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William Miller
[See Appendix.]
God sent His angel to move upon the heart of a farmer who had
not believed the Bible, to lead him to search the prophecies. Angels
of God repeatedly visited that chosen one, to guide his mind and
open to his understanding prophecies which had ever been dark to
God’s people. The commencement of the chain of truth was given
to him, and he was led on to search for link after link, until he
looked with wonder and admiration upon the Word of God. He saw
there a perfect chain of truth. That Word which he had regarded as
uninspired now opened before his vision in its beauty and glory. He
saw that one portion of Scripture explains another, and when one
passage was closed to his understanding, he found in another part of
the Word that which explained it. He regarded the sacred Word of
God with joy and with the deepest respect and awe.
As he followed down the prophecies, he saw that the inhabitants
of the earth were living in the closing scenes of this world’s history,
yet they knew it not. He looked at the churches and saw that they
were corrupt; they had taken their affections from Jesus and placed
them on the world; they were seeking for worldly honor, instead of
that honor which cometh from above; grasping for worldly riches,
instead of laying up their treasure in heaven. He could see hypocrisy,
darkness, and death everywhere. His spirit was stirred within him.
God called him to leave his farm, as He called Elisha to leave his
oxen and the field of his labor to follow Elijah. With trembling,
William Miller began to unfold to the people the mysteries of the
kingdom of God, carrying his hearers down through the prophecies
to the second advent of Christ. With every effort he gained strength.
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As John the Baptist heralded the first advent of Jesus and prepared
the way for His coming, so William Miller and those who joined
with him proclaimed the second advent of the Son of God.
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