Earnest were the efforts put forth to draw away the minds of the people from the subject of the second advent . It was made to appear a sin , something of which men should be ashamed , to study the prophecies which relate to the coming of Christ and the end of the world . Thus the popular ministry undermined faith in the word of God . Their teaching made men infidels , and many took license to walk after their own ungodly lusts . Then the authors of the evil charged it all upon Adventists .
While drawing crowded houses of intelligent and attentive hearers , Miller ' s name was seldom mentioned by the religious press except by way of ridicule or denunciation . The careless and ungodly emboldened by the position of religious teachers , resorted to opprobrious epithets , to base and blasphemous witticisms , in their efforts to heap contumely upon him and his work . The grayheaded man who had left a comfortable home to travel at his own expense from city to city , from town to town , toiling unceasingly to bear to the world the solemn warning of the judgment near , was sneeringly denounced as a fanatic , a liar , a speculating knave .
The ridicule , falsehood , and abuse heaped upon him called forth indignant remonstrance , even from the secular press . " To treat a subject of such overwhelming majesty and fearful consequences ," with lightness and ribaldry was declared by worldly men to be " not merely to sport with the feelings of its propagators and advocates ," but " to make a jest of the day of judgment , to scoff at the Deity Himself , and contemn the terrors of His judgment bar ." - -Bliss, page 183 . The instigator of all evil sought not only to counteract the effect of the advent message , but to destroy the messenger himself . Miller made a practical application of Scripture truth to the hearts of his hearers , reproving their sins and disturbing their self-satisfaction , and his plain and cutting words aroused their enmity . The opposition manifested by church members toward his message emboldened the baser classes to go to greater lengths ; and enemies plotted to take his life as he should leave the place of meeting . But holy angels were in the throng , and one of these , in the form of a man , took the arm of this servant of the Lord and led him in safety from the angry mob . His work was not yet done , and Satan and his emissaries were disappointed in their purpose .
Despite all opposition , the interest in the advent movement had continued to increase . From scores and hundreds , the congregations had grown to as many thousands . Large accessions had been made to the various churches , but after a time the spirit of opposition was manifested even against these converts , and the churches began to take disciplinary steps with those who had embraced Miller ' s views . This action called forth a response from his pen , in
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