When the time passed at which the Lord’s coming was first expected—the spring of 1844—those who had looked for His appearing were in doubt and uncertainty. Many continued to search the Scriptures, examining anew the evidence of their faith. The prophecies, clear and conclusive, pointed to the coming of Christ as near. The blessing of the Lord in conversion and revival among Christians had testified that the message was of Heaven. Interwoven with prophecies which they had regarded as applying to the time of the second advent was instruction encouraging them to wait patiently in the faith that what was now dark to their understanding would be made plain. Among these prophecies was Habakkuk 2:1-4. No one, however, noticed that an apparent delay—a tarrying time—is in the prophecy. After the disappointment, this scripture appeared very significant: “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.... The just shall live by his faith.”
(HF 243.1)
Ezekiel’s prophecy also was a comfort to believers: “Thus saith the Lord God, ... The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.... I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged.”“The word which I have spoken shall be done.” Ezekiel 12:23-25, 28.
(HF 243.2)
The waiting ones rejoiced. He who knows the end from the beginning had given them hope. Had it not been for such portions of Scripture, their faith would have failed.
(HF 243.3)
The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people. Here is brought to view the church in the last days. Their experience is illustrated by the incidents of an Eastern marriage:
(HF 244.1)
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 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.” Matthew 25:1-6.
(HF 244.2)
The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel’s message, was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom. The widespread reformation under the proclamation of Christ’s soon coming answered to the going forth of the virgins. In this parable, all had taken their lamps, the Bible, and had gone “forth to meet the bridegroom.” But while the foolish “took no oil with them,”“the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” The latter had studied the Scriptures to learn the truth and had a personal experience, a faith in God which could not be overthrown by disappointment and delay. Others moved from impulse, their fears excited by the message. But they had depended upon the faith of the brethren, satisfied with the flickering light of emotion, without a thorough understanding of truth or a genuine work of grace in the heart. These had gone forth “to meet” the Lord in the prospect of immediate reward but were not prepared for delay and disappointment. Their faith failed.
(HF 244.3)
“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” By the tarrying of the bridegroom is represented the passing of the time, the disappointment, the seeming delay. Those whose faith was based on a personal knowledge of the Bible had a rock beneath their feet which the waves of disappointment could not wash away. “They all slumbered and slept,” one class in abandonment of their faith, the other patiently waiting till clearer light should be given. The superficial could no longer lean upon the faith of their brethren. Each must stand or fall for himself.
(HF 244.4)
About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some manifested a bigoted zeal. Their fanatical ideas met with no sympathy from the great body of Adventists, yet they brought reproach upon the cause of truth.
(HF 245.1)
Satan was losing his subjects, and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive some who professed the faith and drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every unbecoming act, and hold it up in the most exaggerated light to render Adventists odious. The greater the number whom he could crowd in to profess faith in the second advent while his power controlled their hearts, the greater advantage would he gain.
(HF 245.2)
Satan is “the accuser of the brethren.” Revelation 12:10. His spirit inspires men to watch for the defects of the Lord’s people and to hold them up to notice, while their good deeds are passed by without mention.
(HF 245.3)
In all the history of the church no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles. Wherever Paul raised up a church some who professed to receive the faith brought in heresies. Luther also suffered distress from fanatical persons who claimed that God had spoken directly through them, who set their own ideas above Scripture. Many were beguiled by the new teachers and joined Satan in tearing down what God had moved Luther to build up. The Wesleys encountered the wiles of Satan in pushing unbalanced, unsanctified ones into fanaticism.
(HF 245.4)
William Miller had no sympathy with fanaticism. “The devil,” said Miller, “has great power over the minds of some at the present day.”“I have often obtained more evidence of inward piety from a kindling eye, a wet cheek, and a choked utterance, than from all the noise in Christendom.”
(HF 245.5)
In the Reformation its enemies charged the evils of fanaticism upon the ones who were laboring most earnestly against it. A similar course was pursued by the opposers of the advent movement. Not content with exaggerating the errors of fanatics, they circulated reports that had not the slightest semblance of truth. Their peace was disturbed by the proclamation of Christ at the door. They feared it might be true, yet hoped it was not. This was the secret of their warfare against Adventists.
(HF 246.1)
The preaching of the first angel’s message tended directly to repress fanaticism. Those who participated in these solemn movements were in harmony; their hearts were filled with love for one another and for Jesus, whom they expected soon to see. The one faith, the one blessed hope, proved a shield against the assaults of Satan.
(HF 246.2)
“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.” In the summer of 1844 the message was proclaimed in the very words of Scripture.
(HF 246.3)
That which led to this movement was the discovery that the decree of Artaxerxes for the restoration of Jerusalem, which formed the starting point for the period of the 2300 days, went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C., and not at the beginning of the year, as had been believed. Reckoning from the autumn of 457, the 2300 years terminate in the autumn of 1844. The Old Testament types also pointed to the autumn as the time when the “cleansing of the sanctuary” must take place.
(HF 246.4)
The slaying of the Passover lamb was a shadow of the death of Christ, a type fulfilled, not only as to the event, but as to the time. On the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, the very day and month on which for centuries the Passover lamb had been slain, Christ instituted that feast which was to commemorate His own death as “the Lamb of God.” That same night He was taken to be crucified and slain.
(HF 246.5)
In like manner the types which relate to the second advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic service. The cleansing of the sanctuary, or the Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month when the high priest, having made an atonement for all Israel, and thus removed their sins from the sanctuary, came forth and blessed the people. So it was believed that Christ would appear to purify the earth by the destruction of sin and sinners, and to bless His waiting people with immortality. The tenth day of the seventh month, the great Day of Atonement, the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which in 1844 fell upon the twenty-second of October, was regarded as the time of the Lord’s coming. The 2300 days would terminate in the autumn, and the conclusion seemed irresistible.
(HF 247.1)
The arguments carried strong conviction, and the “midnight cry” was heralded by thousands of believers. Like a tidal wave the movement swept from city to city, from village to village. Fanaticism disappeared like early frost before the rising sun. The work was similar to those seasons of returning unto the Lord which among ancient Israel followed messages of reproof from His servants. There was little ecstatic joy, but rather deep searching of heart, confession of sin, and forsaking of the world. There was unreserved consecration to God.
(HF 247.2)
Of all the great religious movements since the days of the apostles, none have been more free from human imperfection and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn of 1844.
(HF 247.3)
At the call, “The bridegroom cometh,” the waiting ones “arose and trimmed their lamps”; they studied the Word of God with an intensity of interest before unknown. It was not the most talented, but the most humble and devoted, who were the first to obey the call. Farmers left their crops in the fields, mechanics laid down their tools and with rejoicing went out to give the warning. The churches in general closed their doors against this message, and a large company of those who received it withdrew their connection. Unbelievers who flocked to the Adventist meetings felt convincing power attending the message, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh!” Faith brought answers to prayer. Like showers of rain upon the thirsty earth, the Spirit of grace descended upon the earnest seekers. Those who expected soon to stand face to face with their Redeemer felt a solemn joy. The Holy Spirit melted the heart.
(HF 248.1)
Those who received the message came up to the time when they hoped to meet their Lord. They prayed much with one another. They often met in secluded places to commune with God, and the voice of intercession ascended to heaven from 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 they felt the witness of pardoning grace.
(HF 248.2)
But again, the time of expectation passed, and their Saviour did not appear. 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.
(HF 248.3)
A fear that the message might be true had served as a restraint upon the unbelieving world. 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 renounced their faith. The scoffers won the weak and cowardly to their ranks, and all these united in declaring that the world might remain the same for thousands of years.
(HF 248.4)
The earnest, sincere believers had given up all for Christ and had, as they believed, given their last warning to the world. With intense desire they had prayed, “Come, Lord Jesus.” But now to take up again the burden of life’s perplexities and to endure the taunts of a scoffing world was a terrible trial.
(HF 249.1)
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, many spread their outer garments as a carpet in His path or strewed before Him the leafy branches of the palm. The disciples were accomplishing the purpose of God, yet they were doomed to a bitter disappointment. But a few days passed ere they witnessed the Saviour’s agonizing death and laid Him in the tomb. Their hopes died with Jesus. Not till their Lord had come forth from the grave could they perceive that all had been foretold by prophecy.
(HF 249.2)
In like manner Miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy and gave a message which Inspiration had foretold should be given to the world. They could not have given it 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 angels’ messages were given at the right time and accomplished the work which God designed to accomplish by them.
(HF 249.3)
The world had been expecting that if Christ did not appear, Adventism would be given up. But while many yielded their faith there were some who stood firm. The fruits of the advent movement, the spirit of heart searching, of renouncing of the world and reformation of life, testified that it was of God. They dared not deny that the Holy Spirit had witnessed to the preaching of the second advent. They could detect no error in the prophetic periods. Their opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their prophetic interpretation. They could not consent to renounce positions reached through earnest, prayerful study of the Scriptures, by minds enlightened by the Spirit of God and hearts burning with its living power, and which had stood firm against learning and eloquence.
(HF 249.4)
Adventists believed that God had led them to give the warning of the judgment. “It has,” they declared, “tested the hearts of all who heard it, ... so that those who will examine their own hearts, may know on which side ... they would have been found, had the Lord then come—whether 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 in the throne!”
(HF 250.1)
The feelings of those who still believed that God had led are expressed in the words of William Miller: “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 duty to do.”“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.”
(HF 250.2)
God’s Spirit still abode with those who did not rashly deny the light they had received and denounce the advent movement. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:35-39.
(HF 250.3)
This admonition is addressed to the church in the last days. It is plainly implied that the Lord would appear to tarry. The people here addressed had done the will of God in following the guidance of His Spirit and His Word: yet they could not understand His purpose in their experience. They were tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been leading them. At this time the words were applicable: “Now the just shall live by faith.” Bowed down by disappointed hopes, they could stand only by faith in God and His Word. To renounce their faith and deny the power of the Holy Spirit which had attended the message would be drawing back toward perdition. Their only safe course was to cherish the light already received of God, continue to search the Scriptures, and patiently wait and watch to receive further light.
(HF 251.1)