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.
