A Better Prospect by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 7, 1906

A Better Prospect

By Editor

Does this paper as a whole seem pessimistic? Does it present a dark picture? So far as this old earth is concerned, it surely does. But when God has repeatedly spoken as to the very character of these times, when the records and revelations of existing conditions demonstrate that the fulfilment has met the prophecy, what can we do otherwise than to declare the faithful Word. We are only saying to you that all that God hath declared in His Word concerning this generation has come to pass or is in prospect of fulfilment. The great Physician with infallible skill, foresight, and precision has diagnosed the case and outlined the progress of the disease. Shall we declare otherwise? Is it right, is it wise, to say to the wicked, "Thou art righteous, it shall be well with thee," when he is rushing on to certain doom? By so doing we but involve ourselves in his ruin. Yet there is a remedy, simple, full, free, that which will save every soul of church and world; that remedy is the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes. That remedy saves men by saving each individual, giving heart and hope and life to every soul. That Gospel gives promise to the life that now is, even better than the world gives, and holds out before us the glorious fruition of a life beyond, measuring with the life of God. That Gospel, while it does not, can not, declare that the evil of this world can evolve into good, does declare that the creative power of the life of God will, in response to living faith, come down into this slough of despond and recreate and lift up every soul who desires it. The Gospel of God, too, reveals that not long shall the old earth rush on with its load of sin. The Deliverer is soon to come. The dross of sin will be purged and consumed by His presence, and beyond lies the glorious Golden Age of eternity.

What Is the Lord's Day?

The expression occurs but once in all the Bible, but the passage in question does not reveal the day of the week. It reads as follows: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev. 1:10. Now, according to God's Word, for this alone is authority upon this question, what day is the Lord's Day? Three scriptures will answer this most conclusively:

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day." Isa. 58:13.

"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20:10.

"The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.

These texts conclusively show that the Lord's holy day is the Sabbath, and that the Sabbath is the seventh day, and that the seventh-day Sabbath is the day of which Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, according to the Lord's Word, the Lord's day is the seventh-day Sabbath. Could we ask clearer evidence?