What Will?

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 3, 1857

If the preaching and the works of Noah would not move the antediluvians to prepare for a coming flood, we know not what would. If the solicitations of Lot could not affect the obdurate hearts of his sons-in-law, we know not what would. If the fulfillment of prophecy, and the Spirit and power that attended the earthly ministration of the Saviour, would not remove the vail from the darkened mind of the Jews, and lead them to acknowledge the Messiah, and avert a threatened and miserable destruction, we know not what would.

So now: If the alarming spread of immorality and infidelity, will not dispel the idle dream of a world's conversion, and awaken in the minds of men, forebodings of coming evil, what will?

If signs in the sun, moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, as foretold by the Saviour, will not lead men to seek further instruction from his lips concerning this world's future, what will?

If the many chains of prophecy given to enlighten earth's children in regard to the close of the probationary and the commencement of the eternal state, which cannot possibly be extenuated beyond this generation, will not convince men that time's last sands are falling, what will?

If the fact that the last of three warning messages to precede the coming of the Son of man, is now going forth, will not lead people to an earnest and speedy preparation, what will?

If the view of our great High Priest performing his last work for men in the tabernacle above, will not lead to a thorough confession and forsaking of sin, what will?

If the threat to be utterly rejected by the Saviour as a nauseous and loathsome thing unless we speedily repent, will not move us to that repentance, what will?

If the figure of our Saviour standing without and knocking for admittance, will not melt our hearts in tenderness—will not enlist our utmost sympathy, and make us haste to give him an unreserved, an unlimited welcome, what will?

If in reply to any of these questions, you cannot tell what will, then know that they are final considerations; and we have no right to expect that more or stronger inducements will be placed before us to move us to action. And if we are not affected by any of these things—what then!