THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF ADVENTISM.
By Editor
EXTENT OF THE WORK—GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE INSTRUMENTS BY WHICH IT HAS ADVANCED.
We look upon the proclamation which has been made, as being the cry of the angel who proclaimed "the hour of his judgment is come." Rev. xiv, 6, 7. It is a sound which is to reach all nations; it is the proclamation of "the everlasting gospel," or "this gospel of the kingdom." In one shape or other, this cry has gone abroad through the earth wherever human beings are found, and we have had opportunity to hear of the fact. Within the last six years, publications, treating on the subject, have been sent to nearly every English and American Missionary station on the globe; to all, at least, to which we have had access. Then, again, the great religious papers of the country have all aided in this work; for some of them have published our views, as written by friends, and others have published reviews and overthrows, in which our arguments must be presented, in order to refute them. By these the truth has been spread into many places where it could not have reached by the ordinary means. Then, again, the caricatures which have been scattered among the rabble, have carried the great point with them, the coming of the Lord to judgment, and the time of his coming. The secular press has contributed, in no small degree, to increase and spread an interest on the question. Even the foolish and false statements which have been put forth have, in some instances, only turned out for the advancement of the work of God. The story, for instance, which was started by the New York Sun, that Mr. Miller had fixed on the 23d of April, 1843, as the time for Christ to come, although entirely false and baseless in itself, yet was so widely circulated, that there was scarcely a place known where the report was not heard, and an interest awakened. These have been greatly multiplied within the last four years. As already remarked, the first, and most important work published, was Mr. Miller's Lectures. That volume may be regarded as the seed from which all the rest have germinated. The works of Miller, Ward, Hale, Bliss, Fitch, Storrs, Brown, Hervy, Cook, Whiting, Starkweather, Hawley, Litch, Fleming, Cox, Sabine, &c., constitute the Second Advent Library; and exhibit the views which have been presented to the public by the lecturers. Other sheets and pamphlets have been published. Some of the sheets which have been published and circulated have accomplished a vast amount of good. The Clue to the Time, written by Brother L. Hersey, a shoemaker in Boston, and a city watchman, with a diagram, has been the means of great good. Eternity alone will reveal the many precious souls who have been led to look for the Lord's coming, from the reading of one of those sheets. The mass of lecturers who have been raised up and thrust forth into this work, have been men of sound minds, warm hearts, full of zeal for God and the salvation of men. They have made no great pretensions to learning, in its common acceptation; but yet, as a general thing, they have been close students of the Bible, making it a self-interpreting book. Nor have they been altogether inattentive to history as their time and means have allowed. It is true that, so far as they have been successful in their work, the excellency of the power has been of God. But there have been some raised up among us, of commanding talents and acquirements; men, who need not blush to stand by the side of the wise and learned of the earth. These were raised up at a time when such assistance was needed, and God has accomplished his work by them. The Advent writings exhibit minds accustomed to think and reason, as well as read. Although the mass of the books lay no claim to literary merit, yet they have done more to promote a sound, healthy, moral literature, than any other books of the age. They have so selected and arranged historical incidents in connection with the prophetic scriptures, which embrace the history of the world, as to invest that history with an interest which the mass of readers never before saw or felt. If they have promoted the study of history, much more have they induced a careful study of the Scriptures. It is a lamentable fact, that although this is an age of Bibles, yet the great body of professing Christians know but little what that Bible contains. And wherever Advent books have been circulated, instead of superseding the use of the Bible, as most books do, they have almost invariably sent the reader to the sacred store-house. Nothing ever given to the public has excited so much interest in the study of the Bible as the proclamation of "the hour of his judgment." A course of lectures in a village, would open a door for the sale of more Bibles in a week than would have been sold before for years. Whatever may be the final issue of this question, so far its fruits have been of the best character. WHAT ADVENTISM HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
1. When this cry first commenced, the prophecies were generally looked upon as a book of mysteries, which it was presumption, if not sacrilege, to attempt to understand or explain. That spell has been broken, and the Christian public understand that those deeply interesting portions of the word of God are also a part of his revelation to man. And even the clergy, of all orders, have been constrained to speak out and give some explanation of the prophecies, however crude it might be.43 2. The fable of the world's conversion, and the universal triumph of Christianity, which almost universally prevailed ten years ago, has been exploded, and the church now understands that the Man of sin is to remain in the world until the Lord comes and destroys him by the brightness of his coming. That there is to be no millennium until "the first resurrection," at the coming of the Lord. That idea cannot be made to grow again as it has done. 3. That kindred doctrine, the return of the Jews to Palestine, where they are again to be exalted to peculiar privileges, is exposed, and the old apostolic doctrine, that there is no respect of persons with God, is made to stand out in bold relief, so that the church must see and acknowledge it to be the truth of God. 4. It has produced a very general conviction on the public mind, that we are near the end of time, and just ready to appear before the bar of God. The general outlines of prophecy, as exhibited in the four great kingdoms, is seen and acknowledged by very many to be nearly accomplished. And hence the conviction fastens on the mind, that the end of all things is at hand. 5. It has developed a vast amount of German rationalism, neology and infidelity in the church, and has demonstrated the fact, that nearly, or quite all our theological schools are under its influence. And it has proved, that if the Lord does not come speedily and end the strife, that the country must soon be flooded with this system of neology. 6. Wherever it has gone, the Advent doctrine has awakened sinners, reclaimed backsliders, quickened believers, and promoted the cause of God generally. Thousands on thousands can witness the truth of this remark in their own experience; and will have cause to bless God eternally for the Advent doctrine and Advent preaching. 7. It has shown professedly orthodox ministers to be so degenerate in their sentiments, as to make common cause with infidels and Universalists against the coming of the Lord. And has also shown the church to be so degenerate as to cast out her children for looking for, and speaking of the return of her Lord. 8. It has given to the church and world a simple, plain, common-sense system of interpretation of the sacred canon, so that every man, who will take the trouble of reading the Bible, and collating the different portions of it, may understand the word of God without the aid of learned commentaries. No provision has been made for the establishment of permanent institutions, among Adventists. Indeed, we have no means of ascertaining the number of ministers, and others, who have embraced the Advent faith. We only know that there are several hundred congregations, and a still larger number of ministers, who have publicly professed the faith, besides many who still remain in the churches of the land. Those who have espoused this cause have honestly believed in the coming of the Lord "about A. D. 1843." And, as honest men, they have kept to their work of sounding the alarm. All peculiarities of creed or policy have been lost sight of, in the absorbing inquiry concerning the coming of the heavenly Bridegroom. Those who have engaged in this enterprise are from all the various sects in the land. Protestant Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Primitive Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist, Close Communion Baptist, Calvinistic and Arminian Baptists, Presbyterians, Old and New School Congregationalists, Old and New School Lutheran, Dutch Reformed, &c., &c. All these have agreed to work together for the accomplishment of a certain object; and the organization to which this has given rise, so far as there is anything which may be called an organization, is of the most simple, voluntary and primitive form. While the engrossing and scriptural character of the grand object has kept those who have been brought under its influence above the considerations which so generally divide the household of faith, it has also made them frank and kind in expressing their minor differences, and forbearing towards each other on subordinate questions upon which they may not see alike. And in this is their strength. We neither expect nor desire any other organization, until we reach the New Jerusalem, and organize under the King of kings. Here, we are pilgrims and strangers, with no abiding place. There, we shall have a permanent rest, and dwell forever under his protection. When the Lord brings again the captivity of Zion, not before, he will turn to the people a pure language. Until that time comes the work of Adventists is a plain one, to go through the land and sound the alarm in the ears of all men, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him." These have been regularly administered among Adventists, by the ordained ministers from all the various denominations composing the Advent ranks. In administering the Lord's supper, no test has been required; but each one who comes to the table does it on his own responsibility, being accountable to God and his own conscience, whether he eat or drink worthily or unworthily. And on this principle there is an agreement, with few exceptions, to continue to remember, and show forth the Lord's death until he come. THE CAUSE IN GREAT BRITAIN.
For the last fifty years, the doctrine of the pre-millennial Advent has been ably advocated in England. The doctrines of the early Christian fathers were brought forward and vindicated in a manner and with a power honorable both to the heads and hearts of their advocates. But in the connection with the true scriptural and plain doctrine of the Bible, they mixed with it the crude notions of a mixed state, of probation and mortality with glorification and immortality, during the thousand years; and also held to the return of the Jewish nation, both to Christ and Palestine, in the millennium. The Millennialists, holding these views, and looking for the speedy coming of Christ, have become very numerous in England, Ireland and Scotland. Indeed, some of the brightest lights of those countries are of that school. In 1840, an attempt was made to open an interchange between the Literalists of England and the Adventists in the United States. But it was soon discovered that they had as little fellowship for our anti-Judaizing notions, as we had for their Judaism; and the interchange was broken off. In 1842, Robert Winter, an Englishman by birth, and a Primitive Methodist by profession, fell in with the Adventists in the country, and embraced the doctrine. In the Fall of the year he resolved to return to England and proclaim the coming of the Lord. He did return, and commenced the work. God owned his truth, and it took effect, and many have been raised up to join with him in spreading the light through these Islands of the sea. Last summer, camp or field meetings were held in different parts of England with great success. Books and papers to a large amount have been sent to England, and scattered abroad through the country; and several books and papers have been re-published in that country with great effort. The British provinces adjoining the United States, have been visited and furnished with the light. Our beloved brother Hutchinson, in Montreal, has published a large amount of matter in his paper, The Voice of Elijah, and sent it over the United Kingdom. But I must close this brief sketch of the rise and progress of Adventism, or my space will be more than full. But a few, only, out of the multitude of incidents which should enter into a work of this kind, have been noticed. But this is all we have room to give in the present sketch. The Judge is at the door, and will make a more full and accurate development of this great work; than human heart can indite or hand record. Concerning Adventism, it may be truly said, "What hath God wrought?" No cause of a moral or religious character, probably, ever made so rapid advances, as the cause of Adventism. Its votaries have usually been the most humble, pious devoted members of the different churches; men and women, who love their Lord, and to whom the thought of his glorious advent has been a source of sweetest pleasure. The hand of Providence has every where opened the way, and provided the means for doing all that human means could do. None of the lecturers have made themselves rich, or even held what little they had when they embarked in the enterprise. Every thing has been freely sacrificed when the cause demanded it. Never have a set of men labored more faithfully and zealously in the cause of God, or with purer motives. But their work is with the Lord, and their record on high. It is asked what we intend to do, now the time is expired? Our answer is—we intend, by the Lord's help, to spread the glad tidings of the kingdom of God until it appears. The arguments which have been presented on the prophetic history and periods, together with the signs of the times, have lost none of their strength; and we purpose to continue presenting them, until the Master comes, that we may be found giving his "household meat in due season."