the great controversy-第65章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


blinded　the　mind　to　the　truth。　Both　classes　fulfilled　the　will　of　God　in
delivering　the　message　which　He　desired　to　be　given；　and　both；　through　their
own　misapprehension　of　their　message；　suffered　disappointment。

Yet　God　accomplished　His　own　beneficent　purpose　in　permitting　the　warning　of
the　judgment　to　be　given　just　as　it　was。　The　great　day　was　at　hand；　and　in
His　providence　the　people　were　brought　to　the　test　of　a　definite　time；　in
order　to　reveal　to　them　what　was　in　their　hearts。　The　message　was　designed
for　the　testing　and　purification　of　the　church。　They　were　to　be　led　to　see
whether　their　affections　were　set　upon　this　world　or　upon　Christ　and　heaven。
They　professed　to　love　the　Saviour；　now　they　were　to　prove　their　love。　Were
they　ready　to　renounce　their　worldly　hopes　and　ambitions；　and　welcome　with
joy　the　advent　of　their　Lord？　The　message　was　designed　to　enable　them　to
discern　their　true　spiritual　state；　it　was　sent　in　mercy　to　arouse　them　to
seek　the　Lord　with　repentance　and　humiliation。

The　disappointment　also；　though　the　result　of　their　own　misapprehension　of
the　message　which　they　gave；　was　to　be　overruled　for　good。　It　would　test　the
hearts　of　those　who　had　professed　to　receive　the　warning。　In　the　face　of
their　disappointment　would　they　rashly　give　up　their　experience　and　cast
away　their　confidence　in　God's　word？　or　would　they；　in

354

prayer　and　humility；　seek　to　discern　where　they　had　failed　to　comprehend　the
significance　of　the　prophecy？　How　many　had　moved　from　fear；　or　from　impulse
and　excitement？　How　many　were　halfhearted　and　unbelieving？　Multitudes
professed　to　love　the　appearing　of　the　Lord。　When　called　to　endure　the
scoffs　and　reproach　of　the　world；　and　the　test　of　delay　and　disappointment；
would　they　renounce　the　faith？　Because　they　did　not　immediately　understand
the　dealings　of　God　with　them；　would　they　cast　aside　truths　sustained　by　the
clearest　testimony　of　His　word？

This　test　would　reveal　the　strength　of　those　who　with　real　faith　had　obeyed
what　they　believed　to　be　the　teaching　of　the　word　and　the　Spirit　of　God。　It
would　teach　them；　as　only　such　an　experience　could；　the　danger　of　accepting
the　theories　and　interpretations　of　men；　instead　of　making　the　Bible　its　own
interpreter。　To　the　children　of　faith　the　perplexity　and　sorrow　resulting
from　their　error　would　work　the　needed　correction。　They　would　be　led　to　a
closer　study　of　the　prophetic　word。　They　would　be　taught　to　examine　more
carefully　the　foundation　of　their　faith；　and　to　reject　everything；　however
widely　accepted　by　the　Christian　world；　that　was　not　founded　upon　the
Scriptures　of　truth。

With　these　believers；　as　with　the　first　disciples；　that　which　in　the　hour　of
trial　seemed　dark　to　their　understanding　would　afterward　be　made　plain。　When
they　should　see　the　〃end　of　the　Lord〃　they　would　know　that；　notwithstanding
the　trial　resulting　from　their　errors；　His　purposes　of　love　toward　them　had
been　steadily　fulfilling。　They　would　learn　by　a　blessed　experience　that　He
is　〃very　pitiful；　and　of　tender　mercy；〃　that　all　His　paths　〃are　mercy　and
truth　unto　such　as　keep　His　covenant　and　His　testimonies。〃




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（355）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　20

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　Great　Religious　Awakening


A　Great　religious　awakening　under　the　proclamation　of　Christ's　soon　coming
is　foretold　in　the　prophecy　of　the　first　angel's　message　of　Revelation　14。
An　angel　is　seen　flying　〃in　the　midst　of　heaven；　having　the　everlasting
gospel　to　preach　unto　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth；　and　to　every　nation；　and
kindred；　and　tongue；　and　people。〃　〃With　a　loud　voice〃　he　proclaims　the
message：　〃Fear　God；　and　give　glory　to　Him；　for　the　hour　of　His　judgment　is
come：　and　worship　Him　that　made　heaven；　and　earth；　and　the　sea；　and　the
fountains　of　waters。〃　Verses　6；　7。

The　fact　that　an　angel　is　said　to　be　the　herald　of　this　warning　is
significant。　By　the　purity；　the　glory；　and　the　power　of　the　heavenly
messenger；　divine　wisdom　has　been　pleased　to　represent　the　exalted　character
of　the　work　to　be　accomplished　by　the　message　and　the　power　and　glory　that
were　to　attend　it。　And　the　angel's　flight　〃in　the　midst　of　heaven；〃　the
〃loud　voice〃　with　which　the　warning　is　uttered；　and　its　promulgation　to　all
〃that　dwell　on　the　earth；〃〃to　every　nation；　and　kindred；　and　tongue；　and
people；〃give　evidence　of　the　rapidity　and　world…wide　extent　of　the
movement。

The　message　itself　sheds　light　as　to　the　time　when　this　movement　is　to　take
place。　It　is　declared　to　be　a　part　of　the　〃everlasting　gospel；〃　and　it
announces　the　opening　of　the

356

judgment。　The　message　of　salvation　has　been　preached　in　all　ages；　but　this
message　is　a　part　of　the　gospel　which　could　be　proclaimed　only　in　the　last
days；　for　only　then　would　it　be　true　that　the　hour　of　judgment　had　come。　The
prophecies　present　a　succession　of　events　leading　down　to　the　opening　of　the
judgment。　This　is　especially　true　of　the　book　of　Daniel。　But　that　part　of
his　prophecy　which　related　to　the　last　days；　Daniel　was　bidden　to　close　up
and　seal　〃to　the　time　of　the　end。〃　Not　till　we　reach　this　time　could　a
message　concerning　the　judgment　be　proclaimed；　based　on　the　fulfillment　of
these　prophecies。　But　at　the　time　of　the　end；　says　the　prophet；　〃many　shall
run　to　and　fro；　and　knowledge　shall　be　increased。〃　Daniel　12：4。

The　apostle　Paul　warned　the　church　not　to　look　for　the　coming　of　Christ　in
his　day。　〃That　day　shall　not　come；〃　he　says；　〃except　there　come　a　falling
away　first；　and　that　man　of　sin　be　revealed。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：3。　Not　till
after　the　great　apostasy；　and　the　long　period　of　the　reign　of　the　〃man　of
sin；〃　can　we　look　for　the　advent　of　our　Lord。　The　〃man　of　sin；〃　which　is
also　styled　〃the　mystery　of　iniquity；〃　〃the　son　of　perdition；〃　and　〃that
wicked；〃　represents　the　papacy；　which；　as　foretold　in　prophecy；　was　to
maintain　its　supremacy　for　1260　years。　This　period　ended　in　1798。　The　coming
of　Christ　could　not　take　place　before　that　time。　Paul　covers　with　his
caution　the　whole　of　the　Christian　dispensation　down　to　the　year　1798。　It　is
this　side　of　that　time　that　the　message　of　Christ's　second　coming　is　to　be
proclaimed。

No　such　message　has　ever　been　given　in　past　ages。　Paul；　as　we　have　seen；　did
not　preach　it；　he　pointed　his　brethren　into　the　then　far…distant　future　for
the　coming　of　the　Lord。　The　Reformers　did　not　proclaim　it。　Martin　Luther
placed　the　judgment　about　three　hundred　years　in　the　future　from　his　day。
But　since　1798　the　book　of　Daniel　has　been　unsealed；　knowledge　of　the
prophecies　has　increased；　and　many　have　proclaimed　the　solemn　message　of　the
judgment　near。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　357


Like　the　great　Reformation　of　the　sixteenth　century；　the　advent　movement
appeared　in　different　countries　of　Christendom　at　the　same　time。　In　both
Europe　and　America　men　of　faith　and　prayer　were　led　to　the　study　of　the
prophecies；　and；　tracing　down　the　inspired　record；　they　saw　convincing
evidence　that　the　end　of　all　things　was　at　hand。　In　different　lands　there
were　isolated　bodies　of　Christians　who；　solely　by　the　study　of　the
Scriptures；　arrived　at　the　belief　that　the　Saviour's　advent　was　near。

In　1821；　three　years　after　Miller　had　arrived　at　his　exposition　of　the
prophecies　pointing　to　the　time　of　the　judgment；　Dr。　Joseph　Wolff；　〃the
missionary　to　the　world；〃　began　to　proclaim　the　Lord's　soon　coming。　Wolff
was　born　in　Germany；　of　Hebrew　parentage；　his　father　being　a　Jewish　rabbi。
While　very　young　he　was　convinced　of　the　truth　of　the　Christian　religion。　Of
an　active；　inquiring　mind；　he　had　been　an　eager　listener　to　the
conversations　that　took　place　in　his　father's　house　as　devout　Hebrews　daily
assembled　to　recount　the　hopes　and　anticipations　of　their　people；　the　glory
of　the　coming　Messiah；　and　the　restoration　of　Israel。　One　day　hearing　Jesus
of　Nazareth　mentioned；　the　boy　inquired　who　He　was。　〃A　Jew　of　the　greatest
talent；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　as　He　pretended　to　be　the　Messiah；　the　Jewish
tribunal　sentenced　Him　to　death。〃　〃Why；〃　rejoined　the　questioner；　〃is
Jerusalem　destroyed；　and　why　are　we　in　captivity？〃　〃Alas；　alas！〃　answered
his　father；　〃because　the　Jews　murdered　the　prophets。〃　The　thought　was　at
once　suggested　to　the　child：　〃Perhaps　Jesus　was　also　a　prophet；　and　the　Jews
killed　Him　when　He　was　innocent。〃Travels　and　Adventures　of　the　Rev。　Joseph
Wolff；　vol。　1；　p。　6。　So　strong　was　this　feeling　that；　though　forbidden　to
enter　a　Christian　church；　he　would　often　linger　outside　to　listen　to　the
preaching。

When　only　seven　years　old　he　was　boasting　to　an　aged　Christian　neighbor　of
the　future　triumph　of　Israel　at　the　advent　of　the　Messiah；　when　the　old　man
said　kindly：　〃Dear　boy；　I　will　tell　you　who　the　real　Messiah　was：　He　was
Jesus

358

of　Nazareth；　。　。　。　whom　your　ancestors　have　crucified；　as　they　did　the
prophets　of　old。　Go　home　and　read　the　fifty…third　chapter　of　Isaiah；　and　you
will　be　convinced　that　Jesus　Christ　is　the　Son　of　God。〃Ibid。；　vol。　1；　p。
7。　Conviction　at　once　fastened　upon　him。　He　went　home　and　read　the
scripture；　wondering　to　see　how　perfectly　it　had　been　fulfilled　in　Jesus　of
Nazareth。　Were　the　words　of　the　Christian　true？　The　boy　asked　of　his　father
an　explanation　of　the　prophecy；　but　was　met　with　a　silence　so　stern　that　he
never　again　dared　to　refer　to　the　subject。　This；　however；　only　increased　his
desire　to　know　more　of　the　Christian　religion。

The　knowledge　he　sought　was　studiously　kept　from　him　in　his　Jewish　home；
but；　when　only　eleven　years　old；　he　left　his　father's　house　and　went　out
into　the　world　to　gain　for　himself　an　education；　to　choose　his　religion　and
his　lifework。　He　found　a　home　for　a　time　with　kinsmen；　but　was　soon　driven
from　them　as　an　apostate；　and　alone　and　penniless　he　had　to　make　his　own　way
among　strangers。　He　went　from　place　to　place；　studying　diligently　and
maintaining　himself　by　teaching　Hebrew。　Through　the　influence　of　a　Catholic
instructor　he　was　led　to　accept　the　Romish　faith　and　formed　the　purpose　of
becoming　a　missionary　to　his　own　people。　With　this　object　he　went；　a　few
years　later；　to　pursue　his　studies　in　the　College　of　the　Propaganda　at　Rome。
Here　his　habit　of　independent　thought　and　candid　speech　brought　upon　him　the
imputation　of　heresy。　He　openly　attacked　the　abuses　of　the　church　and　urged
the　necessity　of　reform。　Though　at　first　treated　with　special　favor　by　the
papal　dignitaries；　he　was　after　a　time　removed　from　Rome。　Under　the
surveillance　of　the　church　he　went　from　place　to　place；　until　it　became
evident　that　he　could　never　be　brought　to　submit　to　the　bondage　of　Romanism。
He　was　declared　to　be　incorrigible　and　was　left　at　liberty　to　go　where　he
pleased。　He　now　made　his　way　to　England　and；　professing　the　Protestant
faith；　united　with　the　English　Church。　After　two　years'　study　he　set　out；　in
1821；　upon　his　mission。

While　Wolff　accepted　the　great　truth　of　Christ's　first

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　359

advent　as　〃a　Man　of　Sorrows；　and　acquainted　with　grief；〃　he　saw　that　the
prophecies　bring　to　view　with　equal　clearness　His　second　advent　w