AN ENCOURAGING AND SIGNIFICANT SIGN
By William A. Spicer
Call for Conference on Prophecy — To Study Anew the “Blessed Hope” — The Believer to Watch and Proclaim the Good Tidings
IN making an announcement of the calling of a conference for the study of prophetic truths during the latter part of February, at the Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, the Sunday School Times says: “There are evidences of a quickening interest in the subject which was the great ‘blessed hope’ of New Testament Christians, and which is the blessedest hope held out to this earth since our Lord ascended and sent us His Holy Spirit: the hope of His personal return.” The call for the conference, which follows, is signed by men in active service in the Presbyterian, the Baptist, and other churches. In their announcement it is stated that twelve years ago such a conference was held, and that many “feel that the times demand another testimony to the doctrine of the premillennial coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.” TO DEAL WITH THE CENTRAL DOCTRINE
Naturally the callers of so informal a convention feel that the meeting should deal not so much with specific interpretations of prophecy, as with the central doctrine of the personal coming of Christ as the hope of the church. We quote as follows from the call: “It is believed that the signers of this invitation are a guarantee that the conference will not offer an opportunity for modern prophets to ventilate their speculations, to fix dates, or to mark out a detailed program of the future; but that, to incorporate the language of an earlier conference, the occasion will be used for students of prophecy to give prominence to neglected truths, to employ the true principles of Scripture interpretation, to warn against present-day apostasy, to awaken slumbering Christians, to present the most majestic of all motives for world-wide evangelism, to call attention to the doctrine of ‘last things’ as a bulwark against the skepticism of modern theology, and to bring into closer fellowship all those who ‘love His appearing.’” We are glad to see this token of a revival of interest on the part of many in the doctrine of Christ's second coming. CAN NOT FIX DATES — WATCH FOR SIGNS
As to the fixing of dates for that great event, the Saviour's own words forbid the thought. “Of that day and hour,” He declared, “knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Matt. 24:36. But our Saviour's outline of events preceding and betokening His second appearing in power and glory is an earnest call to Christian believers to watch the signs of the times, to note the fulfilment of events that were to mark the very last days; and in the most solemn words of warning, He commands His servants to watch and to be ready, “for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Not only is the believer to watch, but as the end draws near, all watchful believers are to be proclaiming the message of the coming of the Lord. The moment it is recognized that the signs of the times indicate that the last days have come, that moment the burden of the gospel message must be the coming of the Lord and the preparation to meet Him. That is the “meat in due season.” “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Matt. 24:45, 46. STRIKE AGAINST THAT MYSTICAL AND ILLUSIVE COMING
While the spreading to and fro of doctrines of a secret and mystical coming of the Lord tends only to confuse minds and obscure the plainest truths of Scripture, we thank God for every testimony that sounds the note of the personal coming of Christ in power and glory as the hope, the “blessed hope,” of the church. In Great Britain the preaching of the coming of the Lord is far more common in the great churches than on this side of the water. We trust that there may be indeed among the churches in America a revival of interest in this subject, which shall turn many hearts to the study of the evidences that Christ's coming is “even at the door.” The moment this study is taken up, it must clearly appear that the Scriptures abound in definite historic prophecies that are given by God as a sure foundation of the believer's hope, in this last generation. With the great day at hand, every watchman on the walls of Zion is called to proclaim the coming King. “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.” Isa. 40:9, 10.