"Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." REV. : 12. VOLUME 1. OAKLAND , CAL. , FIFTH-DAY , JANUARY 14, 1875. NUMBER 13. manner, does point to the period of that tion of the candid reader to a brief explana- this means he drew many of that un- Zkr „flgno of th Zhueo great event, and if there is evidence that " it tion of the entire chapter. happy people after him. In some sense, IS ISSUED WEEKLY AT is near, even at the doors," the subject at once Verse 1. "And Jesus went out, and de- therefore, he may be considered in the num- assumes vast importance. parted from the temple; and his disciples ber of false Messiahs. OAKLAND, : . : CALIFORNIA, came to hinr for to show him the buildings of 6. About the year 721, in the time of EY THE When the disciples inquire, "What shall the temple." Jesus had been addressing the Leo Isaurus, arose another false Messiah in Cal. Conference of' S. D. Adventists. be the sign of thy coining, and of the end of the world ?" . Jesus does not reprove them multitude, in the presence of his disciples. Spain; his name was Serenus. He drew for inquiring into that which was purposely He had reproved the scribes and Pharisees for great numbers after him, to their no small LI. TERMS : TWO DOLLARS a year to those loss and disappointment, but all his preten- who choose to pay a subscription price, and FREE to all hidden from all men; but he answers that their sins, and had declared the doom of the others as far as the paper is sustained by the donations Jews, their city, and their temple. Chap. 23. sions came to nothing. of the liberal friends'of the cause. question in the most definite manner. He even states that there should be signs of that The disciples supposed that the temple would 7. The twelfth century was fruitful in Address SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. event in the sun, in the moon, and in the stand forever. And they called the attention false Messiahs ; for ace the year 1137, stars ; and adds, " When ye shall see all these of Christ to its magnificence and strength, as there appeared one in France, who was put What Pleases God. things, know thatitis near, even at the doors.';' if to convince him that he was mistaken. to death, and many of those who followed The simple fact that the Lord mentions signs Verse 2. " And Jesus said unto them, him. WHAT God decrees, child of his love, of his second advent, is the best proof possible See ye not all these things ? Verily I say 8. In the year 1138, the Persians were Take patiently, though it may prove unto you, There shall not. be left here one disturbed with a Jew who called himself the The storm that wrecks thy treasure here. that his people were not to remain ignorant of the relative nearness of the event. Add stone upon another, that shall not be thrown Messiah. He collected together a vast army. Be comforted 1 thou needst not fear But he, too, was put to death, and his fol- What pleases God. to this evidence his declaration that when down." This statement from the Master these signs should be seen, his people should could but deeply interest the disciples. And lowers treated with great inhumanity. The wisest will is God's own will ; whether they supposed that the destruction 9. In the year 1157, a false Messiah stirred Rest on this anchor, and be still ; know that it was near, even at the doors, and the case becomes an exceedingly strong one. of the temple, the coming of Christ and the up the Jews at Corduba, in Spain. The wiser For peace around thy path shall flow, and better sort looked upon him as a madman, No truth of inspiration can be more clearly end of the age, would all occur at the same When only wishing here below but the great body of the Jews in that What pleases God. stated than that God reveals his designs to time, or at different periods, it matters not; since Christ in his answer in this chapter, nation believed in him. On this occasion The truest heart is God's own heart, his prophets, that men and nations may be almost all the Jews in Spain were destroyed. warned before.their. accomplishment. "Surely has distinctly spoken of each separately, and Which bids thy grief and fear depart; 10. In the year 1167, another false Messiah the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth has given each its place in the prophetic his- Protecting, guiding, day and night, tory of events. arose in the kingdom of Fez, which brought .The soul that welcomes here aright his secret unto his servants the prophets." great troubles and persecutions upon the What pleases God. Verse 3. " And as he sat upon the mount Amos 3: 7. Before visiting with judgments, Jews that were scattered throughout that God has uniformly sent forth warnings suffi- of Olives, the disciples came unto him pri- Oh, could I sing as I desire, country. cient to enable the believing to escape his vately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things My grateful voice should never tire, be ? and what shall be the sign of thy 11. In. the same year an Arabian set up To tell the wondrous love and power wrath, and to condemn those who have not for the Messiah and pretended to work Thus working out, from hour to hour, heeded the warning. This was the case be- coming, and of the end of the world ?" miracles. When search was made for him, What pleases God. fore the flood. " By faith Noah, being These questions relate, first, to the destruc- his followers fled. warned 'of God of things not seen as yet, tion of Jerusalem ; and, second, to Christ's The Ring of kings, he rules on earth, 12. Not long after this, a Jew, who moved with fear, prepared an ark for the second coming at the end of the Christian He sends us sorrow here, or mirth, age. They were distinctly answered by our dwelt beyond Euphrates, called himself the He bears the ocean in his hand ; saving of his house, by the which he con- Lord, not, however, before the promiscuous Messiah, and drew vast multitudes of people And thus we meet, on sea or land, demned the world." Heb. 11 :7. What pleases God. multitude ; but on the occasion of a private after him. At a later period, when the nations had interview with his disciples. Christ here 13. In the year 1174, a magician and His church on earth he dearly loves, become sunken in idolatry and crime, and speaks to his disciples ; hence his words are false Christ arose in Persia, who was called Although he oft its sin reproves ; the destruction of wicked Sodom was deter- addressed to the church ever after. Mark David Almusser. He pretended that he The rod itself his love can speak, mined, the Lord said, " Shall I hide , from the caution given by our Lord as he com- could make himself invisible ; but he was He smites till we return to seek Abraham that thing which I do, seeing that soon taken and put to death, and a heavy fine What pleases God. mences to answer these questions. Abraham shall surely become a great and Verses 4, 5. "And Jesus answered and laid upon his brethren the Jews. Then let the crowd around thee seize mighty nation, and all the nations of the said unto them, Take heed that no man de- 14. In the year 1176, another of these The joys that for a season please, earth shall be blessed in him ?" Gen. 18 : ceive you. For • many shall come in my impostors arose in Moravia. But the reign But willingly their paths forsake, 17, 18. And due notice was given to • right- name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive of delusion is short, and his fate appears to And for thy blessed portion take eous Lot, who, with his daughters, was pre- have been similar to that of his predecessor. What pleases God. many." Jesus knew the heart of man, and served; and none, even in that guilty city, that many impostors would arise, and deceive 15. In the year 1199, a famous cheat and Thy heritage is safe in Heaven ; perished without due warning. Lot evident- multitudes. He here warns his disciples, rebel appeared in Persia, called David el There shall the crown of joy be given ; ly warned the people; and, in thus commun- and guards them against the deceptions of David. He was a man of learning, a great There shalt thou hear and see and know, ing with them, was " vexed with the filthy corrupt and ambitious men. Such was the magician, and pretended to be the Messiah. As thou couldst never here below, conversation of the wicked." 2 Pet. 2 : 7, 8. general expectation of the appearance of the He raised an army against:the king, but was What pleases God. When he warned his sons-in-law, "he seemed taken and imprisoned. —Gerhardt. Messiah among the Jews, that many would as one that mocked.", Gen. 19 : 14. And set up the claim that they were the Christ, to 16. We are told of another false Christ when " the men of the city, even the men of carry out selfish purposes.