p. 117 | R. F. COTTRELL by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 14, 1865

R. F. COTTRELL

By R. F. Cottrell

"God is not the Author of Confusion." No. 1.

ThERE seem to be different estimates of the weight of testimony. To some minds, the agreement of the different witnesses, which are brought to prove any particular point, is of the utmost importance to establish the truth; to others, this seems to be of no consequence, that is, so far as relates to the particular circumstances, provided the witnesses agree in the ultimate point to be proved. Of the former class were those disciples who wrote the history of the trial of Jesus. Concerning the witnesses brought to condemn the Lord it is said, "Their witness agreed not together." But they were all agreed in one thing—that he was "guilty of death." Those that condemned him upon such discordant testimony were of the latter class, as also are many at the present day, as will appear.

To illustrate, we will suppose three witnesses on the trial of a person for murder. They all testify that they were eye-witnesses of the affair. The first says he saw the prisoner shoot the deceased with a pistol on the shore of lake Ontario; the second, that he thrust him through with a sword in the city of Buffalo, and the third, that he beat him to death with a club in a wood about half way from Buffalo to Rochester. One class of judges are of the opinion that such testimonies are calculated to cast doubt over the whole affair. But the other class, overlooking the little discrepancies respecting the unimportant circumstances of time, place and manner, see a remarkable coincidence in the main point to be proved, and conclude that so many witnesses, all testifying to the same point, must remove all doubt and make the matter exceedingly clear.

There are several witnesses at the present time, who agree in their testimony that the present dispensation will close within the boundaries of 1866 to 1868. The first witness testifies thus, because, as he holds, the 1260 years of Papal rule will end there. The second, because the great period of 2300 years will end there. The third, because the 2300 years with 45 added to them will end there. The fourth, because that instead of 2300, the text ought to read 2400, and this 2400 years will end at that point. The fifth, because the 1335 years will there terminate. Thus they all agree in the same conclusion, though they arrive at it through such a variety of conflicting premises.

Now some will see such a remarkable coincidence in these different and contradictory writers, that they will gather assuredly, from such a vast accumulation of evidence, that the Lord will come, or the Millennium will begin, or something else will take place in 1866-8; while others will see nothing but a perfect Babel in the testimony of these witnesses, and will exclaim, in the language of an apostle, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." One thing is certain, the Lord will come, but he has not sent these witnesses to herald his coming.

That the prophetic periods were given to be understood, there can be no reasonable doubt. And that they were to be preached to the world as a special proclamation, is evident from the Scriptures. Rev. x, 5-7. xiv, 6, 7. The Bible declarations, that "the scriptures must be fulfilled" and "cannot be broken," being true, the ending of some prophetic period which brings us to a time called the "hour of God's judgment," a period in which the seventh angel begins to sound and the mystery of God is soon to be finished, will be loudly proclaimed to men. But this may be done, and men still remain in unbelief, as in the days of Noah.

And now as it is evident that the end is at hand, and also that God is not the author of the existing confusion on the prophetic periods, we inquire, Has the great proclamation of time been made in the past? We go back to a period a few years previous to, and ending in, 1844, and we find a proclamation of the prophetic periods, extensive and harmonious, and every way worthy of God, as being the fulfillment of his word. All who took part in the work were perfectly united, there was no dissenting voice. The argument was clear and conclusive, and its force was felt, as the Spirit of God moved out the solemn cry, "The hour of his judgment is come!" That the prophetic numbers were unsealed and understood was demonstrated, in 1840, by the fall of the Ottoman supremacy, at the close of the sounding of the sixth trumpet. The argument on time was so clear that even the opposition declared it to be our strongest point. That argument remains to-day in all its strength. Like a strong tower, it lifts its majestic head above every wind of doctrine in relation to the prophetic periods, calmly resting upon its immovable base—the word and providence of the Almighty. The fulfillment of the time message of Rev. x, 6; xiv, 7, at the end of the 2300 days, in 1844, is a pledge of God's faithfulness, a token that he has not forgotten his word. He promised this message near eighteen hundred years ago; it has been fulfilled in our own times. This work bore the impress of Divinity, it was characterized by unity, harmony, and peace. This is the true hill, it is approved by the detector. All the time messages that have followed it are counterfeits, and bad imitations at the best. "Confusion" is the inscription which they bear; and "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace."