Second
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, June
10, 1852
“To the Brethren and
Sisters”
As I have of late looked around to find the
humble followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, my mind has been much exercised.
Many who profess to be looking for the
speedy coming of Christ, are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more
earnestly the applause of those around them, than the approbation of God. They
are cold and formal, like the nominal church, that they but a short time since
separated from. The words addressed to the Laodicean Church, describe their
present condition perfectly. See Rev. iii, 14-20. They are “neither cold
nor hot,” but “lukewarm.” And unless they heed the counsel of
the “faithful and True Witness,” and zealously repent, and obtain
“gold tried in the fire,” “white raiment,” and
“eyesalve,” he will spue them out of his mouth.
The time has come when a large portion of
those who once rejoiced, and shouted aloud for joy, in view of the immediate
coming of the Lord, are on the ground of the churches and world who once
scoffed at, and derided them for believing that Jesus was coming, and
circulated all manner of falsehoods to raise prejudice against them, and
destroy their influence.–If any one longs after the living God, and hungers
and thirsts for righteousness, and God gives them to feel his power, and
satisfies their longing soul, by shedding abroad his love in their hearts, and
if they glorify God by praising him, they are, by these professed believers in
the soon coming of the Lord, often considered deluded, and charged with having
mesmerism or some wicked spirit.
Many of these professed Christians dress,
talk and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known, is
their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their
conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things.
“What manner of persons” ought
those to be “in all holy conversation and godliness,” who profess to
be “looking for, and hasting unto the day of God?” 2 Pet. iii, 11.
“Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is
pure.” 1 John, iii, 3. But it is evident that many who bear the advent
name, study more to decorate their bodies, and appear well in the eyes of the
world, than they do the word of God, to learn how they may be approved of him.
What if the lovely Jesus, our pattern,
should make his appearance among them, and the professors of religion
generally, as at his first advent? He was born in a manger. Follow him along
through his life and ministry. He was a man of sorrow and acquainted with
grief. These professed Christians would be ashamed of the meek and lowly
Saviour who wore a plain, seamless coat, and had not where to lay his head. His
spotless, self-denying life would condemn them; his holy solemnity would be a
painful restraint upon their lightness and vain laughter; his guileless
conversation would be a check to their worldly and covetous conversation; his
declaring the unvarnished, cutting truth would manifest their real character,
and they would wish to get the meek Pattern, the lovely Jesus, out of the way
as soon as possible. They would be among the first to try to catch him in his
words, and raise the cry, Crucify him! Crucify him!
Let us follow Jesus as he so meekly rode
into Jerusalem, when “the whole multitude of the disciples began to
rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, * * * Saying, Blessed be the King
that cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke
thy disciples.–And he answered and said unto them, I tell you, that if these
should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out.” A large portion
of those who profess to be looking for Christ would be as forward as the
Pharisees were, to have the disciples silenced, and they would doubtless raise
the cry, Fanaticism! Mesmerism! Mesmerism! And the disciples spreading their
garments and branches of palm trees in the way would be thought extravagant and
wild.
But God will have a people on the earth
that will not be so cold and dead but that they can praise and glorify him. He
will receive glory from some people, and if his chosen people, who keep his
commandments should hold their peace the very stones would cry out.
Jesus is coming, but not as at his first
advent, a babe in Bethlehem, not as he rode into Jerusalem, when the disciples
praised God with a loud voice and cried, Hosannah; but in the glory of the
Father, and with all the retinue of holy angels with him, to escort him on his
way to earth. All heaven will be emptied of the angels. While the waiting
saints will be looking for him, and gazing into heaven, as were the “men
of Galilee” When he ascended from the Mount of Olivet.–Then, those only
who are holy, those who have followed fully the meek Pattern will, with
rapturous joy, exclaim as they behold him, “Lo, this is our God, we have
waited for him, and he will save us.” And they will be changed “in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump,” that wakes the
sleeping saints, and calls them forth from their dusty beds, clothed with
glorious immortality, shouting, Victory! Victory! over death and the grave. The
changed saints are caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air,
never more to be separated from the object of their love.
With such a prospect as this before us,
such a glorious hope, such a redemption that Christ has purchased for us by his
own blood, shall we hold our peace? Shall we not praise God, even with a loud
voice, as the disciples did when Jesus rode into Jerusalem? Is not our prospect
far more glorious than theirs was? Who dare then forbid us glorifying God, even
with a loud voice, when we have such a hope, big with immortality and full of
glory? We have tasted of the powers of the world to come, and long for more. My
whole being cries out after the living God, and I shall not be satisfied until
I am filled with all his fullness.
The way to heaven is rugged. Briers and
thorns are in the way; but we can with cheerfulness tread the rough pathway,
knowing that Jesus, the King of glory, once trod it before us.
We will rejoice that we can follow in his
footsteps, and be partakers with him of his sufferings, that we may finally
partake of his glory.
What if reproaches are heaped upon me, even
by those who profess to be looking for the Lord? What if falsehoods are kept in
circulation by “whosoever loveth a lie” made ready to their hand? All
this I can bear cheerfully. Why should I repine? My Master, the King of Glory,
was treated a thousand times worse than I have been, and can I, a poor,
unworthy creature, expect any better treatment in following Jesus, than he
received? Shall I complain, when Jesus bore the scoffs and derision of his own
people, the Jews, and was finally rejected and crucified by them for me? For my
sins he bore all this. No, I will not complain; I will rather rejoice and be
exceeding glad that I am accounted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake, that my
reward may be in heaven. Only let me have an inheritance in glory, and it will
be enough. For that, I can endure anything and everything. Heaven, sweet
heaven.
“I long to be there, and the thought
that ’tis near, Makes me almost impatient for Christ to appear, And fit up that
dwelling of glory so rare–The earth robed in beauty–I long to be there.”
Let us, dear brethren and sisters, crave
the suffering, crucifying part of religion. For we are to be purified and
fitted for the kingdom through suffering. We must keep separate from the world,
if we would have the love of God abide with us. As soon as we begin to be
conformed to this world, just so soon God’s Spirit begins to depart from us.
But if we keep humble, live holy, harmless and separate from sinners, we shall
see of the salvation of God. Let us strive to be Christians (Christlike) in
every sense of the word, and let our dress, conversation and actions preach
that Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, and that we are looking for
that blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus. Let us show to those around
us, that this world is not our home, that we are pilgrims and strangers here.
My affections, interest, treasure, all, is
in the bright world to come. I long to see the King in his beauty, whom angels
adorate, and as they bow, cast their glittering crowns before him, and then
touch their golden harps, and fill all heaven with their rich music.
Let those who break God’s law and teach
others to do so, denounce us as fallen from grace because we keep all ten of
his immutable precepts, it will not harm us. We have the satisfaction of
knowing, that while they curse, Jesus has pronounced a blessing. Says the true
Witness, the only Begotten of the Father, “Blessed are they that do his
[the Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the City.” Rev. xxii, 14.
Think ye that the commandment-keepers will
be sorry, and mourn when the pearly gates of the Golden City of God are swung
back upon their glittering hinges, and they are welcomed in? No, never. They
will then rejoice, that they are not under the bondage of the law, but that
they have kept God’s law, and therefore are free from it. They will have right
to the tree of life, a right to its healing leaves. They will hear the lovely
voice of Jesus, richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, saying,
There will be no more sorrow, pain or death; sighing and crying have fled away.
“Our eyes shall then, with rapture, The
Saviour’s face behold, Our feet, no more diverted, Shall walk the streets of
gold; Our ears shall hear with transport The hosts celestial sing, Our tongues
shall chant the glory Of our Immortal King.” Ellen G. White.