The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VI. Arnold—Agrees on Major Points, Differs on Minor

DAVID ARNOLD (1805-1889), of Mount Vernon, New York, united with the Methodist Church when sixteen. Later accepting the Adventist message, he joined in the proclamation of God’s great judgment hour, and after the Disappointment soon accepted the Sabbatarian positions. The first conference of Sabbathkeeping Adventists in New York State was held in his barn in 1848, attended by about thirty leaders. He was made the first president of the New York Conference, and wrote considerably for the papers. His expositions were likewise essentially “standard,” although he had a few individual views slightly different from the rest, at least at first. PFF4 1086.8

1. SECOND PHASE OF CHRIST’S MEDIATION BEGAN OCTOBER 22

All were united on the phases and the timing of Christ’s ministry, or “continual ministration,” in the heavenly sanctuary. PFF4 1087.1

“Therefore, we are brought, by the force of circumstances, and the fulfilment of events, to the irresistible conclusion that, on the tenth day of the seventh month, (Jewish time), in the autumn of 1844, Christ did close his daily, or continual ministration or mediation in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and SHUT THE DOOR, which no man can open; and opened a door, in the second apartment, or Holiest of all, which no man can shut (see Revelation 3:7, 8).” ⁴³ PFF4 1087.2

2. Daniel 2-DIFFERS FROM STANDARD INTERPRETATION

Arnold held, however, to the old fallacy on the two legs, as eastern and western Rome, for Daniel 2. PFF4 1087.3

“A representation of four universal monarchies, comprising the Babylonian kingdom over which Nebuchadnezzar then reigned, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman in its eastern and western divisions, represented by the legs of iron. Its subsequent division into ten kingdoms, is represented by the ten toes of the image.” ⁴⁴ PFF4 1087.4

3. DAILY SACRIFICE TAKEN AWAY BY TITUS

Arnold did not, however, share the usual view of the little horn of Daniel 8, which he looked upon as the civil power of Rome, in contrast with ecclesiastical Little Horn of Daniel 7. And he made the “daily” neither paganism nor Christ’s priestly mediation-two distinct views commonly held, but without enmity. Arnold evidently looked upon it as the Jewish sacrifices, and dated the taking away at the death of Christ. This, however, was an isolated interpretation. PFF4 1087.5

“He also sees the same oppressive power [Rome] ‘standing up against the Prince of princes;’ thus putting an end to the legality of all the daily sacrifices instituted at Sinai to be daily observed until the Seed should come. Here Christ, the substance, or great antitypical sacrifice was slain by the Roman soldiers. Thus by Rome ‘the daily sacrifice was taken away,’ and the place of his sanctuary was cast down by Titus, a Roman general, when he destroyed the city of Jerusalem, and the temple of God, which contained ‘the sanctuary.’” ⁴⁵ PFF4 1088.1

There was obviously considerable latitude on this matter of the “daily.” But Arnold stoutly refuted the first-day Adventist contentions for progressively later dates for the 2300 years, contending for 457 B.C. and A.D. 1844. PFF4 1088.2