BATT
C.T.Russell: Studies in the Scriptures IV - Battle of Armageddon (till
1910, The Day of
Vengeance), 1897, 1904-20, 1923-5, 1927
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1776
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"And
this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and
tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the
saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown,
practically in 1776...” {BATT 584} [Also see 1799]
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The
Battle of Armageddon Series 4
The
Darkening of the Sun and Moon as Signs
"Immediately
after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers
of the heavens shall be shaken." Matt. 24:29; Mark
13:24, 25 The tribulation "of those days" should be
clearly
Distinguished from
the tribulation at the end of those days, in
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which this age and
harvest will close: but this is not so clearly manifest in the accounts by
Matthew and Mark as when we compare Luke's record--which seems to briefly summarize
the events of the Gospel age, and, omitting the "tribulation of those
days," refers only to the other tribulation with which the age will be
closed. He says: "And they [Jews] shall fall by the edge of the sword and be
led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs
in the sun and in
the moon and in the
stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear and for looking forward to
those things which are coming upon the earth." Luke 21:24-26
The fact is that the entire Gospel age has been a period of tribulation
referred to in Matt. 24:9-12, and now in verse 29. (1) The early
Church was persecuted by civil Rome, while later, when Papal Rome got control,
all who refused to approve her abominations were persecuted by her (Jezebel) directly,
or indirectly by the civil powers to which she was wedded (Ahab). And they were
given into her power, and she wore out the saints of the Most High for a time, times
and a half time--1260 years--until A.D. 1799. And this long persecution, in
which "many were purified and made white and tried," and in which the
Mother of Harlots was "drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs
of Jesus" (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown,
practically in 1776 and actually in 1799 when the Pope and his authority were
humiliated before the World.* Understanding
clearly, then, that it is signs that will follow
the tribulation "of those
days" that our Lord refers to, we inquire respecting the very
definitely described signs—the darkening of the sun and moon, and the
falling of the stars.
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*Vol. II, Chap. 9 and Vol. III, Chap. 4.
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1780
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"signs
in sun, moon and stars [of] Matthew 24:29" {WR Jan 1885 711}
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1780
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"Are
these signs to be regarded as literal or as symbolic? and have they yet been
fulfilled? We answer that they have had a literal fulfillment, and are now
having a symbolic fulfillment much more momentous. On May 19, 1780 (still 'in
those days,' the 1260 years of Papal power, but after that power had begun to
wane and the brunt of the tribulation had passed) a phenomenal darkening of
the sun occurred, for which scientists of that time and since have never been
able to account.. This unaccountable day, except as a sign from the Lord, is
reckoned to have extended over 320,000 square miles - an area about
twenty-five times the size of Palestine, to which the signs of the first
advent were limited. Indeed, the fact that
these signs were chiefly confined to the New England and Middle States need
not surprise us, when we remember that the first movement amongst the
'Virgins'* (Matt. 25:1-5) was chiefly in the same locality. And that God
should use the 'land of liberty' for sending the message of these signs to
the world, is no more wonderful than that he has been pleased to send from
the same quarter many of the modern blessings and inventions and lessons,
recognized by the whole world, and aptly emblemized by the gift of the great
French artist, Bartholdi, to New York harbor - the statue of 'Liberty
Enlightening the World.'" {BATT 585-8}
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Are these signs to be regarded as
literal or as symbolic? And have they yet been fulfilled? We answer that they
have had a literal fulfillment, and are now having a symbolic fulfillment much
more momentous. On May 19, 1780 (still "in those days," the 1260 years
of Papal power, but after that power had begun to wane and the brunt of the
tribulation had passed) a phenomenal
darkening of the sun occurred,
for which scientists of that time and since have never been able to account.
That this was no ordinary occurrence is sufficiently established by the following
competent testimony-- The noted astronomer Herschel, says: "The dark day
in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will
always be read of with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain."
Webster's Dictionary, 1869 edition, under the head of
Vocabulary of Noted Names, says: "The
dark day, May 19, 1780--so called on account of a
remarkable darkness on that day
extending over all New England. In some places, persons could not see to read
common print in the open air for several hours together. Birds sang their
evening songs, disappeared, and became silent; fowls went to roost; cattle
sought the barn-yard; and candles were lighted in the houses. The obscuration
began about ten o'clock in the morning, and continued till the middle of the
next night, but with differences of degree of duration in different
places." The Connecticut Legislature was in session that day and adjourned.
The Journal of the House notes the matter as follows: "A solemn
gloom of unusual darkness before ten o'clock--a still darker cloud rolling
under the sable curtain from the North and West before eleven o'clock—excluded the
light so that none could see to read or write in the House, even at either
window, or distinguish persons at a
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short distance, or perceive any
distinction of dress in the circle of attendants; wherefore, at eleven o'clock
adjourned the House till two in the afternoon." Friday, May 19, 1780. A
minister of that time, and an eye-witness, Rev. Elam Potter, preaching on the
28 inst., nine days after it, is reported to have used the following language: "But
specially I mention that wonderful darkness on the 19th of
May, inst. Then, as in our text, the sun was darkened; such a darkness as
was probably never known before since the crucifixion of our Lord. People left
their work in the
house and in the field; travelers
stopped; schools broke up at eleven o'clock; people lighted candles at
noon-day; and the fire shone as at night. Some people, I am told, were in dismay,
and thought whether the Day of Judgment was not drawing on. A great part of the
following night also was singularly dark. The moon, though in the full, gave
no light, as in our text." Tract No. 379, published by the American
Tract Society --The Life of Edward Lee, says: "In the month of May,
1780, there was a very terrific dark day when all faces seemed to gather
blackness, and the
people were filled with fear.
There was great distress in the village where Edward Lee lived; men's hearts
failed them for fear that the Judgment Day was at hand; and the neighbors all
flocked around the holy man, for his lamp was trimmed and shining brighter than
ever amidst the unnatural darkness. Happy and joyful in God, he pointed them to
the only refuge from the wrath to come, and spent the gloomy hours in earnest
prayer for the distressed multitudes." We quote as follows from Judge R.
M. Devins, in "Our First Century": "Almost, if not
altogether alone, as the most mysterious and as yet unexplained phenomena of
its kind in nature's diversified range of events during the last century,
stands the dark day of May 19, 1780; a most unaccountable darkening of the
whole visible heavens and atmosphere in New
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England, which brought intense
alarm and distress to multitudes of minds, as well as dismay to the brute
creation-- the fowls fleeing, bewildered, to their roosts, and the cattle to
their stalls. Indeed, thousands of the good people of that day became fully
convinced that the end of all things terrestrial had come, many gave up, for
the time, their secular pursuits, and betook themselves to religious devotions.
It was a wonderful dark day."Judge Samuel Tenney, LL.D., wrote of this
"dark day" to the Historical Society in 1785, saying: "Several
gentlemen of literary ability have endeavored to solve the phenomenon, yet I
believe you will agree with me, that no satisfactory solution has yet
appeared." Noah Webster, LL.D., wrote in 1843, in the New Haven
Herald, concerning
this dark day, and said, "I stood and viewed the phenomenon. No
satisfactory cause has yet been assigned." Rev. Edward Bass, D.D., First
Episcopal Bishop of Vermont,
in his diary for May 19, 1780,
wrote: "This day is the most remarkable in the memory of man for
darkness." The darkening of the moon at its full the night following seems
to have been little less remarkable than this darkening of the sun; a witness, Judge Tenney, of Exeter, N. H., is quoted as follows: "The
darkness of the following evening was probably as gross as has ever been
observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light. I could not help conceiving
at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable
darkness, or struck out of existence, the darkness could not have been more
complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eye was
equally invisible with the blackest velvet." This unaccountable day,
except as a sign from the Lord, is reckoned to have extended over 320,000
square miles—an area about twenty-five times the size of Palestine, to which the
signs of the first advent were limited. Indeed, the fact
D588
that these signs were chiefly
confined to the New England and Middle States need not surprise us, when we
remember that the first movement amongst the "Virgins"* (Matt.
25:1-5) was chiefly in the same locality. And that God should use the
"land of liberty" for sending the message of these signs to the
world, is no more wonderful than that he has been pleased to send from the same
quarter many of the modern blessings and inventions and lessons, recognized by
the whole world, and aptly
emblemized by the gift of the great French artist, Bartholdi, to New York
harbor—the statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1780_in_Great_Britain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Catholicism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Riots
You
judge for yourself in what C.T. Russell was referencing. This is a small
example without having to write another book, what was he drawing parallels to
and quoting in behalf of whom at that time. At what point did he make
predictions. After reading the book, you’ll find this champion you admire is
nothing more than a fraud as previously stated. Show me that list in a WTS
publican as implied. Anyone can cut snippets to have words mean what they want
until you see the real truth, TTBTT.
Watchtower Reprint January
1885 R711
Sub: THE SIGN OF HIS PRESENCE.
"What shall be the sign
[indication] of thy
presence, and of the consummation
of the age?"
Matt.
24:3.--Diaglott.
This filler has no correlation to Matthew 24:29, SO
FALSE!!!!!!!!!!!!
