Communication from Bro. Everts.
By E. Everts
DEAR BRETHREN: I am passing through a solemn train of thought. The question with me is, Where are we? I answer, More than twelve years past the proclamation "The hour of his Judgment is come." Rev. xiv, 6, 7. We have been the same length of time in the cleansing of his Sanctuary. Dan. viii, 14. I inquire, What was the cleansing of the Sanctuary under the first covenant? It was a day of judgment. What did it typify? The work in the antitypical Sanctuary, which has been going on since A. D. 1844; since the announcement, "The hour of his judgment is come." O how much weight and solemnity in the word, Judgment! It should cause every one to ask, When does it take place? "To the law and the testimony," is our motto. It was future from Paul's day; for he "reasoned of a Judgment to come." Acts xxiv, 25. Our Saviour declared that his words would judge men in the last days. I understand that judgment must be rendered before Christ comes; for when he comes it will be to raise the righteous saints, and change the living saints, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; [1 Cor. xv, 52.] which, being an instantaneous work, would allow of no time at that moment for judgment. Judgment must be passed upon all who share in eternal life at the coming of Christ, before he comes, and during the existence of the last generation on earth. As proof of this, we quote the words of the Apostle, which show that the dead are judged while some are alive: "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick [living] and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according [in like manner] to men in the flesh, [living men,] but live according to God, in the Spirit." 1 Pet. iv, 5, 6. When this judgment is rendered, I understand that the solemn declaration will be announced, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still." Then Christ exclaims, "Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me." Rev. xxii, 11, 12. Therefore, my dear brethren, believing that Christ will soon come, I inquire again, Where are we? I answer, In the judgment of the saints; for Peter says that judgment first begins at the house of God. Chap. iv, 17. It appears that the order is, that the righteous dead have been under investigative judgment since 1844. And now the message that we passed from the sixth phase of the gospel church, which was the Philadelphia, or brotherly-love state, in 1844; and that we are in the Laodicean or judging-of-the-people condition, and are lukewarm. The appeal of the Faithful and True Witness is a perfect antitypical parallel to that which decided in solemn judgment the fate of the Hebrew church on the tenth day of the seventh month, near the close of all their sanctuary scenes, which shadowed the great decisive judgment in the end of the world. What are they? "For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people." Lev. xxiii, 29. Be zealous and repent, [afflicted,] or I will spue thee out of my mouth: [cut thee off from among the people of God.] Rev. iii, 14, 19. My dear Brethren, from the scripture referred to I solemnly believe that the judgment has been going on in the Heavenly Sanctuary since 1844, and that upon the righteous dead, from "righteous Abel" down through patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, and all the saints who have fallen asleep in Jesus, judgment has been passing. How solemn the thought, that perhaps, our companions, our children, brother or sister, has been passing the great momentous review that will entitle them to a glorious immortal body at the coming of Christ. The solemn declaration that the Laodiceans know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and that they are exhorted, yea, commanded, to be zealous and repent, under the awful penalty of being spued out of the True Witness' mouth, has thrilled my whole being. I call to mind, What have I been about! I find by serious reflection that my poverty comes upon me like an armed man. I look back to the Philadelphia ground on which I stood in 1844, my heart filled with brotherly love, the full hope of salvation like a powerful anchor or a dazzling helmet, on my head, walking softly before the Lord, dead to the world, looking only for a heavenly inheritance and with deep shame and regret, I see that I have taken a journey into a foreign land, and wasted all that blessed portion that my heavenly Father bestowed on me. I confess with shame and regret, that my worldly mindedness and conduct has made me a citizen of this world, and I have filled myself with nothing better than husks, till I am perishing with starvation. My dear brethren, I humbly confess that I have ensnared and loaded down myself and others around me with cares to a degree unbecoming and unfitting to one who professes to be living and hoping for a better inheritance. I confess that I have sinned before my dear brethren and heaven, and I mean by the grace of the Lord assisting me, to be zealous and repent by turning about immediately. I have placed my lands, my entire earthly substance, on the altar anew, (if I am not deceived,) and throw myself on to the consecrated altar, and pray that the Lord will direct me by his unerring and heavenly wisdom, and lead me by his opening providence until the sacrifice is entirely used up in the cause of God. I know that there is bread enough and to spare in my heavenly Father's house. E. EVERTS. Round Grove, Ills., Dec. 17th, 1856.