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
John Stuart Mill · en
“‘I have never seen so great an effect in any one place as
there. I preached last from Gen. 19:17. There were from a
thousand to fifteen hundred present, and more than one hundred
under conviction. One-half the congregation wept like children
when I parted from them. Mr. Medbury, the Baptist minister, a
good man, wept as though his heart would break, when he took me
by the hand, and, for himself and people, bade me farewell. He
and many others fell upon my neck, and wept and kissed me, and
sorrowed most of all that they should see my face no more. We
could not get away for more than an hour, and finally we had to
break away. About twenty were converted while I was there.’
“Rev. R. B. Medbury afterward gave the following account of the result of
Mr. Miller’s lectures there, through the _Signs of the Times_:—
“‘For several months past we have enjoyed, and are still
enjoying, a pleasing work of grace among us. This revival, as
stated in the account published in the _Christian Watchman_
of the 8th instant, was in progress when Mr. Miller commenced
lecturing here. In speaking of the results of his labors,
however, it is but just to say that his influence here preceded
him. It will be recollected that, some time in January, he
lectured at Cambridgeport, about four miles from us. Many, both
of our church and congregation, attended one or more of those
lectures. The first two subjects of the present work among
us, as well as some others, who have since been hopefully
converted, regarded those lectures as instrumental of fastening
permanent conviction upon their mind. Several Christians, too,
were awakened to a new sense of their duty.
“‘There had, however, been rather more feeling than usual
in several of our meetings previous to that time. And
in the interval which elapsed between this time and the
commencement of Mr. Miller’s lectures here, the blessing of
God had accompanied the means of grace at home to the hopeful
conversion of about twenty. The work evidently received a new
impulse while Mr. Miller was here. His lectures were attended
by crowds, who listened with profound attention, and, we have
reason to believe, in not a few cases with profit. Many persons
from neighboring villages shared the benefit of his labors in
common with us, and, in several cases, returned to their homes
rejoicing. Other means of grace were, however, mingled with
his labors, which were, no doubt, in a great degree owned and
blessed of God.