A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHESY

THE “SHUT DOOR” AND THE “OPEN DOOR” IN THE SPECIAL EFFORTS WHICH WERE MADE TO PROCLAIM THE ADVENT MESSAGE IN THE SUMMER OF 1844, THE LEADERS IN THE MOVEMENT HAD SEEN THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS RECORDED IN MATTHEW 25. THERE HAD BEEN A “TARRYING TIME” FOLLOWED BY THE CRY, “BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH; GO YE OUT TO MEET HIM.” THIS WAS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS “THE MIDNIGHT CRY.” IN HER FIRST VISION, THIS WAS SHOWN TO MRS. WHITE AS A BRIGHT LIGHT SET UP BEHIND THE ADVENTISTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PATH. IN THE PARABLE, THEY READ THAT THOSE WHO WERE Early Writings Of Ellen G. White 13 READY WENT IN WITH THE BRIDEGROOM TO THE MARRIAGE, “AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT.” (SEE MATTHEW 25:10.) THEY THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT ON OCTOBER 22, 1844, THE DOOR OF MERCY WAS CLOSED TO THOSE WHO FAILED TO ACCEPT THE MESSAGE WHICH HAD BEEN SO WIDELY PROCLAIMED. SOME YEARS LATER ELLEN WHITE WROTE OF THIS: “AFTER THE PASSING OF THE TIME WHEN THE SAVIOUR WAS EXPECTED, THEY [THE ADVENT BELIEVERS] STILL BELIEVED HIS COMING TO BE NEAR; THEY HELD THAT THEY HAD REACHED AN IMPORTANT CRISIS, AND THAT THE WORK OF CHRIST AS MAN’S INTERCESSOR BEFORE GOD, HAD CEASED. IT APPEARED TO THEM TO BE TAUGHT IN THE BIBLE, THAT MAN’S PROBATION WOULD CLOSE A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE ACTUAL COMING OF THE LORD IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN. THIS SEEMED EVIDENT FROM THOSE SCRIPTURES WHICH POINT TO A TIME WHEN MEN WILL SEEK, KNOCK, AND CRY AT THE DOOR OF MERCY, AND IT WILL NOT BE OPENED.