William Miller

Story – William Miller’s Dream

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I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought casket about ten inches long by six inches square, made of ebony and pearls curiously inlaid. To the casket there was a key attached. I immediately took the key and opened the casket, when, to my wonder and surprise, I found it filled with all sorts and sizes of jewels, diamonds, precious stones, and gold and silver coins of every dimension and value, beautifully arranged in their several places in the casket; and thus arranged they reflected a light and glory equaled only by the sun.

I thought it was not my duty to enjoy this wonderful sight alone, although my heart was overjoyed at the brilliancy, beauty, and value of its contents. I therefore placed it on a center table in my room, and gave out word that all who had a desire might come and see the most glorious and brilliant sight ever seen by man in this life.

The people began to come in, at first few in number, but increasing to a crowd. When they first looked into the casket, they would wonder and shout for joy. But when the spectators increased, everyone would begin to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket and scattering them on the table.

I began to think that the owner would require the casket and the jewels again at my hand; and if I suffered them to be scattered, I could never place them in their places in the casket again as before; and felt I should never be able to meet the accountability, for it would be immense. I then began to plead with the people not to handle them, nor take them out of the casket; but the more I pleaded, the more they scattered.

I then saw that among the genuine jewels and coin they had scattered an innumerable quantity of spurious [fake] jewels and counterfeit coin. I was highly incensed at their base conduct and ingratitude, and reproved and reproached them for it; but the more I reproved, the more they scattered the spurious jewels and false coin among the genuine.

I then became vexed in my very soul, and began to use physical force to push them out of the room; but while I was pushing out one, three more would enter, and bring in dirt, and shavings, and sand, and all manner of rubbish, until they covered every one of the true jewels, diamonds, and coins, which were all excluded from sight. They also tore in pieces my casket, and scattered it among the rubbish. I became wholly discouraged and disheartened, and sat down and wept.

While I was thus weeping and mourning for my great loss and accountability, I remembered God and earnestly prayed that He would send me help. Immediately the door opened, and a man entered the room, when the people all left it; and he having a dirt-brush in his hand, opened the windows, and began to brush the dirt and rubbish from the room.

I cried to him to forbear, for there were some precious jewels scattered among the rubbish.

He told me to “fear not,” for he would “take care of them.” Then, while he brushed the dirt and rubbish, false jewels and counterfeit coin, all rose and went out of the window like a cloud, and the wind carried them away. In the bustle I closed my eyes for a moment; when I opened them, the rubbish was all gone. The precious jewels, the diamonds, the gold and silver coins, lay scattered in profusion all over the room.

He then placed on the table a casket, much larger and more beautiful than the former, and gathered up the jewels, the diamonds, the coins, by the handful, and cast them into the casket, till not one was left—although some of the diamonds were not larger than the point of a pin.

He then called upon me to “come and see.” I looked into the casket, but my eyes were dazzled with the sight. They shone with ten times their former glory. I thought they had been scoured in the sand by the feet of those wicked persons who had scattered and trod them in the dust. They were arranged in beautiful order in the casket, every one in its place, without any visible pains of the man who cast them in. I shouted with very joy, and that shout awoke me. Hurdles, True Education Series, ©1912, 13–15, taken from Early Writings, 81–84

“Not only the wise, the great, the beneficent, will gain a passport into the heavenly courts—not only the busy worker, full of zeal and restless activity. No; the pure in heart, in whose lips there is found no guile; the poor in spirit, who are actuated by the Spirit of an abiding Christ; the peacemaker, whose highest ambition is to do God’s will—these will gain an abundant entrance. They are God’s jewels… .” That I May Know Him, 123

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Malachi 3:17

Editorial – The Meaning of Prophetic Endorsements

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The message of William Miller concerning 1843 (the error in the date was later corrected to 1844) was, we believe, the truth of God and was the message He wanted His people to receive. However, this message was eventually rejected by almost the whole religious world of that time, including all of the mainline churches. It was opposed as an erroneous, date-setting message. We still believe in the date 1844 just as much as Miller did. We are certain that the interpretation of Daniel 7, 8, 9, and 12, with the dates of 27 a.d., 31 a.d., 457 b.c., 538 b.c., 538 a.d., 508 a.d., 1798 a.d., and 1844 a.d. is just as true as when he published the 1843 chart.

William Miller has been attacked on several fronts by our theological opponents, past and present, who believe that the historic Adventist theology, which we hold dear, can be destroyed by, first of all, destroying the credibility of William Miller. One of the two issues in the attack on Miller will be briefly discussed in this editorial.

It is thought by many, including former Seventh-day Adventist ministries, that since Ellen White endorsed Miller, if Miller’s exegesis or methodology of Scripture study can be proved wrong, then Ellen White is a false prophet for endorsing him and historic Adventism is no longer credible. As explained in the first paragraph, we still believe the principle thrust of the 1843 chart, though not espousing all data or explanations. Ellen White and our pioneers acknowledged some mistakes in the 1843 chart, too, and yet Ellen White endorsed it and said that it was of God. This is very perplexing to some “black and white” thinkers, including some who used to be Seventh-day Adventist ministers.

So what does a prophetic endorsement mean? We go to the Scriptures to find the highest possible prophetic endorsement for the Christian—that of Jesus Christ Himself. In Matthew 11, Jesus said, concerning John the Baptist, that (1) He endorsed the ministry of John the Baptist; (2) He called him a prophet; (3) he was even more than a prophet; and (4) among those who were born of women there had not arisen one greater than him. It would seem impossible for a human being to obtain a higher endorsement than this or an endorsement based on a higher authority. Was the theology of John the Baptist without any major mistakes or flaws? No, we know that he was mixed up on some major issues, such as his understanding of the work of the Messiah—which caused him to doubt whether Jesus was the Messiah. Without doubt, there were people who rejected Jesus as being the Messiah as a result of their views about John the Baptist. (See Matthew 21.)

We see, in the instance of John the Baptist, that a prophetic or a divine endorsement does not mean that the person endorsed could not have a misunderstanding of prophecy or of some Scriptures. This would be true not only of William Miller but even of John the Baptist! In both cases their work was divinely endorsed, and they were led of God to proclaim the messages they proclaimed—one concerning preparation for the first advent and the other concerning preparation for the second advent. We see, then, that the same methodology by which William Miller was discredited would also, in the hands of a skillful debater, discredit major figures in God’s work in Bible times.

Objectors counter that William Miller used a faulty methodology in Bible study. We will look at that next.

“It is never best for one to think that he understands every phase of truth, for he does not. Then let no man flatter himself that he has a correct understanding of all portions of Scripture and feel it his duty to make everybody else understand them just as he does.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 533, 534.

SDA Roots, part 5

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A great revival developed as a result of Miller ’s preaching. People flocked to his meetings not only from the community but also from surrounding towns. His lectures made such an impression upon the listeners that they kept asking for more. His messages could not be presented in one lecture, so he was persuaded to continue preaching. This was Miller’s experience wherever he went, and the result was the conversion of many souls.

Miller’s small town preaching ended in 1839. On November 12, he met Joshua V. Himes, pastor of the Chardon Street Chapel, in Boston, Massachusetts, who invited Miller to preach to his church family. While preaching in the Chapel, Miller lived with Himes, and they began a friendship which lasted for many years. “God in His providence had brought the two men together. The beginning of this association opened a new era in Miller’s work of spreading his convictions regarding the soon coming Christ.” The Urgent Voice, 63. The interest generated by Miller’s preaching became so great that he was compelled to present another series. Charles Fitch’s Marlboro Chapel was rented for the series.

 

Miller Begins to Write

 

From this time until the great disappointment, Miller hardly had time to pause in his public proclamation of the Second Coming of Christ. Almost from the beginning, he received so many invitations to preach that he could not possibly comply, for lack of time. This prompted him to begin publishing his views in printed form. He prepared a series of articles and sent them as anonymous contributions to the Baptist weekly paper, the Vermont Telegraph at Brandon, Vermont. The editor of the paper refused to publish the articles unless the author was identified,whereupon Miller consented and they were printed with the initials, W.M.

Miller wrote a book in which he detailed his views on the prophecies and particularly the Second Coming. This book had a great and profound influence upon all that read it. The editor of the Boston Daily Times, in which sections of Miller’s book were published, was the first to give Miller’s views favorable publicity through the press. The editor continued to print Miller’s articles, and they created a pronounced impact upon the public mind.

However, not all publicity was favorable. One pastor, Ethan Smith, submitted two articles rebutting Miller’s views. The opposition was not very effective, and in most cases it just spurred on the reader to a more careful study of Miller’s message. Even Ethan Smith stated: “I wish to encourage the study of the prophecies and signs of the times: and have been much tried, to see so little attention paid to them; and to hear so many ministers speaking most disrespectfully of this study! I view this fact to be a very dark sign of the times! I think such ministers have got to repent of this sin, or they must sink under it. It is a great insult offered to the Holy Ghost, who inspired the prophecies and commanded us to study and understand them.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 517.

“It was about this time that the copy of Miller’s Lectures was placed in the hands of Josiah Litch, a Methodist minister in Massachusetts, who soon became persuaded of its essential soundness and began to write and publish on the subject. Practically the same experience came to Charles Fitch, pastor of the Marlboro Congregational Church of Boston. Meantime Miller was lecturing in some of the moderate-sized towns of Massachusetts, such as Lowell, where he was invited to preach by Timothy Cole, a minister of the Christian Connection, who was likewise greatly impressed.” Ibid., 519.

 

Himes Helps the Work

 

The acquaintance with Himes, in late 1839, led to a greatly expanded and accelerated Advent Movement in the larger cities. Himes did not associate himself with Miller without counting the cost of such a move. He stated: “We are not insensible of the fact, that much obloquy will be cast upon us in consequence of our association with the author of this work [Miller]. This, however, gives us no pain. We had rather be associated with such a man as William Miller, and stand with him in gloom or glory, in the cause of the living God, than to be associated with his enemies, and enjoy all the honors of the world.”

“Thus it was that Joshua V. Himes, scarcely thirty-five years old, gave up a promising future to cast his lot with an unpopular cause. But Himes was no stranger to unpopular causes. He was an energetic opponent of the liquor traffic, and for a time he had worked closely with William Lloyd Garrison in the battle against slavery. As pastor of the Chardon Street Chapel, he had opened the doors of the church to more than one reform cause. Millerism was therefore only one of several ‘causes’ with which Himes was actively associated. But it was the one to which he was to devote the most time and effort. And, with Miller and Fitch, he became one of Millerism’s three leading figures.” The Urgent Voice, 64.

Himes’ abilities as a public speaker were unusual, and he frequently lectured on the subject of the Second Coming. But his most valuable accomplishments with the Millerite Movement were in the area of organization and promotion. He was responsible for the publication of tracts, songbooks, pamphlets, charts, broadsides and handbills. Himes, at various times, published more than a dozen periodicals promoting the teachings on the Second Advent.

 

A Voice for the Advent Movement

 

By the beginning of 1840, most papers, both religious and secular, had become most unsympathetic in their treatment of Miller and refused to print anything from him in rebuttal. Miller had for quite some time wanted to put out a periodical to serve as the voice of Millerism, but he had not been able to find anyone that would risk his reputation and finances on such a publication. When Miller spoke to Himes of his desire, he accepted the challenge and produced the first issue of the Signs of the Times, a week later.

In 1844, the name of this periodical was changed to the Advent Herald. In 1874, when James White began to publish a weekly paper to speak for the Seventh-day Adventists on the Pacific Coast, he took the name that Himes had abandoned and called it Signs of the Times. James White’s paper was not a continuation of Hime’s periodical and there was no connection between the two, except for the name.

Another person who opposed Miller’s teachings was John Dowling, a Baptist clergyman from New York. He published a Review of Miller, in which he presented the old Antiochus theory for the Little Horn of Daniel 8. He explained that the 2300 evenings and mornings were half days or 1150 literal days and that this referred to the second century B.C. He also taught that the millennium came before the Second Advent. This led to a Refutation by Litch suggesting, like Miller, that the six thousand years of the world’s history would terminate about 1843. He also wrote An Address to the Clergy, which caused many ministers to examine the question more thoroughly and convinced not a few of them of the true character and truth of the Millerite positions.

 

Campmeetings are Born

 

Despite the negative reaction and prejudice, aroused by the press, to the public meetings of the Millerites and those that favored his views on prophecy, a considerable interest caused the need for larger meeting-houses. As the result of this growth in interest in the Second Advent preaching, a weeklong meeting was held in Boston in early 1842. Thus the camp meeting was born. In June, Litch held meetings in East Canada resulting in between five hundred and six hundred conversions. “Great gatherings throughout Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine followed, which according to Litch, literally ‘shook the nation.’ ” Ibid., 522.

To accommodate the ever-increasing crowds, a big tent, seating six thousand, was erected six times the first season in New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey. Marked results were seen. Fitch preached the Second Advent to the students and faculty of Oberlin College in Ohio, and elsewhere, finally establishing himself in Cleveland. Litch declares of this time: “The work spread with a power unparalleled in the history of religious excitements. And had it been the object of Adventists to form a sect, never was there a more favorable opportunity to carry all before them, given to any people. But higher and holier objects were in their vision—the saving of sinners from death, and the obtaining of a preparation for the coming of the Lord, were the objects of their highest ambition.” Ibid.

Miller and Himes returned to New York City in 1842 and lectured in the large Methodist church where George Storrs was the pastor. An Adventist daily paper was started called the Midnight Cry, edited by Joshua Himes, L. D. Fleming and Nathaniel Southard. Fitch also established many Second Advent papers and periodicals in Cleveland, and H. B. Skinner and Luther Caldwell did the same in Canada.

Wherever Miller’s writings were circulated, the sale and study of the Bible was stimulated. The movement was known as a Bible movement, and Litch stated that, “a course of lectures in a village, would open a door for the sale of more Bibles in a week than would have been sold before for years.” The tone of the movement was Protestant, the Bible and the Bible only as the rule of practice and faith.

“There were among the Millerite ministers men of commanding talent and attainment—only a few have thus far been named—who were the equal of the wise and learned opposers of the land, raised up, they believed, at a time when such help was needed. As to the actual number of ministers in the Millerite movement at this time Litch frankly said, ‘We have no means of ascertaining the number of ministers, and others, who have embraced the Advent faith. We only know that there are several hundred congregations, and a still larger number of ministers, who have publicly professed the faith, besides many who still remain in the churches of the land.’ These, he explained, were associated together for the accomplishment of a definite objective—to ‘sound the alarm.’ And any organization that existed was of the most ‘simple, voluntary and primitive form.’ ” Ibid., 527.

Next month we will take a closer look at some of the men associated with Miller in the proclamation of the Second Advent. We will scan a little of their backgrounds, training, talents, standing and religious affiliation.

 

SDA Roots, part 3

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“Follow the fascinating, expanding course of a tiny rivulet. Fed at first from a single spring, it wends its solitary way down the broad valley from the highland. Soon it is joined by other brooklets, and is fed by streamlet after streamlet, until it expands into a modest river. This, in turn, is joined by other streams and rivers, large and small. And these are augmented by melting snows and swelled by drenching rains, until a giant continental waterway results—growing wider, deeper, swifter with each passing mile, and flowing resistlessly onward until it pours its impressive volume into the mighty ocean. Mill wheels are turned and power is developed on its banks, and sizable ships sail on its bosom. Such is the life story of a great river like the Mississippi.

“And thus it was with what became the great Millerite or second advent movement of America, starting in the early nineteenth-century. Perhaps no phenomenon in the history of American Christianity is comparable to aspects of the great nineteenth-century second advent, or Millerite movement. Without question it made a greater impress upon the consciousness of the American populace within the short space of thirteen years than any other religious development in the annals of the nation.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4. 443.

The founder of the Millerite or American Advent movement was William Miller, born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in February 1782. “He possessed a strong physical constitution, an active and naturally well-developed intellect, an irreproachable moral character. He had enjoyed the limited advantages of the district school but a few years before it was generally admitted that his attainments exceeded those of the teachers usually employed.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118. By J. N. Loughborough.

He had an insatiable desire to read and spent many hours by the light of candlewood (splinters of pitchy wood and pine knots) reading books. This made an impression upon several men in Miller’s community, including Judge James Witherill, Congressman Matthew Lyon and Alexander Cruikshanks of White Hall, formerly of Scotland, and they offered him free access to their libraries. His parents had warned him not to stay up late reading but he persisted in reading before the fireplace after the family had gone to bed.

“He was blessed with a strong mind and a remarkably retentive memory, and earnestly longed to obtain an advanced formal education. But that was not to be, despite his earnest attempts. He was, nevertheless, fitted for vigorous living and became a leader among his fellows. He was unusually well read and self-educated, and conspicuously methodical in all his ways. He came to be recognized as on a parity with the best-trained minds of the community, with whom he constantly associated. He was also a kind of community scribe, an excellent penman and versifier.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4, 456.

At the age of 23, in 1803, he married Lucy Smith and they set up housekeeping in Poultney, Vermont. There was a large library in this town and Miller spent much time there. His ability to write verse made him popular at public occasions. He joined the Literary Society and also became a Mason. The men with whom he associated were deeply into deistic theories and principles. They rejected the Bible as the standard of religious truth and attempted to make this acceptable by referring to such writers as Voltaire, Hume, Volney, Paine and Ethan Allen, among others.

Voltaire’s concepts were built around the false idea of the ruin of human nature which completely ignored God’s redeeming love and provisions. Volney’s philosophy was concerned with the ruin of human habitation, not realizing that God did not design that man be in his present state or to leave him there forever. Paine argued against the supernatural, using pagan mythology.

Because of his keen mind and ready wit, Miller enjoyed philosophical discussions. He was perturbed over the inconsistencies he observed among professing Christians. He was even more perplexed over the seeming contradictions in the Bible, as asserted by his deist friends.

To solve these problems, Miller sought the counsel of various preachers, but he became more confused by their various conflicting and irreconcilable opinions. He studied writings of Voltaire, Hume and Paine, among others, and eventually declared himself a deist. But the study of these atheistic writers only brought more confusion to his mind. He came to look upon life as a gamble and the Bible as “a creation of crafty fabrication rather than a system of revealed truth.” Ibid., vol.4, 457. He continued in this vein of thinking for twelve years, beginning in 1804. In spite of all this he still believed in a Supreme Being that manifests Himself in providence and nature.

“Despite his playful mimicry of the devotional mannerisms and the very tones, words, and gestures of the preachers—and all done with the utmost gravity—Miller sought to be good and to do good, and gave liberally for the support of Christian objectives. He was honest, truthful, and clean. Even in the days of his greatest devotion to Deism he always desired something better. Despite his difficulties he could not rationally abandon his belief in the existence of God. At the outset of this conflict of soul, in 1803 he had expressed his outcry after God in a touching strain. It was in a bit of verse entitled ‘Religion’:

‘Come, blest Religion, with thy angel’s face, Dispel this gloom, and brighten all the place; Drive this destructive passion from my breast; Compose my sorrows, and restore my rest; Show me the path that Christian heroes trod, Wean me from earth, and raise my soul to God!’ ” Ibid., 458.

Having served as constable and justice of the peace, and sheriff from 1809-1811, he became familiar with the baser side of human nature, making him distrustful of all men. In spite of these experiences Miller still had a desire for good character more than for fame and money. He thought this could be attained by patriotic service so he joined the army, receiving the rank of captain, and served from 1812-1814.

By now he had become disillusioned with Deism and its principles and became disgusted with the sinful character of men. He was horrified by the deistic doctrine of total annihilation for everyone at death. Soon Miller was discharged and he returned to Poultney with a comfortable income. In 1816 he moved to Low Hampton, New York, following the death of his father, to take care of his mother and begin life as a farmer. Now he had more time to read and study the things which he had desired to for so long.

One day Miller found himself taking the name of God in vain, in an oath, and he was convicted that it was wrong. He pondered how a just being could save the violators of law and justice. The answer did not appear in nature or in providence. Only the Bible professed to be a revelation from God, and to offer a solution.

He said, “Annihilation was a cold and chilling thought, and accountability was sure destruction to all. The heavens were as brass over my head, and the earth as iron under my feet. Eternity! What was it? And death! Why was it? The more I reasoned, the further I was from demonstration. The more I thought, the more scattered were my conclusions. I tried to stop thinking, but my thoughts would not be controlled. I was truly wretched, but did not understand the cause . . . Soon after, suddenly the character of the Saviour was vividly impressed upon my mind. It seemed there might be a Being so good and compassionate as to Himself atone for our transgressions, and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of sin. I immediately felt how lovely such a Being must be; and imagined that I could cast myself into the arms of, and trust in the mercy of such a One.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118, 119.

William Miller’s home was only a quarter of a mile from his uncle’s Baptist church, which he attended on a regular basis when his uncle was there. He excused his absence by saying that he was not edified by the faulty way in which the sermon was read by the substitute. He suggested that if he could read sometime he would attend, and the church elders agreed to this. That was the beginning of Miller’s public religious life. All the while he was groping for light and rest of soul.

One Sunday a visiting clergyman preached a sermon that made a profound impression on Miller. On the following Sunday, in the absence of his uncle, he was asked to give the sermon which the leaders selected for him. The selection was taken from Proudfit’s Practical Sermons, on Isaiah 53. “In the midst of the presentation he was overwhelmed by the sense of God’s goodness and His loving provision for lost sinners. The redemptive character of the Saviour as an atonement for sin was vividly impressed upon him. He was soundly converted, and accepted Christ as his personal Saviour. His mind was now satisfied, and his heart found rest.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 461.

“I saw that the Bible did bring to view just such a Saviour as I needed; and I was perplexed to find how an uninspired book should develop principles so perfectly adapted to the wants of a fallen world. I was constrained to admit that the Scriptures must be a revelation from God. They became my delight; and in Jesus I found a friend . . . The Bible now became my chief study, and I can truly say, I searched it with great delight. I found the half was never told me. I wondered why I had not seen its beauty and glory before, and marveled that I could have ever rejected it.” The Great Second Advent Movement, 118, 119.

“He at once erected the family altar and publicly professed the Christian faith, joining the Hampton Baptist church and becoming one of its staunch pillars.” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 461.

“This right about-face was, of course, much to the chagrin of his former deist friends who began to assail his new faith and allegiance. He became the butt of sharp ridicule and the subject of their mirth. But all this proved a blessing in disguise. He came to know their mode of attack and their processes of thought, as well as their arguments. This doubtless accounts for his later skill in successfully handling deists. He had considered every conceivable objection, more than his opponents were able to muster, and was unable to find one really valid objection to the Christian faith. Thus it was that his faith was established.” Ibid., 461.

“Miller publicly professed his faith in the religion which he had despised. But his infidel associates were not slow to bring forward all those arguments, which he himself had often urged, against the divine authority of the Scriptures. He was not then prepared to answer them; but he reasoned that if the Bible is a revelation from God, it must be consistent with itself; and that as it was given for man’s instruction, it must be adapted to his understanding. He determined to study the Scriptures for himself, and ascertain if every apparent contradiction could not be harmonized.” The Great Controversy, 319, 320.

For the next two years the Bible became the center of his studies and meditation. He had discovered that God was a Being that he could trust. His unbelieving friends accused him of being blind in his faith, just as he had done to others while he was involved in Deism. He had gained great joy in propounding perplexing questions to Christians and triumphed over their discomfiture. Now he received the same and must meet the issue. His answer was to ask for time and he would harmonize the apparent contradictions. It was the challenges of the deists and his own desire to know the truth which drove him to earnestly study the Bible for himself.

Miller now began his study by laying aside all commentaries and preconceived opinions and using only the Bible, Cruden’s Concordance, marginal notes of the Bible and history books. His studies were so intensive that he would often spend all night followed by whole days in study. His determination was to methodically and systematically examine the Bible to find the answers to his questions. So he began at Genesis, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and proceeded no faster than the meaning became clear.

“At times Miller was delighted with truth that soon became apparent. At other times he was puzzled by the imagery of the prophecies, and was still troubled by seeming contradictions. This prolonged study eventuated in the formulation of a set of rules to be noted later. Symbols and metaphors became clear, and parables and similes were satisfactorily defined. He became profoundly and intelligently convinced that the Bible is ‘a system of revealed truth.’ ” The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 462.

As Miller studied the prophecies, he became convinced even more of the inspired origin of the Bible. Though they were expressed symbolically, they were obviously fulfilled literally and could be proven from history. He reasoned that the past fulfillments were the guarantee of the integrity of the portions of the prophecies not yet fulfilled. He was sure that the Second Advent was near. He said: “Finding all the signs of the times and the present condition of the world, to compare harmoniously with the prophetic descriptions of the last days, I was compelled to believe that this world had about reached the limits of the period allotted for its continuance. As I regarded the evidence, I could arrive at no other conclusion.” Ibid., 463.

The next time we will continue with the story of William Miller: his methods of study, his findings and his preaching experiences.

 

A Portrait of William Miller

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In September, 1842, Elders Himes, Miller, and others, held a meeting in the mammoth tent in Eastern Maine. In company with one Moses Polly, a Christian minister of my acquaintance, I attended that meeting. I there for the first time saw that great and good man, William Miller. His form and features showed great physical and mental strength. The benevolent, affable, and kind spirit manifested by him in conversation with numerous strangers, who called on him to ask questions, proved him a humble, Christian gentleman. Infidels, Universalists, and some others came to him with opposing questions. He was quick to perceive their designs, and with becoming firmness and dignity promptly met their objections and sent them away in silence. So long had he, even then, been in the field meeting opposition from every quarter, that he was prepared for any emergency.

In his public labors his arguments were clear, and his appeals and exhortations most powerful. The tent in which he spoke was a circle whose diameter was one hundred and twenty feet. On one occasion, when this tent was full, and thousands stood around, he was unfortunate in the use of language, which the baser sort in the crowd turned against him in a general burst of laughter. He left his subject with ease, and in a moment his spirit rose above the mob-like spirit that prevailed, and in language the most scorching he spoke of the corruption of the hearts of those who chose to understand hi to be as vile as they were. In a moment all was quiet and the speaker continued to describe the terrible end of the ungodly in a solemn and impressive manner. He then affectionately exhorted them to repent of their sins, come to Christ, and be ready for His appearing. Many in that vast crowd wept. He then resumed his subject, and spoke with clearness and spirit, as though nothing had happened. In fact, it seemed that nothing could have occurred to fully give him the ears of thousands before him, and to make his subject to impressive as this circumstance.

A Man for His Time

God raised up Paul to do a great work in his time. In order that the Gentiles might be clearly taught the great plan of redemption through Jesus, and that the infidelity of the Jews might be met, a great man was selected.

Martin Luther was the man for his time. He was daring and sometimes rash, yet was a great and good man. The little horn had prevailed and millions of the saints of the Most High had been put to death. To fearlessly expose the vileness of the papal monks and to meet their learning and their rage, and also to win the hearts of the common people with all the tenderness and affection of the gospel, called for just such a man as Martin Luther. He could battle with the lion, or feed and tenderly nurse the lambs of Christ’s fold.

So William Miller, in the hands of God, was the man for his time. True, he was a farmer, had been in the service of his country, and had not the benefits of an early classical education. And it was not till he had passed the noon of life that God called him to search His Word and open the prophecies to the people. He was, however, a historian from his love of history, and had a good practical knowledge of men and things. He had been an infidel. But on receiving the Bible as a revelation from God, he did not also receive the popular, contradictory ideas that many of its prophecies were clad in impenetrable mystery. Said William Miller: “The Bible, if it is what it purports to be, will explain itself.”

He sought for the harmony of Scripture and found it. And in the benevolence of his great and good heart and head, he spent the balance of his life in teaching it to the people in his written and oral lectures, and in warning and exhorting them to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ.

Much of the fruits of his labors are now seen. Much more will be seen hereafter. Heaven will be hung with the fruits of the labors of this truly great and good man. He sleeps. But if it can be said of any who have toiled and worn and suffered amid vile persecutions, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, that they may rest from their labors, and their works to follow them,” it can be said of William Miler. He nobly and faithfully did his duty, and the popular church, united with the world, paid him in persecutions and reproaches. The very name of William Miller was despised everywhere, and Millerism was the jeer of the people from the pulpit to the brothel.