“Mr. Miller received the above on the 12th of May, by the hand of his biographer. On entering his room, he was reclining on a lounge. At the mention of his name, he immediately arose, and recognized the messenger. He was much affected with the expression of sympathy sent by the Conference, and returned the following reply, which was received by the Conference at Boston, to which place it had adjourned, where it was entered on its minutes, May 29, 1849.
“‘Low Hampton, May 12, 1849.
“‘To my beloved brethren in Christ, assembled in Conference, and to the saints scattered abroad. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:—
“‘I give thanks to God for your kind remembrance of me, as expressed in the resolution of the 10th of May inst., in your late meeting at New York city, and forwarded to me by the hand of Bro. Bliss. I have not ceased to make mention of you alway in my prayers, that you might walk together worthy of your high calling in Christ Jesus, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. I feel myself greatly revived by your expression of sympathy, and trust that you will never have occasion to feel that it has been misplaced.
“‘My multiplied and increasing infirmities admonish me that the time of my departure is drawing nigh. My earthly labors have ceased, and I now await the Master’s call, to be ready at his appearing, or, if it so please him, for the little while his coming may be delayed, to depart and be with Christ, which is far better than to abide in the flesh. I feel that I have but little choice, whether I shall be continued in life till that event, or my spirit be gathered to the spirits of just men made perfect. However God may be pleased to deal with me, I am sustained by the blessed assurance that, whether I wake or sleep, I shall be present with the Lord.
“‘I daily have you all in grateful remembrance; and rejoice that so many of you continue steadfast in the faith once delivered to the saints, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ. I pray God that your faith may fail not, and that you may continue working together in harmony, building up one another in the most holy faith, and, by your blameless lives and godly conversation, commending this gospel of Christ to the hearts and consciences of dying men.
“‘I have but little hope, in my present weakness and infirmities, of seeing the faces of many of you in the flesh. Permit me, therefore, to exhort you not to be ashamed of the doctrine of the kingdom of Christ, nor of acknowledging on all proper occasions your confidence in the nearness of his coming.
“‘My belief is unshaken in the correctness of the conclusions I have arrived at and maintained during the last twenty years. I see no reason to question the evidence on which rest the fundamental principles of our faith. I cannot avoid the belief that this earth is to be restored to its Eden state, and become the eternal residence of the saints; that Christ is to come personally, to reign on the earth; that he will redeem us from death, and ransom us from the power of the grave; that he will change our vile bodies into the likeness of his glorified body, and destroy those who destroy the earth; and that at his coming will be the restoration of all things, spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, the establishment of the new heavens and new earth, the resurrection of the righteous, and the change of the living wicked from the earth,—whose resurrection will not transpire till after one thousand years.