Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

56 Testimonies for the Church Volume 1[57][58]city would be overthrown; but God accepted the humiliation of theNinevites and extended their period of probation. Yet the message thatJonah brought was sent of God, and Nineveh was tested accordingto His will. The world looked upon our hope as a delusion, and ourdisappointment as its consequent failure.The words of the Saviour in the parable of the wicked servant applyvery forcibly to those who ridicule the near coming of the Son of man:“But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayethHis coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eatand drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in aday when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not awareof, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with thehypocrites.”We found everywhere the scoffers whom Peter said should comein the last days, walking after their own lusts, and saying: “Where isthe promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all thingscontinue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” But thosewho had looked for the coming of the Lord were not without comfort.They had obtained valuable knowledge in the searching of the word.The plan of salvation was plainer to their understanding. Every daythey discovered new beauties in the sacred pages, and a wonderfulharmony running through all, one scripture explaining another, and noword used in vain.Our disappointment was not so great as that of the disciples. Whenthe Son of man rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, they expected Himto be crowned king. The people flocked from all the region about, andcried: “Hosanna to the Son of David.” And when the priests and eldersbesought Jesus to still the multitude, He declared that if they shouldhold their peace even the stones would cry out, for prophecy mustbe fulfilled. Yet in a few days these very disciples saw their belovedMaster, whom they believed would reign on David’s throne, stretchedupon the cruel cross above the mocking, taunting Pharisees. Theirhigh hopes were disappointed, and the darkness of death closed aboutthem.Yet Christ was true to His promises. Sweet was the consolation Hegave His people, rich the reward of the true and faithful.Mr. Miller and those who were in union with him supposed thatthe cleansing of the sanctuary spoken of in Daniel 8:14meant the