“Of Professors Stuart and Bush the New York Evangelist said: ‘The tendency of these views is to destroy the Scripture evidence of the doctrine of any real end of the world, any day of final judgment, or general resurrection of the body. The style of interpretation, we assert, tends fearfully to Universalism. This tendency we are prepared to prove.’
“The Hartford Universalist said of Professor Stuart: ‘He puts an uncompromising veto upon the popular interpretations of Daniel and Revelation, and unites with Universalists in contending that most of their contents had special reference to, and their fulfillment in, scenes and events which transpired but a few years after those books were written.’—Oct. 15, 1842.
“Mr. Hinton said of the same: ‘We regret that, in the midst of the great moral conflict with Antichrist, which is now carrying on, those into whose hands the saints were so long given should find so able a coadjutor. We have, however, no fears that Christians of sound common sense, and capable of independent thought, will, after a candid consideration of the scheme which excludes papacy from the page of prophecy, and that which traces in the prophetic symbols a faithful portraiture of its abominations, make a wrong decision. Since we have read the work of the learned Stuart, we have rejoiced the more that our humble abilities have been directed to the defense of the old paths.’—Proph. Illus., p. 231.
“Of Mr. Dowling, Dr. Breckenbridge said: ‘As for this disquisition of Mr. Dowling, we may confidently say that it is hardly to be conceived that anything could be printed by Mr. Miller, or Mr. Any-body-else, more shallow, absurd and worthless. There is hardly a point he touches on which he has not managed to adopt the very idlest conjectures of past writers on the prophecies; and this so entirely without regard to any coherent system, that the only clear conviction a man of sense or reflection could draw from his pamphlet, if such a man could be supposed capable of believing it, would be that the prophecies themselves are a jumble of nonsense. Such answers as his can have no effect, we would suppose, except to bring the whole subject into ridicule, or to promote the cause he attacks.’—Spirit of the 19th Century, March No., 1843.
“Again he says, in speaking of ‘the general ignorance which prevails on this subject,’ that of it ‘no greater evidence need be produced than the fact that this pamphlet of Mr. Dowling has been extensively relied on, yea, preached, as a sufficient answer’ to Mr. Miller.
“On surveying the whole field of controversy, Professor Bush, while he claimed that the spiritualists were nearer the truth, said of them: ‘They have not answered the arguments of their opponents, nor can they do it on the ground which they themselves professedly occupy in respect to a millennium. Assuming that that period is yet future, and its commencement of no distant date, the Literalists, or Adventists, bear down with overwhelming weight of argument upon them, maintaining that the second coming precedes and ushers in that sublime era. The spiritualists say, Nay, but refuse to commit themselves to a defined position. All that they know is, that there is to be a millennium of some kind, occurring at some time, introduced in some way, and brought to an end from some cause; and that immediately thereupon the Lord is to descend from heaven, burn up the earth, raise the dead, and administer the judgment; but as to the what, the when, the how, the why—on these points they rest content in knowing nothing, because of the impression taken up that nothing is to be known.”—N. C. Repos., 1849, p. 248.
“Dr. Jarvis, in his sermons, was particularly severe on Mr. Miller, but afterwards did him ample justice, as in the following. He said: ‘Mr. Miller, in his eagerness to make out his scheme, absolutely falsities the language of the Bible. He makes Jehoram to have reigned five years, where the Scripture positively says he reigned eight; and between Amaziah and Azariah, or Uzziah, he introduces an interregnum of eleven years, for which he has not even the shadow of an authority in the Bible. He quotes, indeed, chapters 14 and 15 of the 2d book of Kings; and this may be sufficient for those who are ready to take his opinions upon trust. But, if you examine the chapters to which he refers, you will be astonished to find that there is not in either of them one word upon the subject.’—Sermons, p. 55.
“In his preface to his sermons Dr. Jarvis makes the following correction of the above. He says:—
“‘It will be seen that in speaking of the curtailment of the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, from eight to five years, and the introduction of eleven years of interregnum between the reigns of Amaziah and Uzziah, he has censured Mr. Miller in too unmeasured terms. These particulars he is bound to explain.
“‘It would have been easier, and perhaps more advantageous to the author, to have made the alterations silently, and omitted the censure. But would it have been equally honest?