p. 8 | THE TIME IS FULFILLED by Washington Morse

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 21, 1903

“THE TIME IS FULFILLED.”

By Washington Morse

[The following article is from a brother who was in the great 1844 movement, who passed through the great disappointment at that time, and who with undimmed faith is still looking for the fruition of his hope. He is now eighty-seven years of age in body, but his heart is young, and his hope bright. Ed. S. of T.]

This scripture doubtless has reference to the 69 weeks of Dan. 9:25, bringing us to the autumn of A. D. 27, this being the end of the first 483 years of the 2300 years of Dan. 8:14. At that time our Saviour was baptized and acknowledged to be “Messiah the Prince.” In the middle of the 70th week or 490th year of the 2300 years, He (Christ) was cut off or crucified (Dan. 9:26, 27), in the spring of A. D. 31, leaving 3½ years for His apostles to fulfil the remainder of the 70 weeks (Dan. 9:24). This brings us to the autumn of A. D. 34, the remaining 1810 years bring us to the autumn of 1844.

We then reached the climax, if I may so speak, of the world’s great prophetic era. Within the fifty years preceding, five of the prominent prophetic periods of the Bible had terminated. The 1290 years ending in 1798; the 1260 years beginning with the setting up of the Papacy in A. D. 538, had ended the same year, 1798, and marked the beginning of “the time of the end” (Dan. 11:35); the 391 years and 15 days of Revelation 9, had come to an end Aug. 11, 1840, marking the fall of the Ottoman Empire, as since that time it has existed only by the consent of the powers of Europe; the 1335 years ending in 1843. Blessing is pronounced upon those who wait and come to the end of the 1335 days. While this blessing may be the increase of knowledge, it will terminate in such a blessing as the disciples at Christ’s first advent were themselves permitted to enjoy. Dan. 12:12; Matt. 13:16, 17. And in 1844, the great period of the 2300 years ended, which marked the commencement of the work of cleansing the sanctuary.

The warning message to the world in the great advent message of 1840-44, had now swelled into a mighty cry. A movement such as the world had never before witnessed, had now reached the height of its power. The coming of the Lord was the burden of the proclamation. Sublimer times never engaged the attention of man. God raised up men in different parts of the world to herald this warning abroad. It went to every missionary station on the globe. An army of able and devoted men appeared, filled with love for souls and for the truth, who freely gave their time, talent, and strength to its vindication; treasures were poured out like water to spread the warning everywhere. God was in this movement, and all Christendom was shaken from center to circumference.

Truly the time had come when the first division of this three-fold warning which was to precede the coming of Christ was going forth, Rev. 14:6-12; also Rev. 10:6; for the time had come for the longest and last prophetic period to meet its termination; then came the grievous disappointment. A mistake had been made somewhere. And as it was asked of the baptism of John, “Was it from heaven or of men?” This question was settled at once by every one who truly and heartily accepted the Bible time message. The time was the test; it was the moving principle; and when I publicly arose and confessed it, such a blessing I never before experienced. It far exceeded my happy conversion. Such was the experience of thousands who accepted the time message; and we could say, Truly it was from heaven. As God set His seal of approval to the time, we saw that in that great and mighty movement we had fulfilled the parable of the ten virgins up to Matt. 25:10. Right here our faith had followed our Saviour into the most holy place, and at this very point the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament. Rev. 11:19. Here also the third angel came out with his warning message. Here we saw the light upon the sanctuary in heaven. This was the sanctuary to be cleansed, promised in Dan. 8:14. There we saw the ark of His testament, and we made haste to keep His down-trodden Sabbath.

Now we see that when the time came for our Saviour’s first advent, God raised up John the Baptist to give the warning message, and also of His crucifixion and ascension to heaven; and when the time of His second coming was to take place God raised up men to warn the world of the judgment which was to precede Christ’s second coming, based on Rev. 14:6, 7, saying “the hour of His judgment is come.”

Fifty-one years ago I don’t think there were 100 Seventh-day Adventists in the world. Now there are probably 100,000 telling the people that we are passing through the time of judgment of the righteous and dead. See Dan. 7:9, 10. No other denomination on earth is preaching such a message. This is all made plain by the sanctuary subject. Now it is plain to be seen that this is the last threefold message to be given to the world before Christ comes, and this work has been going forward in the sanctuary above since the end of the prophetic period in 1844.

With those of the earliest generation, the work of examination in the judgment of God passes on down through all the records of time, closing with the living; then the sealing message of Revelation 7 will have performed its work, and all cases will have been decided. Everything will then be ready for the coming of our Lord and Saviour. While we see the great work which is going on in heaven, we also see a corresponding work is going on in the earth. And as many of God’s true servants who have gone down to the grave regarding the Sabbath, the seal of God’s law, will doubtless be raised as a part of those who will be translated; it is sure that the people who give this warning message will witness the glorious appearing of the dear Saviour.

And so I can say, as Brother William Miller said in an article in the Midnight Cry of September, 1844, “Glory, glory, glory! the Lord is soon coming! O church of God lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and sound an alarm which shall cause the inhabitants of earth to fear and tremble; ‘for the great day of the Lord is near, and hasteth greatly.’”

WASHINGTON MORSE.

Peterboro, Ont., Dec. 29, 1902.