The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan Part 48

Page 329. PROPHETIC DATES.-The historical and chronological facts connected with the prophetic periods of Daniel 8 and 9, including many evidences pointing unmistakably to the year 457 B.C. as the proper time from which to begin reckoning these periods, have been clearly outlined by many students of prophecy. See Stanley Leathes, "Old Testament Prophecy,"

lectures 10, 11 (Warburton Lectures for 1876-1880); W. Goode, "Fulfilled Prophecy," sermon 10, including Note A (Warburton Lectures for 1854-1858); A. Thom, "Chronology of Prophecy," pp. 26-106 (London ed., 1848); Sir Isaac Newton, "Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John," ch. 10 (London ed., 1733, pp. 128-143); Uriah Smith, "Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation," part 1, ch. 8, 9. On the date of the crucifixion, see Wm. Hales, "a.n.a.lysis of Chronology," Vol. I, pp. 94-101; Vol. III. pp. 164-258 (2d London ed., 1830).

Page 335. FALL OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.-For further details as to the predicted fall of the Ottoman empire during the month of August, 1840, see J. Litch, "The Probability of the Second Coming of Christ about A.D. 1843"

(published in June, 1838); J. Litch, "An Address to the Clergy" (published in the spring of 1840; a second edition, with historical data in support of the accuracy of former calculations of the prophetic period extending to the fall of the Ottoman empire, was published in 1841); the _Advent Shield and Review_, Vol. I (1844), No. 1, article 2, pp. 56, 57, 59-61; J.

N. Loughborough, "The Great Advent Movement," pp. 129-132 (1905 ed.); J.

Litch, article in _Signs of the Times, and Expositor of Prophecy_, Aug. 1, 1840. See also article in _Signs of the Times, and Expositor of Prophecy_, Feb. 1, 1841.

Page 340. WITHHOLDING THE BIBLE FROM THE PEOPLE.-On the att.i.tude of the Roman Catholic Church toward the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, in vernacular versions, among the laity, see Catholic Encyclopaedia, art.

Bible; also G. P. Fisher, "The Reformation," ch. 15, par. 16 (1873 ed., pp. 530-532); J. Cardinal Gibbons, "The Faith of Our Fathers," ch. 8 (49th ed., 1897, pp. 98-117); J. Dowling, "History of Romanism," b. 7, ch. 2, sec. 14, and b. 9, ch. 3, sec. 24-27 (1871 ed., pp. 491-496, 621-625); L.

F. Bungener, "History of the Council of Trent," pp. 101-110 (2d Edinburgh ed., 1853, tr. by D. D. Scott); G. H. Putnam, "Books and Their Makers during the Middle Ages," Vol. I, part 2, ch. 2, par. 49, 54-56.

Page 373. ASCENSION ROBES.-The story that the Adventists made robes with which to ascend "to meet the Lord in the air," was invented by those who wished to reproach the cause. It was circulated so industriously that many believed it; but careful inquiry proved its falsity. For many years a large reward has been offered for proof that one such instance ever occurred, but the proof has not been produced. None who loved the appearing of the Saviour were so ignorant of the teachings of the Scriptures as to suppose that robes which they could make would be necessary for that occasion. The only robe which the saints will need to meet the Lord is the righteousness of Christ. See Rev. 19:8.

Page 374. THE CHRONOLOGY OF PROPHECY.-Dr. Geo. Bush, Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Literature in the New York City University, in a letter addressed to Mr. Miller, and published in the _Advent Herald, and Signs of the Times Reporter_, Boston, March 6 and 13, 1844, made some important admissions relative to his calculation of the prophetic times. Mr. Bush wrote:

"Neither is it to be objected, as I conceive, to yourself or your friends, that you have devoted much time and attention to the study of the _chronology_ of prophecy, and have labored much to determine the commencing and closing dates of its great periods. If these periods are actually given by the Holy Ghost in the prophetic books, it was doubtless with the design that they _should_ be studied, and probably, in the end, fully understood; and no man is to be charged with presumptuous folly who reverently makes the attempt to do this.... In taking a _day_ as the prophetical term for a _year_, I believe you are sustained by the soundest exegesis, as well as fortified by the high names of Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, Kirby, Scott, Keith, and a host of others, who have long since come to substantially your conclusions on this head. They all agree that the leading periods mentioned by Daniel and John do actually expire _about this age of the world_, and it would be a strange logic that would convict you of heresy for holding in effect the same views which stand forth so prominently in the notices of these eminent divines." "Your results in this field of inquiry do not strike me as so far out of the way as to affect any of the great interests of truth and duty." "Your error, as I apprehend, lies in another direction than your chronology." "You have entirely mistaken _the nature of the events_ which are to occur when those periods have expired. This is the head and front of your expository offending."

Page 399. PROPHETIC DATES.-See note for page 329.

Page 435. A THREEFOLD MESSAGE.-Rev. 14:6, 7, foretells the proclamation of the first angel's message. Then the prophet continues: "There followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, ... and the third angel followed them." The word here rendered "followed," means, in constructions like that in this text, "to go with." Liddell and Scott render the word thus: "_To follow one, go after_ or _with_ him." Robinson says: "_To follow, to go with, to accompany_ any one." It is the same word that is used in Mark 5:24: "Jesus went with him; and much people followed Him, and thronged Him." It is also used of the redeemed one hundred and forty-four thousand, where it is said, "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." Rev. 14:4. In both these places it is evident that the idea intended to be conveyed is that of going together, in company with. So in 1 Cor. 10:4, where we read of the children of Israel that "they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them," the word "followed" is translated from the same Greek word, and the margin has it, "went with them." From this we learn that the idea in Rev. 14:8, 9, is not simply that the second and third angels followed the first in point of time, but that they went with him. The three messages are but one threefold message. They are _three_ only in the order of their rise. But having risen, they go on together, and are inseparable.

Page 447. SUPREMACY OF THE BISHOPS OF ROME.-Some of the leading circ.u.mstances connected with the a.s.sumption of supremacy by the bishops of Rome, are outlined in Mosheim's "Ecclesiastical History," cent. 2, part 2, ch. 4, sec. 9-11. See also G.P. Fisher, "History of the Christian Church,"

period 2, ch. 2, par. 11-17 (1890 ed., pp. 56-58); Gieseler, "Ecclesiastical History," period 1, div. 3, ch. 4, sec. 66, par. 3, including note 8 (N.Y. ed., 1836, tr. by F. Cunningham); J.N. Andrews, "History of the Sabbath," pp. 276-279 (3d ed., rev.).

Page 574. EDICT OF CONSTANTINE.-See note for page 53.

Page 578. THE ABYSSINIAN CHURCH.-On the observance of the Bible Sabbath in Abyssinia, see Dean A.P. Stanley, "Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church," lecture 1, par. 15 (N. Y. ed., 1862, pp. 96, 97); Michael Geddes, "Church History of Ethiopia," pp. 87, 88, 311, 312; Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," ch. 47, par. 37-39; Samuel Gobat, "Journal of Three Years' Residence in Abyssinia," pp. 55-58, 83, 93, 97, 98 (N. Y.

ed., 1850); A. H. Lewis, "A Critical History of the Sabbath and the Sunday in the Christian Church," pp. 208-215 (2d ed., rev.).

Page 581. DICTATES OF HILDEBRAND.-See note for page 57.