Definite Prophecies of Specific Things—This Generation the Favored One—Such Things Never Witnessed Before The Climax of All This Missionary Activity
By WILLIAM A. SPICER
A COMPANY OF YOUNG MEN RECEIVING TRAINING IN PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE, PREPARATORY TO SERVICE AS MISSIONARIES IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD. HUNDREDS OF SUCH GROUPS MAY BE FOUND TO ILLUSTRATE THE GREAT MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES OF THIS TIME.
QUOTING an Old Testament prophet, the apostle Paul warned the people of his day to beware lest that come upon them which was spoken in the prophets, and the Lord's work be done before their eyes while yet the observers would in no wise believe even though a man declared it to them. Acts 13:40, 41.
THE THING PREDICTED
We to-day are seeing fulfilled before our eyes the things spoken of as signs of the coming of the end. In many of the prophecies, the last days were spoken of as a time when there would be a world-wide missionary movement.
The angel said to Daniel: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.
As the time of the end came, the light and knowledge of the truth of God were to be spread abroad through all the earth. Christ foretold this in His discourse concerning the events of the very last days: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14.
THE MOVEMENT FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS
In prophetic view, the seers of ancient times looked down through the ages; and just before the coming of the Lord, they beheld missionary enterprises embracing the whole earth. Century after century passed, and still the century of the prophecy was not reached. But when we come to this last century, what do we find?—We find exactly the movement described in the sure word of prophecy, just as given. Look for a moment at the achievements of the last hundred years of missionary enterprise.
MISSION MIRACLES OF A HUNDRED YEARS
We take the following facts put out by the publicity department of the North American Conference of Foreign Missions:
"A hundred years ago there were less than 100 missionaries in the field; to-day there are about 22,000.
"A century ago the Bible was translated into only 65 languages; within the century it has been translated into over 500 languages, and made accessible to more than 800,000,000 of the human race, with its mighty moral and educational uplift.
"A hundred years ago there were no medical missionaries, and more than two thirds of the world was without adequate medical knowledge; to-day there are several hundred medical missionaries treating annually over 3,000,000 patients.
"A century ago there was a little handful of mission schools; to-day there are more than 29,000 mission schools and colleges, educating a million and a half students and pupils in the great strategic centers of the Orient.
"A hundred years ago a few thousand dollars were given annually to foreign missions; to-day missionary contributions amount to about $25,000,000 annually, while about $5,000,000 is given by foreign converts.
"It took nearly a century to win the first million Protestant Christians; the second million were won within twelve years; it is taking less than six years to win the third million.
"There are to-day in the world nearly 4,000,000 Protestant Christian adherents on mission fields.
"Sixty years ago there was not a professing Protestant Christian in Japan, not one in Korea, less than fifty in the Chinese Empire, and a few thousands in India; to-day there is a Protestant community of 70,000 adherents in Japan, 200,000 in Korea, nearly half a million in China, and a million souls in India."
NOTHING LIKE IT BEFORE IN THE WORLD
And stronger and ever stronger this movement of missions is making its way through the whole earth. Truly it is the hand of God. It is the fulfilment of prophecy. The Lord is preparing the world to hear the message of Christ's soon coming. Nothing like2
Fulfilled Before Our Eyes
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this has ever been seen on earth before. The prophetic word has given assurance that while iniquity abounds and evil men wax worse and worse, yet in the last days God in His mercy will flood the earth with light and knowledge. "Many shall run to and fro," was the word of the angel to the prophet Daniel, "and knowledge shall be increased." That which God's prophets talked about so long ago, and which the saints of all the ages looked forward to, we see fulfilling before our eyes to-day. The end is at hand, and the Lord is verifying His word.
CALLED TO A DEFINITE STANDARD
And we must never forget that in connection with the predictions of this world-wide missionary movement, the prophecy of Revelation 14 shows that the movement is to close with the definite message of preparation to meet the coming Saviour. That definite message calls men to the standard of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and it warns all against following the traditions of the papacy which have made void the law of God. Now that the Judgment hour is coming, and the final records are being made up in the courts of heaven, it is time for all men to turn to the living and the true God, and to make sure work for the kingdom.
