1. From the time the commandment was given, 49 years were to witness the completion of the street and wall of Jerusalem. Dan. 9:25.

2. Threescore and two weeks from this time, or, in all, 69 weeks, 483 years, were to extend to Messiah the prince, or to the anointing of Christ by the Holy Spirit at his baptism, the word Messiah signifying anointed.
 

3. Sixty-nine and a half weeks were to extend to the crucifixion,--the cessation of sacrifice and oblation in the midst of the week. Verse 27.
 

4. The full period of 70 weeks was to witness the complete confirmation of the covenant with Daniel's people. At the termination of this period, the Jews having ceased to be God's chosen people, the gospel would be preached to the gentiles.
 

In the seventh of Ezra we find the decree which we seek. It was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, B.C. 457. In Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built "According to the commandment [margin, decree] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." the three kings did the one work; it was begun by Cyrus, carried forward by Darius, and completed by Artaxerxes. The scripture counts this action one decree. That the later decrees were a continuation or completion of that of Cyrus, see Ezra 6:1-14. Taking B.C. 457 as the date of the commandment, every specification of the prophecy concerning the 70 weeks is fulfilled. That the reader may see the reasonableness of Mr. Miller's position on the prophetic periods, we copy the following, which was published in the Advent Herald, Boston, in March, 1850, in answer to a correspondent:--
 

"It is by the canon of ptolemy that the great prophetical period of the seventy weeks is fixed. This canon places the seventh year of Artaxerxes in the year B.C. 457; and the accuracy of the canon is demonstrated by the concurrent agreement of more than twenty eclipses. The seventy weeks date from the going forth of a decree respecting the restoration of Jerusalem. There were no decrees between the seventh and twentieth years of Artaxerxes. Four hundred and ninety years, beginning with the seventh, must commence in B.C. 457, and end in A. D. 34. Commencing in the twentieth, they must commence in B.C. 444, and end in A. D. 47. As no event occurred in A. D. 47 to mark their termination, we cannot reckon from the twentieth; we must therefore look to the seventh of Artaxerxes. This date we cannot change from B.C. 457 without first demonstrating the inaccuracy of Ptolemy's Canon. To do this, it would be necessary to show that the large number of eclipses by which its accuracy has been repeatedly demonstrated, have not been correctly computed; and such a result would unsettle every chronological date, and leave the settlement of epochs and the adjustment of Eras entirely at the mercy of every dreamer, so that chronology would be of no more value than mere guess-work. As the seventy weeks must terminate in A. D. 34, unless the seventh of Artaxerxes is wrongly fixed, and as that cannot be changed without some evidence to that effect, we inquire, what evidence marked that termination? The time when the Apostles turned to the gentiles harmonizes with that date better than any other which has been named. And the crucifixion, in A. D. 31, in the midst of the last week, is sustained by a mass of testimony which cannot be easily invalidated."
 

As the 70 weeks and the 2300 days have a common starting-point, the calculation of Mr. Miller is verified at a glance by subtracting the 457 years B.C. from the 2300. Thus,

2300
457
____
1843 A. D.
 

But it requires 457 full years before Christ, and 1843 full years after Christ, to make the 2300. Now the decree of Artaxerxes did not go into effect at the beginning of the year 457 B.C., but in the autumn of that year; it follows that the 2300 days would not terminate in 1843, but would extend to the autumn of 1844. This is plainly seen by the following simple diagram:--
 

     457.                   2300.          End of 1843.
      |__________________________________________|

           |___________________________________________|

      Decree given.         2300.             Days end in 1844.
 

This fact not being at first perceived by Mr. Miller and his associates, they looked for the coming of Christ in 1843; hence the first disappointment and the seeming delay. It was the discovery of the correct time, in connection with other scripture testimony, that led to the movement known as the Midnight Cry of 1844. And to this day the computation of the prophetic periods placing the close of the 2300 days in the autumn of 1844, stands without impeachment.
 

Then the question arises, if Wm. Miller's calculation of time was correct, whence his disappointment? This was due to his mistake as to the event. The prophecy says, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed." Mr. Miller and his associates failed to understand the subject of the sanctuary and its cleansing. Here was the secret of their disappointment. For a brief explanation of this important point, showing what is the sanctuary, and how its cleansing--beginning at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844--fulfills the prophecy of Dan. 8:14, see Chapter xviii., entitled "The Sanctuary."

Another question then arises: "If he was mistaken in the event, was not his whole work an error?" that does not follow. The disciples of Christ were utterly mistaken when he rode into Jerusalem, and they hailed him as a king with tokens of victory. They thought he was then to be crowned a king on David's throne. But it was not an error in them to act according to their belief; in so doing they fulfilled the prophecy of Zech. 9:9, which they would not have done if they had realized that he was going to judgment and to death. But that scripture must be fulfilled, if it were necessary to make the stones cry out. Luke 19:37-40. In like manner it appears that Mr. Miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy, and gave a proclamation (see Rev. 14:6, 7) which they would not have given had they understood that yet other proclamations were to be made before the Lord should come. Rev. 14:8-14.
 

Note 2. Page 225.--That a wrong use is often made of the text (Matt. 24:36), is evident from the context. One question of the disciples was concerning the sign of Christ's coming and of the end of the world. This question Jesus answered. In verse 29 he gave signs, and said, "when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." verse 33. One saying of the saviour must not be made to destroy another. Though no man knoweth the day nor the hour, we are instructed and required (for it is in the imperative) to know when it is near, even at the doors. And we are further taught that it will be as fatal to us to disregard his warning, and refuse or neglect to know, as it was for those who lived in the days of noah not to know when the flood was coming. Verses 37-39. And Verses 44-51 show in what light Christ, when he comes, will regard and reward those whom he finds watching and teaching his coming, and those denying it. "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching." Luke 12:37.
 

Note 3. Page 228.--the story that the adventists made robes with which to ascend "to meet the Lord in the air," was invented by those who wished to reproach the cause. It was circulated so industriously that many believed it; but careful inquiry proved its falsity. For many years a large reward has been offered for proof that one such instance ever occurred; but the proof has not been produced. None who loved the appearing of the saviour were so ignorant of the teachings of the scriptures as to suppose that robes which they could make would be necessary for that occasion. The only robe which the saints will need to meet the Lord will be that of the righteousness of Christ. See Rev. 19:8.
 

Note 4. Page 241.-- The year 1843, during which Adventists at first expected the coming of Christ, was regarded as extending to the spring of 1844. The reason for this, briefly stated, is as follows: anciently the year did not commence in mid-winter, as now, but at the first new moon after the vernal equinox. Therefore, as the period of 2300 days was begun in a year reckoned by the ancient method, it was considered necessary to conform to that method to its close. Hence, 1843 was counted as ending in the spring, and not in the winter.