the great controversy-第68部分

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were　striving　to　live　holy　lives　and　to　exhort　others　to　prepare　for　His
appearing。

Earnest　were　the　efforts　put　forth　to　draw　away　the　minds　of　the　people　from
the　subject　of　the　second　advent。　It　was　made　to　appear　a　sin；　something　of
which　men　should　be　ashamed；　to　study　the　prophecies　which　relate　to　the
coming　of　Christ　and　the　end　of　the　world。　Thus　the　popular　ministry
undermined　faith　in　the　word　of　God。　Their　teaching　made　men　infidels；　and
many　took　license　to　walk　after　their　own　ungodly　lusts。　Then　the　authors　of
the　evil　charged　it　all　upon　Adventists。

While　drawing　crowded　houses　of　intelligent　and　attentive　hearers；　Miller's
name　was　seldom　mentioned　by　the　religious　press　except　by　way　of　ridicule
or　denunciation。　The　careless　and　ungodly　emboldened　by　the　position　of
religious　teachers；　resorted　to　opprobrious　epithets；　to　base　and
blasphemous　witticisms；　in　their　efforts　to　heap　contumely　upon　him　and　his
work。　The　gray…headed　man　who　had　left　a　comfortable　home　to　travel　at　his
own　expense　from　city　to　city；　from　town　to　town；　toiling　unceasingly　to
bear　to　the　world　the　solemn　warning　of　the　judgment　near；　was　sneeringly
denounced　as　a　fanatic；　a　liar；　a　speculating　knave。

The　ridicule；　falsehood；　and　abuse　heaped　upon　him　called　forth　indignant
remonstrance；　even　from　the　secular　press。　〃To　treat　a　subject　of　such
overwhelming　majesty　and　fearful　consequences；〃　with　lightness　and　ribaldry
was　declared　by　worldly　men　to　be　〃not　merely　to　sport　with　the　feelings　of
its　propagators　and　advocates；〃　but　〃to　make　a　jest　of　the　day　of　judgment；
to　scoff　at　the　Deity　Himself；　and　contemn　the　terrors　of　His　judgment
bar。〃Bliss；　page　183。

The　instigator　of　all　evil　sought　not　only　to　counteract　the　effect　of　the
advent　message；　but　to　destroy　the　messenger　himself。　Miller　made　a
practical　application　of　Scripture　truth　to　the　hearts　of　his　hearers；
reproving　their　sins　and

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disturbing　their　self…satisfaction；　and　his　plain　and　cutting　words　aroused
their　enmity。　The　opposition　manifested　by　church　members　toward　his　message
emboldened　the　baser　classes　to　go　to　greater　lengths；　and　enemies　plotted
to　take　his　life　as　he　should　leave　the　place　of　meeting。　But　holy　angels
were　in　the　throng；　and　one　of　these；　in　the　form　of　a　man；　took　the　arm　of
this　servant　of　the　Lord　and　led　him　in　safety　from　the　angry　mob。　His　work
was　not　yet　done；　and　Satan　and　his　emissaries　were　disappointed　in　their
purpose。

Despite　all　opposition；　the　interest　in　the　advent　movement　had　continued　to
increase。　From　scores　and　hundreds；　the　congregations　had　grown　to　as　many
thousands。　Large　accessions　had　been　made　to　the　various　churches；　but　after
a　time　the　spirit　of　opposition　was　manifested　even　against　these　converts；
and　the　churches　began　to　take　disciplinary　steps　with　those　who　had
embraced　Miller's　views。　This　action　called　forth　a　response　from　his　pen；
in　an　address　to　Christians　of　all　denominations；　urging　that　if　his
doctrines　were　false；　he　should　be　shown　his　error　from　the　Scriptures。

〃What　have　we　believed；〃　he　said；　〃that　we　have　not　been　commanded　to
believe　by　the　word　of　God；　which　you　yourselves　allow　is　the　rule；　and　only
rule；　of　our　faith　and　practice？　What　have　we　done　that　should　call　down
such　virulent　denunciations　against　us　from　pulpit　and　press；　and　give　you
just　cause　to　exclude　us　＇Adventists＇　from　your　churches　and　fellowship？〃
〃If　we　are　wrong；　pray　show　us　wherein　consists　our　wrong。　Show　us　from　the
word　of　God　that　we　are　in　error；　we　have　had　ridicule　enough；　that　can
never　convince　us　that　we　are　in　the　wrong；　the　word　of　God　alone　can　change
our　views。　Our　conclusions　have　been　formed　deliberately　and　prayerfully；　as
we　have　seen　the　evidence　in　the　Scriptures。〃Ibid。；　pages　250；　252。

From　age　to　age　the　warnings　which　God　has　sent　to　the　world　by　His　servants
have　been　received　with　like　incredulity　and　unbelief。　When　the　iniquity　of
the　antediluvians

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moved　Him　to　bring　a　flood　of　waters　upon　the　earth；　He　first　made　known　to
them　His　purpose；　that　they　might　have　opportunity　to　turn　from　their　evil
ways。　For　a　hundred　and　twenty　years　was　sounded　in　their　ears　the　warning
to　repent；　lest　the　wrath　of　God　be　manifested　in　their　destruction。　But　the
message　seemed　to　them　an　idle　tale；　and　they　believed　it　not。　Emboldened　in
their　wickedness　they　mocked　the　messenger　of　God；　made　light　of　his
entreaties；　and　even　accused　him　of　presumption。　How　dare　one　man　stand　up
against　all　the　great　men　of　the　earth？　If　Noah's　message　were　true；　why　did
not　all　the　world　see　it　and　believe　it？　One　man's　assertion　against　the
wisdom　of　thousands！　They　would　not　credit　the　warning；　nor　would　they　seek
shelter　in　the　ark。

Scoffers　pointed　to　the　things　of　nature；to　the　unvarying　succession　of
the　seasons；　to　the　blue　skies　that　had　never　poured　out　rain；　to　the　green
fields　refreshed　by　the　soft　dews　of　night；and　they　cried　out：　〃Doth　he
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