Page 38 - Watchman- What of the Night

of standing before the august presence of God are tremendous incentives to purity of

life. It must be admitted that the Brethren of the Common Life give, collectively, a
vastly better demonstration of purity and holiness of life than the moderns who
profess a keen awareness of the near return of Christ and preach perennially an
imminent rapture. Whether the hope and expectation is our going to Him or His

coming to us, the important thing and that which will purify, is that it be genuine
possession and not mere oral profession!
We have been warned by some of our friends of the rapturists camp, lest we enact
the role of the ―evil servant‖ of Matt. 24:48, 49, who says, ― ‗My Lord delayeth His

coming,‘ and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the
drunken.‖ We reply that we believe our Lord will delay His coming only until the
signs He himself gave, are fulfilled. The evil servant of Matt. 24:48 who is guilty of
violence and debauchery is placed at the end of that great chapter where the signs are

carefully listed. After those signs are fulfilled anyone who yet denies the imminency
of the advent, and persists in out breaking wickedness, must be an ―evil servant‖
indeed. It might be just as evil to pre-date His coming before the signs He gave are
present, as to post-date it after the signs are accomplished. In either case His words

are keep us ready to meet Him!

38