servants。　As　their　hopes　were　disappointed；　they　had　lost　sight　of　Jesus；
  and　with　Mary　at　the　sepulcher　they　cried：　〃They　have　taken　away　my　Lord；
  and　I　know　not　where　they　have　laid　Him。〃　Now　in　the　holy　of　holies　they
  again　beheld　Him；　their　compassionate　High　Priest；　soon　to　appear　as　their
  king　and　deliverer。　Light　from　the　sanctuary　illumined　the　past；　the
  present；　and　the　future。　They　knew　that　God　had　led　them　by　His　unerring
  providence。　Though；　like　the　first　disciples；　they　themselves　had　failed　to
  understand　the　message　which　they　bore；　yet　it　had　been　in　every　respect
  correct。　In　proclaiming　it　they　had　fulfilled　the　purpose　of　God；　and　their
  labor　had　not　been　in　vain　in　the　Lord。　Begotten　〃again　unto　a　lively　hope；〃
  they　rejoiced　〃with　joy　unspeakable　and　full　of　glory。〃
  424
  Both　the　prophecy　of　Daniel　8：14；　〃Unto　two　thousand　and　three　hundred　days；
  then　shall　the　sanctuary　be　cleansed；〃　and　the　first　angel's　message；　〃Fear
  God；　and　give　glory　to　Him；　for　the　hour　of　His　judgment　is　come；〃　pointed
  to　Christ's　ministration　in　the　most　holy　place；　to　the　investigative
  judgment；　and　not　to　the　coming　of　Christ　for　the　redemption　of　His　people
  and　the　destruction　of　the　wicked。　The　mistake　had　not　been　in　the　reckoning
  of　the　prophetic　periods；　but　in　the　event　to　take　place　at　the　end　of　the
  2300　days。　Through　this　error　the　believers　had　suffered　disappointment；　yet
  all　that　was　foretold　by　the　prophecy；　and　all　that　they　had　any　Scripture
  warrant　to　expect；　had　been　accomplished。　At　the　very　time　when　they　were
  lamenting　the　failure　of　their　hopes；　the　event　had　taken　place　which　was
  foretold　by　the　message；　and　which　must　be　fulfilled　before　the　Lord　could
  appear　to　give　reward　to　His　servants。
  Christ　had　come；　not　to　the　earth；　as　they　expected；　but；　as　foreshadowed　in
  the　type；　to　the　most　holy　place　of　the　temple　of　God　in　heaven。　He　is
  represented　by　the　prophet　Daniel　as　coming　at　this　time　to　the　Ancient　of
  Days：　〃I　saw　in　the　night　visions；　and；　behold；　one　like　the　Son　of　man　came
  with　the　clouds　of　heaven；　and　came〃not　to　the　earth；　but〃to　the　Ancient
  of　Days；　and　they　brought　Him　near　before　Him。〃　Daniel　7：13。
  This　coming　is　foretold　also　by　the　prophet　Malachi：　〃The　Lord；　whom　ye
  seek；　shall　suddenly　come　to　His　temple；　even　the　Messenger　of　the　covenant；
  whom　ye　delight　in：　behold；　He　shall　come；　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts。〃　Malachi
  3：1。　The　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple　was　sudden；　unexpected；　to　His
  people。　They　were　not　looking　to　Him　there。　They　expected　Him　to　come　to
  earth；　〃in　flaming　fire　taking　vengeance　on　them　that　know　not　God；　and　that
  obey　not　the　gospel。〃　2　Thessalonians　1：8。
  But　the　people　were　not　yet　ready　to　meet　their　Lord。　There　was　still　a　work
  of　preparation　to　be　accomplished　for
  425
  them。　Light　was　to　be　given；　directing　their　minds　to　the　temple　of　God　in
  heaven；　and　as　they　should　by　faith　follow　their　High　Priest　in　His
  ministration　there；　new　duties　would　be　revealed。　Another　message　of　warning
  and　instruction　was　to　be　given　to　the　church。
  Says　the　prophet：　〃Who　may　abide　the　day　of　His　coming？　and　who　shall　stand
  when　He　appeareth？　for　He　is　like　a　refiner's　fire；　and　like　fullers'　soap：
  and　He　shall　sit　as　a　refiner　and　purifier　of　silver：　and　He　shall　purify
  the　sons　of　Levi；　and　purge　them　as　gold　and　silver；　that　they　may　offer
  unto　the　Lord　an　offering　in　righteousness。〃　Malachi　3：2；　3。　Those　who　are
  living　upon　the　earth　when　the　intercession　of　Christ　shall　cease　in　the
  sanctuary　above　are　to　stand　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God　without　a　mediator。
  Their　robes　must　be　spotless；　their　characters　must　be　purified　from　sin　by
  the　blood　of　sprinkling。　Through　the　grace　of　God　and　their　own　diligent
  effort　they　must　be　conquerors　in　the　battle　with　evil。　While　the
  investigative　judgment　is　going　forward　in　heaven；　while　the　sins　of
  penitent　believers　are　being　removed　from　the　sanctuary；　there　is　to　be　a
  special　work　of　purification；　of　putting　away　of　sin；　among　God's　people
  upon　earth。　This　work　is　more　clearly　presented　in　the　messages　of
  Revelation　14。
  When　this　work　shall　have　been　accomplished；　the　followers　of　Christ　will　be
  ready　for　His　appearing。　〃Then　shall　the　offering　of　Judah　and　Jerusalem　be
  pleasant　unto　the　Lord；　as　in　the　days　of　old；　and　as　in　former　years。〃
  Malachi　3：4。　Then　the　church　which　our　Lord　at　His　coming　is　to　receive　to
  Himself　will　be　a　〃glorious　church；　not　having　spot；　or　wrinkle；　or　any　such
  thing。〃　Ephesians　5：27。　Then　she　will　look　〃forth　as　the　morning；　fair　as
  the　moon；　clear　as　the　sun；　and　terrible　as　an　army　with　banners。〃　Song　of
  Solomon　6：10。
  Besides　the　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；　Malachi　also　foretells　His
  second　advent；　His　coming　for　the　execution　of　the　judgment；　in　these　words：
  〃And　I　will　come　near
  426
  to　you　to　judgment；　and　I　will　be　a　swift　witness　against　the　sorcerers；　and
  against　the　adulterers；　and　against　false　swearers；　and　against　those　that
  oppress　the　hireling　in　his　wages；　the　widow；　and　the　fatherless；　and　that
  turn　aside　the　stranger　from　his　right；　and　fear　not　Me；　saith　the　Lord　of
  hosts。〃　Malachi　3：5。　Jude　refers　to　the　same　scene　when　he　says；　〃Behold；
  the　Lord　cometh　with　ten　thousands　of　His　saints；　to　execute　judgment　upon
  all；　and　to　convince　all　that　are　ungodly　among　them　of　all　their　ungodly
  deeds。〃　Jude　14；　15。　This　coming；　and　the　coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；
  are　distinct　and　separate　events。
  The　coming　of　Christ　as　our　high　priest　to　the　most　holy　place；　for　the
  cleansing　of　the　sanctuary；　brought　to　view　in　Daniel　8：14；　the　coming　of
  the　Son　of　man　to　the　Ancient　of　Days；　as　presented　in　Daniel　7：13；　and　the
  coming　of　the　Lord　to　His　temple；　foretold　by　Malachi；　are　descriptions　of
  the　same　event；　and　this　is　also　represented　by　the　coming　of　the　bridegroom
  to　the　marriage；　described　by　Christ　in　the　parable　of　the　ten　virgins；　of
  Matthew　25。
  In　the　summer　and　autumn　of　1844　the　proclamation；　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom
  cometh；〃　was　given。　The　two　classes　represented　by　the　wise　and　foolish
  virgins　were　then　developedone　class　who　looked　with　joy　to　the　Lord's
  appearing；　and　who　had　been　diligently　preparing　to　meet　Him；　another　class
  that；　influenced　by　fear　and　acting　from　impulse；　had　been　satisfied　with　a
  theory　of　the　truth；　but　were　destitute　of　the　grace　of　God。　In　the　parable；
  when　the　bridegroom　came；　〃they　that　were　ready　went　in　with　him　to　the
  marriage。〃　The　coming　of　the　bridegroom；　here　brought　to　view；　takes　place
  before　the　marriage。　The　marriage　represents　the　reception　by　Christ　of　His
  kingdom。　The　Holy　City；　the　New　Jerusalem；　which　is　the　capital　and
  representative　of　the　kingdom；　is　called　〃the　bride；　the　Lamb's　wife。〃　Said
  the　angel　to　John：　〃Come　hither；　I　will　show　thee　the　bride；　the　Lamb's
  wife。〃　〃He　carried　me　away　in　the　spirit；〃　says　the　prophet；　〃and　showed　me
  that　great　city；　the　holy　Jerusalem；　descending　out　of　heaven　from　God。〃
  Revelation
  427
  21：9；　10。　Clearly；　then；　the　bride　represents　the　Holy　City；　and　the　virgins
  that　go　out　to　meet　the　bridegroom　are　a　symbol　of　the　church。　In　the
  Revelation　the　people　of　God　are　said　to　be　the　guests　at　the　marriage
  supper。　Revelation　19：9。　If　guests；　they　cannot　be　represented　also　as　the
  bride。　Christ；　as　stated　by　the　prophet　Daniel；　will　receive　from　the
  Ancient　of　Days　in　heaven；　〃dominion；　and　glory；　and　a　kingdom；〃　He　will
  receive　the　New　Jerusalem；　the　capital　of　His　kingdom；　〃prepared　as　a　bride
  adorned　for　her　husband。〃　Daniel　7：14；　Revelation　21：2。　Having　received　the
  kingdom；　He　will　come　in　His　glory；　as　King　of　kings　and　Lord　of　lords；　for
  the　redemption　of　His　people；　who　are　to　〃sit　down　with　Abraham；　and　Isaac；
  and　Jacob；〃　at　His　table　in　His　kingdom　（Matthew　8：11；　Luke　22：30）；　to
  partake　of　the　marriage　supper　of　the　Lamb。
  The　proclamation；　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom　cometh；〃　in　the　summer　of　1844；
  led　thousands　to　expect　the　immediate　advent　of　the　Lord。　At　the　appointed
  time　the　Bridegroom　came；　not　to　the　earth；　as　the　people　expected；　but　to
  the　Ancient　of　Days　in　heaven；　to　the　marriage；　the　reception　of　His
  kingdom。　〃They　that　were　ready　went　in　with　Him　to　the　marriage：　and　the
  door　was　shut。〃　They　were　not　to　be　present　in　person　at　the　marriage；　for
  it　takes　place　in　heaven；　while　they　are　upon　the　earth。　The　followers　of
  Christ　are　to　〃wait　for　their　Lord；　when　He　will　return　from　the　wedding。〃
  Luke　12：36。　But　they　are　to　understand　His　work；　and　to　follow　Him　by　faith
  as　He　goes　in　before　God。　It　is　in　this　sense　that　they　are　said　to　go　in　to
  the　marriage。
  In　the　parable　it　was　those　that　had　oil　in　their　vessels　with　their　lamps
  that　went　in　to　the　marriage。　Those　who；　with　a　knowledge　of　the　truth　from
  the　Scriptures；　had　also　the　Spirit　and　grace　of　God；　and　who；　in　the　night
  of　their　bitter　trial；　had　patiently　waited；　searching　the　Bible　for　clearer
  lightthese　saw　the　truth　concerning　the　sanctuary　in　heaven　and　the
  Saviour's　change　in　ministration；　and　by　faith　they　followed　Him　in　His　w