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22 - Prophecies Fulfilled - The Great Controversy · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty two prophecies fulfilled. When the time passed at
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Speaker 1: which the Lord's coming was first expected in the spring
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Speaker 1: of eighteen forty four, those who had looked in faith
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Speaker 1: for his appearing were for a season involved in doubt
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Speaker 1: and uncertainty. While the world regarded them as having been
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Speaker 1: utterly defeated and proved to have been cherishing a delusion,
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Speaker 1: their source of consolation was still the Word of God.
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Speaker 1: Many continued to search the scriptures, examining anew the evidences
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Speaker 1: of their faith and carefully studying the prophecies to obtain
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Speaker 1: further light the Bible testimony in support of their position
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Speaker 1: seemed clear and conclusive. Signs which could not be mistaken
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Speaker 1: pointed to the coming of Christ as near. The special
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Speaker 1: blessing of the Lord, both in the conversion of sinners
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Speaker 1: and the revival of spiritual life among Christians had testified
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Speaker 1: that the message was of heaven, and though the believers
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Speaker 1: could not explain their disappointment, they felt assured that God
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Speaker 1: had led them in their past experience. Interwoven with prophecies
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Speaker 1: which they had regarded as applying to the time of
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Speaker 1: the Second Advent, was instruction specially adapted to their state
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Speaker 1: of uncertainty in suspense, and encouraging them to wait patiently
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Speaker 1: in the faith that what was now dark to their
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Speaker 1: understanding would in due time be made plain. Among these
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Speaker 1: prophecies was that of Habacchic two one to four. I
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Speaker 1: will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower,
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Speaker 1: and will watch to see what he will say unto me,
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Speaker 1: and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And
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Speaker 1: the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and
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Speaker 1: make it plain upon tables, that he may run that
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Speaker 1: readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time.
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Speaker 1: But at the end it shall speak, and not lie.
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Speaker 1: Though it terry, wait for it, because it will surely come.
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Speaker 1: It will not terry. Behold, his soul, which is lifted up,
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Speaker 1: is not upright in him. But the just shall live
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Speaker 1: by his faith. As early as a teen forty two,
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Speaker 1: the direction given in this prophecy to write the vision
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Speaker 1: and make it plain upon tables, that he may run
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Speaker 1: that readeth it had suggested to Charles Fitch the preparation
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Speaker 1: of a prophetic chart to illustrate the visions of Daniel
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Speaker 1: on the revelation. The publication of this chart was regarded
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Speaker 1: as a fulfillment of the command given by habakk. No One, however,
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Speaker 1: then noticed that an apparent delay in the accomplishment of
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Speaker 1: the vision a terrying time, is presented in the same prophecy.
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Speaker 1: After the disappointment, this scripture appeared very significant. The vision
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Speaker 1: is yet for an appointed time. But at the end
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Speaker 1: it shall speak and not lie. Though at terry wait
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Speaker 1: for it, because it will surely come. It will not
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Speaker 1: terry that just shall live by his faith. A portion
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Speaker 1: of Ezekiel's prophecy also was a source of strength and
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Speaker 1: comfort to believers. The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
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Speaker 1: son of Man, what is that proverb that ye have
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Speaker 1: in the land of Israel, saying, the days are prolonged,
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Speaker 1: and every vision faileth? Tell them? Therefore, thus saith the
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Speaker 1: Lord God. The days are at hand, and the effect
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Speaker 1: of every vision I will speak, and the word that
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Speaker 1: I shall speak shall come to pass. It shall be
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Speaker 1: no more prolonged. They of the House of Israel say,
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Speaker 1: the vision that he seeth is for many days to come,
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Speaker 1: and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
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Speaker 1: Therefore say unto them, thus saith the Lord God, there
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Speaker 1: shall none of my words be prolonged any more, But
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Speaker 1: the word which I have spoken shall be done. The
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Speaker 1: waiting ones rejoiced, believing that he who knows the end
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Speaker 1: from the beginning, had looked down through the ages, and
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Speaker 1: foreseeing their disappointment, had given them words of courage and hope.
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Speaker 1: Had it not been for such portions of scripture admonishing
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Speaker 1: them to wait with patience and to hold fast their
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Speaker 1: confidence in God's word, their faith would have failed in
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Speaker 1: that trying hour. The Parable of the Ten Virgins of
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Speaker 1: Matthew twenty five also ill straits the experience of the
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Speaker 1: Adventist people. In Matthew twenty four, in answer to the
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Speaker 1: question of his disciples concerning the sign of his coming
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Speaker 1: and of the end of the world, Christ had pointed
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Speaker 1: out some of the most important events in the history
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Speaker 1: of the world and of the Church from his verse
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Speaker 1: to his Second Advent, namely the destruction of Jerusalem, the
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Speaker 1: great tribulation of the Church under the pagan and papal persecutions,
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Speaker 1: the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling
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Speaker 1: of the stars. After this, he spoke of his coming
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Speaker 1: in his kingdom and related the parable describing the two
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Speaker 1: classes of servants who look for his appearing. Chapter twenty
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Speaker 1: five opens with the words, then shall the Kingdom of
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Speaker 1: Heaven be likened unto ten virgins? Here is brought to
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Speaker 1: view the church living in the last days, the same
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Speaker 1: that is pointed out in the close of chapter twenty four.
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Speaker 1: In this parable, their experience is illustrated by the incidents
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Speaker 1: of an eastern marriage. Then shall the Kingdom of heaven
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Speaker 1: be liked and unto ten virgins, which took their lamps
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Speaker 1: and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of
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Speaker 1: them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were
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Speaker 1: foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.
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Speaker 1: But the wives took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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Speaker 1: While the bridegroom tarried. They all slumbered and slept, And
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Speaker 1: at midnight there was a cry maid, behold the bridegroom cometh,
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Speaker 1: go ye out to meet him. The coming of Christ,
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Speaker 1: as announced by the first Angel's message, was understood to
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Speaker 1: be represented by the coming of the bridegroom. The widespread reformation,
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Speaker 1: under the proclamation of his soon coming, answered to the
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Speaker 1: going forth of the virgins. In this parable, as in
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Speaker 1: that of Matthew twenty four, two classes are represented. All
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Speaker 1: had taken their lamps the Bible, and by its light
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Speaker 1: had gone forth to meet the bridegroom. But while they
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Speaker 1: that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil
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Speaker 1: with them, the wives took oil in their vessels with
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Speaker 1: their lamps. The latter class had received the grace of God,
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Speaker 1: the regenerating and enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, which
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Speaker 1: renders his word a lamp to the feet and a
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Speaker 1: light to the path. In the fear of God, they
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Speaker 1: had studied the scriptures to learn the truth, and had
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Speaker 1: earnestly sought for purity of heart and life. These had
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Speaker 1: a personal experience, a faith in God and in his
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Speaker 1: word which could not be overthrown by disappointment and delay.
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Speaker 1: Others took their lamps and took no oil with them.
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Speaker 1: They had moved from impulse. Their fears had been excited
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Speaker 1: by the solemn message. But they had depended upon the
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Speaker 1: faith of their brethren, satisfied with the flickering light of
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Speaker 1: good emotions, without a thorough understanding of the truth or
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Speaker 1: a genuine work of grace in the heart, these had
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Speaker 1: gone forth to meet the Lord, full of hope and
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Speaker 1: the prospect of immediate reward, but they were not prepared
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Speaker 1: for delay and disappointment. When trials came, their faith failed
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Speaker 1: and their lights burned dim. While the bridegroom tarried, they
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Speaker 1: all slumbered and slept. By the tarrying of the bridegroom
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Speaker 1: as represented the passing of the time when the Lord
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Speaker 1: was expected, the disappointment and the seeming delay in this
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Speaker 1: time of uncertainty. The interest of the superficial and half
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Speaker 1: hearted soon began to waver and their efforts to relax.
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Speaker 1: But those whose faith was based on a personal knowledge
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Speaker 1: of the Bible had a rock beneath their feet which
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Speaker 1: the waves of disappointment could not wash away. They all
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Speaker 1: slumbered and slept, one class in unconcern and abandonment of
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Speaker 1: their faith, the other class patiently waiting till clearer light
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Speaker 1: should be given. Yet in the night of trial, the
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Speaker 1: latter seemed to lose to some extent their zeal and devotion.
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Speaker 1: The half hearted and superficial could no longer lean upon
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Speaker 1: the faith of their brethren. Each must stand or fall
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Speaker 1: for himself. About this time fanaticism began to appear. Some
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Speaker 1: who had professed to be zealous believers in the message
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Speaker 1: rejected the word of God as the one infallible guide,
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Speaker 1: and claiming to be led by the spirit, gave themselves
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Speaker 1: up to the control of their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations.
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Speaker 1: There were some who manifested a blind and bigoted zeal,
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Speaker 1: denouncing all who would not sanction their course. Their fanatical
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Speaker 1: ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from the great
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Speaker 1: body of Adventists. Yet they served to bring reproach upon
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Speaker 1: the cause of truth. Satan was seeking by this means
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Speaker 1: to oppose and destroy the work of God. The people
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Speaker 1: had been greatly stirred by the advent movement. Thousands of
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Speaker 1: sinners had been converted, and faithful men were giving themselves
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Speaker 1: to the work of proclaiming the truth. Even in the
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Speaker 1: tarrying time, the prince of Evil was losing his subjects,
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Speaker 1: and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of God,
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Speaker 1: he sought to deceive some who professed the faith and
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Speaker 1: to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready
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Speaker 1: to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act,
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Speaker 1: and hold it up before the people in the most
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Speaker 1: exaggerated light, to render Adventists and their faith odious. Thus
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Speaker 1: the greater the number whom he could crowd in to
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Speaker 1: make a profession of faith in the Second Advent, while
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Speaker 1: his power controlled their hearts. The greater advantage would he
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Speaker 1: gain by calling attention to them as representatives of the
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Speaker 1: whole body of believers. Satan is the accuser of the brethren,
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Speaker 1: and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch
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Speaker 1: for the errors and defects of the Lord's people, and
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Speaker 1: to hold them up to notice, while their good deeds
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Speaker 1: are passed by without a mention. He is always active
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Speaker 1: when God is at work for the salvation of souls.
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Speaker 1: When the sons of God come to present themselves before
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Speaker 1: the Lord, Satan comes also among them. In every revival,
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Speaker 1: he is ready to bring in those who are unsanctified
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Speaker 1: in heart and unbalanced in mind. When these have accepted
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Speaker 1: some points of truth and gained a place with believers,
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Speaker 1: he works through them to introduce theories that will deceive
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Speaker 1: the unware. No man is proved to be a true
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Speaker 1: Christian because he is found in company with the children
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Speaker 1: of God, even in the house of worship and around
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Speaker 1: the table of the Lord. Satan is frequently there upon
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Speaker 1: the most solemn occasions, in the form of those whom
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Speaker 1: he can use as his agents. The prince of Evil
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Speaker 1: contests every inch of ground over which God's people advance
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Speaker 1: in their journey toward the heavenly City. In all the
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Speaker 1: history of the Church, no reformation has been carried forward
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Speaker 1: without encountering serious obstacles. Thus it was in Paul's day,
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Speaker 1: wherever the apostle raised up a church, there were some
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Speaker 1: who profess to receive the faith, but who brought in
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Speaker 1: heresies that, if received, would eventually crowd out the love
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Speaker 1: of the truth. Luther also suffered great perplexity and distress
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Speaker 1: from the course of fanatical persons who claimed that God
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Speaker 1: had spoken directly through them, and who therefore set their
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Speaker 1: own ideas and opinions above the testimony of the scriptures.
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Speaker 1: Many who were lacking in faith and experience, but who
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Speaker 1: had considerable self sufficiency, and who loved to hear and
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Speaker 1: tell some new thing, were beguiled by the pretensions of
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Speaker 1: the new teachers, and they joined the agents of Satan
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Speaker 1: in their work of tearing down what God had moved
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Speaker 1: Luther to build up. And the Wesleys and others who
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Speaker 1: blessed the world by their influence and their faith, encountered
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Speaker 1: at every step the wiles of Satan in pushing over zealous, unbalanced,
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Speaker 1: and unsanctified ones into fanaticism of every grade. William Miller
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Speaker 1: had no sympathy with those influences that led to fanaticism.
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Speaker 1: He declared with Luther that every spirit should be tested
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Speaker 1: by the word of God. The devil, said Miller, has
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Speaker 1: great power over the minds of some at the present day.
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Speaker 1: And how shall we know what manner of spirit they are?
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Speaker 1: Of the Bible answers by their fruits, he shall know them.
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Speaker 1: There are many spirits gone out into the world, and
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Speaker 1: we are commanded to try the spirits. The spirit that
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Speaker 1: does not cause us to live soberly, righteously and godly
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Speaker 1: in this present world is not the spirit of Christ.
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Speaker 1: I am more and more convinced that Satan has much
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Speaker 1: to do in these wild movements. Many among us who
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Speaker 1: pretend to be wholly sanctified, are following the traditions of men,
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Speaker 1: and apparently are as ignorant of truth as others who
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Speaker 1: make no such pretensions. The spirit of error will lead
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Speaker 1: us from the truth, and the spirit of God will
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Speaker 1: lead us into truth. But say you, a man may
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Speaker 1: be in an error and think he has the truth?
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Speaker 1: What then we answer? The Spirit and word agree. If
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Speaker 1: a man judges himself by the Word of God and
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Speaker 1: finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he
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Speaker 1: must believe he has the truth. But if he finds
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Speaker 1: the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize
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Speaker 1: with the whole tenor of God's law or book, then
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Speaker 1: let him walk carefully lest he be caught in the
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Speaker 1: snare of the devil. I have often obtained more evidence
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Speaker 1: of inward piety from a kindling eye, a wet cheek,
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Speaker 1: and a choked terance than from all the noise in Christendom.
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Speaker 1: In the days of the Reformation, its enemies charged all
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Speaker 1: the evils of fanaticism upon the very ones who were
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Speaker 1: laboring most earnestly against it. A similar course was pursued
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Speaker 1: by the opposers of the movement. And, not content with
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Speaker 1: misrepresenting and exaggerating the errors of extremists and fanatics, they
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Speaker 1: circulated unfavorable reports that had not the slightest semblance of truth.
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Speaker 1: These persons were actuated by prejudice and hatred. Their peace
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Speaker 1: was disturbed by the proclamation of Christ at the door.
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Speaker 1: They feared it might be true yet hoped it was not,
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Speaker 1: and this was the secret of their warfare against Adventists
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Speaker 1: and their faith. The fact that a few fanatics worked
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Speaker 1: their way into the ranks of Adventists is no more
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Speaker 1: a reason to decide that the movement was not of
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Speaker 1: God than was the presence of fanatics and deceivers in
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Speaker 1: the church in Paul's or Luther's day a sufficient excuse
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Speaker 1: for condemning their work. Let the people of God arouse
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Speaker 1: out of sleep and begin in earnest the work of
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Speaker 1: repentance and reformation. Let them search the scriptures to learn
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Speaker 1: the truth as it is in Jesus. Let them make
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Speaker 1: an entire consecration to God, and evidence will not be
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Speaker 1: wanting that Satan is still active and vigilant with all
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Speaker 1: possible deception. He will manifest his power, calling to his
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Speaker 1: aid all the fallen angels of his realm. It was
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Speaker 1: not the proclamation of the Second Advent that created fanaticism
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Speaker 1: and division. These appeared in the summer of eighteen forty four,
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Speaker 1: when Adventists were in a state of doubt and perplexity
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Speaker 1: concerning their real position. The preaching of the First Angel's
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Speaker 1: Message and of the Midnight Cry tended directly to repress
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Speaker 1: fanaticism and dissension. Those who participated in these solemn movements
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Speaker 1: were in harmony. Their hearts were filled with love for
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Speaker 1: one another and for Jesus, whom they expected soon to see.
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Speaker 1: The one faith, the one blessed Hope, lifted the above
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Speaker 1: the control of any human influence, and proved a shield
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Speaker 1: against the assaults of Satan. While the bridegroom terried, they
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Speaker 1: all slumbered and slept, And at midnight there was a
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Speaker 1: cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, Go ye out to
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Speaker 1: meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
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Speaker 1: In the summer of eighteen forty four, midway between the
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Speaker 1: time when it had been first thought that the twenty
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Speaker 1: three hundred days would end, and the autumn of the
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Speaker 1: same year, to which it was afterward found that they
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Speaker 1: extended the message was proclaimed in the very words of scripture,
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Speaker 1: Behold the bridegroom cometh. That which led to this movement
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Speaker 1: was the discovery that the decree of our Dexerxes for
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Speaker 1: the restoration of Jerusalem, which formed the starting point for
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Speaker 1: the period of the twenty three hundred days, went into
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Speaker 1: effect in the autumn of the year b c. Four
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Speaker 1: fifty seven, and not at the beginning of the year
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Speaker 1: as had been formerly believed, reckoning from the autumn of
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Speaker 1: four fifty seven. The twenty three hundred years terminate in
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Speaker 1: the Afeto of eighteen forty four. Arguments drawn from the
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Speaker 1: Old Testament types also pointed to the autumn as the
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Speaker 1: time when the event represented by the cleansing of the
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Speaker 1: sanctuary must take place. This was made very clear as
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Speaker 1: attention was given to the manner in which the types
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Speaker 1: relating to the first Advent of Christ had been fulfilled.
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Speaker 1: The slaying of the passover Lamb was a shadow of
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Speaker 1: the death of Christ, says Paul. Christ our passover is
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Speaker 1: sacrificed for us. The sheaf of first fruits, which at
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Speaker 1: the time of the Passover was waved before the Lord,
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Speaker 1: was typical of the resurrection of Christ, Paul says, in
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Speaker 1: speaking of the resurrection of the Lord and of all
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Speaker 1: his people Christ. The first fruits afterward, they that are
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Speaker 1: Christ's at his coming, like the wave sheaf which was
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Speaker 1: the first ripe grain gathered before the harvest Christ, as
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Speaker 1: the first fruits of that immortal harvest of redeemed ones
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Speaker 1: that at the future resurrection shall be gathered into the
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Speaker 1: garner of God. These types were fulfilled not only as
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Speaker 1: to the event, but as to the time. On the
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Speaker 1: fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, the very day
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Speaker 1: and month on which for fifteen long centuries the Passover
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Speaker 1: Lamb had been slain, Christ, having eaten the Passover with
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Speaker 1: his disciples, instituted that feast, which was to commemorate his
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Speaker 1: own death as the Lamb of God which taketh away
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Speaker 1: the sin of the world. That same night he was
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Speaker 1: taken by wicked hands to be crucified and slain, and
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Speaker 1: as the anti type of the wave sheaf our Lord
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Speaker 1: was raised from the dead on the third day, the
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Speaker 1: first fruits of them that slept a sample of all
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Speaker 1: the resurrected, just whose vile body shall be changed and
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Speaker 1: fashioned like unto his glorious body. In like manner, the
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Speaker 1: types which relate to the Second Advent must be fulfilled
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Speaker 1: at the time pointed out in the symbolic service. Under
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Speaker 1: the mosaic system, the cleansing of the Sanctuary, or the
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Speaker 1: Great Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of
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Speaker 1: the seventh Jewish Month, when the high priest, having made
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Speaker 1: an Atonement for all Israel, and thus removed their sins
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Speaker 1: from the sanctuary, came forth and blessed the people. So
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Speaker 1: it was believed that Christ, our Great High Priest, would
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Speaker 1: appear to purify the earth by the destruction of sin
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Speaker 1: and sinners, and to bless his waiting people with immortality.
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Speaker 1: The tenth day of the seventh month, the Great Day
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Speaker 1: of Atonement, the time of the cleansing of the Sanctuary,
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Speaker 1: which in the year eighteen forty four fell upon the
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Speaker 1: twenty second of October, was regarded as the time of
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Speaker 1: the Lord's coming. This was in harmony with the proofs
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Speaker 1: already presented that the twenty three hundred days would terminate
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Speaker 1: in the autumn, and the conclusion seemed irresistible. In the
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Speaker 1: parable of Matthew twenty five, the time of waiting in
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Speaker 1: slumber is followed by the coming of the bridegroom. This
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Speaker 1: was in accordance with the arguments just presented, both from
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Speaker 1: prophecy and from the types. They carried strong conviction of
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Speaker 1: their truthfulness, and the midnight cry was heralded by thousands
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Speaker 1: of believers. Like a tidal wave of the movement swept
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Speaker 1: over the land from city to city, from village to village,
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Speaker 1: and into remote country places. It went until the waiting
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Speaker 1: people of God were fully aroused. Fanaticism disappeared before this proclamation,
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Speaker 1: like early frost before the rising sun. Believers saw their
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Speaker 1: doubt and perplexity removed, and hope and courage animated their hearts.
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Speaker 1: The work was free from those extremes which are ever
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Speaker 1: manifested when there is human excitement, without the controlling influence
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Speaker 1: of the word and spirit of God. It was similar
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Speaker 1: in character to those seasons of humiliation and returning unto
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Speaker 1: the Lord, which among ancient Israel followed messages of reproof
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Speaker 1: from his servants. It bore the characteristics that mark the
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Speaker 1: work of God in every age. There was little ecstatic joy,
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Speaker 1: but rather deep searching of heart, confession of sin, and
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Speaker 1: forsaking of the world a preparation to meet the Lord
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Speaker 1: was the burden of agonizing spirits. There was persevering prayer
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Speaker 1: and unreserved consecration to God, said Miller in describing that work.
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Speaker 1: There is no great expression of joy, that is, as
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Speaker 1: it were suppressed for a future occasion when all heaven
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Speaker 1: and earth will rejoice together with joy unspeakable and full
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Speaker 1: of glory. There is no shouting, That too is reserved
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Speaker 1: for the shout from Heaven. The singers are silent. They
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Speaker 1: are waiting to join the angelic hosts, the choir from Heaven.
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Speaker 1: There is no clashing of sentiments. All are of one
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Speaker 1: heart and of one mind. Another who participated in the
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Speaker 1: movement testified it produced everywhere the most deep searching of
20:43
Speaker 1: heart and humiliation of soul before the God of High Heaven.
20:47
Speaker 1: It caused a weaning of affections from the things of
20:49
Speaker 1: this world, a healing of controversies and animosities, a confession
20:54
Speaker 1: of wrongs, a breaking down before God and penitent broken
20:58
Speaker 1: hearted supplications to him, pardon and acceptance. It caused self
21:03
Speaker 1: abasement and prostration of soul such as we never before witnessed,
21:08
Speaker 1: As God by Joel commanded when the great day of
21:11
Speaker 1: God should be at hand. It produced a rending of
21:14
Speaker 1: hearts and not of garments, and a turning unto the Lord,
21:17
Speaker 1: with fasting and weeping and mourning. As God said by Zechariah,
21:22
Speaker 1: a spirit of grace and supplication was poured out upon
21:24
Speaker 1: his children. They looked to him whom they had pierced.
21:28
Speaker 1: There was a great mourning in the land and those
21:30
Speaker 1: who were looking for the Lord afflicted their souls before him.
21:35
Speaker 1: Of all the great religious movements since the days of
21:37
Speaker 1: the Apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection
21:41
Speaker 1: and the wiles of Satan than was that of the
21:43
Speaker 1: Autumn of eighteen forty four. Even now, after the lapse
21:48
Speaker 1: of many years, all who shared in that movement, and
21:50
Speaker 1: who have stood firm upon the platform of truth, still
21:53
Speaker 1: feel the holy influence of that blessed work, and bear
21:57
Speaker 1: witness that it was of God. At the bridegroom cometh,
22:01
Speaker 1: go ye out to meet him. The waiting ones arose
22:04
Speaker 1: and trimmed their lamps. They studied the word of God
22:07
Speaker 1: with an intensity of interest. Before unknown angels were sent
22:11
Speaker 1: from heaven to arouse those who had become discouraged and
22:14
Speaker 1: prepare them to receive the message. The work did not
22:18
Speaker 1: stand in the wisdom and learning of men, but in
22:21
Speaker 1: the power of God. It was not the most talented,
22:24
Speaker 1: but the most humble and devoted who were the first
22:27
Speaker 1: to hear and obey the call. Farmers left their crops
22:31
Speaker 1: standing in the fields. Mechanics laid down their tools, and,
22:34
Speaker 1: with tears and rejoicing, went out to give the warning
22:38
Speaker 1: those who had formerly led in the cause were among
22:41
Speaker 1: the last to join in this movement. The churches in
22:44
Speaker 1: general closed their doors against this message, and a large
22:47
Speaker 1: company of those who received it withdrew from their connection
22:51
Speaker 1: in the providence of God. This proclamation united with the
22:54
Speaker 1: Second Angel's message and gave power to that work. The
22:59
Speaker 1: message Hold the Bridegroom Cometh was not so much a
23:02
Speaker 1: matter of argument, though the scripture proof was clear and conclusive.
23:07
Speaker 1: There went with it an impelling power that moved the soul.
23:10
Speaker 1: There was no doubt, no questioning. Upon the occasion of
23:15
Speaker 1: Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people who were assembled
23:19
Speaker 1: from all parts of the land to keep the feast
23:21
Speaker 1: flocked to the Mount of Olives, And as they joined
23:24
Speaker 1: the throng that were escorting Jesus, they caught the inspiration
23:28
Speaker 1: of the hour and helped to swell the shout, Blessed
23:31
Speaker 1: is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
23:34
Speaker 1: In like manner did unbelievers who flocked to the Adventist meetings,
23:38
Speaker 1: some from curiosity, some merely to ridicule, feel the convincing
23:42
Speaker 1: power attending the message Behold the Bridegroom Cometh. At that
23:47
Speaker 1: time there was faith that brought answers to prayer, faith
23:50
Speaker 1: that had respect to the recompensive reward. Like showers of
23:55
Speaker 1: rain upon the thirsty earth, the spirit of grace descended
23:58
Speaker 1: upon the earnest seekers. Those who expected soon to stand
24:02
Speaker 1: face to face with their Redeemer felt a solemn joy
24:06
Speaker 1: that was unutterable. The softening, subduing power of the Holy
24:09
Speaker 1: Spirit melted the heart as his blessing was bestowed in
24:13
Speaker 1: rich measure upon the faithful, believing ones. Carefully and solemnly.
24:18
Speaker 1: Those who received the message came up to the time
24:20
Speaker 1: when they hoped to meet their Lord every morning. They
24:24
Speaker 1: felt that it was their first duty to secure the
24:26
Speaker 1: evidence of their acceptance with God. Their hearts were closely united,
24:31
Speaker 1: and they prayed much with and for one another. They
24:35
Speaker 1: often met together in secluded places to commune with God,
24:38
Speaker 1: and the voice of intercession ascended to Heaven from the
24:41
Speaker 1: fields and groves. The assurance of the Saviour's approval was
24:45
Speaker 1: more necessary to them than their daily food, and if
24:48
Speaker 1: a cloud darkened their minds, they did not rest until
24:51
Speaker 1: it was swept away. As they felt the witness of
24:55
Speaker 1: pardoning grace. They longed to behold Him whom their souls loved,
25:00
Speaker 1: but again they were destined to disappointment. The time of
25:03
Speaker 1: expectation passed and their savior did not appear. With unwavering confidence,
25:08
Speaker 1: they had looked forward to his coming, and now they
25:11
Speaker 1: felt as did Mary, when coming to the Saviour's tomb
25:14
Speaker 1: and finding it empty, she exclaimed with weeping, they have
25:17
Speaker 1: taken away my Lord, and I know not where they
25:19
Speaker 1: have laid him. A feeling of awe, a fear that
25:23
Speaker 1: the message might be true, had for a time served
25:26
Speaker 1: as a restraint upon the unbelieving world. After the passing
25:30
Speaker 1: of the time, this did not at once disappear. At first,
25:34
Speaker 1: they dared not triumph over the disappointed ones. But as
25:37
Speaker 1: no tokens of God's wrath were seen, they recovered from
25:40
Speaker 1: their fears and resumed their reproach and ridicule. A large
25:45
Speaker 1: class who had professed to believe in the Lord's soon
25:47
Speaker 1: coming renounced their faith. Some who had been very confident
25:51
Speaker 1: were so deeply wounded in their pride that they felt
25:54
Speaker 1: like fleeing from the world. Like Jonah, they complained of
25:58
Speaker 1: God and chose death rather than life. Those who had
26:02
Speaker 1: based their faith upon the opinions of others and not
26:05
Speaker 1: upon the word of God, were now as ready again
26:08
Speaker 1: to change their views. The scoffers won the week, and
26:11
Speaker 1: cowardly to their ranks, and all these united in declaring
26:14
Speaker 1: that there could be no more fears or expectations. Now
26:18
Speaker 1: the time had passed, the Lord had not come, and
26:21
Speaker 1: the world might remain the same for thousands of years.
26:25
Speaker 1: The earnest sincere believers had given up all for Christ
26:28
Speaker 1: and had shared his presence as never before. They had,
26:32
Speaker 1: as they believed, given their last warning to the world,
26:35
Speaker 1: and expecting soon to be received into the society of
26:38
Speaker 1: their divine Master and the heavenly angels, they had to
26:42
Speaker 1: a great extent withdrawn from the society of those who
26:44
Speaker 1: did not receive the message. With intense desire, they had prayed,
26:49
Speaker 1: come Lord Jesus, and come quickly, But he had not come.
26:54
Speaker 1: And now to take up again the heavy burden of
26:57
Speaker 1: life's cares and perplexities, and to endure the taunts and
27:00
Speaker 1: sneers of a scoffing world was a terrible trial of
27:03
Speaker 1: faith and patience. Yet this disappointment was not so great
27:08
Speaker 1: as was that experienced by the disciples at the time
27:11
Speaker 1: of Christ's first Advent, when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.
27:16
Speaker 1: His followers believed that he was about to ascend the
27:19
Speaker 1: throne of David and deliver Israel from her oppressors. With
27:23
Speaker 1: high hopes and joyful anticipations, they vied with one another
27:27
Speaker 1: in showing honor to their king. Many spread their outer
27:31
Speaker 1: garments as a carpet in his path, or strode before
27:34
Speaker 1: him the leafy branches of the palm. In their enthusiastic joy,
27:38
Speaker 1: they united in the glad a claim Hosanna to the
27:41
Speaker 1: son of David. When the Pharisees, disturbed and angered by
27:45
Speaker 1: the southburst of rejoicing, wished Jesus to rebuke his disciples,
27:49
Speaker 1: he replied, if these should hold their peace, the stones
27:53
Speaker 1: would immediately cry out. Prophecy must be fulfilled. The disciples
27:59
Speaker 1: were accomplishing the per of God, yet they were doomed
28:02
Speaker 1: to a bitter disappointment. But a few days had passed
28:06
Speaker 1: ere they witnessed the Saviour's agonizing death and laid him
28:09
Speaker 1: in the tomb. Their expectations had not been realized in
28:12
Speaker 1: a single particular, and their hopes died with Jesus. Not
28:17
Speaker 1: till their lord had come forth triumphant from the grave,
28:20
Speaker 1: could they perceive that all had been foretold by prophecy,
28:23
Speaker 1: and that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again
28:26
Speaker 1: from the dead. Five hundred years before, the Lord had
28:30
Speaker 1: declared by the prophet Zechariah, rejoice greatly, O, daughter of Zion, Shout, O,
28:35
Speaker 1: daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy King cometh unto thee. He
28:40
Speaker 1: is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an
28:43
Speaker 1: ass and upon a cult the fall of an ass
28:47
Speaker 1: Had the disciples realized that Christ was going to judgment
28:50
Speaker 1: and to death, they could not have fulfilled this prophecy.
28:54
Speaker 1: In like manner, Miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy and
28:58
Speaker 1: gave a message which Inspiration had foretold should be given
29:02
Speaker 1: to the world, but which they could not have given
29:04
Speaker 1: had they fully understood the prophecies, pointing out their disappointment
29:08
Speaker 1: and presenting another message to be preached to all nations
29:11
Speaker 1: before the Lord should come. The First and Second Angel's
29:14
Speaker 1: messages were given at the right time and accomplished the
29:17
Speaker 1: work which God designed to accomplish. By them, the world
29:21
Speaker 1: had been looking on, expecting that if the time passed
29:24
Speaker 1: and Christ did not appear, the whole system of adventism
29:27
Speaker 1: would be given up. But while many, under strong temptation
29:32
Speaker 1: yielded their faith, there were some who stood firm. The
29:36
Speaker 1: fruits of the Advent movement, the spirit of humility and
29:39
Speaker 1: heart searching, of renouncing of the world and reformation of life,
29:43
Speaker 1: which had attended the work, testified that it was of God.
29:47
Speaker 1: They dared not deny that the power of the Holy
29:50
Speaker 1: Spirit had witnessed to the preaching of the Second Advent,
29:53
Speaker 1: and they could detect no error in their reckoning of
29:55
Speaker 1: the prophetic periods. The ablest of their opponents had not
30:00
Speaker 1: succeeded in overthrowing their system of prophetic interpretation. They could
30:05
Speaker 1: not consent without Bible evidence to renounce positions which had
30:09
Speaker 1: been reached through earnest, prayerful study of the scriptures by
30:12
Speaker 1: minds enlightened by the Spirit of God and hearts burning
30:15
Speaker 1: with its living power, positions which had withstood the most
30:19
Speaker 1: searching criticisms and the most bitter opposition of popular religious
30:23
Speaker 1: teachers and worldly wise men, and which had stood firm
30:27
Speaker 1: against the combined forces of learning and eloquence, and the
30:30
Speaker 1: taunts and revilings alike of the honorable and the base true.
30:35
Speaker 1: There had been a failure as to the expected event,
30:38
Speaker 1: but even this could not shake their faith in the
30:40
Speaker 1: word of God. When Jonah proclaimed in the streets of
30:43
Speaker 1: Nineve that within forty days the city would be overthrown,
30:47
Speaker 1: the Lord accepted the humiliation of the Ninavites and extended
30:51
Speaker 1: their period of probation. Yet the message of Jonah was
30:54
Speaker 1: sent of God, and Nineve was tested according to his will.
30:59
Speaker 1: Adventists believed that in like manner, God had led them
31:02
Speaker 1: to give the warning of the judgment. It has, they declared,
31:06
Speaker 1: tested the hearts of all who heard it, and awakened
31:09
Speaker 1: a love for the Lord's appearing. Or it has called
31:12
Speaker 1: for the hatred more or less perceivable, but known to
31:15
Speaker 1: God of his coming. It has drawn a line, so
31:19
Speaker 1: that those who will examine their own hearts may know
31:22
Speaker 1: on which side of it they would have been found
31:24
Speaker 1: had the Lord then come. Whether they would have exclaimed, Lo,
31:27
Speaker 1: this is our God. We have waited for him, and
31:29
Speaker 1: he will save us. Or whether they would have called
31:32
Speaker 1: to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, to
31:34
Speaker 1: hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on
31:36
Speaker 1: the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. God. Thus,
31:40
Speaker 1: as we believe, has tested his people, has tried their
31:43
Speaker 1: faith has proved them and seen whether they would shrink
31:46
Speaker 1: in the hour of trial from the position in which
31:49
Speaker 1: He might see fit to place them, and whether they
31:52
Speaker 1: would relinquish this world and rely with implicit confidence in
31:56
Speaker 1: the word of God. The feelings of those who still
31:59
Speaker 1: believed that God had led them in their past experience
32:02
Speaker 1: are expressed in the words of William Miller. Were I
32:06
Speaker 1: to live my life over again with the same evidence
32:08
Speaker 1: that I then had to be honest with God and man,
32:11
Speaker 1: I should have to do as I have done, I
32:14
Speaker 1: hope that I have cleansed my garments from the blood
32:17
Speaker 1: of souls. I feel that, as far as it was
32:20
Speaker 1: in my power, I have freed myself from all guilt
32:23
Speaker 1: in their condemnation. Although I have been twice disappointed, wrote
32:28
Speaker 1: this Man of God, I am not yet cast down
32:30
Speaker 1: or discouraged. My hope in the coming of Christ is
32:33
Speaker 1: as strong as ever. I have done only what after
32:37
Speaker 1: years of solemn consideration, I felt it my solemn duty
32:40
Speaker 1: to do. If I have erred, it has been on
32:44
Speaker 1: the side of charity, love to my fellow men, and
32:46
Speaker 1: conviction of duty to God. One thing I do know,
32:51
Speaker 1: I have preached nothing but what I believed, and God
32:53
Speaker 1: has been with me. His power has been manifested in
32:57
Speaker 1: the work, and much good has been affected. Many thousands,
33:01
Speaker 1: to all human appearance, have been made to study the
33:04
Speaker 1: scriptures by the preaching of the time, and by that means,
33:07
Speaker 1: through faith and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ,
33:10
Speaker 1: have been reconciled to God. I have never courted the
33:14
Speaker 1: smiles of the proud, nor quailed when the world frowned.
33:17
Speaker 1: I shall not now purchase their favor, nor shall I
33:20
Speaker 1: go beyond duty to tempt their hate. I shall never
33:23
Speaker 1: seek my life at their hands, nor shrink I hope
33:26
Speaker 1: from losing it. If God, in his good providence so orders,
33:31
Speaker 1: God did not forsake his people, his spirits still abode
33:34
Speaker 1: with those who did not rashly deny the light which
33:37
Speaker 1: they had received and denounce the Advent movement. In the
33:40
Speaker 1: Epistle to the Hebrews are words of encouragement and warning
33:43
Speaker 1: for the tried waiting ones at this crisis. Cast not
33:48
Speaker 1: away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward,
33:52
Speaker 1: for ye have need of patience, that after ye have
33:55
Speaker 1: done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
33:58
Speaker 1: For yet a little while and he that shall come,
34:01
Speaker 1: will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall
34:04
Speaker 1: live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
34:07
Speaker 1: soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are
34:10
Speaker 1: not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of
34:13
Speaker 1: them that believe to the saving of the soul. That
34:17
Speaker 1: this admonition is addressed to the church in the last
34:19
Speaker 1: days is evident from the words pointing to the nearness
34:22
Speaker 1: of the Lord's coming for yet a little while, and
34:25
Speaker 1: he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
34:29
Speaker 1: And it is plainly implied that there would be a
34:31
Speaker 1: seeming delay, and that the Lord would appear to terry.
34:35
Speaker 1: The instruction here given is especially adapted to the experience
34:39
Speaker 1: of adventists. At this time. The people here addressed were
34:43
Speaker 1: in danger of making shipwreck of faith. They had done
34:47
Speaker 1: the will of God in following the guidance of his
34:49
Speaker 1: spirit and his word. Yet they could not understand His
34:52
Speaker 1: purpose in their past experience, nor could they desern the
34:55
Speaker 1: pathway before them, and they were tempted to doubt whether
34:58
Speaker 1: God had indeed been leading them at this time the
35:02
Speaker 1: words were applicable. Now the just shall live by faith
35:07
Speaker 1: as the bright light of the midnight cry had shone
35:09
Speaker 1: upon their pathway, and they had seen the prophecies unsealed,
35:13
Speaker 1: and the rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of
35:16
Speaker 1: Christ was near. They had walked, as it were, by sight,
35:21
Speaker 1: but now bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand
35:24
Speaker 1: only by faith in God and in his word. The
35:28
Speaker 1: scoffing world were saying, you have been deceived. Give up
35:32
Speaker 1: your faith and say that the Advent movement was of Satan.
35:36
Speaker 1: But God's word declared, if any man draw back, my
35:39
Speaker 1: soul shall have no pleasure in him. To renounce their
35:42
Speaker 1: faith now and deny the power of the Holy Spirit
35:45
Speaker 1: which had attended the message, would be drawing back toward perdition.
35:50
Speaker 1: They were encouraged to steadfastness by the words of Paul.
35:53
Speaker 1: Cast not away, therefore your confidence, Ye have need of
35:56
Speaker 1: patience for yet a little while, And he that shall
35:59
Speaker 1: come will come, and will not tarry. Their only safe
36:03
Speaker 1: course was to cherish the light which they had already
36:06
Speaker 1: received of God, hold fast to his promises, and continue
36:10
Speaker 1: to search the scriptures, and patiently wait and watch to
36:13
Speaker 1: receive further light. End of Chapter twenty two.