The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

IV. Lathrop-French Revolution Fulfills Prophesied Earthquake

The dramatic impact of the French Revolution upon the American colonies was profound, giving birth to extraordinary hopes and fears. It gave impetus to the movement to democratize American life and institutions. The English declaration of war on France produced a crisis in America. At the beginning of the struggle the sympathy of America as a whole went to France. The mere adherence of Lafayette justified the cause. On the other hand, the Federalist group denounced the “infidel French mobocracy,” ⁴⁸ and many protested against the infidelic trends. Yet these found their way into such a stronghold of orthodoxy as Harvard College. PFF3 235.3

JOSEPH LATHROP (1731-1820), Congregationalist pastor, was born in Norwich, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale in 1754, he taught at Springfield, Massachusetts, while studying theology. In 1756 he was ordained pastor of the Congregational church of West Springfield, continuing to serve that one congregation for sixty-two years. Yale conferred the degree of D.D. upon him in 1791, and Harvard the same in 1811. In 1793 he declined the professorship of divinity at Harvard. Lathrop was author of several works, ⁴⁹ among which were God’s Challenge to Infidelity (1797), Christ’s Warning to the Churches (1789), The Prophecy of Daniel, Relating to the Time of the End (1811), and The Angel Preaching the Everlasting Gospel (1812). PFF3 236.1

These books clearly reveal the course of his thinking. The last-named title was a sermon preached at Springfield, April 21, 1812, “at the institution of a Society for the Encouragement of Foreign Missions” and published for the society. Based on Revelation 14:6, 7, it mentioned attempts to apply the angel messages to the Reformation period, but he connected it with the fall of Babylon ⁵⁰ and the world missionary movement now under way. The gospel is everlasting or changeless because in contradistinction to the corruptions of the age. It flies with winged speed to every nation. It pertains to the time of “liberty” to follow the “1260 years,” when the tyrannical power of the Papacy is cast down. ⁵¹ In the copy examined, the sermon was followed by the constitution of the society, signed by the officers, with Lathrop as president. PFF3 236.2

1. BELIEVED LAST PLAGUES HAD BEGUN

But it is in his Sermon on the Dangers of The Times (1798), that Lathrop is most explicit on the prophecies. Delivering the sermon soon after word of the great papal crisis had reached America, he solemnly asserted:” PFF3 237.1

The period in which we live, is, in my own belief, marked out in prophecy as a part of that which is included within the effusion of the seven vials. The fifth of these 1 consider as unquestionably poured out at the Reformation. According to this scheme, we are now under the sixth, or the seventh.” ⁵² PFF3 237.2

2. EARTHQUAKE Is FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY UPHEAVAL

Asserting that the “seat of the beast” of the fifth vial is his throne and his power, Lathrop applies the fulfillment to the effects of the Reformation, and the resultant darkness to the Papacy. ⁵³ And of the sixth vial and the Euphrates, he contends that as the literal Euphrates was the source of the wealth, strength, and safety ⁵⁴ of ancient literal Babylon, so-“the symbolical Babylon, or the Babylon of the Apocalypse, is the Romish spiritual Empire. The symbolical Euphrates, here mentioned is a source of wealth, strength, and safety, to that empire. To dry up this Euphrates, is to diminish, or destroy, that source of wealth, strength, and safety.” 54 PFF3 237.3

3. EARTHQUAKE Is FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY UPHEAVAL

The “earthquake” in the tenth part of the “great city,” is the revolutionary convulsion, or upheaval, in France, with all the horrors of the Reign of Terror and the blotting out of the Word and worship of God-the unclean spirits seeking “the destruction of Christianity, and the subjugation of mankind.” ⁵⁵ La throp expresses great concern over alliance to an infidelic power, and appeals to men to “return to God.” ⁵⁶ “Turn your eyes to Europe,” he appeals. “The day, in which our lot is fallen, is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress.” ⁵⁷ PFF3 237.4

4. 1260-YEAR ERA OF PAPAL APOSTASY

On April 11, 1811, on the occasion of a public fast, Dr. Lathrop delivered two ad dresses on The Prophecy of Daniel Relating to the Time of the End, dealing with “the prophetic Scriptures relating to their own times.” Beginning with the “general apostasy in the Christian church, which would be accompanied with great oppression and persecution, and would continue 1260 years,” ⁵⁸ he refers to the supposition by some that these date from 606. PFF3 237.5

“If we compute from that time according to our present calendar, the-end of this period will be in the year 1866. If we compute, as perhaps we ought, according to the calendar in use in the times of the prophets, popery will come to its end in 1842.” ⁵⁹ PFF3 238.1

5. ATHEISTIC OUTBURST MARKS PERIOD’S END

Discussing the conditions of the time of the end, Lathrop quotes the prophets as saying:” PFF3 238.2

When the papacy is fast declining to its end, there will be a daring and awful eruption of atheism and infidelity, and that this will be accompanied with an unusual corruption of morals, and with horrible wars among the nations of the earth.” ⁶⁰ PFF3 238.3

6. FRENCH REVOLUTION AT “TIME OF END.

On this “time of the end,” Lathrop cites Faber, an English writer on the prophecies:” PFF3 238.4

The French revolution coincides with the time marked in the prophecy, ‘the time of the end;’ the time when we were to expect, and when many did expect some great change in the political state of Europe.” ⁶¹ PFF3 238.5

The sacrilegious acts of the atheistic French republic are recited-denying the existence of God and the religious liberty of man, shutting the churches, altering the calendar, and so forth. ⁶² PFF3 238.6

7. DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST IMMINENT

Speaking next of the impending advent, when the Man of Sin will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming, Lathrop says that, on the basis of Daniel’s prediction, “this event cannot be very remote. It may be within about 30 years, or it may be at a distance of half a century.” ⁶³ PFF3 238.7

8. RUNNING To AND FRO WITH GOSPEL

Speaking finally of the running to and fro and increase of knowledge, Lathrop stresses the discussion of the gospel in the “last days.” Missionaries and Bible and tract societies, spreading throughout Africa, Asia, India, China, Turkey, and Arabia, have brought the new era. PFF3 238.8

“The missionary spirit of the present day bears a striking resemblance to the tenor of prophecy. Such a zeal for the spread of the gospel, as now appears, has never been known since the apostolic age. This is a new era in the Christian church.” ⁶⁴ PFF3 239.1

9. ANGEL OF Revelation 14 FLYING

The next year, in 1812, came Lathrop’s sermon at the institution of the For eign Missionary Society of Springfield, entitled The Angel Preaching the Everlasting Gospel. This message of the angel in the time of the latter-day world corruption, introductory to the glorious day, was to be followed by “some great judgment on the papal church, usually in this book called Babylon.” ⁶⁵ This is to go to every nation, with the message of the Creator. PFF3 239.2

10. PAPAL PERIOD Is NEARLY ENDED

Touching the prophetic side, Lathrop dwells on the great apostasy from the truth foretold, involving “spiritual tyranny and cruel persecution,” which would continue “1260 years,” to be cast down at its end by the power of God, and the way opened for the final spread of pure religion. ⁶⁶ Therefore a great reformation is to be expected in these last days.” PFF3 239.3

The papacy, with its superstitions and cruelties, has continued for more than 1200 years; and there can be no doubt, but the time of its end is approaching.” ⁶⁷ PFF3 239.4