"FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT."
IN spite of the warning voice of the prophetic word, in spite of the ominous voice of the signs of the times, the world is slumbering on the brink of one of the greatest events that shall ever transpire in the history of this planet. The governments of the world are unconsciously preparing for a momentous change; the deep mutterings of the coming tempest of war, which shall sweep over the nations, are already heard, and the heart of man is filled with fear lest the pent-up billows of jealousy and wrath shall suddenly burst forth with resistless fury, sweeping nations and kingdoms into the dark abyss of anarchy and destruction. The maudlin cry of "peace and safety," that "the world is growing better," and that "all things continue as they were from the creation," is sternly contradicted by the rapid fulfillment of the prophetic word, while the voice of true science repeats the solemn truth and casts the shadow of great and eventful change over all the earth. That some great event is near at hand is patent to the minds of all thinking men, but of what shall be involved in that event, either in the natural or moral world, the world at large seems to be in utter ignorance. As it was in the days of Noah, the world is rushing on in its mad rush for wealth and sensual pleasure, while the siren song of Satanic delusion acts as a deadly narcotic to close the senses to all knowledge of impending evil. As it was in the days of Sodom, the cities of the present age are filled with unbridled lust, while "evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived," while the church at large has sadly apostatized from the teachings of Holy Writ, "heaping to themselves teachers having itching ears." "An evil and adulterous generation seek after a sign," and this present evil age, so polluted with God-defying crimes, is eager to grasp any delusion that the powers of darkness may present, and so we hear the scoffer saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" We hear his mocking jeer as he reminds us that we have looked for the Lord for the past forty years, and that we are a set of fanatics, whose hopes will never be realized in this our day; and thus the world derides the patient watching ones, while the star of hope shines brighter with the luster of redemption drawing nigh. We often inquire of the prophetic word, "Watchman, what of the night?" and as often we hear the cheering reply, "The morning cometh, and also the night"—the glad morning of redemption, when the watching, believing Israel shall enter "the secret chambers, until the indignation be over and past," a morning dawn of unspeakable glory for God's peculiar people, and a night of Egyptian darkness and despair for an ungodly world. The record of Holy Writ shows that a merciful God has never sent a calamity upon any people ere he had faithfully warned them of impending danger. The people who were before the flood were not without warning, but they chose to mock the message of the Almighty, and defy his authority, "and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." Matt. 24:39. The cities of the plain were not without a message of mercy ere they sank beneath the flood of fiery retribution. Jerusalem was earnestly entreated by the Son of God to come to the shelter of his protecting love, but, alas! their doom was sealed in the heartbroken cry, "And ye would not;" and thus we are admonished that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, after having trampled his admonitions of warning and mercy beneath unholy feet. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise." 2 Peter 1:19. We have also the "signs of the times" that Christ gave us, whereby we might know that he is nigh, "even at the door;" and now that the signs are appearing upon the horizon of the political world in all their significant import, we need consult no other authority regarding the fact that the cry, "Behold, he cometh," will soon startle the wicked world, and raise the sleeping virgins from their careless lethargy. They who have watched and are ready will enter in, while the careless and foolish attempt with trembling hands to trim their lamps and beg the oil of prophetic truth—alas, too late! "Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Now is the time to heed the warning of the prophetic word, "Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction." Micah 2:10. Now is the time to repent and do the first works, ere the trumpet summons to a final reckoning. Ye who are gay and in the giddy dance of carnal pleasure, and banqueting at the table of sin, pause in your revelry and note the finger of God as it traces in letters of prophetic light the doom of the ungodly and forewarns you of the terrors that shall befall the "fearful and unbelieving." "Come unto me, and be ye saved." "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely." Will you come and engage in righteous conflict with the powers of darkness that are soon to fall beneath the avenging stroke of Jehovah? Come; while the fiery vials of God's wrath are poured upon the hosts of sin, you shall walk by the side of the river of life in peace. Come, bringing the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart, and God's word for it, you "shall in no wise be cast out."—Herald of Life.