General Conference Bulletin, vol. 1

THE EASTERN QUESTION

A. T. JONES

[READING NO. 2. SABBATH, MAY 16. — PART I.]

THE government of Turkey is a perplexity to the powers of Europe, who are greatly at a loss to know how to deal with it. But God has a part in this matter. Of old he directed in the affairs of nations, and worked out through them his own plans and purposes. And as he is a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and one with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, his love and care for the nations of today are as great as they ever were in the past. GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.2

In the words of his prophets were his counsels made known concerning the nations of old, and in these likewise we may read his purposes concerning the nations today. It will not be necessary here to discuss at length the prophetic passages which relate to the Turkish power, since the readers of this article will be such as already have an intelligent knowledge of this subject. [The International Tract Society is just now getting out a new 16 page tract, by Elder A. T. Jones, which treats of the Eastern Question.] GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.3

On Aug. 11, 1840, the time set by prophecy for the close of the existence and work of the Ottoman Empire as such, expired, and since that time Turkey has been a ward of the great powers of Europe. Thus the sixth trumpet ceased to sound; the second woe ended. Of the seventh trumpet, the third woe, we read: “The second woe is past: and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” Then follows a narration of events which are to take place under the sounding of that trumpet:— GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.4

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and has reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. Revelation 11:15-19. GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.5

All these things were, by the word of God, to “come quickly” after Aug. 11, 1840; quickly after the date when the rule of the Ottoman Empire by its own power passed away; quickly after that empire was by the great powers set as a bulwark against the anger of nations breaking out in an appalling and universal war. Half a century has passed since that time, and in view of the undeniable facts and dangers that are vexing the governments and puzzling the people, — in view of all these troubles that are hanging over the world, — how much more certainly is it true now that the end cometh quickly. GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.6

Again: in the eleventh chapter of Daniel, the Turkish power is treated of, under the name of “king of the north,” and in the last verse of that chapter two events are spoken of which all Europe is constantly looking for; namely, the expulsion of the Turk from Constantinople, and the wiping out of the Ottoman Empire. GCB April 1, 1896, page 691.7

In the words of the angel, “He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” The “glorious holy mountain” can be no other place than Jerusalem, which is even now called in the Turkish and Arabic “the holy.” It is certain, therefore, that the seat of the Ottoman Empire will be removed from Constantinople, and will finally be planted in Jerusalem, and then it is just as certain that that power comes to an end. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.1

“He shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” This expression shows that he would before have come to his end, unless somebody had helped him. All who have studied the course of events since 1840 know how fully this has been so. And in the autumn and winter of 1895-96 we again saw that power standing for months on the very brink of expulsion from Constantinople, so that each morning, as we arose and bought the daily paper, we expected to read dispatches telling that this had been accomplished. But in this crisis again somebody has helped him, and he still abides in his place. Nevertheless the day is sure to come, and to come soon, when the Ottoman power will be removed from Constantinople, and be planted in Jerusalem. And then “he shall come to his end, and none shall help him,” and, indeed, he will come to his end simply because none shall help him. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.2

Yet this is not all. The angel did not end his discourse here. He continues:— GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.3

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:1, 2 GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.4

Whether the Turkish power shall leave Constantinople, and when; whether it shall be wiped out, and if so, when; these are great and interesting questions, and multitudes are anxiously studying them. But of far greater consequence is the question, What will happen when these things are accomplished? The word of God says that at that time there shall be such a time of trouble upon the earth as never was since there has been a nation. This is the very thing which the nations are dreading, and against this universal woe of war and tumult the great powers are holding the Ottoman Empire as long as possible as a bulwark, knowing that when that bulwark shall have been broken down, this appalling torrent must spread over all. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.5

May the Lord in his mercy help all the people to study and believe the solemn truths contained in these prophecies, and then to proclaim them to earth’s remotest limits, that the world may be prepared and fully ready for that which, by every evidence on the question, is ready to burst in fury upon it. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.6

This is simply what is called for, from every one who professes to believe the third angel’s message. We are in the time when the nations are angry, and when the rulers and leading thinkers of the great nations are fearing daily that this anger will break out in an appalling and universal war. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.7

In this time God has a message for all nations, a message not of war, but of peace - the peace of the everlasting gospel. For at this time it is that God sends the everlasting gospel to be preached unto them that dwell upon the earth, “and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” This is the very message which we profess to be giving to the world. This profession is true; but what are you and I doing to fulfill the profession in living fact to all people and nations? GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.8

In ancient times God sent his angel to the court of Cyrus to frustrate the counsels of men who would hinder the work of God in the world. In our day also his angels are at the great centers of events in the world, still to hold in check the evil elements, and frustrate the counsels of men who would hinder the work of God in the world. For “I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Revelation 7:1-3. GCB April 1, 1896, page 692.9

This is the work of the angels in performing their part in this great message of God to the world. You who profess to be engaged in the work of this message, what are you doing on this, our side, of the message? What was Daniel doing in the crisis of the great work of God in his day? You know that he was so earnestly devoted to the work, that he could spend “three full weeks” without weariness in seeking the Lord for a correct knowledge of the situation. What are you doing? Is it too much for you to spend two or three days in that way? In this day when in his word and in the actions of the nations God has so fully made known his counsels for our time, how much time are you spending in seeking the Lord for a correct knowledge of the situation, and of what he would have you to do in finishing his work? O let the spirit and devotion of Daniel prevail everywhere in our ranks today! Then the Spirit and power of God shall prevail, as he longs that it shall in all the world. Then he can “finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth,” when through the devotion of his people his great power can have place to manifest itself. GCB April 1, 1896, page 693.1

This record of the time of Daniel was written for us in this time. Who in this time is there that will not stir himself up to take hold on God, as did Daniel then? It is not now, “Dare to be a Daniel,” so much as it is, Who can dare not to be a Daniel? For not to be a Daniel now is surely to fail. GCB April 1, 1896, page 693.2