increased, and many have proclaimed the
solemn message of the judgment near.

Like the great Reformation of the sixteenth century, the Advent Movement
appeared in different countries of Christendom at the same time. In both
Europe and America, men of faith and prayer were led to the study of the
prophecies, and tracing down the inspired record, they saw convincing
evidence that the end of all things was at hand. In different lands there
were isolated bodies of Christians who, solely by the study of the
Scriptures, arrived at the belief that the Saviour's advent was near.

In 1821, three years after Miller had arrived at his exposition of the
prophecies pointing to the time of the judgment, Dr. Joseph Wolff, "the
missionary to the world," began to proclaim the Lord's soon coming. Wolff
was born in Germany, of Hebrew parentage, his father being a Jewish rabbi.
While very young, he was convinced of the truth of the Christian religion.
Of an active, inquiring mind, he had been an eager listener to the
conversations that took place in his father's house, as devout Hebrews
daily assembled to recount the hopes and anticipations of their people,
the glory of the coming Messiah, and the restoration of Israel. One day
hearing Jesus of Nazareth mentioned, the boy inquired who He was. "A Jew
of the greatest talent," was the answer; "but as He pretended to be the
Messiah, the Jewish tribunal sentenced Him to death." "Why," rejoined the
questioner, "is Jerusalem destroyed, and why are we in captivity?" "Alas,
alas!" answered his father, "because the Jews murdered the prophets." The
thought was at once suggested to the child, "Perhaps Jesus was also a
prophet, and the Jews killed Him when He was innocent."(593) So strong was
this feeling, that though forbidden to enter a Christian church, he would
often linger outside to listen to the preaching.

When only seven years old, he was boasting to an aged Christian neighbor
of the future triumph of Israel at the advent of the Messiah, when the old
man said kindly, "Dear boy, I will tell you who the real Messiah was: He
was Jesus of Nazareth, ... whom your ancestors have crucified, as they did
the prophets of old. Go home and read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah,
and you will be convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."(594)
Conviction at once fastened upon him. He went home and read the scripture,
wondering to see how perfectly it had been fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.
Were the w