home to me with mighty
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power regarding my duty to the world； in view of the evidence that had
affected my own mind。〃Ibid。； page 81。 He could not but feel that it was
his duty to impart to others the light which he had received。 He expected to
encounter opposition from the ungodly； but was confident that all Christians
would rejoice in the hope of meeting the Saviour whom they professed to
love。 His only fear was that in their great joy at the prospect of glorious
deliverance； so soon to be consummated； many would receive the doctrine
without sufficiently examining the Scriptures in demonstration of its truth。
He therefore hesitated to present it； lest he should be in error and be the
means of misleading others。 He was thus led to review the evidences in
support of the conclusions at which he had arrived； and to consider
carefully every difficulty which presented itself to his mind。 He found that
objections vanished before the light of God's word； as mist before the rays
of the sun。 Five years spent thus left him fully convinced of the
correctness of his position。
And now the duty of making known to others what he believed to be so clearly
taught in the Scriptures； urged itself with new force upon him。 〃When I was
about my business；〃 he said； 〃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 thine 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。〃
Ezekiel 33：8； 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。〃Bliss； page 92。
He began to present his views in private as he had opportunity； praying that
some minister might feel their force and devote himself to their
promulgation。 But he could not
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banish the conviction that he had a personal duty to perform in giving the
warning。 The words were ever recurring to his mind： 〃Go and tell it to the
world； their blood will I require at thy hand。〃 For nine years he waited；
the burden still pressing upon his soul； until in 1813 he for the first time
publicly gave the reasons of his faith。
As Elisha was called from following his oxen in the field； to receive the
mantle of consecration to the prophetic office； so was William Miller called
to leave his plow and open to the people the mysteries of the kingdom of
God。 With trembling he entered upon his work； leading his hearers down； step
by step； through the prophetic periods to the second appearing of Christ。
With every effort he gained strength and courage as he saw the widespread
interest excited by his words。
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