284
The Great Controversy
The proclamation of Christ’s coming should now be, as when made
by the angels to the shepherds of Bethlehem, good tidings of great joy.
[340]
Those who really love the Saviour cannot but hail with gladness the
announcement founded upon the word of God that He in whom their
hopes of eternal life are centered is coming again, not to be insulted,
despised, and rejected, as at His first advent, but in power and glory,
to redeem His people. It is those who do not love the Saviour that
desire Him to remain away, and there can be no more conclusive
evidence that the churches have departed from God than the irritation
and animosity excited by this Heaven-sent message.
Those who accepted the advent doctrine were roused to the neces-
sity of repentance and humiliation before God. Many had long been
halting between Christ and the world; now they felt that it was time to
take a stand. “The things of eternity assumed to them an unwonted re-
ality. Heaven was brought near, and they felt themselves guilty before
God.”—Bliss, page 146. Christians were quickened to new spiritual
life. They were made to feel that time was short, that what they had to
do for their fellow men must be done quickly. Earth receded, eternity
seemed to open before them, and the soul, with all that pertained to
its immortal weal or woe, was felt to eclipse every temporal object.
The Spirit of God rested upon them and gave power to their earnest
appeals to their brethren, as well as to sinners, to prepare for the day of
God. The silent testimony of their daily life was a constant rebuke to
formal and unconsecrated church members. These did not wish to be
disturbed in their pursuit of pleasure, their devotion to money-making,
and their ambition for worldly honor. Hence the enmity and opposition
excited against the advent faith and those who proclaimed it.
As the arguments from the prophetic periods were found to be
impregnable, opposers endeavored to discourage investigation of the
subject by teaching that the prophecies were sealed. Thus Protestants
followed in the steps of Romanists. While the papal church withholds
the Bible (see Appendix) from the people, Protestant churches claimed
that an important part of the Sacred Word—and that the part which
[341]
brings to view truths specially applicable to our time—could not be
understood.
Ministers and people declared that the prophecies of Daniel and the
Revelation were incomprehensible mysteries. But Christ directed His
disciples to the words of the prophet Daniel concerning events to take