Advent Experience
51
Elder Brown neither then nor afterward severed his connection with
the Christian Baptist Church, but was looked upon with great respect
by his people. When he had finished speaking, those who desired the
prayers of the people of God were invited to rise. Hundreds responded
to the call. The Holy Spirit rested upon the assembly. Heaven and
earth seemed to approach each other. The meeting lasted until a late
hour of the night. The power of the Lord was felt upon young, old,
and middle-aged.
As we returned to our homes by various ways, a voice praising
God would reach us from one direction, and, as if in response, voices
from another and still another quarter shouted: “Glory to God, the Lord
[51]
reigneth!” Men sought their homes with praises upon their lips, and
the glad sound rang out upon the still night air. No one who attended
these meetings can ever forget those scenes of deepest interest.
Those who sincerely love Jesus can appreciate the feelings of those
who watched with the most intense longing for the coming of their
Saviour. The point of expectation was nearing. The time when we
hoped to meet Him was close at hand. We approached this hour with
a calm solemnity. The true believers rested in a sweet communion
with God—an earnest of the peace that was to be theirs in the bright
hereafter. None who experienced this hope and trust can ever forget
those precious hours of waiting.
Worldly business was for the most part laid aside for a few weeks.
We carefully examined every thought and emotion of our hearts, as
if upon our deathbeds and in a few hours to close our eyes forever
upon earthly scenes. There was no making of “ascension robes” for
the great event; we felt the need of internal evidence that we were
prepared to meet Christ, and our white robes were purity of soul,
character cleansed from sin by the atoning blood of our Saviour.
But the time of expectation passed. This was the first close test
brought to bear upon those who believed and hoped that Jesus would
come in the clouds of heaven. The disappointment of God’s waiting
people was great. The scoffers were triumphant and won the weak and
cowardly to their ranks. Some who had appeared to possess true faith
seemed to have been influenced only by fear; and now their courage
returned with the passing of the time, and they boldly united with the
scoffers, declaring they had never been duped to really believe the
doctrine of Miller, who was a mad fanatic. Others, naturally yielding