Chapter 15

This is a sect calling themselves Seventh-Day Baptists, that arose in New England about the year 1674. John and James Rogers were their leaders. They were peculiar in their language, dress, and manners; they employed no physician, nor used any medicine: they paid no regard to the Christian Sabbath, and disturbed and abused those that did. It is said that a few of this people still remain. See the _Battle-Axe_, a work published by them a few years ago, at their printing establishment, at Groton, Conn.

WHIPPERS.

This denomination sprang up in Italy, in the thirteenth century, and was thence propagated through almost all the countries of Europe. The society that embraced this new discipline, ran in multitudes, composed of persons of both sexes, and all ranks and ages, through the public streets, with whips in their hands, lashing their naked bodies with the most astonishing severity, with a view to obtain the divine mercy for themselves and others, by their voluntary mortification and penance. This sect made their appearance anew in the fourteenth century, and taught, among other things, that flagellation was of equal virtue with baptism and other sacraments; that the forgiveness of all sins was to be obtained by it from God, without the merit of Jesus Christ; that the old law of Christ was soon to be abolished, and that a new law, enjoining the baptism of blood, to be administered by whipping, was to be substituted in its place.

A new denomination of Whippers arose in the fifteenth century, who rejected the sacraments and every branch of external worship, and placed their only hopes of salvation in _faith_ and _flagellation_.

WILKINSONIANS.

The followers of Jemima Wilkinson, who was born in Cumberland, R. I. In 1776, she asserted that she was taken sick, and actually died, and that her soul went to heaven. Soon after, her body was reanimated with the spirit and power of Christ, upon which she set up as a public teacher, and declared she had an immediate revelation for all she delivered, and was arrived to a state of absolute perfection. It is also said she pretended to foretell future events, to discern the secrets of the heart, and to have the power of healing diseases; and if any person who had made application to her was not healed, she attributed it to his want of faith. She asserted that those who refused to believe these exalted things concerning her, will be in the state of the unbelieving Jews, who rejected the counsel of God against themselves; and she told her hearers that was the eleventh hour, and the last call of mercy that ever should be granted them; for she heard an inquiry in heaven, saying, “Who will go and preach to a dying world?” or words to that import; and she said she answered, “Here am I—send me;” and that she left the realms of light and glory, and the company of the heavenly host, who are continually praising and worshipping God, in order to descend upon earth, and pass through many sufferings and trials for the happiness of mankind. She assumed the title of the _universal friend of mankind_.

Jemima made some converts in Rhode Island and New York, and died in 1819. She is said to have been a very beautiful, but artful woman.

AQUARIANS.

WATER-DRINKERS, a branch of the _Encratites_, a sect in the second century, who abstained from marriage, wine, and animal food; who carried their aversion to wine so far, that they substituted water in the holy communion, though some refused it only in their _morning_ ceremonies. It is well known that the ancient Christians mingled water with their wine for sacred use, partly, perhaps, for economy, and partly from sobriety; but Cyprian gives a mystical reason—because the wine and water represent Christ and his people united.

BAXTERIANS.

The Baxterian strikes into a middle path between Arminianism and Calvinism, and thus endeavors to unite both schemes. With the Calvinist, he professes to believe that a certain number, determined upon in the divine councils, will be infallibly saved; and with the Arminian, he joins in rejecting the doctrine of reprobation, as absurd and impious;—admits that Christ, in a certain sense, died for all, and supposes that such a portion of grace is allotted to _every_ man, as renders it his own fault if he does not attain to eternal life.

This conciliatory system was espoused by the famous Nonconformist, Richard Baxter, who was celebrated for the acuteness of his controversial talents, and the utility of his practical writings.

Among Baxterians are ranked both Watts and Doddridge. Dr. Doddridge, indeed, has this striking remark—“That a Being who is said not to tempt any one, and even swears that he desires not the death of a sinner, should _irresistibly_ determine millions to the commission of every sinful action of their lives, and then, with all the pomp and pageantry of a universal judgment, condemn them to eternal misery, on account of these actions, that hereby he may promote the happiness of others who are, or shall be, irresistibly determined to virtue, in the like manner, is of all incredible things to me the most incredible!”

In the scale of religious sentiment, Baxterianism seems to be, with respect to the subject of divine favor, what Arianism is with respect to the person of Christ. It appears to have been considered by some pious persons as a safe middle way between two extremes.

MILLER’S VIEWS ON THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

The following letter from Rev. WILLIAM MILLER to Rev. JOSHUA V. HIMES contains a synopsis of Mr. Miller’s views on this interesting subject:—

“Rev. J. V. Himes:

“My dear brother: You have requested a synopsis of my views of the Christian faith. The following sketch will give you some idea of the religious opinions I have formed, by a careful study of the word of God:—

“I believe all men, coming to years of discretion, do and will disobey God; and this is, in some measure, owing to corrupted nature by the sin of our parent. I believe God will not condemn us for any pollution in our father; but the soul that sinneth shall die. All pollution of which we may be partakers from the sins of our ancestors, in which we could have no agency, can and will be washed away in the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, without our agency. But all sins committed by us as rational, intelligent agents, can only be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, through our repentance and faith. I believe in the salvation of all men who receive the grace of God by repentance and faith in the mediation of Jesus Christ. I believe in the condemnation of all men who reject the gospel and mediation of Christ, and thereby lose the efficacy of the blood and righteousness of our Redeemer, as proffered to us in the gospel. I believe in practical godliness, as commanded us in the Scriptures, (which are our only rule of faith and practice,) and that they only will be entitled to heaven and future blessedness, who obey and keep the commandments of God, as given us in the Bible, which is the word of God. I believe in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is a Spirit, omnipresent, omniscient, having all power, Creator, Preserver, and self-existent. As being holy, just, and beneficent, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, having a body in fashion and form like man, divine in his nature, human in his person, godlike in his character and power. He is a Savior for sinners, a Priest to God, a Mediator between God and man, and King in Zion. He will be all to his people, God with us forever. The spirit of the Most High is in him, the power of the Most High is given him, the people of the Most High are purchased by him, the glory of the Most High shall be with him, and the kingdom of the Most High is his on earth.

“I believe the Bible is the revealed will of God to man, and all therein is necessary to be understood by Christians in the several ages and circumstances to which they may refer;—for instance, what may be understood to-day, might not have been necessary to have been understood a thousand years ago; for its object is to reveal things new and old, that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished for, and perfected in, every good word and work, for the age in which he lives. I believe it is revealed in the best possible manner for all people, in every age and under every circumstance, to understand, and that it is to be understood as literal as it can be and make good sense; and that in every case where the language is figurative, we must let the Bible explain its own figures. We are in no case allowed to speculate on the Scriptures, and suppose things which are not clearly expressed, nor reject things which are plainly taught. I believe all of the prophecies are revealed to try our faith, and to give us hope, without which we could have no reasonable hope. I believe that the Scriptures do reveal unto us, in plain language, that Jesus Christ will appear again on this earth; that he will come in the glory of God, in the clouds of heaven, with all his saints and angels; that he will raise the dead bodies of all his saints who have slept, change the bodies of all that are alive on the earth that are his, and both these living and raised saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. There the saints will be judged and presented to the Father, without spot or wrinkle. Then the gospel kingdom will be given up to God the Father. Then will the Father give the bride to the Son Jesus Christ; and when the marriage takes place, the church will become the ‘New Jerusalem,’ the ‘beloved city.’ And while this is being done in the air, the earth will be cleansed by fire, the elements will melt with fervent heat, the works of men will be destroyed, the bodies of the wicked will be burned to ashes, the devil and all evil spirits, with the souls and spirits of those who have rejected the gospel, will be banished from the earth, shut up in the pit or place prepared for the devil and his angels, and will not be permitted to visit the earth again until a thousand years. This is the first resurrection, and first judgment. Then Christ and his people will come down from the heavens, or middle air, and live with his saints on the new earth in a new heaven, or dispensation, forever, even forever and ever. This will be the restitution of the right owners to the earth.

“Then will the promise of God to his Son be accomplished—‘I will give him the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession.’ Then ‘the whole earth shall be full of his glory.’ And then will the holy people take possession of their joint heirship with Christ, and his promise be verified, ‘The meek shall inherit the earth,’ and the kingdom of God will have come, and ‘his will done in earth as in heaven.’ After a thousand years shall have passed away, the saints will all be gathered and encamped in the beloved city. The sea, death, and hell, will give up their dead, which will rise up on the breadths of the earth, out of the city, a great company like the sand of the sea-shore. The devil will be let loose, to go out and deceive this wicked host. He will tell them of a battle against the saints, the beloved city; he will gather them in the battle around the camp of the saints. But there is no battle; the devil has deceived them. The saints will judge them; the justice of God will drive them from the earth into the lake of fire and brimstone, where they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever. ‘This is the second death.’ After the second resurrection, second judgment, the righteous will then possess the earth forever.

“I understand that the judgment day will be a thousand years long. The righteous are raised and judged in the commencement of that day, the wicked in the end of that day. I believe that the saints will be raised and judged about the year 1843, according to Moses’ prophecy, Lev. ch. 26; Ezek. ch. 39; Daniel, ch. 2, 7, 8-12; Hos. 5:1-3; Rev., the whole book; and many other prophets have spoken of these things. Time will soon tell if I am right, and soon he that is righteous will be righteous still, and he that is filthy will be filthy still. I do most solemnly entreat mankind to make their peace with God, to be ready for these things. ’The end of all things is at hand.’ I do ask my brethren in the gospel ministry to consider well what they say before they oppose these things. Say not in your hearts, ‘My Lord delayeth his coming.’ Let all do as they would wish they had if it does come, and none will say they have not done right if it does not come. I believe it will come; but if it should not come, then I will wait and look until it does come. Yet I must pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.’

“This is a synopsis of my views. I give it as a matter of faith. I know of no scripture to contradict any view given in the above sketch. Men’s theories may oppose. The ancients believed in a temporal and personal reign of Christ on earth. The moderns believe in a temporal, spiritual reign as a millennium. Both views are wrong; both are too gross and carnal. I believe in a glorious, immortal, and personal reign of Jesus Christ, with all his people, on the purified earth forever. I believe the millennium is between the two resurrections and two judgments, the righteous and the wicked, the just and the unjust. I hope the dear friends of Christ will lay by all prejudice, and look at and examine these three views by the only rule and standard, the BIBLE.

“William Miller.”

A Bible Chronology, From Adam To Christ.

By William Miller.

No. Names of Age. A. M. B. C. Reference. Patriarchs, &c. Creation, 1 4157 Gen. i., ii. 2. Adam 130 130 4027 Gen. v. 3. 3. Enos 90 325 3832 Gen. v. 6. 4. Cainan 70 395 3762 Gen. v. 9. 5. Mahalaleel 65 460 3697 Gen. v. 15. 6. Jared 162 622 3535 Gen. v. 18. 7. Enoch 65 687 3470 Gen. v. 21. 8. Methuselah 187 874 3283 Gen. v. 25. 9. Lamech 182 1056 3101 Gen. v. 28. 10. Noah 600 1656 2501 Gen. vii. 6. The Flood 1 1657 2500 Gen. viii. 13. 11. Shem 2 1659 2498 Gen. xi. 10. 12. Arphaxad 35 1694 2463 Gen. xi. 12. 13. Salah 30 1724 2433 Gen. xi. 14. 14. Heber 34 1758 2399 Gen. xi. 16. 15. Peleg 30 1788 2369 Gen. xi. 18. 16. Reu 32 1820 2337 Gen. xi. 20. 17. Serug 30 1850 2307 Gen. xi. 22. 18. Nahor 29 1879 2278 Gen. xi. 24. 19. Terah’s life 205(4) 2084 2073 Gen. xi. 32. 20. Exode, &c. 430(5) 2514 1643 Exod. xii. 40, 41. 21. Wilderness 40 2554 1603 Josh. v. 6; xiv. 7. 22. Joshua 25(6) 2579 1578 Josh. xxiv. 29. 1. Elders and 18 2597 1560 See Josephus. Anarchy,(7) 2. Under Cushan 8 2605 1552 Judges iii. 8. 3. Othniel 40 2645 1512 Judges iii. 11. 4. Eglon 18 2663 1494 Judges iii. 14. 5. Ehud 80 2743 1414 Judges iii. 30. 6. Jabin 20 2763 1394 Judges iv. 3. 7. Barak 40 2803 1354 Judges v. 31. 8. Midianites 7 2810 1347 Judges vi. 1. 9. Gideon 40 2850 1307 Judges viii. 28. 10. Abimelech 3 2853 1304 Judges ix. 22. 11. Tola 23 2876 1281 Judges x. 2. 12. Jair 22 2898 1259 Judges x. 3. 13. Philistines 18 2916 1241 Judges x. 8. 14. Jephthah 6 2922 1235 Judges xii. 7. 15. Ibzan 7 2929 1228 Judges xii. 9. 16. Elon 10 2939 1218 Judges xii. 11. 17. Abdon 8 2947 1210 Judges xii. 14. 18. Philistines 40 2987 1170 Judges xiii. 1. 19. Eli 40(8) 3027 1130 1 Sam. iv. 18. 20. Samuel, 24(9) 3051 1106 1 Sam. vii. 2-17. prophet 1. Saul, King 40 3091 1066 Acts xiii. 21. 2. David 40 3131 1026 2 Sam. v. 4. 3. Solomon 40 3171 986 1 Kings xi. 42. 4. Rehoboam 17 3188 969 2 Chron. xii. 13. 5. Abijam 3 3191 966 1 Kings xv. 2. 6. Asa 41 3232 925 1 Kings xv. 10. 7. Jehoshaphat 25 3257 900 1 Kings xxii. 42. 8. Jehoram 5 3262 895 2 Kings viii. 17. 9. Ahaziah 1 3263 894 2 Kings viii. 26. 10. Athaliah, 6 3269 888 2 Kings xi. 3, 4. his mother 11. Joash 40 3309 818 2 Kings xii. 1. 12. Amaziah 29 3338 819 2 Kings xiv. 2. Interregnum(10) 11 3349 808 2 Kings xv. 1, 2. 13. Azariah 52 3401 756 2 Kings xv. 2. 14. Jotham 16 3417 740 2 Kings xv. 33. 15. Ahaz 16 3433 724 2 Kings xvi. 2. 16. Hezekiah 29 3462 695 2 Kings xviii. 2. 17. Manasseh 55 3517 640 2 Kings xxi. 1. 18. Amon 2 3519 638 2 Kings xxi. 19. 19. Josiah 31 3550 607 2 Kings xxii. 1. 20. Jehoahaz 3550 607 2 Kings xxiii. 31. 21. Jehoiakim 11 3561 596 2 Kings xxiii. 36. The 70 years of 70 3631 526 2 Chron. xxxvi. Captivity began 5-10. Cyrus 6 3637 520 Rollin i. p. 354. Cambyses 7 3644 513 Rollin i. p. 366. Darius 36 3680 477 Rollin ii. p. 9. Hystaspes Xerxes 13 3693 464 Rollin ii. p. 9. Artaxerxes 7 3700 457 Ezra vii. 10-13. Longimanus Birth of 457 4157 Christ(11) Add present 1840 5997 year, 1840 To 1843 3 6000

Mr. Miller adduces the following texts of Scripture in support of his sentiments:—Rev. 22:20. Ps. 130:6. 1 Thess. 3:13. Ps. 50:4. Rev. 11:15. Isa. 2:19-21. John 5:28. 1 Thess. 4:17. 2 Thess. 1:5-7. 1 Cor. 15:52. Rev 5:9. Dan. 7:9-14. Rev. 14:14-16. Matt. 26:64. Isa. 27:13. Matt. 24:29. Rev. 20:11. Isa. 66:15, 16. Mal. 4:1. Isa. 5:24. Rev. 19:18. Ezek. 39:17-20. Dan. 2 35, 44. Isa. 17:13. Rev. 13:1-7; 20:10. Isa. 24:20, 23. 2 Pet. 3:13. Rev. 19:8; 21:2. Heb. 4:9-11; 6:2, 3. Isa. 35:10; 65:17. Rev. 20:6; 20:9. Zech. 8:5. Rev. 3:12; 5:10, 20:2, 3, 7; 21:1; 20:8, 9, 13. Rom. 7:5. 1 Pet. 4:6. Ps. 59:6-14. Jer. 4:12. Rev. 21:12, 27. Zech. 14:9-11. 1 Cor. 6:2. Rev. 20:9, 14, 15. Mal. 4:2. Isa. 4:3-5. Hos. 13:14. Rom. 8:17. Rev. 21:23; 22:5. Jer. 31:12-14. Eph. 1:10. Tit. 2:13. Rev. 4:11. Eph. 6:13. Heb. 10:36, 37.

The believers in Mr. Miller’s theory are numerous, and converts to his doctrines are increasing.

Mr. Miller was born at Hampton, N. Y., Feb. 15, 1782. He is a farmer, of common school education, and possesses strong intellectual and colloquial powers. He is a man of unexceptionable character, is a member of the Baptist church, in good standing, and has a license to preach the gospel. For the last fifteen years, he has almost exclusively devoted himself to investigating Scripture prophecies, and in promulgating his peculiar views of them to the world.

The Rev J. V. Himes and Rev. J. Litch, No. 14 Devonshire Street, Boston, publish the _Signs of the Times_, a weekly paper, devoted to Miller’s views. They also publish Miller’s works, and a variety of other books, embracing similar sentiments.

COME-OUTERS.

This is a term which has been applied to a considerable number of persons in various parts of the Northern States, principally in New England, who have recently _come out_ of the various religious denominations with which they were connected;—hence the name. They have not themselves assumed any distinctive name, not regarding themselves as a sect, as they have not formed, and do not contemplate forming, any religious organization. They have no creed, believing that every one should be left free to hold such _opinions_ on religious subjects as he pleases, without being held accountable for the same to any human authority. Hence, as might be expected, they hold a diversity of opinions on many points of belief upon which agreement is considered essential by the generality of professing Christians. Amongst other subjects upon which they differ is that of the authority of the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments, some among them holding the prevailing belief of their divine inspiration, whilst others regard them as mere human compositions, and subject them to the same rules of criticism as they do any other book, attaching to them no authority any further than they find evidence of their truth. They believe the commonly-received opinion of the plenary inspiration of the writers of those books to be unfounded, not claimed by the writers themselves, and therefore _unscriptural_, as well as unreasonable. Whilst, then, they believe the authors of the Gospels to have been fallible men, liable to err both in relation to matters of fact and opinion, they believe they find in their writings abundant evidence of their honesty. Therefore they consider their testimony satisfactory as regards the main facts there stated of the life of Jesus Christ, at least so far, that there can be no difficulty in deducing therefrom the great principles of the religion which he taught. They _all_ believe him to have been a divinely-inspired teacher, and his religion, therefore, to be a revelation of eternal truth. They regard him as the only authorized expositor of his own religion, and believe that to apply in practice its principles as promulgated by him, and as exemplified in his life, is all that is essential to constitute a Christian, according to his testimony, (Matt. 7:24,)—“_Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock,_” &c. Hence they believe that to make it essential to Christianity to assent to all the opinions expressed by certain men, good men though they were, who wrote either before or after his time, involves a denial of the words of Christ. They believe that, according to his teachings, true religion consists in purity of heart, holiness of life, and not in opinions; that _Christianity, as it existed in the mind of Christ, is a life rather than a belief_.