The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

III. White-Ends 1290, 2300, and 391 in 1843-44

THOMAS WHITE, ⁵ ector of St. Andrews, Hertford, and minister of Welbeck Chapel, St. Marylebone, was the writer of the closing paper in a series of seven read in 1828 before this Society for the Investigation of Prophecy. It was titled “Diagram and Observation Intended to Illustrate the Arrangement and assist the Exposition of the Apocalypse.” Citing G. S. Faber, Thomas Gisborne, J. A. Brown, and William Cuninghame on the dating of the 1260 years-whether from 533 to 1793, or otherwise- White contends that Justinian was not successful in the recovery of authority over the Western Empire until the overthrow of the Gothic kingdom in 554 by the success of Narses. ⁶ PFF3 500.3

So he suggests the 1260 years as from 554 to 1814, and the 1290 as from 554 to 1844-which year is to White the pivotal date of the prophetic numbers. (Title page and inset reproduced on page 444.) Here is his unique tabulation, making 1844 the terminal point of the 1290-, 2300-, and 391-year periods: PFF3 500.4

“From A.D. 554 - to A.D. 1814 were 1260 Years.
554 - to - 1844 will be 1290 Years. (date of 7th of Arta-
From B.C. 457 xerxes), to the death - 33 were 490 Years of our Lord
457 - to - 1843 will be 2300 Years. (when the Eastern From A.D. 1453 third part of men to - 1844 will be 391 Years.” ⁷ Were salain) PFF3 501.1

On the 391 years of the Turkish woe, White believes they should be dated not from Turkey’s “first rise” but “from its triumph over the Eastern Empire; and that it marks out the time during which that empire shall continue to be slain, and the duration of the second woe.” ⁸ He questions the position of many who place the termination sometime before the French Revolution, and observes: “ PFF3 501.2

I am very much of the opinion that the Turkish power is yet a woe, both to Jews and Christians; and that it will continue to be so until its downfall. Present appearances make that downfall seem nearer than the above calculation leads me to anticipate; but it is not difficult to suppose that causes, such as have hitherto prevented that most desirable consummation, may yet retard it for seventeen years.” ⁹ PFF3 501.3

So, following the exegesis that would end the 391 years approximately with the 2300 years, White dates the beginning of this longer time period synchronously with the seventy weeks in 457 B.C. And he terminates it in 1843-another in the grow ing list of expositors holding such a position. PFF3 501.4