p. 5 | J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 10, 1914

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

By John Norton Loughborough

The Second Advent Movement — No. 9

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH

In the time proclamation from the “little book” (Revelation 10) the angel pointed to the sounding of the seventh trumpet as the time when the “mystery of God,” the gospel work, should be finished. The angel, as before explained, represented those giving the message, while John, who asked for the book, represented those who received the message. In response to his request for the book the angel said: “Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” Rev. 10:9.

There are other instances in Scripture where the reception of truth is compared to eating the roll of a book. In Jeremiah we read, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Jer. 15:16. To Ezekiel it was said: “Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” Eze. 3:1-3.

Those fully consecrated in the advent message were filled with joy in the expectation of soon receiving their final salvation and associating with the angels in glory. As admonished in the message, they did, with glad hearts, “fear God, and give glory to him.” So the “book,” the time message upon which they were feeding, was to them “sweet as honey.”

In the proclamation of the message not only did mighty power accompany the work, but there were manifestations of heavenly visions—the gift of prophecy. In 1842 two visions were given to William Foy, of Boston, Mass., an eloquent speaker. These were views of heaven, Christ and his work and his near coming. As Mr. Foy was called from place to place to relate his visions in the cities of New England, the largest halls were not adequate to entertain the crowds of people that came to hear. And when calls were made to seek God, scores of sinners responded. This manifestation, to the believers, was another evidence of divine sanction of the message.

There were countries at that time, like Sweden, where the Lutheran religion was established by law, and one preaching another doctrine was subject to fine and imprisonment. “But with God all things are possible.” He had a way to introduce the truth. In 1843, in Ekeshur, Sweden, the power of God came upon a little girl only five years of age, one who had never learned to read or sing. She, in vision, sang a long Lutheran hymn, and looking more like a grown person than a child, began preaching, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come,” and exhorted the unconverted in the family to get ready to meet the Lord. They called upon God for mercy, and were converted. This movement spread from town to town, other children proclaiming the message. In the county of Orebro Laen the work spread until older persons began thus to preach. Then the authorities, instigated by the priests of the established church, arrested two boys, Walbom, eighteen years of age, and Ole Boquist, fifteen years of age, saying they would make a public example of them. They whipped their bare backs with birch rods, and placed them with their bleeding wounds in Orebro prison. When their wounds were healed, they took them out of the prison, demanding of them, “Will you cease preaching this doctrine?” Though they beat them with rods the second time, opening their wounds afresh, all the answer they could obtain from them was, “We will preach what God bids us.” Through the intercession of a prominent lady parishioner to King Oscar, he told the authorities to “let those boys out of the prison, and let that people alone;” so the victory for the truth was gained in Sweden.

In 1844, near the close of the 2300 days, William Foy had another vision. He was shown three steps, or platforms, in the pathway to the heavenly city. He knew of the first and second angels’ messages, but did not comprehend what this third platform could mean. So he stopped his public speaking. As he expected the Lord soon to come, he did not understand. After the close of the 2300 days he heard Sister Harmon (White) explain what she had seen respecting a third step—“there had been two messages, and there was a third yet to be given.”

Soon after Brother Foy failed to relate the vision, the same thing was shown to Hazen Foss, of Poland, Maine. He had a good academic education, and was used to public speaking, although not a preacher. He was told to relate the vision, but refused, partly on the ground that he did not expect a third message. The vision was repeated to him the second time, and he was told if he refused to relate the visions the burden would be laid on one who, physically, was “the weakest of the weak, who would relate them faithfully.” Again he refused. He was then given a third vision, a very short one, being shown in it the instrument on whom the Lord would lay the burden, and was told, “You are released.” This startled the young man, and he made an appointment to relate the vision. But, alas! it was too late. While he was permitted, before a large crowd of people, to relate his experience, when he came to the point where he said, “And now I will relate the vision,” it was taken from him, and he said, “God has fulfilled his word; I cannot remember a word of the vision. O, I am a lost man!” In January, 1845, he heard Sister Harmon (White) relate the same vision, and said it was exactly what was shown to him. When he saw her, he said she was the one on whom the Lord had shown him the burden was to be placed.

The tenth day of the seventh month, Jewish time (Karaite reckoning, Oct. 22, 1844), at last came. It found thousands who were looking to that time for the consummation of their hopes. They had planned their worldly affairs as they would if they expected that day to close their earthly lives. In almost breathless anxiety they assembled in their places of worship, expecting momentarily to hear the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God, and to see the heavens ablaze with the glory of their coming King.

The hours passed slowly away, and when the sun sank below the western horizon the tenth day of the seventh month was ended. The shadows of night once more spread over the world, but with that darkness came a pang of sadness to the hearts of thousands, such in kind as can find a parallel

in the sorrow of the disciples of our Lord, as they solemnly wended their way back to their homes on the night following the crucifixion and burial of their Lord, whom, but a little while before, they had triumphantly escorted into Jerusalem as their King.

*Lodi, Cal.