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Midnight Cry
167
all had been foretold by prophecy, and “that Christ must needs have
suffered, and risen again from the dead.” [
Acts 17:3
.] In like manner
was prophecy fulfilled in the first and second angels’ messages. They
were given at the right time, and accomplished the work which God
designed to accomplish by them.
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. They could detect no
error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods. The ablest of their
opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their position. 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 God had in like manner led them to warn the world
of the coming Judgment, and notwithstanding their disappointment,
they felt assured that they had reached a most important crisis.
The parable of the wicked servant was regarded as applying to
those who desired to put off the coming of the Lord: “If that evil
servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and
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shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with
the drunken; the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he
looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall
cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.”
[
Matthew 24:48-51
.]
The feelings of those who held fast the Advent truth are ex-
pressed in the words of Wm. Miller: “Were I to live my life over
again, with the same evidence that I then had, to be honest with
God and men I should have to do as I have done.” “I hope I have
cleansed my garments from the blood of souls; I feel that, as far as
possible, 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
sober consideration, I felt it my solemn duty to do. If I have erred, it