earted and unbelieving?
Multitudes professed to love the appearing of the Lord. When called to
endure the scoffs and reproach of the world, and the test of delay and
disappointment, would they renounce the faith? Because they did not
immediately understand the dealings of God with them, would they cast
aside truths sustained by the clearest testimony of His word?

This test would reveal the strength of those who with real faith had
obeyed what they believed to be the teaching of the word and the Spirit of
God. It would teach them, as only such an experience could, the danger of
accepting the theories and interpretations of men, instead of making the
Bible its own interpreter. To the children of faith the perplexity and
sorrow resulting from their error, would work the needed correction. They
would be led to a closer study of the prophetic word. They would be taught
to examine more carefully the foundation of their faith, and to reject
everything, however widely accepted by the Christian world, that was not
founded upon the Scriptures of truth.

With these believers, as with the first disciples, that which in the hour
of trial seemed dark to their understanding, would afterward be made
plain. When they should see the "end of the Lord," they would know that
notwithstanding the trial resulting from their errors, His purposes of
love toward them had been steadily fulfilling. They would learn by a
blessed experience that He is "very pitiful, and of tender mercy;" that
all His paths "are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His
testimonies."

20. A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING.

[Illustration: Chapter header.]

A great religious awakening under the proclamation of Christ's soon
coming, is foretold in the prophecy of the first angel's message of
Revelation 14. An angel is seen flying "in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." "With a loud voice" he
proclaims the message, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of
His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters."(590)

The fact that an angel is said to be the herald of this warning, is
significant. By the purity, the glory, and the power of the heavenly
messenger, divine wisdom has been pleased to represent the exalted
character of the work to be acco