TIME AND ITS STORY by Geo. E. Price

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 10, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 57.

TIME AND ITS STORY.

By Geo. E. Price

BY GEO. E. PRICE.

(Continued.)

X. THE FALLING AWAY.

THE falling off from God’s most sacred truth Described by Paul, that Wicked soon produced: A church apostate clothed with civil power, To punish all dissenting from her rules With forfeit goods, the dungeon, or the stake; And now arise from all the winds of heaven, Teaching the world will soon converted be, A numerous class, whose sole idea is To aid in hastening on this great event,— The world to ready make for Jesus’ reign. With things so mixed in all the affairs of life, Their work makes progress slow upon the hearts Through moral suasion only; but through law They find a shorter road to all they wish. With their religion popular in name, Why not of this avail themselves? The nations all Must be made kingdoms of their Saviour King. A legal basis in the nation’s laws For all that Christ commands, would thus secure Their perfect recognition by the world. Satan, great cunning by experience taught, Assumes a seraph’s dress and form of speech In his last conflict with the church of God. What wonder then so many are deceived? Strong parties now they form throughout the land To this accomplish, nor of pains do lack— What industry can match a bigot’s zeal? But still to make their movement stronger yet They hold out offers to the Church of Rome If she will only aid them in their work. And who more ready to sustain the claims Of institutions founded by herself? Why should she not now nourish her pet child, Though it be fed in part by other hands? And Spiritualism, taking on the form Of dress and speech more godly, now can gain Kind recognition oft before denied; And greater power to lure, deceive, and snare It gets from day to day. As all combine, The churches of our land with spirits foul, And those with Rome, they thus can bring about The changes that they seek with so much zeal, In preparation for the coming day— The thousand years of temporal peace on earth. Blind leaders of the blind, how manifest! Blind guides, conducting those beneath their charge Down to the realms of night, and specious pleas Are whispered in their ears as they descend, To quiet conscience and the truth hush up. But how can pastors that in garb of lambs Grow fat on blood their wolfish soul obtains From God’s defenceless and misguided flock, Expect to hide their deeds from his pure eye? How can the stains of gore be wiped away From skirts so spattered with the blood of souls? Great God above! Why does thy Son delay To hurl destruction fierce upon their heads? Why longer lingers their destruction sure, Or slumbers their damnation so deserved?

XI. THE LAST MESSAGE.

Ah, yes, another angel in midheaven flies, And follows where the other two are gone, Proclaiming one more message to the world, The last of love and warning to the race! Such is God’s mercy, such his tender love, That it returns whence it was driven back, To plead yet once again and light impart Sufficient to show all the ways of truth. And fitting this to mark probation’s close; Most fitting now to ripen well the wheat For heaven’s garner, and for Tophet’s fires The tares to gather and the stubble dry! No more terrific threatening can be found In all the Book, nor more inducements given To lead a life of fealty to God. “The third them followed;” loud rings out the cry Against the last defiance wicked men Will hurl against the mighty power of God. “If any man the leopard beast adores, Or image made at second beast’s command, Or in his hand, or on his brow engraved, Receives this ten-horned beast’s unholy mark, The same shall drink of God’s unmingled wrath, Poured to the brim of indignation’s cup, And tortured be in Tophet’s sulphurous fires, Before the holy angels and the Lamb. And unto ages in the face of heaven Ascends the smoke of their unresting woe.” O day of sifting, soon will come the test, Mid great inducements on the side of each, Greater than aught the world has seen before! O conflict most tremendous, when such themes Are agitating every mind and breast,— Satan’s last chance to persecute the saints, Christ’s saving, keeping power in full displayed! ‘Tis surely coming; those who will can see It looming in the distance even now. But how deceived the world on all these things! O bold presumption on the part of man To choose allegiance to the powers of earth, And thus defy almighty power above— And that, too, when the end is now so near! Oh, why give thought to what the beast can do? At most he can withhold but temporal things, Though life itself is forfeit, while above Most glorious crowns await the victor’s brow, Placed there by Christ’s own hand. But, praise his name, Not one weak saint that trusts his faithful word Will be abandoned to the powers of earth. Oh, why then choose a course that surely ends In that great torment that the message tells?

XII. SUBLIMEST HOUR.

Ah, truly ‘tis the grandest hour of time, The most sublime that this old world has seen, The day at which the countless lines converge That, stretching back, inclose creation’s life; The glad fruition of the church’s hope, The day when sinners rise to meet their doom, The fruit of seed which their own hands have sown! What can compare? The day of Salamis, Of Actium, or yet of Waterloo Decided but a few brief hours of sway When mortals strut in pomp. The conquerors there Had fought for power or liberty. What then, Did not the world still move the same? But now Creation’s destiny is balanced high, And God and angels watch the trembling beam. Shall mortals not feel interest? Is earth’s doom A smaller matter than a kingdom’s fall? Oh, how the countless ages of the past Grow restless in their dust, as now draws near The time of their release! Their voiceless tongues Proclaim their hopes of joy, their fears of wrath, That shall be consummated in that day; And yet their living fellows heed it not. The hills and woods that now so bright appear, The beauteous flowers, and the purling brooks, All shout in exultation of that day That changes their dull charms for Eden’s bloom. And yet what dread attaches to that sound In many minds who ought in it delight! For all the land the hum and bustle rise Of preparation for that last great day. Satan and all his minions now prepare With mighty power and strong delusion dire For their last struggle ‘gainst the King of kings. The Holy Spirit of our blessed Lord Is richly showered upon his people true, And bids them give his message to the world. (Concluded next week.)