contrary to the teachings of Christ and His apostles； who declared that the
wheat and the tares and to grow together until the harvest； the end of the
world； that 〃evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse；〃 that 〃in the
last days perilous times shall come；〃 and that the kingdom of darkness shall
continue until the advent of the Lord and shall be consumed with the spirit
of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming。 Matthew
13：30； 38…41； 2 Timothy 3：13； 1； 2 Thessalonians 2：8。
The doctrine of the world's conversion and the spiritual reign of Christ was
not held by the apostolic church。 It was not generally accepted by
Christians until about the beginning of the eighteenth century。 Like every
other error； its results were evil。 It taught men to look far in the future
for the coming of the Lord and prevented them from giving heed to the signs
heralding His approach。 It induced a feeling of confidence and security that
was not well founded and led many to neglect the preparation necessary in
order to meet their Lord。
Miller found the literal； personal coming of Christ to be plainly taught in
the Scriptures。 Says Paul： 〃The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout； with the voice
322
of the Archangel； and with the trump of God。〃 1 Thessalonians 4：16。 And the
Saviour declares： 〃They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory。〃 〃For as the lightning cometh out of the
east； and shineth even unto the west； so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be。〃 Matthew 24：30； 27。 He is to be accompanied by all the hosts of
heaven。 〃The Son of man shall come in His glory； and all the holy angels
with Him。〃 Matthew 25：31。 〃And He shall send His angels with a great sound
of a trumpet； and they shall gather together His elect。〃 Matthew 24：31。
At His coming the righteous dead will be raised； and the righteous living
will be changed。 〃We shall not all sleep；〃 says Paul； 〃but we shall all be
changed； in a moment； in the twinkling of an eye； at the last trump： for the
trumpet shall sound； and the dead shall be raised incorruptible； and we
shall be changed。 For this corruptible must put on incorruption； and this
mortal must put on immortality。〃 1 Corinthians 15：51…53。 And in his letter
to the Thessalonians； after describing the coming of the Lord； he says： 〃The
dead in Christ shall rise first： then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds； to meet the Lord in the air： and
so shall we ever be with the Lord。〃
1 Thessalonians 4：16； 17。
Not until the personal advent of Christ can His people receive the kingdom。
The Saviour said： 〃When the Son of man shall come in His glory； and all the
holy angels with Him； then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory： and
before Him shall be gathered all nations： and He shall separate them one
from another； as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats： and He shall
set the sheep on His right hand； but the goats on the left。 Then shall the
King say unto them on His right hand； Come； ye blessed of My Father； inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world。〃 Matthew
25：31…34。 We have seen by the scriptures just given that when the Son of man
comes； the dead are raised incorruptible and the living are changed。 By this
great
323
change they are prepared to receive the kingdom； for Paul says： 〃Flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God； neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption。〃 1 Corinthians 15：50。 Man in his present state is mortal；
corruptible； but the kingdom of God will be incorruptible； enduring forever。
Therefore man in his present state cannot enter into the kingdom of God。 But
when Jesus comes； He confers immortality upon His people； and then He calls
them to inherit the kingdom of which they have hitherto been only heirs。
These and other scriptures clearly proved to Miller's mind that the events
which were generally expected to take place before the coming of Christ；
such as the universal reign of peace and the setting up of the kingdom of
God upon the earth； were to be subsequent to the second advent。 Furthermore；
all the signs of the times and the condition of the world corresponded to
the prophetic description of the last days。 He was forced to the conclusion；
from the study of Scripture alone； that the period allotted for the
continuance of the earth in its present state was about to close。
〃Another kind of evidence that vitally affected my mind；〃 he says； 〃was the
chronology of the Scriptures。 。 。 。 I found that predicted events； which had
been fulfilled in the past； often occurred within a given time。 The one
hundred and twenty years to the flood （Genesis 6：3）； the seven days that
were to precede it； with forty days of predicted rain （Genesis 7：4）； the
four hundred years of the sojourn of Abraham's seed （Genesis 15：13）； the
three days of the butler's and baker's dreams （Genesis 40：12…20）； the seven
years of Pharaoh's （Genesis 41：28…54）； the forty years in the wilderness
（Numbers 14：34）； the three and a half years of famine （1 Kings 17：1） ＇see
Luke 4：25；＇ 。 。 。 the seventy years' captivity （Jeremiah 25：11）；
Nebuchadnezzar's seven times （Daniel 4：13…16）； and the seven weeks；
threescore and two weeks； and the one week； making seventy weeks； determined
upon the Jews （Daniel 9：24…27）；the events limited by these times were all
once only a matter of prophecy； and were fulfilled in accordance with the
predictions。〃Bliss； pages 74； 75。
324
When； therefore； he found； in his study of the Bible； various chronological
periods that； according to his understanding of them； extended to the second
coming of Christ； he could not but regard them as the 〃times before
appointed；〃 which God had revealed unto His servants。 〃The secret things；〃
says Moses； 〃belong unto the Lord our God： but those things which are
revealed belong unto us and to our children forever；〃 and the Lord declares
by the prophet Amos； that He 〃will do nothing； but He revealeth His secret
unto His servants the prophets。〃 Deuteronomy 29：29； Amos 3：7。 The students
of God's word may； then； confidently expect to find the most stupendous
event to take place in human history clearly pointed out in the Scriptures
of truth。
〃As I was fully convinced；〃 says Miller； 〃that all Scripture given by
inspiration of God is profitable （2 Timothy 3：16）； that it came not at any
time by the will of man； but was written as holy men were moved by the Holy
Ghost （2 Peter 1：21）； and was written 'for our learning； that we through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope' （Romans 15：4）； I
could but regard the chronological portions of the Bible as being as much a
portion of the word of God； and as much entitled to our serious
consideration； as any other portion of the Scriptures。 I therefore felt that
in endeavoring to comprehend what God had in His mercy seen fit to reveal to
us； I had no right to pass over the prophetic periods。〃 Bliss； page 75。
The prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the time of the second
advent was that of Daniel 8：14： 〃Unto two thousand and three hundred days；
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed。〃 Following his rule of making
Scripture its own interpreter； Miller learned that a day in symbolic
prophecy represents a year （Numbers 14：34； Ezekiel 4：6）； he saw that the
period of 2300 prophetic days； or literal years； would extend far beyond the
close of the Jewish dispensation； hence it could not refer to the sanctuary
of that dispensation。 Miller accepted the generally received view that in
the Christian age
325
the earth is the sanctuary； and he therefore understood that the cleansing
of the sanctuary foretold in Daniel 8：14 represented the purification of the
earth by fire at the second coming of Christ。 If； then； the correct starting
point could be found for the 2300 days； he concluded that the time of the
second advent could be readily ascertained。 Thus would be revealed the time
of that great consummation； the time when the present state； with 〃all its
pride and power； pomp and vanity； wickedness and oppression； would come to
an end；〃 when the curse would be 〃removed from off the earth； death be
destroyed； reward be given to the servants of God； the prophets and saints；
and them who fear His name； and those be destroyed that destroy the
earth。〃Bliss； page 76。
With a new and deeper earnestness； Miller continued the examination of the
prophecies； whole nights as well as days being devoted to the study of what
now appeared of such stupendous importance and all…absorbing interest。 In
the eighth chapter of Daniel he could find no clue to the starting point of
the 2300 days； the angel Gabriel； though commanded to make Daniel understand
the vision； gave him only a partial explanation。 As the terrible persecution
to befall the church was unfolded to the prophet's vision； physical strength
gave way。 He could endure no more； and the angel left him for a time。 Daniel
〃fainted； and was sick certain days。〃 〃And