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close of my two years study of the Scriptures, to
the solemn conclusion, that in about twenty-five
years from that time all the affairs of our present
state would be wound up; that all its pride & power,
pomp and vanity, wickedness and oppression would
come to an end; and that in the place of the king-
- doms of this world, the peacefuland long desired
kingdom of the Messiah would be established under
the whole heaven : that in about twenty-five years
the glory of the Lord would be revealed, and all
flesh see it together, the desert bud and blossom as
the rose, the fir-iree come up instead of the thorn,
and instead of the briar the myrtle-tree, the curse
be removed from off the earth, death be destroyed,
reward be given to the servants of God—the proph-
ets and saints and them who fear his name, and
those be destroyed that destroy the earth.
“ LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOrE.”
I need not speak of tle 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
bouk. It was indeed a feast of reason: all that
was dark, mystical, or obscure to me in its teach-
ings,had been dissipated Irom my mind, before the
clear light that row dasned from its sacred pages ;
and O how bright and glorious the truth appeared.
All the contradictions and inconsistences 1 had be-
fore found in the Word were gone; and although
there were many portions of which I was not salis-
fied I had a full understanding, yet so much light
had emanated from it to the illumination of my
before darkened mind, that] [elt a delight in study-
ing the Scriptures which I had not before supposed
could be derived {rom its teachings. I commenced
their study with no expectation of finding the time
of ihe Saviur's coming, and I could at first hardly
believe the result to which [ had arrived ; but the
evidence struck me with such force, that I could
not resist my convictions. I became nearly settled
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in my conclusions, and began to.wait, and watch,
and pray lor my Savior’s coming.
TIIE QUESTION OF DUTY.
With the solemn conviction that such mowment-
ous evenls were predicted in tie Scriptures to be
fultifled in so short a space of time, the question
came home to me with mighty power regarding
my duty to the world in view ol the evidence ihat.
had. affected my own mind. If the end was to
near, it was important that the world should know
it. 1 supposed that it.would call forth the oppo-
sition of the ungodly ; but it never came into my
mind that any Christian would oppose it. I sup-
posed that all such would be so rejoiced in view of
the glorious prospect, that it would only be neces-
sary lo present it, for the to receive il. My great
fear was, that in their joy at the hope of a glorious
Inheritance su soon 10 be revealed, they would re-
ceive the doctrine without sufficiently examining
the Scriptures in demonstration of 1s truth, |
therefore leared to present it, lest by some possibil-
ity I should be 1n error, and be the means of mis-
leading any.
OBJECTIONS TO THE DOCTRINE.
Various difficulties and objections would arise in
my mind, {rom time (0 time; certain texts would
occur to me, which seemed to weigh against my
conjusionr; and 1 would not present a view to
others, while any difficulty appeared to militate
against it, I therefore continued the study of the
Bible, to see if I could sustain any of these objec-
tions. My object was not merely to remove them,
but I wished to see if they were valid.
Sumetimes when at work, a text would arise
like this, ** OI that day and hour knoweth nu man,”
&c.: and how then could the Bible reveal the time
of the advent? 1 would then immediately examine
the context in" which it was found, and I saw at
once, that in the same connection we are informed
bow we may know .when itis nigh, even at the
doors: couscquently that text could not teach that