TIME OF THE LATTER RAIN.
By H. A. St. John
THE time for the latter rain has come. We have been in the time already, for a number of years. But if we are in the time of the latter rain, why is it delayed? O, that this pertinent and important inquiry might enter like a barbed arrow into the heart of every inquirer! Then the answer would be forthcoming in a little while. What is it that delays the latter rain? Let this become a Bible-searching and heart-searching inquiry, and soon we will begin to hear of bright clouds, and refreshing showers, upon one here, and another there; a few here, and a few there; a church here, and a church there. These showers would grow more and more frequent and abundant, and would be the precursors of the latter rain. These showers will be the breathing of the Holy Ghost on the lukewarm church, as they begin to believe and heed the message of the faithful and true Witness by faith and zealous repentance. This will be the sowing to themselves in righteousness and reaping in mercy. It will be the breaking up of the fallow ground. It will be the smiting of the heart of stone with the rod of Jesus' love, and the springing forth from the cleft thus produced a perennial fountain of pure and fervent love for God and for one another. Reader, are you asking for rain upon yourself, right where you are, upon your fellow pilgrims right where you live, in the time of the latter rain? "Ye have not, because ye ask not," saith the Lord. Ye find not, because ye seek not. When the latter rain comes, the refreshing from on high, you will receive not, unless you have asked and received the showers from the bright clouds that go before. These showers of blessing that precede the great refreshing are to fit the soul to receive that wonderful baptism of power. By the showers of blessing preceding, God's children will all be brought into one place, or position, before Him. They will all be clean, through the word He has spoken unto them. They will have obtained the victory over every besetment,—over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. By so doing they will have come into one place before God, and into one accord with one another. Then nothing can delay the latter rain longer. All of one accord, in one place, with one heart and one soul, will unite in one petition for one thing, namely, that the Lord will "rain righteousness upon them." And the windows of heaven will be opened, and our glorified Lord will pour out such a refreshing as there shall not be room enough to receive it. They will unitedly ask for the coming of that mighty angel, having great power, lightening the earth with his glory; and immediately the angel descends and joins the third angel, and at once there follows a tidal wave of Gospel truth, and light, and power, and glory, that will sweep over all the earth with lightning-like speed, causing the ears of all nations to tingle and exclaim, "Never saw we anything on this wise before." The very earth will tremble under the joyful tread of the pentecostal church of Christ, arrayed in spotless and beautiful wedding garments, with their banners of salvation unfurled to the Holy Ghost, bearing to all people the good tidings of the Gospel of the kingdom. Hallelujah! hosanna! our King cometh, seated on the right hand of power, accompanied by all the angel hosts, wearing a crown of glory! Get ready to go out to meet Him. Thus, with unwonted power, will the Gospel proclamation close up in the realms of sin and death. The loud cry of the Third Angel's Message will be the last, the final triumphant march of the sacramental host, the church militant, in mortal guise, on the shores of mortality. When it is finished, the great controversy over the bodies, souls, and spirits of men will be forever past. The unrighteous must forever perish in their unrighteousness. The holy, their vile bodies changed in a moment to glorious Christ-like bodies, will enter upon their reign as kings and priests, unto God, in the realms of bliss eternal. Reader, are you getting ready to join in the final triumphal march of the last Gospel message? Only those whose lamps are trimmed and brightly burning will be able to keep step with the army of Prince Immanuel in the last victorious conflict with the powers of darkness. Press in, press into the ranks while yet there is room.