Great Religious Awakening
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the sins of the people, not only condemning immorality and vice, but
rebuking worldliness and backsliding, and warning their hearers to
make haste to flee from the wrath to come.
The people heard with trembling. The convicting Spirit of God
spoke to their hearts. Many were led to search the Scriptures with new
and deeper interest, the intemperate and immoral were reformed, others
abandoned their dishonest practices, and a work was done so marked
that even ministers of the state church were forced to acknowledge
that the hand of God was in the movement.
It was God’s will that the tidings of the Saviour’s coming should
be given in the Scandinavian countries; and when the voices of His
servants were silenced, He put His Spirit upon the children, that the
work might be accomplished. When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem
attended by the rejoicing multitudes that, with shouts of triumph and
the waving of palm branches, heralded Him as the Son of David, the
jealous Pharisees called upon Him to silence them; but Jesus answered
that all this was in fulfillment of prophecy, and if these should hold
their peace, the very stones would cry out. The people, intimidated by
the threats of the priests and rulers, ceased their joyful proclamation
as they entered the gates of Jerusalem; but the children in the temple
courts afterward took up the refrain, and, waving their branches of
palm, they cried: “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
Matthew 21:8-16
.
When the Pharisees, sorely displeased, said unto Him, “Hearest Thou
what these say?” Jesus answered, “Yea; have ye never read, Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?” As God
wrought through children at the time of Christ’s first advent, so He
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wrought through them in giving the message of His second advent.
God’s word must be fulfilled, that the proclamation of the Saviour’s
coming should be given to all peoples, tongues, and nations.
To William Miller and his colaborers it was given to preach the
warning in America. This country became the center of the great
advent movement. It was here that the prophecy of the first angel’s
message had its most direct fulfillment. The writings of Miller and his
associates were carried to distant lands. Wherever missionaries had
penetrated in all the world, were sent the glad tidings of Christ’s speedy
return. Far and wide spread the message of the everlasting gospel:
“Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is
come.”