Review and Herald, Vol. 31, No. 18. (4/14/1868)

Review and Herald

Apr 14, 1868

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 14, 1868

THE WORDS WE SPEAK.

By J. S. MILLER

BY J. S. MILLER.

TEXT.—James iii, 2: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

In making some remarks on this subject, I shall notice:

I. The effect our words have in deciding our cases in the Judgment.

In whatever sense we understand the apostle’s phrase, “perfect man,”—whether he uses the word perfect in an absolute, or only in a limited sense,—one thing is certain: God’s chosen people of to-day—the modern Israel—are far from being perfect in any sense. It is equally certain that they must become perfect before the coming of the Lord; for such was the company that the Revelator saw, and thus describes: “And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. xiv, 1–5. Thus we see that if we belong to that company that will at last stand on Mount Zion, we must, previous to that time, arrive at a state where it may be said of us, “In their mouth was found no guile.”

One solemn fact here presses itself before our minds; and that is, that we are in the Judgment hour. In 1843–4 the solemn cry was sounded, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come.” Simultaneously went forth the proclamation that there should be time no longer. And although they who sounded that cry did not fully understand its import, they gave the cry correctly, and at the right time. As proof that their position was correct, they presented the prophecy of Daniel: “Unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed;” reasoning that the sanctuary was the earth, that its cleansing would be in connection with the second advent of our Lord, and that time would then end, and the Judgment take place.

They were disappointed in their expectations, and that disappointment has developed the scoffers that Peter prophesied should come in the last days. But with that proclamation, time did end—not probationary time, as they supposed, but prophetic time, as measured by the periods. At that time the cleansing of the sanctuary did commence—not by the burning of the earth, as they thought—but by the entering of our High Priest into the holy of holies in the heavenly sanctuary. The hour of God’s Judgment did then come—not as they expected to see it, by the resurrection of the dead and the assembling before the throne of God to receive sentence, but then commenced the investigative judgment, when the dead of all past ages were to have their cases decided, and when the living saints should undergo a preparation for translation. They were not then ready, as they supposed, to enter the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem. There were many sins of ignorance that it was necessary for them to be enlightened upon. From that point arose the third angel’s message. Since that time “the commandments of God and faith of Jesus” have been revealing to us many sins not before discovered, and a general work of reformation has been going on, and must continue to go on, and must run much deeper than it has ever gone yet, before the Lord will come to take us home.

That we have many sins to overcome is lamentably true, but none stand more in the way of our salvation than the improper manner in which we use our tongues. According to the apostle’s teachings, the overcoming of this sin will bring us to a state of perfection. There seems to be a connection between this teaching of the apostle and the vision of the 144,000

that John saw. James says in the text, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” Peter says: “For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” 1 Pet. ii, 21–23. John says of the company he saw, “In their mouth was found no guile.”

That the words we speak do have much to do in deciding our cases in the Judgment hour, is further apparent from the teaching of our Saviour in Matt. xii, 36, 37: “But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” But is it really true that every word we speak—good, bad, or indifferent; momentous or trifling; guarded or unguarded; at home or abroad; in public or in private—all, all are faithfully recorded, and are to seal our justification or condemnation in the court of Heaven? Such are the teachings of the words of Christ—words spoken by Him who now stands as our advocate before the Father, and who shelters us from the punishment our sins would call upon our heads, were it not for his mediation.

But how is it so much importance attaches to our words? The first glance at the subject would lead us to conclude that it was our acts that must turn the scale of our justification or condemnation, and that words were of but comparatively little importance. But if we look closely, we shall find that there is a principle underlying this statement which gives it all its force. The occasion that drew forth this expression from our Saviour, is recorded in verse 22: “Then they brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb; and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils.” This blasphemous talk of the Pharisees called forth from the Saviour a short, pointed discourse, in which he showed them the awful sinfulness of the words they were speaking, and that it was the wickedness of their own hearts that prompted them to speak thus. Having shown them that the curse of Heaven would more surely visit them for that sin than for any other, he proceeds to verse 33 to further explain, thus: “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.” Having succeeded in getting this idea clearly before their minds, he asks them the pointed question: “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil things.” Thus we see that the importance which attaches to the words we speak arises from their being the index that points to what is in the heart. This idea is further brought out in the 15th chapter, where the Pharisees raise the question, why the disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders by eating with unwashed hands. In verse 11 he tells them that it is “not that which goeth into the mouth that defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” In explaining this to his disciples, he tells them, in verses 18–20: “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man.” In this list of heart-sins our Saviour mentions the violation of no less than five of the commandments contained in the decalogue. No wonder that from the abundance of a heart filled with such evil thoughts the words should be sinful.

Taking this view of the subject, we can see plainly why the apostle James, in the discourse from which the text is taken, says, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.” Chap. iv, 8.

There is no middle ground. Says Jesus, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matt. xii, 30. The words we speak indicate either that the law of God is written on our hearts, and that we are striving to obey it, or that we are walking “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience”—that we are “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world,” since by our words we are justified or condemned in the Judgment hour.

“How careful, then, ought I to live, With what religious fear, Who such a strict account must give, For my behaviour here.”

This brings us to consider.

II. The immediate effects of our words on ourselves and those around us.

Says James, “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.” James iii, 3. Now, it is not to stop the horses from moving forward, that we put the bits in their mouths, but that they may obey us—that they may go in the right direction; even so the tongue is not to be bridled to stop our talking, but to restrain us from speaking those things that we ought not to speak, and at the same time prompt us to speak those things which should be spoken.

If a horse is untamed and unbroken, the stronger he is, the more dangerous he will be; but subject him to proper training, and the more powerful he is, the better. “So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind; but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” Verses 6–8. Truly, the tongue, untamed by God’s grace, is untamable, and entirely beyond the control of man. How many instances loom up before the mind where a few words have been the means of destroying the peace of individuals, families, and even whole communities. I dare say, there is not an individual who reads these words, who has not, at some time, had a cloud thrown over his pathway by words unduly spoken, either by himself or others.

Says the wise man, “A froward man soweth strife; and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” Prov. xvi, 28. “A talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” Chap. xi, 13. How many of us have witnessed the truthfulness of these sayings. How many of us have seen lawless and disobedient individuals whose delight it was to stir up strife, who gloried in catching up the imperfections of others, and whispering them around in the ears of this one and that one, and if, under the impulse of the moment, some one dropped an unguarded word, it was caught up and carried back to the one about whom it was spoken, until sometimes the most intimate friends have been brought into the most serious trouble by their meddling. And, sad as it may be, these whispering talebearers are sometimes found among God’s professed people. Prominent among the things that the Lord hates, as enumerated by the wise man, are, “a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Prov. vi, 19.

Sad as may be the results of tattling in the community at large, it is nothing, compared with what follows when Christians go peddling the imperfections of their covenant brethren and sisters; and whenever we see this spirit at work among God’s people, we may be assured that the love of God is on the wane, or at least, is not burning as brightly as it should. Says James, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” Jas. iii, 14–16.

There have ever been seasons in the history of the church when even those professing godliness have acted the part of hypocrites, and spoken falsely with their lips. To such a time as this, David evidently refers in the twelfth Psalm, when he says, “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseeth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” Verse 12. But from contemplating this state of things, his mind at once reaches forward to the destiny of such persons, for he says in verse 3: “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things.”

That David fitly describes the state of things in the nominal churches at the present day, no one will deny; but there can be no hope of seeing a better state of things, except as the honest ones renounce their false creeds, and adopt the whole truth that is being brought out in these last days, even all the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

But it is not especially with these that we have to do at this time. Those whom I am now addressing have professed to come out from among them, and to be living out all the truth of the third angel’s message. How is it with us brethren? Are we as careful as we should be when conversing one with another, and with those who do not believe as we do?

I have thus far confined my remarks chiefly to those who may be termed backbiters and tattlers. But there are other ways in which we are apt to speak amiss, that do not come under this title. Some who have embraced the present truth, and have become posted up in theory, delight in argument, and driving people who oppose them into short corners, and think that by so doing they are exceedingly smart. But Solomon says, “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright.” Prov. xv, 2. It may be fairly questioned whether we use knowledge aright, even when we present Bible truth, if we present it in such a way as to irritate and leave an opponent with ruffled feelings.

Then again, we are apt to speak hastily when something is said to irritate us; our hasty words irritate the other party, and he in turn says something a little sharper still, until what commenced in friendly chat, ends in bitter epithets. Now, all this might be avoided, if we would heed the wise saying, “A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.” Prov. xv, 1. It may sometimes be a little humiliating to take this course, but “he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James i, 19.

Then there is a disposition with many of us to engage in light and trifling conversation. But if we find ourselves enjoying such things, we may be sure we are not fully awake to the solemnities of the Judgment hour. If it was necessary for the Ephesians to refrain from foolish talking and jesting, it certainly becomes us to be sober and watch unto prayer, if we believe, as we profess to, that the end of all things is at hand.

Much more might be said in reference to our improprieties in conversation, but enough has been said to show that we need to reform in this respect. This brings us to notice.

III. The duties of the hour.

That we are in the Judgment hour, no one in present truth denies. That we still, in one way or another, offend in word, and hence have not arrived at that state of perfection which the text contemplates has been fully shown. That we must become perfect in this, as in all other respects, is also clearly brought out in the Scriptures. With these facts before us, the question of present duty becomes an important one. “Be zealous, therefore, and repent,” is the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodicean church. Repentance, then, is the work in order. But the question may here very properly be asked, What is repentance? The popular idea of repentance seems to be, a deep and overwhelming paroxysm of grief over a sort of an indefinite idea of something called sin, lasting a longer or shorter period, as the case may be, or until the divine wrath has been appeased. But with us, the important question is, What is the Bible idea of repentance? Says Paul, in 1 Cor. vii, 10: “Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of.” From this it would seem that repentance is not simply sorrow, but the result of a certain kind of sorrow. Says the Witness to the church of Ephesus: “Repent, and do thy first work.” Rev. ii, 5. From this it would seem that repentance has something to do with our works. This is just what is out of order in the Laodicean church. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.” Chap. iii, 15. Said John to the scribes and Pharisees, “Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance.” Says Paul to king Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but showed unto them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Acts xxvi, 20.

Repentance, or the Greek word metanoeo, translated repentance, signifies to reform, and is so rendered in the Emphatic Diaglott. Hence, to be zealous and repent is to be zealous and reform.

To reform all bad habits is now the work of God’s people, but especially is this true with regard to our conversation. The objection is sometimes raised, that we cannot govern our tongues—that we speak before we think; but Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil. iv, 13. Before we decide that we cannot govern our tongues, let us inquire whether we have put forth the necessary effort. The idea of overcoming involves the idea of a persevering effort; and when our strength fails, we have the assurance of the Master that God’s Holy Spirit shall be given to assist us. “If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke xi, 13. By the aid of the Holy Spirit, then, we can overcome, and when we summon the resolution to say, “God helping me, I will overcome,” the battle is half fought.

One means of help in overcoming this disposition to say things we ought not, is to keep the mind so busily engaged in contemplating God’s goodness, and in striving to assist those around us into the way of truth, as to leave no room for evil thoughts, and hence no occasion for evil words.

Then, again, if we have in the past spoken things that we should not about others, we should hasten to make amends; and the very act of making amends will become a powerful means in preventing errors of this kind in future.

But we cannot expect to overcome until we first obtain forgiveness from God for past offenses; and let us bear in mind, that “if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.” So that we must not only “cease to do evil and learn to do well” ourselves, but we must forgive those who have trespassed against us in speaking evil of us, before we can expect forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.

With regard to light and trifling conversation, before we can take any steps in reform, it is necessary that we should be aroused to the fact that our minds are not duly impressed with the solemnity of the Judgment hour. No person who has a deep and abiding sense of the solemnities of the hour in which we live, can, for a moment, indulge in idle jesting. I would not be understood as saying anything against cheerfulness, for if there is a person in the world who should be cheerful, it is the child of God. For our Saviour has told us that when certain things come to pass, we should lift up our heads and rejoice, for our redemption draws nigh. Those signs are mostly in the past, and in process of fulfillment; so that we have many reasons to be cheerful. But we should make a distinction between cheerfulness and a light and trifling spirit.

In short, the reason why people are not more careful in their conversation is because they are morally asleep, and are not aware of the impending destruction. But Paul, alluding to the times in which we live, says: “Ye are all the children of the light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess. v, 5, 6. In verse 17, he gives us another very important admonition: “Pray without ceasing.” Peter gives the same remedy, thus: “But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer.” 1 Pet. iii, 7.

Our duties, then, in the Judgment hour are, to be sober, to pray without ceasing, and to watch unto prayer; all of which may the Lord help us to do. Amen.

MERCY LINGERS.

By L. E. MILLNE

Hark! the voice of mercy calling; To the Saviour, sinners, fly. Will you slight the voice of warning? Will you linger here and die? Oh! arise, and come to Jesus, See his arms extended wide, Waiting, sinner, to receive you: 'Twas for you he bled and died.

Come while mercy still doth linger, Come and taste of Jesus' love, You may have the Saviour's blessing, And a glorious home above.

List the last sad notes of warning Sounding now throughout the land, Soon, oh! soon the Lord is coming, Will you join our happy band?

Darkness o'er the land is stealing, But a light shines on our way. Though amid the hosts of Satan, We are sure to win the day. Those who have our Lord rejected— Hark! they now begin to pray. Call, in vain, for rocks and mountains: Mercy's hour hath passed away.

L. E. MILLNE.

Prejudice and the Mind

Some prejudices are to the mind what the atmosphere is to the body; we cannot feel without the one, nor breathe without the other.

WILLIAM MILLER.

By JAMES WHITE

INTERVAL BETWEEN HIS CONVERSION AND PUBLIC LABORS.

[By no means have we designed to quote the memoir of Wm. Miller in full. We clip only those incidents and facts of most value, sometimes passing over years of his interesting experience and labors. But we design to quote sufficiently from this work and other publications, to give the readers of the Review a clear view of all that it is really important to know of him and his labors. JAMES WHITE.]

From the time that Mr. Miller became established in his religious faith, till he commenced his public labors—a period of twelve or fourteen years—there were few prominent incidents in his life to distinguish him from other men. He was a good citizen, a kind neighbor, an affectionate husband and parent, and a devoted Christian; good to the poor, and benevolent, as objects of charity were presented; in the Sunday School was teacher and superintendent; in the church he performed important service as a reader and exhorter, and, in the support of religious worship, no other member, perhaps, did as much as he. He was very exemplary in his life and conversation, endeavored at all times to perform the duties, whether public or private, which devolved on him, and whatever he did was done cheerfully, as for the glory of God. His leisure hours were devoted to reading and meditation; he kept himself well informed respecting the current events of the time; occasionally communicated his thoughts through the press, and often, for his own private amusement, or for the entertainment of friends, indulged in various poetical effusions, which, for unstudied productions, are possessed of some merit; but his principal enjoyment was derived from the study of the Bible. His state of mind at this time can be better given in his own language:

“With the solemn conviction,” writes Mr. Miller, “that such momentous events were predicted in the Scriptures, to be fulfilled in so short a space of time, the question came home to me with mighty power regarding my duty to the world, in view of the evidence that had affected my own mind. If the end was so near, it was important that the world should know it. I supposed that it would call forth the opposition of the ungodly; but it never came into my mind that any Christian would oppose it. I supposed that all such would be so rejoiced, in view of the glorious prospect, that it would only be necessary to present it, for them to receive it. My great fear was, that, in their joy at the hope of a glorious inheritance so soon to be revealed, they would receive the doctrine without sufficiently examining the Scriptures in demonstration of its truth. I therefore feared to present it, lest, by some possibility, I should be in error, and be the means of misleading any.”

“Various difficulties and objections would arise in my mind, from time to time; certain texts would occur to me, which seemed to weigh against my conclusions; and I would not present a view to others, while any difficulty appeared to militate against it. I therefore continued the study of the Bible, to see if I could sustain any of these objections. My object was not merely to remove them, but I wished to see if they were valid.

“Sometimes, when at work, a text would arise like this: ‘Of that day and hour knoweth no man,’ &c.; and how, then, could the Bible reveal the time of the advent? I would then immediately examine the context in which it was found, and I saw at once that, in the same connection, we are informed how we may know when it is nigh, even at the doors; consequently, that text could not teach that we could know nothing of the time of that event. Other texts, which are advanced in support of the doctrine of a temporal millennium, would arise; but, on examining their context, I invariably found that they were applicable only to the eternal state, or were so illustrative of the spread of the gospel here, as to be entirely irrelevant to the position they were adduced to support.

“Thus all those passages that speak of the will of God being done on earth as in Heaven, of the earth being full of the knowledge of the glory of God, &c., could not be applicable to a time when the Man of Sin was prevailing against the saints, or when the righteous and wicked were dwelling together, which is to be the case until the end of the world. Those which speak of the gospel being preached in all the world, teach that, as soon as it should be thus preached, the end was to come; so that it could not be delayed a thousand years from that time, nor long enough for the world’s conversion after the preaching of the gospel as a witness.

“The question of the resurrection and judgment was, for a time, an obstacle in the way. Being instructed that all the dead would be raised at the same time, I supposed it must be so taught in the Bible; but I soon saw it was one of the traditions of the elders.

“So, also, with the return of the Jews. That question I saw could only be sustained by denying the positive declarations of the New Testament, which assert, ‘There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek;’ that ‘The promise that he shall be the heir of the world was not to Abraham and his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith;’ that ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female,’ but that ‘If ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.’ I was, therefore, obliged to discard an objection which asserts there is a difference between the Jew and the Greek; that the children of the flesh are accounted for the seed, &c.

“In this way I was occupied for five years,—from 1818 to 1823,—in weighing the various objections which were being presented to my mind. During that time, more objections arose in my mind than have been advanced by my opponents since; and I know of no objection that has been since advanced which did not there occur to me. But, however strong they at first appeared, after examining them in the light of the divine word, I could only compare them to straws, laid down singly as obstacles, on a well-beaten road: the car of truth rolled over them, unimpeded in its progress.

“I was then fully settled in the conclusions which seven years previously had begun to bear with such impressive force upon my mind; and the duty of presenting the evidence of the nearness of the advent to others—which I had managed to evade while I could find the shadow of an objection remaining against its truth—again came home to me with great force. I had, previously, only thrown out occasional hints of my views. I then began to speak more clearly my opinions to my neighbors, to ministers, and others. To my astonishment, I found very few who listened with any interest. Occasionally, one would see the force of the evidence; but the great majority passed it by as an idle tale. I was, therefore, disappointed in finding any who would declare this doctrine, as, I felt it should be, for the comfort of saints, and as a warning to sinners.”

He continued to make the Bible his daily study, and became more and more convinced that he had a personal duty to perform respecting what he conceived the Bible to teach of the nearness of the Advent. These impressions he thus describes:

“When I was about my business, it was continually ringing in my ears, ‘Go and tell the world of their danger.’ This text was constantly occurring to me: ‘When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.’ Eze. xxxiii, 8, 9. I felt that if the wicked could be effectually warned, multitudes of them would repent; and that, if they were not warned, their blood might be required at my hand. I did all I could to avoid the conviction that anything was required of me; and I thought that by freely speaking of it to all, I should perform my duty, and that God would raise up the necessary instrumentality for the accomplishment of the work. I prayed that some minister might see the truth, and devote himself to its promulgation; but still it was impressed upon me, ‘Go and tell it to the world; their blood will I require at thy hand.’ The more I presented it in conversation, the more dissatisfied I felt with myself for withholding it from the public. I tried to excuse myself to the Lord for not going out and proclaiming it to the world. I told the Lord that I was not used to public speaking; that I had not the necessary qualifications to gain the attention of an audience; that I was very diffident, and feared to go before the world; that they would ‘not believe me nor hearken to my voice;’ that I was ‘slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.’ But I could get no relief.”

As Mr. Miller’s opinions respecting the nearness and nature of the millennium became known, they naturally elicited a good deal of comment among his friends and neighbors, and also among those at a distance. Some of their remarks, not the most complimentary to his sanity, would occasionally be repeated to him.

Having heard that a physician in his neighborhood had said, “Esquire Miller,” as he was familiarly called, “was a fine man and a good neighbor, but was a monomaniac on the subject of the advent,” Mr. M. was humorously inclined to let him prescribe for his case.

One of his children being sick one day, he sent for the doctor, who, after prescribing for the child, noticed that Mr. Miller was very mute in one corner, and asked what ailed him.

“Well, I hardly know, doctor. I want you to see what ails, and prescribe for me.”

The doctor felt of his pulse, &c., and could not decide respecting his malady; and inquired what he supposed was his complaint.

“Well,” says Mr. Miller, “I don’t know but I am a monomaniac; and I want you to examine me, and see if I am; and, if so, cure me. Can you tell when a man is a monomaniac?”

The doctor blushed, and said he thought he could. Mr. Miller wished to know how.

“Why,” said the doctor, “a monomaniac is rational on all subjects but one; and when you touch that particular subject, he will become raving.”

“Well,” says Mr. Miller, “I insist upon it that you see whether I am in reality a monomaniac; and if I am, you shall prescribe for and cure me. You shall, therefore, sit down with me two hours, while I present the subject of the advent to you, and, if I am a monomaniac, by that time you will discover it.”

The doctor was somewhat disconcerted; but Mr. Miller insisted, and told him, as it was to present the state of his mind, he might charge for his time as in regular practice.

The doctor finally consented; and at Mr. Miller’s request, opened the Bible and read from the 8th of Daniel. As he read along, Mr. Miller inquired what the ram denoted, with the other symbols presented. The doctor had read Newton, and applied them to Persia, Greece, and Rome, as Mr. Miller did.

Mr. Miller then inquired how long the vision of those empires was to be.

“2,300 days.”

“What!” said Mr. Miller, “could those great empires cover only 2300 literal days?”

“Why,” said the doctor, “those days are years, according to all commentators; and those kingdoms are to continue 2300 years.”

Mr. M. then asked him to turn to the 2d of Daniel, and to the 7th; all of which he explained the same as Mr. Miller. He was then asked if he knew when the 2300 days would end. He did not know, as he could not tell when they commenced.

Mr. Miller told him to read the 9th of Daniel. He read down till he came to the 21st verse, when Daniel saw “the man Gabriel,” whom he had “seen in the vision.”

“In what vision?” Mr. Miller inquired.

“Why,” said the doctor, “in the vision of the 8th of Daniel.”

“‘Wherefore, understand the matter and consider the vision.’ He had now come, then, to make him understand that vision, had he?”

“Yes,” said the doctor.

“Well, seventy weeks are determined; what are these seventy weeks a part of?”

“Of the 2300 days.”

“Then do they begin with the 2300 days?”

“Yes,” said the doctor.

“When did they end?”

“In A. D. 33.”

“Then how far would the 2300 extend after 33?”

The doctor subtracted 490 from 2300, and replied, 1810. “Why,” said he, “that is past.”

“But,” said Mr. Miller, “there were 1810 from 33; in what year would that come?”

The doctor saw at once that the 33 should be added, and set down 33 and 1810, and, adding them, replied, 1843.

At this unexpected result the doctor settled back in his chair and colored; but immediately took his hat and left the house in a rage.

The next day he again called on Mr. Miller, and looked as though he had been in the greatest mental agony.

“Why, Mr. Miller,” said he, “I am going to hell. I have not slept a wink since I was here yesterday. I have looked at the question in every light, and the vision must terminate about A. D. 1843; and I am unprepared, and must go to hell.”

Mr. Miller calmed him, and pointed him to the ark of safety; and in about a week, calling each day on Mr. M., he found peace to his soul, and went on his way rejoicing, as great a monomaniac as Mr. Miller. He afterward acknowledged that, till he made the figures 1843, he had no idea of the result to which he was coming.

Judging Ourselves and Others

HUMAN nature is so constituted that all see, and judge better, in the affairs of other men, than in their own.

The Consequences of Removing Prejudices

REMOVING prejudices is, alas! too often removing the boundary of a delightful near prospect, in order to let in a shockingly extensive one.

Continue reading: Afore Prepared Unto Glory