Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Jun 23, 1853
THE WARNING VOICE
By Uriah Smith
-OF-
TIME AND PROPHECY.
BY URIAH SMITH.
Part II.
HAIL Blessed Hope! fair daughter of the skies!
Whose lustrous wings with holy radiance glow,
And o'er whose brow the circling halo plays;
Who, with excessive glory dipped from Heaven's
Great fount of bliss, dimmest the things of earth,
And ever through Time's dun and shadowy vale,
On to the glorious restitution, and—
The Paradise of God—the hills of rest—
Pointest the Pilgrim's eye, cheering the way,—
Now doubly cheer, and smooth their rugged path;
Now of its piercing sting rob every thorn,
And blunt the dart of disappointment keen;
Them stumbling raise, and drooping animate,
And to sustain each trial them assist;
With healing balm their open wounds restore,
Their weakness aid, and sinking spirits buoy,
And in their breasts untiring vigor plant,
Till they those scenes, to which thy beauty points,
Shall reach, at last, and rest forevermore.
This is the Christian's hope; and this e'er since
By sin man first eclipsed the sun of life,
And brought up dark the heavy glooms of death,
Wrapping the earth in deepest, doleful night,—
This in the Christian's heart, while struggling on,
Groping his way through Time's dark wilderness,
Has ever forward to an endless day—
The glorious light of heaven—pointed serene.
With this sustained, the willing martyr, oft,
Has stood amid the fierce devouring flames,
Nor felt their pangs—in holy visions wrapt.
And pointing to the gem-encircled crowns,
That, like a glory galaxy, surround
The resurrection morn, robs the dark tomb
Of all its terror, and of victory, death.
On this relying, and by this inspired,
Supported, strengthened, cheered with courage on,
Still firm they stood, who disappointment's shock,
Heavy and crushing had so bravely borne,
And round their faith still sacred guard preserved.
For this had they renounced a worldly name,
Honor and wealth and every earthly joy,
And moved far out, in expectation high,
To meet their King; and now, when trials came,
And keen affliction's furnace fiery burned,
'Twas meet that to the Blessed Hope they still
Should cling; and though thick darkness for awhile
Their way encompass, and their vision close,
Keep strong their confidence in God, nor think
Him of his promises forgetful now,
Or yet, in strength, unable to perform.
And well they did thus steadfast to endure;
For soon amid the dark encircling clouds,
To cheer their hearts, and guide their steps aright,
The angel-form of Truth again was seen.
Many the paths, and devious, that, ere now,
Had been sought out; paths that led darkling on
Wide from the way of truth: these had been sought
By many, and by many entered far,
As paths of light, but leading ever on
From dark to darker, gloom to gloomier still.
And this they might have seen, and back retraced
Their steps of error; but they still pursued
Illusions vain, saying they had the truth,
And had the light; pretensions strange and wild,
Since it was but the false, deceptive glare
Of Satan's torch-lights, shining to deceive.
And is the reason asked why thus they moved?—
Because in trial's hour, dark and severe,
When for awhile obscurity and night
Their steps enveloped, and their pathway hid,
They leaned on earthly aid,—most needful then
Of aid, support, and guidance, from above,—
Relied on worldly wisdom to mark out
The path of truth, and henceforth lead their steps.
Not trusting, or forgetting then, that God,
Would in due time, his own expounder prove,
In his own order make all clear again;
But on the words of men depended, sole,
All that was dark to lighten, doubt to clear,
And trusted to themselves to go aright.
Thus moving, wide they erred, as likeliest was;
And missed, of truth, the straight and narrow path;
For human wisdom with contortions wild,
And ill-yoked fancies, groped through many a way
Devious and blind, and wrought strange theories out;
Nor was each way its followers wanting, or
Each theory advocates; sincere, perhaps,
But fearfully misled.
So was the band,
Once firm in unity, and strong in love,
And moving in harmonious numbers on,
Divided, now, and torn, and scattered far;
By those, who, at the first unwelcome shock,
With mad infatuation turned them back,—
Not more than by slow-paced divisions, which,
Through the short lapse of time crept numerous in,
And wrought sad fissures in their bonds of faith.
Yet still those firm, and trusting few remained,
Who, to receive aught that bore not the stamp,
The seal of living truth, firmly refused;
Patient to wait God's own appointed time
His cause to move and lead them on again.
And soon that time drew on nor lingered more;
When, through the gloom, the angel-form of Truth,
Appearing, brought them joy, and beck'ning, showed,
That on, right onward still, their journey lay.
Praise God for light ye saints! ye faithful few!
For light and truth your voices lift in praise,
And ceaseless thanks; light from God's holy Word,
When all around was dark, unseen and blank,—
God's holy Word a lamp to lighten still!—
Unerring, holy light! to break the gloom
And ever onward gild the path of truth.
Lo! now the thick'ning clouds begin to break,
Beyond which other clouds shall never rise;
Henceforward now your rising path grows bright;
The last deep gloom that ever will enshroud
Your earnest steps, or check your holy zeal,
From either hand retiring, rolls away
Its heavy folds, and leaves your future course
For ever clear; rise, then, and wend thy way
From out the vale of darkness, moving up
The hill of truth, and larger prospect there
Shall greet thy vision; there shall ye behold,
Tiuged with a heavenly light, that will admit
No shade of error, all thy journeyings
Thus far, and at one view, the way-marks, all,
Upon thy pathway set.
Time with his iron pen, unerring, has,
In characters indelible inscribed,
On his eternal scroll, its every act,
And move, and step in order as they were;
And those who wish t' obliterate them now,
Or have them thought as meaningless and small,
May wish and vainly wish, and with the sands
Of error scour, and scour in vain, and strive
To blot them out; they only will bring forth
The characters more bright and clearer still.
They were not small, or meaningless, those moves
Along our journey, they were mighty moves,
Deep fraught with meaning, mighty in effect,
Which felt will be through all eternity.
Nor are Time's records, only, seen through these,
Or his voice only heard; for Prophecy
In concert joined, and with him step by step,
And hand in hand, moved on, and there has left
With his past scenes, predictions verified.
'Tis not in vain that ye have toiled thus far,
Nor are your labors, known amid the past,
Useless, as things that have accomplished nought.
Much has been done, for ever done, and well;
And much accomplished in its proper time,
And proper order, once for all fulfilled.
Now wisdom learn from past experience,
And in each onward move, and impulse given,
Behold the hand of God that ordered all;
And learn through all our course, the stream of time
Has fast been narrowing down, and God's great work
Resistless moving on,—his mighty plans
Rolling with ceaseless certainty unto
Their great fulfillment, final and complete.
Th' appointed days expired! and think ye now,
Because to man no outward move appeared,
The words of God's eternal wisdom failed?
His plans proved fruitless? or his purpose vain?
Not so! a great and mighty change there came,
And, in fulfillment of God's certain will,
A mighty work, and great, was there performed.
For our High Priest, the Holiest entered then,—
The Holiest of the Tabernacle true,—
And verified God's word, eternal, stood,
That cleansed should then the Sanctuary be.
No proof had yet been given, or reason found—
Nor was, indeed, much proof or reason sought,
Or thoroughly the question e'er discussed,
Taking for granted what they should have proved,—
Why earth, or portions, aught, of earth, should be
A Sanctuary called, a holy place;
Nor could aught in God's sacred Word be found,
Substantial evidence, that it was so,
Or e'en a place where once it thus was named.
But while we saw it not, our learned foes,
Searching through every nook of hidden lore,
For some objection, valid, to our cause—
Some which would stand alone,—this missed withal,
Nor ever once, on this, presumed attack.
But on the Word of God, firm rock of truth,
We might have laid foundation surer, far,
On which to rest our hope; and might have learned
That Heaven contained the Tabernacle true,
By God, not man, a Sanctuary pitched;
Of which the earthly house, the typical,
Was but a pattern given, whose services18
And ministrations all th' example served,
And shadow of the heavenly things themselves.
Great was the change when first the type, on earth,
Its antitype, in Heaven, reached, and there,
Thenceforward, were its services performed.—
So now the change was great, when was commenced
The final work, and short, remaining, sole,
To once for all the Sanctuary cleanse,
And seal the destinies of all mankind.
Which done, will Christ a second time appear,
His saints to crown with everlasting joy.
Then has no tittle failed, tittle or jot,
So far, of God's immutable decrees.
For man's short foresight Time has made amends,
And taught that in the event, and not in time
Lay the mistake, corrected plainly now.
Thus far has God sustained and led us on,
His hand has guided and his Spirit cheered;
His is the glorious truth and will prevail;
More have we now, our whole belief to claim,
More to encourage, and of truth assure,
And in our hearts undying hope inspire,
Than ever yet upon our vision rose;
For we have seen, with our own eyes have seen,
Prophetic words fulfilled, and scenes foretold,
Accomplished,—all, God's plans developing,—
Scenes, but the short forerunners of the great,
And final consummation soon to be;
And with a thrill of joy, and gladdened heart,—
Emerging from the vale of doubt and gloom:—
We now behold that still our course was right,
Right in all leading fundamental truth,
And in our earnest toil, through days gone by,
In word and deed we did God's holy will.
Two angels, forth from God commissioned, to
Make known to slumbering guilty man his will,
Have loud through heaven their messages proclaimed,
Fulfilled their mission, and their work is done.
A third yet follows them—a third and last—
To man a final call of mercy given—
In whose loud voice, warning of woe to come,
An obstinate, and blinded world may read,
In letters of vindictive wrath, their doom:
"If any man the beast shall worship, and
In hand or forehead shall his mark receive,
The same the wine of God's unmingled wrath
Shall drink, wrath without mixture poured into
His cup of indignation, and with fire
And brimstone, in the presence of the Lamb,
And of the holy angels, shall he there
Tormented be, and rest not day nor night,
Who serve the beast, and who his image serve,
And of his name the fatal mark receive.
Here is the patience of the waiting saints;
Lo! here are they who God's commandments keep,
And keep the faith of Jesus Christ the Son."
The holy Seer, upon the lonely isle
Of Patmos, tranced in vision, saw the years,
The future years, of earth before him pass:
And 'neath prophetic symbols spanned events,
Most prominent along the stream of time,
The mighty offspring of unceasing change,
Of revolution, anarchy, and war,
That fill earth's catalogue of wo and death.
So has he given, in panoramic view,
Kingdoms and thrones, and empires, men of sin,
And powers of darkness working mightily,
And warring 'gainst the saints of God most high—
Has given that men might listen, and learn, and be
Instructed of events now soon to come.
"I stood upon the sea-sands, and behold,
Up from the rolling sea, a beast arose;
And seven heads it had, and had ten horns,
And bore ten crowns thereon, and on its heads,
Were daring written names of blasphemy.
And unto it was given a mouth to speak
Great things and blasphemous, and bold, against
The God of Heaven, his name and Tabernacle
To desecrate and them, above, that dwell.
And power upon the saints to him was given
To wage relentless war, and overcome.
And all on earth that dwell, whose names
In the Lamb's book of life are written not,
Shall worship him—to him the knee shall bow."
Time in his onward march, with outline bold,
Has this destroying power (thus symbolized)
Developed in proportion strong and full.
The world beheld it, when the world beheld
The man of sin revealed, and saw the power
Of Papacy, bold and blasphemous rise,
And over all that may be called of God
Himself exalt, and raise against the saints
A bloody arm of persecution strong.
"And lo, another beast I then beheld,
Out from the earth arise; and like a lamb
Two horns he had, but as a dragon spake.
And he great wonders doeth, e'en to bring
Fire down from heaven to earth in sight of men.
And by those miracles which he had power
Before the beast to do, deceiveth them
That dwell upon the earth, that to the beast
They should an image make, and causeth all
Both small and great, rich, poor, and bond and free,
In their right hand or in their foreheads bold
To bear a mark, and none save only such
As bore his mark or name might buy or sell."
So will the powers of darkness league their bands,
Combine their forces, and with rule most strong,
With laws and with decrees, compel mankind
Themselves t' array against the God of Heaven.
With two horns like a lamb a beast arose—
So with two leading forms a power has risen,
Two fundamental principles, than which
In all the earth none can be found more mild,
More lamb-like in their outward form and name.
A land of freedom, pillared on the broad
And open basis of equality;
A land reposing 'neath the gentle sway
Of civil and religious liberty.
Lamb-like in form, is there no dragon-voice
Heard in our land? no notes that harshly grate
Upon the ear of mercy, love and truth?
And put humanity to open shame?
Let the united cry of millions tell,—
Millions that groan beneath oppression's rod,
Beneath the sin-forged chains of slavery;
Robbed of their rights, to brutes degraded down,
And soul and body bound to other's will,—
Let their united cries, and tears, and groans,
That daily rise, and call aloud on Heaven
For vengeance, answer; let the Slave reply.
O land of boasted freedom! thou hast given
The lie to all thy loud professions, fair,
Of justice, liberty and equal rights;
And thou hast set a foul and heinous blot
Upon the sacred page of liberty;
And whilst thou trafficked in souls of men,
Thou hurl'st defiance, proud, in face of Heaven
Soon to be answered with avenging doom.
More fully, soon, shall yet this dragon-voice
Developed be, and louder yet shall speak;
More fully as the consummation nears,
And all the wicked, wickeder become,
The good more good, more holy, just and pure;
When he against the followers of truth
Shall lift his voice and vent his furious rage.
Whoe'er the beast shall worship, and his mark
Receive, the vials of God's wrath shall drink;
Here is the patience of the saints, and they
Who God's commandments keep and faith of Christ.
In his high daring, and exalted pride,
The man of sin in rivalry of Heaven's
Unchanged and fixed decrees, has fabrics reared
With his seal sealed, stamped and accredited;
For he has aimed a fierce and deadly blow
Against Jehovah's just and holy law.
God, in the beautiful order of his works,
Guided by wisdom infinite, and love,
Supreme, to man, gave him a day of rest.
The first six days of time were all complete,
Each with its list of the Almighty's works,
And, fair, creation stood, a monument
Of his eternal and unbounded power:—
Six days were past; the seventh came and brought
Quiet through all the earth; for her
Creator rested; yea, the seventh came,
And from a God of holiness and love,
Of purity and righteousness and truth,
Received a blessing, and by him was claimed,
Above all days, his own; and on its brow
He placed his sacred seal, and hallowed it.
Illustrious, thus, the holy Sabbath stands;
Link most divine, connecting earth with Heaven;
A sacred chain, inseparably inwore,
With man and time, God and eternity.
Illustrious, thus, the holy Sabbath stands;
Fair in its glorious origin, divine;
And to mankind a bright attendant given,
To shed o'er them its blessings through all time;
And as each weekly circle fast revolves
Down Time's swift current, point the world to Him,
Who, from the void, made heaven and earth, and prove,
A glad remembrancer of God to man.
Nor only thus: on Sinai's cloudy top,
The Sovereign Monarch of the universe
Came down; lightnings and rolling thunders deep,
Clouds, and the mighty trumpet's swelling tone,
Were his majestic heralds; and before
The awful presence of its Maker, earth
From all her lowest depths recoiled and shook—
He spake: and while all Nature veiled her face
Before his mighty majesty, made known
His law to man,—his ten commandments sure.
And thus, in plainest terms, as is most just
To herald mightiest truth, this precept ran:
"The Sabbath-day remember: in six days
Shall thou thy labor do, and all thy work;
The seventh is the Sabbath of thy God;
Then shalt thou rest, and all within thy gates:
For in six days the Lord made heaven, and earth,
And sea, and all therein, and on the seventh,
Rested from all his work; wherefore, the Lord
Then blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it."
So clear has God made known his will to man;
So firm established his eternal law.
And his beloved Son, when he came down
To walk with men, on earth, in mortal form,
And offer pardon to their fallen state,
In accents mild, declared, of righteousness
And truth, "Think not that to destroy the law,
Or prophets is my aim; not to destroy,
But to fulfill, I come." So will they stand,
God's precepts, all, immutable, and just;
And when exhausted are the years of time,
Then coeternal with eternity,
Will they remain, throughout God's realm adored.
Satan's vicegerent on this sin-cursed earth,
Here aims, malicious, with his poisonous dart,
And lifts his viperous tongue, blaspheming God,
And Heaven, and loud, in lying phrase, most bold,
Proclaims to earth with all her tribes and tongues,
"Changed is the Sabbath: and no longer, now,
The seventh, but the first day shall ye keep."
Change most absurd, most villainously false,
Satan's most artful scheme to turn mankind
Away from God, and most successful too.
The mass of all the multitudes of earth,
O wondrous strange! have lent a listening ear,
And sanction by their works the lawless act;
Cling to the change, cling most tenaciously,
And worst of all, strangest, and most absurd,19
Most opposite to reason, light and truth,
They, in their blinded, bigotry, maintain,
That God has done it.
God has plain declared,
I never change. The world aloud proclaims,
Proclaims by practice which the loudest speaks,
That he has changed. He, in his truth, affirms,
I will not alter what my lips have spoke.
The world returns, by word and practice, both,
That he has altered his eternal law.
But still do they with bland hypocrisy,
Profess to follow Christ, and follow truth;
But to their own profession give the lie,
And to their God, and heap up for themselves
Treasures of wrath against the latter day:
Low to an institution of the beast
Bow down, but slight the Royal law;—intent,
In hand or forehead, to receive his mark,
But shun the seal, the holy seal of God.
So lies mankind deep buried up in sin;
So in a thousand forms of error steeped.
God in his infinite mercy, once again,
Sends them a warning ere his anger comes.
And while is heard the loud third angel's voice,
Now rolling forth its burden on the world,
All who have ears to hear, so let them hear.
'Tis the last call that ever shall be heard
From mercy's lips; when this shall cease, there comes
A dismal, doleful night, in which will gleam
No ray of pardon for a fated world.
Closed then shall be, for aye, probation's book;
And the appointed ministers of God's
Dark vengeance, rise and execute his will.
'Tis the last call a guilty world shall hear;
This will the straight, the separating line,
Between those who their God shall serve, and those
Who serve him not, hold and distinctly draw.—
The final gathering call, that shall search out
The lost and scattered sheep, who wander now,
Without a shepherd on the mountains drear,
That bids each soul return, where'er the flock
Were driven in the dark and cloudy day—
That shall unite in unity of faith,
A remnant, tried, and faithful to their King;
Who keep his words, his statutes and his laws;
Who o'er the beast victorious, shall at last,
Enter the City through its pearly gates,
And taste the marriage supper of the Lamb.
[To be continued.]