IV. “Dispensationalism” and “Rapture” Are Later Developments

Space limitations, and the terminal point of this Epilogue, forbid tracing the persistence of the prophetic emphasis beyond this point. But sufficient evidence has been presented to show that ardent premillennialism, based on Bible prophecy, continued long past the time of the Millerite Disappointment of 1844, and quite independent of their emphasis. Moreover, these earnest heralds of the approaching advent embraced some of the finest scholars of the Old World and conspicuous religious leaders of the New. Thus the advent hope lived on.PFF4 1203.3

But it should also be borne in mind that it was not until the first decade of the twentieth century that Dispensationalism, with its rapture theory, and the separation of the seventieth week from the previous sixty-nine weeks of years of Daniel 9, became general in the then newly forming Fundamentalist wing of Protestantism. This was largely brought about by the acceptance of Dr. C. I. Scofield’s bold and revolutionary thesis, and the aggressive support given this postulate by the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.PFF4 1203.4

This, be it remembered, was around the turn of the century. Thereafter the emphasis veered sharply away from the predominant note of the previous prophetic conferences. These later developments are discussed briefly in Appendix C, on “The Development of Modern Futurist Dispensationalism.” The table of conferences, which follows, indicates the continuing interest in prophecy.PFF4 1204.1

Picture 3: Periodic Conferences on Prophecy—1878-1952
Tabular List of Leading Conferences on Prophecy Between 1878 and 1952. With Date, Location, Name of Conference, and Title of Published Report. All Attest the Persistence of Premillennialism, and Concern Over Neglect of Bible Prophecy. But a Progressive Change Takes Place in Emphasis, With Abandonment of Certain Time-Honored Positions, and Introductior of the Dispensational and “Rapture” Concepts of Fundamentalism.
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