The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VII. Like the Swirling Leaves of Autumn

The undated “Words of Warning” series of single sheets, 5 by 8 inches, printed on both sides and published by Himes at Boston, was circulated by the hundreds of thousands. Aside from the main message, each had uniform double box rules on all four sides. Within these rules were matching expressions, such as, “Reader, Can these principles be disproved,” faced by, “If they cannot, the Judge stands at the door.” Or perhaps there were two complementing texts of Scripture. The same was true of the reverse side, where four other gripping expressions similarly appeared between the outlining box rules. For example, on the Little Horn the reader finds, “That This Horn Is the Papacy Has Been the Opinion of the Protestant World,” with the matching line, “All Standard Protestant Commentators Have Been United in That Opinion.” Sometimes an effective poem appears as the text on the reverse side, such as “What Is Time?” There is a series or answers by an aged man, a dying sinner, the golden sun, and a lost spirit, then- PFF4 709.1

I asked old father Time himself at last,
But in a moment he flew swiftly past;
His chariot was a cloud, the viewless wind
His noiseless steeds, which left no trace behind. PFF4 709.2

I asked the mighty angel, who shall stand,
One foot on sea, and one on solid land;
By heaven,’ he cried, ‘I swear the mystery’s o’er!
Time was,’ he said, ‘but time shall be no more!’” PFF4 709.3

Here is still another pair: “Have You Examined the Connection Between the 8th and 9th of Daniel?” “Can This Connection Be Disproved? If It Cannot the Vision Is Near Its End.” Or, on Scoffer in the Last Times, the marginal lines are, “They Would None of My Counsel: They Despised All My Reproof,” faced by, “I Will Also Laugh at Your Calamity: i Will Mock When Your Fear Cometh.” Perhaps better than anything else, a glance over the titles gives the scope of this least-expensive Millerite literature for distribution by the hundreds of thousands. There were thirty-six in the series. PFF4 709.4

1. Fundamental Principles on Which the Second Advent Cause Is Based. PFF4 710.1

2. Prophetic Time. PFF4 710.2

3. Prophecy Unsealed. PFF4 710.3

4. Little Horn of Daniel 7-Not Nero but Papacy. [Against Preterism.] PFF4 710.4

5. Little Horn of Daniel 8-Not Antiochus but Rome. [Against Futurism.] PFF4 710.5

6. Christ’s Advent at the Door. PFF4 710.6

7. Scoffers in the Last Time. PFF4 710.7

8. Duty of the Times. PFF4 710.8

9. Second Coming of Christ at the Door. PFF4 710.9

10. The Coming of the Son of Man. PFF4 710.10

11. The Great Day. PFF4 710.11

12. That Day Will Be a Day of Separation. PFF4 710.12

13. Prepare to Meet Thy God. PFF4 710.13

14. The Hope of a Groaning Creation. PFF4 710.14

15. The Hope of the Children of God. PFF4 710.15

16. The Hope of the Suffering Church. PFF4 710.16

17. Signs of the Times. PFF4 710.17

18. Who Would Not Strive to Hold Fast Their Crown? PFF4 710.18

19. How Awful to Meet Our Angry God. PFF4 710.19

20. The Parting. PFF4 710.20

21. Modern Preaching. PFF4 710.21

22. The Use of Prophecy. PFF4 710.22

23. The Appeal to the Judgment. PFF4 710.23

24. For What End Was the Son of God Manifested? PFF4 710.24

25. Christ Comes in the Character of Redeemer and Avenger. PFF4 710.25

26. Where Are We in the Chronology of Prophecy? PFF4 710.26

27. The Instability of the Times a Motive to Watchfulness. PFF4 710.27

28. The Last Days. PFF4 710.28

29. Christ’s Coming Urged as an Alarm to the Church. PFF4 710.29

30. The Love of Christ’s Appearing. PFF4 710.30

31. The Literal Gathering of the Carnal Jews. PFF4 710.31

32. The End of Time. PFF4 710.32

33. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Daniel 2:11-31. PFF4 710.33

34. Daniel’s Dream (7:2-14). PFF4 710.34

35. Explanation of the Time (7:1-13). PFF4 710.35

36. Explanation of the Time (Daniel 9). PFF4 710.36

These terse messages of warning, instruction, and appeal -brief, arresting, and sometimes constituting little literary gems-were scattered like the swirling leaves of autumn. The Millerites seemingly used every known means to “warn the world,” pressing them all vigorously. PFF4 711.1

And independent books, privately printed-such as Disquisitions on the Prophecies of Daniel (168 pages-5 chapters and an appendix), by L. E. Lincoln of Lowell, Massachusetts; or, A Synopsis of the Views of Those Who Look for the Lord Jesus Christ in 1843 (108 pages, 10 chapters), by H. B. Skinner of Ashburnham-ably set forth the views of Adventists of the time, though not published by Himes and the established channels. Cogent reasoning and careful expression also mark these less-known works, produced largely for local circulation. Examination of the hundreds of separate treatises, large and small, in book, pamphlet, sheet, and broadside form, as well as in more than a score of periodicals-daily, weekly, bimonthly, monthly, and quarterly-leaves one amazed at the sheer range and coverage, the remarkable distribution, and the high quality withal. The land was literally blanketed with their printed message. No wonder it caused such a stir. It literally “shook the nation,” to repeat their frequent expression. Next, let us look overseas, to Millerite penetration of other lands. PFF4 711.2