19. 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. SLWM 375.1

“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, etc.; but the approaching infirmities of age admonished him that his labors were nearly ended.” ‘LOW HAMPTON, JANUARY 13, 1846. SLWM 375.2

“‘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. SLWM 375.3

“‘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. SLWM 376.1

“‘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 spring 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. SLWM 376.2

“‘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! SLWM 377.1

“‘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. SLWM 378.1

“‘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 on 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, Revelation 3:3: “Remember, therefore, how thou has 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.” SLWM 378.2

“‘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. SLWM 379.1

“‘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. SLWM 379.2

“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. SLWM 380.1

“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. SLWM 380.2

“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 3rd of June; and, on the 5th, he arrived home, much fatigued with his journey, but in good health and spirits. SLWM 380.3

“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. SLWM 381.1

“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:- SLWM 381.2