spread throughout Christendom. His views of
prophecy were quite generally received in his own state of Wuertemberg, and
to some extent in other parts of Germany. The movement continued after his
death, and the advent message was heard in Germany at the same time that
it was attracting attention in other lands. At an early date some of the
believers went to Russia, and there formed colonies, and the faith of
Christ's soon coming is still held by the German churches of that country.

The light shone also in France and Switzerland. At Geneva, where Farel and
Calvin had spread the truths of the Reformation, Gaussen preached the
message of the second advent. While a student at school, Gaussen had
encountered that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all Europe during
the latter part of the eighteenth and the opening of the nineteenth
century; and when he entered the ministry he was not only ignorant of true
faith, but inclined to skepticism. In his youth he had become interested
in the study of prophecy. After reading Rollin's "Ancient History," his
attention was called to the second chapter of Daniel, and he was struck
with the wonderful exactness with which the prophecy had been fulfilled,
as seen in the historian's record. Here was a testimony to the inspiration
of the Scriptures, which served as an anchor to him amid the perils of
later years. He could not rest satisfied with the teachings of
rationalism, and in studying the Bible and searching for clearer light he
was, after a time, led to a positive faith.

As he pursued his investigation of the prophecies, he arrived at the
belief that the coming of the Lord was at hand. Impressed with the
solemnity and importance of this great truth, he desired to bring it
before the people; but the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel
are mysteries and cannot be understood, was a serious obstacle in his way.
He finally determined--as Farel had done before him in evangelizing
Geneva--to begin with the children, through whom he hoped to interest the
parents.

"I desire this to be understood," he afterward said, speaking of his
object in this undertaking, "it is not because of its small importance,
but on the contrary because of its great value, that I wished to present
it in this familiar form, and that I addressed it to the children. I
desired to be heard, and I feared that I would not be if I addressed
myself to the grown people first." "I determined therefore to go to the