REMARKS.—We see here a firm belief expressed in the last message, now being given to the world. This is well; for the Third Angel's Message is entitled to our utmost confidence and love. But we think we discover at the same time, in the positions taken above, a lack of confidence in the very work upon which this message is founded, and from which it took its rise.
It will doubtless be conceded by all who endorse our views of the Sanctuary, that Rev. xi, 19, refers to the entrance of our great High Priest into the Most Holy Place, which contains the ark of the covenant, which move the Bible locates at the termination of the 2300 days. It is also evident that the expression, "and there was seen in the temple, the ark of his testament," must denote that a special movement was to take place among God's people, concerning his law, the ten commandments, contained in that ark.
If then the 2300 days have not ended, and that part of the temple containing the ark, is not yet opened, we must look to the future for that special movement concerning the commandments, which, it is plainly intimated, will attend these events. But we raise our eyes and behold this very work now going on before us, under the Message of the Third Angel; and it is certain that prophecy cannot be fulfilled before the time: neither can it be fulfilled but once.
But if we are to look to the future for the time when the temple shall be opened, and God's people, by faith, behold therein, the ark of his testament, and, of course, act accordingly, the present work must cease, and make way for that distinct movement in the future. Then the very Message now being given, in which our brother professes such a commendable confidence, believing it to be that of the Third Angel, must die away, and prove to be no message, but only an ebullition of fanaticism and error. Are not these legitimate deductions from the premises taken? While we believe them to be such, and while our brother retains his love for and confidence in the work now progressing before us, we would suggest for his consideration, that it can in no way be harmonized with the teachings of the Word, only on the ground that the prophetic period which brought us to the cleansing of the Sanctuary has terminated, that then our High Priest entered the Most Holy, and that as his people follow him, by faith, to his last work, they there behold the ark of his testament, and are now acting accordingly. We are held to this conclusion by the evidence we have that until these events do take place, the time has not come for the Third Angel to fulfill his mission; and from the tenor of our brother's epistle, we should judge that he would be the last to believe that this angel in endeavoring to act his part, had got out of place.—Ed.