Great Religious Awakening
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gel’s mind. The prophecies of the Revelation unfolded to his under-
standing as never before. Overwhelmed with a sense of the stupen-
dous importance and surpassing glory of the scenes presented by the
prophet, he was forced to turn for a time from the contemplation of
the subject. In the pulpit it again presented itself to him with all its
vividness and power. From that time he devoted himself to the study of
the prophecies, especially those of the Apocalypse, and soon arrived
at the belief that they pointed to the coming of Christ as near. The date
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which he fixed upon as the time of the second advent was within a
very few years of that afterward held by Miller.
Bengel’s writing have been spread throughout Christendom. His
views of prophecy were quite generally received in his own State
of Wurtemberg, and to some extent in other parts of Germany. The
movement continued after his death, and the Advent message was
heard in Germany at the same time that it was attracting attention in
other lands. At an early date some of the believers went to Russia, and
there formed colonies, and the faith of Christ’s soon coming is still
held by the German churches of that country.
The light shone also in France and Switzerland. At Geneva, where
Farel and Calvin had spread the truths of the Reformation, Gaussen
preached the message of the second advent. While a student at school,
Gaussen had encountered that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all
Europe during the latter part of the eighteenth and the opening of the
nineteenth century; and when he entered the ministry he was not only
ignorant of true faith, but inclined to skepticism. In his youth he had
become interested in the study of prophecy. After reading “Rollin’s
Ancient History,” his attention was called to the second chapter of
Daniel, and he was struck with the wonderful exactness with which
the prophecy had been fulfilled, as seen in the historian’s record. Here
was a testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures, which served as
an anchor to him amid the perils of later years. He could not rest
satisfied with the teachings of rationalism, and in studying the Bible
and searching for clearer light he was, after a time, led to a positive
faith.
As he pursued his investigation of the prophecies, he arrived at
the belief that the coming of the Lord was at hand. Impressed with
the solemnity and importance of this great truth, he desired to bring it
before the people, but the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel