Centuries ago the inspired apostle declared that "in the last days perilous times shall come." In his letter to Timothy, Paul wrote that "evil men . . . shall wax worse and worse." And the Saviour Himself, looking forward to these times, mentioned that "iniquity shall abound" and "the love of many shall wax cold." What a picture of the days in which we live ! How true are these predictions of Holy Writ! During the years, God's messenger has given counsel to the advent people, and in unmistakable language has pointed out the perils of our time. We quote:
"We are living in a most solemn, important time of this world's history. We are amid the perils of the last days. Important and fearful events are before us."—"Testimonies," Vol. III, p. 53.
"Solemn, serious times are upon us, and perplexities will increase to the very close of time"—"Testimonies to Ministers," p. 200.
"We are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Prophecy is fast fulfilling. The Lord is at the door. There is soon to open before us a period of overwhelming interest to all living. . . . The scenes to be enacted in our world are not yet dreamed of."—"Testimonies," Vol. V, PP. 753, 754.
"Since 1845 the dangers of the people of God have from time to time been laid open before me, and I have been shown the perils that would thicken about the remnant in the last days. These perils have been revealed to me down to the present time. Great scenes are soon to open before us."—"Testimonies to Ministers," p. 464.
There are many perils which face God's people. If we were to attempt to list them, we should need more space than this article provides. Those we have faced through the years are still with us, such as indifference, worldliness, commercialism, criticism, unkindness, close dealing, impurity, intemperance, love of display, and many others which readily come to mind. But there are other perils which, although we have experienced them before, are with us today to an aggravated degree.
Distorted Conditions and Abnormal Attitudes
The work has grown. It is no longer confined to one country, as it was in the beginning. It has reached out to the ends of the earth. People of many languages, of many races, who belong to many countries, are today rejoicing in the blessed hope of a soon-coming Saviour. With wars and rumors of wars in the earth, we need to be on guard continually against the perils of extreme or exaggerated nationalism. It is difficult at times to know the actual truth on world affairs_ Propaganda is rife all over the world, and with the isolation of nations, it becomes almost impossible for the average man to judge accurately the momentous issues which face the world today.
This makes it all the more necessary for us as leaders and church members to maintain the love of God in our hearts when thinking of lands other than our own, and especially of our fellow believers in these lands. Let us be careful, lest there spring up in our hearts feelings of bitterness, lest a sense of national superiority lead us to feel that we are better than others. Remember, notwithstanding all we may read to the contrary, God "bath made of one blood all nations of men."
Many factors have combined to bring about the racial hostility we see in the world today. Nations feel the need of strict censorship of news which crosses their borders. The reports given over the air are controlled. Mail is examined. Men are not permitted to travel beyond their national frontiers. Currency restrictions make it impossible to send money out. And still further, only nationals of a particular country are permitted to labor in various lines of national or industrial service. Everywhere the flag is given prominence, the spirit of nationalism is fostered, and the ideals of national culture and ambition are stressed—in schools, in the daily press, over the radio, and from the public platform.
God's counsel to His people is that they "honor the king." The fuller divine behest, however, reads, "Fear God. Honor the king." We must put first things first, and remember always the injunction of the first angel's message: "Fear God, and give glory to Him." Yet, at all times, we are to "render . . . unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." It is right and proper—and every Adventist believer should realize it—that we respect our rulers, revere our flag, take justifiable pride in the passports we carry, always remembering that, above everything else, we owe loyalty to God and love to our fellow believers, as members of His great family on earth. When we think of our believers in other lands, we should think sympathetically and kindly, remembering always what the Scriptures declare concerning the church of the living God :
"Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female : for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Gal. 3 : 26, 28.
And in the Spirit of prophecy we read this admonition :
"Brethren who could work together in harmony if they would learn of Christ, forgetting that they are Americans or Europeans, Germans or Frenchmen, Swedes, Danes, or Norwegians, seem to feel that if they should blend with those of other nationalities, something of that which is peculiar to their own country and nation would be lost, and something else would take its place.
"My brethren, let us put all this aside. "We have no right to keep our minds stayed on ourselves, our preferences, and our fancies. We are not to seek to maintain a peculiar identity of our own, a personality, an individuality, which will separate us from our fellow laborers. We have a character to maintain, but it is the character of Christ."-"Testimonies," Vol. IX, p. 187.
"God wants the different nationalities [composing His church on earth] to mingle together, to be one in judgment, one in purpose. Then the union that there is in Christ will be exemplified. . .
"I warn you, brethren and sisters, not to build up a wall of partition between different nationalities. On the contrary, seek to break it down wherever it exists. We should endeavor to bring all into the harmony that there is in Jesus, laboring for the one object,-the salvation of our fellow men."-Id., pp. .r8o, 18i.
In the light of conditions in the world today, and in the light also of the counsel from the "law and the testimony," let us be careful in our public utterances and in what we write in our papers. Let us exercise great care also in what we put in our letters. Let us refrain from anything in the nature of condemnation based on hostile reports, or of anything which would lead others to feel that we regard ourselves as a superior order of beings. Let us endeavor in all our relationships -to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." As brethren, let us not stress too far the difference between nationalities or between one national outlook and another. Let us not seek to find instances in our work in which a leader or committee of one nationality has done injustice to those of another nationality.
If there have been mistakes in the past, let us not repeat them. Doubtless, mistakes have been made in many places for lack of sympathetic understanding or through lack of tact. But as brethren in the blessed hope, let us seek to cherish the love of God in our hearts, and let this flow out in abounding measure to our brethren and sisters in other lands as well as our own. Let us seek to cultivate an outlook as broad as the world. Remember that God loves the world. The threefold message is to go to all the world. God's love embraces all the earth. It takes in all peoples, whatever their race, their language, or their nationality. If we surrender our hearts to Him, He will flood our hearts with His love. To the degree that this is accomplished, will not our heart's love, like His, embrace all men ?
As Christian workers, as believers in the soon coming of Christ, can we afford to allow national jealousies, racial bitternesses, political suspicions and animosities, to fill our souls? Brethren and sisters, the time has come when we should be done with such things. In the remnant church such things ought not to be. May God deliver us, and may we pray continually that the "love of God" may be shed abroad in our hearts.
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love!
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above."
