the great controversy-第75部分

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forward　by　rejecters　of　the　advent　faith。　The　scripture　is：　〃Of　that　day　and
hour　knoweth　no

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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

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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　faith　had　not
affected　their　hearts　or　their　lives。　When　the　expected　event　failed　to　take
place；　these　persons　declared　that　they　were　not　disappointed；　they　had
never　believed　that　Christ　would　come。　They　were　among　the　first　to　ridicule
the　sorrow　of　the　true　believers。

But　Jesus　and　all　the　heavenly　host　looked　with　love　and　sympathy　upon　the
tried　and　faithful　yet　disappointed　ones。　Could　the　evil　separating　the
visible　world　have　been　swept　back；　angels　would　have　been　seen　drawing　near
to　these　steadfast　souls　and　shielding　them　from　the　shafts　of　Satan。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（375）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　21

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　Warning　Rejected


In　preaching　the　doctrine　of　the　second　advent；　William　Miller　and　his
associates　had　labored　with　the　sole　purpose　of　arousing　men　to　a
preparation　for　the　judgment。　They　had　sought　to　awaken　professors　of
religion　to　the　true　hope　of　the　church　and　to　their　need　of　a　deeper
Christian　experience；　and　they　labored　also　to　awaken　the　unconverted　to　the
duty　of　immediate　repentance　and　conversion　to　God。　〃They　made　no　attempt　to
convert　men　to　a　sect　or　party　in　religion。　Hence　they　labored　among　all
parties　and　sects；　without　interfering　with　their　organization　or
discipline。〃

〃In　all　my　labors；〃　said　Miller；　〃I　never　had　the　desire　or　thought　to
establish　any　separate　interest　from　that　of　existing　denominations；　or　to
benefit　one　at　the　expense　of　another。　I　thought　to　benefit　all。　Supposing
that　all　Christians　would　rejoice　in　the　prospect　of　Christ's　coming；　and
that　those　who　could　not　see　as　I　did　would　not　love　any　the　less　those　who
should　embrace　this　doctrine；　I　did　not　conceive　there　would　ever　be　any
necessity　for　separate　meetings。　My　whole　object　was　a　desire　to　convert
souls　to　God；　to　notify　the　world　of　a　coming　judgment；　and　to　induce　my
fellow　men　to　make　that　preparation　of　heart　which　will　enable　them　to　meet
their　God　in　peace。　The　great　majority　of　those　who　were　converted　under　my
labors　united　with　the　various　existing　churches。〃Bliss；　page　328。

376


As　his　work　tended　to　build　up　the　churches；　it　was　for　a　time　regarded　with
favor。　But　as　ministers　and　religious　leaders　decided　against　the　advent
doctrine　and　desired　to　suppress　all　agitation　of　the　subject；　they　do　not
only　opposed　it　from　the　pulpit；　but　denied　their　members　the　privilege　of
attending　preaching　upon　the　second　advent；　or　even　of　speaking　of　their
hope　in　the　social　meetings　of　the　church。　Thus　the　believers　found
themselves　in　a　position　of　great　trial　and　perplexity。　They　loved　their
churches　and　were　loath　to　separate　from　them；　but　as　they　saw　the　testimony
of　God's　word　suppressed　and　their　right　to　investigate　the　prophecies
denied　they　felt　that　loyalty　to　God　forbade　them　to　submit。　Those　who
sought　to　shut　out　the　testimony　of　God's　word　they　could　not　regard　as
constituting　the　church　of　Christ；　〃the　pillar　and　ground　of　the　truth。〃
H