p. 142 | Report from Bro. Bates by Joseph Bates

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 29, 1864

Report from Bro. Bates.

By Joseph Bates

BRO. WHITE: We spent Sabbath and first-day, Feb. 20 and 21, with the church in Watson, Allegan Co., Mich. On first-day we held two meetings with the church in a neighborhood where some families had recently located from Ohio, and had requested to hear our position explained. These, and many of their neighbors, seemed much interested to hear.

March 6, spent the Sabbath with the church in Allegan. The church here now worship in their new meeting-house, which is very neatly finished. The two churches are struggling, as is also the church in Monterey, to urge their way onward with God's remnant people in the last message.

The papers and books from the Association are doing us good. There is still manifest a strong desire to learn more and more of the progress of our holy, onward cause. Testimony No. 10, and Appeal to the Youth, are what we like to read. I trust they are doing us good, and will be blessed to the good of very many in the wide harvest-field.

The neatly-finished symbols, and order of the prophetic chart, illustrating so clearly the prophecies of the two great prophets which so strikingly mark the rise and fall of all earthly kingdoms, and the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all the glory of his Father;—this, with the neatly-polished lithographed chart of the law of God, are beautiful pictures to hang side by side in the dwellings of all Seventh-day Adventists. They show at a glance the outlines of their faith and practice since the great Advent movement of 1844.

On reading the Key to the prophetic chart, which in so few words comprehends, and most strikingly delineates, the pictorial illustrations of the visions of Daniel and John, together with the diagram of the great prophetic period of Daniel's 2300 days, and clear proof of its commencement, and also of its termination in the past, I was forcibly impressed to read again what the prophet Isaiah foresaw would be written in a book in the latter day. Here it is.

"Now go write it before them in a table and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever; that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord; which say to the seers, see not; and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits." Chap. xxx, 8-10.

Those who are laboring to give correct views of the prophecies of Daniel and John, including the work of the sanctuary and third angel's message, as delineated on the prophetic chart, or "in a table," are very often in company with the people, and their seers which the prophet has herein described.

It is a well-established fact that prophetic charts have been used to explain from, since they were first made plain on tables in the year 1842. From this period to 1864 the explanation was written on the chart in connection with the symbols. One important difference or change has now taken place, which appears to be in harmony with the prophecy, viz., the symbols are in their appropriate order written in a table, but the explanation or "words" are noted in a book. Compare chap. xxix, 11, 12. "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book," &c. Now if it can be shown that the prophetic chart is yet to be amended or re-written, then it is not yet noted in a book, named by the prophet; but if the prophetic chart is now correct, and subject to no further alteration, but written "in a table forever and ever," then is it not clear that it is also noted in a book?

JOSEPH BATES.

Monterey, Mich.

NOTE. We are always glad to hear from our venerable Bro. Bates. It is evident that he loves the Advent doctrine, and all connected with it that has been good. His application of the prophecy of Isaiah to the chart seems to us very apocryphal, but it will do no harm unless others make such doubtful exposition of equal importance with plainly revealed, vital points of doctrine.