A Solemn and Important Time
By H. S. Gurney
Bro. Smith : I here take the liberty to copy a few sentences from a journal kept in my family. It may encourage some one. H. S. Gurney. “We are living in a very solemn and important time, when we ought to enjoy the favor of God continually ; but alas! says the angel to John, ‘Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.’ Will not this stir us to be zealous and repent of all our wrongs, be faithful to confess and forsake, that the Lord may have mercy upon us? The Lord hath said, Return unto me, and I will return unto you, and heal all your backslidings. What an encouragement! who has taken courage? . . . . “Is it possible that we are living in the last generation upon the earth in its present state? Is it certain that we are living in the time and state referred to in Rev. iii? Have we passed through the signs that were to precede the coming of the Lord? Have we heard the proclamation of the first and second angels, and now living under the sound of the third and last message that will ever be given to men dwelling upon the earth? And is it certain that we are to be justified by believing and obeying this truth, or by rejecting and disobeying it, be made to drink of the unmingled wrath of an offended and angry God? Can it be that God has had a special care over a remnant of earth's inhabitants, has opened ways before them, and brought them through every strait place; and when exaltation has developed itself, has he in his providence separated the humble, honest ones from among the worldly, where they could worship God in spirit and in truth, and enjoy his smiles and approbation? And did this great overruling power foresee ages upon ages to come, and mark the coming into existence of a generation far in the distance, and did Jesus send and signify the revelation by his angel unto his servant John on the isle that is called Patmos? And has he been very careful to see that every jot and tittle of such prediction has been minutely fulfilled according as predicted? Have we any positive knowledge within our reach that these things are so? that God means just what the Bible declares, and that the words he speaks will surely come to pass? Methinks we have evidences very ominous; we have seen in our short life, signs very convincing that these things are so; that this is the last generation; that we are living in the Laodicean state; that we have passed the most of the signs predicted; that we with our ears have heard the first, second and third angel's messages, a rejection of which will condemn, and a reception of which will justify. “We believe God has ever had a care over his church, and that he did foresee their trials, and gave a revelation to his Son Jesus, which he sent and signified to John, through his angel, concerning things that were to come to pass before the coming again of the Just One. Then, O my soul, if thou hast all that confidence in such an overruling power, and believest that God is as sure to perform to the wicked, as to reward the righteous, how canst thou content thyself to live in this poor dying condition, seeing the Lord has announced to thee, Unless thou be zealous and repent, I will spue thee out of my mouth?”