The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Old World Advent Awakening Collapses

Disintegration of the strong witness of former years is now far advanced. Confusion, conflict, and loss of interest become increasingly marked. Only occasionally are clear, strong voices heard-arid they are submerged in the din of increasing differences. Or they are like isolated voices crying in the wilderness of growing silence. And certainty on the prophetic time periods had gone from most of these. PFF3 724.1

The Futurist School continues to counter the Historical School of interpretation, capitalizing to the full on variances in interpretation and conflict in the allocation of the time periods. Preterism was spreading among the rationalistic-minded. Catholicism continues its bid, with some success, for recognition by those who had abandoned the position of the Papacy as the historical Antichrist. PFF3 724.2

The nineteenth-century Old World Advent Awakening, based on prophecy, had broken down, just as did the Protestant Reformation witness on prophecy in the eighteenth century. Only in the New World was there left a strong Historical School of prophetic faith. PFF3 724.3

Before taking leave of the Old World, let us turn once more to the troubled scene. The familiar Historical position, reiterated by Baylee, is now blurred by the overtones of the Protestant Futurists, Maitland and Tyso. And into these is injected, like a premonition, the challenging voice of Catholic Cardinal Manning. Such is the parting glimpse of growing conflict, com promise, and confusion that marks the fading out of the Historical School witness in Britain in the middle of the nineteenth century. PFF3 724.4