Sketches of the Christian life and public labors of William Miller : $b Gathered from his memoir by the late Sylvester Bliss, and from other sourcesWhite, James
Philosophy
Sketches of the Christian life and public labors of William Miller : $b Gathered from his memoir by the late Sylvester Bliss, and from other sources
White, James
Miller, William, 1782-1849
“‘But will you not consider and discern the signs of the times,
which show that the kingdom of Heaven is nigh, even at the
doors?’
“‘It is all a money-making scheme,’ says a third, who must soon
give up his stewardship; ‘Mr. Miller is putting up some large
buildings in New Haven, and he has a barrel of jewels in his
house, which have been given him where he has preached.’
“‘The amazing stupidity of these fictions almost hides from
view the malice which invented them. But when we look at his
wife and daughter, to whom a husband and father’s reputation is
as the apple of the eye, we begin to feel them as a personal
injury, though they are nothing, in this view, in comparison
with the public mischief they occasion.
“‘Bro. Miller’s faith remains unwavering. He said he should be
happy if he felt as sure of Heaven as he did that he had the
truth on the prophecies of Daniel.
“‘His eyesight is improved since his sickness, so that he now
uses spectacles which he had laid aside as being too young
several years ago. He reads the small Polyglot Bible with the
greatest ease. He is a diligent reader of Second Advent papers.
After he has received one he seldom lays it aside till he
has become acquainted with all its contents. The rest of his
reading is nearly confined to the Scriptures. He is able to
write freely, and it requires no small share of his time to
attend to the numerous letters he receives.
“‘He starts early next week (Providence permitting) on his way
to Rochester, Lockport, and Buffalo, N. Y. It will be necessary
for one of his sons to accompany him, as he is not strong
enough to travel alone.
“‘We were interested in seeing his old family Bible, which cost
$18.50, and his quarto copy of Cruden’s Concordance, which was
originally purchased, in 1798, for $8. These two books were
almost the only ones he looked at while preparing his lectures.
A clergyman once called at his house in his absence, and, being
disappointed in not seeing him, wished the privilege of looking
at his library. His daughter conducted the visitor into the
north-east room, where he has sat so many hours at his ancient
desk. Those two books, and no others, lay upon the table.
“That is his library,” said she. The clergyman was amazed. Her
remark was strictly true, as far as theological writings were
concerned. He never had a commentary in his house, and did not
remember reading any work upon the prophecies, except Newton
and Faber, about thirty years ago.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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