Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-05-10

: cordlng to circumstances. It is a consis
tent component part of the animal religion
that has stolen the name of Christianity.
The belief IN Second Adoe Mt belong.
to the church-not TO William Miller
Millerism consists in fixing on a time
The church generally holds tina: such an
event is coming at some time. This doc.
trine has been believed, to a greater or less
extent. for eighteen hundred years. And
there have been some, during most of this
time probably. who have been looking
for The event as being nigh, "even at the
DOORS" Ii has been thus preached exten.
siyelr, at different times. Some forty or IF.
ty different periods of time have been fix
ed on, by different individuals; and some
thirty or forty of these periods have al
ready gone by. Such things will contin-
ue TO be, while the priesthood and the
church can keep the minds Of the people
darkened with clouds of superstition aud
ignorance. The policy is to put off and
keep all in uncertainty. On This depends
the keeping up Of the craft. The scheme
keeps attention to the pas, and the future,
TO the neglect of the present. The fault
found with Miller, by the more crafty, is,
that he has fixed on time. Any thing
but certainty. A system made up Of
glorious uncertainties, keeping everything
out of reach and out of knowledge, is the
only system o. superstition and folly that
can be perpetuated Why then should not
the wiser of the Graf: be vexed with Miller,
for fixing on a time and committing the
system 10 certainty! Who cannot see
that the effect must be disastrous! When
the time has gone by. the excitement
is over, and the people become more
rational, the entire Second Advent sys-
TEN, with its kindred illusions, will be !
left in a most suffering condition.
Oae TART of it having been thus de-
monstrated to be an imposition-as ltt
certainly will be-lhe other part of it will |
have a feeble hold on community. Ii
will hereafter be examined. And exam
inaton will be fatal to it. There is no.h
ing it so much breads and deprecates. 1t
will not have the power TO addie SO many
heads in future as it has in times past.
Perhaps ought not to leave the sub
iect without calling attention TO some
things in VIM. MIIer's Course. | have
formerly had some personal acquaintance
with the man. We both belonged TO one
denomination, and lived so near each 9th, |
er for several years that we frequently !
met in associations and other religious
meetings. About the time of the publica-
ion of his first pamphlet, at his request
called at his house in Hampton and slaid
with him over night for the purpose OF
giving him an opportunity TO convince me
If he could of the correctness of his theo,
nv. He Afterwards called aud staid with |
me at my house in Orwell for the same
purpose. Other opportunities | had with
him on the subject, always putting myself |
in the attitude Of an inqlirer and giving |
him patient hearing - for he seemed
greatly anxious TO convince me, and |
wished to know aud 10 receive the truth, |
But was always under the necessity of
telling him frankly and plainly at the
close of our interviews, that he had failed
Of producing any conviction in my mind
1t always appeared to me that he started
by taking for granted things that needed
TO be proved. 1t so appears to me STILL I
When he began to give his views to the
public, he was more rash and indscreel
than he now is. Experience has taught
him wisdom and discretion. He was for
merIy confident. He hazardtd every
thing connected with his theory. He
was even in the habit of saying, "J the
Bible acas true," his doctrine was correct
He made some very unguarded statements,
by way Of fore,clling, or undertaking to
forelell when revivals would cease, and
some other things would transpire. At a
later time, not more than three or four
years since perhaps, being in company
with M. W. G. Wright, an intelligent and
responsible man in the town of Shoreham,
friend Wright asked him what must be