The Second Advent by Dudley Marvin Canright

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 3, 1878

The Second Advent.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

WHAT THE SAINTS WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

It is very generally assumed by those who have not investigated the Advent doctrine that very little or nothing will be known concerning the second advent of Christ until it suddenly comes upon the world. Hence, they are continually asserting that that day may come now or it may be a thousand years in the future, but we have already shown in previous articles the inconsistencies and unsoundness of this doctrine. The Lord has plainly shown that by the study of the prophecies we can know what is coming in the future.

We have shown also that there will be signs given to indicate when that day is near, and that there will be a solemn message concerning that event. We now propose to show further what the saints will know about it.

But in the first place we notice the fact that the apostles did not expect the second advent to take place in their day, neither were they looking for it to come soon. When the apostles inquired of the Saviour with regard to the signs of his second advent, Matt. 24:3, the very first thing he did was to caution them particularly not to look for that event soon. Thus Jesus said:—

"Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." Matt. 24:4-8

This language was evidently designed to impress their minds with the fact that a long time must intervene before Jesus would return. Nation must rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and many other things must occur, but said he, "The end is not yet." Certainly, then, they could not be daily looking for the Saviour if they believed this language. Then Peter, away down in the year 66 A. D., shows very plainly that he did not expect to live to see the coming of the Saviour; for he plainly declares that he must soon die. He says, "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me." 2 Pet. 1:14.

The language of Paul upon this point is very definite. It will be seen that his position is exactly the reverse of the modern popular position upon this question. Now ministers and people are everywhere and all the time saying that the Lord may come any time, any day or that it may be thousands of years before he will come. The apostle was more consistent than that, and besides, had more confidence in prophecies concerning it than to take such an absurd position. Carefully read his language: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him." 2 Thess. 2:1. He now proposes to talk to them about the second advent, to set his position before them and to teach them the truth about it. So he continues, verse 2: "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

This is very plain. He says that they should not let anything persuade them that the day of Christ was at hand. How would this compare with the idea that he was daily expecting that event. Does he proceed to say to them, "Now brethren, we don't know anything about this question. The Lord may come to-day, or he may not come for ages?" The apostle says no such thing, but does definitely tell them that the day of Christ is not at hand, and that they must not allow themselves to be deceived upon that point by any man. But why does he say so? What reason has he for believing that the advent was not at hand? He now proceeds to give the reasons, and good ones they are too. "Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."

Here we have it. Paul was a believer in the prophecies. He studied them, and taught others to believe them; for he knew that not one of them would fail in its accomplishment. Looking into the prophecies of Daniel, chapter 7, he saw that before the second advent, there must come a terrible apostasy and that blasphemous and persecuting powers foretold by the prophet must arise. Now he knew very well that this had not come in his day, hence it must be in the future; therefore, he says to them, "Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed." And then he proceeds to describe him just as Daniel had in his prophecy. He reminds the brethren that he had frequently told them these things while he was with them. Verse 5. The apostle's position, then, was that they could not look for the coming of Christ at that time. It could not take place until the events foretold by the prophet had transpired, and this was a reasonable position.

Our opponents argue that many of the prophecies have not been fulfilled at all, that the Jews must be restored to Jerusalem, that the world must be converted, and that we must have a thousand years temporal millennium before the second advent. Then they turn right around with the next breath and declare that the Lord may come to-day. Cannot these men see how inconsistent they are? Can the Jews be restored, can the world be converted, can we have a thousand years millennium all in one day? Dear friends, the men who talk thus do not know what they are saying. They are in the dark and entirely out of harmony with the word of God. They are blind leaders of the blind, and we must be cautious how we follow them.

But does not the Bible positively assert that no man can tell the day and hour of the second advent? Here is the language of the Saviour: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matt. 24:36.

This is what our Lord says, and we believe it. We do not pretend to know the hour, the day, the week, nor the year when our Lord shall appear. We do not pretend to be wise above what is written. Whatever the word of God says, that we implicitly believe and abide by. Hence, Seventh-day Adventists have never believed in setting definite time for the Lord to come, or for the end of the world. Farthermore we have no sympathy with those fanatical people who have done so.

We are sorry to say that a few, calling themselves Adventists, have been so foolish as to set the definite day for the Lord to come. Of course they have failed every time and always will. The only effect it has had has been to disgust people with the doctrine of the second advent. Every live cause is always cursed more or less with fanatical people, persons who carry matters to extreme; but we are happy to say that Seventh-day Adventists have never done this, and we do not expect they ever will.

Be it understood then that we are not time-setters, and that the above language of our Saviour is in perfect harmony with our faith. "Of that day and hour knoweth no man." This scripture is very familiar to every opposer of the Adventist. They quote it everywhere and on all occasions as though it was the sum and substance, the beginning, middle and end of all the Bible has to say about the second advent. We think that while they have justly condemned those extremists who have endeavored to set the time for the Lord to come, they are on the other extreme and just as far, and that their position is just as squarely condemned by the word of God as is the position of the time setters.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

(To be continued.)