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falling stars which has ever been recorded； 〃the whole firmament； over all
the United States； being then； for hours； in fiery commotion！ No celestial
phenomenon has ever occurred in this country； since its first settlement；
which was viewed with such intense admiration by one class in the community；
or with so much dread and alarm by another。〃 〃Its sublimity and awful beauty
still linger in many minds。 。 。 。 Never did rain fall much thicker than the
meteors fell toward the earth； east； west； north； and south； it was the
same。 In a word； the whole heavens seemed in motion。 。 。 。 The display； as
described in Professor Silliman's Journal； was seen all over North America。
。 。 。 From two o'clock until broad daylight； the sky being perfectly serene
and cloudless； an incessant play of dazzlingly brilliant luminosities was
kept up in the whole heavens。〃R。 M。 Devens； American Progress； or； The
Great Events of the Greatest Century； ch。 28； pars。 1…5。
〃No language； indeed； can come up to the splendor of that magnificent
display； 。 。 。 no one who did not witness it can form an adequate conception
of its glory。 It seemed as if the whole starry heavens had congregated at
one point near the zenith； and were simultaneously shooting forth； with the
velocity of lightning； to every part of the horizon； and yet they were not
exhaustedthousands swiftly followed in the tracks of thousands； as if
created for the occasion。〃F。 Reed； in the Christian Advocate and Journal；
Dec。 13； 1833。 〃A
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more correct picture of a fig tree casting its figs when blown by a mighty
wind； it was not possible to behold。〃〃The Old Countryman；〃 in Portland
Evening Advertiser； Nov。 26； 1833。
In the New York Journal of Commerce of November
14； 1833； appeared a long article regarding this wonderful
phenomenon； containing this statement： 〃No philosopher or scholar has told
or recorded an event； I suppose； like that of yesterday morning。 A prophet
eighteen hundred years ago foretold it exactly； if we will be at the trouble
of understanding stars falling to mean falling stars； 。 。 。 in the only
sense in which it is possible to be literally true。〃
Thus was displayed the last of those signs of His coming； concerning which
Jesus bade His disciples： 〃When ye shall see all these things； know that it
is near； even at the doors。〃 Matthew 24：33。 After these signs； John beheld；
as the great event next impending； the heavens departing as a scroll； while
the earth quaked； mountains and islands removed out of their places； and the
wicked in terror sought to flee from the presence of the Son of man。
Revelation 6：12…17。
Many who witnessed the falling of the stars； looked upon it as a herald of
the coming judgment； 〃an awful type； a sure forerunner； a merciful sign； of
that great and dreadful day。〃 〃The Old Countryman；〃 in Portland Evening
Advertiser； Nov。 26； 1833。 Thus the attention of the people was directed to
the fulfillment of prophecy； and many were led to give heed to the warning
of the second advent。
In the year 1840 another remarkable fulfillment of prophecy excited
widespread interest。 Two years before； Josiah Litch； one of the leading
ministers preaching the second advent； published an exposition of Revelation
9； predicting the fall of the Ottoman Empire。 According to his calculations；
this power was to be overthrown 〃in A。D。 1840； sometime in the month of
August；〃 and only a few days previous to its accomplishment he wrote：
〃Allowing the first period； 150 years； to have been exactly fulfilled before
Deacozes ascended the throne by permission of the Turks； and that the 391
years； fifteen days； commenced at the close of the first period； it will end
on the 11th of August； 1840； when the Ottoman power
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in Constantinople may be expected to be broken。 And this； I believe； will be
found to be the case。〃Josiah Litch； in Signs of the Times； and Expositor
of Prophecy； Aug。 1； 1840。
At the very time specified； Turkey； through her ambassadors； accepted the
protection of the allied powers of Europe； and thus placed herself under the
control of Christian nations。 The event exactly fulfilled the prediction。
（See Appendix。） When it became known； multitudes were convinced of the
correctness of the principles of prophetic interpretation adopted by Miller
and his associates； and a wonderful impetus was given to the advent
movement。 Men of learning and position united with Miller； both in preaching
and in publishing his views； and from 1840 to 1844 the work rapidly
extended。
William Miller possessed strong mental powers； disciplined by thought and
study； and he added to these the wisdom of heaven by connecting himself with
the Source of wisdom。 He was a man of sterling worth； who could not but
command respect and esteem wherever integrity of character and moral
excellence were valued。 Uniting true kindness of heart with Christian
humility and the power of self…control； he was attentive and affable to all；
ready to listen to the opinions of others and to weigh their arguments。
Without passion or excitement he tested all theories and doctrines by the
word of God； and his sound reasoning and thorough knowledge of the
Scriptures enabled him to refute error and expose falsehood。
Yet he did not prosecute his work without bitter opposition。 As with earlier
Reformers； the truths which he presented were not received with favor by
popular religious teachers。 As these could not maintain their position by
the Scriptures； they were driven to resort to the sayings and doctrines of
men； to the traditions of the Fathers。 But the word of God was the only
testimony accepted by the preachers of the advent truth。 〃The Bible； and the
Bible only；〃 was their watchword。 The lack of Scripture argument on the part
of their opponents was supplied by ridicule and scoffing。 Time； means； and
talents were employed in maligning those whose
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only offense was that they looked with joy for the return of their Lord and
were striving to live holy lives and to exhort others to prepare for His
appearing。
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 gray…headed 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
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disturbing their self…satisfaction； and his plain and cutting words aroused
their enmity。 The opposition manifested by church members toward