"THE GREAT SECOND-ADVENT MOVEMENT."
By George I. Butler
THIS is the title of a new volume of about 500 pages to be issued from the press by The Southern Publishing Association, of Nashville, Tenn. Elder J. N. Loughborough, well known to all the readers of the SIGNS, is its author. He is one of the oldest pioneers of our work, who began his labors among us in 1852, and has been an active, earnest laborer from that time till the present. He also labored in his early years in the great movement of 1836-1844. Elder Loughborough has had one special characteristic in his long and useful life, viz., to preserve memoranda and many statistics of passing events of interest which would be very valuable to a later generation. He has been really and emphatically the statistician and historian of the whole Advent movement (in which he has been a prominent laborer from the beginning) of its later and more pronounced characteristics. For many years of his later life, since his physical strength has begun to wane, as old age has been creeping on, his labors have largely been those of reminiscence, traveling largely from conference to conference among a younger generation, rehearsing the facts of "former days," which have so securely lodged in his retentive memory. Multitudes of younger people have listened with closest attention and deepest interest. No wonder; for those facts are thrilling, wonderful, and soul-inspiring. They are such, because in every movement of divine origination God's dealings are marvellous beyond description. The great Advent movement of these last days is no exception. For three-fourths of a century this work has been in progress. Its beginnings were peculiar and unaccountable from a mere human standpoint. Many in this country have heard of William Miller and a movement, nicknamed "Millerism," because he was the first prominently to proclaim the message of the Lord's soon coming in these United States. Yet he was far from being the only one; for some three hundred others were later associated with him, and the movement went with a power that stirred the people as no other religious movement had for hundreds of years. In the British Isles and their colonies Newton, and it is said some seven hundred ministers, sounded substantially the same glad cry: "The Lord is soon coming." In Germany Bengel and many others engaged in a similar movement. Joseph Wolfe, a converted Jew, about the same time, proclaimed the same message in large portions of Asia, Africa, Great Britain, and the islands of the ocean, and in Washington, New York, and many places in this country. Various others arose in other parts of the world, and did the same thing. The mysterious thing connected with this proclamation is the fact that these movements arose independently of each other. There was no collusion or even knowledge of the work of others preaching similar doctrines. These movements arose far apart, and were often proclaimed in different languages, and the messengers were wholly unknown to each other. Yet they all had one common purpose: one grand, sublime fact to proclaim: The close proximity of the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A supernatural impulse moved upon the minds of these human agencies thousands of miles apart to proclaim the same grand announcement. Such was the origin of the second-advent movement. This new volume of Elder Loughborough's is by far the most full, thorough, and comprehensive history of the rise and progress of this movement ever yet written. It gives the scriptural foundation for the doctrinal belief in a clear and most convincing manner. The same author wrote a previous volume, some thirteen years ago, entitled the "Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists." It was an excellent book, and has done a great amount of good. It is now out of print. That work was more specifically a denominational book than the present one. It was over one hundred pages smaller. And the plans of the two are essentially different. The present volume is more general in character, much better calculated for general circulation. It is a book that must have a large sale. Every believer in the soon coming of Christ ought certainly to have it. Yea, every person who has any interest in that grandest of all events, should have it. The writer of this article read it all through in manuscript, associated with Elder S. N. Haskell. Both of us pronounced it one of the most interesting books we ever read. As we perused chapter after chapter we exclaimed, "Good," "Grand," "Most excellent." We consider this volume the great monument of Elder Loughborough's long and useful life. It has a most excellent engraving of the author as a frontispiece. The book is also illustrated. This volume will be a delight to every old believer in the glorious event of Christ's soon coming. To all newly come to the faith, or our young people who have grown up in it, it is simply a necessity, if they have any desire to know the past history of this movement and the comprehensive reasons of our faith. It will greatly strengthen and quicken the warmth and piety of those who are in discouragement, or depression, cold or backslidden, and fire their hearts with new zeal and interest. Says the apostle, "Call to remembrance the former days." This is precisely what we all ought to do. This book is the very thing that will enable you to do it most successfully. It will stir the heart of every reader, and be a wonderful help to the faint-hearted. Try it, dear brother, and see if the truth is not being told you. It is expected this book will come forth from the press within sixty days without fail. The retail price will be $1.50. Considering the size of this work, the price is very reasonable. The cost of getting out this book has been quite large. Our Nashville office has been in great need of funds, as many of you know. It would be considered a great favor and accommodation could we receive thousands of advance orders with the cash price at once. It would be a great assistance to us in this time of need. And we know it would be a great blessing to each one of you. Please address The Southern Publishing Association, Nashville, Tenn., 1025 Jefferson Street, with the $1.50 enclosed.