RESPONSE #1 (From the debate, which was "bleeped on the forum"

These quotes were given to show the pioneers did NOT believe the three angel's messages ran ONLY SEQUENTIAL, NEVER PARALLEL and that the first two expired in 1844 while the third has expired in more recent years. It also shows they did indeed, link Daniel 8:14 to the first angel's message in Rev. 14, and to the investigative judgment.

The passages are from John N. Andrews book: "Three Messages of Revelation 14"

Andrews clearly identifies the 1st angel's message as the "proclamation of the hour of God's Judgment come," page 15

He acknowledges the fact that Christ did not come in 1844:

"Those disappointed, expected the Lord in 1843 and 44. This fact is with many a sufficient reason for rejecting all the testimony in this case. We acknowledge the disappointment, but cannot acknowledge that this furnishes a just reason for denying the hand of God in this work....Disappointment does not prove that God has no hand in the guidance of his people. It should lead them to correct their errors, but it should not lead them to cast away their confidence in God..." p. 32-33

 So yes, Andrews acknowledges the fact that Christ did not come as expected, BUT he does not say the message was wrong, he confirms only that they did not understand the message. He then explains that the first angel's announcement of the judgment could not mean the end of the world,

"The angel who proclaims the hour of God's Judgment does not give the latest message of mercy. Revelation 14 presents two other and later proclamations, before the close of probation. This fact alone is sufficient to prove that the coming of the Lord does not take place until the second and third proclamations HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE FIRST."p. 34

Here we see the messages introduced one at a time, BUT BEING ADDED TOGETHER, and then Andrews clearly links Daniel 8:14, the first angel's message and the investigative judgment together in the fulfilment of the 1st angel.

The judgement does, of necessity, commence before the advent of Christ; for he comes to executed the Judgment...The investigative judgment does, therefore, precede the execution of the same by the Savior It is the province of the Father to preside in this investigative work, as set forth in Dan. 7. At this tribunal, the Son closes up his work as high priest, and is crowned king. Thence he come to earth to execute the decisions of his Father. It is this work of judgment by the Father which the first angel introduces. The great period of 2300 days,, which was the most important period in marking the definite time extends to the cleansing of the Sanctuary. That the cleansing of the Sanctuary is not the cleansing of any part of the earth, but the last work of our great High Priest in the heavenly Tabernacle before his advent to the earth has been clearly shown.. p. 34-35

Now let's skip over to page 71 and 72 and see how Andrews ties in the angel of Revelation 18.

Andrews identifies three parts of Babylon. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Church and apostate Protestantism. "No church has a right to consider itself apostolic while it violates the commandments of God. So long as a church does this, the satin of apostasy is upon her and in this respect she is Babylon, rather than apostolic."

The angel of Revelation 18 calls people to come out of Babylon:

"The angel accomplishes his work IN INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THE ANGEL WHO ANNOUNCES THAT THE HOUR OF GOD'S JUDGMENT IS COME and with that other angel who preaches the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. It is at the time of these messages that the people of God are called out of Babylon— a proof conclusive that the greater part are in Babylon when this proclamation is made. The coming of Christ must be preceded by a work which shall establish the primitive purity and this work MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE THREE ANGELS. P. 72

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Additional quotes by ELLEN White some which were presented earlier in the discussion on the subject --
 Are the three angel's ONLY sequential historical facts, or were they announcements begun at a certain point in time, but continue to be of relevant importance in the Christian's life?

6T.406
We are to throw aside our narrow, selfish plans, remembering that we have a work of the largest magnitude and highest importance. In doing this work we are sounding the first, second, and third angel's messages, and are thus being prepared for the coming of that other angel from heaven who is to lighten the earth with his glory.

EW 260
Those who rejected the first message could not be benefitted by the second; neither were they benefitted by the midnight cry, which was to prepare them to enter with Jesus by faith into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. And by rejecting the two former messages, they have so darkened their understanding that they can see no light in the third angel's message, which shows the way into the most holy place. I saw that as the Jews crucified Jesus, so the nominal churches had crucified these messages, and therefore they have no knowledge of the way into the most holy, and they cannot be benefited by the intercession of Jesus there.

GC.405
Miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy and gave a message which Inspiration had foretold should be given to the world, but which they could not have given had they fully understood the prophecies pointing out their disappointment, and presenting another message to be preached to all nations before the Lord should come. The first and second angel's messages were given at the right time and accomplished the work which God designed to accomplish by them.

GC.409
The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith was the declaration: "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Daniel 8:14. These had been familiar words to all believers in the Lord's soon coming. By the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the watchword of their faith. All felt that upon the events therein foretold depended their brightest expectations and most cherished hopes. These prophetic days had been shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844. In common with the rest of the Christian world, Adventists then held that the earth, or some portion of it, was the sanctuary. They understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the purification of the earth by the fires of the last great day, and that this would take place at the second advent. Hence the conclusion that Christ would return to the earth in 1844.

GC.409
But the appointed time had passed, and the Lord had not appeared. The believers knew that God's word could not fail; their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault; but where was the mistake? Many rashly cut the knot of difficulty by denying that the 2300 days ended in 1844. No reason could be given for this except that Christ had not come at the time they expected Him. They argued that if the prophetic days had ended in 1844, Christ would then have returned to cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of the earth by fire; and that since He had not come, the days could not have ended.

GC.410
To accept this conclusion was to renounce the former reckoning of the prophetic periods. The 2300 days had been found to begin when the commandment of Artaxerxes for the restoration and building of Jerusalem went into effect, in the autumn of 457 B.C. Taking this as the starting point, there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events foretold in the explanation of that period in Daniel 9:25-27. Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300 years, were to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One; and Christ's baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit, A.D. 27, exactly fulfilled the specification. In the midst of the seventieth week, Messiah was to be cut off. Three and a half years after His baptism, Christ was crucified, in the spring of A.D. 31. The seventy weeks, or 490 years, were to pertain especially to the Jews. At the expiration of this period the nation sealed its rejection of Christ by the persecution of His disciples, and the apostles turned to the Gentiles, A.D. 34. The first 490 years of the 2300 having then ended, 1810 years would remain. From A.D. 34, 1810 years extend to 1844. "Then," said the angel, "shall the sanctuary be cleansed." All the preceding specifications of the prophecy had been unquestionably fulfilled at the time appointed.

GC.410
With this reckoning, all was clear and harmonious, except that it was not seen that any event answering to the cleansing of the sanctuary had taken place in 1844.

With earnest prayer they reviewed their position and studied the Scriptures to discover their mistake. As they could see no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods, they were led to examine more closely the subject of the sanctuary.

GC 415
Thus those who were studying the subject found indisputable proof of the existence of a sanctuary in heaven. Moses made the earthly sanctuary after a pattern which was shown him. Paul teaches that that pattern was the true sanctuary which is in heaven. And John testifies that he saw it in heaven.

GC.417
But the most important question remains to be answered: What is the cleansing of the sanctuary? That there was such a service in connection with the earthly sanctuary is stated in the Old Testament Scriptures. But can there be anything in heaven to be cleansed? In Hebrews 9 the cleansing of both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary is plainly taught. "Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these [the blood of animals]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these" (Hebrews 9:22, 23), even the precious blood of Christ.

GC.422
Thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic word saw that, instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to perform the closing work of atonement preparatory to His coming.

GC.424
Both the prophecy of Daniel 8:14, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," and the first angel's message, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come," pointed to Christ's ministration in the most holy place, to the investigative judgment, and not to the coming of Christ for the redemption of His people and the destruction of the wicked. The mistake had not been in the reckoning of the prophetic periods, but in the event to take place at the end of the 2300 days. Through this error the believers had suffered disappointment, yet all that was foretold by the prophecy, and all that they had any Scripture warrant to expect, had been accomplished.

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