Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

accepted the humiliation of the Ninevites and extended their period of probation. Yetthe message that Jonah brought was sent of God, and Nineveh was tested according toHis will. The world looked upon our hope as a delusion, and our disappointment as itsconsequent failure.The words of the Saviour in the parable of the wicked servant apply very forciblyto those who ridicule the near coming of the Son of man: “But and if that evil servantshall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come ina day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cuthim asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.”We found everywhere the scoffers whom Peter said should come in the last days,walking after their own lusts, and saying: “Where is the promise of His coming?for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginningof the creation.” But those who had looked for the coming of the Lord were notwithout comfort. They had obtained valuable knowledge in the searching of the word.The plan of salvation was plainer to their understanding. Every day they discoverednew beauties in the sacred pages, and a wonderful harmony running through all, onescripture explaining another, and no word used in vain.Our disappointment was not so great as that of the disciples. When the Son ofman rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, they expected Him to be crowned king. Thepeople flocked from all the region about, and cried: “Hosanna to the Son of David.”And when the priests and elders besought Jesus to still the multitude, He declared thatif they should hold their peace even the stones would cry out, for prophecy must befulfilled. Yet in a few days these very disciples saw their beloved Master, whom theybelieved would reign on David’s throne, stretched upon the cruel cross above the57