The Turkish Power Driven from Europe—Does It Mean the End of the World?—What Are the Prophecies upon the Subject?
By E. E. Andross
According to diplomatic information received at Rome, the decision of the Turks to transfer their capital to Brusa, Asia Minor, was in direct opposition to Germany, which wished the transfer, if made, to be to Adrianople. The prophet’s mantle, together with all the important relics and treasures, already has been removed to Brusa, where the sultan’s harem also has been sent.”—Los Angeles Times, March 1, 1915.
Is It Probation’s Close?
Day by day such reports as the above are appearing in the papers, leading many to inquire if the departure of the Turk from Europe, which seems so imminent, will not be followed immediately by the close of probation and the beginning of the reign of Christ, and if Seventh-day Adventists have not taught thus in the past.
To Stand in Jerusalem
The last verse of the eleventh chapter of Daniel, and the first verse of the twelfth chapter, read as follows:
“And he [the king of the north] shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
Seventh-day Adventists have long believed that Turkey was the power to which this scripture refers, and that eventually its seat of government would be removed from Constantinople to Jerusalem. They have believed that when the seat of the Ottoman power finally was established at Jerusalem, the next event to occur in the order of the prophecy would be the standing up of Michael, or the beginning of the reign of Christ. Dan. 12:1.
The Events in Their Order
In one of their most widely circulated books, “Daniel and the Revelation,” by Uriah Smith, bearing the imprint of the Review and Herald Publishing Company, Battle Creek, Michigan, 1897, the following comment on Dan. 12:1 occurs on pages 293 and 294:
“A definite time is introduced in this verse, not a time revealed in names or figures which specify any particular year or month or day, but a time made definite by the occurrence of a certain event with which it stands connected. ‘At that time.’ What time?—The time to which we are brought by the closing verse of the preceding chapter,—the time when the king of the north shall plant the tabernacles of his palace in the glorious holy mountain; or, in other words, when the Turk, driven from Europe, shall hastily make Jerusalem his temporary seat of government.
“We noticed, in remarks upon the latter portion of the preceding chapter, some of the agencies already in operation for the accomplishment of this end, and some of the indications that the Turk will very soon be obliged to make this move. And when this event takes place, he is to come to his end; and then, according to this verse, we look for the standing up of Michael, the great Prince.
“This movement on the part of Turkey is the signal for the standing up of Michael; that is, it marks this event as next in order. And to guard against all misunderstanding, let the reader note that the position is not here taken that the next movement against the Turks will drive them from Europe, or that when they shall establish their capital at Jerusalem Christ begins His reign without the lapse of a day or an hour of time.
“But here are the events, to come, as we believe, in the following order: (1) Further pressure brought to bear in some way upon the Turk; (2) His retirement from Europe; (3) His final stand at Jerusalem; (4) The standing up of Michael, or the beginning of the reign of Christ, and His coming in the clouds of heaven. And it is not reasonable to suppose that any great amount of time will elapse between these events.”
This clearly states the position held by the178denomination regarding the order of events as revealed in Daniel’s prophecy. They have never, as a people, believed or taught that immediately upon the departure of the Turk from Europe Christ would come to earth, or that He would begin His reign and probation would close.
They have understood that some little time might elapse after the capital of the Turkish power was removed from Constantinople till it was established in Jerusalem; that it might find a temporary home in one or more places before being located in Jerusalem; that during this interval, the gospel message would be given with Pentecostal power; and, further, that when the Turk finally was located at Jerusalem, it did not necessarily follow that “Christ begins His reign without the lapse of a day or an hour of time.”
They have, however, believed most ardently, and have proclaimed vigorously, both with pen and with voice, that as we see the signs of the early departure of the Turk from Europe, we may know that the end is approaching, and that soon the kingdoms of this world will become “the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.”
On His Last Fateful Journey
To-day we have reason to believe that the last fateful journey of the Turk from Constantinople to Jerusalem is about to begin, and that we should make haste to prepare for the end. We do not believe in trying to drive any one to the service of God through fear; but we do believe that our loving Father will use every means to awaken the people from their deathlike slumber, and by a revelation of His goodness lead them to repentance.
The Restoration of the Papacy
There are several important prophecies that have not yet reached their complete fulfillment, and these must be fulfilled ere the end can come. Prominent among these is the restoration of the papal power to a position of supreme religious homage, as seen by the prophet John. But already we are far on the way toward the end predicted by this prophecy, as the readers of this paper must know. Recent developments along this line are indeed portentous, and they forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. We reasonably may expect that “the final movements will be rapid ones.”
The message of Revelation 14 rapidly is sounding through the earth. It is swelling into a loud cry.
Fires, floods, and earthquakes, with war and carnage among the great nations of earth, are causing the hearts of men to fail them “for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth,” as foretold in Luke 21:25, 26. Surely, perilous times have come, and the end is near.
