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
[25] While it may now appear very evident that the stand taken by
Mr. Miller, relative to the character, and the final results, of the
fanaticism of which he speaks, was a proper and right one, it is not so
clear that he disposed of the question of the gifts and manifestations
of the Spirit of God, in harmony with the general scope of Scripture
testimony upon the subject. The reader will observe that he does not
produce the proof, in his accustomed style of proving his points, that
the great commission, with its duties, and its blessings, was given to
the ministry for only a limited portion of the Christian age. Mr. Miller,
Mr. Himes, and other leading Adventists, failed to show the time when,
and by whom, the gifts were removed from the church of God. This gave the
fanatics great advantage; and as they maintained the scriptural position
upon the perpetuity of spiritual gifts they gained very large numbers to
their ranks. The false positions of those who opposed them added fuel to
the flame of fanaticism already kindled, and resulted in the breaking up
of the once united and happy body of believers.
Seventh-day Adventists have held the scriptural position upon the
perpetuity of the gifts from their first existence. They have taken heed
to the admonition of Paul to “Despise not prophesyings;” but to “Prove
all things;” and “Hold fast that which is good.” 2 Thess. 5:20, 21. They
have with their Bibles in their hands applied the rule of John by which
to test the spirits. “Believe not every spirit; but try the spirits,
whether they are of God.” 1 John 4:1. With this position those who have
held it have been prepared to meet every form of fanaticism that has
sought a place among us, and now our people are reaping the good fruits
of their patient, firm, and energetic efforts upon this point, in the
unparalleled union and order throughout the ranks. We would not encourage
a disposition to blame those who acted according to the best light they
had under the pressure of the trials of the past; but we here express our
solemn conviction that very much of the past fanaticism and confusion
among the Adventists who could not adopt an unscriptural position, is
chargeable to those leaders who took a false position relative to the
perpetuity of spiritual gifts.
J. W.
[26] “1. The ark rested on the seventh month, seventeenth day. This has
an appearance of a type, the rest of the gospel ark at the judgment. Gen.
8:4.
“2. The sanctuary and worshipers, and all appertaining to it, were
cleansed on the seventh month, tenth to seventeenth day. Lev. 16:29-34.
Surely this is a type.
“3. The Israelites of God were to afflict their souls, from the evening
of the ninth to the evening of the tenth day, seventh month. Lev.
23:27-32, a type of the troubles, Dan. 12:1.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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