p. 45 | WHERE ARE WE? by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 11, 1856

WHERE ARE WE?

By James White

To the mariner and traveler this is a question of the deepest interest. To those who are following down the track of prophecy, and believe that the present is the period of the Third Message, the question, Where are we? is of the most thrilling interest. Believing that prophecy has marked definitely the way, we must regard this inquiry as reasonable and indeed scriptural. We believe it to be the privilege of the church of God to inquire, "Watchman, what of the night?" and to make the inquiry, too, with the expectation of receiving an answer which will point out the time of night.

The great object of the book of Revelation seems to be to show the christian traveler his whereabouts on the highway of time. This is faithfully done by the many chains of prophecy in that book, which span the period of the fourth universal empire. Thus we have line upon line, line upon line, that the highway may be definitely marked, each link in these prophetic chains answering as a way-mark.

And, perhaps there is no chain of prophecy so richly fraught with interest and instruction, and which shows so definitely our present position and duty as the testimony to the seven churches. Six of those churches are in the past. Every brother and sister who was in the past great Advent movements, can clearly see the church of brotherly love, The Philadelphia church, in the past; therefore we now occupy the period of the Laodicean church. And what a perfect description of our present state is the testimony to the Laodiceans! Read it again with care and reflection.—

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen; the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

Reader, go to the New Testament for the standard, by which you may safely compare the work and condition of the present church. Look to Jesus as a perfect pattern, and to the apostolic church as being nearest right. Read the acts of the apostles if you would form correct ideas of the zeal and good works which become the christian church. And when you have done this, you will no longer hesitate to apply the dreadful description of the Laodiceans to the professed believers in the Third Message. But blessed be God, there is hope in our case if we yield obedience to the closing portion of the testimony, to the Laodiceans as follows:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent. Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Here is language to the poor Laodiceans the most affectionate and touching. The Son of God counsels his erring people. He declares himself standing at the door knocking. He waits for us to open the door and let him in. He is represented as seeking an opportunity to do us good, though we have been so unfaithful, and in the end, seat us by his side on his throne, if we will overcome.

In this testimony to the Laodiceans is our condition described, and the most dreadful threatening given if we continue in a lukewarm state. This should stir us to action. It seems enough to arouse the most stupid. But, in addition to this, the testimony closes with the most affectionate entreaties from the Son of man. He holds out the greatest inducements to his erring children to overcome. O the boundless love of Christ! if we overcome he will exalt us to his dazzling throne, and

" 'Mid the endless years we then shall prove The matchless depth of a saviour's love,"

But that professed brother or sister who will not be stirred to action by the fearful warning in the testimony and whose heart is so unfeeling as not to be moved by the entreaties of the dear Saviour, and the glories which he holds out, must be already standing on the very brink of perdition. Says Christ, "I will spew thee out of my mouth."

That we are now in the period of the Laodicean church is generally believed by the readers of the REVIEW. But few will reject this position. The light on the subject has come. True-hearted believers will see their real condition, and will buy "gold," "white raiment" and "eye-salve." It will cost them all they have. They will repent with zeal. They will open the door and let Jesus in. And they will hold communion with him. Then there will be power with the church of God. While those who do not act upon this testimony will be spewed out of the Lord's mouth. We have come to the forks of the road: which will we take? We most solemnly believe that the time has come for the loud cry, or strong movement, of the Third Angel to take its rise. If not now, when will it?

Some have reasoned like this: that as persecution has ever been necessary to cut the church loose from the world, and to secure her purity, and to lead the church to be zealous of good works, we must wait till the oppressive hand of the two-horned beast moves the church out to give the Message in power. But be assured that the two-horned beast will be quiet while the church remains stupid and drunk with the spirit of the world. When the church cuts loose from the world, and moves out in works in harmony with its profession of faith, so that God can work in mighty power, then will the two-horned beast move in his acts of oppression.

What stirs the wrath of the dragon? Let the Revelator answer: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, (the church,) and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, (the christians of the last generation,) which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. xii, 17. It is keeping the Commandments of God, and possessing the testimony of Jesus Christ which stirs the dragon. Let the church sleep on, and the dragon will remain quiet. But let the church obey the testimony to the Laodiceans, open the door and let the Saviour in, then go forth with strength with the Commandments of God, and having in possession the testimony of Jesus Christ, (the spirit of prophecy, Rev. xix, 10) and you will see the work and war of the dragon.

We have ever believed that it would be light upon the fulfillment of prophecy, which applies to the present condition of the church, that would give the work a fresh impetus, and commence the great movement of the Message. And we now believe the way prepared for the work to commence. But what a scene of humility before God, and consecrating all to him, Commandment-keepers must pass through before Jesus will come in and sup with them and they with him, and they be prepared to participate in the closing work of the last Message of mercy.

The church in this vicinity receive the testimony to the Laodiceans, and, we think, will move out and act upon it. We have some most solemn and powerful praying seasons; and God is giving us strength and health far beyond our expectations, Praise his holy name! J. W. Round Grove, Ills.