d that die
in the Lord from henceforth;" and must mean such as die a natural death.
Well, Paul says "prove all things," &c. Suppose then we say this verse was
to have its fulfillment from A.D. 96, when John wrote it, henceforth from
that time. Then the strong and clear inference would be, that Stephen and
James, and all the rest of the disciples who had died before, would not be
blessed--because the blessing here given, is from the time when given,
henceforward. If we move the beginning of this time to Luther's day, as
some will have it, then we cut off John and all the saints up to that
time; and if we move it to Oct. 1844, then we cut off every saint that has
died in the Lord before.

But to get clear of all this, we are told that this 13th verse evidently
represents the saints at the resurrection. (See Bible Advocate, Sept. 23,
1847.) He refers, (as I have,) to the advent message in 6th and 7th
verses, but avoids the second and third angels' messages, (8-11 verses) or
leaves them and the 12th verse also, to be fulfilled in connection with
the 13th verse, at the resurrection. Then to make his view clear to our
understanding, we must read it something like this: Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord, from the time the advent message began, (say 1840,)
until Babylon falls, and the statement is being made about what is
recorded in the 12th verse "where is the patience of the saints," &c.
Well, say then, that one hundred saints, or more, have actually departed
this life, since that time commenced, and they will be blessed at the
resurrection. The question then arises--If this must actually be fulfilled
for these few, where is the blessing for John, who had this vision, and
all the saints who have actually died since 1840? Is God partial? Shall we
find this distinction in the 7th chapter, 9, 10, 15 and 17th verses, where
the great multitude of all the departed saints are represented before the
throne of God with white robes, and palms in their hands? No. Shall we
find it in the 20th chapter? where he says, "Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection;" where not only the departed saints,
but the 144,000 living ones, are brought to view? No--nothing of the kind.
This Revelation was concerning "_things present_, (A.D. 96,) and things to
come." We see, then, if this 13th verse, as we are told, does represent
the departed saints any where, or time, since A.D. 96, and will be
fulfilled at the resurrectio