p. 148 | Optimism and Pessimism

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 8, 1879

Optimism and Pessimism.

THESE terms may sound strange to the ears of many readers, but they have been much used in the country since the session of the Prophetic Conference in New York City. The members of that Conference have been freely stigmatized as "Pessimists," because they took so hopeless a view of the future of this world without the personal return of the Lord; for pessimism is the doctrine that things are tending to the worst, of which optimism is the opposite.

There are two Scripture facts which ought to put to silence all who derisively call the Advent believers pessimists. One is, that in all history, false prophets have prophesied good and never evil; always answering to the call—"preach unto us smooth things." The other is, that Paul says of the last days, when the coming of the Lord, and "the day of the Lord," are near, that men will cry, "Peace, and safety," though "sudden destruction" has been foretold and is impending.

But we do not purpose at this time to argue the point. We wish only to introduce the following compend of the subject which we find in the N. Y. Independent, under the head of "Optimism and Pessimism Once More." Brief as it is, nothing more seems to be needed:—

"When God had finished the work of creation, and had pronounced all things good, two angels went forth from his presence.

"As they looked upon the perfect work, the one declared: 'Darkness will never enter.' The other said: 'Sin and suffering will come.'

"As they heard the preaching of Noah, that God would destroy the earth with a flood, the one said: 'Nonsense! God will not destroy the work of his own hands.' The other said: 'A deluge is coming.'

"As they looked upon the new world peopled from the ark, the one said: 'Man, taught by the judgments of God, will never sin again.' The other said: 'There will be another apostasy.'

"As they looked upon Israel, delivered by the outstretched arm of Jehovah from Egyptian bondage, the one said: 'They will be faithful to the God who has delivered them.' The other said: 'They will bow down to a golden calf.'

"As they stood over Jerusalem, in the days of Hezekiah, the one said: 'It is the city of the Great King. Evil cannot come to it.' The other said: 'One stone will not be left upon another, and Israel will be led away captive.'

"As they looked upon the arrest of Jesus, the one said: 'He is the Son of God sent forth to be a Saviour. Evil cannot come to him.' The other said: 'He will be crucified.'

"As they looked upon the Church of Rome, the one said: 'It is founded in faith and prayer. It cannot become unfaithful.' The other said: 'It will apostatize.'

"As they regarded the Church Universal, the one said: 'It is the pillar and ground of truth. It can know no declension.' The other said: 'When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith in the earth?'

"From the beginning, the one ever said: 'There shall be no night.' The other ever said: 'The night is coming; but after the night cometh the morning.'

"Which was the pessimist? Which the optimist?"