the great controversy-第67部分

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It　was　only　at　the　solicitation　of　his　brethren；　in　whose　words　he　heard　the
call　of　God；　that　Miller　consented　to　present　his　views　in　public。　He　was
now　fifty　years　of　age；　unaccustomed　to　public　speaking；　and　burdened　with　a
sense　of　unfitness　for　the　work　before　him。　But　from　the　first　his　labors
were　blessed　in　a　remarkable　manner　to　the　salvation　of　souls。　His　first
lecture　was　followed　by　a　religious　awakening　in　which　thirteen　entire
families；　with　the　exception　of　two　persons；　were　converted。　He　was
immediately　urged　to　speak　in　other　places；　and　in　nearly　every　place　his
labor　resulted　in　a　revival　of　the　work　of　God。　Sinners　were　converted；
Christians　were　roused　to　greater　consecration；　and　deists　and　infidels　were
led　to　acknowledge　the　truth　of　the　Bible　and　the　Christian　religion。　The
testimony　of　those　among　whom　he　labored　was：　〃A　class　of　minds　are　reached
by　him　not　within　the　influence　of　other　men。〃Ibid。；　page
138。　His　preaching　was　calculated　to　arouse　the　public　mind
to　the　great　things　of　religion　and　to　check　the　growing　worldliness　and
sensuality　of　the　age。

In　nearly　every　town　there　were　scores；　in　some；　hundreds；　converted　as　a
result　of　his　preaching。　In　many　places　Protestant

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churches　of　nearly　all　denominations　were　thrown　open　to　him；　and　the
invitations　to　labor　usually　came　from　the　ministers　of　the　several
congregations。　It　was　his　invariable　rule　not　to　labor　in　any　place　to　which
he　had　not　been　invited；　yet　he　soon　found　himself　unable　to　comply　with
half　the　requests　that　poured　in　upon　him。　Many　who　did　not　accept　his　views
as　to　the　exact　time　of　the　second　advent　were　convinced　of　the　certainty
and　nearness　of　Christ's　coming　and　their　need　of　preparation。　In　some　of
the　large　cities　his　work　produced　a　marked　impression。　Liquor　dealers
abandoned　the　traffic　and　turned　their　shops　into　meeting　rooms；　gambling
dens　were　broken　up；　infidels；　deists；　Universalists；　and　even　the　most
abandoned　profligates　were　reformed；　some　of　whom　had　not　entered　a　house　of
worship　for　years。　Prayer　meetings　were　established　by　the　various
denominations；　in　different　quarters；　at　almost　every　hour；　businessmen
assembling　at　midday　for　prayer　and　praise。　There　was　no　extravagant
excitement；　but　an　almost　universal　solemnity　on　the　minds　of　the　people。
His　work；　like　that　of　the　early　Reformers；　tended　rather　to　convince　the
understanding　and　arouse　the　conscience　than　merely　to　excite　the　emotions。

In　1833　Miller　received　a　license　to　preach；　from　the　Baptist　Church；　of
which　he　was　a　member。　A　large　number　of　the　ministers　of　his　denomination
also　approved　his　work；　and　it　was　with　their　formal　sanction　that　he
continued　his　labors。　He　traveled　and　preached　unceasingly；　though　his
personal　labors　were　confined　principally　to　the　New　England　and　Middle
States。　For　several　years　his　expenses　were　met　wholly　from　his　own　private
purse；　and　he　never　afterward　received　enough　to　meet　the　expense　of　travel
to　the　places　where　he　was　invited。　Thus　his　public　labors；　so　far　from
being　a　pecuniary　benefit；　were　a　heavy　tax　upon　his　property；　which
gradually　diminished　during　this　period　of　his　life。　He　was　the　father　of　a
large　family；　but　as　they　were　all　frugal　and　industrious；　his　farm　sufficed
for　their　maintenance　as　well　as　his　own。

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In　1833；　two　years　after　Miller　began　to　present　in　public　the　evidences　of
Christ's　soon　coming；　the　last　of　the　signs　appeared　which　were　promised　by
the　Saviour　as　tokens　of　His　second　advent。　Said　Jesus：　〃The　stars　shall
fall　from　heaven。〃　Matthew　24：29。　And　John　in　the　Revelation　declared；　as　he
beheld　in　vision　the　scenes　that　should　herald　the　day　of　God：　〃The　stars　of
heaven　fell　unto　the　earth；　even　as　a　fig　tree　casteth　her　untimely　figs；
when　she　is　shaken　of　a　mighty　wind。〃　Revelation　6：13。　This　prophecy
received　a　striking　and　impressive　fulfillment　in　the　great　meteoric　shower
of　November　13；　1833。　That　was　the　most　extensive　and　wonderful　display　of
falling　stars　which　has　ever　been　recorded；　〃the　whole　firmament；　over　all
the　United　States；　being　then；　for　hours；　in　fiery　commotion！　No　celestial
phenomenon　has　ever　occurred　in　this　country；　since　its　first　settlement；
which　was　viewed　with　such　intense　admiration　by　one　class　in　the　community；
or　with　so　much　dread　and　alarm　by　another。〃　〃Its　sublimity　and　awful　beauty
still　linger　in　many　minds。　。　。　。　Never　did　rain　fall　much　thicker　than　the
meteors　fell　toward　the　earth；　east；　west；　north；　and　south；　it　was　the
same。　In　a　word；　the　whole　heavens　seemed　in　motion。　。　。　。　The　display；　as
described　in　Professor　Silliman's　Journal；　was　seen　all　over　North　America。
。　。　。　From　two　o'clock　until　broad　daylight；　the　sky　being　perfectly　serene
and　cloudless；　an　incessant　play　of　dazzlingly　brilliant　luminosities　was
kept　up　in　the　whole　heavens。〃R。　M。　Devens；　American　Progress；　or；　The
Great　Events　of　the　Greatest　Century；　ch。　28；　pars。　1…5。

〃No　language；　indeed；　can　come　up　to　the　splendor　of　that　magnificent
display；　。　。　。　no　one　who　did　not　witness　it　can　form　an　adequate　conception
of　its　glory。　It　seemed　as　if　the　whole　starry　heavens　had　congregated　at
one　point　near　the　zenith；　and　were　simultaneously　shooting　forth；　with　the
velocity　of　lightning；　to　every　part　of　the　horizon；　and　yet　they　were　not
exhaustedthousands　swiftly　followed　in　the　tracks　of　thousands；　as　if
created　for　the　occasion。〃F。　Reed；　in　the　Christian　Advocate　and　Journal；
Dec。　13；　1833。　〃A

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more　correct　picture　of　a　fig　tree　casting　its　figs　when　blown　by　a　mighty
wind；　it　was　not　possible　to　behold。〃〃The　Old　Countryman；〃　in　Portland
Evening　Advertiser；　Nov。　26；　1833。

In　the　New　York　Journal　of　Commerce　of　November
14；　1833；　appeared　a　long　article　regarding　this　wonderful
phenomenon；　containing　this　statement：　〃No　philosopher　or　scholar　has　told
or　recorded　an　event；　I　suppose；　like　that　of　yesterday　morning。　A　prophet
eighteen　hundred　years　ago　foretold　it　exactly；　if　we　will　be　at　the　trouble
of　understanding　stars　falling　to　mean　falling　stars；　。　。　。　in　the　only
sense　in　which　it　is　possible　to　be　literally　true。〃

Thus　was　displayed　the　last　of　those　signs　of　His　coming；　concerning　which
Jesus　bade　His　disciples：　〃When　ye　shall　see　all　these　things；　know　that　it
is　near；　even　at　the　doors。〃　Matthew　24：33。　After　these　signs；　John　beheld；
as　the　great　event　next　impending；　the　heavens　departing　as　a　scroll；　while
the　earth　quaked；　mountains　and　islands　removed　out　of　their　places；　and　the
wicked　in　terror　sought　to　flee　from　the　presence　of　the　Son　of　man。
Revelation　6：12…17。

Many　who　witnessed　the　falling　of　the　stars；　looked　upon　it　as　a　herald　of
the　coming　judgment；　〃an　awful　type；　a　sure　forerunner；　a　merciful　sign；　of
that　great　and　dreadful　day。〃　〃The　Old　Countryman；〃　in　Portland　Evening
Advertiser；　Nov。　26；　1833。　Thus　the　attention　of　the　people　was　directed　to
the　fulfillment　of　prophecy；　and　many　were　led　to　give　heed　to　the　warning
of　the　second　advent。

In　the　year　1840　another　remarkable　fulfillment　of　prophecy　excited
widespread　interest。　Two　years　before；　Josiah　Litch；　one　of　the　leading
ministers　preaching　the　second　advent；　published　an　exposition　of　Revelation
9；　predicting　the　fall　of　the　Ottoman　Empire。　According　to　his　calculations；
this　power　was　to　be　overthrown　〃in　A。D。　1840；　sometime　in　the　month　of
August；〃　and　only　a　few　days　previous　to　its　accomplishment　he　wrote：
〃Allowing　the　first　period；　150　years；　to　have　been　exactly　fulfilled　before
Deacozes　ascended　the　throne　by　permission　of　the　Turks；　and　that　the　391
years；　fifteen　days；　commenced　at　the　close　of　the　first　period；　it　will　end
on　the　11th　of　August；　1840；　when　the　Ottoman　power

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in　Constantinople　may　be　expected　to　be　broken。　And　this；　I　believe；　will　be
found　to　be　the　case。〃Josiah　Litch；　in　Signs　of　the　Times；　and　Expositor
of　Prophecy；　Aug。　1；　1840。

At　the　very　time　specified；　Turkey；　through　her　ambassadors；　accepted　the
protection　of　the　allied　powers　of　Europe；　and　thus　placed　herself　under　the
control　of　Christian　nations。　The　event　exactly　fulfilled　the　prediction。
（See　Appendix。）　When　it　became　known；　multitudes　were　convinced　of　the
correctness　of　the　principles　of　prophetic　interpretation　adopted　by　Miller
and　his　associates；　and　a　wonderful　impetus　was　given　to　the　advent
movement。　Men　of　learning　and　position　united　with　Miller；　both　in　preaching
and　in　publishing　his　views；　and　from　1840　to　1844　the　work　rapidly
extended。

William　Miller　possessed　strong　mental　powers；　disciplined　by　thought　and
study；　and　he　added　to　these　the　wisdom　of　heaven　by　connecting　himself　with
the　Source　of　wisdom。　He　was　a　man　of　sterling　worth；　who　could　not　but
command　respect　and　esteem　wherever　integrity　of　character　and　moral
excellence　were　valued。　Uniting　true　kindness　of　heart　with　Christian
humility　and　the　power　of　self…control；　he　was　attentive　and　affable　to　all；
ready　to　listen　to　the　opinions　of　others　and　to　weigh　their　arguments。
Without　passion　or　excitement　he　tested　all　theories　and　doctrines　by　the
word　of　God；　and　his　sound　reasoning　and　thorough　knowledge　of　the
Scriptures　enabled　him　to　refute　error　and　expose　falsehood。

Yet　he　did　not　prosecute　his　work　without　bitter　opposition。　As　with　earlier
Reformers；　the　truths　which　he　presented　were　not　received　with　favor　by
popular　religious　teachers。　As　these　could　not　maintain　their　position　by
the　Scriptures；　they　were　driven　to　resort　to　the　sayings　and　doctrines　of
men；　to　the　traditions　of　the　Fathers。　But　the　word　of　God　was　the　only
testimony　accepted　by　the　preachers　of　the　advent　truth。　〃The　Bible；　and　the
Bible　only；〃　was　their　watchword。　The　lack　of　Scripture　argument　on　the　part
of　their　opponents　was　supplied　by　ridicule　and　scoffing。　Time；　means；　and
talents　were　employed　in　maligning　those　whose

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only　offense　was　that　they　looked　with　joy　for　the　return　of　their　Lord　and
were　striving　to　live　holy　lives　and　to　exhort　others　to　prepare　for　His
appearing。