- Preface
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- Chapter 7—My First Vision
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- Chapter 9—Answers to Prayer
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- Chapter 12—The Sabbath of the Lord
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- Chapter 16—A View of the Sealing
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- Chapter 30—Traveling the Narrow Way
- Chapter 31—Burden Bearers
- Chapter 32—A Solemn Dream
- Chapter 33—Missionary Work
- Chapter 34—Broader Plans
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- Chapter 36—Circulating the Printed Page
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- Chapter 41—The Death of Elder James White
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- Chapter 43—Restoration of Health
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- Chapter 48—Danger in Adopting Worldly Policy in the Work of God
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- Chapter 50—The First Australian Camp Meeting
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- Work and Education
- Looking for a Suitable Property
- An Industrial Experiment
- A Beautiful Dream
- Help from Friends in Africa
- Putting Up the First Buildings
- Another Test of Faith
- Aims and Objects
- Missionary Labor the Highest Training
- Fields White Unto the Harvest
- A Training Ground for Mission Fields
- After Many Years
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- Chapter 54—In Southern California
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- Chapter 58—Last Sickness
- Chapter 59—The “Elmshaven” Funeral Service
- Chapter 60—The Memorial Service at Richmond
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An Error in Reckoning
Our calculation of the prophetic time was so simple and plain that even children could understand it. From the date of the decree of the king of Persia, found in Ezra 7, which was given in 457 before Christ, the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14 were supposed to terminate with 1843. Accordingly we looked to the end of this year for the coming of the Lord. We were sadly disappointed when the year entirely passed away, and the Saviour had not come.LS 57.3
It was not at first perceived that if the decree did not go forth at the beginning of the year 457 B. C., the 2300 years would not be completed at the close of 1843. But it was ascertained that the decree was given near the close of the year 457 B. C., and therefore the prophetic period must reach to the fall of the year 1844. Therefore the vision of time did not tarry, though it had seemed to do so. We learned to rest upon the language of the prophet: “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3.LS 58.1
God tested and proved His people by the passing of the time in 1843. The mistake made in reckoning the prophetic periods was not at once discovered, even by learned men who opposed the views of those who were looking for Christ's coming. Scholars declared that Mr. Miller was right in his calculation of the time, though they disputed him in regard to the event that would crown that period. But they, and the waiting people of God, were in a common error on the question of time.LS 58.2
Those who had been disappointed were not long left in darkness; for in searching the prophetic periods with earnest prayer the error was discovered, and the tracing of the prophetic pencil down through the tarrying time. In the joyful expectation of the coming of Christ, the apparent tarrying of the vision had not been taken into account, and was a sad and unlooked-for surprise. Yet this very trial was necessary to develop and strengthen the sincere believers in the truth.LS 58.3