THE THIRD MESSAGE by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 3, 1859

THE THIRD MESSAGE.

By James White

In our last we gave our views in part of the extent and power of the third message. It is indeed a cheering theme to dwell upon. But we now wish to call attention to the important fact that the work of the third message differs, in some respects, from that of the first and second.

The third is the last, finishing message. It contains great practical truths, and will accomplish for those who obey them a moral fitness for the society of Christ, angels, and holy men of all past ages. Not exactly so with the first and second messages. The first was an announcement of the hour of God's judgment, and the second declared the fall of Babylon. Those were like the falling of the trees, or the breaking of the turf, while this prepares the ground, and produces the golden harvest; or like the rough marble from the mountain, while the last message hews and polishes it for the building of God.

The first message aroused the multitude from their slumbers, and their dreams of a temporal millennium, and led out a host upon the glorious theme of the restitution at the second coming of Christ. The second called fifty thousand from the churches. A vast work was accomplished in a short time. Heavy blows had to be struck, to break the bars of cast-iron orthodoxy which were holding these souls in bondage who were beginning to drink at the fountain of gospel freedom. There was deep feeling, both with those who came out of the churches, and those who remained in them; and as might be expected in all such excitements, some took extreme positions, went too far, and acted rashly. Fanaticism existed; it is no use to try to conceal this.

But such great and good reformers as Luther and the Wesleys have received their deepest wounds from the existence of fanaticism in their very midst. The existence of fanaticism in the Advent movement no more proves the movement wrong, than its existence in the very midst of the reformers, proves the reformation of past centuries wrong.

We can excuse the rash Peters of the first and second messages somewhat, on the ground that those messages were of a very stirring and exciting character. And in the absence of the great practical truths of the third message which we now have to steady us, it is no marvel that minds not well balanced pitched over into fanaticism. Some of these have been reached by the third message, and for a season run well; but such minds especially love excitement. Even fanaticism is a congenial element. And here has been their danger in supposing that when the third message should move right, it would move with all that noise and rashness that attended the first and second. This error must be corrected before such can prosper, or the cause prosper around them.

How awfully solemn is the message of the third angel! How dreadful is the threatening! Again, mark the practical truths of this message. Behold the law of God with all its authority and majesty, finding its way to the hearts of men, turning out the love of this world, and worldly, selfish interests, to give place to the two great principles of the government of heaven, viz., supreme love to God, and love to our neighbor as to self! "Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Here, under the third message, the principles of God's law, with all the definitely specified duties of the New Testament, must find a large place in the mind and heart of God's people, to prepare them to exhibit pure religion on earth, and to fit them to be translated to heaven without seeing death, to see God, come into the presence of Christ, and to mingle with angels, and all holy men of past ages. What a mighty work to be wrought in men! How much breaking down before God! What a yielding of self before Jesus can come in and rule in the heart, and cleanse it from all sin! While this refining process is going on, you will witness more tears than shouts; more agonizing groans, than vain, odd, and reckless remarks. The spirit and work of the third message is expressed by the prophet thus: "Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before

the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you; seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." Zeph. ii, 2, 3.

O Lord correct the errors of thy people, and lead them to understand and love the spirit of the present truth. J. W.