Untitled article by Editor

Publishing Committee · SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. · Dec 9, 1851

The Angels of Rev. xiv.--No. 3.

By Editor

When we commenced this very important subject, in Nos. 2 and 3 of the present volume of the "Review and Herald," it was our design to publish an article in each paper. But being from home much of the time, and other subjects of importance calling our attention, we have not been able to write them.

In our first article we showed that the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, and the first five verses of the fourteenth, were one prophetic chain of the past and present, and reaching into the future to the complete redemption of the 144,000. Also, that the sixth verse of the fourteenth chapter commences another prophetic chain, relative to the Second Advent, and the duties of God's people in view of the great event.

In our second article we pointed out the facts, that the angels of Rev. xiv, must be symbols, that the first three were symbols of three distinct messages to be given to God's people in this mortal state, that they "followed" each other, and that these angels especially the first, applied to advent history, had been the opinion of the Advent body.

We now wish to call attention to the messages of the first three angels.

FIRST ANGEL. "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water." Rev. xiv, 6, 7.

This proclamation not only relates to the judgment, but also to the hour, period, or time of the judgment. It fitly applies to the proclamation of the judgment at hand, that has been given to the present generation, and it cannot possibly apply to any other period of the Church.

We say that this angel's message cannot be properly applied to the preaching of the apostles, because they did not preach that the period of the judgment had come. Paul reasoned before Felix of "righteousness, temperance, and JUDGMENT TO COME." Acts xxiv, 25. He declared to the Athenians that God "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent; because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world." Acts xvii, 30, 31.

That the Thessalonians had received the idea that the period of the coming of Christ and the judgment had come, or was at hand, is evident. But Paul corrected this error, as will be seen from the following which we copy from his second epistle to them.

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thess. ii, 1--4.

Paul here declares to the Thessalonians that the day of Christ was not at hand, and warns them against being deceived in this matter. He also shows that the period of the judgment was to be after the apostasy, and the 1260 years of triumph and blasphemy of the "man of sin," or the Papacy. It is clear, therefore, that the apostles did not give the proclamation, "the hour of his judgment is come."

Again, this first message is based on prophecies (the prophecy of Daniel in particular) which were to be "closed up and sealed" [Dan. xii, 4, 9] till the time of the end, which has been clearly proved by second advent writers to be since about 1798. How perfectly absurd then to suppose that the message, relating to the period of the judgment, should be given while the prophecies on which it is based, which show the relative distance of the judgment, are "closed up and sealed," so that they could not be understood. This fixes the message to the present generation.

And again, Christ has given signs of his coming, and of the judgment, in Matt. xxiv; Luke xxi, and Mark xiii, also Rev. vi. The object of these signs, in connection with the prophecies of Daniel and John unsealed, was, as stated by Christ, that his people might "know" that his coming was "nigh, even at the doors." This generation alone being able to "know" this, could give the judgment hour message, which no other generation could do. Therefore we are bound by the facts in the case, to apply

this angel's proclamation to the advent movement witnessed in our day.

The "Advent Herald" of Nov. 22d, 1851, speaking of the advent cause, says: "It is the cause of God, and is a work that must be done in these last days." (Rev. xiv, 6, 7.) . . . We believe it to be the will of God that this class should maintain this position, for on it devolves the duty of giving to the church and world the final message—"The hour of His judgment is come."

We can not agree with the "Herald" that the first of the three, is the "final message." It cannot be the last, because two distinct messages follow it, prior to the Son of man taking his place on the "white cloud." But that it applies to the past proclamation of the Advent, we fully believe.

But some who profess to be looking every day for Christ's coming, and say, "he may come to-day, or at any time," object to the view, that the first angel is fulfilled in the past, for they think the "everlasting gospel" of the coming kingdom has not yet been preached sufficiently extensive to fulfil the prophecy of Rev. xiv, 6, 7. But if the prophecy is not fulfilled, then certainly they should not expect the Advent now. Those looking for the world's conversion, cannot expect Christ's coming now; neither should those who are looking for a much wider spread of the first angel's message profess to be looking for the Second Advent, until that work shall first be accomplished.

But when we look to the past mighty movement relative to the coming and kingdom of Christ, we see the prophecy fulfilled, the great work accomplished. Advent Lecturers and Editors have testified that Rev. xiv, 6, 7, was fulfilled. The "Voice of Truth" for Dec. 1844, says: "No case can be more clearly demonstrated with facts than that this message has been borne to every nation and tongue under heaven, within a few past years in the preaching of the coming of Christ in '43 or near at hand. Through the medium of lectures and publications, the sound has gone into all the earth, and the word unto the ends of the world."

Our advent brethren well know that from about the year 1840 to 1844, the judgment hour message was given with astonishing success and power, and that the public mind was moved by it. They also know that the message has ceased to arrest the public mind, that the world and church have fallen asleep to the subject, and that those who profess to be giving this message now, have lost the energy and power they once had. With these facts before us we have no reason to expect that the first angel's message will again arrest the public mind. And those who are looking for a much more extensive proclamation of this message than the past movement, may as well look for the conversion of the world.

SECOND ANGEL. "And there FOLLOWED another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

This angel did not go on his mission and deliver his message in company with the first, but "FOLLOWED," after the first angel had delivered the burden of his message. The first message was to the churches; but soon their papers refused to publish it, and the doors of their houses of worship were closed against it. They rejected the good news of the coming kingdom, and Jesus and the Spirit of truth departed from them, as their present state plainly shows. The few living souls in all these churches, who had received the advent message, and who loved to talk of the Advent and the Restitution, were not allowed to speak freely of their faith and hope. Their testimony being crushed, the way was fully prepared for the second message, "Babylon is fallen," &c. This message we heard, our voices proclaimed it, and we saw its effect when the oppressed children of God burst the bands that bound them to the various sects.

We are happy to spread before our readers in this number, the lengthy article on this subject, from the "Voice of Truth" of 1844. Oh, how lamentable, that that sweet voice of truth, so distinctly and joyfully heard in 1844, should ever die away, and error's discordant notes be heard in its stead.

We would also call attention to the "Review of O. R. L. Crozier on Rev. xiv, 1—13" by Bro. J. N. Andrews, especially his remarks on Babylon and its fall. As this number contains much on this subject, we shall add but a few remarks.

The fall of Babylon is evidently a moral fall, and not its final destruction. This may be seen from Rev. xviii, 2, where it is stated that Babylon is fallen, and is become the hold of every foul spirit, &c. It must exist after its fall in order to be a hold of foul spirits after that fall. In its fall and becoming a hold of foul spirits is clearly seen a moral change.

If the term Babylon is applied to the Catholic church, then we inquire, when did that church meet with such a moral change? When did she morally fall? The fact that she was always corrupt forbids such an application.

God's people, who heard the first angel's message, and came out under the message of the second, were, prior to their coming out, in Babylon. Were they in the Catholic Church? And did they come out of that church? Certainly not. But we know that many thousands did come out of the Protestant Sects. As the Catholic Church has not morally fallen, being always about as low as it possibly could be, and as God's people were not there, we say that it cannot be the Babylon mentioned by the second angel.

It is said that the city of Rome is Babylon, and that her fall is the burning of that literal city. But can the city of Rome be a hold of foul spirits after it is burnt? And will God's people be called out of Rome, after it is consumed by fire? They are called out of Babylon to escape her threatened plagues, Rev. xviii, 4. But will they flee out of Rome after it is burnt to escape plagues of which her being burnt is the last? "Her plagues shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire," Rev. xviii, 8.

Babylon, signifies "mixture or confusion," which well applies to the many sects, holding a great variety of sentiments. But Christ designed that his church should be one. We do not say that the sects became Babylon by falling. They, while in their divided and sub-divided state, and united with the world, were always Babylon. God permitted his people to remain there, until the first angel's message was rejected, then he called them out.

That the nominal churches have fallen, let their own admissions, and the facts relative to their present condition bear testimony. When their state is compared with what it was ten years since, their fall is clearly seen.

We think the "foul spirits" that Babylon was to become a "hold" of, after her fall, refer to the spiritual wonders of the present day, such as Mesmerism, Biology, Psychology, and the "Mysterious Rappings." And we think it is evident that just before the plagues are poured out, the voice from heaven, "Come out of her my people," will be heard as never before. This point we may notice in a separate article. In our next we design to examine the message of the third angel.

From Bro. Day, of Winchester, Mass.

DEAR BRO. WHITE: I wish to say that the Conference at Medford has proved a great blessing to the Church in this vicinity, for, where discord existed, owing to differences of opinion with regard to unfinished prophecy, as well as prejudice that had arisen from false reports, love and peace now prevail. Then, leanness and death pervaded our meetings, and we were continually wondering what could be the cause; but praise the Lord, it is not so now. God pours his Spirit upon us in a wonderful manner, sometimes more than we dare to expect. There has been three or four children converted to God, and the truth; and others have embraced the present truth, and those that attend our meetings are led to say that God is with us in very deed.

O, how evident it is that where there is union there is strength. Perfect harmony seems to pervade the meetings. And we feel that your coming among us, with our dear Bro. Holt, has been like the coming of Titus among his brethren. And I think it will be difficult for the Enemy to get in among his brethren again, especially in the same way that he did before. I am satisfied that the two former messages, in connection with the third, if rightly understood, and lived out, will unite the Church, or bring God's people into the unity of the faith, while other subjects will serve to distract and divide the dear children. This is my opinion, and I have had some little experience from which to form it.

When I first embraced the present truth, I knew of no difference of opinion among the brethren, and for a while my whole soul was in the work. So intensely was my mind engaged in it that I could hardly sleep; but at length one new view after another came up from good brethren, which somewhat arrested my attention, and took my mind off from present truth. My interest began, gradually, to decrease, until I lost much of my spiritual strength, and was tempted at times to believe that we needed something more to make the third angel's message interesting. But praise God I find that there is power in this message to interest all who come under its influence. It is my prayer that all the dear brethren will leave other subjects, and take hold of the present truth, and unitedly push the battle to the gates. Not with carnal weapons, but such as are mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds of the Enemy.

There seems to be quite an interest waked up in the minds of some in this vicinity to hear the reasons of our faith. And we hope that any of the dear brethren who can make it in their way, will call on us; and we shall always be glad to see any that may come bringing the present truth.

JOHN C. DAY.