The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Far-reaching Effects of Columbus’s Discoveries

Montgomery, in his “American History,” edition of 1902, pages 8, 9, speaking of the theory that moved Columbus to start out on his voyage, and the carrying out of his plan of reaching the East Indies by sailing west, says:— GSAM 22.3

“Columbus thought that he could improve on the King of Portugal’s project. He felt certain that there was a shorter and better way of reaching the Indies than the track Diaz had marked out. The plan of the Genoese sailor [Columbus] was as daring as it was original. Instead of sailing east, or south and east, he proposed to sail directly west. He had, as he believed, three good and solid reasons for such an undertaking: First, in common with the best geographies of his day, Columbus was convinced that the earth was not flat, as most men supposed, but a globe. Secondly, he supposed this globe to be much smaller than it is, and the greater part to be land instead of water. Thirdly, as he knew nothing, and surmised nothing, of the existence of the continent of America or of the Pacific Ocean, he imagined that the coast of Asia or the Indies was directly opposite Spain and the western coast of Europe. The entire distance across to Cipango, or Japan, he estimated would probably not exceed about four thousand miles. GSAM 22.4

“His plan was this: He would start from Europe; head his ship westward toward Japan, and follow the curve of the globe until it brought him to what he sought. To his mind it seemed as sure and simple as for a fly to walk around an apple. GSAM 23.1

“If successful in the expedition, he would have this immense advantage: He would enter the Indies directly by the front door, instead of reaching them in a roundabout way, and by a sort of side-entrance, as the Portuguese must. GSAM 23.2

“We see that this man, who understood practical mathematics, geography, and navigation as well as any one of his day, was right on the first point,—the shape of the earth,—but utterly wrong on the other two. GSAM 23.3