The Third Angel’s Message
By J. B. Frisbie
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—There is no room to doubt that this is the time for the third angel's message to be given. The last signs are fast fulfilling before our eyes, that prophets, Christ, and the apostles have spoken of; viz., "Wars and rumors of wars." "The nations were (or are) angry." "Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." Uproars of the people in the world. Then shall thou well understand that the Most High spake of those things from the days that were before thee. The 2300 days are ended. "The working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders." "The spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief." The four angels are "holding the four winds of the earth;" i. e., holding the wars and commotions of earth in check, "till the servants of our God are sealed in their foreheads." Seal the law among my disciples, when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits. "Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered." Joel i, 15-17; Amos. iv, 7. This we have seen the last season partly fulfilled. "The pestilence" is now also in the land. It cannot be denied but these days are as the days of Noah and Lot—eating, drinking, buying, selling, building, planting and marrying. Heaping "treasure together for the last days." When the third angel's message is preached to the people, the mass excuse themselves as in the gospel: "I have bought a piece of ground—I have bought five yoke of oxen—I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." Some will mock, and others will in these last days scoff and sneeringly ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" When they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." It is no time to look down now to the earth for comfort, or to Old Jerusalem in the east, for the return of the literal Jews to build that old city, that is not to be built. We find that God wants no idlers in his vineyard now. He wants us all to be up and doing, while it is called to-day; for darkness will soon come wherein no work can be done for sinners. We have been lecturing, to average about one lecture a day, for some four or five weeks, in new places where they have never heard the first, second or third angels' messages before. We have had the very best attention, generally good congregations, and for the most of the time, the most perfect liberty. We never had better. One Christian minister has embraced the Sabbath and Advent near, who is a father in the ministry. Some of his church are interested, and have given encouragement to obey the truth: others have commenced to keep the Sabbath. We have asserted our liberty over the power of darkness in the name of the Lord, and are now the Lord's freeman. Yours, J. B. FRISBIE. Battle Creek, Mich., Oct. 20th, 1854.