The Time of The End (Chapter. 4)

The Midnight Cry

Matt. 25:5,6: "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered...And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him."

Events Leading Up to the Midnight Cry

The prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the time of the second advent was that of Dan. '8:14: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'...Miller accepted the generally received view, that in the Christian age the earth is the sanctuary, and he therefore understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary foretold in Dan. 8:14 represented the purification of the earth by fire at the second coming of Christ." —GC 324-325.

William Miller found the literal personal coming of Christ to be plainly taught in the Scriptures. —GC 321

Wm. Miller First Taught Christ's Coming Between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844

Miller wrote: "...I am fully convinced that sometime between March 21st, 1843, and March 21", 1844, according to the Jewish mode of computations of time, Christ will come..." —William Miller, Signs of the Times„ Jan. 25, 1843, p. 147.

First Disappointment

"When the time passed at which the Lord's coming was first expected—in the spring of 1844—those who had looked in faith for His appearing were for a season involved in doubt and uncertainty...Many continued to search the Scriptures." —GC 391.

Discovered a Tarrying Time—Spring to Fall, 1844

"The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel's message was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom....

"By the tarrying of the bridegroom (Matt.25:5-7) is represented the passing of the time when the Lord was expected, the disappointment and seeming delay. (Spring to Fall, 1844)" —GC 393-394.

Tarrying Time Predicted by Habakkuk and Jesus

"When the year 1843 entirely passed away unmarked by the advent of Jesus, those who had looked in faith for His appearing were for a time left in doubt and perplexity. But notwithstanding their disappointment, many continued to search the Scriptures, examining anew the evidences of their faith, and carefully studying the prophecies to obtain further light....

"Their faith was greatly strengthened by the direct and forcible application of those scriptures which set forth a tarrying time. As early as 1842, the Spirit of God had moved upon Charles Fitch to devise the prophetic chart, which was generally regarded by Adventists as a fulfillment of the command given by the prophet Habakkuk, to 'write the vision, and make it plain upon tables.' No one, however, then saw the tarrying time which was brought to view in the same prophecy. After the disappointment the full meaning of this scripture became apparent. Thus speaks the prophet: Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.' —Hab. 2:2,3.

"In the parable of the ten virgins, Matthew 25, the experience of Adventists is illustrated... While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.'

"The widespread movement under the proclamation of the first message, answered to the going forth of the virgins, while the passing of the time of expectation, the disappointment, and the delay, were represented by the tarrying of the bridegroom....

"The preaching of the first message in 1843, and of the midnight cry in 1844, tended directly to repress fanaticism and dissension." —SR 366, 367,368.

Midnight Cry of Matt. 25:5-7 Given When They Discovered Their Mistake

"'While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.' (Matt.25:5-7) In the summer of 1844, midway between the time when it had been first thought that the 2300 days would end (spring of 1844), and the autumn of the same year, to which it was afterward found that they extended, the message was proclaimed, in the very words of Scripture, 'Behold the Bridegroom cometh!'

"That which led to this movement was the discovery that...the 2300 years terminate in the autumn of 1844 [October 22)....

"The 'midnight cry' was heralded by thousands of believers. Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land. From city to city, from village to village, and into the remote country places it went, until the waiting people of God were fully aroused." —GC 398-400.

Midnight Cry Given from Summer to Autumn, 1844

"In the summer and autumn of 1844, the proclamation, 'Behold the Bridegroom cometh' was given." —GC 426.

Midnight Cry United with and Gave Power to Second Angel's Message

"Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light from heaven shining upon the people of God....And I heard the voices of angels crying, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.'

"This was the midnight cry, which was to give power to the second angel's message.... Angels were sent to the humble, devoted ones, and constrained them to raise the cry, 'Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!.'....

"In every part of the land, light was given upon the second angel's message, and the cry melted the hearts of thousands....A mighty work was accomplished by the midnight cry. The message was heart-searching, leading the believers to seek a living experience for themselves." —EW 238.

Midnight Cry Separated God's eople From False Churches

"In many churches the message was not permitted to be given, and a large company who had the living testimony left these fallen churches. A mighty work was accomplished by the Midnight cry." —EW 238.

No Ascension Robes in Their Solemn Expectation of Christ's Advent

"With unspeakable desire those who had received the message watched for the coming of their Saviour. The time when they expected Him was at hand. They approached the hour with calm solemnity. They rested in sweet communion with God....For some weeks preceding the time, worldly business was for the most part laid aside. The sincere believers carefully examined every thought and emotion of their hearts....There was no making of 'ascension robes,' but.... their white robes were purity of soul....

"God designed to prove His people. His hand covered a mistake in reckoning of the prophetic periods." —GC 373.

Prepared People to Receive Second Angel's Message and Sanctuary Truth

The midnight cry...was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place." —EW 260-261.

Midnight Cry Gives Light to Guide to Heaven

"I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the beginning of the path, which the angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shown all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. If they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe." —EW 14.

Perfection of the Message

"Of all the great religious movements since the apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844." —GC 401.

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The Time of The End (Chapter. 3)

 Omens of a New Era

Mark 13:24, 25

Papacy Wounded in 1798

Rev. 13:5,3: "Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [1260 years]. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death."

"...in 1798:..the pope was made captive by the French army, the papal power received its deadly wound." —GC 439.

United States Rising to Power in 1798

Note: Immediately after Rev. 12:6-16 revealed the 1260 years (ending in 1798) of papal oppression, the very next chapter (Rev. 13) predicted the rise of the United States to prominence:

Rev. 13:11: "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and spake as a dragon."

"...the beast with lamb-like horns was seen 'coming up out of the earth'... in territory previously unoccupied and grew up gradually and peacefully. ...

"...One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy: it points unmistakably to the United States of America....

"'And he had two horns like a lamb.' The lamb-like horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as 'coming up' in 1798." —GC 440,441.

Note: It was in 1776 that the U.S. Declaration of Independence was issued; and in 1789, only nine years before 1798, the U.S. Constitution was framed. Thus the U.S. was just "coming up" into prominence in 1798. The United States is singled out in prophecy because of the important part she is to play during the time of the end, as the center of Bible study and a world mission movement, as well as its powerful political position in the world.

Falling Stars in 1833, A Warning of Coming Judgment

Mark 13:24, 25: "But in those days, after the tribulation (1260 years of papal persecution), the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall."

Note: As has already been seen in the previous chapter, the darkening of the sun and moon took place before 1798, on May 19, 1780. The "tribulation" refers to the papal persecution which was "shortened" (Matt. 24:22), so that the general persecution did not last to the end of the 1260-year period in 1798. Pope Clement XIV, on July 21, 1773, issued a decree suppressing the Jesuit order, and its organized persecution ended. Thus the "dark day" took place in 1780, after the persecution (tribulation), but before the end of the papal supremacy (1798). However, the falling of the stars took place in "the time of the end," (after 1798) on Nov. 13, 1833, just a few years before the judgment-hour message was to be proclaimed (in 1844).

"In 1833...the last of the signs appeared which were promised by the Saviour as tokens of His second advent. Said Jesus: The stars shall fall from heaven.' (Matt. 24:29)...This prophecy received a striking and impressive fulfillment in the great meteoric shower of Nov. 13, 1833." —GC 333.

The Encyclopedia Americana states: "The most brilliant meteoric shower on record—that of Nov. 13, 1833...Hundreds of thousands of shooting stars fell in the course of two or three hours. Some observers compared their number to the flakes of a snow storm."

Eyewitness, Henry Dana Ward, Episcopal Minister wrote: "We felt in our hearts, that it was a sign of the last days. For, truly, the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when it is shaken by a mighty wind."' —New York Journal of Commerce, Nov. 14, 1933.

Frederick Douglass, Presbyterian minister wrote: "I witnessed this gorgeous spectacle, and was awestruck...I was not without the suggestion, at the moment, that it might be the harbinger of the coming of the Son of man...I had read that the 'stars shall fall from heaven,' and they were now falling." —Life and Time of Frederick Douglass, p. 117.

Second Coming of Christ Proclaimed After 1798

"This period (of papal supremacy) ended in 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." —GC 356.

Knowledge of Daniel's Prophecies Increased in the Time of the End

"But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." —Dan. 12:4.

Book of Daniel Unsealed in the Time of the End

"Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end....but the wise shall understand." —Dan. 12:9-11.

"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." —GC 356.

Special Message Began to Prepare People for Second Advent

"To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great work of reform was to be accomplished. God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity, and in His mercy He was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor, and lead them to make ready for the coming of the Lord.

"This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message." —GC 311. [Note: These three angels' messages will be covered in chapters 8 to 11.]

Great Advent Movement Began With William Miller, a Baptist Preacher

"With intense interest he [William Miller] studied the books of Daniel and Revelation...and found, to his great joy, that the prophetic symbols could be understood....Angels of heaven were guiding his mind and opening the Scriptures to his understanding." —GC 320,321.

"The prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the time of the second advent was that of Dan.8:14: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; and then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.' Following his rule of making Scripture its own interpreter, Miller learned that a day in symbolic prophecy represents a year....Miller accepted the generally received view, that in the Christian age the earth is the sanctuary, and he therefore understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary foretold in Dan. 8:14 represented the purification of the earth by fire at the second coming of Christ. If then, the correct starting-point could be found for the 2300 days, he concluded that the time of the second advent could be readily ascertained....

"Taking B.C. 457.... [as the starting point]....

"The 2300 days of Dan.8:14 terminate in 1844....

"Miller and his associates at first believed that the 2300 days would terminate in the spring of 1844, whereas the prophecy points to the autumn of that year....

"In 1833 Miller received a license to preach, from the Baptist Church, of which he was a member. A large number of the ministers of his denomination also approved his work, and it was with their formal sanction that he continued his labors. He traveled and preached unceasingly....

"In 1833, two years after Miller began to present in public the evidences of Christ's soon coming, the last of the signs appeared which were promised by the Saviour as tokens of His second advent. Said Jesus, 'The stars shall fall from heaven.' [Matt.24:29]....This prophecy received a striking and impressive fulfillment in the great meteoric shower of November 13, 1833. That was the most extensive and wonderful display of falling stars which has ever been recorded; the whole firmament, over all the United States, being then, for hours, in fiery commotion!"' —GC 324, 325,327-329,332-333. [See Appendix 2, p.454 for more on Millerites]

Most Denominations Invited Miller to Preach the Advent Message

"In nearly every town there were scores, in some hundreds, converted as the result of his preaching. In many places Protestant churches of nearly all denominations were thrown open to him; and the invitations to labor usually came from the ministers of the several congregations." —GC 332.

Note: Many others proclaimed the soon coming of Jesus. Among them was Joseph Wolff, a Jew living in Germany, who proclaimed the message in Africa, Asia, and even in the U.S. Congress. During this same time, at least 700 ministers from various denominations in Europe did the same. In Scandinavia, even children preached the message when adults were forbidden. (This summary is based on GC 357-367).

"In many places where the preachers of the Lord's soon coming were silenced, God was pleased to send the message, in a miraculous manner, through little children....

"....Some of them were not more than six or eight years of age....Tone and manner changed and with solemn power they gave the warning of the judgment, employing the very words of Scripture, 'Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."' —GC 366-367.

Note: God was preparing a people for the emergence of the remnant church, even using a mistake of man to prepare a people to enlighten a darkened world with His gospel. Note: For more information regarding William Miller's life and work, see Appendix 2, p.454.

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