Questions by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 6, 1864

Questions.

By John Norton Loughborough

Will Brn. Smith or Loughborough, explain the following passage: Dan. xii, 6, 7.

1. "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders . . . It shall be for a time, times, and an half." What were "those wonders" that were to end with the 1260 years?

2. "And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished."

What does the pronoun he denote? In what consists the power that is scattered?

REPLY.—On the first of the above questions we would say: that we understand that the wonders which were to end with the 1260 years were the wonderful blasphemous works of the little horn—the Papacy—especially as presented in chapter xi, 31-36;—"And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holped with a little help; but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for a time appointed. And the king shall do according to his will: and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that that is determined shall be done."

On the second question: We understand the he spoken of as scattering "the power of the holy people" is the Papacy. The scattering of their power seems to be a work limited to the 1260 years during which time the Papacy has indignation against God's people. The scattering of their power is not as some have claimed the spreading of the truth; for more of that work has been accomplished this side the 1260 years than before, but this scattering seems to be limited to the 1260 years the time in which God's people are falling by the hand of their persecutors.

On the third question as to "what constitutes the power that is scattered," we would say: We understand the great aim of the Papacy was to break up the efforts of God's people to unite and concentrate their efforts. In union is the strength of God's people, but the Papacy denounced and persecuted their assembling together and called all extravagant mad men who dared to menace their anathemas. Thus the power of God's people was crippled and scattered. And indeed as the Saviour testified except those days had been shortened no flesh should have been saved. "When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power." That is, when its great predicted work of persecution and war against the church, its indignation against the covenant and desolating of God's sanctuary, its corrupting of many of God's people with flatteries and thus causing them to cleave to her;—when this work shall cease then the power of the holy people shall be no longer scattered. Then, these great wonders would cease. So we understand it.

Topsham, Aug. 24th, 1864.