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SIGNS OF THE TIMES

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 1, 1857

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 10, No. 22.

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SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

[Continued.]

GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.

Verse 14. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come."
The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom as a witness to all nations, is the first mentioned sign of the end. And is this work nearly accomplished?
Those who teach a temporal millennium think the great work but just begun. They would have the gospel preached to all nations, every individual hear it, believe it, obey it, and become holy by it. What then? The end! No, not for 1000 years at least. Not until the world enjoys a sinless period of 1000 years. But our Lord says nothing of the conversion of the world, or any portion of the human family, in this verse. He simply declares,
1. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world,
2. "For a witness unto all nations,
3. "And then (not 1000 years after, but THEN) shall the end come."
If we understand "this gospel of the kingdom" to be the gospel in the common acceptation of the word, is not the work very nearly accomplished?
"J. O. Choules, author of the greatest work ever published on missions, giving their history, from the Apostolic age down to the present day, being asked in May, 1842, if he knew of any nation which had never received the gospel, replied that he did not. Mr. James, agent of the American Bible Society, being asked the question, gave the same answer. Nathan Bangs, for many years at the head of the Methodist missionary operations, was asked the same questions, and replied that he believed there was a tribe somewhere in the Northwest coast of North America to whom the gospel had never been preached.' That was twelve years ago."
"Is not this sign already accomplished? Bible translated into more than 200 different languages; missionaries sent among all nations known to us on the globe. . . . The gospel has now spread over the four quarters of the globe. It began in Asia. In the Apostle's days, that quarter was full of light. From thence it went into Africa; and, for a number of centuries, Africa stretched out her hands unto God. Europe, too, has had a long visitation of gospel blessings; and now America, the last quarter of the globe, is reaping a harvest of souls for the last day. The gospel, like the sun, arose in the East, and will set in the West." Miller's Lectures.
But if "this gospel of the kingdom" be understood as applying to that portion of the gospel which relates to the coming and kingdom of Christ, the fulfillment is equally evident. And it seems necessary to so understand the passage, as it was spoken in answer to the question, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It is this gospel which is to be preached as a witness unto all nations.
The whole gospel plan embraces the promise of the Saviour, his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and his coming again in glory. But the subject of this chapter is his glorious appearing, hence, "this gospel of the kingdom," mentioned in verse 14, is the glad tidings of his second coming.
Campbell's translation of this verse confirms our view of this subject. "And this good tidings of the reign shall be published through all the world, for the information of all nations, and then shall come the end." Whiting's version also gives the same idea. "And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the world, for a testimony to all nations, and then will the end come."
And we must regard the "everlasting gospel of Rev. xiv, 6, 7, as being the same as "this gospel of the kingdom" of Matt. xxiv, 14. "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
"Joseph Wolfe, D. D., according to his Journals, between the years 1821, and 1845, proclaimed the Lord's speedy advent in Palestine, Egypt, on the shores of the Red Sea, Mesopotamia, the Crimea, Persia, Georgia; throughout the Ottoman Empire, in Greece, Arabia, Turkistan, Bokara, Afghanistan, Cashmera, Hindustan, Thibet; in Holland, Scotland and Ireland, at Constantinople, Jerusalem, St. Helena, also on shipboard in the Mediterranean, and at New York City to all denominations. He declares he has preached among Jews, Turks, Mahomedans, Parsees, Hindoos, Chaldeans, Yescede, Syrians, Sabeans, and Pachas, Sheiks, Shahs, the kings of Organtsh, and Bokara, the queen of Greece, etc., and of his extraordinary labors, the Investigator says, 'No individual has perhaps given greater publicity to the doctrine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, than that well known missionary to the world. Wherever he goes, he proclaims the approaching advent of the Messiah in glory.'"—Voice of the Church, pp. 343-4.
"One or two on every quarter of the globe have proclaimed the news and agree in the time. Wolfe, of Asia, Irving, late of England, Mason, of Scotland; Davis, of South Carolina; and quite a number in this region are, or have been, giving the cry."—Miller's Lectures.
"We find this doctrine in Tartary, about twenty-five years ago, and the time for the coming of Christ to be in 1844. This fact is obtained from an Irish missionary in Tartary to whom the question was put by a Tartar priest. When Christ would come the second time? And he made answer that he knew nothing at all about it. The Tartar priest expressed great surprise at such an answer from a missionary who had come to teach them the doctrines of the Bible—and remarked, 'he thought that every body might know that, who had a Bible.' The Tartar priest then gave his views stating that Christ, he thought, would come about 1844. The missionary wrote home a statement of the facts, which were published in the 'Irish Magazine' in 1821."
"Joseph Wolfe, gives some singular testimony to the widely diffused doctrine of the Lord's second coming. The work in which it is found is styled, 'Dr. Wolfe's Mission to Bokhara.' He traveled in Arabia Felix, through the region inhabited by the descendants of Hobah, Moses' father-in-law. In Yemen, he saw a book which he mentions thus:
"The Arabs of this place have a book called Seera, which treats of the second coming of Christ, and his reign in glory!"
"Surely our learned mis-called 'divines' should know as much of the second coming of Christ as the Arabs! In Yemen he spent six days with the Rechabites. They drink no wine, plant no vineyards, sow no seed, live in tents, and remember the words of Jonadab the son of Rechab. With them were children of Israel, of the tribe of Dan, who reside near Terim in Hatramawt, who expect in common with the children of Rechab the speedy arrival of the Messiah in the clouds of heaven!"
"In Bokhara the Jews called on Mr. Wolfe. They asked him to sing an Hebrew melody. He sang in a plaintive strain the 137th Psalm.
"By the waters of Babylon we sat down, And wept when we remembered Zion," &c.
"Then they together, sang 'the hymn of the Jews in Turkistan.'"
"The King our Messiah shall come, The Mighty of the mighty is He. The King, the King, the King, our Messiah shall come. The blessed of the blessed is He. The King, the King, our Messiah, The Great One of the great is He."
An English writer, Mourant Brock says: "It is not merely in Great Britain that the expectation of the near return of the Redeemer is entertained, and the voice of warning raised, but also on America, India, and on the Continent of Europe. I was lately told by one of our German missionaries, that in Wertemberg, there is a Christian colony of several hundreds, one of the chief features of which is the looking for the second advent. And a Christian minister from near the shores of the Caspian Sea has told me, that there is the same daily expectation among his nation. They constantly speak of it as 'the day of consolation.' In a little publication entitled 'The Millennium,' the writer says that he understands in America about 300 ministers of the word are thus preaching 'this gospel of the kingdom;' whilst in this country, he adds, about 700 of the Church of England are raising the same cry."
"In one shape or other, this cry has gone abroad through the earth wherever human beings are found, and we have had opportunity to hear of the fact. Within the last six years, publications, treating on the subject, have been sent to nearly every English and American missionary station on the globe; to all, at least, to which we have had access."—Advent Shield.
"At our late Camp-meeting near the head of Conessus Lake, C. W., Bro. Perry of Darlington, remarked in his discourse, that in passing up Lake Ontario recently, he found a gentleman on the Boat lately from Russia. Bro. Perry inquired of him whether the people had heard anything in Russia, on the second coming of Christ, the end of the world in '43, &c. He said he had, and that the doctrine had generally been proclaimed there, but none but the poorer class of the people believed it. Similar reports have come from every quarter of the globe within a few years past; and it very conclusively shows the fulfillment of the following words of Inspiration: 'And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.' Matt. xxiv, 14; Rev. xiv, 6, 7." Voice of Truth.
"On this subject the American Millennium some time since remarked: 'THE ENGLISH CHURCHES AWAKING. Christians in the establishment, and in the various dissenting churches in England, Scotland, and Ireland, are now aroused beyond any former example.'" Midnight Cry, Nov. 30, 1842.
F. G. Brown writes thus: "During our Conference (New Bedford, Mass.) we were favored among other good brethren whom we love, with the presence of Bro. Hutchinson, of Montreal, Editor of the Voice of Elijah. His powerful presentation of Scripture truth, and his brief recital of what he had suffered in its defense, thrilled every heart, and drew the silent tear from many an eye. Bro. H. occupies the most favorable position for distributing the light throughout the British Possessions and Europe. Having a large acquaintance in Europe, and as papers can be sent from the Canadas thither free of postage, he has embraced every opportunity of sending large supplies by each returning steamship. He has forwarded them to the Canadas, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Constantinople, Rome, &c., &c." Midnight Cry, Feb. 15, 1844.
"HOW THE LORD WORKS—A brother, the Captain of a vessel now in England, writes his friends that his vessel lay at Newport, in Wales, 40 days, on account of storms, during which time a continued concourse of individuals thronged him to inquire about the coming of the Lord, having heard that he was an Adventist. Among these were ministers and laymen, that received the truth gladly, and embraced it with all their hearts." Signs of the Times, Feb. 14, 1844.
R. Hutchinson writes, "I send about 1500 copies of the Voice of Elijah (an Advent paper) to Europe every fortnight, besides what I scatter over the Provinces. This I have done regularly for the last four or five months. The result eternity will unfold." Midnight Cry, Oct. 5, 1844.
"LIGHT HOUSES—A friend of ours, Capt. H., has just returned from a long tour, in visiting the principal lighthouses in the U. S., to supply them with oil. Before he left Boston on his way South, he took a good stock of light from our office. And he has thereby scattered the light along the entire coast. We trust many a weary voyager, by this light, will be guided into the port of life." Signs of the Times, March 15, 1842.
"But it will be asked, 'If the news that such a truth is preached, is a sufficient proclamation to fulfill the prophecy?' Rev. xiv, 6, 7; Matt. xxiv, 14. The answer is, if it was sufficient in the days of the apostles, it is now. That it was, then, is clear from Acts xix, 8-10, where Paul preached or taught in Ephesus, two years, so that all they in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of Jesus. They could not all have heard a sermon but they heard the sound of the gospel. In this sense I have no doubt but the gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world." Signs of the Times, Nov. 15, 1843.
(To be Continued.)