Standing Firm in Days of Peril, December 12

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7.

The signs of the times tell us that the end of all things is at hand. Prophecies fulfilled have become facts of history, clearly defining our position. We are standing upon the verge of the eternal world…. Our Lord forewarned His people that iniquity would abound in the last days and would have a paralyzing influence upon true godliness. Wickedness is seen and heard and felt all around us. It seems to permeate the very atmosphere, and affects the faith and love of God's professed people. It is difficult to hold fast Christian integrity. The fact is, much which is current in our day as Christianity is indebted for its very existence to the absence of persecution. When the test of fiery trial comes, a great proportion of these who profess the faith will show that their religion was hollow formalism….

The days in which we live are days of peril. Carelessness, levity, love of pleasure and selfish gratification, are seen in the lives of very many professed Christians. Is this the time for Seventh-day Adventists to lose their faith and grow cold and formal? God forbid! Shall we turn traitor at the very moment when God would be most glorified by our steadfast adherence to principle? Shall we turn from the heavenly attractions now, when we can almost see the glories on the other shore? We are living in the most important period of earth's history. By maintaining our allegiance to God, we may bear the noblest testimony for Christ and the truth.

The true Christian will cling to the promises of God more firmly now than ever before. His heart is where he has laid up his treasure—in heaven. When right principles are despised and forsaken, then the true and loyal will show their warmest zeal and deepest love; then they will stand most firmly for truth, unpopular though it be….

The Lord is coming…. Let us be consistent; let our works correspond with our profession of faith.^{15The Review and Herald, November 29, 1881.}

Watch! Watch! Watch! December 11

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13:35-37.

It is a time now when we cannot for a moment take the spiritual eye from Christ Jesus. His admonition to us is, “What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Is there one professed Christian who needs not the warning, and whose heart will not bear watching? The heart must be kept with all diligence, under constant watchfulness….

Watch the stealthy approach of the enemy, watch against old habits and natural inclinations lest they exert themselves; force them back, and watch; force them back if need be a hundred times. Watch the thoughts, watch the plans, lest they become selfish and self-centered. Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. Watch over the souls whom Christ has purchased with His own blood. Watch for opportunities to do them good.

Like Mary, we need to sit at the feet of Jesus to learn of Him, having chosen that better part which will never be taken from us. Like Martha we need to be ever abounding in the work of the Lord. The higher Christian attainments can be reached only by being much on our knees in sincere prayer…. One fiber of the root of selfishness remaining in the soul will spring up when least expected, and thereby will many be defiled.^{13Letter 36, 1894.}

We are in an enemy's country. He who was cast out of heaven has come down with great power. With every conceivable artifice and device he is seeking to take souls captive. Unless we are constantly on guard we shall fall an easy prey to his unnumbered deceptions.

We are stewards, entrusted by our absent Lord with the care of His household and His interests, which He came to this world to serve. He has returned to heaven, leaving us in charge, and He expects us to watch and wait and prepare for His coming. Let us be faithful to our trust, lest coming suddenly He find us sleeping.^{14Letter 5, 1903.}

The Revelation of Character, December 10

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Matthew 25:10.

Let none follow the example of the foolish virgins and think that it will be safe to wait until the crisis comes before gaining a preparation of character to stand in that time. It will be too late to seek for the righteousness of Christ when the guests are called in and examined. Now is the time to put on the righteousness of Christ—the wedding garment that will fit you to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. In the parable, the foolish virgins are represented as begging for oil and failing to receive it at their request. This is symbolic of those who have not prepared themselves by developing a character to stand in a time of crisis. It is as if they should go to their neighbors and say, Give me your character or I shall be lost. Those that were wise could not impart their oil to the flickering lamps of the foolish virgins. Character is not transferable. It is not to be bought or sold; it is to be acquired. The Lord has given to every individual an opportunity to obtain a righteous character …, but He has not provided a way by which one human agent may impart to another the character which he has developed….

The day is coming, and it is close upon us, when every phase of character will be revealed by special temptation. Those who remain true to principle, who exercise faith to the end, will be those who have proved true under test and trial during the previous hours of their probation, and have formed characters after the likeness of Christ. It will be those who have cultivated close acquaintance with Christ who, through His wisdom and grace, are partakers of the divine nature. But no human being can give to another, heart devotion and noble qualities of mind, and supply his deficiencies with moral power.^{11The Youth's Instructor, January 16, 1896.}

Let no one put off the day of preparation, lest the call be made, “Go forth to meet the bridegroom,” and you be found as were the foolish virgins, with no oil in your vessels with your lamps.^{12The Youth's Instructor, January 30, 1896.}

Why the Lord Delays, December 9

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8, 9.

As I have labored since 1843 and 1844 I have felt so thankful that the Lord has permitted time to last to do more fully the missionary work that was needing to be done to warn our cities. O our wise heavenly Father made the infinite sacrifice of His only begotten Son! He gave Him to our world that the world might, through the merciful provisions made, accept the Word—Bible truth—and prepare for the great event of His coming. That which caused the believing church so much sorrow in their disappointment in the time of His coming has been a reason of thanksgiving for the delay. Now the angels of God are preparing the way for the truth to reach all nations.

There are thousands in the cities, in the byways and the highways, to hear the warning message. Are we awake? Do we understand there is a world to have the warning? The cities are all to be worked diligently. We must arouse and do a great work. There are many more to hear the last warning message to a perishing world. We have no time to delay, for Satan is doing his best to destroy souls.

I now praise God for His long and merciful forbearance. The message has been carried to many countries. It is a worldwide message. There is most diligent work to do to warn our cities. We have had opportunity to send the light to many thousands who have rejoiced in the truth and sacrificed their time and their means to build up the sanitariums and churches in all parts of America. Schools have been established and new fields are opening, many in new countries. The work at times has moved slowly…. It is for the need of the Holy Spirit that many more places are not hearing the last message of warning…. Angels are waiting to fit up converted men and women to do this work if they will consecrate their whole heart, mind, and soul to the work. We have no time to lose.^{10Manuscript 62, 1896.}

He Is Coming Again! December 8

And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Revelation 22:12.

Was Christ a false prophet when He uttered these words? More than eighteen hundred years have passed since John heard this great truth, and the Lord has not yet come to reign. But shall we give up looking for His appearance? Shall we say, “My Lord delayeth his coming”? ^{8The Review and Herald, July 31, 1888.}

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” (Jude 14)…. The doctrine of Christ's coming was made known at this early date to the man who walked with God in continual communion. The godly character of this prophet is to represent the state of holiness to which the people of God must attain who expect to be translated to heaven….

Shall we say we have been deceived in regard to the doctrine of Christ's near coming? … Shall we say that all our work to make ready a people prepared for His coming has been for nought? Never…. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; … and let us consider one another to provoke”—unto doubts and unbelief, and apostasy? No, but “unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, … but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

We must have a knowledge of the Scriptures, that we may trace down the lines of prophecy and … see that the day is approaching, so that with increased zeal and effort we may exhort one another to faithfulness…. Give up our faith? lose our confidence? become impatient? No, no. We will not think of such a thing…. See how the specifications of the prophecies have been and are fulfilling. Let us lift up our heads and rejoice, for our redemption draweth nigh. It is nearer than when we first believed. Shall we not wait patiently, filled with courage and faith? Shall we not make ready a people to stand in the day of final reckoning? ^9Ibid.