The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VIII. Morse-Prophecy Fulfilling Before Our Eyes

JEDEDIAH MORSE ⁴¹ pastor of the Congregational church at Charlestown, Massachusetts, textbook writer and controversialist, and founder of the Panoplist, contended earnestly for the “orthodox” faith by exposing Unitarianism, and particularly by warning of the dangers of infidelity. In 1810 he preached a notable sermon before the Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Indians, entitled “Signs of the Times.” Taking his text from Daniel 12:4, 10, he reminds his hearers that Christ reproved the Pharisees and Sadducees for not discerning the times of their day, when Daniel’s 70 weeks were just ending and the numerous prophecies concerning the first advent were fulfilling. Then Morse searchingly declares that many of the present generation of religious leaders are likewise “criminally ignorant of the Scripture prophecies, which relate to the present period, and inattentive to events, which are remarkably fulfilling them ⁴² PFF4 99.4

The prophecies of Daniel relating to the last times, he adds, were not generally recognized until they actually came into view. The Mohammedan power, or Turkey, foretold in the latter part of Daniel 11, will come into conflict with Russia on the north, and the Eastern Antichrist will be brought to ruin. The Western, or papal Antichrist is to fall about the same time. Then Michael will stand up, arid a time of unprecedented trouble will follow, ending in deliverance for God’s people-the restoration of the scattered children of Israel to the Holy Land. Following this will come, after an unknown interval (evidently the millennial kingdom), the general resurrection and the final judgment. PFF4 100.1

Morse then declares that the prophecy of his text has been fulfilling through the Christian Era, but “perhaps we have entered upon the period, in which it is to receive its full and ultimate accomplishment,” for the events of the past twenty geography he wrote for his school was the first of numerous popular editions _and revisions that earned him the title of Father of American Geography. Eclipsed now by his son Samuel F. B. Morse, this geographer-preacher-editor-pamphleteer was prominent in his day not only for his textbooks but also for his championship of “orthodoxy” in New England theology. He was the man who probably did most to bring about the separation of the Unitarian wing from the Congregational Church. As pastor of the First Church of Charlestown for thirty years, he was in close touch with Boston, where his reputation as an author won him the recognition and friendship of the intellectual leaders, many of whom were liberals, and against whom he was later to turn his pen and influence years and more seem to point to a grand revolution in the world through the spread of knowledge, through missions, perhaps through the conquests of some modern Alexander—evidently a reference to the Napoleonic wars as apparently preparing the way ⁴³ PFF4 100.2

In 606 both Mohammed at Mecca and the pope at Rome—the Eastern and Western Antichrists—started on their wonted missions at approximately the same time, and will doubtless be overthrown at about the same time, probably near at hand [1866?], when they will shake all nations by their fall. Then will follow the restoration of the Jews, the conversion of the Gentiles, and Christ’s kingdom. Various latter-day prophecies will be fulfilling at the same time. The world will be visited by terrible judgments, with the darkest part yet to come. But at the same time many are running to and fro, every species of useful knowledge is being increased, and extraordinary efforts are being made to spread the light of the gospel. Even in the tragedy being enacted in Europe many will be purified and made white and tried. The rise of Bible and missionary societies is clearly a fulfillment of the prophecy of the running to and fro and of increased knowledge ⁴⁴ The times are portentous. Then Morse solemnly admonished: PFF4 101.1

“While we perceive a deluge of troubles about to overwhelm the world, we should lift up our warning voice, and do what we can to persuade all, over whom we have influence, to enter into the ark, that they may be safe ⁴⁵ PFF4 101.2

As a theological product of Jonathan Edwards the younger Morse was a moderate Calvinist with revivalistic tendencies, an associate of the intellectuals of Boston, and an active participant in such movements as the New England Tract Society, the American Bible Society, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and the Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Indians. Thus he was conversant with alls orts of groups and activities. But his outstanding characteristic was his zeal for the promotion of evangelical Christianity. For this he fought first against indifference and later against fashionable liberalism and, specifically, against Unitarianism. PFF4 101.3

In 1805, Morse first opened fire in opposition to the appointment of a Unitarian professor at Harvard. And the same year he launched the militant Panoplist, which he edited for five years. He helped to establish the Park Street Church in Boston as an orthodox outpost in the very “stronghold of the enemy,” and assisted in founding Andover Theological Seminary. He was active in holding the older and newer wings of Calvinism in a united front against Unitarianism. And there was a peculiarly prophetic note in Morse’s expectation that God will “by new and uncommon means, be spreading his word, and the light of his Gospel, and increasing every species of useful knowledge” as instrumentalities ⁴⁶ This assumes significance in view of the fact that his son, Samuel F. B. Morse, was soon to make a major contribution to “useful knowledge” in the invention of the electric telegraph. PFF4 102.1