the great controversy-第74章

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of　God。　It　was　not　the　most　talented；　but　the　most　humble　and　devoted；　who
were　the　first　to　hear　and　obey　the　call。　Farmers　left　their　crops　standing
in　the　fields；　mechanics　laid　down　their　tools；　and　with　tears　and　rejoicing
went　out　to　give　the　warning。　Those　who　had　formerly　led　in　the　cause　were
among　the　last　to　join　in　this　movement。　The　churches　in　general　closed
their　doors　against　this　message；　and　a　large　company　of　those　who　received
it　withdrew　from　their　connection。　In　the　providence　of　God　this
proclamation　united　with　the　second　angel's　message　and　gave　power　to　that
work。

The　message；　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom　cometh！〃　was　not　so　much　a　matter　of
argument；　though　the　Scripture　proof　was　clear　and　conclusive。　There　went
with　it　an　impelling　power　that　moved　the　soul。　There　was　no　doubt；　no
questioning。　Upon　the　occasion　of　Christ's　triumphal　entry　into　Jerusalem
the　people　who　were　assembled　from　all　parts　of　the　land　to　keep　the　feast
flocked　to　the　Mount　of　Olives；　and　as　they　joined　the　throng　that　were
escorting　Jesus　they　caught　the　inspiration　of　the　hour　and　helped　to　swell
the　shout：　〃Blessed　is　He　that　cometh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！〃　Matthew
21：9。　In　like　manner　did　unbelievers　who　flocked　to　the　Adventist
meetingssome　from　curiosity；　some　merely　to　ridiculefeel　the　convincing
power　attending　the　message：　〃Behold；　the　Bridegroom　cometh！〃

At　that　time　there　was　faith　that　brought　answers　to　prayerfaith　that　had
respect　to　the　recompense　of　reward。　Like　showers　of　rain　upon　the　thirsty
earth；　the　Spirit　of　grace　descended　upon　the　earnest　seekers。　Those　who

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expected　soon　to　stand　face　to　face　with　their　Redeemer　felt　a　solemn　joy
that　was　unutterable。　The　softening；　subduing　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit
melted　the　heart　as　His　blessing　was　bestowed　in　rich　measure　upon　the
faithful；　believing　ones。

Carefully　and　solemnly　those　who　received　the　message　came　up　to　the　time
when　they　hoped　to　meet　their　Lord。　Every　morning　they　felt　that　it　was
their　first　duty　to　secure　the　evidence　of　their　acceptance　with　God。　Their
hearts　were　closely　united；　and　they　prayed　much　with　and　for　one　another。
They　often　met　together　in　secluded　places　to　commune　with　God；　and　the
voice　of　intercession　ascended　to　heaven　from　the　fields　and　groves。　The
assurance　of　the　Saviour's　approval　was　more　necessary　to　them　than　their
daily　food；　and　if　a　cloud　darkened　their　minds；　they　did　not　rest　until　it
was　swept　away。　As　they　felt　the　witness　of　pardoning　grace；　they　longed　to
behold　Him　whom　their　souls　loved。

But　again　they　were　destined　to　disappointment。　The　time　of　expectation
passed；　and　their　Saviour　did　not　appear。　With　unwavering　confidence　they
had　looked　forward　to　His　coming；　and　now　they　felt　as　did　Mary　when；　coming
to　the　Saviour's　tomb　and　finding　it　empty；　she　exclaimed　with　weeping：
〃They　have　taken　away　my　Lord；　and　I　know　not　where　they　have　laid　Him。〃
John　20：13。

A　feeling　of　awe；　a　fear　that　the　message　might　be　true；　had　for　a　time
served　as　a　restraint　upon　the　unbelieving　world。　After　the　passing　of　the
time　this　did　not　at　once　disappear；　at　first　they　dared　not　triumph　over
the　disappointed　ones；　but　as　no　tokens　of　God's　wrath　were　seen；　they
recovered　from　their　fears　and　resumed　their　reproach　and　ridicule。　A　large
class　who　had　professed　to　believe　in　the　Lord's　soon　coming；　renounced
their　faith。　Some　who　had　been　very　confident　were　so　deeply　wounded　in
their　pride　that　they　felt　like　fleeing　from　the　world。　Like　Jonah；　they
complained　of　God；　and　chose　death　rather　than　life。

404

Those　who　had　based　their　faith　upon　the　opinions　of　others；　and　not　upon
the　word　of　God；　were　now　as　ready　again　to　change　their　views。　The　scoffers
won　the　weak　and　cowardly　to　their　ranks；　and　all　these　united　in　declaring
that　there　could　be　no　more　fears　or　expectations　now。　The　time　had　passed；
the　Lord　had　not　come；　and　the　world　might　remain　the　same　for　thousands　of
years。

The　earnest；　sincere　believers　had　given　up　all　for　Christ　and　had　shared
His　presence　as　never　before。　They　had；　as　they　believed；　given　their　last
warning　to　the　world；　and；　expecting　soon　to　be　received　into　the　society　of
their　divine　Master　and　the　heavenly　angels；　they　had；　to　a　great　extent；
withdrawn　from　the　society　of　those　who　did　not　receive　the　message。　With
intense　desire　they　had　prayed：　〃Come；　Lord　Jesus；　and　come　quickly。〃　But　He
had　not　come。　And　now　to　take　up　again　the　heavy　burden　of　life's　cares　and
perplexities；　and　to　endure　the　taunts　and　sneers　of　a　scoffing　world；　was　a
terrible　trial　of　faith　and　patience。

Yet　this　disappointment　was　not　so　great　as　was　that　experienced　by　the
disciples　at　the　time　of　Christ's　first　advent。　When　Jesus　rode　triumphantly
into　Jerusalem；　His　followers　believed　that　He　was　about　to　ascend　the
throne　of　David　and　deliver　Israel　from　her　oppressors。　With　high　hopes　and
joyful　anticipations　they　vied　with　one　another　in　showing　honor　to　their
King。　Many　spread　their　outer　garments　as　a　carpet　in　His　path；　or　strewed
before　Him　the　leafy　branches　of　the　palm。　In　their　enthusiastic　joy　they
united　in　the　glad　acclaim：　〃Hosanna　to　the　Son　of　David！〃　When　the
Pharisees；　disturbed　and　angered　by　this　outburst　of　rejoicing；　wished　Jesus
to　rebuke　His　disciples；　He　replied：　〃If　these　should　hold　their　peace；　the
stones　would　immediately　cry　out。〃　Luke　19：40。　Prophecy　must　be　fulfilled。
The　disciples　were　accomplishing　the　purpose　of　God；　yet　they　were　doomed　to
a　bitter　disappointment。　But　a　few　days　had　passed　ere　they　witnessed　the
Saviour's　agonizing　death；　and　laid　Him　in　the　tomb。　Their　expectations　had
not　been

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realized　in　a　single　particular；　and　their　hopes　died　with　Jesus。　Not　till
their　Lord　had　come　forth　triumphant　from　the　grave　could　they　perceive　that
all　had　been　foretold　by　prophecy；　and　〃that　Christ　must　needs　have
suffered；　and　risen　again　from　the　dead。〃　Acts　17：3。

Five　hundred　years　before；　the　Lord　had　declared　by　the　prophet　Zechariah：
〃Rejoice　greatly；　O　daughter　of　Zion；　shout；　O　daughter　of　Jerusalem：
behold；　thy　King　cometh　unto　thee：　He　is　just；　and　having　salvation；　lowly；
and　riding　upon　an　ass；　and　upon　a　colt　the　foal　of　an　ass。〃　Zechariah　9：9。
Had　the　disciples　realized　that　Christ　was　going　to　judgment　and　to　death；
they　could　not　have　fulfilled　this　prophecy。

In　like　manner　Miller　and　his　associates　fulfilled　prophecy　and　gave　a
message　which　Inspiration　had　foretold　should　be　given　to　the　world；　but
which　they　could　not　have　given　had　they　fully　understood　the　prophecies
pointing　out　their　disappointment；　and　presenting　another　message　to　be
preached　to　all　nations　before　the　Lord　should　come。　The　first　and　second
angel's　messages　were　given　at　the　right　time　and　accomplished　the　work
which　God　designed　to　accomplish　by　them。

The　world　had　been　looking　on；　expecting　that　if　the　time　passed　and　Christ
did　not　appear；　the　whole　system　of　Adventism　would　be　given　up。　But　while
many；　under　strong　temptation；　yielded　their　faith；　there　were　some　who
stood　firm。　The　fruits　of　the　advent　movement；　the　spirit　of　humility　and
heart　searching；　of　renouncing　of　the　world　and　reformation　of　life；　which
had　attended　the　work；　testified　that　it　was　of　God。　They　dared　not　deny
that　the　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　had　witnessed　to　the　preaching　of　the
second　advent；　and　they　could　detect　no　error　in　their　reckoning　of　the
prophetic　periods。　The　ablest　of　their　opponents　had　not　succeeded　in
overthrowing　their　system　of　prophetic　interpretation。　They　could　not
consent；　without　Bible　evidence；　to　renounce　positions　which　had　been
reached　through　earnest；　prayerful　study　of　the　Scriptures；　by　minds
enlightened

406

by　the　Spirit　of　God　and　hearts　burning　with　its　living　power；　positions
which　had　withstood　the　most　searching　criticisms　and　the　most　bitter
opposition　of　popular　religious　teachers　and　worldly…wise　men；　and　which　had
stood　firm　against　the　combined　forces　of　learning　and　eloquence；　and　the
taunts　and　revilings　alike　of　the　honorable　and　the　base。

True；　there　had　been　a　failure　as　to　the　expected　event；　but　even　this　could
not　shake　their　faith　in　the　word　of　God。　When　Jonah　proclaimed　in　the
streets　of　Nineveh　that　within　forty　days　the　city　would　be　overthrown；　the
Lord　accepted　the　humiliation　of　the　Ninevites　and　extended　their　period　of
probation；　yet　the　message　of　Jonah　was　sent　of　God；　and　Nineveh　was　tested
according　to　His　will。　Adventists　believed　that　in　like　manner　God　had　led
them　to　give　the　warning　of　the　judgment。　〃It　has；〃　they　declared；　〃tested
the　hearts　of　all　who　heard　it；　and　awakened　a　love　for　the　Lord's
appearing；　or　it　has　called　forth　a　hatred；　more　or　less　perceivable；　but
known　to　God；　of　His　coming。　It　has　drawn　a　line；　。　。　。　so　that　those　who
will　examine　their　own　hearts；　may　know　on　which　side　of　it　they　would　have
been　found；　had　the　Lord　then　comewhether　they　would　have　exclaimed；　'Lo！
this　is　our　God；　we　have　waited　for　Him；　and　He　will　save　us；'　or　whether
they　would　have　called　to　the　rocks　and　mountains　to　fall　on　them　to　hide
them　from　the　face　of　Him　that　sitteth　on　the　throne；　and　from　the　wrath　of
the　Lamb。　God　thus；　as　we　believe；　has　tested　His　people；　has　tried　their
faith；　has　proved　them；　and　seen　whether　they　would　shrink；　in　the　hour　of
trial；　from　the　position　in　which　He　might　see　fit　to　place　them；　and
whether　they　would　relinquish　this　world　and　rely　with　implicit　confidence
in　the　word　of　God。〃The　Advent　Herald　and　Signs　of　the　Times　Reporter；
vol。　8；　No。　14　（Nov　13；　1844）。

The　feelings　of　those　who　still　believed　that　God　had　led　them　in　their　past
experience　are　expressed　in　the　words　of　William　Miller：　〃Were　I　to　live　my
life　over　again；　with　the

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same　evidence　that　I　then　had；　to　be　honest　with　God　and　man　I　should　have
to　do　as　I　have　done。〃　〃I　hope　that　I　have　cleansed　my　garments　from　the
blood　of　souls。　I　feel　that；　as　far　as　it　was　in　my　power；　I　have　freed
myself　from　all　guilt　in　their　condemnation。〃　〃Although　I　have　been　twice
disappointed；〃　wrote　this　man　of　God；　〃I　am　not　yet　cast　down　or
discouraged。　。　。　。　My　hope　in　the　coming　of　Christ　is　as　strong　as　ever。　I
have　done　only　what；　after　years　of　solemn　consideration；　I　felt　it　my
solemn　duty　to　do。　If　I　have　erred；　it　has　been　on　the　side　of　charity；　love
to　my　fellow　men；　and　conviction　of　duty　to　God。〃　〃One　thing　I　do　know；　I
have　preached　nothing　but　what　I　believed；　and　God　has　been　with　me；　His
power　has　been　manifested　in　the　work；　and　much　good　has　been　effected。〃
〃Many　thousands；　to　all　human　appearance；　have　been　made　to　study　the
Scriptures　by　the　preaching　of　the　time；　and　by　that　means；　through　faith
and　the　sprinkling　of　the　blood　of　Christ；　have　been　reconciled　to　God。〃
Bliss；　pages　256；　255；　277；　280；　281。　〃I　have　never　courted　the　smiles　of
the　proud；　nor　quailed　when　the　world　frowned。　I　shall　not　now　purchase
their　favor；　nor　shall　I