“Mr. M. then showed how the 2300 days and the four great kingdoms, &c., bring us down to the end, and how they must terminate about this time; but confessed that the expected time had gone by. He spoke about an hour, during which the strictest attention was given by those who stood around. Many confessed they never thought that ‘Millerism’ was anything like that.

“On arriving at Marietta, Mr. M. was detained a part of the next day in the boat, and the inhabitants came down with the request that he would stop and lecture, offering him the Methodist house. But he was obliged to hasten on, and could not comply with their invitation.

“They arrived at Harrisburg, Pa., on Sunday, the 8th, and lectured four days in the old Methodist chapel to good audiences. On the 11th Mr. Miller wrote to the Signs of the Times as follows:—

“‘Harrisburg, Sept. 11, 1844.

“‘Dear Bro. Bliss:—We are now in this place laboring to prove to the people that the Bible is the revealed will of God, and that all may and will be known which concerns us, to make us perfect in every good work, by every sincere and candid inquirer, in this age of general expectation of some moral or physical revolution in the earth. And we believe, and we so teach, that the revolution so much expected, and so long desired by every child of God, is the coming of King Jesus, the marriage of the Lamb, and the completion of all the promises given us who believe in God’s word. We are as confident as faith in the blessed word can make us, that Christ is now at the very door, and soon our wondering eyes will be ravished by all the beauty, splendor, pomp and glory of our descending King.

“‘These thoughts make me happy while I write; but, O God! what then will be my feelings, when faith will end in sight, and hope in fruition? I know that my mind is too feeble to imagine, my faculties too weak to comprehend the emotion of my soul, when I shall stand before him; yes, and see him as he is, and be like him; yes, more than that, ten times more grand, more glorious still than all, shall be forever with him. No more a stranger in this giddy world, no more a pilgrim from the dizzy maze of life’s ten thousand cares, no more a wanderer from my Father’s house, no more to meet the scoffs of friends or foes, or meet the upturned lip, or curl of scorn from that black coat, and hear the oft-repeated epithet, in accents of deep derision, “There goes old Miller.” My soul rejoices when I think a few more days, at most, and all these scenes will be forgotten in the eternal sunshine of his glory. Why not begin the song of everlasting gratitude to God for this blessed hope.

“‘I find in every place where Bro. Himes and myself have traveled and labored, the same selfish, Pharisaical bigotry among the sects, and more especially among the several editors of pretended religious newspapers. Many of these misrepresent and falsely accuse their brethren of other sects in their trade—and they only fatten on the destruction of those who do not wear their sectarian badge. This would be a dark picture for the Christian religion, were it not for a few exceptions in the moral heavens; but there is now and then a brilliant star in the galaxy, that shines the brighter in consequence of the surrounding darkness; and in every sect we find a few of their numbers whose faithful hearts and honest lives denote they have not bowed the knee to Baal. Were it not for this, I long ago would have yielded up the point, that wicked men and devils, and the gates of hell, had in this our day prevailed against the church. But thank the Lord, a remnant yet is left; the Bible yet is true, and these men are but the tares which soon will be gathered and burned. I do believe few men will be left.

“‘The organ of the “Church of God,” so called, in this place, has spit his venom out, and I hope his poison will not taint his own body; but if it does, and should he reap the fruits, I hope he will remember his false assertions only go to show the bird was hit, and all his gall falls harmless at the feet of those he meant to wound. I will write you again when I get home.

“‘I remain as ever “looking for the blessed hope,” &c.

“‘William Miller.’