按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
countless perils。 He was bastinadoed and starved； sold as a slave； and three
times condemned to death。 He was beset by robbers； and sometimes nearly
perished from thirst。 Once he was stripped of all that he possessed and left
to travel hundreds of miles on foot through the mountains； the snow beating
in his face and his naked feet benumbed by contact with the frozen ground。
When warned against going unarmed among savage and hostile tribes； he
declared himself 〃provided with arms〃 〃prayer； zeal for Christ； and
confidence in His help。〃 〃I am also；〃 he said； 〃provided with the love of
God and my neighbor in my heart； and the Bible is in my hand。〃W。H。D。
Adams； In Perils Oft； page 192。 The Bible in Hebrew and English he carried
with him wherever he went。 Of one of his later journeys he says： 〃I 。 。 。
kept the Bible open in my hand。 I felt my power was in the Book； and that
its might would sustain me。〃Ibid。； page 201。
Thus he persevered in his labors until the message of the judgment had been
carried to a large part of the habitable globe。 Among Jews； Turks； Parsees；
Hindus； and many other nationalities and races he distributed the word of
God in these various tongues and everywhere heralded the approaching reign
of the Messiah。
In his travels in Bokhara he found the doctrine of the Lord's soon coming
held by a remote and isolated people。
362
The Arabs of Yemen； he says； 〃are in possession of a book called Seera；
which gives notice of the second coming of Christ and His reign in glory；
and they expect great events to take place in the year 1840。〃Journal of
the Rev。 Joseph Wolff； page 377。 〃In Yemen 。 。 。 I spent six days with the
children of Rechab。 They drink no wine； plant no vineyard； sow no seed； and
live in tents； and remember good old Jonadab； the son of Rechab； and I found
in their company children of Israel； of the tribe of Dan； 。 。 。 who expect；
with the children of Rechab； the speedy arrival of the Messiah in the clouds
of heaven。〃Ibid。； page 389。
A similar belief was found by another missionary to exist in Tatary。 A Tatar
priest put the question to the missionary as to when Christ would come the
second time。 When the missionary answered that he knew nothing about it； the
priest seemed greatly surprised at such ignorance in one who professed to be
a Bible teacher； and stated his own belief； founded on prophecy； that Christ
would come about
1844。
As early as 1826 the advent message began to be preached in England。 The
movement here did not take so definite a form as in America； the exact time
of the advent was not so generally taught； but the great truth of Christ's
soon coming in power and glory was extensively proclaimed。 And this not
among the dissenters and nonconformists only。 Mourant Brock； an English
writer； states that about seven hundred ministers of the Church of England
were engaged in preaching 〃this gospel of the kingdom。〃 The message pointing
to
1844 as the time of the Lord's coming was also given in Great
Britain。 Advent publications from the United States were widely circulated。
Books and journals were republished in England。 And in 1842 Robert Winter；
an Englishman by birth； who had received the advent faith in America；
returned to his native country to herald the coming of the Lord。 Many united
with him in the work； and the message of the judgment was proclaimed in
various parts of England。
363
In South America； in the midst of barbarism and priest…craft； Lacunza； a
Spaniard and a Jesuit； found his way to the Scriptures and thus received the
truth of Christ's speedy return。 Impelled to give the warning； yet desiring
to escape the censures of Rome； he published his views under the assumed
name of 〃Rabbi Ben…Ezra；〃 representing himself as a converted Jew。 Lacunza
lived in the eighteenth century； but it was about 1825 that his book； having
found its way to London； was translated into the English language。 Its
publication served to deepen the interest already awakening in England in
the subject of the second advent。
In Germany the doctrine had been taught in the eighteenth century by Bengel；
a minister in the Lutheran Church and a celebrated Biblical scholar and
critic。 Upon completing his education； Bengel had 〃devoted himself to the
study of theology； to which the grave and religious tone of his mind；
deepened by his early training and discipline； naturally inclined him。 Like
other young men of thoughtful character； before and since； he had to
struggle with doubts and difficulties of a religious nature； and he alludes；
with much feeling； to the 'many arrows which pierced his poor heart； and
made his youth hard to bear。'〃 Becoming a member of the consistory of
Wurttemberg； he advocated the cause of religious liberty。 〃While maintaining
the rights and privileges of the church； he was an advocate for all
reasonable freedom being accorded to those who felt themselves bound； on
grounds of conscience； to withdraw from her communion。〃Encyclopaedia
Britannica； 9th ed。； art。 〃Bengel。〃 The good effects of this policy are
still felt in his native province。
It was while preparing a sermon from Revelation 21 for advent Sunday that
the light of Christ's second coming broke in upon Bengel's mind。 The
prophecies of the Revelation unfolded to his understanding as never before。
Overwhelmed with a sense of the stupendous importance and surpassing glory
of the scenes presented by the prophet； he was forced to turn for a time
from the contemplation of the subject。 In the
364
pulpit it again presented itself to him with all its vividness and power。
From that time he devoted himself to the study of the prophecies； especially
those of the Apocalypse； and soon arrived at the belief that they pointed to
the coming of Christ as near。 The date which he fixed upon as the time of
the second advent was within a very few years of that afterward held by
Miller。
Bengel's writings have been spread throughout Christendom。 His views of
prophecy were quite generally received in his own state of Wurttemberg； and
to some extent in other parts of Germany。 The movement continued after his
death； and the advent message was heard in Germany at the same time that it
was attracting attention in other lands。 At an early date some of the
believers went to Russia and there formed colonies； and the faith of
Christ's soon coming is still held by the German churches of that country。
The light shone also in France and Switzerland。 At Geneva where Farel and
Calvin had spread the truth of the Reformation； Gaussen preached the message
of the second advent。 While a student at school； Gaussen had encountered
that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all Europe during the latter part
of the eighteenth and the opening of the nineteenth century； and when he
entered the ministry he was not only ignorant of true faith； but inclined to
skepticism。 In his youth he had become interested in the study of prophecy。
After reading Rollin's Ancient History； his attention was called to the
second chapter of Daniel； and he was struck with the wonderful exactness
with which the prophecy had been fulfilled； as seen in the historian's
record。 Here was a testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures； which
served as an anchor to him amid the perils of later years。 He could not rest
satisfied with the teachings of rationalism； and in studying the Bible and
searching for clearer light he was； after a time； led to a positive faith。
As he pursued his investigation of the prophecies he arrived at the belief
that the coming of the Lord was at hand。 Impressed with the solemnity and
importance of this great
365
truth； he desired to bring it before the people； but the popular belief that
the prophecies of Daniel are mysteries and cannot be understood was a
serious obstacle in his way。 He finally determinedas Farel had done before
him in evangelizing Genevato begin with the children； through whom he
hoped to interest the parents。
〃I desire this to be understood；〃 he afterward said； speaking of his object
in this undertaking； 〃it is not because of its small importance； but on the
contrary because of its great value； that I wished to present it in this
familiar form； and that I addressed it to the children。 I desired to be
heard； and I feared that I would not be if I addressed myself to the grown
people first。〃 〃I determined therefore to go to the youngest。 I gather an
audience of children； if the group enlarges； if it is seen that they listen；
are pleased； interested； that they understand and explain the subject； I am
sure to have a second circle soon； and in their turn； grown people will see
that it is worth their while to sit down and study。 When this is done； the
cause is gained。〃L。 Gaussen； Daniel the Prophet； vol。 2； Preface。
The effort was successful。 As he addressed the children； older persons came
to listen。 The galleries of his church were filled with attentive hearers。
Among them were men of rank and learning； and strangers and foreigners
visiting Geneva； and thus the message was carrie