STUDY III

Here the thread of this prophecy, having run its full length, stops, and the remaining verses of the chapter are for the purpose of furnishing (not to Daniel and his fellowservants in his day, but to God's children, Daniel's fellowservants living in the Time of the End) certain periods of 1260, 1290 and 1335 symbolic days, respectively, by which, in the due time, we may be convinced, concerning the time in which we are living that it is indeed the Harvest time or "End" of the Gospel age.

Daniel, who had heard the long account of the strifes between the kingdoms of this world, and now finally of the triumph of God's Kingdom in the hands of Michael, the great Prince, was anxious to know when it would deliver the Lord's people. But he is told (verse 4): "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the Time of the End: [then] many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."

Voltaire, the noted French infidel, got hold of this statement and scornfully remarked:

"Now look at the mighty mind of Newton, the great philosopher who discovered the law of gravitation: when he became an old man and got into his dotage, he began to study the book called the Bible, and in order to credit its fabulous nonsense he would have us believe that the knowledge of mankind will yet be so increased that we shall by-and-by be able to travel fifty miles an hour! Poor dotard!"

Both of these men died long before the Time of the End had brought its wonderful increase of knowledge, which more than fulfils the prediction of the Christian philosopher, based upon the divine revelation.

Not for Daniel, but for God's children living during the Time of the End, was the conversation, etc., related in verses 5-7: "And I, Daniel, looked, and behold there were two others standing, one on this side of the bank of the flood [Young's translation], and the other on that side of the bank of the flood. And one said to the man who was above the waters of the stream, 'How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?' Then heard I the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the flood; and he lifted up his right hand and his left unto the heavens and swore by the Everliving One that [the end should be] after a time, times and half a time."

The matter of special inquiry was the "abomination of desolation," of chapter 11:31-33, which Daniel rightly associated with the terrible character seen in his previous visions, recorded in chapters 7:8-11,21,24-26 and 8:10-12, 24-26.

Satan's design in instigating the French revolution was to create an alarm throughout Europe, especially among the influential class, unfavorable to liberty and to illustrate in France the theory that, were the superstitions of Rome to be overthrown and liberty to be given full sway, all law and order would speedily end. This was a master-stroke of policy, worthy of its author, and designed, as the prophet shows, to overwhelm the "woman" (the reformed Church), and to drive all conservatives and peace-lovers--rulers and ruled--back to union and harmony with Papacy. The failure of the scheme was not due to lack of craftiness in its designer, but to the overruling power of God, whereby he is able to cause all things to work together for good.

Measuring back 1260 years from 1799 would bring us to A.D. 539, where we shall show the Papal power began. But the Papal system has been such a mixture of state-craft and priest-craft, and had such a small and gradual beginning, as well as gradual ending, that a variety of opinions as to its commencement and close would be reasonable as well as possible, until we obtain God's fixed dates for its rise and fall, and see how very correct they are. Papacy claimed supremacy in church and state affairs, and mixed in politics, before it was recognized by opponents; even as it has also attempted to exercise civil authority, and has declared its head infallible, since the period at which prophecy shows its power was broken and its consumption began. But Papacy has not been recognized by the Italian people of the province of Romagna since the spell of ignorance and superstitious reverence was broken during the French Revolution. Though at times, between revolutions, the pope has sat as nominal ruler of the Papal states, it has been merely as a foreign invader, the representative of Austria or France, whose troops by turns protected him in office.

From the time of Constantine, the bishops of Rome had held a most prominent position before the world, and they began ere long to claim an authority over all others--in the church as well as in the world--demanding that some one person should be recognized as an authority or head in the church, and that the bishop of Rome should be that one. They claimed that Peter as well as Paul had lived in Rome, and that Rome was thus constituted the seat of apostolic authority, and also that, by reason of its long having been the seat of the Caesars and the seat of civil government, it held a place of authority in the minds of the people.

In conjunction with this edict, the emperor thus addressed Pope John, patriarch of Rome*:

*"Victor Justinianus, pius, felix, inclytus, triumphator, semper Augustus, Joanni sanctissimo Archiepiscopo almae Urbis Romae et Patriarchae. "Reddentes honorem apostolicae sedi, et vestrae sanctitati (quod semper nobis in voto et fuit et est), et ut decet patrem honorantes vestram beatitudinem, omnia quae ad ecclesiarum statum pertinent festinavimus ad notitiam deferre vestrae sanctitatis; quoniam semper nobis fuit magnum studium, unitatem vestrae apostolicae sedis, et statum sanctarum Dei ecclesiarum custodire, qui hactenus obtinet, et in commote permanet, nulla intercedente contrarietate Ideoque omnes sacerdotes universi Orientalis tractus et subjicere et unire sedi vestrae sanctitatis properavimus. In praesenti ergo quae commota sunt (quamvis manifesta et indubitata sint et secundum apostolicae vestrae sedis doctrinam ab omnibus semper sacertotibus firme custodita et praedicata) necessarium duximus, ut ad notitiam vestrae sanctitatis perveniant. Nec enim patimur quicquam, quod ad ecclesiarum statum pertinet, quamvis manifestum et indubitatum sit, quod movetur, ut non etiam vestrae innotescat sanctitati quae caput est omnium sanctarum ecclesiarum. Per omnia enim (ut distum est) properamus honorem et auctoritatem crescere vestrae sedis."

The epistle next refers to certain views, styled heretical, which were causing the commotion, and gives the emperor's faith as in harmony with that of the Church of Rome. It concludes as follows*:

*"Suscipimus autem sancta quatuor concilia: id est, trecentorum decem et octo sanctorum patrum qui in Nicaena urbe congregati sunt: et centum quinquaginta sanctorum patrum qui in hac regia urbe convenerunt: et sanctorum patrum qui in Epheso primo congregati sunt: et sanctorum patrum qui in Chalcedone convenerunt: sicut vestra apostolica sedis docet atque praedicat. Omnes ergo sacerdotes sequentes doctrinam apostolicae sedis vestrae ita credunt et praedicant.

"Unde properavimus hoc ad notitiam deferre vestrae sanctitatis per Hypatium et Demetrium, beatissimos episcopos, ut nec vestram sanctitatem lateat, quae et a quibusdam paucis monachis male et Judaice secundum Nestorii perfidiam denegata sunt. Petimus ergo vestrum paternum afectum; ut vestris ad nos destinatis literis, et ad sanctissimum episcopum hujus almae urbis, et patriarcham vestrum fratrem (quoniam et ipse per eosdem scripsit ad vestram sanctitatem, festinans in omnibus sedem sequi apostolicam beatitudinis vestrae), manifestum nobis faciatis, quod omnes qui praedicta recte confitentur, suscipit vestra sanctitas, et eorum qui Judaice aussi sint rectam denegare fidem, condemnat perfidiam. Plus enim ita circa vos omnium amor, et vestrae sedis crescet auctoritas; et quae ad vos est unitas sanctarum ecclesiarum inturbata servabitur, quando per vos didicerint omnes beatissimi episcopi eorum, quae ad vos relata sunt, sinceram vestrae sanctitatis doctrinam. Petimus autem vestram beautitudinem orare pro nobis, et Dei nobis adquirere providentiam."

"Now we admit [the validity of] four sacred councils: that is, of the 318 holy fathers who gathered in the city of Nicae [Council of Nice], and of the 140 holy fathers who assembled in this royal city [Council of Constantinople], and of the holy fathers who first gathered in Ephesus [Council of Ephesus], and of the holy fathers who assembled in Chalcedon [Council of Chalcedon], as your Apostolic See teaches and affirms. All priests, therefore, who follow the doctrine of your Apostolic See, so believe, and confess, and affirm. Hence we have hastened to bring to the notice of your Holiness, through Hypatius and Demetrius, most blessed bishops, that it may not lie hidden from your Holiness what [doctrines] have been wickedly denied by some few monks, after the Jewish manner, according to the heresy of Nestorius. We therefore seek your paternal regard, [praying] that by a letter addressed to us and to the most holy bishops of this fair city, and to the patriarch, your brother (since he himself, too, has written by the same to your Holiness, hastening in all points to follow the Apostolic See of your Blessedness), you make manifest to us that your Holiness accepts all who duly confess what is ordained, and condemns the heresy of these who have dared, after the Jewish manner, to deny the true faith. For thus the love of all for you and the authority of your See will grow the greater; and the unity of the holy churches, which has been disturbed, will be preserved to you, since through you all the most blessed bishops will have learned the genuine doctrine of your Holiness, as to those points which have been referred to you. Now we entreat your Blessedness to pray for us, and to obtain for us the protection of heaven."

Pope John replied to the above, under date of March 24th, A.D. 534.*

*We quote as follows from his reply:

"Gloriosissimo et clementissimo filio Justiniano Augusto, "Johannes Episcopus Urbis Romae. "Inter claras saptentiae ac mansuetudinis vestrae laudes, Christianissime principum, puriore luce tanquam aliquod sydus irradiat, quod amore fidei, quod charitatis studio edocti ecclesiasticis disiplinis, Romanae sedis reverentiam conservatis, et ei cuncta subjicitis, et ad ejus deducitis unitatem, ad cujus auctorem, hoc est apostolorum primum, Domino loquente praeceptum est, Pasce oves meas: Quam esse omnium vere ecclesiarum caput, et patrum regulae et principum statuta declarant, et pietatis vestrae reverendissimi testantur affatus....Proinde serenitatis vestrae apices, per Hypatium atque Demetrium, sanctissimos viros, fratres et coepiscopos meos, reverentia consueta sescepimus: quorum etiam relatione comperimus, quod fidelibus populis proposuistis edictum amore fidei pro submovenda haereticorum intentione, secundum apostolicam doctrinam, fratum et coepiscoporum nostrorum interveniente consensu. Quod, quia apostolicae doctrinae convenit, nostra auctoritate confirmamus."

Upon the same occasion the emperor wrote to the patriarch of Constantinople. The first paragraph of his letter we quote, as follows*:

*"Epiphanio sanctissimo et beatissimo Archiepiscopo Regiae hujus Urbis et Ecumenico Patriarchae.

"Cognoscere volentes tuam sanctitatem ea omnia quae ad ecclesiasticum spectant statum: necessarium duximus, hisce ad eam uti divinis compendiis, ac per ea manifesta eidem facere, quae jam moveri coepta sunt, quamquam et illa eandem cognoscere sumus persuasi. Cum itaque comperissemus quosdam alienos a sancta, catholica, et apostolica ecclesia, impiorum Nestorii et Eutychetis sequutos deceptionem, divinum antehac promulgavimus edictum (quod et tua novit sanctitas) per quod haereticorum furores reprehendimus, ita ut nullo quovis omnino modo immutaverimus, immutemus aut praetergressi simus eum, qui nunc usque, coadjuvante Deo, servatus est, ecclesiasticum statum (quemadmodum et tua novit sanctitas) sed in omnibus servato statu unitatis sanctissimarum ecclesiarum cum ipso S. S. Papa veteris Romae, ad quem similia hisce perscripsimus. Nec enim patimur ut quicquam eorum, quae ad ecclesiasticum spectant statum, non etiam ac ejusdem referatur beatitudinem: quum ea sit caput omnium sanctissimorum Dei sacertotum; vel eo maxime quod, quoties in eis locis haeretici pullularunt, et sententia et recto judicio illius venerabilis sedis coerciti sunt."

The letters from which we have given the foregoing extracts may be found complete, together with the Edict of Justinian* referred to, in the Volume of the Civil Law. Codicis lib. I tit. i

*An extract from this edict reads as follows:

"Imp. Justinian. A. Constantinopolitis.

"Cum Salvatorem et Dominum omnium Jesum Christum verum Deum nostrum colamus per omnia, studemus etiam (quatenus datum est humanae menti assequi) imitari ejus condescensionem seu demissionem. Etenim cum quosdam invenerimus morbo atque insania detentos impiorum Nestorii et Eutychetis. Dei et sanctae catholicae et apostolicae ecclesiae hostium, nempe qui detrectabant sanctam gloriosam semper virginem Mariam Theotocon sive Deiparam appellare proprie et secundum veritatem: illos festinavimus quae sit recta Christianorum fides edocere. Nam hi incurabiles cum sint, celantes errorem suum passim circumeunt (sicut didicimus) et simpliciorium animos exturbant et scandalizant, ea astruentes quae sunt sanctae catholicae ecclesiae contraria. Necessarium igitur esse putavimus, tam haereticorum vaniloquia et mendacia dissipare, quam omnibus insinuare, quomodo aut sentiat sancta Dei et catholica et apostolica ecclesia, aut praedicent sanctissimi ejus sacerdotes; quos et nos sequuti, manifesta constituimus ea quae fidei nostrae sunt; non quidem innovantes fidem (quod absit) sed coarguantes eorum insaniam qui eadem cum impiis haereticis sentiunt. Quod quidem et nos in nostri imperii primordiis pridem satagentes cunctis fecimus manifestum."

This, the first official recognition of Papacy's claims, was afterward confessed more and more pointedly by Phocus and succeeding emperors.

No doubt, indeed, the object of Justinian in acknowledging the claims of the bishop of Rome to superiority over others was also in part to gain his cooperation in the war he was about to wage against the Ostrogoths, to regain Italy as a part of the Eastern Roman Empire; for the influence of the pope and the church was by no means inconsiderable even then; and to have them on his side in the war was half the conquest won, at the very outstart.

Though the Goths rebelled against the empire, and sacked the city Rome, they did not re-establish their rule, and its only government was that of the church. And though the Lombard kingdom soon came in and established its rule over most of Italy, even overthrowing the rule of the Eastern empire established by Justinian in the hands of the Exarchs, yet be it carefully noted that the Lombards recognized the authority of the Papacy in Rome. It was not until near the end of that kingdom, in the eighth century, that any serious attempts were made against the Papal authority, the narrative of which only serves to establish the fact that the popes in turn were Rome's real rulers, the claimed "successors of the Caesars"--"the spiritual Caesars"-- though they claimed the protection of the government at Constantinople as long as it advantaged them to do so. When the Lombards finally sought to take possession of Rome, the pope appealed to the French king to protect the church (Papacy), and to maintain them in their long uninterrupted control of what they called "The Patrimony of St. Peter," which they claimed* had been bestowed upon the church by Constantine.

*That those claims were false, and based upon forgeries--"The Forged Decretals"--is now freely acknowledged, even by Roman Catholics. Constantine made no such gift: Papacy grew into its power and control of Rome, as we have here described.

The French kings, Pepin and Charlemagne, each in turn brought his army for the protection of Papacy's dominion, and vanquished the Lombards. It was the latter of these who in A.D. 800 formally presented to Papacy several states known as the "Papal States," already referred to -- additional to the city and suburbs of Rome, actually held by Papacy from A.D. 539. So, then, the Lombard Kingdom or "horn" did not hinder, nor occupy the place of, the papal horn, as some have surmised, even though it did sometimes crowd it.

Of this attack by the Lombards upon Rome, Gibbon says:

"A memorable example of repentance and piety was exhibited by Lutiprand, king of the Lombards. In arms, at the gate of the Vatican, the conqueror listened to the voice of Gregory I, withdrew his troops, resigned his conquest, respectfully visited the church of St. Peter, and, after performing his devotions, offered his sword and dagger, his cuirass and mantle, his silver cross and crown of gold, on the tomb of the apostle." But "His successor, Astolphus, declared himself the equal enemy of the emperor and the pope:...Rome was summoned to acknowledge the victorious Lombard as her lawful sovereign....The Romans hesitated; they entreated; they complained; and the threatening barbarians were checked by arms and negotiations until the popes had engaged the friendship of an ally and avenger beyond the Alps."

The pope (Stephen III) visited France, and succeeded in getting the needed assistance; and, says Gibbon, returned as a conqueror at the head of a French army which was led by the king [Pepin] in person. The Lombards, after a weak resistance, obtained an ignominious peace, and swore to restore the possessions and to respect the sanctity of the Roman Church.

"The Apostle assures his adopted sons, the king, the clergy and the nobles of France, that, dead in the flesh, he is still alive in the spirit; that they now hear, and must obey, the voice of the founder and guardian of the Roman church; that the Virgin, the angels, the saints, the martyrs, and all the host of heaven unanimously urge the request, and will confess the obligation; that riches, victory and paradise will crown their pious enterprise, and that eternal damnation will be the penalty of their neglect, if they suffer his tomb, his temple and his people to fall into the hands of the perfidious Lombards." And Gibbon adds, "The second expedition of Pepin was not less rapid and fortunate than the first: St. Peter was satisfied; Rome was again saved."

As this beginning of Papacy's dominion was obscure, and yet important to be recognized clearly, it has seemed to us to require careful marking as above. And in concluding the proof, that A.D. 539 was the date prophetically pointed out, we quote corroborative testimony from Roman Catholic writings, as follows:

"Under these circumstances it happened that the...emperors ...lost all actual power, and remained only in name masters of the government, while the popes, in virtue of the needs of the moment, came practically in possession of that supremacy over the Roman domain....This spontaneous result of generous exertion was in after times acknowledged as a lawful acquisition [by Pepin and Charlemagne]....Pepin, as contemporary writers express it, 'restored' the conquered territory to the Apostolic See. This donation or restitution of Pepin was confirmed and enlarged by his son Charlemagne, who in A.D. 774 put an end to the Lombard rule in Italy. In this legitimate way, the TEMPORAL POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE POPES was, by divine providence, gradually established."

The above quotations are from "The History of the Catholic Church," by H. Brueck, D.D., Vol. I, pp. 250,251. As this is a standard work among Roman Catholics, used in their colleges and seminaries, and approved by papal dignitaries, its testimony is of value, touching the gradual rise of the temporal power of Papacy, and the time when its beginning was favored by circumstances. It proves that the fall of the Ostrogothic kingdom in A.D. 539 was, as clearly indicated by the prophetic measure (1260 years), the exact point of time when this desolating and, in the sight of God, abominable system was "set up."

"We find him dispatching Leontius as governor to Nepi in Etruria, enjoining on the inhabitants that they should obey him as they would himself. Again he appoints Constantius to the important post of governor of Naples. Next he writes to the bishops about the defense and provisioning of their respective cities; issues orders to the military commanders. ...In a word, he becomes the actual ruler and protector of Italy; so that he is fully justified in saying, 'Whoever fills my place as pastor is gravely occupied with external cares, so that it frequently becomes uncertain whether he discharges the functions of a pastor or of a temporal prince.'"

So great as this was the growth of temporal power in the short space of fifty years from its small beginning, A.D. 539. We may therefore feel assured that the 1260 years, or three and a half times, of papal dominion, are well and clearly marked at both ends.

*Concerning this translation see remarks in preface.

The careful student will note that these 1290 and 1335 prophetic days, literal years, have the same starting point as the 1260 years of papal power to crush, viz., from the time the desolating abomination was "set up"--A.D. 539. Where two events occurring at different times are mentioned, as in this case--the taking away of the "daily" (or, more correctly, the continual sacrifice), and the setting up of the abomination --we must always reckon from the time that both were true. The taking away of the "continual sacrifice," we will show in the next chapter, occurred some years before the setting up of the abomination in 539; and it was the important item which caused it to be named "the abomination." We should and do, therefore, reckon the "setting up" of the abomination from the last of these two events.

Reckoning from A.D. 539, the 1290 symbolic days ended in 1829, and the 1335 days in the close of 1874. Let the reader judge carefully how accurately these dates mark the understanding of the vision, and all the prophecies connected with the Time of the End, and the separating, cleansing, and refining as by fire, to bring God's children to the childlike, humble, trustful condition of mind and heart, needful that they might be ready to receive and appreciate God's work in God's way and time.

While, as the reader will have observed, we disagree with Mr. Miller's interpretations and deductions, on almost every point--viewing the object, as well as the manner and the time, of our Lord's coming, in a very different light--yet we recognize that movement as being in God's order, and as doing a very important work in the separating, purifying, refining, and thus making ready, of a waiting people prepared for the Lord. And not only did it do a purifying and testing work in its own day, but, by casting reproach upon the study of prophecy and upon the doctrine of the Lord's second advent, it has ever since served to test and prove the consecrated, regardless of any association with Mr. Miller's views and expectations. The very mention of the subject of prophecy, the Lord's coming and the Millennial Kingdom, now excites the contempt of the worldly-wise, especially in the nominal church. This was undoubtedly of the Lord's providence, and for a purpose very similar to the sending of the infant Jesus for a time to Nazareth, "that he might be called a Nazarene," though really born in the honorable city of Bethlehem. That evidently was in order that the truth might separate the "Israelites indeed" from the chaff of God's chosen nation. The chaff was driven off by the statement that our Lord was a Nazarene; for they reasoned, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Just so some now contemptuously inquire, "Can any good thing come out of Adventism?" and dismiss unconsidered the testimony of the Lord and the apostles and prophets. But the humble, holy ones, wise in God's sight though foolish in the world's estimation, take no such attitude.

*We have been unable to secure Mr. Miller's writings to compare his interpretations. We have merely learned the dates at which he applied the prophetic numbers.

Not understanding the manner nor the object of the Lord's return, but expecting a sudden appearance, and the end of all things in one day, he supposed all the time prophecies must end there; and it was his aim and effort to force them all to this common terminus: hence his failure -- beyond which God did not then enlighten any, further enlightenment not being then due.

Mr. Miller was an earnest and esteemed member of the Baptist Church; and, being a careful student of the Scriptures, the prophecies began to open before him. After becoming thoroughly convinced himself, as to the correctness of his applications, he began to disseminate his views among ministers, chiefly Baptists at first, but afterward among all classes and all denominations. As the work spread, he, with many colaborers, traveled and preached extensively. The beginning of this work among the Baptist ministers was, as nearly as can be learned from his memoirs, in 1829, Elder Fuller of the Baptist Church at Poultney, Vt., being the first convert to preach his views in public. In a letter written about three years after, Mr. Miller says:

"The Lord is scattering the seed. I can now reckon eight ministers who preach this doctrine, more or less, besides myself. I know of more than one hundred private brethren who say that they have adopted my views. Be this as it may, 'The truth is mighty and will prevail.'"

Thus it will be seen that the separating work of the "Miller movement" had its beginning at the time foretold -- at the end of the 1290 days, 1829.

Now, how about the waiting earnestly until the 1335 days had been touched? Who have thus waited?

Some of God's children, the "holy people," the writer among the number, though not associated with the "Miller movement," nor with the denomination subsequently organized, which calls itself the "Second Advent Church," have been looking and "earnestly waiting" for Michael's Kingdom; and gladly we bear testimony to the "blessedness" of the wonderfully clear unfoldings of our Father's plan, at and since the fall of 1874--the end of the 1335 days.

Words fail us to express this blessedness! Only those who have been refreshed in spirit with this new wine of the Kingdom could appreciate it, if we could describe it. It is therefore something to be felt, rather than told. It was at and since the ending of those 1335 prophetic, symbolic days that the precious views of the Lord's presence, and the fact that we are even now living in the time of the "harvest" of this Gospel age, and in the time of the setting up of Michael's (Christ's) Kingdom, came to be known.

The virgins of the parable are shown as all having lamps trimmed and giving them light. These lamps represent the Scriptures ("Thy word is a lamp to my feet"); and such a general trimming of lamps--searching the Scriptures--by all classes of Christians probably never before took place. The oil represents the spirit of the truth. It was manifest, then, in the lamps of all; but all had not the spirit of the truth in themselves--the "vessels."

The disappointment of 1844 is briefly recorded in the parable, by the statement that "the Bridegroom tarried" -- i.e., he seemed to the expectant ones to tarry. And the confusion and darkness experienced by all, and the many false and visionary views entered into by some who were there disappointed, are shown in the parable by the statement: "While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Yea, and in their darkness and slumber many of them dreamed strange, unreasonable things.

*The oldest Greek manuscripts (Sinaitic and Vatican) omit cometh, and read, "Behold the Bridegroom!"