HIS FAITH IN HIS PAST WORK—VISIT TO NEW YORK CITY—PHILADELPHIA,
ETC.—ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC—VISIT TO CANADA, ETC.
“In the month of September, Mr. Miller attended Conferences in Addison
and Bristol, Vt., and lectured in each place. He then took a journey into
Connecticut, and visited Hartford, attended a camp-meeting in Newington,
near Hartford, and one at Square Pond, in Tolland County. He then visited
Middletown. He was much pleased with his journey, and returned home
refreshed.
“After this, in connection with Elder A. Hale, he lectured, in November
in the State of Vermont, at Waterbury, Morristown, Stowe, Waitesfield and
Burlington. Besides at these places, he seems to have labored but little
during the remainder of the year. He occasionally communicated articles
for the _Advent Herald_, giving expositions of Scripture, &c.; but the
approaching infirmities of age admonished him that his labors were nearly
ended.
“‘LOW HAMPTON, JANUARY 13, 1846.
“‘DEAR BROTHER HIMES:—I am yet in this land of toil, where sin
has spoiled all the blessings and enjoyments of earth, which
were appointed by our beneficent Creator for the best good of
his creatures, and which, had it not been for sin, would have
led us to reverence and adore that Being who had produced, by
his power, this earth and all its appurtenances, and placed in
it man—rational, intelligent, social man—to enjoy this vast
and wondrous piece of mechanism.
“‘Perhaps we are unable rightly to appreciate the blessings
which were placed within the reach of man at his creation,
when “the sons of God shouted for joy.” Yet I think that we
do realize some of the evils to which man is heir by reason
of “sin, and death by sin,” which have entered the world. How
manifest it is, at the present day, that all the influences
of the pit are inciting men to crime, bringing in their trail
consequences ten-fold more dreadful than those entailed upon
us by the sin of our first parents! If there were one spark of
philanthropy existing in the world, methinks it must bleed at
beholding the rapid increase of evil within the last few years.
“‘I confess that to me it would be but a dismal and appalling
prospect in the future, did not a ray of light beam forth from
the word of God, that there should be a glorious and final
renovation of all things! This “exceeding great and precious
promise,” to the man of God, is the only hope that cheers him
in his weary pilgrimage. Every means that the wisdom of man
could devise for the melioration of the condition of man has
failed; ministers of the gospel have been sent into every land;
Bibles have been scattered broadcast in the earth, translated
into almost every tongue, and placed in the hands of the poor,
“without money and without price;” schools of every grade,
from the college to the common, have sprung up, in which have
been developed the highest mental qualities of man; societies
have been multiplied for the moral improvement of our race,—to
Christianize the heathen, to reform the inebriate, to break
the bonds of the enslaved, to liberate the debtor, to stop
the horrid practice of legal murder, to promote peace among
nations, to protect the orphan, to clothe the naked, to feed
the hungry, to nurse the sick, and even to bury the dead.
These, and many other noble and benevolent enterprises, have
been formed within the present century. But how much good have
they accomplished? That great good has been done, cannot be
denied. But it is likewise true that evil has predominated in a
far greater ratio than at any former period.
“‘When I look back to the period when we began to publish the
news of a coming Saviour, I think it the happiest time of
my life. How were our hearts refreshed by the readiness of
the dear brethren in Christ to hear, believe, and obey, the
simple gospel of the kingdom! With what delight have I, in
company with many of the dear, anxious children of God, read
and re-read the Scriptures, searched diligently and compared
the prophets, Jesus Christ, and his apostles, to see if these
things were so! What glorious light I have often seen in that
holy book while thus engaged! And with what joy have I taken
sweet communion with kindred hearts in the house of God, where
our faith was more and more established by the word of his
grace; where our prayers were mingled at the same altar, and
arose together, as incense, to the mercy-seat of our Redeemer,
for a preparation to meet the coming glories, which we then
expected shortly to realize; where our hearts burned with love
and gratitude to God for the good news of the near approach of
the King of kings; where our songs of praise and hallelujahs
to the Lamb cheered our drooping spirits, and prepared us more
vigorously to pursue our weary pilgrimage to the land of
promise, which, from evidence to us conclusive, and which I am
not ashamed of, we soon expect to reach!
“‘Then, heart beat in unison with heart, soul mingled with
soul, and love, holy, heavenly, divine, united us in that
oneness of gospel truth, and prejudice and party were
dissipated from our thoughts like midnight darkness, or the
morning mists by the rising sun. This was a time of love, a
time of faith, working by love and purifying the heart. It was
this hope, “the blessed hope,” that made us purify ourselves
from our sectarian prejudices and bigotry.
“‘I have often thought that we then enjoyed a foretaste of the
love and fellowship of the saints in light. Why is it not so
now? The reason is as obvious as the sun at noonday. We have
been drawn from our _first principles_ by wicked and designing
men, who have crept in among us and drawn us into parties, to
follow men instead of God, and to form new tests instead of
the Bible. Some of our lecturers first began the confusion by
declaring an unholy crusade against the sects, which brought in
men of blood instead of men of peace. True, after the manner
of men, the sects had provoked us to the course we took by
all the wicked arts and misrepresentation of our views and
motives that human and satanic agency could invent—by slander,
ridicule, and wresting the word of God from the meaning which
had long been laid down in their own creeds, and departing from
those rules by which their fathers, for centuries, had applied
mystic Babylon to the church of Rome. We were not called, in
my humble opinion, to engage in so universal a war. I think
we have, in this, “left our first principles,” which were to
preach the blessed hope, and beseech men to be ready for the
“glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ,” without personal or denominational considerations.
While we pursued this course, God blessed us in our work. We
were commanded by the word to be patient, sober, to judge
not, not to be high-minded, but to fear, and, by so doing,
manifest the same spirit that was in Christ. What have been the
fruits of this departure from the plain line of duty? Surely,
they have not been love, peace, and joy, such as we formerly
experienced, when we believed in our hearts that Christ was at
the door. On the contrary, it has, in many instances, separated
those who had been knit together in the closest friendship,
fomented jealousies, produced “lo! heres, and lo! theres!”
while some have blasphemously arrogated to themselves names and
titles which belong to Christ. With such I have no sympathy,
no fellowship. I will refer them to Christ’s words, Rev. 3:3:
“Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and
hold fast, and repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I
will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour
I will come upon thee.”
“‘The glorious appearing of Christ is my only hope; to this
I cling—it is my anchor; and all who look for and love his
appearing are my brothers and sisters, and with such I have
fellowship in the Lord, and exhort them to watch.
“‘WILLIAM MILLER.’
“On the 11th of March, 1846, in company with Messrs. Himes and Apollos
Hale, Mr. M. lectured at Glenn’s Falls, N. Y. It does not appear that
he visited any other place till about the time of the annual Conference,
which met in New York city on the 12th of May.
“His bodily infirmities rendered it unsafe for him to journey without the
attendance of some one to render him all needful assistance; therefore he
arranged with Elder Henry Buckley, of Hampton, N. Y., to accompany him to
New York city.
“They left home on Saturday, the 9th of May, and proceeded as far as
Lansingburg, N. Y. On the Sabbath he went to Middletown, N. Y., where
he preached twice, returning, after service, to Lansingburg. On Monday,
the 11th, they proceeded to New York city. He took part in the debates
and preaching of the Conference, and, though feeble, seemed to enjoy the
meetings.
“After its adjournment, they visited Philadelphia. On Sunday, the
17th, he preached in the morning and evening to large and attentive
congregations. The next day he visited his former acquaintances, and, on
the 19th, he left for Providence, R. I. There they attended a meeting
of the Friends, which continued four days, and to which Mr. M. preached
four discourses, with his usual interest. On the 25th he visited North
Scituate, R. I., and gave two discourses. On the 26th he preached
twice in North Attleboro’, Mass., and, on the 27th, arrived in Boston.
The Annual Conference was adjourned from New York to meet there, and
commenced on the day previous. He again took part in its debates, but
spent most of his time in visiting friends and acquaintances in the
vicinity. They visited Westminster, Mass., where Mr. M. preached on the
3d of June; and, on the 5th, he arrived home, much fatigued with his
journey, but in good health and spirits.
“On the 24th of June, in company with Elder Buckley, Mr. M. visited
Cranbury Creek, N. Y., where he preached seven discourses in four days.
No other place being open for the meetings, they were held in a large
barn, owned by Judge Gilbert. It was comfortably furnished with seats,
and accommodated very respectable congregations, composed of the more
intelligent and pious portion of the community. Mr. M.’s discourses there
were spoken of by those present as logical and interesting.
“During the warm months he attempted no public labors; and his pen, even,
seems to have lain idle. The next communication received from him was
published in the _Advent Herald_ of September 9, 1846, as follows:—
“‘ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC.
“‘DEAR READER:—Permit me to address you once more by calling
your attention to the great events which the word of God
declares are soon to come to pass, that I may faithfully
perform my duty; and that you may be able to answer, in that
way which will be satisfactory to your own soul, in the day
when God shall judge the secret thoughts of men by Jesus Christ.
“‘In my former communications to you on this subject—which
is near my heart, fills my soul at times with indescribable
joy and consolation, and is big with the hope of soon, very
soon, coming into possession of immortality and eternal
life—I readily confess I was misled in my calculations;
not by the word of God, nor by the established principles
of interpretation I adopted, but by the authorities which
I followed in history and chronology, and which have been
generally considered worthy of the fullest confidence. And I
fear many of you have been blinded to your own interest, which
may be of eternal consequences to you, by hasty expressions
of full confidence in these authors, before I had carefully
and more extensively examined the subject to which I had, in
the simplicity of my heart, called your candid and serious
attention.
“‘The testimony of historians, as to the dates of events,
cannot affect the testimony of the word of God, that, at
certain periods from these events, his promises shall be
fulfilled. They may fail, but his word cannot fail. I confess
I have been thus mistaken as to the definite time; but what of
that? Will you or any man dare to take the ground that, because
Mr. Miller or any other man made a mistake, the word of God
is not true? No, no. There would be nothing in that worthy of
being called an argument.
“‘But, above all things else, I was deceived in the number and
character of those who, without study, argument, or reason,
rejected the (to me at least) glorious news of the coming
Saviour. Neither did I suppose that a man or woman could have
been found on the habitable earth, who loved the Lord Jesus
Christ and believed the Bible, who would reject the second
advent or the redemption of the body; the final salvation of
the soul, or the inheritance of eternal life, at the appearing
of Jesus Christ. Yet facts warrant me to say I find more than
one-half who profess Christianity denying one or more of these
fundamental pillars of the Christian hope.
“‘I am thankful to God, although much and sorely disappointed,
that I never pretended to be divinely inspired, but always
directed you to the same source from which I obtained all the
information I then had and now possess on this glorious and
heart-cheering subject. Let me, then, exhort you, kind reader,
by the value of truth, by the worth of your own soul, and the
love of life everlasting, to examine your Bible on the coming
of Christ, the redemption of the body, the salvation of your
soul, and the everlasting inheritance. Lay by all prejudice,
all opinions not founded on the plain and clear declarations
of God’s word; keep close to that rule which will thoroughly
furnish you, and make you perfect in every good work; examine
for yourselves; let no man deceive you in these days of
deception, when the devil has come, deceiving, if possible,
the very elect. Now is the time for you to exercise the “sober
second thought;” a good time for you to come over on the side
of truth, to choose the good, and refuse the evil. I beseech
you, do not say, “Nay, I will not examine!” Do not say, “I
am well enough off, and I have got the truth!” Perhaps you
have; if so, it will not hurt you to re-examine, for every
re-examination only makes the truth the brighter, our evidence
more clear, and our love for the truth more fervent; it helps
to establish our faith and hope, and keeps us from wavering.
“‘And now, dear reader, let me propose a few questions, in view
of what I have said, for you to answer to God and your own
soul; and I pray you not to trifle with them, or one of them,
if you can find a plain Scripture text which authorizes the
question. And I beg of you delay not to answer every question
which may or can be answered; and let your answers be such
as you will be willing to meet before the throne of God in
the day of Judgment, to which day I appeal in thus addressing
you. I append a text to every question, to show you they are
scriptural:—
“‘1. Will Christ appear the second time? Heb. 9:28.
“‘2. Will he come himself? 1 Thess. 4:16.
“‘3. Who will see him? 1 John 3:2; Rev. 1:7.
“‘4. Who will not be ashamed before him at his coming? 1 John
2:28; 4:17.
“‘5. What will Christ come to do? 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Heb.
1:10-12; Rev. 21:5.
“‘6. When Christ comes, will there be a resurrection? and of
whom? 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 4:14-18.
“‘7. Where is Christ now? Acts 1:11; 3:21.
“‘8. At what time will Christ be sent again to earth? Acts
3:20, 21.
“‘9. When may we know he is near, even at the door? Matt.
24:30, 33.
“‘10. Has any one of the signs been seen which are given by our
Lord in Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24, 25, or Luke 21:25, 26; or by
Paul in 1 Tim. 4:1-3; also 2 Tim. 3:1-9; or by Peter in 2 Pet.
3:3, 4, by any one living in this generation?
“‘11. When is the day of redemption? Eph. 4:30; Luke 21:28.
“‘12. When shall our bodies be redeemed? Rom. 8:23.
“‘13. When shall our souls be saved? 1 Pet. 1:7-13.
“‘14. When shall the righteous inherit eternal life? Mark
10:17; Matt. 19:29; 25:46.
“‘15. What is the earnest of that inheritance? Eph. 1:13, 14; 2
Cor. 1:22; 5:4, 5.
“‘16. If we are to receive all this when Christ appears, and
not until then, can you blame any Christian for loving his
appearing? 2 Tim. 4:8.
“‘17. And, if you were commanded to watch for him, and these
blessings were promised when he comes, would you not look with
intense interest until his coming?
“‘18. And, if you were commanded to watch, would you watch
without expecting him? Luke 12:35-40.
“‘19. And, if he did not come when you expected, would you
not be disappointed in some proportion to your love for his
appearing?
“‘Remember this is the situation of your Advent friends; this
is our experience. And may God help you to love, watch, and
expect the dear Saviour until he shall come.
“‘WILLIAM MILLER.’
“On the 4th of September, in view of many contradictory opinions afloat,
he proffered the following advice:—
“‘When we write to a brother to complain of some of his
opinions, let us consider of it three days before we write;
pray God nine times to direct us before we take up the pen;
read it in the room of our brother three times before we send
it; seal it only when we love him for being God-like; send it
when we would delight to be the bearer; while it is going,
think with what tears of joy he will devour its contents; and
remember to pay postage.’
“On the 8th of September, Mr. M. commenced a tour into Canada. He went
by way of Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vt., where he preached in the
evening of that day. There he met Elder Buckley, who accompanied him on
his tour. From this place they went to Essex, Vt., where Mr. M. gave
two discourses. On the 12th, they commenced a two-days’ meeting in
Cambridge, Vt., where there was a good attendance. On Tuesday, the 15th,
they commenced a meeting in Montgomery, Vt., which continued over the
following Sabbath, Mr. Miller generally preaching twice a day.
“While at this place he was taken with a severe pain in one of his
toes. He was soon relieved of that, when the pain commenced in his left
shoulder. He then desired to return home, but was persuaded to continue
his journey. On the 22d, he gave two discourses in South Troy, Vt.
The meeting was held in a large hall which had formerly been used for
a ball-room. While he was preaching in the evening, the windows were
pelted with eggs, clubs, and stones, thrown by some ‘rude fellows of the
baser sort,’ who were outside of the building. Some of their missiles
entered the room. One stone, about the size of a hen’s egg, struck the
desk in front of Mr. Miller, where he was speaking. He paused, and, with
emphasis, asked, very composedly:—
“‘Is this Vermont, the State which boasts of its freedom, of its
republicanism? Shame on Vermont!’
“The audience were somewhat agitated; but he requested them to be quiet,
and proceeded with his discourse. No one was injured, and good evidently
resulted from the interruption; for it aroused the old gentleman’s
energy, and gave additional interest to the remainder of the sermon.
“On Thursday, the 24th of September, they commenced a Conference at Derby
Line, Vt., which continued four days. The pain in Mr. M.’s shoulder had
increased considerably, and resulted in a tumor of considerable size,
which was much inflamed. Yet he preached six times, with a good degree of
vigor.
“On Monday, the 28th, a widowed sister of Mr. M., living in Canada,
having met him at Derby Line, he left with her for her residence in
Hatley. He was there confined about three weeks with the tumor on his
shoulder, which was very painful, affecting his neck and head, and
discharged freely for many days. In consequence of this indisposition,
he was unable to fulfill several appointments, which he had made in that
region, much to the disappointment of the inhabitants.
“As soon as they were able to ride, they started for Low Hampton; but
the weather and roads made the traveling very tedious. On his way home
he spent a Sabbath, and preached a discourse of two hours’ duration, at
Rickford, Vt., which left him so weak that it was with difficulty he
could walk. On arriving at Fairfield, Vt., they spent a night, and Mr. M.
preached in the evening. They arrived at Low Hampton after an absence of
about nine weeks, during which he had been treated with great kindness
and respect wherever he visited,—with the exception of the incident at
Troy.
“‘My tour into Canada,’ he wrote, soon after his return, ‘would
have been pleasant and agreeable to me, had it not been for
sickness, which confined me to the house.’
“On the 27th of November following, he wrote to Elder Buckley, who
accompanied him on the above journey:—
“‘I cannot tell you what I have done since you were here, but I
can tell you what I have not done.
“‘1. I have not done with vanity. It is as natural as my
breath; and if I ever cease from vain and trifling conversation
in this world, you must place me in society which I have no
regard for,—either to love or to hate,—where I could be a
hypocrite without any drawback. For I have often noticed,
when I am alone and with no one to converse with, that I am
not tempted to speak words of vanity. This is the reason why
I choose to be alone much of my time. In my opinion, this
accounts for the ascetic lives of the early Christians. What
think you—is it not best for me to become a hermit?
“‘2. I have not done with _pain_. I have been troubled with
head-ache, teeth-ache, bones-ache, and heart-ache, since you
left; but much more of the _last_ ache, when I think of so
many of my once dearly beloved brethren, who have, since our
disappointment, gone into fanaticism of every kind, and left
the first principles of the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. And now, can you blame me
for desiring a hermitage, away from these evil tidings and
shameful acts of our friends in this time of severe trial?
“‘3. I have not done with corruption. My swelling discharges
a little every day, and I see myself falling to corruption
daily. It may be that I am corrupting others who may be brought
into contact with me,—for instance, the fanatics. If they
never had heard of “Millerism,” they would have been sober,
worldly-seeking, church-loving, and sectarian-building men and
women to this day; and they would have been respected as much
as other church members are by the rich and popular worldlings.
Yes, yes; so says the world; and you know that what the world
says must be true. This is, in these modern times, the best
evidence. If then, I had been a recluse, instead of running at
large, it might have saved the world a great deal of trouble,
and the church the knowledge of a great deal of corruption.
“‘4. I have done no good thing. I can prove this by every
writer, Christian and political, editors, doctors of divinity,
professors and ministers of all denominations,—from the Roman
Catholic to the Mormon,—save only a few despised Adventists,
who, in the eyes of the world, are as much below the Mormons as
Christ was below Barabbas in the Jews’ estimation.
“‘But,’ say you, ‘you say you have done no good thing. Was it
not a good thing to tell us, who love Christ’s appearing, that
he was near to come? Was it not a good thing to read the Bible
to us, and show by history its fulfillment and truth? Was it
not a good thing to warn sinners of their danger, which might
lead them to repentance and a preparation for the Judgment?
Was it not a good thing to preach the kingdom of Heaven at
hand and the Judgment? Was it not a good thing to preach the
resurrection of these bodies, the inheritance of the saints,
and the reign of Christ and his people on the earth made new
forever? Was it not a good thing to comfort the saints with
the words of his coming, and to stir them up to a remembrance
of the things which Christ, the prophets, and apostles, have
spoken concerning his coming? And have not you done all this?’
“‘No, no.’
“‘Who has then?’
“‘I answer, it was the grace of God which worked in me of his
own good pleasure both to will and to do.
“‘Since I have been preaching this hour, I will give you my
text, 2 Cor. 12:11, last clause: “_Though I be nothing._” And
now, lastly, the improvement.
“‘1. You may learn, by my subject, that I am nothing—like the
clay in the hands of the potter.
“‘2. You may learn, if any good has been done, that God has
done it by his grace; and if any evil, it is a chastisement for
disobedience; for “shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord
hath not done it?” Amos 3:6.
“‘3. We may learn, by the effect of any work, whether it be of
God. If wicked men, and proud, selfish, popular professors join
hand in hand to oppose you, you may be sure that God is in the
work.
“‘4. You may learn, by my subject, that I am not well of my
disease, nor do I expect to be till Christ comes; for which
event I look with great interest and desire. Yours,
“‘WM. MILLER.’
“With the exception of an occasional article for the press, Mr. Miller
made no public effort during the winter. His health would not permit.
As the time approached for the usual Annual Meeting in New York city in
May, 1847, he made arrangements to be present; but his health was not
sufficient. In writing of his inability to be present, under date of May
6, 1847, he said:—
“‘I cannot charge myself with any corrupt motive in promoting
the Second Advent doctrine. If I have any regret, it is because
I have done so little, and because I have been so inefficient.
I have lacked in zeal more than I have lacked in faith. I
believed, and do still, in this glorious and Bible doctrine of
the second coming of our dear Redeemer, and of his everlasting
kingdom or reign in paradise restored.
“‘I fear that I shall not be able to attend at Boston.’
“His health was, however, so much improved, that, with Elder Buckley, his
companion in travel of the previous year, he left home on the 20th of
May, and arrived in Boston on the 22d, three days before the Conference
commenced.
“The day following was Sunday, and he preached two discourses, in the
afternoon and evening, at the saloon, at No. 9 Milk street, where the
Adventists then worshiped. On Monday evening he preached, in the same
place, on the resurrection of the body. He took part in the discussions
of the Conference during the week, preached once on the following
Sabbath, and on Monday left for home, where he arrived on Tuesday, June
1. This was his last visit to Massachusetts.