In the visions of the night a very impressive
scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall among
some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I
heard someone say: "We knew that the judgments of God were
coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come
so soon." Others, with agonized voices, said: "You
knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know." On
every side I heard similar words of reproach spoken.
In great distress I awoke. I went to sleep
again, and I seemed to be in a large gathering. One of authority
was addressing the company, before whom was spread out a map
of the world. He said that the map pictured God's vineyard, which
must be cultivated. As light from heaven shone upon anyone, that
one was to reflect the light to others. Lights were to be kindled
in many places, and from these lights still other lights were
to be kindled.
The words were repeated: "Ye are the
salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith
shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to
be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men. Ye are the light
of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither
do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16.
I saw jets of light shining from cities
and villages, and from the high places and the low places of
the earth. God's word was obeyed, and as a result there
were memorials for Him in every city and village.
His truth was proclaimed throughout the world.
Then this map was removed and another put
in its place. On it light was shining from a few places only.
The rest of the world was in darkness, with only a glimmer of
light here and there. Our Instructor said: "This darkness
is the result of men's following their own course. They have
cherished hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. They
have made questioning and faultfinding and accusing the chief
business of their lives. Their hearts are not right with
God. They have hidden their light under a bushel."
If every soldier of Christ had done his
duty, if every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet
a certain sound, the world might ere this have heard the message
of warning. But the work is years behind. While men have slept,
Satan has stolen a march upon us.
Putting our trust in God, we are to move steadily forward, doing His work with unselfishness, in humble dependence upon Him, committing ourselves and our present and future to His wise providence, holding the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end, remembering that it is not because of our worthiness that we receive the blessings of heaven, but because of the worthiness of Christ, and our acceptance, through faith in Him, of God's abounding grace.