PREFACE.

It is not the design of this manual to enter into the details of the Second Avent doctrine, as held by Mr. Miller: these may be found in many of our publications, from the pen of Mr. Miller himself, and others. Nor is it intended to be, in any sense, a critical work. The writer makes no pretensions to the qualifications which are indispensable to prepare one's self for exact, learned, biblical criticism; nor has he time. Those who may desire, and have leisure, to make the prophecies the subject of such attention, must necessarily explore a wider field than would be consistent only to give the outlines of it in a work of this kind.

Its design is to present the events of history on which the calculations of the time are based, with the texts and some of the arguments which justify the application of the prophecies to these events, and to meet the most important objections which are brought against this application of the prophecies and the calculations of which it is the basis.

Other periods and calculations form an interesting portion of Mr. Miller's views, such as the Jubilees, the Typical Sabbath, &c.; but these are regarded rather as incidental and collateral, and would not of

themselves be supposed to furnish conclusive evidence in support of any theory. The facts and arguments in support of those prophetic periods only which are deemed vital to the system, are contained in this work.

The materials for this purpose are here presented as the writer has been in the practice of using them, when exhibiting the doctrine as a lecturer; others can use them as their taste or judgment may suggest.

The difficulty of access, with many readers, to the original sources of the information contained in this little volume; the oft-repeated wish for such a compilation; the desire that as many as possible may be come established in what the writer considers the particular truth of our time; and that all who will regard its calls, and yield to its claims, may be prepared for the scene which is to decide the destiny of men, and which is rapidly hastening upon the world,—are the motives for thus occupying the time which he is not permitted, on account of ill health, to occupy at present in lecturing.

BOSTON, May 1, 1843.

OBJECTIONS TO CALCULATING THE PROPHETIC TIMES CONSIDERED.

ONE mode by which the God of truth commends his word to men, is, by exhibiting the absurdity, sometimes the wickedness, of the positions which are taken in opposition to his truth. So Christ repelled the blasphemous slander of the Jews, on one occasion, who charged him with casting out devils through Beelzebub, the prince of devils. "If I, by Beelzebub, cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out?" Are they connected with Beelzebub? So, also, the reply of Christ to those who complained of him for receiving "sinners and eating with them," was intended to contrast the position which they condemned with their own position. As much as if he had said, "Yes, I receive sinners and eat with them-you do not; very well; let us make a comparison or two. (See Luke xv.) The father of the prodigal is on my side-and the man who lost a sheep, he is on my side-and the woman who lost a piece of silver, she is on my sideand the angels of God-these are all on my side. But you don't receive sinners! nor eat with them; very well, I do." Every age has had its contests for and against some particular form of truth, and the opposition is always characterized by ignorance and absurdity.

If ever there was a time when all the antitypes of the old recorded enemies of the truth, from the magicians of Egypt to Simon Magus, were on the stage at once, and all of them actively engaged, the day in which we live must be the time; and if there is any one particular part or form of truth in reference to

which their special anxiety is manifested, it is the sublime and clearly stated doctrine of Christ's second coming. No person who is at all acquainted with the subject can doubt for a moment, that, if a heathen should come among us, and compare the various and contradictory opinions which prevail everywhere, in reference to it, he must certainly think that the Bible has said nothing about the subject, or that we do not believe our Bibles. The Bible, however, has predicted exactly the state of things which we now witness upon this subject; it has warned us in view of it, and pointed out the only safety" Behold," says Christ, "I have told you before," &c. Matt. xxiv. 25. "Be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?" &c. 2 Pet. iii. 2-4.

But the particular question involved in the subject, against which" the head and tail" of society is moved, is the question of time. This is the question against which the scoffing infidelity, refined and vulgar,—much of the reputed christian wisdom,-and not a little of the undoubted piety of the land, stand forth in their most expressive attitudes of scorn, contempt, or horror. To the infidelity we have no apology to make, (though we rejoice to know that not a few of its more candid votaries have been converted to Christ, through the special instrumentality of Mr. Miller.) To the literati ecclesiastical, who look upon Mr. Miller with so many airs of affronted superiority, we say, Point out the mistakes, and give us a more scriptural explanation of these prophecies. We solemnly aver, that if any man will do this, we will not only abandon the explanation now defended, but we will labor to disseminate the better one to the utmost of our ability; but, to tell us that we have "no business to meddle with the prophecies," or that " we cannot understand the prophecies until they are fulfilled," will not do. We have never been