n
hundred thousand persons perished. Josephus says of this time, "The
sufferings indeed of the devoted inhabitants are such as humanity shudders
to contemplate, and over which pity is glad to throw a veil." This is the
tribulation of which our Lord spoke. The darkening of the sun and moon was
the fading away of the gospel light.

About the year 96 A.D. the writings of the New Testament were closed. From
that time we have only history to tell us of Christianity and its light in
the life of men. That the noontime of this gospel day was dark, is
unquestionable. To ascertain as near as possible the date of the close of
the morning light and the beginning of the dark noonday we must resort to
history. No one can rightly object to this. We assure you we will extract
nothing that will conflict with the inspired and infallible Word of God.
Where the Word of truth is silent and we can gain information from
authentic history it must certainly be proper and right. Historical facts
only verify and explain the truthfulness of the Scriptures.

Chapter I. The Date Of The Beginning Of Noonday.

Sabine's Ecclesiastical History.

In speaking of Constantine's expedition to Rome in the year 311, when
there appeared supernaturally a cross above the sun, he says: "During the
vicissitudes in the state, the church exhibits nothing peculiarly great.
Among the common people there were doubtless many truly devoted in the
spirit of their mind, and among them many that loved the divine Savior
above life itself; but among the bishops and pastors nothing like what we
saw in the past century. Indeed the principal events in the internal
department of the church are rather more to its disgrace than its honor."

Speaking further of this time in another chapter he says: "The pagan
temples were pulled down or converted into Christian churches: the
exercise of the old priesthood was proscribed and the idols destroyed;
elegant structures for Christian worship were raised, and those already
erected, enlarged and beautified; the episcopacy was increased and honored
with great favors and enriched with vast endowments; the ritual received
many additions; the habiliments of the clergy were pompous, and the whole
of the Christian service at once exhibited a scene of worldly grandeur and
external parade. What a mighty change! But a short time since, and
Christianity was held in sovereign contempt: now she is a favorite at
court, and the companion of