The Currency of 1888

I have a couple of thoughts on the 1888 message that I want to share with the forum. The first is that I've been listening to the sermon series by A. T. Jones given at the 1895 General Conference called The Third Angel's Message. The first several lectures contain accounts of the religious and political movements at that time that were creating an image to the beast. It impressed me that these accounts are timely and instructive for us today because before long we are going to see a repeat of the same history. Jones encouraged and instructed the church on how to respond. He also made a close application to the church of what it means to come out of Babylon showing that this separation is essentially spiritual separation from the world and he expressed his concern that many Sabbath keepers did not see the necessity of making this spiritual break with the world, with sin.

A few weeks ago on Advindicate there was a good article on the 1888 message but it was presented with the same perspective that most conservative writers treat it – ie., that there is a deep but hidden meaning in the message that we have never understood or experienced. Below the article in the comments section I state that the message itself is easily understood. The problem is that it has never been experienced on a large scale individually and never corporately. Too many of us – by far the majority – cling to sin. We love it. And besides our love for sin, spiritual laziness is the other major factor. We don't exert ourselves as we ought to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We lack ardent fervor and devotion to the Lord.

But as I continued listening to Jones the painful truth came home to me personally when Jones went on to say that character is a gift. I had been saying “Amen!” to this “most precious” message but when he said THAT it was a bit hard for me to swallow. I thought, aren't my patience, kindness, forbearance etc, that I've nurtured and cultivated all these years with blood, sweat and tears - can't I take an ounce of credit for them. Jone's answer: “No sir!” The robe, woven in the loom of heaven, doesn't have a thread of human devising or merit in it. Then the light went on. I'm spiritually proud; foolishly proud. I turned to Revelation 5 and saw the redeemed casting their crowns of victory at the foot of the Lamb and said “Yes! it is true!” ALL victory and deliverance from the enslavement of sin is Divine. There's not an ounce of human merit in my redemption. Now, I've know that in theory for years, but it came home to me personally and it made me glad and relieved.

Now I want to share something that I never notice before about 1888 and that as far as I know, no-one else has noticed. We know that the Investigative Judgment began on the Day of Atonement on October 22, 1844. In 1888 the Day of Atonement was October 16* which was the day before the first day of the Minneapolis General Conference and the final day of the Ministerial Institute. This Institute which lasted 7 days immediately preceded the General Conference and it was intended to be a time of study, instruction and unity building for the General Conference itself. That this exact alignment of the 1888 General Conference with the Day of Atonement was more than a coincidence, that God was in earnest with His church was confirmed in a number of ways but I want to focus on one little known fact here.

In a vision given just weeks before, in the summer of 1888, Ellen White was shown that the time had come for the measurement of the church. She recounted:



At the Minneapolis Conference itself a few weeks later she would make the application:


Ellen White spoke of “measuring the temple of God, and those who worship therein.” She used terminology from Revelation 11 and Ezekiel 40-48, as well as the very words spoken to her in the dream she had had a few weeks earlier. Not only were individuals being measured, the Church was corporately being measured. We must ask ourselves what is the significance of that to us, to me, today?

Just this: That the experience of 1888 will be repeated in us individually and in the church. But this next time when it is repeated, so far as the corporate measurement is concerned, God may not relent in the measurement process either in His justice or in His mercy. However that may be we can take comfort in the fact that the corporate gifts and promises of God are irrevocable for the church. He will be with the church to the very end.

But again, we also need to brace ourselves for the eventuality that the time will indeed come, and it could well be sooner than we think, when the ax is laid at the root and everything that can be shaken will be. We know that this shaking is underway now and has been for some time. But I have a premonition, based on Scripture which I can't go into here, that we could see this shaking under divine providence rise to a new level corporately as early as the end of this week and if not then in the brief weeks and months ahead. I put it this way to a friend of mine:




*The modern Jews are not always correct in their calculation of the feast days. For example, we know that in 1844 they were off by one month. The same is true of 1888: In that year the Jews put the Day of Atonement at September 16. It actually occurred on October 16.

**This year, 2015, the Jews are accurate and correct in their selection of the starting day for the biblical new year, March 21. This year I believe could mark the start of the end-time scenario that Adventists have long known is coming. Keep looking up friends, our redemption draws nigh.

Well, sorry to say my brother but SOP disagrees with this understanding that "you" have nothing to do with being upright and taking care of the business of overcoming. Here it is--

"Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement."(Testimonies, vol.5, p.214)

Now we should understand this to mean that "we" have great responsibility to overcome, but, we must also realize that our own human weakness must call upon the greater power (The Holy Spirit of God) to help us in this overcoming.

There is a fine balance here. kind of like a handshake, a 50/50 proposition. We decide to stop sinning, to turn from a bad habit and ask the Lord for help and power to stay the course and we get it, as long as we believe it and trust it. So in reality a beautiful co-partnership occurs.

I agree fully that we have a part! But we can't take any of the credit. All our works are wrought of God.



Praise the Lord for this.

Also, repentance is a gift. The desire to stop sinning comes from God, the power to do it come from him, everyting comes from him. Our part is to yield and believe. And even here we have to be careful to understand that there is no merit in our faith. The merit is all from above: We exercise faith in HIS merit.

The fruit of abiding in Jesus is the fruit of the Spirit - "pure and holy and undefiled". Nevertheless, it requires the atoning blood and righteousness of Jesus to ascend to the Father acceptable and pleasing. His merit makes it meritorious.

Mark- I agree fully that we have a part! But we can't take any of the credit. All our works are wrought of God.

Oh yes, that is a for sure.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (EPH. 2:8-9)

Out Lord's wisdom surely warns us of a self confidence in "our works". But nevertheless, as EGW said--"it is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement."

By the way, in my second post where I say the Lord may shake things at a new level starting March 21, this is the beginning of His letting go of the winds pictured in Rev 7. We'll know in a few days if my understanding is right. The thing to watch for as the first sign is a shaking, possibly spiritual but likely literal as well - a widespread seismic event.

So sometimes they are correct and sometimes they are not. How do you know, what are you comparing to? I've seen some say it's March 22 this year. Why is it March and not April? What is the basis for comparison and verification?

In 1844, Adventists relied on the reckoning of the Karaite Jews, a small sect that used the ripeness of the barley to determine the start of the new year. The Karaites put the Day of Atonement at October 22 while the main body of the Jews put it at September 23. The pioneers rejected the modern Jewish reckoning because they were not comfortable with the modern Jew's rules of interpretation of scripture. They felt the Karaites had a better understanding.

I've found though that while the date is good, the ancient secular (the DSS, and ancient historians) and inspired sources use the spring equinox to mark the new year. We'd expect that any scriptural rule for starting the new year would agree with the dates that the Holy Spirit has confirm - a 31 AD Passover, Oct 22, 1844. Using this rule - the first visible new moon* immediately after the spring equinox - does that.

There is no direct statement in scripture that gives this rule. But the rule is inferred. It is consistent with the text and harmonizes with the scripture's calendrical data and statements. And it agrees with other ancient sources. This Sabbath, March 21 will be a good test to see if my understanding is correct.

*By visible new moon I mean calculated visible new moon. Anciently and by inspiration the visible new moons were calculated because the skies aren't always clear.

Kland, regarding March 22 I think you could be right because even under ideal conditions the new moon cannot be visible on the evening of the 20th which is the start of the 21st but will visible by the evening of the 21st which is the start of the 22nd. Thank you for pointing that out. So, the 22nd along with the 21st are both candidates for the start of the month and new year. When I'm able, I'll try to narrow it down.

I haven't reviewed my sources for lack of time so I'm going from memory but I'll just share this thought on which day is more likely - the 21st or 22nd. I still opt for the 21st because 1) it results in the 14th being closer to the full moon and 2) because calculating the new moon is based on the conjunction. The new moon is calculated like the new year but rather than using the equinox, the marker is the conjunction and the rule is the new moon is the first full day after the conjunction.

Not sure you can say that. What happens when conjuction occurs a few minutes before sunset? What happens when it occurs a few minutes after sunset? Quite a large difference there. And where at on the globe?

Regarding the equinox, the commentary doesn't say anything about determining the new year by the equinox. Is it wrong? If so, is it wrong on it's main premise of unskilled, untechnical people being able to determine the new year based upon Barley harvest? What about pre-exilic and post-exilic calendars? Which is wrong and correct? How does that answer affect what you are sayng today?

For there exists some place in time and location where the new moon can be seen just before the equinox and a few miles away it cannot be seen. The commentary talks about Jerusalem versus Egypt problems.

How does one determine the equinox, especially slaves that have strayed for many years? The only way I know is with a compass provided I'm not at a location where the magnetic north is a little skewed, if there is any place where it is not.

I'd be interested in knowing where in inspiration it says the visible new moons were calculated.