p. 69 | Peace and Safety by M. B. Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 27, 1863

Peace and Safety.

By M. B. Smith

THE apostle Paul, in writing to the Thessalonian brethren in regard to the coming of the Lord, says, "For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape."

This cry of peace and safety is to be made by blind or false teachers, at a time when the true shepherds of the Lord are teaching that the Lord is soon coming, as it would be useless and unnecessary to teach that the Lord's coming was far off, if there was nobody teaching otherwise. So when the true watchmen are raising the cry of warning that the Lord's coming is near, that the great day of his wrath is soon to come, another class of teachers are crying, "Peace and safety," and are saying, "My Lord delayeth his coming."

The apostle Peter speaks of the same thing, and says that in the last days scoffers shall come, and say, Where is the promise of his coming?

Now it is our duty to observe the signs of the times, and while these scriptures are being fulfilled around us, we can realize that these things are among the many signs that the Lord's coming is near.

At a county fair in this State (Iowa), during the year just past, a professed minister of the gospel arose to make a speech, as is common on such occasions, and after speaking in a scoffing manner of those who teach that Christ's coming is near, said that there was no danger of the world's coming to an end, not for a thousand years, at least; that there would be plenty of time for a great many fairs before Christ's coming, &c. Now who can fail to see a fulfillment of Peter's prophecy here?

A late writer in the Evangelist (Disciple paper), after quoting Matt. xxiv, 37, 38, to prove that the world will be unconverted at the second coming of Christ, says:

"If asked when will be our Saviour's second advent, I plead ignorance. I do not know. The Jews believed that the first advent would take place as it did. They believed the fact, but were ignorant of the manner and time. So Christians believe in the second coming of Christ. They believe the fact, but are ignorant of the manner and time of his second advent, as were the Jews of his first advent. The Jews waited fifteen hundred years for his first advent. Christians may have to wait two thousand years for the second advent."

Here is another peace-and-safety cry. If the great enemy of all good cannot get all those who do not believe in the soon coming of the Lord to teach that his coming cannot take place for a thousand years, he will get them to teach that it may be two thousand years before his coming. Either one of these positions suits his purpose, as they are both opposed to the solemn truth as the Bible utters it, that his coming is near, even at the doors.

The writer in the above quotation utters some very solemn truths; for it is a fact that professed Christians of this day have as little knowledge of the time and manner of the second advent of Christ as did the Jews of the first.

The Jews had the Scriptures to teach them the time and manner of his first coming, and we have the Scriptures to teach us the time and manner of his second coming. They did not understand, or rather, disbelieved, the Scriptures, and so were unprepared for his first coming; and so it will be with the most of professing Christians of this day, in regard to his second coming.

This writer quotes Matt. xxiv, 37, 38, and applies it to the second coming of Christ, and says that he don't know anything about the second advent, and that Christians may have to wait two thousand years for Christ to come.

Now, Christ informs us in the same chapter, that immediately after a specified time spoken of, there should certain signs take place. And what then? Why then shall appear the sign of the Son of man. And what else? And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. This scripture certainly tells us something about the time and manner of Christ's coming. After this he teaches us a lesson by a parable. Says Christ, Now learn a parable of the fig-tree. When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise (after the same manner), ye, when ye shall see these things, know (that you don't know anything about his coming? or that it may be two thousand years in the future? No, but know) that he (margin) is near, even at the doors.

Now do we not know, when the trees begin to put forth leaves, that summer is nigh? We do. Why? Because these signs in the very nature of things, constitute unmistakable evidence that such is the fact. And Christ says that likewise, when we see these signs that he has told us of, then we may know that he is near, even at the door.

Have these signs been fulfilled? They have. Then those who believe God's word may now know that Christ is soon coming; while those who do not believe it, and do not observe the signs of the times, will not know anything about it, and will put that event at least a thousand years in the future, or say that it may be two thousand years.

Dear brethren, let us observe the many way-marks that God is giving us, to show us where we are in this world's history, and may he help us all to be sober, and watch unto prayer, inasmuch as the end of all things is at hand.

M. B. SMITH.

Marion, Iowa.