not　speak　parables？〃　In　contempt　they　declared　the　preacher　of　righteousness
  to　be　a　wild　enthusiast；　and　they　went　on；　more　eager　in　their　pursuit　of
  pleasure；　more　intent　upon　their　evil　ways；　than　before。　But　their　unbelief
  did　not　hinder　the　predicted　event。　God　bore　long　with　their　wickedness；
  giving　them　ample　opportunity　for　repentance；　but　at　the　appointed　time　His
  judgments　were　visited　upon　the　rejecters　of　His　mercy。
  Christ　declares　that　there　will　exist　similar　unbelief　concerning　His　second
  coming。　As　the　people　of　Noah's　day　〃knew　not　until　the　Flood　came；　and　took
  them　all　away；　so；〃　in　the　words　of　our　Saviour；　〃shall　also　the　coming　of
  the　Son　of　man　be。〃　Matthew　24…39。　When　the　professed　people　of　God　are
  uniting　with　the　world；　living　as　they　live；　and　joining　with　them　in
  forbidden　pleasures；　when　the　luxury　of　the　world　becomes　the　luxury　of　the
  church；　when　the　marriage　bells　are　chiming；　and　all　are　looking　forward　to
  many　years　of　worldly　prosperitythen；　suddenly　as　the
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  lightning　flashes　from　the　heavens；　will　come　the　end　of　their　bright
  visions　and　delusive　hopes。
  As　God　sent　His　servant　to　warn　the　world　of　the　coming　Flood；　so　He　sent
  chosen　messengers　to　make　known　the　nearness　of　the　final　judgment。　And　as
  Noah's　contemporaries　laughed　to　scorn　the　predictions　of　the　preacher　of
  righteousness；　so　in　Miller's　day　many；　even　of　the　professed　people　of　God；
  scoffed　at　the　words　of　warning。
  And　why　were　the　doctrine　and　preaching　of　Christ's　second　coming　so
  unwelcome　to　the　churches？　While　to　the　wicked　the　advent　of　the　Lord　brings
  woe　and　desolation；　to　the　righteous　it　is　fraught　with　joy　and　hope。　This
  great　truth　had　been　the　consolation　of　God's　faithful　ones　through　all　the
  ages；　why　had　it　become；　like　its　Author；　〃a　stone　of　stumbling〃　and　〃a　rock
  of　offense〃　to　His　professed　people？　It　was　our　Lord　Himself　who　promised
  His　disciples：　〃If　I　go　and　prepare　a　place　for　you；　I　will　come　again；　and
  receive　you　unto　Myself。〃　John　14：3。　It　was　the　compassionate　Saviour；　who；
  anticipating　the　loneliness　and　sorrow　of　His　followers；　commissioned　angels
  to　comfort　them　with　the　assurance　that　He　would　come　again　in　person；　even
  as　He　went　into　heaven。　As　the　disciples　stood　gazing　intently　upward　to
  catch　the　last　glimpse　of　Him　whom　they　loved；　their　attention　was　arrested
  by　the　words：　〃Ye　men　of　Galilee；　why　stand　ye　gazing　up　into　heaven？　this
  same　Jesus；　which　is　taken　up　from　you　into　heaven；　shall　so　come　in　like
  manner　as　ye　have　seen　Him　go　into　heaven。〃　Acts　1：11。　Hope　was　kindled
  afresh　by　the　angels'　message。　The　disciples　〃returned　to　Jerusalem　with
  great　joy：　and　were　continually　in　the　temple；　praising　and　blessing　God。〃
  Luke　24：52；　53。　They　were　not　rejoicing　because　Jesus　had　been　separated
  from　them　and　they　were　left　to　struggle　with　the　trials　and　temptations　of
  the　world；　but　because　of　the　angels'　assurance　that　He　would　come　again。
  The　proclamation　of　Christ's　coming　should　now　be；　as　when　made　by　the
  angels　to　the　shepherds　of　Bethlehem；
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  good　tidings　of　great　joy。　Those　who　really　love　the　Saviour　cannot　but　hail
  with　gladness　the　announcement　founded　upon　the　word　of　God　that　He　in　whom
  their　hopes　of　eternal　life　are　centered　is　coming　again；　not　to　be
  insulted；　despised；　and　rejected；　as　at　His　first　advent；　but　in　power　and
  glory；　to　redeem　His　people。　It　is　those　who　do　not　love　the　Saviour　that
  desire　Him　to　remain　away；　and　there　can　be　no　more　conclusive　evidence　that
  the　churches　have　departed　from　God　than　the　irritation　and　animosity
  excited　by　this　Heaven…sent　message。
  Those　who　accepted　the　advent　doctrine　were　roused　to　the　necessity　of
  repentance　and　humiliation　before　God。　Many　had　long　been　halting　between
  Christ　and　the　world；　now　they　felt　that　it　was　time　to　take　a　stand。　〃The
  things　of　eternity　assumed　to　them　an　unwonted　reality。　Heaven　was　brought
  near；　and　they　felt　themselves　guilty　before　God。〃　Bliss；　page　146。
  Christians　were　quickened　to　new　spiritual　life。　They　were　made　to　feel　that
  time　was　short；　that　what　they　had　to　do　for　their　fellow　men　must　be　done
  quickly。　Earth　receded；　eternity　seemed　to　open　before　them；　and　the　soul；
  with　all　that　pertained　to　its　immortal　weal　or　woe；　was　felt　to　eclipse
  every　temporal　object。　The　Spirit　of　God　rested　upon　them　and　gave　power　to
  their　earnest　appeals　to　their　brethren；　as　well　as　to　sinners；　to　prepare
  for　the　day　of　God。　The　silent　testimony　of　their　daily　life　was　a　constant
  rebuke　to　formal　and　unconsecrated　church　members。　These　did　not　wish　to　be
  disturbed　in　their　pursuit　of　pleasure；　their　devotion　to　money…making；　and
  their　ambition　for　worldly　honor。　Hence　the　enmity　and　opposition　excited
  against　the　advent　faith　and　those　who　proclaimed　it。
  As　the　arguments　from　the　prophetic　periods　were　found　to　be　impregnable；
  opposers　endeavored　to　discourage　investigation　of　the　subject　by　teaching
  that　the　prophecies　were　sealed。　Thus　Protestants　followed　in　the　steps　of
  Romanists。　While　the　papal　church　withholds　the　Bible　（see　Appendix）　from
  the　people；　Protestant　churches　claimed　that　an
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  important　part　of　the　Sacred　Wordand　that　the　part　which　brings　to　view
  truths　specially　applicable　to　our　timecould　not　be　understood。
  Ministers　and　people　declared　that　the　prophecies　of　Daniel　and　the
  Revelation　were　incomprehensible　mysteries。　But　Christ　directed　His
  disciples　to　the　words　of　the　prophet　Daniel　concerning　events　to　take　place
  in　their　time；　and　said：　〃Whoso　readeth；　let　him　understand。〃　Matthew　24：15。
  And　the　assertion　that　the　Revelation　is　a　mystery；　not　to　be　understood；　is
  contradicted　by　the　very　title　of　the　book：　〃The　Revelation　of　Jesus　Christ；
  which　God　gave　unto　Him；　to　show　unto　His　servants　things　which　must　shortly
  come　to　pass。　。　。　。　Blessed　is　he　that　readeth；　and　they　that　hear　the　words
  of　this　prophecy；　and　keep　those　things　which　are　written　therein：　for　the
  time　is　at　hand。〃　Revelation　1：1…3。
  Says　the　prophet：　〃Blessed　is　he　that　readeth〃there　are　those　who　will　not
  read；　the　blessing　is　not　for　them。　〃And　they　that　hear〃there　are　some；
  also；　who　refuse　to　hear　anything　concerning　the　prophecies；　the　blessing　is
  not　for　this　class。　〃And　keep　those　things　which　are　written　therein〃　many
  refuse　to　heed　the　warnings　and　instructions　contained　in　the　Revelation；
  none　of　these　can　claim　the　blessing　promised。　All　who　ridicule　the　subjects
  of　the　prophecy　and　mock　at　the　symbols　here　solemnly　given；　all　who　refuse
  to　reform　their　lives　and　to　prepare　for　the　coming　of　the　Son　of　man；　will
  be　unblessed。
  In　view　of　the　testimony　of　Inspiration；　how　dare　men　teach　that　the
  Revelation　is　a　mystery　beyond　the　reach　of　human　understanding？　It　is　a
  mystery　revealed；　a　book　opened。　The　study　of　the　Revelation　directs　the
  mind　to　the　prophecies　of　Daniel；　and　both　present　most　important
  instruction；　given　of　God　to　men；　concerning　events　to　take　place　at　the
  close　of　this　world's　history。
  To　John　were　opened　scenes　of　deep　and　thrilling　interest　in　the　experience
  of　the　church。　He　saw　the　position；　dangers；　conflicts；　and　final
  deliverance　of　the　people　of　God。　He
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  records　the　closing　messages　which　are　to　ripen　the　harvest　of　the　earth；
  either　as　sheaves　for　the　heavenly　garner　or　as　fagots　for　the　fires　of
  destruction。　Subjects　of　vast　importance　were　revealed　to　him；　especially
  for　the　last　church；　that　those　who　should　turn　from　error　to　truth　might　be
  instructed　concerning　the　perils　and　conflicts　before　them。　None　need　be　in
  darkness　in　regard　to　what　is　coming　upon　the　earth。
  Why；　then；　this　widespread　ignorance　concerning　an　important　part　of　Holy
  Writ？　Why　this　general　reluctance　to　investigate　its　teachings？　It　is　the
  result　of　a　studied　effort　of　the　prince　of　darkness　to　conceal　from　men
  that　which　reveals　his　deceptions。　For　this　reason；　Christ　the　Revelator；
  foreseeing　the　warfare　that　would　be　waged　against　the　study　of　the
  Revelation；　pronounced　a　blessing　upon　all　who　should　read；　hear；　and
  observe　the　words　of　the　prophecy。
  （343）
  Chapter　19
  Light　Through　Darkness
  The　work　of　God　in　the　earth　presents；　from　age　to　age；　a　striking
  similarity　in　every　great　reformation　or　religious　movement。　The　principles
  of　God's　dealing　with　men　are　ever　the　same。　The　important　movements　of　the
  present　have　their　parallel　in　those　of　the　past；　and　the　experience　of　the
  church　in　former　ages　has　lessons　of　great　value　for　our　own　time。
  No　truth　is　more　clearly　taught　in　the　Bible　than　that　God　by　His　Holy
  Spirit　especially　directs　His　servants　on　earth　in　the　great　movements　for
  the　carrying　forward　of　the　work　of　salvation。　Men　are　instruments　in　the
  hand　of　God；　employed　by　Him　to　accomplish　His　purposes　of　grace　and　mercy。
  Each　has　his　part　to　act；　to　each　is　granted　a　measure　of　light；　adapted　to
  the　necessities　of　his　time；　and　suf