Christ　refused　to　receive　the　light　from　heaven；　and；　like　the　Jews　of　old；
  knew　not　the　time　of　their　visitation。　Luke　19：44。　Because　of　their　pride
  and　unbelief　the　Lord　passed　them　by　and　revealed　His　truth　to　those　who；
  like　the　shepherds　of　Bethlehem　and　the　Eastern　Magi；　had　given　heed　to　all
  the　light　they　had　received。
  （317）
  Chapter　18
  An　American　Reformer
  An　Upright；　honest…hearted　farmer；　who　had　been　led　to　doubt　the　divine
  authority　of　the　Scriptures；　yet　who　sincerely　desired　to　know　the　truth；
  was　the　man　specially　chosen　of　God　to　lead　out　in　the　proclamation　of
  Christ's　second　coming。　Like　many　other　reformers；　William　Miller　had　in
  early　life　battled　with　poverty　and　had　thus　learned　the　great　lessons　of
  energy　and　self…denial。　The　members　of　the　family　from　which　he　sprang　were
  characterized　by　an　independent；　liberty…loving　spirit；　by　capability　of
  endurance；　and　ardent　patriotismtraits　which　were　also　prominent　in　his
  character。　His　father　was　a　captain　in　the　army　of　the　Revolution；　and　to
  the　sacrifices　which　he　made　in　the　struggles　and　sufferings　of　that　stormy
  period　may　be　traced　the　straitened　circumstances　of　Miller's　early　life。
  He　had　a　sound　physical　constitution；　and　even　in　childhood　gave　evidence　of
  more　than　ordinary　intellectual　strength。　As　he　grew　older；　this　became　more
  marked。　His　mind　was　active　and　well　developed；　and　he　had　a　keen　thirst　for
  knowledge。　Though　he　did　not　enjoy　the　advantages　of　a　collegiate　education；
  his　love　of　study　and　a　habit　of　careful　thought　and　close　criticism
  rendered　him　a　man　of　sound　judgment　and　comprehensive　views。　He　possessed
  an　irreproachable　moral　character　and　an　enviable　reputation；　being
  generally　esteemed　for　integrity；　thrift；　and　benevolence。　By　dint　of　energy
  and　application　he　early　acquired　a
  318
  competence；　though　his　habits　of　study　were　still　maintained。　He　filled
  various　civil　and　military　offices　with　credit；　and　the　avenues　to　wealth
  and　honor　seemed　wide　open　to　him。
  His　mother　was　a　woman　of　sterling　piety；　and　in　childhood；　he　had　been
  subject　to　religious　impressions。　In　early　childhood；　however；　he　was　thrown
  into　the　society　of　deists；　whose　influence　was　the　stronger　from　the　fact
  that　they　were　mostly　good　citizens　and　men　of　humane　and　benevolent
  disposition。　Living；　as　they　did；　in　the　midst　of　Christian　institutions；
  their　characters　had　been　to　some　extent　molded　by　their　surroundings。　For
  the　excellencies　which　won　them　respect　and　confidence　they　were　indebted　to
  the　Bible；　and　yet　these　good　gifts　were　so　perverted　as　to　exert　an
  influence　against　the　word　of　God。　By　association　with　these　men；　Miller　was
  led　to　adopt　their　sentiments。　The　current　interpretations　of　Scripture
  presented　difficulties　which　seemed　to　him　insurmountable；　yet　his　new
  belief；　while　setting　aside　the　Bible；　offered　nothing　better　to　take　its
  place；　and　he　remained　far　from　satisfied。　He　continued　to　hold　these　views；
  however；　for　about　twelve　years。　But　at　the　age　of　thirty…four　the　Holy
  Spirit　impressed　his　heart　with　a　sense　of　his　condition　as　a　sinner。　He
  found　in　his　former　belief　no　assurance　of　happiness　beyond　the　grave。　The
  future　was　dark　and　gloomy。　Referring　afterward　to　his　feelings　at　this
  time；　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。　Eternitywhat　was　it？　And　deathwhy　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。〃
  319
  In　this　state　he　continued　for　some　months。　〃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　a　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　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。〃S。　Bliss；
  Memoirs　of　Wm。　Miller；　pages　65…67。
  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
  320
  be　adapted　to　his　understanding。　He　determined　to　study　the　Scriptures　for
  himself；　and　ascertain　if　every　apparent　contradiction　could　not　be
  harmonized。
  Endeavoring　to　lay　aside　all　preconceived　opinions；　and　dispensing　with
  commentaries；　he　compared　scripture　with　scripture　by　the　aid　of　the
  marginal　references　and　the　concordance。　He　pursued　his　study　in　a　regular
  and　methodical　manner；　beginning　with　Genesis；　and　reading　verse　by　verse；
  he　proceeded　no　faster　than　the　meaning　of　the　several　passages　so　unfolded
  as　to　leave　him　free　from　all　embarrassment。　When　he　found　anything　obscure；
  it　was　his　custom　to　compare　it　with　every　other　text　which　seemed　to　have
  any　reference　to　the　matter　under　consideration。　Every　word　was　permitted　to
  have　its　proper　bearing　upon　the　subject　of　the　text；　and　if　his　view　of　it
  harmonized　with　every　collateral　passage；　it　ceased　to　be　a　difficulty。　Thus
  whenever　he　met　with　a　passage　hard　to　be　understood　he　found　an　explanation
  in　some　other　portion　of　the　Scriptures。　As　he　studied　with　earnest　prayer
  for　divine　enlightenment；　that　which　had　before　appeared　dark　to　his
  understanding　was　made　clear。　He　experienced　the　truth　of　the　psalmist's
  words：　〃The　entrance　of　Thy　words　giveth　light；　it　giveth　understanding　unto
  the　simple。〃　Psalm　119：130。
  With　intense　interest　he　studied　the　books　of　Daniel　and　the　Revelation；
  employing　the　same　principles　of　interpretation　as　in　the　other　scriptures；
  and　found；　to　his　great　joy；　that　the　prophetic　symbols　could　be　understood。
  He　saw　that　the　prophecies；　so　far　as　they　had　been　fulfilled；　had　been
  fulfilled　literally；　that　all　the　various　figures；　metaphors；　parables；
  similitudes；　etc。；　were　either　explained　in　their　immediate　connection；　or
  the　terms　in　which　they　were　expressed　were　defined　in　other　scriptures；　and
  when　thus　explained；　were　to　be　literally　understood。　〃I　was　thus
  satisfied；〃　he　says；　〃that　the　Bible　is　a　system　of　revealed　truths；　so
  clearly　and　simply　given　that　the　wayfaring　man；　though
  321
  a　fool；　need　not　err　therein。〃Bliss；　page　70。　Link　after　link　of　the　chain
  of　truth　rewarded　his　efforts；　as　step　by　step　he　traced　down　the　great
  lines　of　prophecy。　Angels　of　heaven　were　guiding　his　mind　and　opening　the
  Scriptures　to　his　understanding。
  Taking　the　manner　in　which　the　prophecies　had　been　fulfilled　in　the　past　as
  a　criterion　by　which　to　judge　of　the　fulfillment　of　those　which　were　still
  future；　he　became　satisfied　that　the　popular　view　of　the　spiritual　reign　of
  Christa　temporal　millennium　before　the　end　of　the　worldwas　not　sustained
  by　the　word　of　God。　This　doctrine；　pointing　to　a　thousand　years　of
  righteousness　and　peace　before　the　personal　coming　of　the　Lord；　put　far　off
  the　terrors　of　the　day　of　God。　But；　pleasing　though　it　may　be；　it　is
  contrary　to　the　teachings　of　Christ　and　His　apost