NOTES

As some passages of this work may not be sufficiently understood, a few notes of explanation, in this place, are deemed proper.WVTP 111.1

Page 7, 27th line. “The wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10. This chapter shows conclusively, that, at the time of the end, the “words” should be unsealed, and the wise should understand. Verse 4 says, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Knowledge on what? evidently, on the subject previously spoken of; namely, the vision which was to be closed up until the time of the end.WVTP 111.2

The signs of the last days in the Sun, Moon and Stars, (pages 9, 10 and 11,) may be found predicted in Luke 21:25; also in the other Gospels. Their fulfillment has now become a matter of history. Much testimony might be adduced in regard to them, but, for want of room, a few statements only are here given.WVTP 111.3

“The 19th of May, 1780, was a remarkable dark day.—Candles were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent and disappeared. The fowls retired to rest. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at hand. The Legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being unable to transact business adjourned.”—President Dwight, in Ct. Historical Collections.WVTP 111.4

“Dark day of May 19, 1780.—The sun rose clear, and shone for several hours; at length the sky became overcast with clouds, and by ten o’clock, A.M. the darkness was such as to occasion the farmers to leave their work in the field, and retire to their dwellings; fowls went to their roosts, and before noon, lights became necessary to the transaction of business within doors. The darkness continued through the day: and the night till near morning was as unusually dark as the day.”—Gage’s History of Rowley Mass.WVTP 111.5

The night after the dark day of 1780—“The darkness of the following evening was probably as gross as has ever been observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light. I could not help conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable darkness, or struck out of existence, the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes, was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.” Mr. Tenny of Exeter, N.H., quoted by Mr. Gage, “to the Historical Society.” “Some have described it as ‘Egyptian darkness that might be felt.’”WVTP 112.1

Signs in the Stars—Stars Falling, etc. “The Connecticut Observer, of Nov.25, 1833, copied from the Old Countrymen, reads as follows.—We pronounce the raining of fire, which we saw on Wednesday morning last, an awful type, a sure forerunner, a merciful sign of that great and dreadful day, which the inhabitants of the earth will witness when the sixth seal shall be opened. The time is just at hand, described, not only in the New Testament, but in the Old. A more correct picture of a fig-tree casting its leaves when blown by a mighty wind, it is not possible to behold.”WVTP 112.2

“The ‘Lancaster, Pa., Examiner,’ says, ‘The air was filled with innumerable meteors or stars....hundreds of thousands of brilliant bodies might be seen falling at every moment....sloping their descent towards the earth, at an angle of about 45 degrees, resembling flashes of fire.” “The ‘Salem Register’ speaks of their being seen in Moca, in the Red Sea.”WVTP 112.3

“The extent of the shower of 1833, was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth’s surface, from the middle of the Atlantic on the East, to the Pacific on the West; and from the northern coast of South America, to undefined regions among the British possessions on the North, the exhibition was visible, and everywhere presented nearly the same appearance.”—Prof. Olmstead, Yale College.WVTP 112.4

“And what, O Skeptic are those norther fires,” etc. Those mysterious appearances, commonly known as the “Northern Lights,” are found upon examination, to be of but recent origin. They can be authentically traced back only about a century and a half. We know of no reason why they may not come under the head of “Great signs in the Heavens.”—See Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol.III, Nos.12 and 13.WVTP 113.1

Page 24, 26th line. “And earth’s great kingdoms, as they proudly stand Successive on the way, has plain marked out.”WVTP 113.2

That is, Prophecy has marked out the four great kingdoms which should arise on earth ere the Lord of Heaven should set up the fifth universal kingdom which should not be destroyed, nor have an end. These are all in the past. Assyria, Persia, Grecia, and Rome have each fulfilled their part in the great prophetic chain, and we may know, then, that the end of this present world, is next to come, and Christ set up his everlasting Kingdom. No human sophistry can avoid this conclusion.WVTP 113.3

Page 27, 18th line. “Ten Kingdoms rose from Rome’s vast Empire.” These were,WVTP 113.4

1. The Huns, arose A.D. 356. 2. The Ostrogoths, 377.—3. The Visigoths, 378. 4. The Franks, 407. 5. The Vandals, 407. 6. The Sueves and Alans, 407. 7. The Burgundians, 407. 8. The Heruli and Rugii, 476. 9. The Saxons and Angles, 476. 10. The Lombards, 483.WVTP 113.5

Page 32, 26th line.WVTP 113.6

“For I will join professors and divines.” etc.WVTP 113.7

It is a notable fact that all classes of people from the theological professor, down to the lowest frequenter of the dramshop, joined hands in opposing the Advent doctrine. Truly, Pilate and Herod were made friends. Page 40, 15th line. “Thousands rose, And broke with her their bonds of intercourse.”WVTP 113.8

It is estimated, that, during the move of the second angel’s message, fifty thousand persons left the Churches.WVTP 113.9

Page 43, last line. “That year,” i.e. 1843.WVTP 114.1

Page 47, 14th line.WVTP 114.2

“While Artaxerxes, reigning, etc., was yet within the seventh.”WVTP 114.3

The seventh of Artaxerxes is unanimously placed a.c. 457. From this point, 69 prophetic weeks, (483 prophetic days—483 literal years,) bring us to A.D. 27, to the “Prince Messiah,” when Christ began his ministry. This was the beginning of the seventieth week. Three years and a half later, in the Spring of A.D., 31, the midst (middle) of this seventieth week, he was to cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, which he did by offering himself upon the cross; when the Jewish ordinances, the sacrifice and oblation, ritually ceased. Three and a half years more, the last half the week, bring us to the Autumn of A.D., 34, when the 70 weeks or 490 days, or years, terminate; which date harmonizes better than any other with the turning of the apostles to the Gentiles.WVTP 114.4

Page 48, 25th line. “By this fixed rule,” i.e. that a day symbolizes a year, as is shown by the fulfillment of the seventy weeks. “To this established point,” viz: A.D., 34, (Autumn,) “what now remains adding,” etc., i.e. what remains of the 2300 days. We have seen that 490 of them brought us to the Autumn of A.D., 34, and we have 1810 left, which added to that point, bring us to the Autumn of A.D., 1844, when the whole period terminates; and “then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed.”WVTP 114.5

5 lines below.—“From the atonement type.”WVTP 114.6

See Leviticus 16:29, 30.WVTP 114.7

Page 49, 2nd line. “For this that day its antitype shall meet, As at their times others have done before.”WVTP 114.8

On this point we reasoned as follows: “That as the paschal lamb, which was slain on the fourteenth day of the first month, met its antitype in the death of the Lamb of God, on that day, [Exodus 12:3-6, 46; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 18:28; 19:36,] and the offering of the first-fruits on the sixteenth day of that month, met its antitype in the resurrection of Christ, on that day, the first-fruits of them that slept, [Leviticus 23:10-15, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23, Matthew 28:1, 2,] and the feast of Pentecost met its antitype on the day of its occurrence, [Leviticus 23:15-21; Acts 2:1, 2,] so the cleansing of the Sanctuary in the seventh month, [Leviticus 16,] at that time in the year when the 2300 days would end, we believed would meet its antitype at the end of that period.”WVTP 114.9

Page 49, 28th line. “Chariots of Nahum,” i.e. the cars. Nahum 2:3, 4.WVTP 115.1

Page 50, 7th line. “Thus rose the Midnight Cry, thus spread.” It has been objected, that the proclamation of the Advent was too limited to be a fulfillment of prophecy; but we have authority that it has been to every missionary station on the globe.WVTP 115.2

Page 50, last line but two. “For who but saw that all those days,” etc., “were but a dash between prophetic words to make the meaning clear?” i.e. who but saw, that in order that the Advent movement might be likened to the parable of the ten virgins, [Matthew 25,] there must be a tarrying time. “While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh.” etc.WVTP 115.3

Pages 66 and 67. “For our High Priest the Holiest entered then—The Holiest of the Tabernacle true, And verified God’s word, eternal, stood, That cleansed should then the Sanctuary be.”WVTP 115.4

Here was the cause of our disappointment: in misapplying the term, Sanctuary, and not understanding the work to be accomplished at the end of the prophetic periods. We had supposed that the earth was the Sanctuary; that its cleansing would be when “the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth, also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up;” [2 Peter 3:10;] that, consequently, before that, Christ must come and gather his people to himself; therefore we looked for our Lord at the end of the days. But upon examination we learn that the work to be accomplished was in heaven; that Christ our great High Priest was then to enter the Most Holy Place of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, and make an atonement for his people. This we are clearly taught by the types, in the example and shadow of the heavenly things. Leviticus 16; Hebrews 8:9. For a full exposition of this subject, the reader is referred to a recent work on the Sanctuary and 2300 days, by J. N. Andrews.WVTP 115.5

Page 94, 6th line. “Two woes are past, the third woe cometh soon.” It is generally admitted that the second woe closed with the falling of the Ottoman Empire, Aug. 11th, 1840: an event which was predicted two years before its occurrence; and the voice of inspiration now is, “The second woe is past; and behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” Revelation 11:14.WVTP 116.1

Page 109, 19th line. “Before thee have I set an open door.”WVTP 116.2

When Christ, in 1844, changed his position to accomplish the work of cleansing the Sanctuary, the door leading into the most holy, was then opened; while that of the first apartment was closed. This is the work which John saw when he exclaimed, [Revelation 11:19,] “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” To this open door, all those may come for salvation and pardon, who have not sinned away the day of grace; for here in the most holy place of the heavenly Sanctuary, before the ark containing God’s holy law, our great High Priest is now ministering for us. This has been his position since 1844; while the third angel with the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, has been giving the last message of mercy to a guilty world, and pointing out the way of escape from the wrath to come. Soon this message will cease for ever: Mercy will linger no longer for heedless man: the work of atonement will be finished, and the great decree passed upon all flesh: “He that is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Till then, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.WVTP 116.3