Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-03-21
TEE HERALD.
TUESDAY EVENfNG-MARCH 81.
END OF THE WORLD.


During tho last few months. the public press has
ieemod with ridicus and anecdotes. and notices Of
Mr. Miller and his Interpretation Of prophecy in re-
speci to the final contamination Of all things earthly
Hundreds of instant OF reported insanity, arising
from morbid excitement have been given out, and
anecdotes without number, showing gross inconsis-
tenoy between the preaching and practice Of Mr.
NJ. have been told and re told throughout communi
W, ul those who not converts TO his views have
como 10 regard tho subject a legitimate object
Of riicule, and Miller designing imposior, who
dsbelieyes his own preaching.
Considering 1t too serious a subject for ridicule,
but nevertheless ,olerably we'll persuaded tina, the
sign, ofhc tunes do not warrsn, the conclusion that
he final contamination is about TO be fulfilled, We
have siudiously avoided all participation either in
attack or defence But now, as some Of the Sec
ond Advent lecturers are endeavoring to do away
with the belief that Mr.. Miller ever fixed upon any
definite time for the coming o. Christ, apparently
suspoe,ing some mischief in the machinery Of the
calculation, and wishing to prepare the way for a
postp0nement Of the period, we deem it proper for
Us TO say that MI Miller, in his lectures in this
place some four years ago, dad hx upon the month
Of hpri, 1919, as the time Of the second coming Of
Christ. Also, thai the door of mercy was to be
shut on mankind August Is42, after which no gsn-
uine conversions to christianity could lake place
Also, tina, during the year lsil the Ottoman Empire
was 10 be DESTROYED; land We distinctly remember
hearing him predicate The accuracy of his entire
calculations upon this last circumstances. But,
down to the last advices from the East, have we
learned anything which can fairly be called full
hlmen, of this prediction : 'If BY the term Ottoman
Empire understand the Mahometdn JdiM we
certainly have no fulilment of it, for in
road upon the power OF that deluson has been made
even to this day Or, if understand by the
term any geographical description Of territory-the
domnons Of the Sultan of Turkey, or any or all Of
the neghboring States, find no substantiating
Circumstance there; and nothing tina, looks like it
in the remoest degree except the fac, that the Sui
tan of Turkey referred dispute between himself
and the Pacha Of Egypt to decision by the Five
Allied Powers-a thing not at all uncommon, and
which the United States has itself several times
done. But for want Of better "shadow Of events
TO come" the second advent instructors became ne
cessi,ated to torture this to their purpose and make
1t prove that "the Ottoman Empire had fallen,"-a
device too shallow TO merit serious argument.
But the SET Tins is at hand +; few more weeks
will confirm the truth or seal the falsy of those
views to the satisfaction of all, unless the stop
block first erected by Mr.. Miller to arrest the on
ward motion Of old Time should be improved into a
sliding stop-bloek, with certain distance yet to
move before finding permanent resting place.
The number Of believers in those views is large,
embracing representation from almost every class
and condition of persons. full persuasion is pro-
fessed that the Bible teaches The destruction Of the
,vorld aereeaJly 10 Mer'J interpretation, whether
the event happen or not Should 1t fail OF accom-
plishment, we do not see but those who have thus
placed confidence in the sacredness Of the Bible
will be compelled to discard it as an imposition
and embrace system Of uidelity forbdding
and radical than ever Tom Paine or Rosseau advo-
Gated. Then on whose heads shall res, the rospon-
sibty!
But it is argued, that good has been effected,
even though the whole superstition relative to the
speedy end Of tho world should prove to be- false and
that many have been awaked and converted by ad-
dresses to their fears through this MEANS who other
wise would have continued Indifferent aud reckless.
So il may be, perhaps bu; it remains to be shown
tha, this forms any good reason for practcng de-
cepon that good may result and beside, for our
selves we have little faith in the religion of such
converts as are coerced heavenward against their
wills through fear of the earth's becoming too hot
for them to stand upon it, There 10 apt to be more
fear than repentance, and more dislike of the conse
quences than of the crime, in such reforma,ions
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