those feelings. But how perfectly groundless those fears! Instead of pouncing upon my errors like the tiger, no brother ever dealt with me more tenderly, or exhibited a better spirit in presenting his views.

6

"After being with Bro. M. some time, he asked me my views on the millennium. Having thrown off all reserve, I readily gave them. I had embraced the old view - the world's conversion a thousand years before the advent; and answered him accordingly. His reply was: Well, Bro. H., prove it! You know I want Bible for all that I receive.' Well,' said I; and, taking my Bible, I turned to the 20th of Rev., and was about to read, when I thought I would examine it again, and with very close attention. I was in a deep study. Bro. M. was waiting and watching me closely. He began to smile. 'Why don't you read, Bro. H.?' said he. I was astonished; for I could not make it out. At last I said: 'I go home next Monday. I will draw the passages off, and hand them to you when I return.' I took some four days for it, and gave him a long list of passages. He read them, and said: 'Bro. H., what has become of your old theory? This is mine.' 'Well,' said I, 'it is mine, too.' In my examination, my theory' had been overturned, and I came out where I now stand.

"One thing I observed in Bro. M.'s character: If he ever dealt harshly with a brother for holding an error, it was because he saw, or thought he saw, a spirit of selfimportance in him.”

The labors of Elder Hendryx were attended with a blessing, as appears from a letter of Mr. Miller's to him, dated August 9, 1831. In it he says: "The Lord is pouring out his Spirit among us, but not in so powerful a manner as I could wish. Baptism has been administered every Sabbath but one since you were here. Two or three have obtained hope every week."

As Mr. Miller's opinions respecting the nearness and nature of the millennium became known, they naturally elicited a good deal of comment among his friends and neighbors, and also among those at a distance. Some of their remarks, not the most complimentary to his sanity, would occasionally be repeated to him.

Having heard that a physician in his neighborhood had

said, "
Esquire Miller," as he was familiarly called, "was
a fine man and a good neighbor, but was a monomaniac on
the subject of the advent," Mr. M. was humorously inclined
to let him prescribe for his case.

One of his children being sick one day, he sent for the
doctor, who, after prescribing for the child, noticed that Mr.
Miller was very mute in one corner, and asked what ailed
him.

"Well, I hardly know, doctor. I want you to see what does, and prescribe for me."

The doctor felt of his pulse, &c., and could not decide respecting his malady; and inquired what he supposed was his complaint.

"Well," says Mr. Miller, "I don't know but I am a monomaniac; and I want you to examine me, and see if I am; and, if so, cure me. Can you tell when a man is a monomaniac?"

The doctor blushed, and said he thought he could.

Mr. Miller wished to know how.

"Why," said the doctor, "a monomaniac is rational on all subjects but one; and, when you touch that particular subject, he will become raving."

66

Well," says Mr. Miller, "I insist upon it that you see whether I am in reality a monomaniac; and if I am, you shall prescribe for and cure me. You shall, therefore, sit down with me two hours, while I present the subject of the advent to you, and, if I am a monomaniac, by that time you will discover it."

The doctor was somewhat disconcerted; but Mr. Miller insisted, and told him, as it was to present the state of his mind, he might charge for his time as in regular practice.

The doctor finally consented; and, at Mr. Miller's request, opened the Bible and read from the 8th of Daniel. As he read along, Mr. Miller inquired what the ram denoted, with the other symbols presented. The doctor had read Newton, and applied them to Persia, Greece, and Rome, as Mr. Miller did.

Mr. Miller then inquired how long the vision of those empires was to be.

"2,300 days."

"What!" said Mr. Miller, "could those great empires cover only 2300 literal days?"

"Why," said the doctor, "those days are years, according to all commentators; and those kingdoms are to continue

2300 years.

Mr. M. then asked him to turn to the 2d of Daniel, and to the 7th; all of which he explained the same as Mr. Miller. He was then asked if he knew when the 2300 days would end. He did not know, as he could not tell when they commenced.

He read

Mr. Miller told him to read the 9th of Daniel. down till he came to the 21st verse, when Daniel saw the man Gabriel," whom he had "seen in the vision."

"In what vision ?" Mr. Miller inquired.

"Why," said the doctor, "in the vision of the 8th of Daniel."

"Wherefore, understand the matter and consider the vision.' He had now come, then, to make him understand that vision, had he?"

"Yes," said the doctor.

"Well, seventy weeks are determined; what are these seventy weeks a part of?"

"Of the 2300 days."

"Then do they begin with the 2300 days?"

66 Yes," said the doctor.

"When did they end?"

"In A. D. 33."

"Then how far would the 2300 extend after 33?" The doctor subtracted 490 from 2300, and replied, 1810. "Why," said he, "that is past."

"But," said Mr. Miller," there were 1810 from 33; in what year would that come?"

The doctor saw at once that the 33 should be added, and set down 33 and 1810, and, adding them, replied, 1843.

At this unexpected result the doctor settled back in his chair and colored; but immediately took his hat and left the house in a rage.

The next day he again called on Mr. Miller, and looked as though he had been in the greatest mental agony.

"Why, Mr. Miller," said he, "I am going to hell. I have not slept a wink since I was here yesterday. I have

looked at the question in every light, and the vision must terminate about A. D. 1843; and I am unprepared, and must go to hell."

Mr. Miller calmed him, and pointed him to the ark of safety; and in about a week, calling each day on Mr. M., he found peace to his soul, and went on his way rejoicing, as great a monomaniac as Mr. Miller. He afterwards acknowledged that, till he made the figures 1843, he had no idea of the result to which he was coming.

THE public labors of Mr. Miller, according to the best evidence to be obtained, date from the autumn of 1831. He had continued to be much distressed respecting his duty to "go and tell it to the world," which was constantly impressed on his mind. One Saturday, after breakfast, he sat down at his desk to examine some point, and, as he arose to go out to work, it came home to him with more force than ever, "Go and tell it to the world.” He thus writes:

go,

"The impression was so sudden, and came with such force, that I settled down into my chair, saying, 'I can't Lord.' Why not?' seemed to be the response; and then all my excuses came up-my want of ability, &c.; but my distress became so great, I entered into a solemn covenant with God, that, if he would open the way, I would go and perform my duty to the world. What do you mean by opening the way?' seemed to come to me. 'Why,' said I, 'if I should have an invitation to speak publicly in any place, I will go and tell them what I find in the Bible about the Lord's coming.' Instantly all my burden was gone, and I rejoiced that I should not probably be thus called upon; for I had never had such an invitation. My trials were not known, and I had but little expectation of being invited to any field of labor.

"In about half an hour from this time, before I had left the room, a son of Mr. Guilford, of Dresden, about sixteen miles from my residence, came in, and said that his father had sent for me, and wished me to go home with him. Supposing that he wished to see me on some business, I asked him what he wanted. He replied, that there was to be no preaching in their church the next day, and his father wished to have me come and talk to the people on the subject of the Lord's coming. I was immediately angry with myself for having made the covenant I had; I rebelled at once against the Lord, and determined not to go. I left the boy, without giving him any answer, and retired in great distress to a grove near by. There I struggled with the Lord for about an hour, endeavoring to release myself from the covenant I had made with him; but I could get no relief. It was impressed upon my conscience, 'Will you make a covenant with God, and break it so soon?' and the exceeding sinfulness of thus doing overwhelmed me. I finally submitted, and promised the Lord that, if he would sustain me, I would go, trusting in him to give me grace and ability to perform all he should require of me. I returned to the house, and found the boy still waiting. He remained till after dinner, and I returned with him to Dresden.

"The next day, which, as nearly as I can remember, was about the first Sabbath in August, 1833,* I delivered my first public lecture on the Second Advent. The house was well filled with an attentive audience. As soon as I commenced speaking, all my diffidence and embarrassment were gone, and I felt impressed only with the greatness of the subject, which, by the providence of God, I was enabled to present. At the close of the services on the Sabbath, I was requested to remain and lecture during the week, with which I complied. They flocked in from the neighboring towns; a revival commenced, and it was said that in thirteen families all but two persons were hopefully converted.

The printed article from which this is copied was written in 1845. By an examination of his correspondence, it appears that he must have begun to lecture in August, 1831. So that this date is a mistake of the printer or an error in Mr. Miller's memory. As no mention is made of this in the letter to Elder Hendryx, from which the previous extract is made, he could not have gone to Dresden before the second Sabbath in August, 1831.