period called "the reformation." They proved themselves the lineal descendants of the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth. Neither Calvin nor Luther can justly be charged with hypocrisy, for neither of them pretended to act under the inspiration of Heaven in the stand they assumed. History presents us with incontestible evidence, however, of many atrocious acts calculated to brand their names with everlasting infamy. Their followers were not backward in imitating them, both in spirit and practice. They renounced, to be sure, the jurisdiction of the Pope, but it was only to become Popes themselves. They established an Ecclesiastical despotism which gave rise to the most cruel persecutions. The earth was stained with the blood of the innocent victims of their barbarity. Both the Catholics and Protestants stand equally guilty before the tribunal bar of Heaven. As each dynasty gained the ascendency, they persecuted each other in their turn, and we have no evidence that there was a particle of the spirit of truth in either. The theory they inculcated was a medley of the grossest absurdities, and their practices were worse than their theory.

Most theological writers have zealously contended that Christ always had a true church on the earth ever since his first appearing; but it is in vain for any to think of finding it during the dark ages of which we have been speaking. It is evident from the predictions of Christ and his Apostles, that they foresaw a time coming when the order and power of the primitive church would be lost from the face of the earth; and, therefore, could not be known or found by any people whatever. Jesus expressly declared that the days would come when they should desire to see one of the days of the Son of man," and should not see it. Then, if any man shall say unto you, "Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not; take heed to yourselves that ye be not deceived; for many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draweth near; go ye not after them."

66

This prediction evidently alluded to the time of anti-christ's reign. If Christ had any true church on the earth at that time, he evidently would have been in it; because the church is his body, of which he is the head and life. Those who are the real members of Christ's body can say, in reality, “lo, here is Christ;" and such might, with the strictest propriety, be followed. But if none could say this, it is evident there was no true church on the earth. St. Paul says, “Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed." The Apostle, therefore, foresaw that there would be a general falling away, and that antichrist would have his reign before the day of Christ's second appearing.

All the churches then upon the earth were counterfeits. The contention, the strife, the fraud and violence, the licentiousness, the bloodshed and persecutions which characterized the church at that day, afford incontestable evidence that Christ was not there. By an examination of the prophetic numbers given to Daniel the Prophet, those who are in the light of the present dispensation may be satisfied beyond a doubt that their testimony originated in the wisdom which is from above. When the seals were taken off, and the book of divine revelation was opened, then those predictions which were given to Daniel and afterwards renewed by Jesus Christ, and again confirmed by the Angel to John, could be understood, and not before. These things having now been revealed by the light of divine truth, can be pointed out and illustrated agreeably to an

cient prediction, and confirmed by the events recorded in history, even to the understanding and comprehension of the natural man.

In calculating the prophecies, nothing can be more emphatical to sustain the force of truth to the natural mind, than to ascertain the precise date when each event of which it is prophecied should commence or close; and perhaps nothing could be advanced better to establish this position, than a right calculation of Daniel's 70 weeks, (Daniel ix: 24.) "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy." It is proper here to ascertain when the 70 weeks commenced, in order to find at what data they closed. Here the Angel gives the date, in the next verse, as follows: "Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince, shall be 7 weeks and three score and two weeks, which are just 69 weeks."

This command to restore and build Jerusalem went forth under Artaxerxes Longimanus, (See Ezra chap. 7,) 457 years before the vulgar or common Christian era, which is the date of the commencement of both the 69 and 70 weeks. This must be universally admitted, as it is established by the best Chronologists. 69 weeks multiplied by 7, the days in one week, produce 483 days or years, as in prophetic accounts. 70 weeks multiplied by 7, as before, produce 490 days or years; then by subtracting 457, the time when the commandment went forth, from 490, gives the year of the Christian era, when the 70 weeks had expired, A.D. 33, being the date when the Most Holy was anointed at the day of Pentecost; so also by subtracting, in the same manner, the 457 from 483, we have the time when the 69 weeks had expired, which gives the year of the Christian era, A. D. 26, the year Jesus was baptized of John, and the Holy Ghost or Spirit, his Mother, descended and owned him as her Son, and this Holy Spirit abode upon him, which was the unction that constituted him the true Messiah. Thus we see that in A. D. 26, Jesus was constituted the Messiah by the holy unction which then abode upon him; this finished the 69 weeks, leaving him 1 week of the 70 weeks, or 7 years, "to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy" city, the foundation of which was laid by the Messiah, A. D. 33, at the day of Pentecost, which terminated the 70 weeks. Thus we see that the above predictions were precisely fulfilled at the times stated, which cannot be denied.

The next prophecy which I shall consider, is the verse following : "And after three score and two weeks, shall the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself, and the people of the Prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war, desolations are determined, and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate." In order to ascertain when the date of this period, the 62 weeks commences, it is proper to consider that the Messiah could not be cut off, until after he commenced his Messiahship, which was, as before shown, A. D. 26,

which, of course, must be the date when the 62 weeks commenced. 62 weeks multiplied by 7, as before, produced 434 days or years, and these added to 26, the date when Jesus was anointed, makes 460, the year the Messiah was cut off, or the abomination that maketh desolate set up.

In the year 457, Pope Leo the first, ascended the throne of the Emperor Marcianus, but as he was to make a covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week, was to cause the daily sacrifice to cease, and set up the abomination of desolation, this brings it to 460, the middle day (or year) of the week. It may be observed, that in the three years from the time he ascended the throne, viz., to 460, he had sufficient time to fix and establish his creeds and doctrines, and promulgate them through the Christian world.

Here it may be emphatically said that the Messiah was cut off, and the daily sacrifice and oblation ceased, and the abomination that maketh desolate, set up in the year 460.

The next prophecy to be introduced here, is found in Daniel xii: 11, "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be 1290 days," or years, which being added to 460, make 1750, the year that the desolation ceased, and the spirit of life and salvation was revived, and began to be established in that Society which was then known, and has ever since been styled by the appellation of Shakers, and although the days of desolation ended 3 years previous, A. D. 1747, as contained in another prophecy which will hereafter appear more fully, yet the Society in which the second appearing of Christ was about to be made manifest, was not so fully endowed with power to cast out the abomination of desolation, established by Leo, before alluded to, until the year 1750.

To illustrate this part of our subject more fully, I will recapitulate these dates.

The commandment went forth to restore and build Jerusalem under Artaxerxes, 457 years before the Christian era.

1st. In 70 weeks there are

From which subtract

Leaves A. D. 33, the year the church was anointed

at the day of Pentecost,

490

457

33 years.

This completes the 70 weeks.

In 69 weeks, there are days, or years,

483

From which subtract, as before

457

Which leaves A, D. 26, the year of the Christian era, when Jesus was anointed,

26

2d. The date of the commencement of this prophecy is A. D. 26 To which add 62 weeks, or 434 days or years,

434

Brings us to A. D. 460, the time of Pope Leo's reign,

460

3d. Add to this 1290 days, or years, of desolation,

1290

This brings us to A. D. 1750, as before illustrated.

1750

The spirit of anti-christ began to appear in the Apostles' days, but many years elapsed before it gained such ascendancy as to exclude the true witnesses of God from the sanctuary.

In the year 457, the Emperor Marcianus died, and Pope Leo the I. first came into full possession of his unlimited power. From this time he ruled both Church and State with unlimited sway. The power of his successors was established above that of all earthly Princes; and by their authority creeds were established to regulate the faith of the whole Christian world. The persecutions which followed to enforce obedience to their bloody religion evidently mark this gloomy period as the " days of desolation." The year 457 was the period in which commenced the unlimited reign of anti-christ. The closing period of this reign may be clearly ascertained by reckoning from the date of the vision of the Prophet Daniel. "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot. And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." The date of this vision is 553 years before Christ; and allowing 2300 prophetic days to signify so many years, we have the time from the date of the prophecy to the cleansing of the sanctuary. Take 553 years from 2300, we have 1747 for the year of the Christian era, when a death blow should be given to anti-christian power.

The duration of the reign of anti-christ is also given in another vision which confirms the preceding calculation. "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketha desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” These are with propriety called "days of desolation," and signify so many years. Add 1290 to 457, the time of their commencement under Leo the first, we have 1747 for the year in which the days of desolation were to end.

B. This is a fair calculation, and if I had the inclination, I have not the ability to confront what you have said. You, without doubt, mean to convey the idea or establish the position that these visions had reference to the first founders of the United Society to which you belong.

year

M. You are perfectly correct. They could apply to no other event. This will still appear more clear from another part of the same vision: "Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days;" these 1335 days added to 457, make 1792. In this the Millennial Church was established in its principles of order and government, in which it has continued to increase to the present day. In Rev. ii: 1, 2, 3, we have the following testimony: "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the Angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple, leave out and measure it not : for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three score days," clothed in sackcloth. The measuring the temple of God, without doubt, had reference to the period of time during which, the order and worship of the primitive church continued; that is, while they separated themselves from the course and friendship of the world. Such and such only can worship in the inner court. During the gloomy reign of antichrist, God had his witnesses; they were called two witnesses, because

they appeared in the order of male and female, and pointed in their testimony to the two great dispensations of the gospel under the first and second appearing of Christ. They were to prophecy 1260 years, cloathed in sackcloth. This period commenced in the year 457, when antichrist had attained his unlimited power. By connecting these numerical numbers, it will bring us to the eighteenth century, the time in which the witnesses were to prophecy, cloathed in sackcloth or mourning. Christianity, during the time of their prophecy, retained none of its original simplicity and power, otherwise it would have been a time of rejoicing instead of mourning. "In the year 1717, the rights of man or liberty of conscience began to be understood, and many illustrious writers fearlessly came forward in their defence. Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia, established liberty of conscience throughout his extensive empire. His edict, which he had been twenty years in completing, was dated January, 1721."

From this period the principles of civil and religious liberty continued to gain ground in other parts of Europe, and the civil governments were gradually divested of all power to take life on account of religious sentiments. The witnesses of truth enjoyed the free exercise of their religious faith; nor could the priesthood of the established churches prevent the declaration of their testimony to the people. The two witnesses were ardent in their expectations of the second coming of Christ, and often testified by the spirit of prophecy that it was near at hand. This was evidently preparatory to the ushering in of the latter day of glory. We are irresistibly led to draw the conclusion that the 42 months, in which the holy city was to have been trodden under foot by the Gentiles, expired about this period. The 1260 days as before noticed allude to the time in which the witnesses were to prophecy in sackcloth. They both commenced at the same time, but point out two different events. In 42 months there are 1278 days. The treading down the holy city commenced in 457, which added to 1278 make 1735. This brings us to the closing period of anti-christ's tyrannical reign. Liberty of conscience not only favored these witnesses, but it immediately preceded the establishment of uncorrupted truth. It should have been observed that these witnesses were slain by the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit; but this could not happen whilst they held their testimony. It is a fact established by ecclesiastical history that they attempted to establish churches; but in accomplishing this object they adopted many of the most erroneous principles of the Roman hierarchy, the consequence of which was, they lost the spirit of their testimony, were slain, and the enemies of truth rejoiced over them. But about 1735, "The spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them." They reappeared in the life and power of their testimony and rose above the "power of anti-christian tyranny and all its corrupt principles."

The cleansing of the sanctuary was, however, the work of time. Anti-christ held too many strong holds to be routed at once. He has contended for every inch of ground. There is nothing that more excites his alarm than the progress of spiritual knowledge. Darkness is his element, and he looks upon light and truth as his most formidable enemies. It is for this reason that a formal, lifeless priesthood have been uniformly opposed to free inquiry. This has been their character in every age of the world. Instead of leading the people to the waters of