Protestant commentators generally are agreed in applying this power and the “little horn” of Daniel seven, to the Roman church which had the civil power in its hands for the “appointed” time. That appointed time was the “time, times, and a half.” 11Daniel 12:7. This was the 1260 prophetic days—1260 years—of the civil rule of the little horn, extending from 538 to 1798 A.D. At the latter date the civil power of the little horn was taken away, at the “time appointed.” So at that time the people had ceased to “fall” by the hand of that power as they had previously been falling. This year, then,—1798,—marks the beginning of that period of time in this prophecy called “the time of the end.” GSAM 79.2
The year 1798 closed the “thousand two hundred and threescore days”—1260 years—in which the Lord’s “Two Witnesses” (the Old and New Testaments) were to “prophesy... clothed in sackcloth.” 12Revelation 11:3. During the Dark Ages of persecution the Scriptures were kept in the Greek and Latin languages, and these languages the common people did not understand. This holding back the Scriptures is compared to clothing them “in sackcloth.” GSAM 79.3