The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

II. Leaders Emphasize Prophetic Significance of Times

Prophecy was the motivating force in much of the religious thought and activity of America in the opening decades of the nineteenth century, according to history professor Oliver W. Elsbree, of Bucknell University. The common conviction held by religious leaders of various denominations regarding the prophetic significance of the times in which they were living, was expressed in pamphlets, periodical articles, and books, as well as in sermons preached before church groups or missionary societies. Elsbree gives this succinct summary of their composite views on prophecy: PFF4 85.2

“Were not all these unusual and fearful happenings the prelude to the millennium, as foreseen by Biblical writers? The signs of the times were highly suggestive that the last days were near. PFF4 85.3

“The unusual turbulence of the closing decade of the century and the newly awakened interest in missions led to a reexamination of prophecy. Conversely, the contributions of preachers and students of prophecy to the interpretation of vague passages in the Bible constituted a not inconsiderable part of the dynamic of missions. It is difficult to see how any effective missionary propaganda could have been developed without an incessant appeal to Bible prophecy as a final authority in regard to the duty of Christians to evangelize the world. By an appeal to prophecy infidelity could be refuted. Prophecies which were being fulfilled in contemporary events constituted a most valuable part of the armory of the believer in his contest with skepticism ⁶ PFF4 85.4

After noting two voices heard just before the turn of the century, Elsbree presents President Timothy Dwight, of Yale, as a conspicuous example of the dominating position of prophecy on current thought. As to Dwight- PFF4 86.1

“Dwight’s analysis of the international turmoil was made in the light of the sixteenth chapter of the book of Revelation. It was clear to the famous President of Yale that the prophetic writers of Scripture had the closing decades of the eighteenth century in mind when they uttered many of their dark sayings. The book of Revelation might be difficult for the masses to understand, but not for Timothy Dwight. The sixth vial of Revelation 16:12 was just about to end. During the period of the pouring out of this vial, the Jesuit order had been suppressed, the Roman Catholic clergy had been shorn of some of their power, the revenues of the Pope curtailed, and the French kingdom overthrown. AH of these events the great seer of Patmos had predicted seventeen centuries before. The beast and the false prophet referred to by the sacred writer were to be understood as the papacy and the Catholic countries, such as the philosophers and the encyclopaedists of France ⁷.” T PFF4 86.2

This interest, adds Elsbree, centered in the 1260 years of Antichrist’s dominance, and the transcendent events to follow at the close of that fateful period. He goes as far as to say regarding the interpretation of the time: PFF4 86.3

“There was a virtual unanimity among Bible scholars that the forty-two months of Revelation 11:2 and the ‘time, times, and half a time’ of Daniel 12:7 were to be understood as twelve hundred and sixty years. During this interval Antichrist was expected to flourish. By Antichrist most Protestants meant the pope, although some felt that the sultan of Turkey was an Eastern Antichrist.... It might be objected by the skeptic that this method of interpretation was questionable and that the prophecies were obscure. To William Collins who preached the annual sermon before the Baptist Missionary Society in Boston in 1806 such objections seemed trivial. The obscurity of prophecy served a purpose in that it enabled the Church to conceal her designs from her enemies, who, steeped in skepticism, were unable to understand projects, such as the missionary movement, until after they were well under way. The calling of the Gentiles was clearly a subject of prophecy. The spread of the gospel would result in the gradual Christianizing of the earth. The missionary spirit was being manifested everywhere, and the Jews would be converted, in all likelihood, in the near future ⁸. PFF4 86.4

And now with rapid strides, let us survey the efforts of various men, some prominent and some obscure-men who are not commonly known or noted as expositors or as writers of books on prophecy, but who nevertheless earnestly attempt to focus the light of prophecy on those dark contemporary times. Some can be brought before us in a few paragraphs. Others will take more space. They might be listed as incidental expositors. Notice particularly the diverse denominational affiliations as well as the wide geographical spread. This emphasis, significantly enough, embraced all groups and covered the country. Let us watch as they pass in panoramic survey. PFF4 87.1