Question:

"Early Writings," p.  15, speaks about God's announcing the day and the hour of Jesus' coming, and pouring upon the saints the Holy Ghost.  Does not all this take place at the time of the seven last plagues, just before the second Advent? If so, then does it not show that the "latter rain" is to be poured out upon God's people after the close of probation?

Answer:

True, we do understand from the passage in question that toward the close of the seventh plague, God will announce the day and the hour of Christ's coming, and that He will then pour out His Spirit upon His saints.  We do not, however, understand this outpouring to be either the "latter" or the "former rain" of truth, or yet the power prophesied of in Joel 2:23, 28 but rather the final manifestation of God's Spirit not to reveal to us any more of Gospel Truth, nor to enable us to proclaim it more fully, but simply to baptize us with a fitness to behold Jesus face to face, "as He is. "