The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 330

points to the autumn of that year. (See Appendix.) The misapprehension
of this point brought disappointment and perplexity to those who had
fixed upon the earlier date as the time of the Lord’s coming. But this did
not in the least affect the strength of the argument showing that the 2300
days terminated in the year 1844, and that the great event represented by
the cleansing of the sanctuary must then take place.
Entering upon the study of the Scriptures as he had done, in order to
prove that they were a revelation from God, Miller had not, at the outset,
the slightest expectation of reaching the conclusion at which he had now
arrived. He himself could hardly credit the results of his investigation.
But the Scripture evidence was too clear and forcible to be set aside.
He had devoted two years to the study of the Bible, when, in 1818,
he reached the solemn conviction that in about twenty-five years Christ
would appear for the redemption of His people. “I need not speak,” says
Miller, “of the joy that filled my heart in view of the delightful prospect,
nor of the ardent longings of my soul for a participation in the joys of
the redeemed. The Bible was now to me a new book. It was indeed
a feast of reason; all that was dark, mystical, or obscure to me in its
teachings, had been dissipated from my mind before the clear light that
now dawned from its sacred pages; and, oh, how bright and glorious the
truth appeared! All the contradictions and inconsistencies I had before
found in the word were gone; and although there were many portions of
which I was not satisfied I had a full understanding, yet so much light had
emanated from it to the illumination of my before darkened mind, that I
felt a delight in studying the Scripture which I had not before supposed
could be derived from its teachings.”—Bliss, pages 76, 77.
“With the solemn conviction that such momentous events were
predicted in the Scriptures to be fulfilled in so short a space of time,
the question came home to me with mighty

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