The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-02-18
M1ILEa1rEs as THE SECOND ADvEar1srs.
Extract From q Sketch by D. B. Lands,
Read Before the County Historical
Society Recently.

Society Recently.
And now / shall lead you to the
most interesting part of this sketch
the story of the local meeting place of
the Millerites, as the Second Adven-
lists were called in Lancaster county.
Above all other tales, this one con-
cerning a very old kind Of religious
zeal called Millerism, that attacked
our inhabitants, is listened to with
the greatest interest-interest because
of the wonder that just sixty-one years
back (IS43) people could live in such
an apparently enlightened community
as the Hempfeld townships and be
led to believe the world would come
to an end at stated time during the
Fall of that year.
Millerite religion was new thing
to the citizens of Landisville at that
time, and it, perhaps, need hardly be
wondered at. when several scholarly
and wel1-dressed divines suddenly
came to the village from the region of
somewhere, but now here in particular,
and made themselves at home, that
some of the people took up the belief
and helped to further the ends of
what was one of the most gigantic
frauds witnessed hereabouts.
These willy preachers soon after
their arrival made arrangements with
prominent farmer, George Gambler
by name, living southwest of Landis-
vile, within less than mile of the
present camp-meeting grounds, for
holding series of outdoor meetings
in strip of woodland belonging to
him, not far from the present Reading
& Columbia railroad. Having been
successful in this, they soon erected
temporary buildings there, including
stand or pulpit, for their own use, and
hung up large colored pictures, or
charts, illustrative of their new doc
trines, representing dragons, the day
of judgment and equally terrible and
unsightly drawings.
The Millerites soon made known
Ear aud wide that meetings would be
held there, and everybody was in
vited to come and be convinced that
the world would surely end in few
weeks at three o clock on fixed night.
CA few old people recently spoken to
claim this hour was earlier, some time
after nightfall, or exactly at midnight;
my father states, however, that it was
beyond midnight, as it was a long
waltz A goodly portion of the in
habitants living there were disciples
of John Winebrenner Church of God
members) and the travelling preachers
soon conferred with them and got
their consent to attend these meetings
and help spread the news of the last
approaching day on earth.
Nearly with one accord the church
people took up the belief that the
Millerite preachers had announced.
Peoplewere sought in their own homes
by the bogus apostles, and convinced
and satisfied by reference to the reve-
1ations in the Scripture that the last
day was fast approaching. Need it
be wondered, then, that in an incredi-
bly, short time almost everybody
pushed business aside and joined in
the great revival exercises in the
Gambler grove? People came from
far and near, Lancaster citizens among
the rest; and, as the day of exit to
another sphere drew nigh, everybody
was trying to do what yet could be
done for his souls salvation and the
saving of his friends and his neighbors.
The preachers plainly told the
people to lay aside all worldly affairs,
to throw away their goods, to make
use of what they had, to give their
money to them, and to do nothing but
pray and praise and sing and hosanna |!
And there were scores of persons who
were hoodwinked enough to do this.
People threw their dried fruits into
the streets, gave aims literally to the
poor (of course the preachers were
included in this) money was even
thrown away (some of which has since
been ploughed up on what is known
as the Trout farm fine hardwood
for making wagons was used for the
stove doors were left unbolted and
unlocked night and day, and general
unconcern was given to business, all
remaining time being devoted to prep
aration for the great transition that
was soon to take place.
The writer's grandfather, a good
Winebrennarian, long since mingled
with the dead, then kept the village
store, in the same house where Ferd.
Metzger's confectionery is now To-
Gated. One day Millerite apostle
appeared there with an open Bible in
his arms, and struck up conversa-
ton with the storekeeper on the all
important matter of leaving his prop
erty and joining in their exercises in
the woods. This the merchant stoutly
objected to do, and said very plainly
that there were false prophets, and
that he (the preacher could moi show
or convince him by any chapter or
sentence in the Scripture to the con-
trary.
When the ''last" day came, finally.
crowded meetings and deserted homes
resulted. Everybody and everything
seemed awaiting that thrilling time
when it was said the angel, called
Gabriel, would sound blast on his
far-reaching trumpet, to call the just
to their glory and send sinners to their
doom. Right here in Lancaster more
than one person was specially robed
ready for the final fight. Some were
on the upper stories and even roofs
of their houses, where they could see
and be prepared for the best or worst
for them. The afternoon was dark
and dreary, with signs of clouds hover
ing in the air. Children at school
were more or less in fear, and, as the
hours dragged by, young and old
were alike on the toe of suspense.
Ar Tandisville. a stout mulattO,