new truth is not
independent of the old,
And the voice which I heard from
heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and
take the little book which is open in the hand of
the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon
the earth.
The
comprehension of truth, the glad reception
of the message is represented in the eating of
the little book.
In the year 1840, another remarkable fulfillment of
prophecy excited widespread interest. Two years before,
Josiah Litch, one of the leading ministers preaching the
second advent, published an exposition of Revelation 9,
predicting the fall of the Ottoman empire, and specifying
not only the year but the very day on which this would
take place. According to this exposition, which was purely
a matter of calculation on the prophetic periods of
Scripture, the Turkish government would surrender its
independence on the eleventh day of August, 1840. The
prediction was widely published, and thousands watched
the course of events with eager interest.


At the very time specified, Turkey, through her ambassadors,
accepted the protection of the allied powers of Europe, and thus
placed herself under the control of Christian nations. The event
exactly fulfilled the prediction. When it became known, multitudes
were convinced of the correctness of the principles of
prophetic interpretation adopted by Miller and his associates,
and a wonderful impetus was given to the Advent movement.
Men of learning and position united with Miller, both in preaching
and publishing his views, and from 1840 to 1844 the work rapidly
extended.
 William
Miller possessed strong mental powers, disciplined by
thought and study; and he added to these the wisdom of Heaven,
by connecting himself with the Source of wisdom.
Rom 13:11-14

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out
of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
 The
night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
 Let
us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and
drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying.
 But
put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We
want to understand the time in which we
live. We do not half understand it. We do not
half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I
think of what a foe we have to meet, and how
poorly we are prepared to meet him.
God
will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies
will come in among them, which will sift them, separating
the chaff from the wheat. The Lord calls upon all who
believe His word to awake out of sleep. Precious light has
come, appropriate for this time. It is Bible truth, showing
the perils that are right upon us. This light should lead us
to a diligent study of the Scriptures, and a most critical
examination of the positions which we hold.
The
trials of the children of Israel,
and their attitude just before the
first coming of Christ, have been
presented before me again and again
to illustrate the position of the
people of God in their experience
before the second coming of Christ.
See Rev. 18:3
How
the enemy sought every occasion to
take control of the minds of the Jews, and
today he is seeking to blind the minds of
God's servants, that they may not be able to
discern the precious truth.
For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope.
We have also a more sure word of
prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in
a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
day star arise in your hearts:
We
are so thankful that we have a sure
word of prophecy, so that none of us
need be deceived. We know that there
are heresies and fables in our world at the
present time, and we want to know what
is truth. It becomes us to search carefully
for ourselves that we may gain this
knowledge. We cannot do this with a
mere reading of the Scriptures, but we
must compare scripture with scripture.
we
can understand His workings, we can
know just where we are in this world's
history.”
I
am often referred to the parable of the ten
virgins, five of whom were wise, and five
foolish. This parable has been and will be
fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a
special application to this time, and, like
the third angel's message, has been fulfilled
and will continue to be present truth till the
close of time.

The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25, also illustrates the
experience of the Adventist people. In Matthew 24, in answer to the
question of his disciples concerning the sign of his coming and of
the end of the world, Christ had pointed out some of the most
important events in the history of the world and of the church
from his first to his second advent; ….Chapter 25 opens with the
words, “Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten
virgins.” Here is brought to view the church living in the last days,
the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter 24. In this
parable their experience is illustrated by the incidents of an
Eastern marriage.
The
two classes of watchers [in the parable
of the ten virgins] represent the two classes
who profess to be waiting for their Lord.
They are called virgins because they profess
a pure faith. By the lamps is represented
the Word of God. . . . The oil is a symbol of
the Holy Spirit. . . .
For I am jealous over you with godly
jealousy: for I have espoused you to
one husband, that I may present you
as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Without
the Spirit of God a knowledge of His
Word is of no avail. The theory of truth,
unaccompanied by the Holy Spirit, cannot
quicken the soul or sanctify the heart. . . .
Without the enlightenment of the Spirit, men
will not be able to distinguish truth from error,
and they will fall under the masterful
temptations of Satan. . . .

The grace of God has been freely offered to
every soul. . . . But character is not
transferable. No man can believe for
another. . . . No man can impart to another
the character which is the fruit of the
Spirit's working. . . . We cannot be ready to
meet the Lord by waking when the cry is
heard, "Behold, the Bridegroom!" and then
gathering up our empty lamps to have them
replenished. . .
Through
the Holy Spirit, God's word is a
light as it becomes a transforming power in
the life of the receiver. By implanting in
their hearts the principles of His word, the
Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes
of God. The light of His glory--His
character--is to shine forth in His followers.
Ask God to give you much of the oil of His
grace.
[Zechariah
4:1-3, 11-14
quoted.] By the holy beings
surrounding His throne, the
Lord keeps up a constant
communication with the
inhabitants of the earth. The
golden oil represents the
grace with which God keeps
the lamps of believers
supplied.
Whenever
the people of God are
growing in grace, they will be constantly
obtaining a clearer understanding of
His word. They will discern new light
and beauty in its sacred truths. This
has been true in the history of the
church in all ages, and thus it will
continue to the end.
Were
it not that this holy oil is poured
from heaven in the messages of God's
Spirit, the agencies of evil would have
entire control over men. God is
dishonored when we do not receive
the communications that He sends
us. Thus we refuse the golden oil which
He would pour into our souls to be
communicated to those in darkness.
The
Word itself must be as represented, the
golden oil, emptied from the two olive trees
that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
This will open the soul of unbelievers
to conviction. The wants of the soul can be
met only by the working of the Holy Spirit
of God. Man can of himself do nothing to
satisfy the longings and meet the
aspirations of the heart.
It is like the precious ointment upon the
head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's
beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
And there appeared unto them cloven
tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance.
 Christ's
ascension to heaven was the signal that His
followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this
they were to wait before they entered upon their work.
When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was
enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon
as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit
descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and
Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He
had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal
outpouring was Heaven's communication that the
Redeemer's inauguration was accomplished.

Whatever may be man's intellectual
advancement, let him not for a moment
think that there is no need of thorough and
continuous searching of the Scriptures for
greater light. As a people, we are called
individually to be students of prophecy. We
must watch with earnestness that we may
discern any ray of light which God shall
present to us. We are to catch the first
gleamings of truth; and through prayerful
study, clearer light may be obtained, which
can be brought before others.

When God's people are at ease, and
satisfied with their present
enlightenment, we may be sure that
He will not favor them. It is His will
that they should be ever moving
forward, to receive the increased and
ever-increasing light which is shining
for them.
But the path of the just is as the
shining light, that shineth more
and more unto the perfect day.
The
present attitude of the church is not
pleasing to God. There has come in a selfconfidence that has led them to feel no
necessity for more truth and greater light.
We are living at a time when Satan is at
work on the right hand and on the left,
before and behind us; and yet as a people
we are asleep. God wills that a voice shall
be heard arousing His people to action. -"Testimonies for the Church," Vol. V, pages
703-709.
The
Lord here shows us that the message to be borne to
His people by ministers whom He has called to warn the
people is not a peace-and-safety message. It is not
merely theoretical, but practical in every particular.
The people of God are represented in the message to the
Laodiceans as in a position of carnal security. They are at
ease, believing themselves to be in an exalted condition of
spiritual attainments. "Because thou sayest, I am rich,
and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and
knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked." {3T 252.3}

What greater deception can come upon human
minds than a confidence that they are right when
they are all wrong! The message of the True
Witness finds the people of God in a sad
deception, yet honest in that deception. They
know not that their condition is deplorable in the
sight of God….. We need to cultivate Bible
holiness. Sin prevails among the people of God.
Many cling to their doubts and their
darling sins while they are in so great a deception
as to talk and feel that they are in need of
nothing. They think the testimony of the Spirit of
God in reproof is uncalled for or that it does not
mean them. Such are in the greatest need of the
grace of God and spiritual discernment that they
may discover their deficiency in spiritual
knowledge. They lack almost every qualification
necessary to perfect Christian character.
 It is difficult for those who feel secure in their attainments, and
who believe themselves to be rich in spiritual knowledge, to
receive the message which declares that they are deceived and
in need of every spiritual grace. The unsanctified heart is
"deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." I was
shown that many are flattering themselves that they are good
Christians, who have not a ray of light from Jesus. They have
not a living experience for themselves in the divine life. They
need a deep and thorough work of self-abasement before God
before they will feel their true need of earnest, persevering effort
to secure the precious graces of the Spirit. {3T 253.1}
Many have despised the reproofs and warnings
given them…The selfish, the proud, and the lovers of sin are ever
assailed with doubts. Satan has ability to suggest doubts and to
devise objections to the pointed testimony that God sends, and
many think it a virtue, a mark of intelligence in them, to be unbelieving
and to question and quibble. Those who desire to doubt will have
plenty of room. God does not propose to remove all occasion
for unbelief. He gives evidence, which must be carefully
investigated with a humble mind and a teachable spirit, and all
should decide from the weight of evidence.
Many shall be purified, and made
white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly: and none of the
wicked shall understand; but the
wise shall understand.
Every
inch of the ground had to be fought in
presenting the present message, and some have
not been reconciled with the providence of God
in selecting the very men whom He did select to
bear this special message. They ask, why it is that
He has not chosen the men who have been long
in the work? The reason is that He knew that these
men who had had long experience would not do
the work in God's way, and after God's order.
Had
these men of experience who have failed to do their
part, stood in the paths of God's choosing, and followed
not the counsel of men but the counsel of God, they would
have connected with the men who were chosen to give the
message which the people needed in these last days. God
would have worked through them, and the work would
have advanced much more rapidly and solidly than it has
done. They could have done a most precious work, if they
had not cherished a spirit that was not pleasing to God,
and that closed their hearts to the working of the Holy
Spirit.
 They
entered into temptation, and did not yield to evidence,
but began to question, to find fault and to oppose. This was
their attitude, and because of their unbelief, God could not use
them to his name's glory. They grieved the Spirit of God time
and again. Had they walked in obedience to the light sent them
from heaven, their experience in the rise and advancement of
the third angel's message would have been of great value in
helping to make complete the work for this time; but they
refused to fill the position for which they were fitted, and failed
to do the work for which God had qualified them, and they
stood as criticizers and thought they could discern many flaws in
the men whom God was using.
God
wants an entirely different order of things. He
wants these men who think it is their duty to block
the wheels, to put their shoulder to the chariot of
truth, and roll it up the steep ascent. They should
remember that Christ says of his disciples, "All ye
are brethren." Those who have despised the men
who have borne the message of God, have despised
not the men, but the Lord who has given them their
message and their work. All this God will require at
their hands.

Those who place themselves in opposition to the
Lord's work may hinder for a time, but the same
Spirit that has guided the Lord's work all the way
through will guide it today. "Not by might, nor by
power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." . . .
The Lord would have every soul strong in His
strength. He would have us look to Him, receiving
our directions from Him (RH May 16, 1899).
