Untitled article by R. F. C.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 5, 1860

1867.

By R. F. C.

It is not so unpopular at present as it was a few years since to compute the definite periods of the prophetic word. Editors of what are called orthodox papers are beginning to acknowledge that the study and interpretation of prophecy is allowable, and even a proper pursuit. The writings of Dr. Cumming and other recent writers, who seem to find the termination of prophetic time in 1867, are less repugnant to the carnal mind, for some reason, than was the true proclamation of their termination in 1844, when God, in fulfillment of his word, moved out the unwelcome message, "Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come." There is something more worldly-wise in these recent writers, some chance at least seems left for sinners of this dispensation to slip over unharmed into the next, and instead of all the nations of the earth being broken with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces as a potter's vessel, the prospect is held out that some favored one or more of the angry nations will have the adroitness to "emerge from the great tribulation" with flying colors. This may be seen from the following extract which the Advocate, of Buffalo, N. Y., takes from the London Watchman. Speaking of Dr. Cumming, the writer says, "He thinks England, for reasons it is unnecessary here to enumerate, is to emerge from the 'great tribulation,' and has sun not disappear till lost in the greater splendor in which 'there will be no need of the sun.'"

"It is, then, a very general belief that we are on the very verge of a gigantic struggle; that France is to originate, ride, and if able, overrule the storm; that England, because of her free thought, free speech, free press, and Protestant religion, the spring of them all, is to have directed on her the concentrated fire of Europe; and we must do them [Cumming and other interpreters] the justice to add, they patriotically urge, on their ground, and from their point of view, what sane politicians uphold on theirs, an instant and powerful preparation on our part at any expense to defend old England's shores."

When the Jews had rejected and crucified the true Messiah who came in exact fulfillment of their own prophets, they were prepared to believe and follow almost any impostor that promised well for their nation. And since popular christianity has crucified the true time message, it can put confidence, without evidence, in something more pleasing to the carnal mind. The gathering of the Jews and some sort of a temporal millennium is just the thing. The idea that the Lord is coming, and that probation will then be closed forever,

is too horrible to be thought of by the mass of nominal Christians. I will give another extract from the above authority. After giving the doctor's reckoning of the 1260 years, &c., he says, "What goes to confirm this, is the fact that another period was given by Daniel, called 2300 years, on the end of which 'the cleansing of the sanctuary,' i. e., the preparation of Palestine for its people, was to begin. Dating this period at what has been, if not clearly, at least probably assigned, before Christ 478, we find its termination in A. D. 1822. To this period Daniel adds another of 45 years. This brings us down to 1867. Daniel says he is especially 'blessed' who arrives at 1867."

Now by what authority is it asserted that Daniel adds a period of 45 years to the 2300? There is not a shadow of proof of this assertion in the word. And where is the proof that the cleansing of the sanctuary is the preparation of Palestine, or any other part of the earth, for its people? It is mere assumption. The Bible is all against it. But food like this seems quite palatable to the vitiated appetite of the professed Christians of the present day, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. The disagreement of their popular authors, who, though they are agreed in 1867 for the termination of prophetic time, arrive at this conclusion by entirely different and contradictory calculations, instead of weakening their faith, confirms it by such striking coincidences.

One class of interpreters commence the 1260 years in A. D. 532.

To this add 1260.

This brings us to 1792.

To this last date they add 30 years, which brings us down to 1822, and then they add 45 more, which gives the favored date, 1867.

Another class commences the 1260 years in A. D. 607, added, 1260, brings them at one bound to 1867.

Thus the same golden conclusion is reached by another and more direct route. This class also give us an exposition of Daniel's great epoch, the 2300 days. They commence them in B. C. 433. What reason they have for this I do not know, and I presume they do not, only that commencing there they would end in 1867.

And now, "since I have got into quotations," I will give a very soothing extract from the N. Y. Observer upon the same subject and the signs of the times:

"When Russia takes possession of Constantinople, when France extends her African empire over Egypt and completes the Suez Canal, when England takes the government of Syria and Palestine and runs a railway from the Mediterranean through the plains of Sharon and Esdraelon into the East, then the desert will blossom as the rose: then a highway shall be there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads."

It is not so much a wonder that those whose minds have never been enlightened with the light of the Advent messages should show themselves so much in darkness on the prophetic periods, and concerning the stupendous events about to burst upon the world. But when we see those that have been once enlightened on the true dates, and were leading men in the annunciation of the solemn message, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come," giving their influence in favor of such a movement on time as is now in progress, what language is suitable to express our astonishment? When we see him whom the Lord moved out to put shoulder to the wheel with his chosen servant, Wm. Miller, to publish the glad tidings of the everlasting gospel—one who understands the chronology and knows the power of those arguments upon which was based the proclamation of the time message of 1844—one who has for these many years claimed the "original Advent faith," and has, since the passing of the time, vindicated the original dates—when we see such an one renounce all the past light on time and the mighty movement by which God set his seal to the truth, and fall in with a movement based upon discordant conjectures, and which casts aside the well-defined period of 70 weeks which was "to seal up the vision and prophecy," we may well exclaim, "how are the mighty fallen?"

And what is the cause of such a fall? Simply the

rejection of the truth of the third message, which bears in its forefront the commandments of God. It is a dangerous thing to oppose the work of God. It is a dangerous thing to neglect obedience to truth so mighty, so clear, so overwhelming as that which is now being proclaimed, and to which God has so manifestly set his seal!