one；　however；　then　noticed　than　an　apparent　delay　in　the　accomplishment　of
  the　visiona　tarrying　timeis　presented　in　the　same　prophecy。　After　the
  disappointment；　this　scripture　appeared　very　significant：　〃The　vision　is　yet
  for　an　appointed　time；　but　at　the　end　it　shall　speak；　and　not　lie：　though　it
  tarry；　wait　for　it；　because　it　will　surely　come；　it　will　not　tarry。　。　。　。
  The　just　shall　live　by　his　faith。〃
  A　portion　of　Ezekiel's　prophecy　also　was　a　source　of　strength　and　comfort　to
  believers：　〃The　word　of　the　Lord　came　unto　me；　saying；　Son　of　man；　what　is
  that　proverb　that　ye　have　in　the　land　of　Israel；　saying；　The　days　are
  prolonged；　and　every　vision　faileth？　Tell　them　therefore；　Thus　saith　the
  Lord　God。　。　。　。　The　days　are　at　hand；　and　the　effect　of　every　vision。　。　。　。
  I　will　speak；　and　the　word　that　I　shall　speak　shall　come　to　pass；　it　shall
  be　no　more　prolonged。〃　〃They　of　the　house　of　Israel　say；　The　vision　that　he
  seeth　is　for　many　days　to　come；　and　he　prophesieth　of　the　times　that　are　far
  off。　Therefore　say　unto　them；　Thus　saith　the　Lord　God；　There　shall　none　of
  My　words　be　prolonged　any　more；　but　the　word
  393
  which　I　have　spoken　shall　be　done。〃　Ezekiel　12：21…25；　27；　28。
  The　waiting　ones　rejoiced；　believing　that　He　who　knows　the　end　from　the
  beginning　had　looked　down　through　the　ages　and；　foreseeing　their
  disappointment；　had　given　them　words　of　courage　and　hope。　Had　it　not　been
  for　such　portions　of　Scripture；　admonishing　them　to　wait　with　patience　and
  to　hold　fast　their　confidence　in　God's　word；　their　faith　would　have　failed
  in　that　trying　hour。
  The　parable　of　the　ten　virgins　of　Matthew　25　also　illustrates　the　experience
  of　the　Adventist　people。　In　Matthew
  24；　in　answer　to　the　question　of　His　disciples　concerning　the
  sign　of　His　coming　and　of　the　end　of　the　world；　Christ　had　pointed　out　some
  of　the　most　important　events　in　the　history　of　the　world　and　of　the　church
  from　His　first　to　His　second　advent；　namely；　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem；
  the　great　tribulation　of　the　church　under　the　pagan　and　papal　persecutions；
  the　darkening　of　the　sun　and　moon；　and　the　falling　of　the　stars。　After　this
  He　spoke　of　His　coming　in　His　kingdom；　and　related　the　parable　describing
  the　two　classes　of　servants　who　look　for　His　appearing。　Chapter　25　opens
  with　the　words：　〃Then　shall　the　kingdom　of　heaven　be　likened　unto　ten
  virgins。〃　Here　is　brought　to　view　the　church　living　in　the　last　days；　the
  same　that　is　pointed　out　in　the　close　of　chapter
  24。　In　this　parable　their　experience　is　illustrated　by　the
  incidents　of　an　Eastern　marriage。
  〃Then　shall　the　kingdom　of　heaven　be　likened　unto　ten　virgins；　which　took
  their　lamps；　and　went　forth　to　meet　the　bridegroom。　And　five　of　them　were
  wise；　and　five　were　foolish。　They　that　were　foolish　took　their　lamps；　and
  took　no　oil　with　them：　but　the　wise　took　oil　in　their　vessels　with　their
  lamps。　While　the　bridegroom　tarried；　they　all　slumbered　and　slept。　And　at
  midnight　there　was　a　cry　made；　Behold；　the　bridegroom　cometh；　go　ye　out　to
  meet　him。〃
  The　coming　of　Christ；　as　announced　by　the　first　angel's　message；　was
  understood　to　be　represented　by　the　coming
  394
  of　the　bridegroom。　The　widespread　reformation　under　the　proclamation　of　His
  soon　coming；　answered　to　the　going　forth　of　the　virgins。　In　this　parable；　as
  in　that　of　Matthew　24；　two　classes　are　represented。　All　had　taken　their
  lamps；　the　Bible；　and　by　its　light　had　gone　forth　to　meet　the　Bridegroom。
  But　while　〃they　that　were　foolish　took　their　lamps；　and　took　no　oil　with
  them；〃　〃the　wise　took　oil　in　their　vessels　with　their　lamps。　The　latter
  class　had　received　the　grace　of　God；　the　regenerating；　enlightening　power　of
  the　Holy　Spirit；　which　renders　His　word　a　lamp　to　the　feet　and　a　light　to
  the　path。　In　the　fear　of　God　they　had　studied　the　Scriptures　to　learn　the
  truth；　and　had　earnestly　sought　for　purity　of　heart　and　life。　These　had　a
  personal　experience；　a　faith　in　God　and　in　His　word；　which　could　not　be
  overthrown　by　disappointment　and　delay。　Others　〃took　their　lamps；　and　took
  no　oil　with　them。〃　They　had　moved　from　impulse。　Their　fears　had　been　excited
  by　the　solemn　message；　but　they　had　depended　upon　the　faith　of　their
  brethren；　satisfied　with　the　flickering　light　of　good　emotions；　without　a
  thorough　understanding　of　the　truth　or　a　genuine　work　of　grace　in　the　heart。
  These　had　gone　forth　to　meet　the　Lord；　full　of　hope　in　the　prospect　of
  immediate　reward；　but　they　were　not　prepared　for　delay　and　disappointment。
  When　trials　came；　their　faith　failed；　and　their　lights　burned　dim。
  〃While　the　bridegroom　tarried；　they　all　slumbered　and　slept。〃　By　the
  tarrying　of　the　bridegroom　is　represented　the　passing　of　the　time　when　the
  Lord　was　expected；　the　disappointment；　and　the　seeming　delay。　In　this　time
  of　uncertainty；　the　interest　of　the　superficial　and　halfhearted　soon　began
  to　waver；　and　their　efforts　to　relax；　but　those　whose　faith　was　based　on　a
  personal　knowledge　of　the　Bible　had　a　rock　beneath　their　feet；　which　the
  waves　of　disappointment　could　not　wash　away。　〃They　all　slumbered　and　slept；〃
  one　class　in　unconcern　and　abandonment　of　their　faith；　the　other　class
  patiently　waiting　till　clearer　light　should　be　given。　Yet
  395
  in　the　night　of　trial　the　latter　seemed　to　lose；　to　some　extent；　their　zeal
  and　devotion。　The　halfhearted　and　superficial　could　no　longer　lean　upon　the
  faith　of　their　brethren。　Each　must　stand　or　fall　for　himself。
  About　this　time；　fanaticism　began　to　appear。　Some　who　had　professed　to　be
  zealous　believers　in　the　message　rejected　the　word　of　God　as　the　one
  infallible　guide　and；　claiming　to　be　led　by　the　Spirit；　gave　themselves　up
  to　the　control　of　their　own　feelings；　impressions；　and　imaginations。　There
  were　some　who　manifested　a　blind　and　bigoted　zeal；　denouncing　all　who　would
  not　sanction　their　course。　Their　fanatical　ideas　and　exercises　met　with　no
  sympathy　from　the　great　body　of　Adventists；　yet　they　served　to　bring
  reproach　upon　the　cause　of　truth。
  Satan　was　seeking　by　this　means　to　oppose　and　destroy　the　work　of　God。　The
  people　had　been　greatly　stirred　by　the　advent　movement；　thousands　of　sinners
  had　been　converted；　and　faithful　men　were　giving　themselves　to　the　work　of
  proclaiming　the　truth；　even　in　the　tarrying　time。　The　prince　of　evil　was
  losing　his　subjects；　and　in　order　to　bring　reproach　upon　the　cause　of　God；
  he　sought　to　deceive　some　who　professed　the　faith　and　to　drive　them　to
  extremes。　Then　his　agents　stood　ready　to　seize　upon　every　error；　every
  failure；　every　unbecoming　act；　and　hold　it　up　before　the　people　in　the　most
  exaggerated　light；　to　render　Adventists　and　their　faith　odious。　Thus　the
  greater　the　number　whom　he　could　crowd　in　to　make　a　profession　of　faith　in
  the　second　advent　while　his　power　controlled　their　hearts；　the　greater
  advantage　would　he　gain　by　calling　attention　to　them　as　representatives　of
  the　whole　body　of　believers。
  Satan　is　〃the　accuser　of　the　brethren；〃　and　it　is　his　spirit　that　inspires
  men　to　watch　for　the　errors　and　defects　of　the　Lord's　people；　and　to　hold
  them　up　to　notice；　while　their　good　deeds　are　passed　by　without　a　mention。
  He　is　always　active　when　God　is　at　work　for　the　salvation　of　souls。　When　the
  sons　of　God　come　to　present　themselves　before　the　Lord；
  396
  Satan　comes　also　among　them。　In　every　revival　he　is　ready　to　bring　in　those
  who　are　unsanctified　in　heart　and　unbalanced　in　mind。　When　these　have
  accepted　some　points　of　truth；　and　gained　a　place　with　believers；　he　works
  through　them　to　introduce　theories　that　will　deceive　the　unwary。　No　man　is
  proved　to　be　a　true　Christian　because　he　is　found　in　company　with　the
  children　of　God；　even　in　the　house　of　worship　and　around　the　table　of　the
  Lord。　Satan　is　frequently　there　upon　the　most　solemn　occasions　in　the　form
  of　those　whom　he　can　use　as　his　agents。
  The　prince　of　evil　contests　every　inch　of　ground　over　which　God's　people
  advance　in　their　journey　toward　the　heavenly　city。　In　all　the　history　of　the
  church　no　reformation　has　been　carried　forward　without　encountering　serious
  obstacles。　Thus　it　was　in　Paul's　day。　Wherever　the　apostle　raised　up　a
  church；　there　were　some　who　professed　to　receive　the　faith；　but　who　brought
  in　heresies；　that；　if　received；　would　eventually　crowd　out　the　love　of　the
  truth。　Luther　also　suffered　great　perplexity　and　distress　from　the　course　of
  fanatical　persons　who　claimed　that　God　had　spoken　directly　through　them；　and
  who　therefore　set　their　own　ideas　and　opinions　above　the　testimony　of　the
  Scriptures。　Many　who　were　lacking　in　faith　and　experience；　but　who　had
  considerable　self…sufficiency；　and　who　loved　to　hear　and　tell　some　new
  thing；　were　beguiled　by　the　pretensions　of　the　new　teachers；　and　they　joined
  the　agents　of　Satan　in　their　work　of　tearing　down　what　God　had　moved　Luther
  to　build　up。　And　the　Wesleys；　and　others　who　blessed　the　world　by　their
  influence　and　their　faith；　encountered　at　every　step　the　wiles　of　Satan　in
  pushing　overzealous；　unbalanced；　and　unsanctified　ones　into　fanaticism　of
  every　grade。
  William　Miller　had　no　s