Any Way but the Right One.
This subject of the sanctuary and the 2300 days, when correctly understood and applied, forms a tower of strength and a great center of harmony in prophetic truth; but incorrectly applied, it is destined to work confusion in any theory in which they are incorporated. Our opponents on the sanctuary question, have invariably, so far as we know, until recently, located the cleansing of the sanctuary at the coming of Christ. The sanctuary, they say, is the earth, or some part of the earth; and it is to be purified by fire at the second advent. But the new-time theory makes a change in this programme necessary; for this theory places the coming of the Lord in 1868, but the 2300 days, at the end of which the sanctuary is to be cleansed, do not end till 1875. Now, what is to be done? The coming of the Lord and cleansing of the sanctuary, which have thus far been inseparably connected, are now thrown apart by a period of seven years. The easy and matter-of-course way with which such a change of theory is got along with, is not a little remarkable. Wm. Sheldon, in a late number of the Voice of the West, referring to the new view that the Lord comes in 1868, but the 2300 days extend to 1875, then speaks of the cleansing of the sanctuary at the latter date, as an event that evidently does not take place till after the coming of the Lord! How is this? Heretofore it has been very "evident" with them, that the cleansing of the sanctuary took place at the coming of the Lord. How it all at once becomes so "evident" that it is not accomplished till seven years after, he does not inform us. The evidence is not produced. One thing to us is very "evident;" and that is, that the theory demands the change, and it is forthwith conceded, and then instantly their former view becomes "evidently" wrong, and this one "evidently" right. There are but three points where the cleansing of the sanctuary can by any means be supposed to take place; one is before the coming of the Lord, another at his coming, and the other after his coming. They have for a long time placed it at the coming of Christ, now they place it after that event; being seemingly ready to place it anywhere except before the advent, where we have given unanswerable evidence that it is to take place. But we cannot hope to remedy these vagaries on the subject of the sanctuary until we can manage by some means to get into their minds a ray of light concerning the location of that glorious object, and the nature and design of the ministry connected therewith.