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the east even unto the west. The Lord Jesus will not be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is this the belief of the "Christian community at this day?" Then would I cry night and day come out from such communities as these, my brethren. This thing cannot be So. You will see our churches awake to this subject, and disclaim any connection with these views. They cannot sleep and see the whole platform of the Christian faith and hope rooted up at one blow. Where is the spirit of the puritans? Where is the soul-stirring doctrine of John Wesley, of a Whitefield, of Roger Williams, and our fathers, gone? Is it possible, my brother, that you are in earnest, when you deny these important and long-cherished truths? -No new heavens or new earth! A gradual change from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God! How shall we know when we are out of one, and in the other? What can that important era be which you promise us at the end of these days? The spiritual coming of Christ? That was in the days of the Apostles; and his Spirit has been with us ever since, and the promise is he will be with us until the end of the world. What can the era be? The chaining of Satan, and the millennium? No, for you say that is long since past. What is it, that you so peremptorily deny? If I can understand you, it is plainly the personal coming of Christ-the sudden destruction of the fourth kingdom-the resurrection of the righteous dead-the cleansing of the earth by fire-the judgment day or any other thing which the adventists are in the habit of teaching, save the time. And do I understand you to say, "Such is the dominant faith of all Christian communities at this day?" If it is so, (which I cannot believe at present,) I should feel it my duty to hold no fellowship with them. But you say "the prophecy makes not the slightest allusions to such stupendous occurrences." Is there no "allusion" to a judgment day in Daniel vii. 9, 10?" I beheld till

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the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.' Is there no sudden destruction by fire alluded to in the 11th verse? I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." Is there no allusion to the coming of Christ, personally, in the 13th verse? “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him." Is there no allusion to the sudden destruction of the fourth kingdom in Daniel viii. 25? "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes: but he shall be broken without hand." I must confess your quotation, Daniel vii. 27, was the last text I should have quoted to prove a "gradual" wearing away of the Roman kingdom, and the "gradual" setting up of the everlasting kingdom of God; for the 26th verse," But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end," —shows a judgment setting, and a taking away the fourth kingdom first, not wearing away.

The 23d of March is now past, and neither of the events, for which we look, has taken place. We, therefore, have nothing more now to do, but to watch and look for the event. You say it is the "moral regeneration," I say it is a physical and moral change, from mortal to immortal. If your regeneration does take place, I hope I shall be ready and willing to confess my error. If I am right, the next event will be

the coming of the Holy One, and renovation of the earth. You will not deny me the same privilege of waiting and watching as you claim for yourself. I, therefore, look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, and fashion it according to his glorious body.

Yours, &c.,

WILLIAM MILLER.

LETTER IV.

DEAR BROTHER:-In your fifth charge and fifth section, you deny that "the righteous are to inherit the earth in their resurrection bodies." And there is nothing, you say, from Genesis to Revelation, that teaches incontestably (I hope you will not play upon words, for we all know every word is contested) such a doctrine. You say we shall have spiritual bodies, and ask how a spiritual body can inhabit a materiał globe. Christ was spiritual, called the spiritual man from heaven. Yet he inhabited the earth for more than thirty years. Again; Paul says, this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. What is this called corruptible and mortal? You will answer, it is this body of flesh and bones. Very well, then this body of flesh and bones must put on incorruption and immortality. I ask, How can this be done, if there is no resurrection? Paul shows how it is done by a resurrection of flesh and bones. Then it becomes a spiritual body. But a spirit has no body, so Christ says; and you argue the same. Paul says, 1 Cor. xv. 44, "There is a spiritual body," after the resurrection. This then is a spiritual body, flesh and bones with incorruption and immortality put on. Now can you show any good reason why a spiritual body may not inhabit the globe, when it is renovated or cleansed by, fire? Here lies the foundation of all your

skepticism, an unbelief in the resurrection. May God have mercy on you, and open your blind eyes; for it is as utterly impossible for you to see and realize the true inheritance of the saints, as it would be for a "literalist" to see your mystical and spiritual reign of Christ with his saints on the earth. And should I bring forth proof from every page, from Genesis to Revelation, it would do you no good, unless you can believe in this pillar of gospel truth, the resurrection. And now, my dear brother, permit me to be as plain with you, as you have been with me. I do really stand in doubt of you, until Jesus is formed in you the hope of the resurrection from the dead. This is an important lack in your Christian experience. I esteem you as a citizen, gentleman, and scholar; but I cannot fellowship you as a Christian or a believer. Do, then, my dear sir, look well to your standing in faith. I know a belief in the resurrection of the body after death, is the hardest thing in the whole Bible to subscribe to; and my sincere opinion is, if we believe not this, our faith is vain,-we are yet in our sins. Therefore, you will forgive me, I know, for being thus particular. If you had any faith in this blessed doctrine, I could easily prove to you how Abraham would inherit the promise. Rom. iv. 13: "For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." For "he staggered not at the promise through unbelief." Heb. xi. 19: “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead: from whence also he received him in a figure;" although he died in faith, not having received the promise. Heb. xi. 13: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." I could prove to you how the meek would inherit the earth forever; and when the wicked are cut off, you would see it. Psa. xxxvii. 11, 18, 22, 29, 34: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall

delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever; for such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." I could show what the wise man meant. Prov. ii. 21, 22. Prov. x. 30. I could show how God would plant his people in the earth, and they never will be plucked up. Isa. lx. 21: Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified." As you apply these promises, they are not common to all the saints, but only those who may live in a certain age; and no wonder, for you have no resurrection. Can you not read, "God is not a God of the dead, but of the living?"

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Your next objection, concerning the millennium and New Jerusalem state, all hangs upon your Sadducean notions, and a lack of Abraham's faith "that God is able to raise the dead." When you are converted to this resurrection faith, I shall have a good hope for you that you are a child of Abraham, having his faith. Until then, I must honestly tell you, I have no hope for you.

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Your sixth objection: "The doctrine of a twofold resurrection separated by the space of a thousand years, cannot be satisfactorily made out from a just application of the laws of prophetic interpretation." How can any man make out a two-fold resurrection, to his satisfaction, who does not believe in any resurrection? I cannot tell; and why do you thus deceitfully state your objection? If you believe in none, why do you ask how there can be two? Will you own there is one! If you will, I then pledge myself to prove two. In stating this objection, I am confident you are not honestly seeking for light; for, according to all rules of logic, the first question is to settle the fact itself,