1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

private. In his early youth he dreamed ofsleeping in an attic. Suddenly he awoke to seethe morning sun, just emerged over the hill-top,blazing directly in his face. He Jumped to hisfeet with a start, thinking that it must be late. Indoing so he stumbled over several forms stillasleep. He was about to reproach himself for thusrudely awakening them, when he discovered thatnot one of the sleepers had been disturbed.The application is evident. "The light shineth indarkness, and the darkness comprehendeth itnot." Pastor Russell was awakened by the risingof the Sun of the New Day. He tried to wakenothers, and succeeded with "just one here, onethere;" but the great mass are still asleep.However, the Dawn comes on apace. Now forWilliam Miller's dream:"I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, hadsent me a curiously wrought casket, about teninches long by six square, made of ebony andpearls curiously inlaid. To the casket there was akey attached. I immediately took the key andopened the casket, when, to my wonder andsurprise, I found it filled with all sorts and sizesof jewels— diamonds, precious stones— andgold and silver coin of every dimension andvalue, beautifully arranged in their several placesin the casket; and thus arranged, they reflected alight and glory equaled only by the sun. [Thesejewels are the beautiful truths which the opencasket unfolded to his sight.] I thought it was myduty not to enjoy this wonderful sight alone,although my heart was overjoyed at thebrilliancy, beauty and value of its contents. Itherefore placed it on a center-table in my room,and gave out the word that all who had a desiremight come and see the most glorious andbrilliant sight ever seen by man in this life. Thepeople began to come in, they first few innumber, but increasing to a crowd. When theyfirst looked into the casket, they would wonderand shout for joy. But when the spectatorsincreased, every one would begin to trouble thejewels, taking them out of the casket andscattering them on the table.