p. 1 | SIGNS OF THE END by M. S. Avery

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1857

SIGNS OF THE END.

By M. S. Avery

A LETTER FROM M. S. AVERY TO HER SISTER.

MY DEAR SISTER:—I have long wished to write but have hesitated, knowing that I must speak the true sentiments of my heart in regard to some points; and this I have feared would grieve you. I know that as far as religion is concerned, I am very unpopular; and I have feared that if I should speak to my sister concerning this, I should be called an enthusiast or a fanatic; but I will try to overcome this, and talk with you in love, and without fear, lest your blood be required at my hands in the great day of accounts, which is not far distant. Very bitter indeed would be the reproaches of a dear brother or sister in that solemn day, such as these: "O you had the truth, you knew the way, you saw danger approaching and thickening around, and you warned us not!" I mean by the grace of God assisting, to clear my skirts, and have a conscience void of offense that my heart condemn me not.

I am well aware of the position you occupy, and if I rightly understand Bible truth, I much fear you are in a dangerous place, and have embraced errors that are fatal in the extreme; errors which have no doubt a flattering and pleasing appearance, but will in the end plunge their victims into everlasting ruin.

Dear L., I believe the Bible in whole, not in part, to be the sacred and divine revelation of God, and therefore cannot do violence to that word of truth, the christian's guide, by wrestling from its pages any part that might not please the carnal propensities of my nature. O that I loved it more, that its heaven-born precepts were more deeply stamped upon my heart! Dear sister, do you not read enough of this book to show you that we are living in the last days, in the closing up of time? Do not the signs of the times speak as with "trumpet tones," that soon He that shall come will come, and will not tarry? Heb. x, 37. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, any signs, and lying wonders. See 2 Thess. ii, 9. This working of Satan is nothing more nor less than "Spirit Manifestations." What are they, but lying signs and wonders, wrought by the adversary of souls to deceive, and lead them captive at his will?

We read in 1 Tim. vi, 16, that God only hath immortality, and in another place, "This mortal must put on immortality," which we cannot do if we have it already on. Also in Ps. cxlvi, 4, "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish." Again, Ps. vi, 5, "For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?"

Thus the Bible affords ample proof that "the dead know not anything." But the seducing spirits and doctrines of devils spoken of, [1 Tim. 4,] contradict all these repeated truths which God who cannot lie hath spoken, and by them Satan would, with his seductive wiles, have us believe that our dead friends are alive, (immortal,) and holding converse with us, notwithstanding their thoughts perished at death.

The word of inspiration is so positive and plain on this subject, that those who read and believe the testimony, cannot be deceived. Yes, 'tis a precious truth, that those who have immortality must seek for it, and obtain it alone through Jesus Christ. Otherwise his death and sufferings are all in vain.

My dear sister, when I see that yourself, with millions of others, are caught in the Deceiver's snare, I tremble at the dreadful prospect before you. O be entreated of one who loves you dearly, to make your escape while there is hope. You may be astonished at my alarm, and perhaps think my fears are groundless; but I would point you to the prophet Isaiah, chap. viii: "And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a people seek unto their God? For the living to the dead! To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

The testimony of the "rappers" does not accord with the word, and I therefore conclude that we might well be alarmed at the rapid progress of Spiritualism. O that you could see as plainly as I see it, that we are in the close of this world's history! Read for my sake, dear sister, 2 Tim. iii, and then judge candidly if we are not in the last days—in the perilous times there brought to view. Are not men lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, and despisers of those that are good? Are they not high-minded, and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Have they not also the form of godliness, denying the power thereof?

Now I beg you to seriously consider this scripture, and deny if you can, that we are seeing its complete fulfillment daily! Yes, methinks we need not go beyond the limits of our own households, to discover those that are disobedient to parents; and you and I well know that children are not now as they were when we were named among them. Where, O where, is that becoming bashfulness or modesty, together with the regard for old age, that characterized the children of "by-gone-days?" Where is the respect for parents, although their hairs are silvered with age, among the youth of the present generation? And why is all this? Because we are living in the very eve of time, when we are pointed to these signs, and, as a matter of course, they have come.

We are also informed in 2 Pet. iii, that there shall be scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? and 2 Tim. iii, says, "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived;" and it is even so—it is Bible truth.

I take the following extract from a Universalist paper, the Star in the West, Vol. xix, No. 44: "Our country seems to be rapidly degenerating. There is no limit to the follies and vices of thousands in our large cities. The present generation bids fair to exceed in frivolity and extravagance anything that has ever preceded it since the foundation of the Republic. Let it not be forgotten that the effeminacy of a people is the surest forerunner of the decay of a nation."

These are startling truths, and the world is in a fearful condition. Many it seems know this; but understand not the meaning. Our land of boasted liberty and freedom is polluted with deeds of the blackest dye; and yet they do not see that destruction is coming.

I would now ask you to take a view of the professed churches of Christ. Do not they join hands with the world? Do not they dress and act like the world? Do they not love pleasure more than God? Are they merciful to the poor? Are they not ornamented with gold, (which is forbidden by the Word,) and costly apparel, while the widow and fatherless are perhaps famishing for the necessities of life within their call? Such poor souls realize not that there is a fearful retribution hastening on. Terrible indeed will be the reckoning! They profess to love God, but in works they deny him. If by chance they hear the Second Advent mentioned, they will deridingly sneer and scoff, and perhaps get angry, and say, "If the Lord ever comes, it wont be in my day." Thus they are giving the "peace and safety" cry, spoken of in 1 Thess. v. But we are there told that "sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape."

Who, I ask, can feel perfect love for the Saviour, and at the same time dread his appearing and tremble at the thought? When we contrast the meekness and purity of the Saviour, the life of humility and suffering that he led, together with his tender acts of benevolence and mercy—when we contrast them with the selfishness, the pride, the extravagance and worldly-mindedness of the popular churches, no marvel that the cry should be heard "Babylon is fallen, and is become the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Jesus was "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," yet O how fearful are we poor mortals, lest men should despise or reject us! O how careful are we of the outward

man, that appearances may be kept up, and thereby court the applause and admiration of the world! O how much pains, how much time and money, are thus spent to please the eyes of others, while the soul is neglected, and what concerns us most deeply, even our eternal interests, are left unthought of, uncared for! O that man might study more to be approved of God, and to be approved less of the world! The one great aim and object should be to please him. We read that "whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God!" And again: "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," and when he suffered so much for us, why should we shrink from suffering a little too, when we have for our comfort the cheering promise, that if we suffer we shall also reign with him. We read in Heb. xi, of those who were tortured, and had trial of cruel mockings; they were stoned, sawn asunder, were tempted and slain with the sword; they were clothed with sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; they also wandered in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth; they meekly endured all this suffering "that they might obtain a better resurrection."

O what a blessed promise still awaits those faithful martyrs, for they have not yet received it. See verse 39. And in the glorious morning, when the sleeping dust of millions shall arise by the power of God, and put on immortality, they too will be remembered, and will then receive a full reward. Yes the day is very near, when those that have lost their lives for the witness of Jesus, shall come forth. Looking forward to that day of joy, all the prophets of old died in faith, not having yet received the promise; but they are soon to realize all their hopes. The solemn splendors of that morning will soon open before us, when lo! they shall arise and shout victory over the grave. At the sound of the last trump, every saint will be awakened, not one left or forgotten. But I fear that I am wearying your patience, and you are beginning to think me a "Millerite" in good earnest; but bear with me a little longer, and I will try to be brief.

Although I have shown you a few of the prominent signs of the Lord's soon coming, undoubtedly, you think me foolish for believing it, when Wm. Miller taught the same in 1844, and he did not come. But my dear L., if I expect you on a visit next Spring, and you fail to come at the time looked for, shall I rashly give it up forever, and say you will never come! How absurd this course would be; but if on the other hand I love you with true affection, with what almost impatient anxiety, would I wait, and even watch for your coming?

It may be well here to mention the great disappointment experienced in '44 by those who were animated by the blessed hope of soon seeing Jesus. This doctrine as taught by Mr. Miller, was, I believe, the gospel of the kingdom, that should be preached to every nation, tongue and people, for it went to the remotest parts of the earth. To the United States, or North America alone, this cry, "The hour of his judgment is come," was not confined. The far-off isles of the ocean heard it; and it aroused the people of the eastern continent. Thousands and millions feared it was too true. Yes, the very world stood in awe, at the expected coming of the King of heaven. But the time of trial came, and the hopes of many an honest soul were seemingly crushed at once. The world, and even those professing godliness, looked on in mockery and derision. The time of danger had passed; their fears were quelled; and they could now scoff and sneer with impunity. Do not think, dear sister, that all those persecuted souls called Millerites, gave up the ship when the storm arose. O no! Many faithful souls endured the trial of their faith, although severely tested. Their position was carefully examined again and again: it was all right. Their reckoning was true: figures would not lie. But the mistake, how, or where was it! It was so to be; but time and study have since revealed it. You will find the foundation of this doctrine in Dan. viii, 14. "Unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed."

They supposed the earth to be the Sanctuary, and that Jesus was coming then, at the end of the 2300 days, to cleanse it; but although he came not to earth, he entered the Most Holy of the heavenly Sanctuary then, and is now offering his blood for the blotting out of the sins of the people. This I understand to be the judgment spoken of, which begins at the house of God. 1 Pet. iv, 17. Should you scruple the idea of a Sanctuary being in heaven, consult the following scriptures: Ps. cii, 19; xcvi, 6: Heb. viii, 1, 2.

Thus we see that the hour of his judgment came, and the proclamation was not an untruth, as we often hear it called. I believe we are now, and have been since 1844, in the waiting time. See Hab. ii, 3. If the Lord had come when nearly all expected him, the scriptures would not have been fulfilled; for we read that he shall come as a snare, and a thief in the night. But how few are now looking for "this same Jesus that went away into heaven," although we are assured he shall come again in many places in the Word. And we are also informed of the destruction of the antediluvian world by water; of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; of the first advent of the Saviour, and also his death, resurrection and ascension.

All these truths are readily admitted and generally believed by the world, and yet by the same word we are told that the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, that Jesus shall come in the glory of his Father, that the dead know not anything, that the soul that sinneth it shall die. But who regards these truths? A very few believe them. O what inconsistency! Does not the very fulfillment of the prophecy of the first advent prove that of the second to be true? Says Jesus, "As it was in the days of Noah so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." They were eating and drinking, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. 'Tis sad indeed now-a-days to see the reflections that are cast on the Bible. But says Solomon, [Prov. xiii, 13,] Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

And now before I close, a word on the Sabbath. Christ says, "I came not to destroy the law or the prophets." And again, "I have kept my Father's commandments." John xv, 10. Now if he did not destroy but kept the law, why too should we not keep it? We read that God is unchangeable; that he gave the commandments to men, and yet poor, imperfect, erring man, has dared to alter God's law, that Paul calls holy, just and good, by keeping the first day of the week in place of the seventh. Some blindly think this will do just as well, or the observance of any day that will make a seventh part of the week, but this is making void the law of God.

I could produce much proof in favor of the true Sabbath, if it were necessary. I think you have some good testimony in the little pamphlets I once sent you, and were I assured that they were read, and proved interesting, I would send more, and such as might give entire satisfaction on other subjects that I have briefly touched, more justly than it is in my power to do. I will now close this subject by referring you to the language of Solomon: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. xii, 13.

And now, my dear sister, nearly all the signs of the end are in the past. The darkening of the sun and moon took place May 19, 1780, immediately after the tribulation of the Papal persecution; and the next sign in order, the falling of the stars, occurred Nov. 13, 1833; and the next we are to expect, the powers of the heavens will be shaken, and the sign of the Son of man appear in heaven. Then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and those that are not prepared, and have not the seal of the living God, will then join in the awful prayer, "Rocks and mountains, fall on us!" Not having done the will of God, they will pass away with the world. Whether we are ready or not, sure it is that the scenes of earth will soon close. Surely "destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none."

And now I hope you will not take all that I have said as my say so. I have endeavored to produce some scripture proof; for I would not that you should think the foundations of my faith are to be found in man-made creeds, or aught but the Bible. I could yet write pages on these subjects so interesting to me, could I know you are also interested.

Now, my dear sister, I bid you farewell, sincerely hoping you may be led to investigate; search the Bible for yourself, and see the truth as it is. Affectionately yours. M. S. AVERY. Locke, Mich.