p. 165 | R E P L Y by John Byington

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 13, 1859

R E P L Y .

By John Byington

Bro. Gould: I did intend to answer your letter immediately, but other labors have prevented. You wish me to tell what I mean by Christ's soon coming, or what soon is. After all our Saviour had done to convince the Jews of his mission, they would ask a sign, or wish him to tell them more plainly. He would then say to them, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." I will refer you to the words of Christ found in Matt. xxiv, 33: "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it (his coming again, which was the question he was answering) is near even at the doors." He had been giving the signs that would

precede that event, and tells them, When ye see these signs, know it is near. He uses the term ye in the same sense that Paul does we, when he says "We shall not all sleep," [1 Cor. xv, 51,] meaning the church that will be alive at his coming. Now this generation sees the signs long foretold by our Lord, and therefore I think it scriptural to say his soon coming, though I have your illustration of the "note" to convince me otherwise. You say the church and the world have been warned of his second coming, ever since his first advent. The church have had it in prophecy that he would come again, but they could not be warned of his soon coming before they had the signs immediately preceding that event. Paul tells the church in his day, that the day of the Lord is not at hand, but there must come a falling away first. 2 Thess. ii, 2, 3. We must not so explain Peter's words where he says the end of all things is at hand, as to contradict Paul where he says it is not at hand. Peter as well as Paul said many things in prophecy, that would more particularly apply to the church which would see the signs of Christ's coming, though to some extent they would benefit the church in preceding ages. You say John preached a Saviour that had come, and said "Behold the Lamb of God." John had preached three years before he could say Behold the Lamb of God. Read the first chapter of John, commencing at the 19th verse. He says, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as saith the prophet Esaias." Here he quotes a prophecy to prove his mission, and he labored three years in this message before he knew Jesus as the Son of God. He says, I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. John did not live to see the miracles of Christ, otherwise he would not have sent to inform him of them.

Now from all this we learn that John had to walk out by faith and preach a soon coming Saviour, trusting in the word of prophecy, aided by the Spirit by which holy men wrote. A vast difference in walking by faith and walking by sight. In answer to what you say to the third question, I would say the unbelieving Jews did not deny the coming of the Messiah, but would not believe that John was sent to warn them of his soon coming. This was their condemnation. Many will now say, we believe in Christ's second coming, but not as you preach it. With them there is no definite work in this matter. But we have a definite warning of our Lord's second coming in Rev. xiv, where the Son of man is seen sitting on the white cloud, where we are telling the church to look for him, and not in the desert or secret chamber; and immediately preceding in this chapter we have the voices of three angels (symbols of faithful ministers) giving the church and the world a definite warning, bringing to view the judgment hour, and warning against the worship of the beast and his image. Here is repentance for the professed church, and then something definite as to duty: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

In answer to your four questions I would say, Yes; and also add that Christ's faithful servants will now say we have the signs of his coming before us, and will tell his faithful saints to lift up their heads and look up, for their redemption draws nigh.

Yours in hope of immortality at the appearing of Jesus. JOHN BYINGTON. Ceresco, Mich., Oct. 3d, 1859.