REMOVAL TO LOW HAMPTON—HIS CONVERSION—STUDY OF THE BIBLE—RULES
OF INTERPRETATION, ETC.
“On the retirement of Mr. Miller from the army, he removed his family
from Poultney, Vt., to Low Hampton, N. Y., to begin there the occupation
of farming. His father had died there, in the year 1812, leaving the
homestead encumbered with a mortgage. That was cancelled by Mr. Miller,
who permitted his mother to live there with his brother Solomon, while
he purchased for himself another farm, in the neighborhood, about half a
mile to the west. This lay mostly above the general level of the valley
of the Poultney river, and comprised about two hundred acres of land,
with a surface somewhat uneven, and with soil similar to that usually
found in sections geologically marked by black slate and limestone. Two
miles to the east was the village of Fairhaven, Vt., near the Poultney
river; and eight miles to the west, on the southern extremity of Lake
Champlain, at the foot of bold, precipitous hills, was the village of
Whitehall, N. Y.
“On this spot, in 1815, Mr. Miller erected a convenient farm-house,
similar to those built throughout the interior of New England at that
epoch. It was of wood, two stories high, with an ell projecting in the
rear. The front and ends were painted white, with green blinds, and the
back side was red. It fronts to the north. A small yard, inclosed by
a picket fence, and ornamented by lilacs, raspberry and rose-bushes,
separates it from the public road leading to Fairhaven, which is one of
the interesting objects in the foreground of the extended view to the
east, as seen from the window of the ‘east room,’ so full of tender and
holy recollections to all visitors.
“To the west of the house, a few rods distant, is a beautiful grove,
where, in later times, he often prayed and wept. This spot was selected
by the political party to which Mr. Miller belonged, for the place of
a public celebration of the national independence, on its anniversary,
July 4, 1816. Mr. Miller was selected as the marshal of the day; but, not
fancying a party celebration, he used his influence so that all persons,
irrespective of party, were invited to partake of its festivities. In
those days of party excitement this was considered a wonderful stretch of
charity.
“Mr. Miller’s grandfather Phelps was in the practice of preaching at the
house of Mr. M.’s father, when he made his occasional visits. There was
no church at the time in that section of the town. Through his labors Mr.
Miller’s mother was converted; and a little church was there organized,
as a branch of the Baptist church in Orwell, Vt.
“In 1812, Elisha Miller, an uncle of the subject of this memoir, was
settled over the church in Low Hampton, and a small meeting-house was
afterward erected. On Mr. Miller’s removal to Low Hampton, he became
a constant attendant, except in the absence of the preacher, at that
place of worship, and contributed liberally to its support. His relation
to the pastor, and the proximity of his house, caused it to become the
head-quarters of the denomination on extra as well as on ordinary
occasions. There the preachers from a distance found food and shelter;
and, though fond of bantering them on their faith, and making their
opinions a subject of mirth with his infidel friends, they always found a
home beneath his roof.
“In the absence of the pastor, public worship was conducted by the
deacons, who, as a substitute for the sermon, read a printed discourse,
usually from ‘Proud-foot’s Practical Sermons.’ Mr. Miller’s mother
noticed that, on such occasions, he was not in his seat, and she
remonstrated with him. He excused his absence on the ground that he was
not edified by the manner in which the deacons read; and intimated that
if _he_ could do the reading, he should always be present. This being
suggested to those grave officials, they were pleased with the idea; and,
after that, they selected the sermon as before, but Mr. Miller did the
reading, although still entertaining deistical sentiments.
“The time had now come when God, by his providence and grace, was about
to interpose to enlist the patriotic soldier in another kind of warfare;
when, to his mind, so fond of those departments of truth which appealed
only to reason and sense, was to be opened a more inspiring field;
when the persevering and delighted student of history was to see and
appreciate the connection between the most stirring scenes and mightiest
revolutions in this world’s affairs and God’s great plan of redemption,
to which all the events of time are made subordinate.
“Detecting himself in an irreverent use of the name of God, as before
related, he was convicted of its sinfulness, and retired to his
beautiful grove, and there, in meditation on the works of nature and
Providence, he endeavored to penetrate the mystery of the connection
between the present and a future state of existence.
“As a farmer, he had had more leisure for reading; and he was at an
age when the future of man’s existence _will_ demand a portion of his
thoughts. He found that his former views gave him no assurance of
happiness beyond the present life. Beyond the grave, all was dark and
gloomy. To use his own words: “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_.
I murmured and complained, but knew not of whom. I knew that there was
a wrong, but knew not how or where to find the right. I mourned, but
without hope.” He continued in this state of mind for some months,
feeling that eternal consequences _might_ hang on the nature and object
of his belief.
“The anniversary of the battle of Plattsburg—September 11—was celebrated
in all that region, for some years, with much enthusiasm. In 1816,
arrangements had been made for its observance, by a ball, at Fairhaven.
The stirring scenes of the late campaign being thus recalled, Captain
Miller entered into the preparations for the expected festivities with
all the ardor of the soldier. In the midst of these, it was announced
that Dr. B. would preach on the evening previous to the ball. In the
general gathering to that meeting, Captain Miller and his help attended,
more from curiosity than from other actuating cause.
“They left Captain Miller’s house in high glee. The discourse was from
Zech. 2:4: ‘Run! speak to this young man!’ It was a word in season. On
their return, Mrs. M., who had remained at home, observed a wonderful
change in their deportment. Their glee was gone, and all were deeply
thoughtful, and not disposed to converse in reply to her questions
respecting the meeting, the ball, &c. They were entirely incapacitated
for any part in the festive arrangements. Other managers of the ball were
equally unfitted for it; and the result was that it was indefinitely
postponed. The seriousness extended from family to family, and in the
several neighborhoods in that vicinity meetings for prayer and praise
took the place of mirth and the dance.
“On the Lord’s day following, it devolved on Captain Miller, as usual in
the minister’s absence, to read a discourse of the deacons’ selection.
They had chosen one on the Importance of Parental Duties. Soon after
commencing, he was overpowered by the inward struggle of emotion, with
which the entire congregation deeply sympathized, and took his seat. His
deistical principles seemed an almost insurmountable difficulty with him.
Soon after, ‘suddenly,’ he says, ‘the character of a Saviour was vividly
impressed upon my mind. It seemed that 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 an One. But the question arose,
How can it be proved that such a Being does exist? Aside from the Bible,
I found that I could get no evidence of the existence of such a Saviour,
or even of a future state. I felt that to believe in such a Saviour
without evidence would be visionary in the extreme.
“‘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 Saviour became
to me the chiefest among ten thousand; and the Scriptures, which before
were dark and contradictory, now became the lamp to my feet and light to
my path. My mind became settled and satisfied. I found the Lord God to be
a Rock in the midst of the ocean of life. 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. I found
everything revealed that my heart could desire, and a remedy for every
disease of the soul. I lost all taste for other reading, and applied my
heart to get wisdom from God.’
“Mr. Miller immediately erected the family altar; publicly professed his
faith in that religion which had been food for his mirth, by connecting
himself with the little church that he had despised; opened his house for
meetings of prayer; and become an ornament and pillar in the church,
and an aid to both pastor and people. The die was cast, and he had taken
his stand for life as a soldier of the cross, as all who knew him felt
assured; and henceforth the badge of discipleship, in the church or
world, in his family or closet, indicated whose he was and whom he served.
“His pious relations had witnessed with pain his former irreligious
opinions; how great were their rejoicings now! The church, favored with
his liberality, and edified by his reading, but pained by his attacks on
their faith, could now rejoice with the rejoicing. His infidel friends
regarded his departure from them as the loss of a standard-bearer. And
the new convert felt that henceforth, wherever he was, he must deport
himself as a Christian, and perform his whole duty. His subsequent
history must show how well this was done.
“To the church, his devotion of himself to his Master’s service was as
welcome as his labors were efficient. The opposite party, especially
the more gifted of them, regarded him as a powerful, and, therefore, a
desirable, antagonist. He knew the strength of both parties. That of the
former he had often tested, when, in his attacks, though they might have
been silenced, he had felt that he had a bad cause; and the weakness of
the latter had been forcibly impressed on him in his fruitless efforts to
assure himself that they were right. He knew all their weak points, and
where their weapons could be turned against them. They were not disposed
to yield the ground without a struggle, and began their attack on him by
using the weapons and assailing the points which characterized his own
former attacks on Christianity; and to this fact, under God, is probably
owing his subsequent worldwide notoriety.
“He had taunted his friends with entertaining ‘a blind faith’ in the
Bible, containing, as it did, many things which they confessed their
inability to explain. He had enjoyed putting perplexing questions to
clergymen and others—triumphing in their unsatisfactory replies. These
questions had not been forgotten; and his Christian friends, also, turned
his former taunts upon himself.
“Soon after his renunciation of deism, in conversing with a friend
respecting the hope of a glorious eternity through the merits and
intercessions of Christ, he was asked how he knew there was such a
Saviour. He replied, ‘It is revealed in the Bible.’ ‘How do you know
the Bible is true?’ was the response, with a reiteration of his former
arguments on the contradictions and mysticisms in which he had claimed it
was shrouded.
“Mr. Miller felt such taunts in their full force. He was at first
perplexed; but, on reflection, he considered that if the Bible is a
revelation of God, it must be consistent with itself; all its parts must
harmonize, must have been given for man’s instruction, and, consequently,
must be adapted to his understanding. He, therefore, said, ‘Give me
time, and I will harmonize all these apparent contradictions to my own
satisfaction, or I will be a deist still.’
“He then devoted himself to the prayerful reading of the word. He
laid aside all commentaries, and used the marginal references and his
concordance as his only helps. He saw that he must distinguish between
the Bible and all the peculiar and partisan interpretations of it. The
Bible was older than them all, must be above them all; and he placed it
there. He saw that it must correct all interpretations; and in correcting
them, its own pure light would shine without the mists which traditionary
belief had involved it in. He resolved to lay aside all preconceived
opinions, and to receive, with child-like simplicity, the natural and
obvious meaning of Scripture.
“He pursued the study of the Bible with the most intense interest—whole
nights, as well as days, being devoted to that object. At times,
delighted with truth which shone forth from the sacred volume, making
clear to his understanding the great plan of God for the redemption of
fallen man; and at times puzzled and almost distracted by seemingly
inexplicable or contradictory passages, he persevered, until the
application of his great principle of interpretation was triumphant. He
became puzzled only to be delighted, and delighted only to persevere the
more in penetrating its beauties and mysteries. His manner of studying
the Bible is thus described by himself:—
“‘I determined to lay aside all my prepossessions, to
thoroughly compare scripture with scripture, and to pursue its
study in a regular and methodical manner. I commenced with
Genesis, and read verse by verse, proceeding no faster than the
meaning of the several passages should be so unfolded as to
leave me free from embarrassment respecting any mysticisms or
contradictions. Whenever I found anything obscure, my practice
was to compare it with all collateral passages; and, by the
help of Cruden, I examined all the texts of Scripture in which
were found any of the prominent words contained in any obscure
portion. Then, by letting every word have its proper bearing on
the subject of the text, if my view of it harmonized with every
collateral passage in the Bible, it ceased to be a difficulty.
“‘In this way I pursued the study of the Bible, in my first
perusal of it, for about two years, and was fully satisfied
that it is its own interpreter. I found that, by a comparison
of Scripture with history, all the prophecies, as far as they
had been fulfilled, had been fulfilled literally; that all the
various figures, metaphors, parables, similitudes, &c., of the
Bible, were either explained in their immediate connection, or
the terms in which they were expressed were defined in other
portions of the word; and, when thus explained, are to be
literally understood in accordance with such explanation. I was
thus satisfied that the Bible is a system of revealed truths,
so clearly and simply given that the ‘wayfaring man, though a
fool, need not err therein.’
“In thus continuing the study, he adopted the following
“RULES OF INTERPRETATION.
“1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject
presented in the Bible. _Proof_, Matt. 5:18.
“2. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by a
diligent application and study. _Proof_, 2 Tim. 3:15-17.
“3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those
who ask in faith, not wavering. _Proof_, Deut. 29:29; Matt.
10:26, 27; 1 Cor. 2:10; Phil. 3:15; Isa. 45:11; Matt. 21:22;
John 14:13, 14; 15:7; James 1:5, 6; 1 John 5:13-15.
“4. To understand doctrine, bring all the Scriptures together
on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its
proper influence; and, if you can form your theory without a
contradiction, you cannot be in error. _Proof_, Isa. 28:7-29;
35:8; Prov. 19:27; Luke 24:27, 44, 45; Rom. 16:26; James 5:19;
2 Pet. 1:19, 20.
“5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule
of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and
he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on
account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his
guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom, is my rule, and not the
Bible. _Proof_, Ps. 19:7-11; 119:97-105; Matt. 23:8-10; 1 Cor.
2:12-16; Eze. 34:18, 19; Luke 11:52; Matt. 2:7, 8.
“6. God has revealed things to come, by visions, in figures
and parables; and in this way the same things are oftentimes
revealed again and again, by different visions, or in different
figures and parables. If you wish to understand them, you must
combine them all in one. _Proof_, Ps. 89:19; Hos. 12:10; Hab.
2:2; Acts 2:17; 1 Cor. 10:6; Heb. 9:9, 24; Ps. 78:2; Matt.
13:13, 34; Gen. 41:1-32; Dan. 2d, 7th & 8th; Acts 10:9-16.
“7. Visions are always mentioned as such. 2 Cor. 12:1.
“8. Figures always have a figurative meaning, and are used much
in prophecy to represent future things, times and events—such
as mountains, meaning governments; Dan. 2:35, 44; beasts,
meaning kingdoms; Dan. 7:8, 17; waters, meaning people; Rev.
17:1, 15; day, meaning year, &c. Eze. 4:6.
“9. Parables are used as comparisons to illustrate subjects,
and must be explained in the same way as figures, by the
subject and Bible. Mark 4:13.
“10. Figures sometimes have two or more different
significations, as day is used in a figurative sense to
represent three different periods of time, namely, first,
indefinite; Eccl. 7:14; second, definite, a day for a year;
Eze. 4:6; and third, a day for a thousand years. 2 Pet. 3:8.
The right construction will harmonize with the Bible, and make
good sense; other constructions will not.
“11. If a word makes good sense as it stands, and does no
violence to the simple laws of nature, it is to be understood
literally; if not, figuratively. Rev. 12:1, 2; 17:3-7.
“12. To learn the meaning of a figure, trace the word through
your Bible, and when you find it explained, substitute the
explanation for the word used; and, if it make good sense, you
need not look further; if not, look again.
“13. To know whether we have the true historical event for
the fulfillment of a prophecy: If you find every word of the
prophecy (after the figures are understood) is literally
fulfilled, then you may know that your history is the true
event; but if one word lacks a fulfillment, then you must look
for another event, or wait its future development; for God
takes care that history and prophecy shall agree, so that the
true believing children of God may never be ashamed. Ps. 22:5;
Isa. 45:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:6; Rev. 17:17; Acts 3:18.
“14. The most important rule of all is, that you must have
_faith_. It must be a faith that requires a sacrifice, and, if
tried, would give up the dearest object on earth, the world and
all its desires—character, living, occupation, friends, home,
comforts and worldly honors. If any of these should hinder our
believing any part of God’s word, it would show our faith to be
vain. Nor can we ever believe so long as one of these motives
lies lurking in our hearts. We must believe that God will never
forfeit his word; and we can have confidence that He who takes
notice of the sparrow’s fall, and numbers the hairs of our
head, will guard the translation of his own word, and throw a
barrier around it, and prevent those who sincerely trust in
God, and put implicit confidence in his word, from erring far
from the truth.
“‘While thus studying the Scriptures,’—continuing the words
of his own narrative,—‘I became satisfied, if the prophecies
which have been fulfilled in the past are any criterion by
which to judge of the manner of the fulfillment of those which
are future, that the popular views of the spiritual reign of
Christ—a temporal millennium before the end of the world, and
the Jews’ return—are not sustained by the word of God; for I
found that all the Scriptures on which those favorite theories
are based are as clearly expressed as are those that were
_literally_ fulfilled at the first advent, or at any other
period in the past.
“‘I found it plainly taught in the Scriptures that Jesus
Christ will again descend to this earth, coming in the clouds
of heaven, in all the glory of his Father:[2] that, at his
coming, the kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven will
be given unto Him and the saints of the Most High, who will
possess it forever, even forever and ever:[3] that, as the old
world perished by the deluge, so the earth, that now is, is
reserved unto fire, to be melted with fervent heat at Christ’s
coming; after which, according to the promise, it is to become
the new earth, wherein the righteous will forever dwell:[4]
that, at his coming, the bodies of all the righteous dead will
be raised, and all the righteous living be changed from a
corruptible to an incorruptible, from a mortal to an immortal
state; that they will be caught up together to meet the Lord
in the air, and will reign with him forever in the regenerated
earth.[5]
“‘The controversy with Zion will then be finished, her children
be delivered from bondage, and from the power of the tempter,
and the saints be all presented to God blameless, without spot
or wrinkle, in love;[6] that the bodies of the wicked will then
be all destroyed, and their spirits be reserved in prison[7]
until their resurrection and damnation;[8] and that, when the
earth is thus regenerated, and the righteous raised, and the
wicked destroyed, the kingdom of God will have come, when his
will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven; that the meek
will inherit it, and the kingdom become the saint’s.[9]
“‘I found that the only millennium taught in the word of God is
the thousand years which are to intervene between the first
resurrection and that of the rest of the dead, as inculcated
in the twentieth of Revelation; and that it must necessarily
follow the personal coming of Christ and the regeneration of
the earth,[10] that, till Christ’s coming, and the end of the
world, the righteous and wicked are to continue together on
the earth, and that the horn of the papacy is to war against
the saints until his appearing and kingdom, when it will be
destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming; so that there
can be no conversion of the world before the advent;[11] and
that as the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, is
located by Peter after the conflagration, and is declared by
him to be the same for which we look, according to the promise
of Isa. 65:17.
“‘This is the same that John saw in vision after the passing
away of the former heavens and earth; it must necessarily
follow that the various portions of Scripture that refer to
the millennial state must have their fulfillment after the
resurrection of all the saints that sleep in Jesus.[12] I also
found that the promises respecting Israel’s restoration are
applied by the apostle to all who are Christ’s—the putting on
of Christ constituting them Abraham’s seed and heirs according
to the promise.[13].
“‘I was then satisfied, as I saw conclusive evidence to prove
the advent personal and pre-millennial, that all the events
for which the church look to be fulfilled [in the millennium]
before the advent, must be subsequent to it; and that, unless
there were other unfulfilled prophecies, the advent of the
Lord, instead of being looked for only in the distant future,
might be a continually-expected event. In examining the
prophecies on that point, I found that only four universal
monarchies are anywhere predicted, in the Bible, to precede the
setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom; that three of those
had passed away—Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia—and that the
fourth—Rome—had already passed into its last state, the state
in which it is to be when the stone cut out of the mountain
without hands shall smite the image on the feet, and break to
pieces all the kingdoms of this world.
“‘I was unable to find any prediction of events which presented
any clear evidence of their fulfillment before the scenes
that usher in the advent. And 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.
“‘Another kind of evidence that vitally affected my mind was the
chronology of the Scriptures. I found, on pursuing the study of
the Bible, various chronological periods extending, according
to my understanding of them, to the coming of the Saviour. I
found that predicted events, which had been fulfilled in the
past, often occurred within a _given time_. The one hundred
and twenty years to the flood; Gen. 6:3; the seven days that
were to precede it, with forty days of predicted rain; Gen.
7:4; the four hundred years of sojourn of Abraham’s seed; Gen.
15:13; the three days of the butler’s and baker’s dreams; Gen.
40:12-20; the seven years of Pharaoh’s; Gen. 41:28-54; the
forty years in the wilderness; Num. 14:34; the three and a half
years of famine: 1 Kings 17:1; the sixty-five years to the
breaking of Ephraim; Isa. 7:8; the seventy years’ captivity;
Jer. 25:11; Nebuchadnezzar’s seven times; Dan. 4:13-16; and
the seven weeks, three-score and two weeks, and the one week,
making seventy weeks, determined upon the Jews; Dan. 9:24-27;
the events limited by these times were all once only a matter
of prophecy, and were fulfilled in accordance with the
predictions.
“‘When, therefore, I found the 2300 prophetic days, which were
to mark the length of the vision from the Persian to the end
of the fourth kingdom, the seven times’ continuance of the
dispersion of God’s people, and the 1335 prophetic days to
the standing of Daniel in his lot, all evidently extending
to the advent,[14] with other prophetical periods, I could
but regard them as ‘the times before appointed,’ which God
had revealed ‘unto his servants the prophets.’ As I was fully
convinced that ‘all Scripture given by inspiration of God is
profitable,’—that it came not at any time by the will of man,
but was written as holy men were moved by the Holy Ghost, and
was written for our learning, that we, through patience and
comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope,—I could but regard
the chronological portions of the Bible as being as much a
portion of the word of God, and as much entitled to our serious
consideration, as any other portion of the Scriptures.
“‘I, therefore, felt that, in endeavoring to comprehend what
God had in his mercy seen fit to reveal to us, I had no right
to pass over the prophetic periods. I saw that, as the events
predicted to be fulfilled in prophetic days had been extended
over about as many literal years; as God, in Num. 14:34, and
Eze. 4:4-6, had appointed each day for a year; as the seventy
weeks to the Messiah were fulfilled in 490 years, and the 1260
prophetic days of the papal supremacy in 1260 years; and as
these prophetical days extending to the advent were given in
connection with symbolic prophecy, I could only regard the
time as symbolical, and as standing each day for a year, in
accordance with the opinions of all the standard Protestant
commentators. If, then, we could obtain any clue to the time
of their commencement, I conceived we should be guided to
the probable time of their termination, and, as God would
not bestow upon us a useless revelation, I regarded them as
conducting us to the time when we might confidently look for
the coming of the Chiefest of ten thousand, One altogether
lovely.
“‘From a further study of the Scriptures, I concluded that
the seven times of Gentile supremacy must commence when the
Jews ceased to be an independent nation, at the captivity of
Manasseh, which the best chronologers assigned to B. C. 677;
that the 2300 days commenced with the seventy weeks, which the
best chronologers dated from B. C. 457; and that the 1335 days,
commencing with the taking away of the daily, and the setting
up of the abomination that maketh desolate, Dan. 12:11, were
to be dated from the setting up of the papal supremacy, after
the taking away of pagan abominations, and which, according
to the best historians I could consult, should be dated from
about A. D. 508. Reckoning all these prophetic periods from the
several dates assigned by the best chronologers for the events
from which they should evidently be reckoned, they would all
terminate together, about A. D. 1843.
“‘I was thus brought, in 1818, at the close of my two years’
study of the Scriptures, to the solemn conclusion that in about
twenty-five years from that time all the affairs of our present
state would be wound up; that all its pride and power, pomp and
vanity, wickedness and oppression, would come to an end; and
that, in the place of the kingdoms of this world, the peaceful
and long-desired kingdom of the Messiah would be established
under the whole heaven; that, in about twenty-five years, the
glory of the Lord would be revealed, and all flesh see it
together—the desert bud and blossom as the rose, the fir-tree
come up instead of the thorn, and, instead of the briar, the
myrtle-tree—the curse be removed from off the earth, death be
destroyed, reward be given to the servants of God, the prophets
and saints, and them who fear his name, and those be destroyed
that destroy the earth.
“‘I need not speak of the joy that filled my heart in view of
the delightful prospect, nor of the ardent longings of my soul
for a participation in the joys of the redeemed. The Bible was
now to me a new book. It was indeed a feast of reason; all that
was dark, mystical or obscure, to me, in its teachings, had
been dissipated from my mind before the clear light that now
dawned from its sacred pages; and oh, how bright and glorious
the truth appeared!
“‘All the contradictions and inconsistencies I had before found
in the word were gone; and, although there were many portions
of which I was not satisfied I had a full understanding, yet
so much light had emanated from it to the illumination of my
before darkened mind, that I felt a delight in studying the
Scriptures which I had not before supposed could be derived
from its teachings. I commenced their study with no expectation
of finding the time of the Saviour’s coming, and I could at
first hardly believe the result to which I had arrived; but
the evidence struck me with such force that I could not resist
my convictions. I became nearly settled in my conclusions, and
began to wait, and watch, and pray for my Saviour’s coming.
“The above are the conclusions to which he arrived on the general
subject of prophecy; but his views on other scriptural topics may not
be uninteresting in this connection. His general theological opinions
may be inferred from his connecting himself with a Calvinistic Baptist
church, as the one most congenial to his faith. But he has left, among
his papers, an unfinished compendium of his belief, which bears date, and
is appended to the annexed certificate, as follows:—
“‘LOW HAMPTON, SEPT. 5, 1822.
“‘I hereby acknowledge that I have long believed it my duty
... to leave, for the inspection of my brethren, friends and
children, a brief statement of my faith (and which ought to be
my practice); and I pray God to forgive me where I go astray.
I made it a subject of prayer and meditation, and, therefore,
leave the following as my faith,—reserving the privilege of
correction.
“‘(Signed,) WM. MILLER.
“‘ARTICLE ONE.
“‘I believe the Bible is given by God to man, as a rule for our
practice, and a guide to our faith—that it is a revelation of
God to man.
“‘ARTICLE TWO.
“‘I believe in one living and true God, and that there are
three persons in the Godhead—as there is in man, the body,
soul, and spirit. And if any one will tell me how these exist,
I will tell him how the three persons of the Triune God are
connected.
“‘ARTICLE THREE.
“‘I believe that God, by his Son, created man in the image of
the Triune God, with a body, soul, and spirit; and that he
was created a moral agent, capable of living, of obeying, or
transgressing the laws of his Maker.
“‘ARTICLE FOUR.
“‘I believe that man, being tempted by the enemy of all
good, did transgress, and became polluted; from which act,
sin entered into the world, and all mankind became naturally
sinners, thrust out from the presence of God, and exposed to
his just wrath forever.
“‘ARTICLE FIVE.
“‘I believe that God, knowing from eternity the use that
man would make of his [free] agency, did, in his council of
eternity, ordain that his Son should die; and that through his
death salvation should be given to fallen man, through such
means as God should appoint.
“‘ARTICLE SIX.
“‘I believe that, through the agency of the Holy Spirit,
sinners are made the recipients of mercy, in conformity to the
divine plan, founded on the wisdom and knowledge of God; the
fruits of which are manifested in the recipient by works of
repentance and faith; and without which no man, coming to years
of discretion, and able to choose between good and evil, can
have an interest in the blood and righteousness of Christ.
“‘ARTICLE SEVEN.
“‘I believe that Jesus Christ is an offering of God to sinners
for their redemption from sin, and that those who believe in
his name may take him by faith, go to God, and find mercy; and
that such will in nowise be rejected.
“‘ARTICLE EIGHT.
“‘I believe that Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for sin which
justice demanded; and that all those who confess their sins on
the head of this victim may expect forgiveness of sin through
the blood of the atonement, which is in Jesus Christ, the great
High Priest in the holy of holies.
“‘ARTICLE NINE.
“‘I believe the atonement to be made by the intercession of
Jesus Christ, and the sprinkling of his blood in the holy of
holies, and upon the mercy-seat and people; by which means
the offended is reconciled to the offender, the offender is
brought into subjection to the will of God; and the effect is,
forgiveness of sin, union to the divine person, and to the
household of faith.
“‘ARTICLE TEN.
“‘I believe all those for whom Christ intercedes, who are
united to God by a living faith, and have received the
forgiveness of sin through the sprinkling of the blood of
Christ, can never perish; but are kept by the mighty power of
God through faith unto salvation.
“‘ARTICLE ELEVEN.
“‘I believe that all the promises of God are and will be
accomplished in Christ Jesus; and that none of the human family
are or can be entitled to the promises of grace, but those
who are born of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, any more than the
antediluvians could have been saved from the deluge without
entering the ark.
“‘ARTICLE TWELVE.
“‘I believe that Christ will eventually take away the sin of
the world, and cleanse the earth from all pollution, so that
this earth will become the abode of the saints forever, by
means which he has appointed; all believers being regenerated,
sanctified, justified, and glorified.
“‘ARTICLE THIRTEEN.
“‘I believe that all final impenitents will be destroyed from
the earth, and sent away into a place prepared for the devil
and his angels.
“‘ARTICLE FOURTEEN.
“‘I believe Jesus Christ will come again in his glory and
person to our earth, where he will accomplish his divine
purposes in the saving of his people, destroying the wicked
from the earth, and taking away the sin of the world.
“‘ARTICLE FIFTEEN.
“‘I believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ is near,
even at the door, even within twenty-one years,—on or before
1843.
“‘ARTICLE SIXTEEN.
“‘I believe that before Christ comes in his glory, all
sectarian principles will be shaken, and the votaries of the
several sects scattered to the four winds; and that none will
be able to stand but those who are built on the word of God.
“‘ARTICLE SEVENTEEN.
“‘I believe in the resurrection, both of the just and of the
unjust—the just, or believers, at Christ’s second coming, and
the unjust one thousand years afterwards—when the judgment
of each will take place in their order, at their several
resurrections; when the just will receive everlasting life, and
the unjust eternal condemnation.
“‘ARTICLE EIGHTEEN.
“‘I believe in the doctrine of election, founded on the will,
purpose, and fore-knowledge of God; and that all the elect will
be saved in the kingdom of God, through the sanctification of
the Spirit and the belief of the truth.
“‘ARTICLE NINETEEN.
“‘I believe in the ordinance of baptism by immersion, as a
representation of Christ’s burial and resurrection—also of our
death to sin and life to holiness.
“‘ARTICLE TWENTY.
“‘I believe in the ordinance of the Lord’s supper, to be’⸺
“The last article was left thus incomplete, and the series of articles
was not extended, as it was evidently designed to have been, so as
to give an expression of his faith on subjects not included in the
foregoing. It is not known that his views, as above expressed, ever
underwent any change—excepting as his belief in the date of the second
advent was afterwards shown, by the passing of time, to be incorrect.”