IX. Episcopalian Clarke-Ends Periods in Our Day

RICHARD CIARKK (died c. 1780), rector of St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church, Charleston, South Carolina, was better known outside of the community than any other resident of South Carolina. Born in England, he was ordained to the Episcopal ministry in 1753, and was sent to South Carolina in the same year by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Lands. He was interested in a Negro school, which by 1757 was filled with children. He resigned his rectorship in 1759, and returned to England as a lecturer at Stoke Newington of St. James’, London. Several of the inhabitants of Charleston sent their children over to England to place them in his school. He was author of several works between 1759 and 1770. Popular as a preacher to crowded churches, he also gave weekly lectures on the Bible. ^{71W.B. Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, vol. 5, pp. 146-148; David Ramsay, The History of South Carolina, vol. 2, pp. 452-454.}PFF3 201.1

His best-known work was a twenty-four-page pamphlet, The Prophetic Numbers of Daniel and John Calculated; In order to shew the Time., when the Day of Judgment ... is to be expected (1759). Less sharp and clear than the expository discourses of some of his New England contemporaries, Clarke’s is the only Southern exposition of his generation we have found. Like various others, he falls into the fallacy of seeking to end the periods in his own day.PFF3 201.2

1. WHORE OF BABYLON Is CHURCH OF ROME

Like his fellow ministers in the Northeast, Clarke declares that “the whore of Babylon, and the great city, signify the corrupt church of Rome only,” ^{72Richard Clarke, The Prophetic Numbers of Daniel and John Calculated; In order to shew the time when the Day of Judgment ... is to be expected (Boston ed.). p. 5.} which has brought in “one confusion and false lip of interpretation after another.” ^{73Ibid p. 6.}PFF3 201.3

2. ENDS PROPHETIC PERIODS IN OWN DAY

Without giving a sound basis for his conclusions, Clarke terminates the 1335 days, or years, in 1763 or 1765. ^{74Ibid., pp. 7, 24.} The 1260 years of the Wit nesses in sackcloth he ends in 1758 or 1759, ^{75Ibid., pp. 8, 24.} while the 2300 days when the truth would be trodden down and false religion sup ported, would be from 538 B.C., ending in 1762. ^{76Ibid., pp. 11, 12, 24.} This would in some way lead to the “midnight,” when Babylon will fall. ^{77ibid., p. 13.} Clarke closes his pamphlet with these words: “May the Christ of God anoint our eyes, that we may see and be wise to under stand the signs of the times.” ^{78ibid., p. 24.} X. March-Celestial Signs to Precede AdventPFF3 201.4

EDMUND MARCH (1703-1791), concerning whom there is little biographical data, was a native of Newbury, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Harvard in 1722 with B.A. and M.A. degrees. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry in Amesbury in 1722, where he settled as pastor from 1728 to 1743. ^{79W. B. Sprague. op. cit., vol. 1 (Congregational), p. 292; F. L. Weis, Colonial Clergy and Colonial Churches of New England, p. 133.} That he wrote the anonymous Divine Providence ... Visibly Engaged in Fulfilling Scripture-Prophecies (1762) is clearly established. ^{80Charles Evans, American Bibliography (no. 9167), vol. 3, p. 321.} It was originally sent to “an association of ministers” in 1762. ^{81Edmund March, Divine Providence ... Visibly Engaged in Fulfilling Scripture-Prophecies, p. 35.}PFF3 202.1

Merely alluding to the papal apostasy, which Man of Sin will be destroyed by Christ’s coming, March refers to the slaying of the Witnesses and the darkening of the sun and moon as among the predicted signs of the coming of the Son of man, and the subsequent establishment of the kingdom of God. ^{82Ibid., pp. 8, 17, 28, 34, 39.} But the special signs recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke appear to be of the greatest concern, for after their appearance our redemption will draw nigh. These include celestial signs, distress of nations on earth, marine violence, and human fear for the future. ^{83Ibid., pp. 30, 32.} Then follows this paragraph:PFF3 202.2

“If we could find the Signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars; particularly the Sun darkened, the Moon witholding her Light, and the Stars of Heaven fallen, we should be ready perhaps to think the Coming of the Son of Man just at Hand: For upon the Earth is Distress of Nations, with Perplexity, the Sea and the Waves roaring; and doubtless in many Places, Men’s Hearts failing them for Fear, and for looking after those Things that are coming upon the Earth.” ^{84Ibid., p. 32.}PFF3 202.3

Of this we shall soon hear more from other sources. March observes that the day may be at hand when the light of the moon shall be as the sun, and the sun seven times brighter-the glories of the eternal world.PFF3 203.1