Chapter 21—A Warning Rejected
In preaching the doctrine of the second advent, William Miller and
his associates had labored with the sole purpose of arousing men to a
preparation for the judgment. They had sought to awaken professors
of religion to the true hope of the church and to their need of a deeper
Christian experience, and they labored also to awaken the unconverted
to the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to God. “They
made no attempt to convert men to a sect or party in religion. Hence
they labored among all parties and sects, without interfering with their
organization or discipline.”
“In all my labors,” said Miller, “I never had the desire or thought
to establish any separate interest from that of existing denominations,
or to benefit one at the expense of another. I thought to benefit all.
Supposing that all Christians would rejoice in the prospect of Christ’s
coming, and that those who could not see as I did would not love any
the less those who should embrace this doctrine, I did not conceive
there would ever be any necessity for separate meetings. My whole
object was a desire to convert souls to God, to notify the world of a
coming judgment, and to induce my fellow men to make that prepara-
tion of heart which will enable them to meet their God in peace. The
great majority of those who were converted under my labors united
with the various existing churches.”—Bliss, page 328.
[376]
As his work tended to build up the churches, it was for a time
regarded with favor. But as ministers and religious leaders decided
against the advent doctrine and desired to suppress all agitation of
the subject, they not only opposed it from the pulpit, but denied their
members the privilege of attending preaching upon the second advent,
or even of speaking of their hope in the social meetings of the church.
Thus the believers found themselves in a position of great trial and
perplexity. They loved their churches and were loath to separate from
them; but as they saw the testimony of God’s word suppressed and
their right to investigate the prophecies denied they felt that loyalty
to God forbade them to submit. Those who sought to shut out the
314