Lift Up the Voice of Warning.
THE present is a most favorable time to herald far and near the proclamation of the soon coming of the Son of man. Facts are urging themselves upon the attention of the people, to which they cannot shut their eyes. Men will listen to the voice of transpiring events: for it is not often that facts are accused of having turned Millerites. People may close their ears to an exposition of the prophecies; but they cannot shut their eyes to the startling signs of the present time. And it is a noticeable fact, as in the paragraph below, that these things are, by some means, suggestive to the public mind of the doctrine of the second coming of Christ. Now while their attention is aroused to these developments, let us labor to show them that these things are but the counterpart of the prophecies and that everything is working together to herald the great day of the Lord which is just upon us. And while we do this, let us also labor more earnestly ourselves to be ready. The following, clipped from a late paper, is but a specimen of the utterances that are drawn from the public journalists of the day, in view of the fearful prevalence and increase of crime. "THE fruits of war are now dropping into the northern lap. Murders, robberies, arsons, rapes, fights, and such little hellish pleasantries are growing vastly popular all over the North. Crime is on the increase. People are hungry for blood. The land is filling up with thieves, murderers, robbers and prostitutes. Rank, thrifty, and bloody weeds are growing up about the doors of churches. Ministers of Christ have talked politics so long that true Christianity is in need of watchers and more careful nursing than ever before. Men have been from home so long that fireside and family-altar restraints are irksome. Papers are rich in local items written in blood. Men extra lock their doors. Honest women look closer about them on the street, and hasten home earlier in the evening. Blows and words come together, while weapons for attack and defense are fashionable. God only knows what is in store for us. We are told that the coming of Christ will do away with all crimes and unhappiness on this earth. This would be a good time for Christ to appear; for wickedness is in the ascendancy."