p. 164 | The Time Has Come!

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 25, 1865

The Time Has Come!

By John Byington, James White, J. N. Loughborough, Geo. W. Amadon

FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF REVELATION VII, 3.

Humiliation and Prayer.

Republished from Review Vol. xxv, No. 13.

DEAR BRETHREN, SCATTERED ABROAD: We have reached a time when we can confidently take our stand upon the position expressed in the heading we have given to these lines: that the providence of God has brought us to a place where the message, or the work, of the ascending angel of Rev. vii, 2, must be fulfilled.

Not to enter into an exposition of that prophecy, let us state a few of its leading features upon which there can be no question:

1. The winds denote political strifes and commotions among the nations.

2. The four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding these winds, are four divine messengers into whose charge God has committed the affairs of the nations, and whose province it is, both to restrain the winds of strife, when the work of God requires it, and also to cause the winds to blow, and to raise up the great whirlwind from the coasts of the earth, Jer. xxv, 32, when the church of God is prepared, and the nations are ripe, for this final commotion.

3. The angel of verse 2, ascending from the East with the seal of the living God, is identical with the third angel of Rev. xiv, 9-12.

4. His crying to the four angels to hurt not the earth, &c., that is, to restrain the blowing of the winds, till the sealing of the servants of God is accomplished, "shows conclusively that some work of strife, war and commotion is beginning to arise which interferes with the sealing work, and which, in the counsel of God, must be restrained till that work is accomplished.

5. As the angel of Rev. xiv, 9, symbolizes a work on the part of the church, so the cry of this angel must denote an earnest petition of God's people, for the restraint of some national or political strife, which is beginning to interfere with their work.

So much we think we read unmistakably from a glance at the prophecy. Let us now glance at the political world, and see if we find any corresponding event.

1. The principal theater of the third angel's message, the final message of mercy which we solemnly believe is now being given, seems to be in our own country.

2. A terrible rebellion has been raging in this land for now nearly four years, drawing more and more heavily on the nation's strength and resources, over fifteen hundred thousand men having already been called for on the northern side alone of this gigantic struggle.

How is this affecting the cause of present truth?

1. Believing that Christians are prohibited by the teachings of the word of God from engaging in carnal warfare, suppose all of our people who are drafted raise the $300 commutation money, a privilege thus far granted: this is a draft upon us for means which cannot long be sustained. The present call for men, whether a draft takes place, or whether volunteers are raised by means of large bounties, will cost the Battle Creek church more than the whole amount of their systematic benevolence for the past four years; and the amount that will be required to clear our brethren generally from the service on this call, cannot be estimated at less than from twenty-five to forty thousand dollars. This means is needed in the cause.

2. If we do not commute, but go into the service in hospitals or to care for freedmen, our own ranks are depleted.

3. Thousands upon thousands who would doubtless hear the truth, and become earnest Christians, are drawn away to the field of carnage, to be mown down in battle, or languish in hospitals or southern prisons.

4. The mind of the nation is so absorbed in this dreadful contest that it is almost impossible to call attention to religious subjects.

Thus we must inevitably lose means, or lose our own members, and lose those who would embrace the truth, and lose the attention of the people. And now suppose this work to go on, and a call for men to come

as it almost inevitably would, every five or six months, what could we do? The cause would be crushed. We are thus brought, as it plainly appears to us, to a place where if the war continues, we must stop. We repeat it, The war must stop, or our work in spreading the truth must stop. Which shall it be? Relying upon God, and having confidence in the efficacy of prayer, and the indications of his prophetic word, we believe that the work of God must not be hindered. True Christians are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. If ten righteous persons could have been found in Sodom it would have been spared. God's work in these last days must not, will not stop.

We pray God to arouse the attention of his people to these things. And we would recommend, nay more, earnestly request, all our churches and scattered brethren, to set apart four days commencing Wednesday, March 1, and continuing till the close of the following Sabbath, as days of earnest and importunate prayer over this subject. Let business be suspended, and the churches meet at 1 o'clock on the afternoon of each of the week days, and twice on the Sabbath, to pour out their supplications before God. These meetings should be free from anything like discussion, and be characterized by humiliation, confessions, prayers for light and truth, and efforts for a fresh and individual experience in the things of God. Let the sentiment of Rev. vii, 3, be the guide to the burden of our petitions. And as among the poor bondmen, God may have many servants, pray that the war may result in good in opening the door of truth to them.

During these days of prayer, we recommend on the part of all a very abstemious and simple diet, Dan. x, 3, while some may more or less abstain from food, as their health may permit, or their feelings may prompt. Labor will be suspended at the Review Office, and there will consequently be no paper next week, but one early the week following.

Those who receive this notice previous to Sabbath, Feb. 25, are invited to devote that day to the objects above stated.

We shall expect that all who have the interests of the message at heart, will engage willingly and earnestly in this matter; and we pray that those who do not feel over our present times and prospects may be speedily aroused.

The number of God's servants will be made up; for the prophet so declares; but not till after an earnest work has taken place on the part of the church. We firmly believe the time has come for us to act—then follows the sealing work, or the loud cry of the third message—then triumph—then translation—then eternal life. Amen.

JOHN BYINGTON, JAMES WHITE, for J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, GEO. W. AMADON, } Gen. Conf. Com.