“The following testimony of one who was converted from infidelity during these lectures, is copied from the Boston Investigator (an infidel paper) of January, 1845:—
“‘Mr. Editor:—I was a warm supporter of the views of Abner Kneeland, attended his lectures and protracted dances, disbelieved in divine revelation and a future existence, and fully accorded with Mr. Kneeland’s views of religion. Having read every work of note that I could obtain, and having heard many lectures opposed to God and the Bible, I considered myself prepared to overthrow the Christian faith, and feared no argument that could be brought from the Bible. With these feelings, I attended a full course of Mr. Miller’s lectures. He gave his rules of interpretation, and pledged himself to prove his position. I approved of his rules—to which I refer you—and the result was, he established the fact that the Bible is what it purports to be—the word of God—to my mind, beyond a doubt; and I have taken it as the man of my counsel.
“‘I notice your doubts of the truth of the statement in relation to hundreds of infidels being converted under the preaching of Mr. Miller. This may possibly be owing to your never having given Mr. Miller a candid and thorough hearing. He is a man mighty in the Scriptures, and has done terrible execution in the ranks of the “King’s enemies,” with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
“‘I am personally acquainted with nearly one hundred, who held to similar views with Abner Kneeland, who were converted under the preaching of Mr. Miller; and we did not yield the point without a struggle, nor without due consideration. Each and every prop and refuge of infidelity and unbelief were taken away from us, and our sandy foundation was swept by the truth of the Almighty as chaff is driven by the wind. Yet we parted with them much as a man parts with a diseased tooth. We tried to cure and keep it there, and when made to know that the root and foundation was rotten, it was painful to part with; but we rejoiced and felt better after the separation; for there is balm in Gilead—there is a Physician there.
“‘Lansingburg, N. Y., Jan., 1845.’
“On the 14th of January, Mr. Miller lectured at Westhaven, N. Y., and two weeks from that day, at Low Hampton, N. Y. On the 4th of February, he commenced a course of lectures at Panton, Vt., which he continued eight days. He then returned to West Haven, N. Y., and lectured seven days, beginning February 18.
“On returning to Low Hampton, he found the following letter from Rev. Charles Fitch, pastor at the Marlboro’ Chapel, Boston. It was the beginning of an acquaintance between those dear brethren in Christ, and as such, will be read with interest by all:—
“‘Boston, March 5, 1838.
“‘My Dear Brother:—I am a stranger to you, but I trust that, through the free sovereign grace of God, I am not altogether a stranger to Jesus Christ, whom you serve. I am the pastor of an orthodox Congregational church in this city. A few weeks since, your Lectures on the Second Coming of Christ were put into my hands. I sat down to read the work, knowing nothing of the views which it contained. I have studied it with an overwhelming interest, such as I never felt in any other book except the Bible. I have compared it with Scripture and history, and I find nothing on which to rest a single doubt respecting the correctness of your views. Though a miserable, guilty sinner, I trust that, through the Lord’s abounding grace, I shall be among those that love his appearing. I preached to my people two discourses yesterday on the coming of our Lord, and I believe a deep and permanent interest will be awakened thereby in God’s testimonies. My object in writing you, my dear sir, is twofold.
“‘1st. Will you have the kindness to inform me, by letter, in what history you find the fact stated that the last of the ten kings was baptized A. D. 508, and also that the decree of Justinian, giving the Bishop of Rome power to suppress the reading of the Scriptures, was issued in 538? All the other data which you have given, I have found correct, and I know of no reason to doubt your correctness in these. But, as I have not yet been able to find a statement of those facts, you will do me a great favor by just informing me where I may find them; and I shall then feel prepared to defend the truth, and to point others to the right source of information.