obscured　by　the　black；　heavy　mist。　〃After　sundown；　the　clouds　came　again
  overhead；　and
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  it　grew　dark　very　fast。〃　〃Nor　was　the　darkness　of　the　night　less　uncommon
  and　terrifying　than　that　of　the　day；　notwithstanding　there　was　almost　a　full
  moon；　no　object　was　discernible　but　by　the　help　of　some　artificial　light；
  which；　when　seen　from　the　neighboring　houses　and　other　places　at　a　distance；
  appeared　through　a　kind　of　Egyptian　darkness　which　seemed　almost　impervious
  to　the　rays。〃Isaiah　Thomas；　Massachusetts　Spy；　or；　American　Oracle　of
  Liberty；　vol。　10；　No。　472　（May　25；　1780）。　Said　an　eyewitness　of　the　scene：
  〃I　could　not　help　conceiving　at　the　time；　that　if　every　luminous　body　in　the
  universe　had　been　shrouded　in　impenetrable　shades；　or　struck　out　of
  existence；　the　darkness　could　not　have　been　more　complete。〃Letter　by　Dr。
  Samuel　Tenney；　of　Exeter；　New　Hampshire；　December；　1785　（in　Massachusetts
  Historical　Society　Collections；　1792；　1st　series；　vol。　1；　p。　97）。　Though　at
  nine　o'clock　that　night　the　moon　rose　to　the　full；　〃it　had　not　the　least
  effect　to　dispel　the　deathlike　shadows。〃　After　midnight　the　darkness
  disappeared；　and　the　moon；　when　first　visible；　had　the　appearance　of　blood。
  May　19；　1780；　stands　in　history　as　〃The　Dark　Day。〃　Since　the　time　of　Moses
  no　period　of　darkness　of　equal　density；　extent；　and　duration；　has　ever　been
  recorded。　The　description　of　this　event；　as　given　by　eyewitnesses；　is　but　an
  echo　of　the　words　of　the　Lord；　recorded　by　the　prophet　Joel；　twenty…five
  hundred　years　previous　to　their　fulfillment：　〃The　sun　shall　be　turned　into
  darkness；　and　the　moon　into　blood；　before　the　great　and　terrible　day　of　the
  Lord　come。〃　Joel　2：31。
  Christ　had　bidden　His　people　watch　for　the　signs　of　His　advent　and　rejoice
  as　they　should　behold　the　tokens　of　their　coming　King。　〃When　these　things
  begin　to　come　to　pass；〃　He　said；　〃then　look　up；　and　lift　up　your　heads；　for
  your　redemption　draweth　nigh。〃　He　pointed　His　followers　to　the　budding　trees
  of　spring；　and　said：　〃When　they　now　shoot　forth；　ye　see　and　know　of　your　own
  selves　that　summer　is　now　nigh　at　hand。　So　likewise　ye；　when　ye　see　these
  things
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  come　to　pass；　know　ye　that　the　kingdom　of　God　is　nigh　at　hand。〃　Luke　21：28；
  30；　31。
  But　as　the　spirit　of　humility　and　devotion　in　the　church　had　given　place　to
  pride　and　formalism；　love　for　Christ　and　faith　in　His　coming　had　grown　cold。
  Absorbed　in　worldliness　and　pleasure　seeking；　the　professed　people　of　God
  were　blinded　to　the　Saviour's　instructions　concerning　the　signs　of　His
  appearing。　The　doctrine　of　the　second　advent　had　been　neglected；　the
  scriptures　relating　to　it　were　obscured　by　misinterpretation；　until　it　was；
  to　a　great　extent；　ignored　and　forgotten。　Especially　was　this　the　case　in
  the　churches　of　America。　The　freedom　and　comfort　enjoyed　by　all　classes　of
  society；　the　ambitious　desire　for　wealth　and　luxury；　begetting　an　absorbing
  devotion　to　money…making；　the　eager　rush　for　popularity　and　power；　which
  seemed　to　be　within　the　reach　of　all；　led　men　to　center　their　interests　and
  hopes　on　the　things　of　this　life；　and　to　put　far　in　the　future　that　solemn
  day　when　the　present　order　of　things　should　pass　away。
  When　the　Saviour　pointed　out　to　His　followers　the　signs　of　His　return；　He
  foretold　the　state　of　backsliding　that　would　exist　just　prior　to　His　second
  advent。　There　would　be；　as　in　the　days　of　Noah；　the　activity　and　stir　of
  worldly　business　and　pleasure　seekingbuying；　selling；　planting；　building；
  marrying；　and　giving　in　marriagewith　forgetfulness　of　God　and　the　future
  life。　For　those　living　at　this　time；　Christ's　admonition　is：　〃Take　heed　to
  yourselves；　lest　at　any　time　your　hearts　be　overcharged　with　surfeiting；　and
  drunkenness；　and　cares　of　this　life；　and　so　that　day　come　upon　you
  unawares。〃　〃Watch　ye　therefore；　and　pray　always；　that　ye　may　be　accounted
  worthy　to　escape　all　these　things　that　shall　come　to　pass；　and　to　stand
  before　the　Son　of　man。〃　Luke　21：34；　36。
  The　condition　of　the　church　at　this　time　is　pointed　out　in　the　Saviour's
  words　in　the　Revelation：　〃Thou　hast　a　name
  310
  that　thou　livest；　and　art　dead。〃　And　to　those　who　refuse　to　arouse　from
  their　careless　security；　the　solemn　warning　is　addressed：　〃If　therefore　thou
  shalt　not　watch；　I　will　come　on　thee　as　a　thief；　and　thou　shalt　not　know
  what　hour　I　will　come　upon　thee。〃　Revelation　3：1；　3。
  It　was　needful　that　men　should　be　awakened　to　their　danger；　that　they　should
  be　roused　to　prepare　for　the　solemn　events　connected　with　the　close　of
  probation。　The　prophet　of　God　declares：　〃The　day　of　the　Lord　is　great　and
  very　terrible；　and　who　can　abide　it？〃　Who　shall　stand　when　He　appeareth　who
  is　〃of　purer　eyes　than　to　behold　evil；〃　and　cannot　〃look　on　iniquity〃？　Joel
  2：11；　Habakkuk　1：13。　To　them　that　cry；　〃My　God；　we　know　Thee；〃　yet　have
  transgressed　His　covenant；　and　hastened　after　another　god；　hiding　iniquity
  in　their　hearts；　and　loving　the　paths　of　unrighteousness　to　these　the　day
  of　the　Lord　is　〃darkness；　and　not　light；　even　very　dark；　and　no　brightness
  in　it。〃　Hosea　8：2；　1；　Psalm　16；4；　Amos　5：20。　〃It　shall　come　to　pass　at　that
  time；〃　saith　the　Lord；　〃that　I　will　search　Jerusalem　with　candles；　and
  punish　the　men　that　are　settled　on　their　lees：　that　say　in　their　heart；　The
  Lord　will　not　do　good；　neither　will　He　do　evil。〃　Zephaniah　1：12。　〃I　will
  punish　the　world　for　their　evil；　and　the　wicked　for　their　iniquity；　and　I
  will　cause　the　arrogancy　of　the　proud　to　cease；　and　will　lay　low　the
  haughtiness　of　the　terrible。〃　Isaiah　13：11。　〃Neither　their　silver　nor　their
  gold　shall　be　able　to　deliver　them；〃　〃their　goods　shall　become　a　booty；　and
  their　houses　a　desolation。〃　Zephaniah　1：18；　13。
  The　prophet　Jeremiah；　looking　forward　to　this　fearful　time；　exclaimed：　〃I　am
  pained　at　my　very　heart。　。　。　。　I　cannot　hold　my　peace；　because　thou　hast
  heard；　O　my　soul；　the　sound　of　the　trumpet；　the　alarm　of　war。　Destruction
  upon　destruction　is　cried。〃　Jeremiah　4：19；　20。
  〃That　day　is　a　day　of　wrath；　a　day　of　trouble　and　distress；　a　day　of
  wasteness　and　desolation；　a　day　of　darkness　and　gloominess；　a　day　of　clouds
  and　thick　darkness；　a　day　of　the　trumpet　and　alarm。〃　Zephaniah　1：15；　16。
  〃Behold；　the　day
  311
  of　the　Lord　cometh；　。　。　。　to　lay　the　land　desolate：　and　He　shall　destroy　the
  sinners　thereof　out　of　it。〃　Isaiah　13：9。
  In　view　of　that　great　day　the　word　of　God；　in　the　most　solemn　and　impressive
  language；　calls　upon　His　people　to　arouse　from　their　spiritual　lethargy　and
  to　seek　His　face　with　repentance　and　humiliation：　〃Blow　ye　the　trumpet　in
  Zion；　and　sound　an　alarm　in　My　holy　mountain：　let　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
  land　tremble：　for　the　day　of　the　Lord　cometh；　for　it　is　nigh　at　hand。〃
  〃Sanctify　a　fast；　call　a　solemn　assembly：　gather　the　people；　sanctify　the
  congregation；　assemble　the　elders；　gather　the　children：　。　。　。　let　the
  bridegroom　go　forth　of　his　chamber；　and　the　bride　out　of　her　closet。　Let　the
  priests；　the　ministers　of　the　Lord；　weep　between　the　porch　and　the　altar。〃
  〃Turn　ye　even　to　Me　with　all　your　heart；　and　with　fasting；　and　with　weeping；
  and　with　mourning：　and　rend　your　heart；　and　not　your　garments；　and　turn　unto
  the　Lord　your　God：　for　He　is　gracious　and　merciful；　slow　to　anger；　and　of
  great　kindness。〃　Joel　2：1；
  15…17；　12；　13。
  To　prepare　a　people　to　stand　in　the　day　of　God；　a　great　work　of　reform　was
  to　be　accomplished。　God　saw　that　many　of　His　professed　people　were　not
  building　for　eternity；　and　in　His　mercy　He　was　about　to　send　a　message　of
  warning　to　arouse　them　from　their　stupor　and　lead　them　to　make　ready　for　the
  coming　of　the　Lord。
  This　warning　is　brought　to　view　in　Revelation　14。　Here　is　a　threefold
  message　represented　as　proclaimed　by　heavenly　beings　and　immediately
  followed　by　the　coming　of　the　Son　of　man　to　reap　〃the　harvest　of　the　earth。〃
  The　first　of　these　warnings　announces　the　approaching　judgment。　The　prophet
  beheld　an　angel　flying　〃in　the　midst　of　heaven；　having　the　everlasting
  gospel　to　preach　unto　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth；　and　to　every　nation；　and
  kindred；　and　tongue；　and　people；　saying　with　a　loud　voice；　Fear　God；　and
  give　glory　to　Him；　for　the　hour　of　His　judgment　is　come：　and　worship　Him
  that　made　heaven；　and　earth；　and　the　sea；　and　the　fountains　of　waters。〃
  Revelation　14：6；　7。
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  This　message　is　declared　to　be　a　part　of　〃the　everlasting　gospel。〃　The　work
  of　preaching　the　gospel　has　not　been　committed　to　angels；　but　has　been
  entrusted　to　men。　Holy　angels　have　been　employed　in　directing　this　work；
  they　have　in　charge　the　great　movements　for　the　salvation　of　men；　but　the
  actual　proclamation　of　the　gospel　is　performed　by　the　servants　of　Christ
  upon　the　earth。
  Faithful　men；　who　were　obedient　to　the　promptings　of　God's　Spirit　and　the
  teachings　of　His　word；　were　to　proclaim　this　warning　to　the　world。　They　were
  those　who　had　taken　heed　to　the　〃sure　word　of　prophecy；〃　the　〃light　that
  shineth　in　a　dark　place；　until　the　day　dawn；　and　the　daystar　arise。〃
  2　Peter　1：19。　They　had　been　seeking　the　knowledge　of　God
  more　than　all　hid　treasures；　counting　it　〃be