The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 371

explained the reasons of their faith. Sometimes the instrument was
feeble; but the Spirit of God gave power to His truth. The presence of
holy angels was felt in these assemblies, and many were daily added to
the believers. As the evidences of Christ’s soon coming were repeated,
vast crowds listened in breathless silence to the solemn words. Heaven
and earth seemed to approach each other. The power of God was felt
upon old and young and middle-aged. Men sought their homes with
praises upon their lips, and the glad sound rang out upon the still night
air. None who attended those meetings can ever forget those scenes of
deepest interest.
The proclamation of a definite time for Christ’s coming called forth
great opposition from many of all classes, from the minister in the pulpit
down to the most reckless, Heaven-daring sinner. The words of prophecy
were fulfilled: “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after
their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3, 4. Many who professed to love
the Saviour, declared that they had no opposition to the doctrine of the
second advent; they merely objected to the definite time. But God’s
all-seeing eye read their hearts. They did not wish to hear of Christ’s
coming to judge the world in righteousness. They had been unfaithful
servants, their works would not bear the inspection of the heart-searching
God, and they feared to meet their Lord. Like the Jews at the time of
Christ’s first advent they were not prepared to welcome Jesus. They not
only refused to listen to the plain arguments from the Bible, but ridiculed
those who were looking for the Lord. Satan and his angels exulted, and
flung the taunt in the face of Christ and holy angels that His professed
people had so little love for Him that they did not desire His appearing.
“No man knoweth the day nor the hour” was the argument most often
brought forward by rejecters of the advent faith. The scripture is: “Of
that day and hour knoweth no

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