(Excerpts by Bishop A. J. Tomlinson)
This last days’ message consists of appropriate words and sentences to express the teaching of the Lord Jesus. It includes the last commission in operation—“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” …The teaching of the Church of God as given out by Christ commences with repentance. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).
Furthermore, it carries with it the part of the last commission that has been overlooked in former years—“Teaching them to observe [put into practice] all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” In His commands to His disciples He made it clear that they must be sanctified—made holy—then receive the Holy Ghost. These are experiences that Jesus commanded His disciples to receive. The last days message teaches people of these last days to observe the same because Jesus said, “Teaching them to observe ALL THINGS whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matt. 28:20). The Church that Jesus set in order while He was on earth, and which was hidden for so many centuries, has returned to finish the work that He gave it to do. The early Church just merely got started when false teachers arose and sidetracked the doctrine. And thus, the power departed. In fulfillment of prophecy, however, and true to God’s eternal purpose, at the exact time marked out for it, it suddenly appeared again with scarcely anybody knowing anything about it. But it is far enough along now so it is startling the world to an extent, and will do it more a little later. It was God through the mouth of Isaiah that commanded it to “Arise, shine,” and on this account it just had to come forth. It came for the purpose of making preparations for the return of the Lord.
There is a way we can know about this last days’ work. At the same time the last days’ Church commenced its work of preparation, the automobiles and airplanes made their appearance. This statement is verified by the prophet who tells of these wonderful inventions. He also includes the harnessing of the rivers, and the opening and shifting of the great gates to control the flood waters and droughts. “…the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings… The gates of the rivers shall be opened” (Nah. 2:3, 4, 6). It is necessary to have the automobiles and the highways for use in hurrying this last days’ message to every creature. It is very clear that with the rising of the Church came the automobiles. Then the highways became a necessity. Another prophecy is fulfilled in making this rapid way of travel. “…many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Dan. 12:4).
Remarkable as it may seem, at about the same time that the Church was beginning to rise in the western part of North Carolina, USA, the Wright brothers were working on their flying machine project in the extreme eastern part of the same state. The Church and the airplane came up on time and in the same year. In the same chapter of Isaiah that God commanded the Church to rise out of obscurity and begin to function, he tells also about the flying machines beginning to fly. When Isaiah saw his vision, he did not know what to name them, so he made an inquiry about who there were. “Who are these that fly as a cloud,” he asked, “and as the doves to their windows?” (Isa. 60:8). And this was at the very time he saw the Church rising and pictured it as being so bright and powerful that multitudes would come flowing into it.
The Church that is mentioned in connection with the last days message is the same Church that Jesus set in order when He said, “Upon this rock I will build my church,” It is not something new, instituted to be operated in the last days. It has only been discovered or revealed, and is now operating just as spoken by the prophets. It will continue to operate until it serves its purpose in making ready for the return of the Lord. There is nobody ready for the coming of the Lord yet. But now while the automobiles are running with great speed through the land is the time to make preparations. It is now time to hasten greatly in making this preparation. It is not enough for people to have a good experience. Experience of being saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost alone does not make people ready for His coming. Indeed, they must have a good experience, but those who have a good experience are required to get certain work done before they have any right to say they are ready for the Lord to come. Then, too, it is only His Church that He is going to present to Himself, according to Paul’s statement.
The Church is going to be very extensively known and will meet with favor everywhere because of its message of peace and good will. The eyes of all the nations shall see it, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. The ministers shall see eye to eye and all divisions shall be a thing of the past. This movement is not limited to a few composed of some particular race, but it is worldwide and composed of all races as well as all nations. This is the holy nation represented by the flag of red, white, blue and purple, and the scepter, star and crown. It is destined to subjugate this world to Christ without the sound of a gun or the shedding of blood in the conquest. The time will come when people and nations will flow unto it in a similar manner to the way the animals were moved unto Noah’s new ark when it was ready for them. Even kings and queens will lend their assistance and bid us welcome into their countries…
“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away” (Isa. 51:11). “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). “And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly” (Isa. 5:26).