A Blessed Experience by Washington Morse

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 10, 1905

A Blessed Experience

By Washington Morse

WASHINGTON MORSE

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” After passing through our disappointment in 1844, the message contained in this verse seemed hard for us to bear. We had carefully and prayerfully reckoned the prophetic periods upon which our faith was founded, and as we went forth to proclaim the coming of the Lord, we were unspeakably happy that he had shown us this light, which happiness far exceeded that of our conversion. Our testimonies were weighty, and the infidel world was held in check; many suspended their business to a great extent, and farmers left their farms with their crops standing. We were the happiest people seemingly that ever lived. The world had no charms for us, and we were joyful to know that we should soon escape from its sinfulness, and dwell with our dear Saviour, in a world of righteousness.

Yes, the time message was a test. After our disappointment came, our happy experience held us from denying the leadings of God’s Spirit. The Lord had set his seal of approbation to the preaching of the time, and we saw that God’s Spirit was in this world-wide proclamation.

Beginning about the middle of July, 1844, the message spread with great rapidity and power, demonstrating the working of God’s Spirit as never before. There was a literal going forth to meet the Bridegroom, a consecration to God as never witnessed before, a weeping or melting glory that passed all understanding except to those who have felt it. We felt that to be in doubt about that truth would be to offend God and bring upon ourselves swift destruction. Our faith was like Abraham’s in offering up Isaac, or Noah’s in building the ark, or Daniel’s in going into the lion’s den. This was the faith of all who proclaimed that message. The fundamental thing in that message was the proclamation of the definite time of the coming of the Lord, as a result of the application of prophetic periods.

But that time passed, and great was our disappointment in not seeing the Lord come as we had proclaimed. But we still persisted that God was leading us up to the tenth day of the seventh month, which would fall on Oct. 22, 1844, and that we could cheerfully endure the great reproach, while we held on to the Lord by faith and shared the presence of his Holy Spirit. In all the confusion that we were thrown into for a time concerning the argumentative part of the message, we were not dissuaded concerning the light of that message; and now, with the clear light shining upon us from the sanctuary in heaven, we need not cast away our confidence, “which,” as the apostle has said, “hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” We did the will of God in preaching the time message, but we did not receive the promise.

Peterborough, Ontario.