“‘We would, therefore, recommend more study of the Scriptures, and less writing, and that we be careful not to submit to public inspection mere speculations until they are closely scrutinized by some judicious friend. Thus we shall avoid many errors. We should always be more jealous of ourselves than of others. Self-love is the strongest, most dangerous, and deceitful foe that we meet in our Christian warfare. We have arrived at a period of deep interest and peril. It is interesting, because the evidence of the Saviour being at the door is plain, so that no sincere student of prophecy can be at a loss to know that that day, for which all other days were made, is near. How interesting to live in expectation of the day which patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, desired to see, but died without the sight! Persecution and death lose their sting, in prospect of the coming Conqueror, who hath all power, and who hath engaged to put all enemies under his feet. We need not murmur; for, in this our day, God will bring to pass this act, this (to the worldly man) strange act, for which all the weary saints, for six thousand years, have lived and prayed. We entreat you to hold fast the confidence which you have had in the word of God unto the end. “Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
“‘Wm. Miller, Chairman of Committee.’
“The doings of that Conference were unanimously ratified by the annual Conferences subsequently held, in that year in New York and in Boston; and the ‘important truths’ there inculcated were often unanimously re-affirmed, so that they have become the settled principles of those known as Adventists. Others, dissenting from them, but agreeing in unimportant particulars, and yet claiming to be Adventists, are not recognized as such by Adventists.[85]
“Mr. Miller was in Boston, where he arrived on Saturday, May 24, to attend the annual Conference there of the week following. That commenced on Monday, May 26, when Mr. M. discoursed from Rev. 6:17: ‘For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?’ He made a personal and practical application of this event, and presented the evidence of its probable nearness.
“During the Conference, he spoke feelingly of the passing of the time. He remarked that, ‘Ere this, he had been in hopes of meeting all present in the heavenly kingdom. But, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, however much we may be disappointed, we shall not forget Christ’s coming. God may see fit to disappoint us, sometimes, for our good. We may not see the wisdom and fullness of the whole of God’s plan; but he never tries us but for our profit. Therefore, we should not be disheartened or cast down.’ Every disappointment only made him more strong in the belief of the certainty of the nearness of Christ’s appearing.
“‘I had,’ he said, ‘denied the Bible for twelve years. I used to read it to see how curiously men would act, and contradict each other. But suddenly I became more solemn; its truth began to dawn upon my mind; and I was in great darkness for six months. I saw that I was a poor sinner; but I was soon enabled to love Jesus Christ, and have continued to love him even till the present time. I saw that, if the Bible was true, Christ was the only Saviour of men. I then began to study the Scriptures more fully—determined to study, text by text, till I was fully satisfied as to their import. In comparing scripture with scripture, such a light broke in upon my mind as I had never before seen. I was about two years in going through with the Bible in this manner; and I found it a perfect piece of order and beauty. And, though I have been greatly disappointed, yet I have never ceased to love and regard the authority of the Scriptures.
“‘Brethren, we must keep humble. I sometimes tremble when I see individuals endeavoring to exalt themselves, and denounce others who do not see just as they do. Be careful not to err in favor of self. Be careful to avoid self-righteousness. I have noticed that those who have left the second advent cause are the very ones for whom I used to tremble, in view of their arrogancy and self-righteousness. We must not look to ourselves, but must look alone to God. We must cling to our Heavenly Father’s arm, that we may hold fast our confidence even unto the end. The word of God teaches us that we are to be guided alone by him. Had our brethren who have apostatized thus looked to him, they would never have fallen into the awful errors into which they have been led. I love those brethren, but I tremble for their errors. Oh! let us depend wholly on God, that we may be preserved also from departing from the rectitude of our faith! And may we all be enabled to live out the prayer, “Not my will, O God, but thine be done.”’