The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

CHAPTER TWENTY: Twenty-three Hundred Years Focal Point of Discussion

I. Cuninghame-Champion of the Number 2300

We now come to one of the most interesting, consistent, and continuous interpreters, WILLIAM CUNINGHAME, Esquire (1776-1849), of Lainshaw, Ayrshire. Thoughtful as a lad, with none too robust health, he had strong religious convictions even in his youth, when at school in Kensington, where he received most of his education. He later attended the University of Utrecht, going thence to India in the Bengal Civil Service. While he was there his religious convictions were deepened by contacts with the celebrated William Carey of Serampore and other Baptist missionaries. His first writing was done in India, where he issued a series of letters on Evidences of Christianity, published under the signature of “An Inquirer,” and subsequently republished in England. PFF3 364.1

After the death of his father, and his succession to the estate at Lainshaw, Cuninghame returned to Scotland in 1804, and thenceforth until his death resided on his estate except for periodic visits to London. He was interested in scientific agriculture. But for the last forty years of his life he was “engrossingly occupied” with the writing of a series of twenty-one large and small works on prophecy and Biblical chronology, ¹ for which he became widely and favorably known. He was also a participant in the important Albury Park Prophetic Conference in 1826. ² PFF3 364.2

Denominated the “learned layman” by Allibone, he has sometimes been erroneously confused with the clergyman William Cunningham, D.D., president of New College, Edinburgh. ³ But these were two distinct persons. ⁴ He never married, and the infirmity of gradually increasing deafness caused him to withdraw more and more from social and business contacts, and to devote all his time to prophetical and chronological studies. He was in the forefront of the discussions over the correctness of the 2300-versus-the-2400-years issue. The cause of missions was likewise dear to him, and he was a supporter of several religious societies, with special fondness for the London Society to Promote Christianity Among the Jews. PFF3 365.1

Under the pseudonym of “Talib” ⁵ he engaged for several years in discussion of religious topics in the London Christian Observer,, as previously noted. His second book, Dissertations on the Prophecies Relative to the Messiah, published in 1810, was an answer to the learned [ew, David Levi. Issuance of his epochal Dissertation on the Seals and Trumpets, in 1813, attracted immediate attention. It received favorable notice in many critical religious journals, passing through four editions. Thenceforth his writings followed one after another in a constant stream. The Apostasy of the Church of Rome, and the Identity of the Papal Power with the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition of St. Paul’s Prophecy (1818), constitutes another evidence of the fact that virtually every writer on prophecy also wrote on the papal Antichrist. PFF3 365.2

Several were controversial-his strictures against S. R. Maitland’s newly projected Futurism, and Edward Irving’s fallacious positions, as well as those of Frere and Faber. ⁶ As he advanced in years Cuninghame became more speculative and ran to mathematical calculations by cycles, trivial fractions, squares, and their combinations, as in Supplement to the Scientific Chronology Of the Year 1839 (18-IO), and The Fulfilling of the Times of the Gentiles, a Canspii ‘iiou* Sign of the End (1847). PFF3 365.3

At first Cuninghame was a communicant of (lie Established Church. But in 1822 he withdrew, giving his reasons in a pamphlet entitled Narration of the Formation of a Congregational Church at Stewarton, which town was near his estate in Ayrshire. Moreover, he became pastor of this church and continued to serve when at home until 18-13. Then another minister was secured. Cuninghame left it with a commodious place of worship, a comfortable manse, and a suitable endowment for maintenance. ⁷ PFF3 366.1

1. BASIC PREMISES OF OUTLINE TIME PROPHECIES

Cuninghame’s Dissertation on the Seals and Trumpets of the Apocalypse (1813), dealing primarily with the 1260 years, grew out of the extended discussion with Faber in The Christian Observer. Writing “in the intervals of business,” Cuninghame sets forth this basic premise: PFF3 366.2

“I take for granted, that the four beasts seen by Daniel in the seventh chapter of his prophecies, signify the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman monarchies; and that the little horn of his fourth beast is a symbol of the papal power; and likewise that the Babylon of the Apocalypse is the church of Rome. These may be considered as first principles in the study of prophecy, of which no well-instructed protestant ought to be ignorant.” ⁸ PFF3 366.3

The second axiomatic principle is that all time prophecy is to be understood as involving a day standing for a year. ⁹ PFF3 366.4

2. SEVEN SEALS EXTEND TO SECOND ADVENT

Cuninghame rejected the theory that the seals were fulfilled in the early centuries and did not extend beyond the time of Constantine. ¹⁰ Instead, he placed the events of the sixth seal “immediately before the coming of the Son of Man.” ¹¹ The barbaric irruptions into Western Rome were represented by the early trumpets, beginning in 376, “preparatory to its partition among the ten kings.” ¹² Later the seven vials will bring the final destruction. ¹³ PFF3 366.5

3. SARACENIC WOK (612-762); TURKISH WOE (1302-1697)

The fifth trumpet is “exactly applicable to the rise of the Mahometan religion and power. ¹⁴ Like the “great body of commentators,” he applies the fifth and sixth trumpets to the Saracens and Turks, with the accepted time epochs of the 150 and 391 years. ¹⁵ The 150 years are scheduled from 612 to 762, and the 391 years allocated from 1302 to 1697, the battle of Zenta, followed by the peace of Carlowitz.” ¹⁶ PFF3 367.1

4. OPEN BOOK BELONGS TO TIME OF END

The vision of the angel with the open book “belongs, or is immediately introductory, to the time of the end, and of the seventh trumpet and seven vials.” ¹⁷ The announcement of time no longer “seems to be declared in reference to the finishing of the mysterious times mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel,” ¹⁸ when everything is opened. To “measure” is to take account of, or study, the heavenly temple-court, holy place, and most holy. ¹⁹ PFF3 367.2

5. SEVENTH TRUMPET AT TIME OF ADVENT

Cuninghame held that “the sounding of the seventh angel in the Apocalypse takes place at the same time as the coming of the Ancient of Days in Daniel,” when the Son of man descends from heaven, when the enemies of the church are to be destroyed, and the saints receive the kingdom.” ²⁰ PFF3 367.3

6. LAST PLAGUES LINKED TO HOLY OF HOLIES

He looked upon Revelation 11 as an epitome of the events unfolded in the chapters to follow.” ²¹ The “opening of the holy of holies” in heaven is, he held, “indicative of the near approach of that glorious state of the church when the tabernacle of God shall be with men.” ²² It also determines the timing of the seven vials of wrath-the time of the seventh trumpet constituting part of the third and last woe, ²³ the Saracenic onslaught and the Turkish invasion being the first and second woes. ²⁴ PFF3 367.4

7. VIALS POURED OUT IN FRENCH REVOLUTION

Cuninghame believed the vials to be in the process of pouring out in the French Revolution, citing the concurrence of other writers. He also believed that the ending of the 1260 years marked the beginning of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. ²⁵ PFF3 367.5

8. VARIANT SYMBOLS FOR 1260 YEARS

The woman of Revelation 12 is the true church in “concealment and invisibility,” fed with heavenly manna for 1260 years, which period is also the forty-two months of Gentile occupation of the holy city, and of prophesying of the Witnesses in sackcloth. ²⁶ The ten-horned beast from the sea (Revelation 13) is the same as Daniel’s fourth beast-Rome. The little horn, he held, was represented by the second beast coming out of the earth. ²⁷ In concurrence he cites Mede, Newton, Faber, Alcazar, Cressener, and Daubuz. ²⁸ He lists the ten horns as the Visigoths, Snevi, Heruli, Franks, Burgundians, Saxons, Huns, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Vandals, ²⁹ and cites the notable speech on the Little Horn by Eberhard, archbishop of Salsburg, in 1240. ³⁰ The seven heads are forms of government. PFF3 368.1

9. FIRST BEAST SECULAR; SECOND BEAST ECCLESIASTICAL

Whereas the first beast is the secular power, the second represents the ecclesiastical Roman power, growing up silently and at first unheeded. ³¹ Cuninghame accepts the explanation of Trenaeus concerning Lateinos for the 666-with the Latin empire and church and ritual. In his Apostasy of the Church of Rome, he shows that “the Harlot Babylon the Great,” of Revelation 17, “is a symbol of Papal Rome.” He also notes that the “shocking enormities of the Romish Church” have been recorded by historians of her own communion, such as Fra Pablo Sarpi, and L’Abbe Condillac. ³² PFF3 368.2

10. DATES 1260 YEARS FROM 533

The 1260 years in their various listings, Cuninghame stoutly insists, refer to one and the same period, based on the year-day principle. ³³ These all began under the reign of Justinian and his issuance of the Civil Code, in which the pope is formally recognized as the head of all the holy churches and all the holy priests. ³⁴ The same message concerning the primacy of the pope at Rome was conveyed to the patriarch of Constantinople. PFF3 368.3

“Thus the sentiments contained in them obtained the sanction of the supreme legislative authority of the empire: and in both epistles, the above titles were given to the pope.” ³⁵ PFF3 369.1

The pope’s answer, likewise published in the code with the other documents, is equally important, showing that he understood the reference as formal recognition of the supremacy of the see of Rome. This was dated, 533-the grant of Phocas in GOG being merely a renewal and confirmation of Justinian’s bestowal. ³⁶ Full citation of the Latin original is given in extended footnotes. ³⁷ PFF3 369.2

11. ENDS 1260 YEARS IN 1792

Similarly, Cuninghame gives his evidence for believing the period ended in 1792, at the French Revolution-listing the events involved in that tremendous upheaval as it affected the church, reaching the conclusion that the period had indeed ended. ³⁸ PFF3 369.3

12. STRESSES INTEGRITY OF NUMBER 2300

Discussing Christ’s prophecy of Matthew 24, Cuninghame contends that all but the last events of this great outline have been fulfilled in the centuries traversed. ³⁹ Next Cuninghame reviews the prophecy of Daniel 8-the Persian ram and the Grecian goat, and the mysterious 2300 years. Holding the exceeding great horn to be Rome, and the 2300 prophetical days to be years, at first he thought they were to be dated from 508 B.C., the commencement of the vision, to A.IX 1792-which he later changed to begin in 457 B.C. and to end in A.D. 1843. But Cuninghame takes full occasion to stress the soundness of the number 2300 in contrast to Jerome’s 2200 and the later Septuagint 2400-all early Septuagints agreeing with the Hebrew text. ⁴⁰ PFF3 369.4

13. BEGINS 1260, 1290, 1335 SYNCHRONOUSLY

In common with Faber and some others, Cuninghame begins the 1260-, 1290-, and 1335-year periods together, so that he ends the 1290 and 1335 periods 30 and 75 years, respectively, beyond the ending of the first. ⁴¹ The close of the 1335 years he places in 1867, ⁴² as the beginning of the millennium. This feature will be called up for discussion later. He also leans to the restoration of the Jews at the end of the 1290 years. ⁴³ PFF3 370.1

14. PLACED JUDGMENT MESSAGE IN NINETEENTH CENTURY

On Revelation 14, Cuninghame holds that the 144,000 arc-sealed “during the awful convulsions of the great earthquake.” ⁴⁴ On this first angel preaching the everlasting gospel and proclaiming the hour of God’s judgment, lie denies the application by some to Reformation times, not only because of the deciding content of their preaching, but particularly for this reason: PFF3 370.2

“Neither could it be said, in consistence with truth, at the time of the reformation, that ‘ilie hour of God’s judgment was come.’ There is nothing indefinite in the language of the Apocalypse. The hour of God’s judgment is a time -well known, and exactly defined in the chronological prophecies of Daniel and John, ft is the period of the judgment mentioned in Daniel 7:2 fi, when the little horn, or the papacy, is deprived of its power, ft is likewise the time of the seventh trumpet, and seven vials, in the Apocalypse, when God judgeth Babylon, and destroyeth them who destroy the earth.” ⁴⁵ PFF3 370.3

Similarly, the second angel’s message was “no less inapplicable to the time of the Reformation.” ⁴⁶ PFF3 370.4

15. LIVING IN TIME OF FIRST ANGEL

Cuninghame then asserts that the first angel represented no individual minister “but a series of events in the church.” Fie applies it to the then present unparalleled emphasis in the preaching of the gospel, and declares: PFF3 370.5

“This interesting prophecy seems now to be receiving its accomplishment, and will probably continue to be fulfilled with increasing clearness during the remainder of the period into which we have entered.” ⁴⁷ PFF3 370.6

“We have also seen this preaching of the gospel, and distribution of the word. accompanied with a series of the most awful and tremendous judgments, which are at this moment, speaking to us in the loudest manner, and calling on us to ‘fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come.’ ⁴⁸ PFF3 371.1

16. SECOND AND THIRD ANGELS STILL FUTURE

Cuninghame also holds that “the going forth of the second angel to declare the fall of Babylon seems to be still future, and of consequence also the preaching of the third angel.” ⁴⁹ These he believes to be “synchronical.” Then comes the significant admonition, published-be it remembered-in 1813: PFF3 371.2

“The going forth of the second and third angels being thus future, it does not become his to form conjectures as to the manner in which this vision shall be accomplished.” ⁵⁰ PFF3 371.3

17. THIRD MESSAGE PRESAGES BEAST’S DESTRUCTION

The “mission of the third angel,” Cuninghame states, seems “immediately to precede the final destruction of the beast,” and presages tremendous things, with the second advent following ⁵¹ The call to the marriage supper, the gathering of the elect, and the crushing wrath of God upon evildoers ⁵² are all involved. The pouring out of the seven vials Cuninghame links with the opening of the holy of holies in heaven. ⁵³ The vials were being poured out, he holds, during the French Revolution. The sixth involved the destruction of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, and all were to be grouped under the third woe. Each is discussed at some length. (Title page reproduced on page 278.) PFF3 371.4

18. STILL HOLDS ORIGINAL POSITION ON Revelation 14

All this was published, it should be remembered, in 1813. later editions of Cuninghame’s Dissertation on the Seals and Trumpets, while expanded and perfected, did not call for serious revision. Extensive documentary evidence is added for the 1260 years as from 533 to 1793. Concerning his exposition of Revelation 14, he states that this was first written in 1812, and adds, “After an interval of 21 years I find nothing to alter in the principles of our exposition.” ⁵⁴ Strengthening his former position that the message of the first angel was not given in Reformation times, he adds, virtually repeating his former words: PFF3 371.5

“Neither could it be said, in consistence with truth, at the time of the Reformation, that ‘the hour of God’s judgment was come.’ There is nothing indefinite in the language of the Apocalypse. The hour of God’s judgment is a time well known, and exactly defined in the chronological prophecies of Daniel and John. It is the period of the judgment mentioned in Daniel 7:9-11, 26, when the BEAST is destroyed, and the LITTLE HORN, or the Papacy, is deprived of its power. It is likewise the time of the seventh trumpet, and the seven vials, in the Apocalypse, when God judgeth Babylon, and destroycth them who destroy the earth.” ⁵⁵ PFF3 372.1

Then he enforces his earlier position on the first angel’s message with this significant addition, the full force of which should not escape us: PFF3 372.2

“The foregoing view of the flight of the three angels was written in the year 1812; and I still adhere to it. PFF3 372.3

“To the general preaching of the everlasting Gospel by the first angel, there has, however, since that period been added the voice of prophetic exposition, which has gone forth in these kingdoms with a power unknown in former ages of the Church: and it has announced with unfaltering testimony, and in louder and yet louder sounds, that the hour of God’s judgment is come, and that the Lord is at hand. PFF3 372.4

“I conceive, also, that, by the institution and work of our Continental and Reformation Societies, some preludious sounds of the voices of the second and third angels are heard, although 1 dare not yet think, that either of these angels has begun his flight.” ⁵⁶ PFF3 372.5

This clear discernment is noteworthy. There is intelligent understanding of the times. PFF3 372.6

In this later footnote Cuninghame says regretfully that the “voice of prophecy ... has been, in some measure, quenched by Irvingism and Puseyism,” which had but recently developed. Then he observes that “as we approach the season of midnight. when the Bridegroom comes,” deep sleep will pervade the spiritual atmosphere, “intermingled only with the croaking of the three frogs, ch. 16:15.” ⁵⁷ PFF3 372.7