370
  explained　the　reasons　of　their　faith。　Sometimes　the　instrument　was　feeble；
  but　the　Spirit　of　God　gave　power　to　His　truth。　The　presence　of　holy　angels
  was　felt　in　these　assemblies；　and　many　were　daily　added　to　the　believers。　As
  the　evidences　of　Christ's　soon　coming　were　repeated；　vast　crowds　listened　in
  breathless　silence　to　the　solemn　words。　Heaven　and　earth　seemed　to　approach
  each　other。　The　power　of　God　was　felt　upon　old　and　young　and　middle…aged。
  Men　sought　their　homes　with　praises　upon　their　lips；　and　the　glad　sound　rang
  out　upon　the　still　night　air。　None　who　attended　those　meetings　can　ever
  forget　those　scenes　of　deepest　interest。
  The　proclamation　of　a　definite　time　for　Christ's　coming　called　forth　great
  opposition　from　many　of　all　classes；　from　the　minister　in　the　pulpit　down　to
  the　most　reckless；　Heaven…daring　sinner。　The　words　of　prophecy　were
  fulfilled：　〃There　shall　come　in　the　last　days　scoffers；　walking　after　their
  own　lusts；　and　saying；　Where　is　the　promise　of　His　coming？　for　since　the
  fathers　fell　asleep；　all　things　continue　as　they　were　from　the　beginning　of
  the　creation。〃　2　Peter　3：3；　4。　Many　who　professed　to　love　the　Saviour；
  declared　that　they　had　no　opposition　to　the　doctrine　of　the　second　advent；
  they　merely　objected　to　the　definite　time。　But　God's　all…seeing　eye　read
  their　hearts。　They　did　not　wish　to　hear　of　Christ's　coming　to　judge　the
  world　in　righteousness。　They　had　been　unfaithful　servants；　their　works　would
  not　bear　the　inspection　of　the　heart…searching　God；　and　they　feared　to　meet
  their　Lord。　Like　the　Jews　at　the　time　of　Christ's　first　advent　they　were　not
  prepared　to　welcome　Jesus。　They　not　only　refused　to　listen　to　the　plain
  arguments　from　the　Bible；　but　ridiculed　those　who　were　looking　for　the　Lord。
  Satan　and　his　angels　exulted；　and　flung　the　taunt　in　the　face　of　Christ　and
  holy　angels　that　His　professed　people　had　so　little　love　for　Him　that　they
  did　not　desire　His　appearing。
  〃No　man　knoweth　the　day　nor　the　hour〃　was　the　argument　most　often　brought
  forward　by　rejecters　of　the　advent　faith。　The　scripture　is：　〃Of　that　day　and
  hour　knoweth　no
  371
  man；　no　not　the　angels　of　heaven；　but　My　Father　only。〃　Matthew　24：36。　A
  clear　and　harmonious　explanation　of　this　text　was　given　by　those　who　were
  looking　for　the　Lord；　and　the　wrong　use　made　of　it　by　their　opponents　was
  clearly　shown。　The　words　were　spoken　by　Christ　in　that　memorable
  conversation　with　His　disciples　upon　Olivet　after　He　had　for　the　last　time
  departed　from　the　temple。　The　disciples　had　asked　the　question：　〃What　shall
  be　the　sign　of　Thy　coming；　and　of　the　end　of　the　world？〃　Jesus　gave　them
  signs；　and　said：　〃When　ye　shall　see　all　these　things；　know　that　it　is　near；
  even　at　the　doors。〃　Verses　3；　33。　One　saying　of　the　Saviour　must　not　be　made
  to　destroy　another。　Though　no　man　knoweth　the　day　nor　the　hour　of　His
  coming；　we　are　instructed　and　required　to　know　when　it　is　near。　We　are
  further　taught　that　to　disregard　His　warning；　and　refuse　or　neglect　to　know
  when　His　advent　is　near；　will　be　as　fatal　for　us　as　it　was　for　those　who
  lived　in　the　days　of　Noah　not　to　know　when　the　flood　was　coming。　And　the
  parable　in　the　same　chapter；　contrasting　the　faithful　and　the　unfaithful
  servant；　and　giving　the　doom　of　him　who　said　in　his　heart；　〃My　Lord　delayeth
  His　coming；〃　shows　in　what　light　Christ　will　regard　and　reward　those　whom　He
  finds　watching；　and　teaching　His　coming；　and　those　denying　it。　〃Watch
  therefore；〃　He　says。　〃Blessed　is　that　servant；　whom　his　Lord　when　He　cometh
  shall　find　so　doing。〃　Verses　42；　46。　〃If　therefore　thou　shalt　not　watch；　I
  will　come　on　thee　as　a　thief；　and　thou　shalt　not　know　what　hour　I　will　come
  upon　thee。〃　Revelation　3：3。
  Paul　speaks　of　a　class　to　whom　the　Lord's　appearing　will　come　unawares。　〃The
  day　of　the　Lord　so　cometh　as　a　thief　in　the　night。　For　when　they　shall　say；
  Peace　and　safety；　then　sudden　destruction　cometh　upon　them；　。　。　。　and　they
  shall　not　escape。〃　But　he　adds；　to　those　who　have　given　heed　to　the
  Saviour's　warning：　〃Ye；　brethren；　are　not　in　darkness；　that　that　day　should
  overtake　you　as　a　thief。　Ye　are　all　the　children　of　light；　and　the　children
  of　the　day：　we　are　not　of　the　night；　nor　of　darkness。〃　1　Thessalonians
  5：2…5。
  372
  Thus　it　was　shown　that　Scripture　gives　no　warrant　for　men　to　remain　in
  ignorance　concerning　the　nearness　of　Christ's　coming。　But　those　who　desired
  only　an　excuse　to　reject　the　truth　closed　their　ears　to　this　explanation；
  and　the　words　〃No　man　knoweth　the　day　nor　the　hour〃　continued　to　be　echoed
  by　the　bold　scoffer　and　even　by　the　professed　minister　of　Christ。　As　the
  people　were　roused；　and　began　to　inquire　the　way　of　salvation；　religious
  teachers　stepped　in　between　them　and　the　truth；　seeking　to　quiet　their　fears
  by　falsely　interpreting　the　word　of　God。　Unfaithful　watchmen　united　in　the
  work　of　the　great　deceiver；　crying；　Peace；　peace；　when　God　had　not　spoken
  peace。　Like　the　Pharisees　in　Christ's　day；　many　refused　to　enter　the　kingdom
  of　heaven　themselves；　and　those　who　were　entering　in　they　hindered。　The
  blood　of　these　souls　will　be　required　at　their　hand。
  The　most　humble　and　devoted　in　the　churches　were　usually　the　first　to
  receive　the　message。　Those　who　studied　the　Bible　for　themselves　could　not
  but　see　the　unscriptural　character　of　the　popular　views　of　prophecy；　and
  wherever　the　people　were　not　controlled　by　the　influence　of　the　clergy；
  wherever　they　would　search　the　word　of　God　for　themselves；　the　advent
  doctrine　needed　only　to　be　compared　with　the　Scriptures　to　establish　its
  divine　authority。
  Many　were　persecuted　by　their　unbelieving　brethren。　In　order　to　retain　their
  position　in　the　church；　some　consented　to　be　silent　in　regard　to　their　hope；
  but　others　felt　that　loyalty　to　God　forbade　them　thus　to　hide　the　truths
  which　He　had　committed　to　their　trust。　Not　a　few　were　cut　off　from　the
  fellowship　of　the　church　for　no　other　reason　than　expressing　their　belief　in
  the　coming　of　Christ。　Very　precious　to　those　who　bore　this　trial　of　their
  faith　were　the　words　of　the　prophet：　〃Your　brethren　that　hated　you；　that
  cast　you　out　for　My　name's　sake；　said；　Let　the　Lord　be　glorified：　but　He
  shall　appear　to　your　joy；　and　they　shall　be　ashamed。〃　Isaiah　66：5。
  Angels　of　God　were　watching　with　the　deepest　interest
  373
  the　result　of　the　warning。　When　there　was　a　general　rejection　of　the　message
  by　the　churches；　angels　turned　away　in　sadness。　But　there　were　many　who　had
  not　yet　been　tested　in　regard　to　the　advent　truth。　Many　were　misled　by
  husbands；　wives；　parents；　or　children；　and　were　made　to　believe　it　a　sin
  even　to　listen　to　such　heresies　as　were　taught　by　the　Adventists。　Angels
  were　bidden　to　keep　faithful　watch　over　these　souls；　for　another　light　was
  yet　to　shine　upon　them　from　the　throne　of　God。
  With　unspeakable　desire　those　who　had　received　the　message　watched　for　the
  coming　of　their　Saviour。　The　time　when　they　expected　to　meet　Him　was　at
  hand。　They　approached　this　hour　with　a　calm　solemnity。　They　rested　in　sweet
  communion　with　God；　and　earnest　of　the　peace　that　was　to　be　theirs　in　the
  bright　hereafter。　None　who　experienced　this　hope　and　trust　can　forget　those
  precious　hours　of　waiting。　For　some　weeks　preceding　the　time；　worldly
  business　was　for　the　most　part　laid　aside。　The　sincere　believers　carefully
  examined　every　thought　and　emotion　of　their　hearts　as　if　upon　their
  deathbeds　and　in　a　few　hours　to　close　their　eyes　upon　earthly　scenes。　There
  was　no　making　of　〃ascension　robes〃　（see　Appendix）；　but　all　felt　the　need　of
  internal　evidence　that　they　were　prepared　to　meet　the　Saviour；　their　white
  robes　were　purity　of　soulcharacters　cleansed　from　sin　by　the　atoning　blood
  of　Christ。　Would　that　there　were　still　with　the　professed　people　of　God　the
  same　spirit　of　heart　searching；　the　same　earnest；　determined　faith。　Had　they
  continued　thus　to　humble　themselves　before　the　Lord　and　press　their
  petitions　at　the　mercy　seat　they　would　be　in　possession　of　a　far　richer
  experience　than　they　now　have。　There　is　too　little　prayer；　too　little　real
  conviction　of　sin；　and　the　lack　of　living　faith　leaves　many　destitute　of　the
  grace　so　richly　provided　by　our　Redeemer。
  God　designed　to　prove　His　people。　His　hand　covered　a　mistake　in　the
  reckoning　of　the　prophetic　periods。　Adventists
  374
  did　not　discover　the　error；　nor　was　it　discovered　by　the　most　learned　of
  their　opponents。　The　latter　said：　〃Your　reckoning　of　the　prophetic　periods
  is　correct。　Some　great　event　is　about　to　take　place；　but　it　is　not　what　Mr。
  Miller　predicts；　it　is　the　conversion　of　the　world；　and　not　the　second
  advent　of　Christ。〃　（See　Appendix。）
  The　time　of　expectation　passed；　and　Christ　did　not　appear　for　the
  deliverance　of　His　people。　Those　who　with　sincere　faith　and　love　had　looked
  for　their　Saviour；　experienced　a　bitter　disappointment。　Yet　the　purposes　of
  God　were　being　accomplished；　He　was　testing　the　hearts　of　those　professed　to
  be　waiting　for　His　appearing。　There　were　among　them　many　who　had　been
  actuated　by　no　higher　motive　than　fear。　Their　profession　of　f