Signs of the Times by J. M. McLellan

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 17, 1857

Signs of the Times.

By J. M. McLellan

"Can ye not discern the signs of the times," Matt. xvi, 3. Protestants at the present day have become so pharisaical in their principles, that they cannot or will not discern the signs of the times, although they are plainly and rapidly fulfilling all around them. There is scarcely a day that dawns upon this world, but brings with it the fulfillment of some prediction long ago spoken of by the prophets and apostles; yet they are sleeping on in carnal security, wrapt up in their false dreams of the world's conversion and the Jews' return to the land of Palestine, and the siren song of peace and safety is in their hearts. Thus will they sleep on, and dream on, until the storm breaks in all its fury upon their devoted heads. Then if not before they will discern the signs of the times.

Paul in 2 Tim. iii, 2, speaking of the signs of the last days says, For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers. To show the plain and undeniable fulfillment of this sign, I will give some extracts from a paper called The Truth Seeker published at Angola, Indiana, for May 11th, 1857. Says a correspondent of that paper, "I am fifty-two years of age, and thank the circumstances which led to the investigation, (I suppose of Spiritualism, from the reading of his article) I have been a pretty thorough truth seeker about five years, am trying to be an individual sovereign, to do my own thinking, to live on my own merits more than on the merits of a dead man," (Jesus.) Is not this a proud boaster, a lover of his own self who is going to live on his own merits in preference to the merits of Jesus? And shall not the Lord visit for these things? Again he says in another communication in the same paper, "I'll tell you, we've got to just pitch in, analyze the laws of cause and effect, be good philosophers, study our own beings, let God and Jesus go, and redeem ourselves and progress in eternal happiness; thus saith my soul."

Signed Wm. Huddleston. Can any ask for a plainer and fairer fulfillment of this sign of the last days? In it is all the proud, boastful blasphemy that is needed to fulfill it. "Let God and Jesus go." Is not this virtually a denial of the Father and Son? Says John, Little children, it is the last time, and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ. He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John ii, 18-22. Peter says that those who deny the Lord that bought them bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Pet. ii, 1.

Another sign of the last days is, men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii, 4; that is, they will love the pleasures of this world more than the service of God. Some will try to unite the pleasures of this world with the religion of Jesus. A leader of the Bible class in this place, under the patronage of the Methodists, addressing the class said, "How can we give up the pleasures of this world, going to private parties, &c.? These are all pleasing and gratifying; there is no sin in them, we cannot get along without them." These things are thought to be compatible with the religion of Jesus. I always believed, and still believe, that to disobey God and do contrary to what he has commanded is sin. Well, what does he say in regard to the world and its pleasures? John says, "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John ii, 15, 17. Says James iv, 4, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Therefore those who indulge in the pleasures of this world, disobey God; for they go contrary to many plain passages of Scripture and by so doing commit sin. We cannot serve God and mammon; neither can we have the spirit of this world and the spirit of Christ; for to have the spirit of the world is to be carnally minded which is death, but to have the spirit of Christ is to be spiritually minded which is life and peace. Rom. viii, 5, 7.

False Christs is another sign of the near approach of the end. Says Jesus, "Then 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." Matt. xxiv, 23, 24. The testimony of one of the spirits is, that Christ never taught that he was the Son of God except in the sense in which other men might be the sons of God. Another asks, What is the meaning of the word Christ? and answers, "'Tis not as is generally supposed the Son of the Creator of all things; any just and perfect man is christ." Those who believe such testimony can do no otherwise than believe that they are christs; but what heresy! How false. In the prospectus of The Truth Seeker, we have the following. "In short it (The Truth Seeker) shall be the organ through which the christs of the last dispensation will choose to speak." Brethren and friends, the prophet says It is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon us. Hosea x, 12. And Paul says, It is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Rom. xiii, 11. Why? Because Jesus has said, And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh. The night is far spent the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks for all things unto God and the Father in the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. v, 19, 20. And besides this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity; for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. i, 5-8. The end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Pet. iv, 7. The prophet said speaking of Jesus, Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Mt. Zion.

Brethren and sisters, do you know that you are a living sign from the Lord of hosts to this last sinful generation, among whom ye are commanded to shine as lights in the world? As signs then from the Lord, let us each strive with all our powers to let all the christian marks and graces shine forth in all their beauty that others may be attracted by them and be led to put them on, that the shame of their nakedness do not appear? Let us, as living epistles, known and read of all men, walk circumspectly, redeeming the time because the days are evil.

J. M. McLELLAN.

Hastings, Mich., Aug 20th, 1857.