, 1842-12-10
MIR.

In reference to the character OF
Mr.. Miller. whose prophesies rela-
tive to the destruction Of the world,
are turning parts Of the world, the
New Yorkexpress says; "According
to his own account he (Miller) paid
but little attention TO literature,
or scriptural researches, till past the
maridian Of life-having been an in
fidel till thirty years of age. The
rudmens Of knowledge, therefore,
have been entirely neglected, or skip
ped over, and now he is laboring 10
discover the hidden mysteries Of Di.
vine Revelation, in the same predica-
menl that a man would strive TO solve
the problems of algebra, with knowl-
edge Of the primary rules of arith.
metic."
To decide upon the dates of events
predicted in the Scriptures, shadow
ed, as they are, under Eastern Ale
CORY, requires more knowledge Of an
cient oriental lore, than any other
pursuit; and he who can first define
uhat event is intended by aprophetic
passage, and next conjecture the pro-
phe,ic date, must be deemed erudite
indeed, if he defines an event bearing
any resemblance to the first, and fix.
es, the date within a century or two
or three Of the second. But, in this
case we have a man confessedIy un-
lettered, protesting to give the day
and the hour, notwithstanding that it
is written, that no man kHoweth them.
Does Mr.. Miller claim to be inspir-
ed! Do his followers make that claim
for him! Nothing short Of inspira-
ton could confer !he knowledge
which he processes. He is now hold
ing forth in New York, where he
proposes To remain TILL the lend of
the world" W. hope his preaching
may do good there, whether he be
himself an honest enthusiast, oil
worse.
To NEEDLE with points Of religious
belief is no part OF our duty, and falls
in as little with our inclination; but
this revival Of an old and oft repea-
ted delusion is one Of those extrene
cases, in which general rules may be
set aside. We shall therefore take
the liberty TO urge upon all Mlllerites
the reflection, that the contingency
of the destruction Of the world in
l843, offers no new incentive to their
reformation. Whether that event
happen or not,-one thing is certain
that it is appointed unto all men
once to die; and the event Of death
is Of as much importance to every
individual as the destruction Of the
world can be. II, therefore, each Of
those who are thus courling insanity
for themselves, or exposing weaker
minds to that terrible visitation by
following Miller, would quietly pursue
their daily duties, like men who re-
member that they must n day lie
down IN the dust, they would live
much nearer the Christian standard,
and find peace and conteniment.
where they now suffer the torments
of victims of a voluntary delusion.
An exchange paper gives the fol-
lowing sketch Of the great apostle OF
this new movement. We give il
precisely as we find it.
"Mr. Miller owns a farm near
Whitehall, New York, around which
he is building a very substantial brick
wall. A person offered him $4,000
for the farm, and not to take posses
sion till after lS43; the prudent pro-
phet refused, however, alleging that
such an offer, depending as it does,
upon a future event. is nothing more
than gambling. This manifests but
little faith in his own predlctions.-
He was born in Pittsfeld, Massachu,
sets, IN 1881, and is, consequently,
sixty-one years of age. At thirty he
entered the army, and a present in
several actions on the frontier during
the late war with Great Britain. He
was then a very wild character, and
his religious opinions We're very loose.
He had reached the grade of Cap
tain, when, at the close Of the war,
he left the army, and settled at Hamp-
ton, near Whitehall. He vas made
Sheriff OF the county in which he re.
sided. He still owns the farm upon
which he first settled at this place.
About thirty years ago, he set about
searching the Scriptures with a view
to refute them, and this gave him his
extensive knowledge of the prophe-
cies. In 1916. he was converted.
L.