerning the Holy Spirit has been that this gift is not for the church now, but at some future time it will be necessary for the church to receive it. But if this promised blessing were claimed by faith, it would bring all other blessings in its train; and it is to be given liberally and freely to the people of God. Because of the lack of this the spiritual strength of God's people has been enfeebled, and their experience dwarfed and crippled, so that they have been disqualified for the work the Lord would have them do. "They are not able to present the great and glorious truths of God's word, that would convict and convert souls through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The power of God awaits their demand and reception. A harvest of joy will be reaped by those who sow the holy seeds of truth. 'He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.'"

"We have a message to bear to the church and to the world. The disciples were taught to look up and expect the Holy Spirit; to lift up their thoughts, and enlarge their conceptions of his excellency and grace; for the gift of the Holy Spirit would compensate them for the loss of his personal presence. What a gift theirs! what an endowment to the church! and how little has this precious blessing been dwelt upon! As Satan would have it, the Holy Spirit has become almost extinct from the church. But the Lord calls upon his people to expect great things, to arise and shine, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon her. A vital element has been presented as a gift to the church. The work of salvation must not any longer be at a standstill. The sacrifice has been made, and the atonement accepted, and if we believe that we are at at-one-ment with God, tell it. Let it burn upon the altars of our heart. Let it radiate to others. A greater gift cannot be donated than the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. It is the living bread sent down from heaven; it is the living water sent down from the throne of God. Who can in the most exalted language exaggerate the value of the gift? It is the crowning gift whereby sinful human beings may, through its efficiency, become washed, purified, exalted. We may overcome, and be more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us."

The office work of the Holy Spirit is to qualify men to become teachers, and to clothe their words with a power that nothing can withstand.

The influence of the messages of Revelation 14 "has been deepening and widening, setting in motion the springs of action in thousands of hearts, bringing into existence institutions of learning, publishing houses, and health institutions. All these instrumentalities are the instrumentalities of God to co-operate in the grand work represented by the first, second, and third angels flying in the midst of heaven to warn the inhabitants of the world that Christ is coming the second time with power and great glory. The Revelator says: 'I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lighted with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.' This is the same message which was given by the second angel, —Babylon is fallen, 'because she made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.'"

"When Jesus began his public ministry, he cleansed the temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Almost the last act of his ministry was to cleanse the temple again. So, in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches, —the second angel's message, and the voice heard from heaven, 'Come out of her, my people, . . . for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.'"

"God is testing us now; just now the whole earth is to be lighted with the glory of God. The light is shining now, and how hard it has been for proud hearts to accept of Jesus as their personal Saviour! how hard to get out of the rut of a legal religion! how hard for them to grasp the rich, free gift of Christ! Those who have not accepted that offering will not understand anything of that light which fills the whole earth with its glory. Let every heart now seek the Lord; let self be crucified, for rich and glorious blessings are awaiting all who maintain contrition of soul. With them Jesus can abide; they will let nothing interpose between their souls and God. I long, oh so much, to see the people of God elevated, ennobled, sanctified by the truth, manifesting in all their labors that intense, that earnest faith and hope which is proportionate with the value of the object they are in pursuit of. Life, eternal life, is worth persevering, untiring, lifelong effort. Never be weary in well doing; never be discouraged. Jesus lives; Jesus

pleads for us; Jesus will not leave us, not a moment, if we only commit the keeping of our souls to him. Be of good courage in the Lord. Look up, ever look up, and behold him who is your eternal reward;" for soon, yes, very soon, "he will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25: 8, 9.