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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
overcoming every defect in their own characters and in helping others,
by example and personal effort, to see the beauty of holiness. God has
a people upon the earth who in faith and holy hope are tracing down
the roll of fast-fulfilling prophecy and are seeking to purify their souls
by obeying the truth, that they may not be found without the wedding
garment when Christ shall appear.
Many who have called themselves Adventists have been time
setters. Time after time has been set for Christ to come, but repeated
failures have been the result. The definite time of our Lord’s coming
is declared to be beyond the ken of mortals. Even the angels who
minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation know not the day
nor the hour. “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the
angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Because the times repeatedly
set have passed, the world is in a more decided state of unbelief than
before in regard to the near advent of Christ. They look upon the
failures of the time setters with disgust; and because men have been
so deceived, they turn from the truth substantiated by the word of God
that the end of all things is at hand.
Those who so presumptuously preach definite time, in so doing
gratify the adversary of souls; for they are advancing infidelity rather
than Christianity. They produce Scripture and by false interpretation
show a chain of argument which apparently proves their position. But
their failures show that they are false prophets, that they do not rightly
interpret the language of inspiration. The word of God is truth and
verity, but men have perverted its meaning. These errors have brought
the truth of God for these last days into disrepute. Adventists are
derided by ministers of all denominations, yet God’s servants must
not hold their peace. The signs foretold in prophecy are fast fulfilling
around us. This should arouse every true follower of Christ to zealous
action.
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Those who think they must preach definite time in order to make an
impression upon the people do not work from the right standpoint. The
feelings of the people may be stirred and their fears aroused, but they
do not move from principle. An excitement is created; but when the
time passes, as it has done repeatedly, those who moved out upon time
fall back into coldness, darkness, and sin, and it is almost impossible
to arouse their consciences without some great excitement.