the great controversy-第91节

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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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　407

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　go　beyond　duty　to　tempt　their　hate。　I　shall　never
seek　my　life　at　their　hands；　nor　shrink；　I　hope；　from　losing　it；　if　God　in
His　good　providence　so　orders。〃　J。　White；　Life　of　Wm。　Miller；　page　315。

God　did　not　forsake　His　people；　His　Spirit　still　abode　with　those　who　did
not　rashly　deny　the　light　which　they　had　received；　and　denounce　the　advent
movement。　In　the　Epistle　to　the　Hebrews　are　words　of　encouragement　and
warning　for　the　tried；　waiting　ones　at　this　crisis：　〃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

408

who　draw　back　unto　perdition；　but　of　them　that　believe　to　the　saving　of　the
soul。〃　Hebrews　10：35…39。

That　this　admonition　is　addressed　to　the　church　in　the　last　days　is　evident
from　the　words　pointing　to　the　nearness　of　the　Lord's　coming：　〃For　yet　a
little　while；　and　He　that　shall　come　will　come　and　will　not　tarry。〃　And　it
is　plainly　implied　that　there　would　be　a　seeming　delay　and　that　the　Lord
would　appear　to　tarry。　The　instruction　here　given　is　especially　adapted　to
the　experience　of　Adventists　at　this　time。　The　people　here　addressed　were　in
danger　of　making　shipwreck　of　faith。　They　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　past　experience；　nor　could　they　discern　the
pathway　before　them；　and　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。〃　As　the　bright　light　of　the　〃midnight　cry〃　had　shone
upon　their　pathway；　and　they　had　seen　the　prophecies　unsealed　and　the
rapidly　fulfilling　signs　telling　that　the　coming　of　Christ　was　near；　they
had　walked；　as　it　were；　by　sight。　But　now；　bowed　down　by　disappointed　hopes；
they　could　stand　only　by　faith　in　God　and　in　His　word。　The　scoffing　world
were　saying：　〃You　have　been　deceived。　Give　up　your　faith；　and　say　that　the
advent　movement　was　of　Satan。〃　But　God's　word　declared：　〃If　any　man　draw
back；　My　soul　shall　have　no　pleasure　in　him。〃　To　renounce　their　faith　now；
and　deny　the　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　which　had　attended　the　message；　would
be　drawing　back　toward　perdition。　They　were　encouraged　to　steadfastness　by
the　words　of　Paul：　〃Cast　not　away　therefore　your　confidence；〃　〃ye　have　need
of　patience；〃　〃for　yet　a　little　while；　and　He　that　shall　come　will　come；　and
will　not　tarry。〃　Their　only　safe　course　was　to　cherish　the　light　which　they
had　already　received　of　God；　hold　fast　to　His　promises；　and　continue　to
search　the　Scriptures；　and　patiently　wait　and　watch　to　receive　further
light。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（409）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　23

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　What　is　the　Sanctuary？


The　scripture　which　above　all　others　had　been　both　the　foundation　and　the
central　pillar　of　the　advent　faith　was　the　declaration：　〃Unto　two　thousand
and　three　hundred　days；　then　shall　the　sanctuary　be　cleansed。〃　Daniel　8：14。
These　had　been　familiar　words　to　all　believers　in　the　Lord's　soon　coming。　By
the　lips　of　thousands　was　this　prophecy　repeated　as　the　watchword　of　their
faith。　All　felt　that　upon　the　events　therein　foretold　depended　their
brightest　expectations　and　most　cherished　hopes。　These　prophetic　days　had
been　shown　to　terminate　in　the　autumn　of　1844。　In　common　with　the　rest　of
the　Christian　world；　Adventists　then　held　that　the　earth；　or　some　portion　of
it；　was　the　sanctuary。　They　understood　that　the　cleansing　of　the　sanctuary
was　the　purification　of　the　earth　by　the　fires　of　the　last　great　day；　and
that　this　would　take　place　at　the　second　advent。　Hence　the　conclusion　that
Christ　would　return　to　the　earth　in　1844。

But　the　appointed　time　had　passed；　and　the　Lord　had　not　appeared。　The
believers　knew　that　God's　word　could　not　fail；　their　interpretation　of　the
prophecy　must　be　at　fault；　but　where　was　the　mistake？　Many　rashly　cut　the
knot　of　difficulty　by　denying　that　the　2300　days　ended　in　1844。　No　reason
could　be　given　for　this　except　that　Christ　had　not　come　at　the　time　they
expected　Him。　They　argued　that　if　the　prophetic　days　had　ended　in　1844；
Christ　would　then　have　returned　to

410

cleanse　the　sanctuary　by　the　purification　of　the　earth　by　fire；　and　that
since　He　had　not　come；　the　days　could　not　have　ended。

To　accept　this　conclusion　was　to　renounce　the　former　reckoning　of　the
prophetic　periods。　The　2300　days　had　been　found　to　begin　when　the
commandment　of　Artaxerxes　for　the　restoration　and　building　of　Jerusalem　went
into　effect；　in　the　autumn　of　457　B。C。　Taking　this　as　the　starting　point；
there　was　perfect　harmony　in　the　application　of　all　the　even