Increase Of Knowledge

Increase Of KnowledgeIllustration.Modern Inventions. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.1. According to the words of the angel to Daniel, when might the world look for an increase of knowledge?“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book,even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”Dan. 12:4.Note.—The prophecies of Daniel were not to be shut up till theend, for then there would be no time either to develop knowledge or to use the knowledge thus acquired, but until“thetime of the end,”which refers to a short period just preceding the end. During this time there was to be a wonderful increase of knowledge. Especially were the prophecies of the book of Daniel to be unsealed, studied, and understood at this time.2. Until what time were the saints to be persecuted under the Roman power?“And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white,even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”Dan. 11:35.Note.—The time of the end, as shown by this text, was even then, in the days of Daniel, an appointed time, in the mind of God. This is not strange, when we learn that in the Scriptures both the judgment and the end itself are said to be appointed times. Acts 17:31; Dan. 8:19. The close of the period allotted for this persecution (1798) was to mark the beginning of“the time of the end.”See page223.3. According to the prophecy, how long was the power represented by the little horn, or papal Rome, to persecute the saints?“And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, ... and they shall be given into his handuntil a time and times and the dividing of time.”Dan. 7:25.[pg 327]Notes.—As shown in the reading on“The Kingdom and Work of Antichrist,”page 218, this expression,“a time and times and the dividing of time,”represents 1260 years, which extend from the period 533-538a.d., the time of the decree of Emperor Justinian recognizing the Pope as head of all the churches and the successful campaign against Arianism, to the period 1793-98, when, as a result of the French Revolution, the papal power received its deadly wound and the Pope was carried into captivity. This, then, locates the beginning of“the time of the end”in 1798. Up to that point the book of Daniel, as a whole, was to be closed up; in other words, not understood by the people. But when the power that had placed this embargo on the Word of God, and had tried to shut it away from the people, was broken, then light of all kinds, Biblical, scientific, inventive, and industrial, began to shine and penetrate in every direction.It is a singular and striking fact that immediately following the overthrow of the papal power in 1798, Bible societies, tract societies, and Sunday-schools sprang up in large numbers. The London Religious Tract Society was organized in 1799, the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, the American Bible Society in 1816, and the American Tract Society in 1825. The Bible has now been translated into about four hundred and fifty languages and dialects, and sent to every part of the globe. Before that time access to the Bible was confined to comparatively few. Now the humblest person may possess it, and is as free to read and study it as is the most exalted in the land. A little more than one hundred years ago there was not a Sunday-school in the world, the first one being organized by Robert Raikes, at Gloucester, England, in 1784. Now there are more than 285,000 such schools, with over 28,000,000 officers, teachers, and pupils.4. What may be said of the developments in the line of scientific inventions since 1798?These have been remarkable, phenomenal, and without parallel in the history of the world. The people of a century and a quarter ago knew nothing of steamships, steam and electric railways, telegraphs, telephones, photographs, phonographs, sewing-machines, anesthetics, submarine cables, linotypes, monotypes, motion pictures, X-rays, aeroplanes, or wireless telegraphy. Were they to be raised from the dead, they would be as much astonished at all these things as would the people of four thousand years ago.Notes.—“Of a verity, this is the age of invention.”—Scientific American.“The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the achievements of any preceding century that it would be affectation of humility not to recognize and speak of them.”—Union Hand-*book, 1870.“The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions.”—Chicago Republican, March 14, 1872.“Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind as at the present day.”—Phrenological Journal, April, 1871.“More has been done, richer and more prolific discoveries have been made, grander achievements have been realized, in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime than in all the previous lifetime of the race.”—London Spectator.[pg 328]Some of the principal inventions and discoveries of modern times are the following:—The balloon in 1798.Gas for lighting purposes in 1798.Cast-iron plow in 1800.Steel pen in 1803.Steamboat in 1807.Steam printing-press in 1811.Revolver in 1818.Railroad-cars in 1825.Lucifer-match in 1829.Reaper and mower in 1833.Electric telegraph in 1837.Electrotyping in 1837.Photography in 1839.Sewing-machine in 1846.Anesthesia by ether in 1846.Anesthesia by chloroform in 1847.Submarine cable in 1851.Gatling gun in 1861.Monitor war-ship in 1862.Typewriter in 1868.Automatic air-brake in 1872.Telephone in 1876.Phonograph in 1877.Electric railway in 1879.Modern seismograph in 1880.Linotype in 1885.Steam-turbine in 1888.Roentgen or X-ray in 1895.Wireless telegraphy in 1895.Motion pictures in 1895.Monotype in 1896.Radium in 1902.Aeroplane, first successful flying, Dec. 17, 1903.It will be noticed that none of these inventions antedate 1798. Go back a little over a century and we find the world about where it was in the days of the patriarchs. For thousands of years there seemed to be scarcely any advancement or improvement in knowledge. But suddenly with the opening of the nineteenth century, the world awoke from its long sleep, and a new era dawned,—the time of the end, when knowledge was to be increased.5. What did the Saviour say should precede the end?“Andthis gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”Matt. 24:14.Note.—Luther, the Wesleys, and others could not, in their day, proclaim the Lord's coming to be at hand, as the signs heralding this event had not taken place. But now, the sun and moon have been darkened, and the stars have fallen, as predicted by the Saviour knowledge has most wonderfully increased, as stated by the angel to Daniel; and the gospel has gone to nearly every kindred, tribe, and people in the world. Therefore we may know that the end is near.6. When we see all these things, what are we to know?“When ye shall see all these things,know that it is near, even at the doors.”Verse 33.Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring;Jesus is coming again!Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing;Jesus is coming again!Echo it, hilltops, proclaim it, ye plains;Jesus is coming again!Coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain;Jesus is coming again!Jessie E. Strout.[pg 329]Conflict Between Capital And LaborIllustration.Race For Supremacy. "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." Luke 12:20.1. What is one reason why the last days were to be perilous?“Men shall belovers of their own selves, covetous.”2 Tim. 3:2.2. When, according to prophecy, were men to amass great wealth?“Go to now,ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”James 5:1-3.Note.—We have reached the age of vast accumulations of wealth, when there seems to be a mad rush for making money quickly, and the millionaire and the multimillionaire are much in evidence. Speaking on this subject, Rev. H. W. Bowman, in his work“War Between Capital and Labor,”says:“Such colossal fortunes, such hoarding of treasures, such combinations of wealth, with such rapid increase in poverty, were never witnessed before. Our age alone fits the prophetic mold.”3. Why did Christ, in the parable, reprove the man who hid his talent?“Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I[pg 330]reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.”Matt. 25:26, 27.Note.—“Servility to wealth,”says J. S. Mill,“is a social curse.”Vespasian spoke truly when he said,“Riches are well, if gotten well and well spent;”and Peter Cooper likewise uttered a great truth when he said,“A man of wealth is but a steward for the good of mankind.”James A. Patten, the retired Chicago millionaire wheat broker, announcing his intention to give away his fortune to charity, said:“I believe a man should give away a good share of his wealth while he is living. He can't take a dollar out of the world with him, although I know some men who seem to believe they can. Personally, I mean to get rid of the most of my fortune. I hope to help many charitable institutions before I die. I doubt the advisability of leaving any great sum of money to one's children. Many lives have been ruined by large bequests. The offspring of a rich man are better off if they are required to hustle for themselves.”—Washington Times, Nov. 5, 1910.4. What did Christ tell the rich young man to do?“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”Matt. 19:21.5. What, in the parable, did God say to the rich man who thought to build larger barns in which to store his goods?“But God said unto him,Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”Luke 12:20.6. How does James say the rich have lived?“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”James 5:5.Note.—This indicates that they have lived in luxury and for pleasure, quite heedless of the needs of the poor and of the great world about them. They have lived simply to have a good time themselves, with no thought of their responsibility to God or to their fellow men.7. Who gives men the power to get wealth?“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: forit is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.”Deut. 8:18.8. How does James say the rich have treated the just?“Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”James 5:6.Note.—There is nothing more rapacious and heartless than greed, or covetousness. To obtain its ends, it disregards the rights, the welfare, and even the lives of those affected by its merciless schemes and intrigues. The righteous, or just, however, do not make forcible resistance to this unjust treatment.[pg 331]9. How have the rich defrauded the laborers?“Behold,the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”Verse 4.10. Seeking a fair remuneration, what do many laborers do?Form labor-unions, engage in strikes, boycotts, etc.Note.—While these means may hold matters in check for a time, and afford temporary relief, they cannot eradicate the evil, and bring about a final solution. The evil is deep-seated; it lies in the heart; and nothing but conversion—a change of the heart and of the affections—can eradicate it. It is the sin of selfishness, or covetousness,—a failure to love one's neighbor as oneself. The conflict between capital and labor is an inevitable and an irrepressible conflict as long as sin and selfishness are in the world. And near the end it becomes the most acute and intense, because then sin comes to the full.11. Do the Scriptures indicate that there will be violence manifested in this conflict?“Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?”Hab. 2:6, 7.12. Would God have His people unite in these combinations?“Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.”Isa. 8:12.13. Whom should we fear and dread?“Sanctifythe Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”Verse 13.14. What are God's people told to do at this time?“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.15. What commands obeyed would bring about a peaceful solution to this wide-spread and growing conflict?“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”Matt. 22:39.“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”Phil. 2:4.“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”Matt. 7:12.[pg 332]Christ's Second ComingIllustration.Christ Answering His Disciples' Questions. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33.1. What promise did Christ make concerning His coming?“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”John 14:1-3.2. Following the signs of His coming, what did Christ say would take place?“And then shall they seethe Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”Luke 21:27.3. Will the world be prepared to meet Him?“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: andthen 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.”Matt. 24:30.“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: andall kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.”Rev. 1:7.4. Why will many not be prepared for this event?“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants,[pg 333]and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”Matt. 24:48-51.5. What will the world be doing when Christ comes?“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the floodthey were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”Verses 37-39.“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot;they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”Luke 17:28-30.Note.—The idea is, not that it is wrong in itself to eat, drink, marry, buy, sell, plant, or build, but that men's minds will be so taken up with these things that they will give little or no thought to the future life, and make no plans or preparation to meet Jesus when He comes.6. Who is it that blinds men to the gospel of Christ?“In whomthe god of this worldhath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine unto them.”2 Cor. 4:4.Notes.—“To my mind this precious doctrine—for such I must call it—of the return of the Lord to this earth is taught in the New Testament as clearly as any other doctrine in it; yet I was in the church fifteen or sixteen years before I ever heard a sermon on it. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism; but in all of Paul's epistles I believe baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while it speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. Now I can see a reason for this. The devil does not want us to see this truth; for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold on him. Gas stocks, and water stocks, and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of his Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom.”—“The Second Coming of Christ,”by D. L. Moody, pages 6, 7.“‘This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven,shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,’is the parting promise of Jesus to His disciples, communicated through the two men in white apparel, as a cloud received Hun out of their sight. When after more than fifty years in glory He breaks the silence and speaks once more in the Revelation which He gave to His servant John, the post-ascension gospel which He[pg 334]sends opens with,‘Behold, He cometh with clouds,’and closes with,‘Surely I come quickly.’Considering the solemn emphasis thus laid upon this doctrine, and considering the great prominence given to it throughout the teaching of our Lord and of His apostles, how was it that for the first five years of my pastoral life it had absolutely no place in my preaching? Undoubtedly, the reason lay in the lack of early instruction. Of all the sermons heard from childhood on, I do not remember listening to a single one upon this subject.”—“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, D. D., pages 44, 45.7. At His ascension, what assurance was given of Christ's return?“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”Acts 1:10, 11.8. How ancient is this doctrine of Christ's coming?“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.”Jude 14, 15.Note.—Seeking to cast reflection upon modern believers in the advent doctrine, a man in Hungary not long ago remarked to a colporteur of this faith that he had heard that the first Adventist preacher is still living.“Yes,”replied the colporteur,“the first Adventist preacher is still living, yet the Adventist faith is thousands of years old. The Bible says that Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, preached the coming of Christ in glory and power, and Enoch is still living. He was translated to heaven without seeing death, and will never die.”9. What was Job's confidence concerning Christ's coming?“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ... whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”Job 19:25-27.10. How does David speak of Christ's coming?“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.”Ps. 50:3.“For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.”Ps. 96:13.11. How does Paul give expression to this hope?“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”Phil. 3:20.[pg 335]“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”Titus 2:13.12. What is Peter's testimony regarding it?“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.”2 Peter 1:16.13. When are the saints to be like Jesus?“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”1 John 3:2.14. What scriptures show that Christ's coming will be a time of reward?“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; andthen He shall reward every man according to his works.”Matt. 16:27.“And, behold, I come quickly;and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”Rev. 22:12.15. To whom is salvation promised at Christ's appearing?“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; andunto them that look for Himshall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”Heb. 9:28.16. What influence has this hope upon the life?“We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Andevery man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”1 John 3:2, 3.17. To whom does Paul say a crown of righteousness is promised?“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, butunto all them also that love His appearing.”2 Tim. 4:6-8.18. What will the waiting ones say when Jesus comes?“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we[pg 336]have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”Isa. 25:9.19. Has the exact time of Christ's coming been revealed?“But of that day and hourknoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”Matt. 24:36.20. In view of this fact, what does Christ tell us to do?“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”Verse 42.Note.—“In the Scriptures, the constant note, the continually recurring exhortation, is to be prepared for the Lord's coming.”—Dean Alford.“The proper attitude of a Christian is to be always looking for his Lord's return.”—D. L. Moody.See“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, pages 49, 50.21. What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event?“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”Luke 21:34-36.22. What Christian grace are we exhorted to exercise in our expectant longing for this event?“Bepatienttherefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye alsopatient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.I am waiting for the comingOf earth's long-expected Lord;For the signs are now fulfillingThat He gave us in His Word.I am watching, I am waiting,For that promised happy day;Yet I do not cease my working;I must work as well as pray.W. S. Cruzan.[pg 337]

Illustration.Modern Inventions. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.

Modern Inventions. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 12:4.

1. According to the words of the angel to Daniel, when might the world look for an increase of knowledge?

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book,even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”Dan. 12:4.

Note.—The prophecies of Daniel were not to be shut up till theend, for then there would be no time either to develop knowledge or to use the knowledge thus acquired, but until“thetime of the end,”which refers to a short period just preceding the end. During this time there was to be a wonderful increase of knowledge. Especially were the prophecies of the book of Daniel to be unsealed, studied, and understood at this time.

2. Until what time were the saints to be persecuted under the Roman power?

“And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white,even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”Dan. 11:35.

Note.—The time of the end, as shown by this text, was even then, in the days of Daniel, an appointed time, in the mind of God. This is not strange, when we learn that in the Scriptures both the judgment and the end itself are said to be appointed times. Acts 17:31; Dan. 8:19. The close of the period allotted for this persecution (1798) was to mark the beginning of“the time of the end.”See page223.

3. According to the prophecy, how long was the power represented by the little horn, or papal Rome, to persecute the saints?

“And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, ... and they shall be given into his handuntil a time and times and the dividing of time.”Dan. 7:25.

Notes.—As shown in the reading on“The Kingdom and Work of Antichrist,”page 218, this expression,“a time and times and the dividing of time,”represents 1260 years, which extend from the period 533-538a.d., the time of the decree of Emperor Justinian recognizing the Pope as head of all the churches and the successful campaign against Arianism, to the period 1793-98, when, as a result of the French Revolution, the papal power received its deadly wound and the Pope was carried into captivity. This, then, locates the beginning of“the time of the end”in 1798. Up to that point the book of Daniel, as a whole, was to be closed up; in other words, not understood by the people. But when the power that had placed this embargo on the Word of God, and had tried to shut it away from the people, was broken, then light of all kinds, Biblical, scientific, inventive, and industrial, began to shine and penetrate in every direction.It is a singular and striking fact that immediately following the overthrow of the papal power in 1798, Bible societies, tract societies, and Sunday-schools sprang up in large numbers. The London Religious Tract Society was organized in 1799, the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, the American Bible Society in 1816, and the American Tract Society in 1825. The Bible has now been translated into about four hundred and fifty languages and dialects, and sent to every part of the globe. Before that time access to the Bible was confined to comparatively few. Now the humblest person may possess it, and is as free to read and study it as is the most exalted in the land. A little more than one hundred years ago there was not a Sunday-school in the world, the first one being organized by Robert Raikes, at Gloucester, England, in 1784. Now there are more than 285,000 such schools, with over 28,000,000 officers, teachers, and pupils.

It is a singular and striking fact that immediately following the overthrow of the papal power in 1798, Bible societies, tract societies, and Sunday-schools sprang up in large numbers. The London Religious Tract Society was organized in 1799, the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, the American Bible Society in 1816, and the American Tract Society in 1825. The Bible has now been translated into about four hundred and fifty languages and dialects, and sent to every part of the globe. Before that time access to the Bible was confined to comparatively few. Now the humblest person may possess it, and is as free to read and study it as is the most exalted in the land. A little more than one hundred years ago there was not a Sunday-school in the world, the first one being organized by Robert Raikes, at Gloucester, England, in 1784. Now there are more than 285,000 such schools, with over 28,000,000 officers, teachers, and pupils.

4. What may be said of the developments in the line of scientific inventions since 1798?

These have been remarkable, phenomenal, and without parallel in the history of the world. The people of a century and a quarter ago knew nothing of steamships, steam and electric railways, telegraphs, telephones, photographs, phonographs, sewing-machines, anesthetics, submarine cables, linotypes, monotypes, motion pictures, X-rays, aeroplanes, or wireless telegraphy. Were they to be raised from the dead, they would be as much astonished at all these things as would the people of four thousand years ago.

Notes.—“Of a verity, this is the age of invention.”—Scientific American.“The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the achievements of any preceding century that it would be affectation of humility not to recognize and speak of them.”—Union Hand-*book, 1870.“The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions.”—Chicago Republican, March 14, 1872.“Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind as at the present day.”—Phrenological Journal, April, 1871.“More has been done, richer and more prolific discoveries have been made, grander achievements have been realized, in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime than in all the previous lifetime of the race.”—London Spectator.[pg 328]Some of the principal inventions and discoveries of modern times are the following:—The balloon in 1798.Gas for lighting purposes in 1798.Cast-iron plow in 1800.Steel pen in 1803.Steamboat in 1807.Steam printing-press in 1811.Revolver in 1818.Railroad-cars in 1825.Lucifer-match in 1829.Reaper and mower in 1833.Electric telegraph in 1837.Electrotyping in 1837.Photography in 1839.Sewing-machine in 1846.Anesthesia by ether in 1846.Anesthesia by chloroform in 1847.Submarine cable in 1851.Gatling gun in 1861.Monitor war-ship in 1862.Typewriter in 1868.Automatic air-brake in 1872.Telephone in 1876.Phonograph in 1877.Electric railway in 1879.Modern seismograph in 1880.Linotype in 1885.Steam-turbine in 1888.Roentgen or X-ray in 1895.Wireless telegraphy in 1895.Motion pictures in 1895.Monotype in 1896.Radium in 1902.Aeroplane, first successful flying, Dec. 17, 1903.

Notes.—“Of a verity, this is the age of invention.”—Scientific American.

“The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the achievements of any preceding century that it would be affectation of humility not to recognize and speak of them.”—Union Hand-*book, 1870.

“The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions.”—Chicago Republican, March 14, 1872.

“Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind as at the present day.”—Phrenological Journal, April, 1871.

“More has been done, richer and more prolific discoveries have been made, grander achievements have been realized, in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime than in all the previous lifetime of the race.”—London Spectator.

Some of the principal inventions and discoveries of modern times are the following:—

The balloon in 1798.Gas for lighting purposes in 1798.Cast-iron plow in 1800.Steel pen in 1803.Steamboat in 1807.Steam printing-press in 1811.Revolver in 1818.Railroad-cars in 1825.Lucifer-match in 1829.Reaper and mower in 1833.Electric telegraph in 1837.Electrotyping in 1837.Photography in 1839.Sewing-machine in 1846.Anesthesia by ether in 1846.Anesthesia by chloroform in 1847.Submarine cable in 1851.Gatling gun in 1861.Monitor war-ship in 1862.Typewriter in 1868.Automatic air-brake in 1872.Telephone in 1876.Phonograph in 1877.Electric railway in 1879.Modern seismograph in 1880.Linotype in 1885.Steam-turbine in 1888.Roentgen or X-ray in 1895.Wireless telegraphy in 1895.Motion pictures in 1895.Monotype in 1896.Radium in 1902.Aeroplane, first successful flying, Dec. 17, 1903.

The balloon in 1798.

Gas for lighting purposes in 1798.

Cast-iron plow in 1800.

Steel pen in 1803.

Steamboat in 1807.

Steam printing-press in 1811.

Revolver in 1818.

Railroad-cars in 1825.

Lucifer-match in 1829.

Reaper and mower in 1833.

Electric telegraph in 1837.

Electrotyping in 1837.

Photography in 1839.

Sewing-machine in 1846.

Anesthesia by ether in 1846.

Anesthesia by chloroform in 1847.

Submarine cable in 1851.

Gatling gun in 1861.

Monitor war-ship in 1862.

Typewriter in 1868.

Automatic air-brake in 1872.

Telephone in 1876.

Phonograph in 1877.

Electric railway in 1879.

Modern seismograph in 1880.

Linotype in 1885.

Steam-turbine in 1888.

Roentgen or X-ray in 1895.

Wireless telegraphy in 1895.

Motion pictures in 1895.

Monotype in 1896.

Radium in 1902.

Aeroplane, first successful flying, Dec. 17, 1903.

It will be noticed that none of these inventions antedate 1798. Go back a little over a century and we find the world about where it was in the days of the patriarchs. For thousands of years there seemed to be scarcely any advancement or improvement in knowledge. But suddenly with the opening of the nineteenth century, the world awoke from its long sleep, and a new era dawned,—the time of the end, when knowledge was to be increased.

5. What did the Saviour say should precede the end?

“Andthis gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”Matt. 24:14.

Note.—Luther, the Wesleys, and others could not, in their day, proclaim the Lord's coming to be at hand, as the signs heralding this event had not taken place. But now, the sun and moon have been darkened, and the stars have fallen, as predicted by the Saviour knowledge has most wonderfully increased, as stated by the angel to Daniel; and the gospel has gone to nearly every kindred, tribe, and people in the world. Therefore we may know that the end is near.

6. When we see all these things, what are we to know?

“When ye shall see all these things,know that it is near, even at the doors.”Verse 33.

Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring;Jesus is coming again!Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing;Jesus is coming again!Echo it, hilltops, proclaim it, ye plains;Jesus is coming again!Coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain;Jesus is coming again!Jessie E. Strout.

Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring;Jesus is coming again!Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing;Jesus is coming again!

Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring;

Jesus is coming again!

Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing;

Jesus is coming again!

Echo it, hilltops, proclaim it, ye plains;Jesus is coming again!Coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain;Jesus is coming again!Jessie E. Strout.

Echo it, hilltops, proclaim it, ye plains;

Jesus is coming again!

Coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain;

Jesus is coming again!

Jessie E. Strout.

Conflict Between Capital And LaborIllustration.Race For Supremacy. "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." Luke 12:20.1. What is one reason why the last days were to be perilous?“Men shall belovers of their own selves, covetous.”2 Tim. 3:2.2. When, according to prophecy, were men to amass great wealth?“Go to now,ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”James 5:1-3.Note.—We have reached the age of vast accumulations of wealth, when there seems to be a mad rush for making money quickly, and the millionaire and the multimillionaire are much in evidence. Speaking on this subject, Rev. H. W. Bowman, in his work“War Between Capital and Labor,”says:“Such colossal fortunes, such hoarding of treasures, such combinations of wealth, with such rapid increase in poverty, were never witnessed before. Our age alone fits the prophetic mold.”3. Why did Christ, in the parable, reprove the man who hid his talent?“Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I[pg 330]reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.”Matt. 25:26, 27.Note.—“Servility to wealth,”says J. S. Mill,“is a social curse.”Vespasian spoke truly when he said,“Riches are well, if gotten well and well spent;”and Peter Cooper likewise uttered a great truth when he said,“A man of wealth is but a steward for the good of mankind.”James A. Patten, the retired Chicago millionaire wheat broker, announcing his intention to give away his fortune to charity, said:“I believe a man should give away a good share of his wealth while he is living. He can't take a dollar out of the world with him, although I know some men who seem to believe they can. Personally, I mean to get rid of the most of my fortune. I hope to help many charitable institutions before I die. I doubt the advisability of leaving any great sum of money to one's children. Many lives have been ruined by large bequests. The offspring of a rich man are better off if they are required to hustle for themselves.”—Washington Times, Nov. 5, 1910.4. What did Christ tell the rich young man to do?“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”Matt. 19:21.5. What, in the parable, did God say to the rich man who thought to build larger barns in which to store his goods?“But God said unto him,Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”Luke 12:20.6. How does James say the rich have lived?“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”James 5:5.Note.—This indicates that they have lived in luxury and for pleasure, quite heedless of the needs of the poor and of the great world about them. They have lived simply to have a good time themselves, with no thought of their responsibility to God or to their fellow men.7. Who gives men the power to get wealth?“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: forit is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.”Deut. 8:18.8. How does James say the rich have treated the just?“Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”James 5:6.Note.—There is nothing more rapacious and heartless than greed, or covetousness. To obtain its ends, it disregards the rights, the welfare, and even the lives of those affected by its merciless schemes and intrigues. The righteous, or just, however, do not make forcible resistance to this unjust treatment.[pg 331]9. How have the rich defrauded the laborers?“Behold,the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”Verse 4.10. Seeking a fair remuneration, what do many laborers do?Form labor-unions, engage in strikes, boycotts, etc.Note.—While these means may hold matters in check for a time, and afford temporary relief, they cannot eradicate the evil, and bring about a final solution. The evil is deep-seated; it lies in the heart; and nothing but conversion—a change of the heart and of the affections—can eradicate it. It is the sin of selfishness, or covetousness,—a failure to love one's neighbor as oneself. The conflict between capital and labor is an inevitable and an irrepressible conflict as long as sin and selfishness are in the world. And near the end it becomes the most acute and intense, because then sin comes to the full.11. Do the Scriptures indicate that there will be violence manifested in this conflict?“Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?”Hab. 2:6, 7.12. Would God have His people unite in these combinations?“Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.”Isa. 8:12.13. Whom should we fear and dread?“Sanctifythe Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”Verse 13.14. What are God's people told to do at this time?“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.15. What commands obeyed would bring about a peaceful solution to this wide-spread and growing conflict?“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”Matt. 22:39.“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”Phil. 2:4.“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”Matt. 7:12.

Illustration.Race For Supremacy. "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." Luke 12:20.

Race For Supremacy. "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." Luke 12:20.

1. What is one reason why the last days were to be perilous?

“Men shall belovers of their own selves, covetous.”2 Tim. 3:2.

2. When, according to prophecy, were men to amass great wealth?

“Go to now,ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”James 5:1-3.

Note.—We have reached the age of vast accumulations of wealth, when there seems to be a mad rush for making money quickly, and the millionaire and the multimillionaire are much in evidence. Speaking on this subject, Rev. H. W. Bowman, in his work“War Between Capital and Labor,”says:“Such colossal fortunes, such hoarding of treasures, such combinations of wealth, with such rapid increase in poverty, were never witnessed before. Our age alone fits the prophetic mold.”

3. Why did Christ, in the parable, reprove the man who hid his talent?

“Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I[pg 330]reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.”Matt. 25:26, 27.

Note.—“Servility to wealth,”says J. S. Mill,“is a social curse.”Vespasian spoke truly when he said,“Riches are well, if gotten well and well spent;”and Peter Cooper likewise uttered a great truth when he said,“A man of wealth is but a steward for the good of mankind.”James A. Patten, the retired Chicago millionaire wheat broker, announcing his intention to give away his fortune to charity, said:“I believe a man should give away a good share of his wealth while he is living. He can't take a dollar out of the world with him, although I know some men who seem to believe they can. Personally, I mean to get rid of the most of my fortune. I hope to help many charitable institutions before I die. I doubt the advisability of leaving any great sum of money to one's children. Many lives have been ruined by large bequests. The offspring of a rich man are better off if they are required to hustle for themselves.”—Washington Times, Nov. 5, 1910.

4. What did Christ tell the rich young man to do?

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”Matt. 19:21.

5. What, in the parable, did God say to the rich man who thought to build larger barns in which to store his goods?

“But God said unto him,Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”Luke 12:20.

6. How does James say the rich have lived?

“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”James 5:5.

Note.—This indicates that they have lived in luxury and for pleasure, quite heedless of the needs of the poor and of the great world about them. They have lived simply to have a good time themselves, with no thought of their responsibility to God or to their fellow men.

7. Who gives men the power to get wealth?

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: forit is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.”Deut. 8:18.

8. How does James say the rich have treated the just?

“Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”James 5:6.

Note.—There is nothing more rapacious and heartless than greed, or covetousness. To obtain its ends, it disregards the rights, the welfare, and even the lives of those affected by its merciless schemes and intrigues. The righteous, or just, however, do not make forcible resistance to this unjust treatment.

9. How have the rich defrauded the laborers?

“Behold,the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”Verse 4.

10. Seeking a fair remuneration, what do many laborers do?

Form labor-unions, engage in strikes, boycotts, etc.

Note.—While these means may hold matters in check for a time, and afford temporary relief, they cannot eradicate the evil, and bring about a final solution. The evil is deep-seated; it lies in the heart; and nothing but conversion—a change of the heart and of the affections—can eradicate it. It is the sin of selfishness, or covetousness,—a failure to love one's neighbor as oneself. The conflict between capital and labor is an inevitable and an irrepressible conflict as long as sin and selfishness are in the world. And near the end it becomes the most acute and intense, because then sin comes to the full.

11. Do the Scriptures indicate that there will be violence manifested in this conflict?

“Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?”Hab. 2:6, 7.

12. Would God have His people unite in these combinations?

“Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.”Isa. 8:12.

13. Whom should we fear and dread?

“Sanctifythe Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.”Verse 13.

14. What are God's people told to do at this time?

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts:for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.

15. What commands obeyed would bring about a peaceful solution to this wide-spread and growing conflict?

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”Matt. 22:39.“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”Phil. 2:4.“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”Matt. 7:12.

Christ's Second ComingIllustration.Christ Answering His Disciples' Questions. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33.1. What promise did Christ make concerning His coming?“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”John 14:1-3.2. Following the signs of His coming, what did Christ say would take place?“And then shall they seethe Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”Luke 21:27.3. Will the world be prepared to meet Him?“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: andthen 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.”Matt. 24:30.“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: andall kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.”Rev. 1:7.4. Why will many not be prepared for this event?“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants,[pg 333]and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”Matt. 24:48-51.5. What will the world be doing when Christ comes?“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the floodthey were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”Verses 37-39.“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot;they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”Luke 17:28-30.Note.—The idea is, not that it is wrong in itself to eat, drink, marry, buy, sell, plant, or build, but that men's minds will be so taken up with these things that they will give little or no thought to the future life, and make no plans or preparation to meet Jesus when He comes.6. Who is it that blinds men to the gospel of Christ?“In whomthe god of this worldhath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine unto them.”2 Cor. 4:4.Notes.—“To my mind this precious doctrine—for such I must call it—of the return of the Lord to this earth is taught in the New Testament as clearly as any other doctrine in it; yet I was in the church fifteen or sixteen years before I ever heard a sermon on it. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism; but in all of Paul's epistles I believe baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while it speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. Now I can see a reason for this. The devil does not want us to see this truth; for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold on him. Gas stocks, and water stocks, and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of his Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom.”—“The Second Coming of Christ,”by D. L. Moody, pages 6, 7.“‘This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven,shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,’is the parting promise of Jesus to His disciples, communicated through the two men in white apparel, as a cloud received Hun out of their sight. When after more than fifty years in glory He breaks the silence and speaks once more in the Revelation which He gave to His servant John, the post-ascension gospel which He[pg 334]sends opens with,‘Behold, He cometh with clouds,’and closes with,‘Surely I come quickly.’Considering the solemn emphasis thus laid upon this doctrine, and considering the great prominence given to it throughout the teaching of our Lord and of His apostles, how was it that for the first five years of my pastoral life it had absolutely no place in my preaching? Undoubtedly, the reason lay in the lack of early instruction. Of all the sermons heard from childhood on, I do not remember listening to a single one upon this subject.”—“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, D. D., pages 44, 45.7. At His ascension, what assurance was given of Christ's return?“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”Acts 1:10, 11.8. How ancient is this doctrine of Christ's coming?“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.”Jude 14, 15.Note.—Seeking to cast reflection upon modern believers in the advent doctrine, a man in Hungary not long ago remarked to a colporteur of this faith that he had heard that the first Adventist preacher is still living.“Yes,”replied the colporteur,“the first Adventist preacher is still living, yet the Adventist faith is thousands of years old. The Bible says that Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, preached the coming of Christ in glory and power, and Enoch is still living. He was translated to heaven without seeing death, and will never die.”9. What was Job's confidence concerning Christ's coming?“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ... whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”Job 19:25-27.10. How does David speak of Christ's coming?“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.”Ps. 50:3.“For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.”Ps. 96:13.11. How does Paul give expression to this hope?“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”Phil. 3:20.[pg 335]“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”Titus 2:13.12. What is Peter's testimony regarding it?“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.”2 Peter 1:16.13. When are the saints to be like Jesus?“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”1 John 3:2.14. What scriptures show that Christ's coming will be a time of reward?“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; andthen He shall reward every man according to his works.”Matt. 16:27.“And, behold, I come quickly;and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”Rev. 22:12.15. To whom is salvation promised at Christ's appearing?“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; andunto them that look for Himshall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”Heb. 9:28.16. What influence has this hope upon the life?“We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Andevery man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”1 John 3:2, 3.17. To whom does Paul say a crown of righteousness is promised?“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, butunto all them also that love His appearing.”2 Tim. 4:6-8.18. What will the waiting ones say when Jesus comes?“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we[pg 336]have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”Isa. 25:9.19. Has the exact time of Christ's coming been revealed?“But of that day and hourknoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”Matt. 24:36.20. In view of this fact, what does Christ tell us to do?“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”Verse 42.Note.—“In the Scriptures, the constant note, the continually recurring exhortation, is to be prepared for the Lord's coming.”—Dean Alford.“The proper attitude of a Christian is to be always looking for his Lord's return.”—D. L. Moody.See“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, pages 49, 50.21. What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event?“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”Luke 21:34-36.22. What Christian grace are we exhorted to exercise in our expectant longing for this event?“Bepatienttherefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye alsopatient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.I am waiting for the comingOf earth's long-expected Lord;For the signs are now fulfillingThat He gave us in His Word.I am watching, I am waiting,For that promised happy day;Yet I do not cease my working;I must work as well as pray.W. S. Cruzan.

Illustration.Christ Answering His Disciples' Questions. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33.

Christ Answering His Disciples' Questions. "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33.

1. What promise did Christ make concerning His coming?

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”John 14:1-3.

2. Following the signs of His coming, what did Christ say would take place?

“And then shall they seethe Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”Luke 21:27.

3. Will the world be prepared to meet Him?

“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: andthen 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.”Matt. 24:30.“Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: andall kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.”Rev. 1:7.

4. Why will many not be prepared for this event?

“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants,[pg 333]and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”Matt. 24:48-51.

5. What will the world be doing when Christ comes?

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the floodthey were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”Verses 37-39.“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot;they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”Luke 17:28-30.

Note.—The idea is, not that it is wrong in itself to eat, drink, marry, buy, sell, plant, or build, but that men's minds will be so taken up with these things that they will give little or no thought to the future life, and make no plans or preparation to meet Jesus when He comes.

6. Who is it that blinds men to the gospel of Christ?

“In whomthe god of this worldhath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine unto them.”2 Cor. 4:4.

Notes.—“To my mind this precious doctrine—for such I must call it—of the return of the Lord to this earth is taught in the New Testament as clearly as any other doctrine in it; yet I was in the church fifteen or sixteen years before I ever heard a sermon on it. There is hardly any church that does not make a great deal of baptism; but in all of Paul's epistles I believe baptism is spoken of only thirteen times, while it speaks about the return of our Lord fifty times; and yet the church has had very little to say about it. Now I can see a reason for this. The devil does not want us to see this truth; for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold on him. Gas stocks, and water stocks, and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him then. His heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of his Lord, who, at His coming, will take him into His blessed kingdom.”—“The Second Coming of Christ,”by D. L. Moody, pages 6, 7.“‘This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven,shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,’is the parting promise of Jesus to His disciples, communicated through the two men in white apparel, as a cloud received Hun out of their sight. When after more than fifty years in glory He breaks the silence and speaks once more in the Revelation which He gave to His servant John, the post-ascension gospel which He[pg 334]sends opens with,‘Behold, He cometh with clouds,’and closes with,‘Surely I come quickly.’Considering the solemn emphasis thus laid upon this doctrine, and considering the great prominence given to it throughout the teaching of our Lord and of His apostles, how was it that for the first five years of my pastoral life it had absolutely no place in my preaching? Undoubtedly, the reason lay in the lack of early instruction. Of all the sermons heard from childhood on, I do not remember listening to a single one upon this subject.”—“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, D. D., pages 44, 45.

“‘This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven,shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,’is the parting promise of Jesus to His disciples, communicated through the two men in white apparel, as a cloud received Hun out of their sight. When after more than fifty years in glory He breaks the silence and speaks once more in the Revelation which He gave to His servant John, the post-ascension gospel which He[pg 334]sends opens with,‘Behold, He cometh with clouds,’and closes with,‘Surely I come quickly.’Considering the solemn emphasis thus laid upon this doctrine, and considering the great prominence given to it throughout the teaching of our Lord and of His apostles, how was it that for the first five years of my pastoral life it had absolutely no place in my preaching? Undoubtedly, the reason lay in the lack of early instruction. Of all the sermons heard from childhood on, I do not remember listening to a single one upon this subject.”—“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, D. D., pages 44, 45.

7. At His ascension, what assurance was given of Christ's return?

“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”Acts 1:10, 11.

8. How ancient is this doctrine of Christ's coming?

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all.”Jude 14, 15.

Note.—Seeking to cast reflection upon modern believers in the advent doctrine, a man in Hungary not long ago remarked to a colporteur of this faith that he had heard that the first Adventist preacher is still living.“Yes,”replied the colporteur,“the first Adventist preacher is still living, yet the Adventist faith is thousands of years old. The Bible says that Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, preached the coming of Christ in glory and power, and Enoch is still living. He was translated to heaven without seeing death, and will never die.”

9. What was Job's confidence concerning Christ's coming?

“For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ... whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”Job 19:25-27.

10. How does David speak of Christ's coming?

“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.”Ps. 50:3.“For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth.”Ps. 96:13.

11. How does Paul give expression to this hope?

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”Phil. 3:20.[pg 335]“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”Titus 2:13.

12. What is Peter's testimony regarding it?

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty.”2 Peter 1:16.

13. When are the saints to be like Jesus?

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”1 John 3:2.

14. What scriptures show that Christ's coming will be a time of reward?

“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; andthen He shall reward every man according to his works.”Matt. 16:27.“And, behold, I come quickly;and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”Rev. 22:12.

15. To whom is salvation promised at Christ's appearing?

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; andunto them that look for Himshall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”Heb. 9:28.

16. What influence has this hope upon the life?

“We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. Andevery man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”1 John 3:2, 3.

17. To whom does Paul say a crown of righteousness is promised?

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, butunto all them also that love His appearing.”2 Tim. 4:6-8.

18. What will the waiting ones say when Jesus comes?

“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we[pg 336]have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”Isa. 25:9.

19. Has the exact time of Christ's coming been revealed?

“But of that day and hourknoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”Matt. 24:36.

20. In view of this fact, what does Christ tell us to do?

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”Verse 42.

Note.—“In the Scriptures, the constant note, the continually recurring exhortation, is to be prepared for the Lord's coming.”—Dean Alford.“The proper attitude of a Christian is to be always looking for his Lord's return.”—D. L. Moody.See“How Christ Came to Church,”by A. J. Gordon, pages 49, 50.

21. What warning has Christ given that we might not be taken by surprise by this great event?

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”Luke 21:34-36.

22. What Christian grace are we exhorted to exercise in our expectant longing for this event?

“Bepatienttherefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye alsopatient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”James 5:7, 8.

I am waiting for the comingOf earth's long-expected Lord;For the signs are now fulfillingThat He gave us in His Word.I am watching, I am waiting,For that promised happy day;Yet I do not cease my working;I must work as well as pray.W. S. Cruzan.

I am waiting for the coming

Of earth's long-expected Lord;

For the signs are now fulfilling

That He gave us in His Word.

I am watching, I am waiting,

For that promised happy day;

Yet I do not cease my working;

I must work as well as pray.

W. S. Cruzan.

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