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The World Ripening

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

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 9, No. 22.

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The World Ripening.

By Editor

One would think that mankind were full prone enough of their own free will to run into strong delusions and believe lies that they might be damned, without receiving any direct and special aid from a foreign source. But matters have not been left to progress in this manner. Spirits of devils by the legion have been let loose upon the world to foist into the dilapidated and unfounded creeds of Christendom still darker errors, the more completely to blind men to the approaching destruction. So completely, as the Scriptures assure us, will they be under the fatal spell of the deceiver, that like a person drugged with opiates, we find them reveling in a heaven of their own perverted fancy, and raising the cry of peace and safety, when sudden destruction cometh upon them, which they cannot escape. 1 Thess. v, 3.
The following from a communication in the Spiritual Telegraph, purporting to come from the spirit of Cotton Mather, will show their teaching on the great subject about which the world ought now mostly to concern itself—the personal return of our Lord and Saviour. The remark that we are living in an age of no ordinary interest, and that the marked events of the nineteenth century will surpass all others, we do not doubt. On other points we will forbear comments till the reader has perused them:
“Earth's children are living in an age of no ordinary interest. There is no age in the annals of history that will surpass in marked events and interest this nineteenth century. The old world is viewing with jealous eye, America robed in its coat of many colors, the tokens of a heavenly Father's loving favor. The old world cannot fail to see ‘how blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.’ . . . .
“In America the ladder of Jacob has been put down, and the millennial age is now. This is the identical time to which the ancient fathers looked forward as the consummation of their hopes and their belief. They looked down through the long, long future, and here upon this age (if I may use the figure) directed their telescope.
“‘While they beheld he was taken up—and a cloud received him out of their sight.’ Acts i, 9.
“And then we read that ‘this same Jesus which has been taken up into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.’ Now this the world has failed to understand. Divines have supposed, and some still suppose, that Christ's ascension was visible to the world, and that his second coming will be likewise visible; now his ascension was not visible to the world, but only to a chosen few, and they did not behold it with their natural eye, but were in a superior or clairvoyant state. He has come again in like manner as he left. Manasseh corresponds to the material world which had its thousands; Ephraim to the spiritual which shall have its ten thousands. This spiritual age is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, and it shall fill the whole earth; ‘for,’ says Jesus, ‘I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.’ The spiritual age will draw all unto it.”
Such a communication from the hot-house of falsehoods scarcely needs a comment. We can only wonder that any should be found to give it credence; but that there are hosts upon hosts who will hail it as divine truth is a fact which is fearfully certain. Very thoughtless should we be if we did not here recollect the caution of our Saviour: “If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not; for there shall arise false christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect.” We remember, too, how he has said that as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be; that moreover, every eye shall see him; that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at his coming; that his disciples would not be in darkness that that day should overtake them as a thief; but that God finally would send those who received not the love of the truth that they might be saved, a strong delusion that they might be damned.
The Enemy of all truth then would have men believe that the millennial age is already commenced, and that Christ has come. Well, many do and will believe it, and harden their faces and stiffen their necks in the delusion. In this we see fulfilling the prediction in Thessalonians already alluded to. Yet the truth is not at fault for all this; it is plain enough, it is easy enough to be understood; all might have understood it if they would; but since they have proved that they do not like to retain God in their knowledge, he has given them over to a reprobate mind and their foolish hearts are darkened. Thus is the world ripening for the harvest sickle.
We call upon all who still acknowledge the light of the only lamp that God has given us—the word of truth; and who wish to be found taking all legitimate steps towards securing a preparation for the coming crisis, to study well the world in its present aspects, and be wise.