1260 days, showing how all the events which were to precede the time, times and a half, centered in 538, while the decree of Justinian was given in 533.

"This work circulated through New England, and excited something of an interest. The subject rested here, with the exception of a few newspaper articles published in Zion's Herald, of Boston, and Zion's Watchman, of New York, until the spring of 1839.

"In that year (1839) Mr. Miller was invited into Massachusetts to lecture. In that tour he visited and lectured in Randolph, Lowell, Groton, and Lynn. His introduction was principally through the influence of Elder T. Cole, of Lowell, a minister of the Christian connection. Again, in the autumn and winter of the same year, he returned and lectured in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Haverhill, Massachusetts, where a good effect was produced.

"It was at this Exeter meeting that he first became acquainted with Elder J. V. Himes, and received his first invitation to visit Boston and give a course of lectures in the Chardon-Street Chapel. His first course of lectures in that place constituted altogether a new era in the history of Adventism. An excitement was produced in Boston which demanded light, and prepared the public mind to sustain the enterprise of hiring the Marlboro' Chapel for a course of lectures. From that point an influence was extended through all the adjacent country; and such was the demand for light that it was determined to issue a new and revised edition of the lectures. This work was undertaken, without fee or reward, by that devoted friend of the cause. He cheerfully undertook the revision of the work and the superintendence of publication, which a Boston publisher agreed to do if he could have the profits arising

from an edition of five thousand copies. This he had. Mr. Miller has often been blamed for securing the copyright, and hence it is but just to him and the cause to say, that it was the only condition on which the publisher would undertake to issue the work. After selling the five thousand copies, Mr. Mussey, the publisher, concluded that the demand was over. For the For the purpose of supplying the public, Mr. Himes then undertook, at the earnest solicitation and advice of friends, the publication of the work himself. At the same time he abandoned the copyright, and thus, to save reproach on the cause, exposed himself to the competition of any and all who chose to compete with him. The same course has been pursued in reference to all his other publications. Notwithstanding all this, all that the tongue of slander could invent has been heaped upon him for the stand he took and the self-denying course he pursued on this subject.

During Mr. Miller's lectures in Boston, a work entitled 'Illustrations of Prophecy, by David Campbell,' appeared. Some other works of an ephemeral character, from Orthodox, Infidel, Universalist, and other ists, appeared about the same time, and accomplished each their work, by overthrowing-not Mr. Miller-but one another.

"Under these repeated attacks from the pulpit and press, it was felt that some organ of communication should be opened, by which the public mind could be disabused in reference to the varied reports which were circulated in reference to Mr. Miller and his views. He had long sought for some one to take the supervision of a paper through which he could speak to the public; but such a man could not be found, who for love or

money would undertake the task, and bear the scorn of an unbelieving world.

"At this juncture, when the storm of opposition grew heavy, the providence of God raised up a man for this work also. The unwearied friend of this cause, J. V. Himes, who has so nobly stood in the front of the hosts and the hottest of the fire, came forward and threw himself into the enterprise, to make up the breach. On the 20th of March, 1840, without money, patrons, or scarcely friends, he issued the first number of the Signs of the Times. The appearance of that sheet was hailed with joy by many a longing heart, waiting for the consolation of Israel. The paper was sustained for the first year at a considerable expense to the editor, besides his own unrequited toil. As might be expected, the enemies of the cause were greatly discommoded by the appearance of such a weapon, both offensive and defensive. Nothing which a heart surcharged with gall could invent, or the tongue of envy utter, was left unsaid or unwritten against the editor. But his language was, None of these things move me. He was sufficiently convinced of the truth of the doctrine to know that was worthy, at least, of a full and candid investigation, and this he determined it should have, so far as he was able to gain thus much for it.

"The paper thus started was published for two years as a semi-monthly, and, since then, as a weekly periodical. It has been read by multitudes throughout the United States, and in the British provinces, with the deepest interest, and has been to thousands an angel of

mercy and love; the good it has accomplished will only be known in the great day of the Lord.

During the same winter (1839-40) Mr. Miller was invited to lecture in Portsmouth, N. H., and Portland, Me. In both these places, as well as in Boston and vicinity, his labors were attended with refreshing showers of divine grace. Numbers embraced the doctrine of the Lord's speedy coming, who are yet strong in the faith, giving glory to God. This winter's campaign produced an excitement throughout New England, and raised up friends in almost every town.

But the time came;

"As the spring opened and the summer came, the entire community were excited, and expectation on tiptoe, in reference to the 11th of August and its anticipated events, the fall of the Ottoman empire, &c., &c. Many were the predictions that when that day should have passed by, as it certainly would do, without the event being realized, then the spell would be broken, and Adventism would die. and it must be confessed it was for a few weeks a time of trial to many. Yet 'He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb,' had compassion on his little ones, and did not suffer them to be tempted above what they were able to bear. And few, very few, even under that trial, shrunk from their faith. The time came and, passed by; and, as a matter of course, the distance from Constantinople could not be passed without consuming some considerable period of time. But when the fact did reach us, it was found that on the very day anticipated, the 11th of August, a transfer was made of the supremacy of that empire from Mahometan hands. This fact entirely discomfited the hosts of the enemy. The cause again revived, and careered on its way with still greater power than ever before."

UNITED EFFORT.

Up to this period all that had been done was accomplished by individual effort. In this depression of affairs, it was determined to hold a 'Second-Advent Conference' in Boston, where the friends of the cause could congregate and give expression to their feelings, and put forth an effort to arouse the country and the world to a sense of its coming doom. This meeting was assembled in the Chardon Street Chapel, on the 15th of October, 1840, and continued two days. This was styled 'The First General Conference of Second-Advent Believers.' It was a season of comfort and refreshing to the lovers of the glorious appearing of our blessed Lord.

"In the spring of 1840, the writer of this article wrote and published a third work, entitled 'An Address to the Clergy.' It embraced in a short compass an exposition of the nature of the kingdom of God; also an article on the return of the Jews, and their title to the land promished to Abraham for an everlasting possession. It presented the subject in a light somewhat different from what it had ever been presented before in this country. The effect of it on the clergy was considerable; some were moved by it to give the subject an examination, and became satisfied that it was the true position. It also contained the argument on the fall of the Ottoman empire. The second edition, published in 1841, was revised by giving the historical facts, showing the fulfillment of the calculation."

June 15-17, 1841, the second General Conference of Advent believers was held in Lowell, Mass. It was a time of deep interest, and gave a new impulse to the

cause.