The Saviour's parting promise upon Olivet； that He would come again； lighted
up the future for His disciples； filling their hearts with joy and hope that
sorrow could not quench nor trials dim。 Amid suffering and persecution； the
〃appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ〃 was the 〃blessed
hope。〃 When the Thessalonian Christians were filled with grief as they
buried their loved ones； who had hoped to live to witness the coming of the
Lord； Paul； their teacher； pointed them to the resurrection； to take place
at the Saviour's advent。 Then the dead in Christ should rise； and together
with the living be caught up to meet the Lord in the air。 〃And so；〃 he said；
〃shall we ever be with the Lord。 Wherefore comfort one another with these
words。〃 1 Thessalonians 4：16…18。
On rocky Patmos the beloved disciple hears the promise； 〃Surely I come
quickly；〃 and his longing response voices the prayer of the church in all
her pilgrimage； 〃Even so； come； Lord Jesus。〃 Revelation 22：20。
From the dungeon； the stake； the scaffold； where saints and martyrs
witnessed for the truth； comes down the centuries the utterance of their
faith and hope。 Being 〃assured of His personal resurrection； and
consequently of their own at His coming； for this cause；〃 says one of these
Christians； 〃they despised death； and were found to be above it。〃Daniel T。
Taylor； The Reign of Christ on Earth： or； The Voice
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of the Church in All Ages； page 33。 They were willing to go down to the
grave； that they might 〃rise free。〃Ibid。； page
54。 They looked for the 〃Lord to come from heaven in the
clouds with the glory of His Father；〃 〃bringing to the just the times of the
kingdom。〃 The Waldenses cherished the same faith。Ibid。； pages 129…132。
Wycliffe looked forward to the Redeemer's appearing as the hope of the
church。 Ibid。； pages 132…134。
Luther declared： 〃I persuade myself verily； that the day of judgment will
not be absent full three hundred years。 God will not； cannot； suffer this
wicked world much longer。〃 〃The great day is drawing near in which the
kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown。〃Ibid。； pages 158； 134。
〃This aged world is not far from its end；〃 said Melanchthon。 Calvin bids
Christians 〃not to hesitate； ardently desiring the day of Christ's coming as
of all events most auspicious；〃 and declares that 〃the whole family of the
faithful will keep in view that day。〃 〃We must hunger after Christ； we must
seek； contemplate；〃 he says； 〃till the dawning of that great day； when our
Lord will fully manifest the glory of His kingdom。〃Ibid。； pages 158； 134。
〃Has not the Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into heaven？〃 said Knox； the
Scotch Reformer； 〃and shall He not return？ We know that He shall return； and
that with expedition。〃 Ridley and Latimer； who laid down their lives for the
truth； looked in faith for the Lord's coming。 Ridley wrote： 〃The world
without doubtthis I do believe； and therefore I say itdraws to an end。
Let us with John； the servant of God； cry in our hearts unto our Saviour
Christ； Come； Lord Jesus； come。〃Ibid。； pages 151； 145。
〃The thoughts of the coming of the Lord；〃 said Baxter； 〃are most sweet and
joyful to me。〃Richard Baxter； Works； vol。 17； p。 555。 〃It is the work of
faith and the character of His saints to love His appearing and to look for
that blessed hope。〃 〃If death be the last enemy to be destroyed at the
resurrection； we may learn how earnestly believers should long and pray for
the second coming of Christ； when this
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full and final conquest shall be made。〃Ibid。； vol。 17； p。 500。 〃This is
the day that all believers should long； and hope； and wait for； as being the
accomplishment of all the work of their redemption； and all the desires and
endeavors of their souls。〃 〃Hasten； O Lord； this blessed day！〃Ibid。； vol。
17； pp。
182； 183。 Such was the hope of the apostolic church； of the
〃church in the wilderness；〃 and of the Reformers。
Prophecy not only foretells the manner and object of Christ's coming； but
presents tokens by which men are to know when it is near。 Said Jesus： 〃There
shall be signs in the sun； and in the moon； and in the stars。〃 Luke 21：25。
〃The sun shall be darkened； and the moon shall not give her light； and the
stars of heaven shall fall； and the powers that are in heaven shall be
shaken。 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with
great power and glory。〃 Mark 13：24…26。 The revelator thus describes the
first of the signs to precede the second advent： 〃There was a great
earthquake； and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair； and the moon
became as blood。〃 Revelation 6：12。
These signs were witnessed before the opening of the nineteenth century。 In
fulfillment of this prophecy there occurred； in the year 1755； the most
terrible earthquake that has ever been recorded。 Though commonly known as
the earthquake of Lisbon； it extended to the greater part of Europe； Africa；
and America。 It was felt in Greenland； in the West Indies； in the island of
Madeira； in Norway and Sweden； Great Britain and Ireland。 It pervaded an
extent of not less than four million square miles。 In Africa the shock was
almost as severe as in Europe。 A great part of Algiers was destroyed； and a
short distance from Morocco； a village containing eight or ten thousand
inhabitants was swallowed up。 A vast wave swept over the coast of Spain and
Africa engulfing cities and causing great destruction。
It was in Spain and Portugal that the shock manifested its extreme violence。
At Cadiz the inflowing wave was said to be sixty feet high。 Mountains； 〃some
of the largest in Portugal； were impetuously shaken； as it were； from their
very
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foundations； and some of them opened at their summits； which were split and
rent in a wonderful manner； huge masses of them being thrown down into the
adjacent valleys。 Flames are related to have issued from these mountains。〃
Sir Charles Lyell； Principles of Geology； page 495。
At Lisbon 〃a sound of thunder was heard underground； and immediately
afterwards a violent shock threw down the greater part of that city。 In the
course of about six minutes sixty thousand persons perished。 The sea first
retired； and laid the bar dry； it then rolled in； rising fifty feet or more
above its ordinary level。〃 〃Among other extraordinary events related to have
occurred at Lisbon during the catastrophe； was the subsidence of a new quay；
built entirely of marble； at an immense expense。 A great concourse of people
had collected there for safety； as a spot where they might be beyond the
reach of falling ruins； but suddenly the quay sank down with all the people
on it； and not one of the dead bodies ever floated to the surface。〃Ibid。；
page 495。
〃The shock〃 of the earthquake 〃was instantly followed by the fall of every
church and convent； almost all the large public buildings； and more than one
fourth of the houses。 In about two hours after the shock； fires broke out in
different quarters； and raged with such violence for the space of nearly
three days； that the city was completely desolated。 The earthquake happened
on a holyday； when the churches and convents were full of people； very few
of whom escaped。〃 Encyclopedia Americana； art。 〃Lisbon；〃 note （ed。 1831）。
〃The terror of the people was beyond description。 Nobody wept； it was beyond
tears。 They ran hither and thither； delirious with horror and astonishment；
beating their faces and breasts； crying； 'Misericordia！ the world's at an
end！' Mothers forgot their children； and ran about loaded with crucifixed
images。 Unfortunately； many ran to the churches for protection； but in vain
was the sacrament exposed； in vain did the poor creatures embrace the
altars； images； priests； and people were buried in one common ruin。〃 It has
been estimated that ninety thousand persons lost their lives on that fatal
day。
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Twenty…five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the
prophecythe darkening of the sun and moon。 What rendered this more
striking was the fact that the time of its fulfillment had been definitely
pointed out。 In the Saviour's conversation with His disciples upon Olivet；
after describing the long period of trial for the church；the 1260 years of
papal persecution； concerning which He had promised that the tribulation
should be shortened；He thus mentioned certain events to precede His
coming； and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed： 〃In
those days； after that tribulation； the sun shall be darkened； and the moon
shall not give her light。〃 Mark 13：24。 The 1260 days； or years； terminated
in 1798。 A quarter of a century earlier； persecution had almost wholly
ceased。 Following this persecution； according to the words of Christ； the
sun was to be darkened。 On the 19th of May； 1780； this prophecy was
fulfilled。
〃Almost； if not altogether alone； as the most mysterious and as yet
unexplained phenomenon of its kind； 。 。 。 stands the dark day of May 19；
1780；a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and
atmosphere in New England。〃R。 M。 Devens； Our First Century； page 89。
An eyewitness living in Massachusetts describes the event as follows： 〃In
the morning the sun rose clear； but was soon overcast。 The clouds became
lowery； and from them； black and ominous； as they soon appeared； lightning
flashed； thunder rolled； and a little rain fell。 Toward nine o'clock； the
clouds became thinner； and assumed a brassy or coppery appearance； and
earth； rocks； trees； buildings； water； and persons were changed by this
strange； unearthly light。 A few minutes later； a heavy black cloud spread
over the entire sky except a narrow rim at the horizon； and it was as dark
as it usually is at nine o'clock on a summer evening。 。 。 。
〃Fear； anxiety； and awe gradually filled the minds of the people。 Women
stood at the door； looking out upon the dark landscape； men returned from
their labor in the fields； the
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carpenter left his tools； the blacksmith his forge； the tradesman his
co