Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ

by William Miller [1842]

This is a collection of lectures by William Miller (1782-1849), a 19th century preacher who managed to convince himself and thousands of others that Jesus would return in 1844. Born a Baptist, he became a Deist and Freemason. After he fought in the war of 1812, he had a spiritual epiphany, and was called back to Baptism. After much study, Miller became convinced that Biblical chronology pointed to the immiment end of the world, and in 1832, was confident enough to publicize his beliefs.

As the deadline approached, his followers grew into a huge movement. The calculations were refined by his disciples, and October 22, 1844 was determined to be the day. As that date approached, Millerites sold their homes and business, and flocked to the hills to await the last judgement. Of course, nothing out of the ordinary occurred, and most of Miller’s followers melted away as quickly as they had joined. This became known as ‘the Great Disappointment.’ However, the concept of the imminent return of Jesus has been a major component of evangelical Christian thought for the past century. Few have been so bold as to set an actual date certain for the end of the world. Most millennialists today simply point to various signs and portents to suggest that the end is near.

CONTENTS

Introduction
Index
Lecture 1. The Second Appearing of Christ
Lecture 2. The First Resurrection
Lecture 3. The Two Thousand Three Hundred Days
Lecture 4. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people…
Lecture 5. Pagan Rome Numbered
Lecture 6. Daniel’s Vision of the Latter Days
Lecture 7. Daniel’s 1260, 1290, and 1335 Days Explained
Lecture 8. The Three Woe Trumpets
Lecture 9. The Epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia, Considered as Applying to Seven Periods of the Gospel Church, Part I.
Lecture 10. The Epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia, Considered as Applying to Seven Periods of the Gospel Church, Part II
Lecture 11. The New Song
Lecture 12. The Seven Seals, as Representing Events to the End of Time
Lecture 13. The Two Witnesses, as Having Been Slain in the French Revolution
Lecture 14. The Woman in the Wilderness
Lecture 15. The Seven Last Plagues, or Seven Vials
Lecture 16. The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Lecture 17. On the Punishment of the People of God Seven Times for their Sins
Lecture 18. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?
Lecture 19. Signs of the Present Times
Supplement