Basic HTML Version
Tarrying Time
161
the Scriptures. Many who were lacking in faith and experience, but
who had considerable self-sufficiency, and who loved to hear and
tell some new thing, were beguiled by the pretensions of the new
teachers, and they joined the agents of Satan in their work of tearing
down what God had moved Luther to build up. The Wesleys also,
and others who blessed the world by their influence and their faith,
encountered at every step the wiles of Satan in pushing over-zealous,
unbalanced, and unsanctified ones into fanaticism of every grade.
Wm. Miller had no sympathy with those influences that led to
fanaticism. He declared, with Martin Luther, that every spirit should
be tested by the word of God: “The devil has great power over the
[246]
minds of some at the present day. And how shall we know what
manner of spirit they are of? The Bible answers: ‘By their fruits
ye shall know them.’” “There are many spirits gone out into the
world; and we are commanded to try the spirits. The spirit that does
not cause us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world, is not the spirit of Christ. I am more and more convinced that
Satan has much to do in these wild movements.” “Many among us,
who pretend to be wholly sanctified, are following the traditions of
men, and apparently are as ignorant of truth as others who make no
such pretensions, and are not half so modest.” “The spirit of error
will lead us from the truth; and the Spirit of God will lead us into
truth. But, say you, a man may be in error, and think he has the
truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man
judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony
through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if
he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the
whole tenor of God’s law or book, then let him walk carefully, lest
he be caught in the snare of the devil.” “I have often obtained more
evidence of inward piety from a kindling eye, a wet cheek, and a
choked utterance, than from all the noise in Christendom.”
The enemies of the Reformation charged all the evils of fanati-
cism upon the very ones who were laboring most earnestly against
it. A similar course was pursued by the opposers of the Advent
movement. And not content with misrepresenting and exaggerating
the errors of extremists and fanatics, they circulated unfavorable
[247]
reports that had not the slightest semblance of truth. These persons
were actuated by prejudice and hatred. Their peace was disturbed