| Search |
| Editor's Testimony |
| Contact Us |
| Links |
| FAQ |
|
Directory of Former SDA Pastors & Employees |
|
Readers Testimony |
|
Write me to |
TIME
PROVED In FIFTEEN DIFFERENT WAYS
By Wm. Miller
Predicted
that Christ would come between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. He did not set the October 22, 1844 date but accepted it.
After the 1843 and 1844 failure he renounced all of his date setting as false
and that the 1844 movement had nothing to do with prophecy in any sense.
See
SDA Encyclopedia vol. 10, p. 889-891.
William Miller (1782-1849)
"We expected the personal coming of Christ at that time; and
now to contend that we were not mistaken, is dishonest. We should never be
ashamed frankly to confess our errors. I have no confidence in any of the new
theories that grew out of that movement, namely, that Christ then came as the
Bridegroom, that the door of mercy was closed, that there is no salvation for
sinners, that the seventh trumpet then sounded, or that it was a fulfillment
of prophecy in any sense." History
of the Advent Message, p. 410, 412.
Miller's Honesty vs. Ellen G. White's Honesty
Miller confessed his errors and would not hold to non-biblical teachings that grew out of the Advent Movement. He renounced that Christ came as the Bridegroom, the door of mercy was closed to the world, and there were no salvation for sinners, while Ellen White and her husband James White, and Joseph Bates continued to teach these false doctrines after 1844.
Below is a facsimile of the chart used by
Millerite preachers to show Miller's calculations for the Second Coming of
Christ in 1843 and the end of the world. Ellen G. White put her prophetic
stamp of approval on this chart and blamed God for the failure of their cultic
calculations.
EGW: I have seen that the 1843
chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that the figures were as he
wanted then; that his hand was over the figures and hid a mistake in some of
the figures, so that none could see it until His hand was removed. Early
Writings, p. 74.
Miller's
Proof Christ Would Return in 1843, Fifteen Different Ways.
Miller was wrong fifteen times. He twisted Old and New Testament Scripture dealing with time to arrive at the date 1843. Many noted educated pastors of his day tried to show him his errors, but he would not listen to them. Try not to be to hard on Mr. Miller after reading his "Fifteen Different Ways" as he was not educated in theology but he was honest and sincere.
As for 1843 and 1844 you already know it was a
non-event! Not only was William Miller mistaken about the identity of the
2,300 evenings and mornings (the earth, in his opinion), but he was
pervasively mistaken in all his chronological schemes (his fifteen
"proofs"). Later SDA claims that he was merely mistaken because he didn't
understand that Daniel 8:14 was speaking of a supposedly heavenly sanctuary,
though his chronology was sound only adds insult to injury. The SDA claim that
the sanctuary in Dan. 8:14 is heavenly is just as bad as Miller's original
identification, and the chronology can't be salvaged in any way. The whole
thing is bogus.
II.
It is proved typically by the year of release.
See Deut. xv. 1, 2: "At the end of every seventh years thou shalt make a release;
and this is the manner of the release; every creditor that lendeth aught unto
his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact of his neighbour or of
his brother, because it is called the Lords release." Also Jer. xxiv. 14:
"At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother a
Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee, and "when he
hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee; but your
fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear." We are, by
this type, taught that the People of God
will be delivered from their servitude and bondage, when they have served
their 7 prophetic years. 7 times 360 years is 2520. Beginning with the
captivity of Israel and the king of Judah, Manasseh, 677 B. C.,
must end in A. D. 1843, when the
children of God will be released from all bondage and slavery. (See
Second Advent. Library, No.
14.)
III.
It is also proved by the seven years' war of
Zion with her enemies, given to us in Ezekiel xxxix. 9, 10:
"And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall
set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and
the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with
fire seven years: so that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither
cut down out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with
652
fire;
and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them
saith the Lord God." The
children of God will be contending with their enemies, spoiling those that
spoiled them, and robbing those that robbed them, 7 years, prophetic, which is
2520 common years. Beginning as before, when Babylon began to spoil and rob
them, and when they by the fire of the truth began to burn up the weapons of
their enemies, in this moral warfare; this will
end in 1843. (See
Miller's Life
and Views, p. 69.)
IV.
It
is proved, also, by the sign of the Sabbath. Exod.
xxxi. 13‑17: " Speak thou also unto the children Of
Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations: that
ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the
Sabbath therefore: for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall
surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall
be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done, but in the
seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in
the Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of
Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their
generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the
children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh he rested, and was refreshed." Heb. iv. 4, 9‑11:
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise: And God did
rest the seventh day from all his works. "There remaineth therefore a
rest to the people of God; For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath
ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to
enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief."
As
God was six days creating the old heavens and earth, and rested on the
seventh: so it is a sign that Christ will also labour six days in creating the
new heavens and earth, and rest on the seventh.
How long is a day with the Lord? Peter
tells us in his 2 Epistle 8: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one
thing, that one day with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as
one day. If, then, a thousand
years is a day with the Lord; how long has Christ been to work creating the
new? I answer, if will allow the
Bible to make a chronology, we shall find this year, 1843,
the date—years from Adam's fall will be finished. Then
the antitypical Sabbath of a 1000 years will commence.
Rev. xx. 6: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and
683
Christ
shall reign with him one thousand years." (See Life and Views p, 157.)
V.
Again we can prove it by the typical jubilee.
Levit. xxv. 8-18: "And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths
of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven
Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee, forty and nine years. Then shalt thou
cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound, on the tenth day of the seventh
month, on the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all
your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall all be a
jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every, man unto his possession, and ye
shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee that fiftieth year be unto
you; ye shall not sow, neither reap which groweth of itself in it, nor gather
the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be
holy unto you, ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the
year, of this jubilee, ye shall return every man unto his possession."
Now, if we can show any rule whereby we can find the antitype, we can tell
when the people of God will come into the inheritance of the purchased
possession, and the redemption of their bodies, and the trump of jubilee will
proclaim liberty, a glorious one, through all
the land. In order to do this we must take notice of the order of the
Sabbaths. "Seven Sabbaths shall be complete." There are seven kinds
of Sabbaths, which all have seven for a given number.
The
Jews kept but six Sabbaths; if they had kept the seventh they would have been
made perfect without us; but they broke the seventh. Therefore there remains a
keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God. The Jewish Sabbaths were:
1.
The 7th day. Exod. xxxi. 15.
2.
The 50th day. Levit. xxiii. 15, 16.
3.
The 7th week. Dcut. xvi. 9.
4.
The 7th month. Levit. xxiii. 24, 25.
5.
The 7th year. Levit. xxv. 3, 4.
6.
The 7 times 7 years and 50th Jubilee.
7.
The 7 times 7 Jubilee and 50th Jubilee will bring us to a complete or perfect
Sabbath, —the great Jubilee of Jubilees. Thus 7 times 7, 50 years is 49
times 50 — 2150 years.
It
is very evident no year of release or Jubilee was ever kept after the reign of
Josiah, the last king of Jerusalem that obeyed the commandments of the Lord,
or kept his statutes. This king's
reign ended B. C. 607. See 2 Kings 23d chapter, 2 Chron. 35 and 36 chapters,
and Jeremiah 22d chapter. After
which the Jews never kept, neither
684
could they
keep, a year of release, or Jubilee; for neither their kings, their nobles,
their people, or their lands could have been redeemed after this. Jer. xliv.
20‑23. Here ended the Jewish Jubilee, they had not kept more than 21
Jubilees, lacking 28 of coming to the great Jubilee.
And
now the land was to lay desolate, while the people of God were in their
enemies' land. Levit. xxvi. 34. How long is a Jubilees of Jubilees?
Ans. 49 times 50 years = 2450 years. When did these years begin? When
the Jews ceased keeping of the Sabbaths and Jubilees, at the close of Josiah's
reign, B. C. 607. Take 607 from 2450, it leaves
A. D. 1843; when the Jubilee of Jubilees will come. (See Sec.
Adv. Lib., No. 14.)
VI.
I prove it by Hosea vi. 1‑3: "Come,
and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal
us; he hath smitten, he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in
the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall
we know, if we follow on to know the Lord; his going forth is prepared as, the
morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain
unto the earth." This prophecy is the two days of the Roman kingdom, in
its Imperial, Kingly, and Papal form, with its great iron teeth, tearing and
persecuting the people of God: the third day is the same as Rev. xx. 6:
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:
on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years;" when the people of
God will live in his sight, "live and reign with him a thousand
years." If, then, the third
day is a thousand years, then the two days are of equal length. When did the
two days begin? Ans. When the Jews made a league with the Romans, See Hosea v.
13: "When Ephraim saw his
sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrians and sent
king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you your wound." Dan. xi.
23: "And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he
shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people." I Macabecs,
8th and ninth chapters. This league was confirmed and ratified, and the
Greacian kingdom to rule over god's people B. C. 158 years. Then add 158 to
1842, and we have 2000 years, or two days; as Peter says, 2 Pet iii. 8;
"But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the
Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The world has
stood still since the fall of man 2000 years under the Patriarchs; 2000 years
under the Assyrian. Baby-
685
lonians,
Medo-Persian, and Grecian; and 2000 years under Rome Pagan, Papal and
Kingly. (See Sec. Adv. Lib.
No. 3, p. 45.)
VIII.
I can prove it by the length of the vision
which Daniel had, (viii. 1-14,) of the ram, he‑goat, and little horn, which
Daniel was informed was 2300 days long. Dan. viii. 13,14;
"Then I heard one saint
speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake,
How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be
trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred
days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." And
from which the 70 weeks were cut off, and fulfilled, the year of
Christ's death. Dan. ix. 20—27. Then 70 weeks be, years cut off from 2300
days, makes these days years; and 490 years fulfillled in A, D. 33, leaves
1810 years to the fulfillment of the vision, which added to 33 makes
1843, when the sanctuary will be cleansed and the people of God justified.
(See Miller's Lectures, p. 73.)
VIII. It can be proved by Daniel
xii. 6, 7: "And
one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river,
How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed
in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right
hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that
it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall
be finished." The question is asked, How long to the end of these
wonders? These wonders are to the resurrection. See 2d and 3d verses:
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that
be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; they that turn any to
righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." The answer given by the
angel, who informs Daniel it shall be for a time, times, and a half, and when
he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all be
will be finished. Eze. xii. 10:15: "
Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince
in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, I am your
sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove
and go into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his
shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall
to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with
his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my
snare:
686
and
I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see
it, though he shall die there. And I will scatter toward every wind all that
are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword
after them. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I
shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the
countries." Jer. xv. 4: "And I
will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of
Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in
Jerusalem."
This scattering begun, when Israel was scattered by Esarhaddon, and when the
king of Judah, Manasseh, was carried to Babylon, B. C. 677. Thus they
continued to be a people scattered, by the kings of
the earth, until they fled into the wilderness in A. D. 538, which
makes 1215 years. There they remained in the wilderness a time, times, and
a half—which began A. D. 538, and continued until A. D. 1798. The kings of
the earth then had power, and the time, times, and a half of the scattering of
the holy people is filled up by 45 years, being the remainder of the 1215,
making in all 1260
years,
under the nations or kings, and ending in the
year 1843,— which is the fulness of times. Eph. i. 7,10: "
Having, made known unto us the' mystery of his will, according to his good
pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the
fulness, of
times
he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
even in him:" —when the people of God, both among Jews and Gentiles,
will no more be scattered, but gathered in one body in Christ. (See Sec.
Adv. Lib. No. 6, p. 45.)
IX.
It can also be proved by Daniel xii. 11-13:
"
And from the time that the
daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and
the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two
hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the
thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the
end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the
days."
The
number 1335 days, from the taking away of Rome Pagan. A. D. 508, to setup Rome
Papal, and the reign of Papacy, is 1290 days, which was exactly fulfilled in
1290 years, being fulfilled in 1798. This proves the 1335 days to be years,
and that Daniel will stand in his
lot in A. D. 1843. For proof texts, see Dan. xi. 31: "And
arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of
strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the
abomination that maketh desolate." 2Thess. ii. 6-8: "And now ye know
what withholdeth that he might be revealed in
687
his
time. For the mystery of iniquity
doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of
the way. And then shall that
Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:"
Job
xix. 25: For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth." (See Millers
Lectures, p. 100.)
X.
It can also be proved by the words of Christ,
Luke xiii.32: "And he
said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do
cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."
These two days, in which Christ casts out devils and does cures, are the same
as Hosea's two days, at the end of which, the devil will be chained, and cast
out of the earth into the pit, and shut up. This will take 2000 years of the
roman power. Rev. xii. 9: "And the great dragon was cast out, that old
serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was
cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." And then
the people of God will be perfected. Rev. xx. 6: "
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in
the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand
years."
This
time began with the "great dragon," Rev. xii. 3,4: "And
there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having
seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew
the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the
dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour
her child as soon as it was born."
This
government will draw after him one third part of the time, which wicked men
have power in the earth, viz., 6000 years; and the 7000th, the Christ will
take possession and reign with his saints, in perfect bless.
This
dragon power began its power over the saints when the league was made with
him, B. C. 158,—and will end in 1842. Then
the third day will begin 1843. (See Sec. Ad. Lib. No.
3, page 61,)
XI. The
trumpets are also a revelation of time. See Rev. ix. 5: "And
to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be
tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a
scorpion, when he striketh a man." These five months began when the Turks
made incursions into the Greek territories, according to Gibbon, in the year
1299, on the 27th day of July. 5 months is 150 years, 5x30 = 150. This trumpet
ended 1449. And
688
the
sixth trumpet began to sound, and was to sound 391 years and 15 days, as in
Rev. ix. 15: "And the four angels
were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a
year, for to slay the third part of men."
and ended 1840, on the 11th of August. Then the seventh trumpet begins, and
ends with the fulness of time.
Rev. x. 5,7: "And
the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand
to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven,
and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein
are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time
no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to
his servants the prophets."
And synchronize with Daniel xii. 7. See section 7, where
it is shown to end in the year 1843. (See
Miller's Lectures, p. 190.)
XII.
It can be proved by the two witness being
clothed in sackcloth 1260 years. See Rev. xi. 3: "And
I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand
two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." This
time began with Papacy, 536, and ended in 1798, during which time the Bible
was suppressed from the laity, in all the countries where Papacy had power,
until the laws of the Papal hierarchy were abolished and free toleration was
granted to the Papal States in 1798. Then the remainder harmonizes with the
trumpets: see Rev. xi. 14, 15: "The
second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the
seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ;
and he shall reign for ever and ever."
And terminates with A. D. 1843.
(See Miller's Lectures, p. 190.)
XXIII. It can be proved by Rev. xii.
6, 14: "And
the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a
thousand two hundred and threescore days."
"And to the woman were given two
wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her
place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the
face of the serpent."
It is evident that the Church is not now in the wilderness for if so, she must
have been there in the Apostles' days, for she enjoys more liberty now among
the nations, than in any previous time since the gospel was preached; and it
is very evident, for ages past, the true Church has been an outlaw among the
kingdoms which arose out of the Roman Empire. The Church was driven into the
wilderness, where they were given into the power of Pope.—Daniel vii.
689
25:
"And he shall speak great words
against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think
to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and
times and the dividing of time." —in the year A. D. 538; and was in the
wilderness 1260 years until 1798, when free toleration was granted in the
kingdoms in the Papal territory. This also harmonizes with the witnesses and
the trumpet. Compare Rev. xi. 15, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord,
and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever," with Rev. xii. 10
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and
night." (See Miller's Lectures, p. 20.)
XIV. It is proved by Rev. xiii. 5:
"And
there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things
and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two
months." This time began at the same time as the preceding, when power was
given to Pope by Justinian,
A. D. 538, and lasted until
the Pope was carried into captivity, and his power abolished, in the year 1798.
See 10th verse: "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he
that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints." This beast is the lame as the little horn in
Daniel 7th, and synchronizes with Daniel's "abomination that maketh
desolate," or "that astonisheth," (see
marginal reading). Compare Daniel xi. 31, and xii. ii, with Rev. xiii. 3-8; and
of course his power is abolished with the end of his "settings up,"
and the 1290 years. Then Daniel xii. 12,—Blessed is he that waiteth, and
cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days," carries
us to the year 1843. (See Miller's Lectures, p. 77.)
XV.
It can be proved by the numbers
in Rev. xiii. 18: "Here is
wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is
the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six,"
connected with Daniel xii. 12, as before quoted. This text shows the number of
years that Rome would exist under the blasphemous head of Paganism, after it was
connected with the people of God by league; beginning B. C. 158, add 666 years,
will bring us to A. D. 508, when the daily sacrifice was done away. Then add,
Daniel xii. 12, the 1335 to 508, makes the year
1843. When the beast and his image will be tormented in the presence
of the holy angels, and the Lamb. See Rev. xiv. 9-12: "And the third angel
690
followed
them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and
receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the
wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of
his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of
their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor
night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of
his name.
Here is the patience of the
saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus." (See Miller's Lectures p. 76.)
These
several ways of prophetic chronology prove the end in 1843.
Now what is there in all this reckoning of time, that should entitle one
to such vile abuse and slander, as I have received from the pulpit and press,
from editors and priests, from the infidel and blasphemer, from the drunkard and
gambler? These have all made
friends with each other, for the sole purpose of vilifying and saving hard
things against me for presenting my honest conviction of these things. If men
are satisfied that these things are not true, why are they so violent and
denunciatory against me? What can I
do? I can neither make it true nor false. Why do professed ministers show such
anger malice? Why call me a prophet, in
such sneering terms, from Dr. Brownlee down
to John Dowling, A. M. pastor, &c. &c. &c.? I have only shown to the
world my opinion on those passages: they have done the same. I have shown my
faith by my works: they can do likewise if they please. Let every one be fully
persuaded in his own mind, and so let them speak.
But
these men not only show much anger, but misrepresent my words and views. Is
truth of such a texture, as to need lies to support it? If they have no better
foundation for their religion, that they have manifested in their debates on
this subject, I should think they might be sentimentally opposed to the coming
or Christ, and the very same principle as the infidel or drunkard would
oppose,— Not ready.
I
would advise all to cease their revilings, take this little tract, read and
compare scripture with scripture, prophecy with history, and see if there is not
a strong probability that I am correct; and if there is even one to ten, that is
so, then it is all-important we attend to the interest of our souls and
eternity. You ought to spurn from you those who say there is no danger; you
ought in justice to your own soul, turn a deaf ear to the men who are flattering
you with "peace and safety."
691
Who
will this day overtake as a thief ? Surely not those who are looking for it. I
Thess. v. 4; Heb. ix. 28. Who will
be destroyed when it comes? Those
who are overtaken as a thief. I Thess. v. 3; Matt. xxiv. 50; Rev. xvi. 15, You
ask, will all who do not look for him, perish in the day of his coming? I
answer, it would seem so, by many texts of scripture. Yet I am not their judge.
God only knows what will become of them. They that were ready went in with him,
and the door was shut.