| 105 years, for Daniel was shewn [shown] nothing in this vision which was to transpire later than the Grecian empire: the angel Gabriel expounded this vision, and brought the time no farther down than the death of Antiochus, B. C. 164, which was in the 149th year of the Grecian empire.
We will notice but two numbers more, found in Dan. 12th chapter. In this vision he is shewn [shown] certain events which are to transpire in the Persian, Grecian and Roman empires. The angel closes the events of the Grecian empire, with the death of Antiochus, which bring us to the close of the 11th chapter, and then relates some events to transpire among the Jews, while the Romans should sway universal empire: as 12:1,-as time of trouble, &c. the same predicted by Jesus, Mat. 24:21, 22. "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," as fulfilled, Mat. 27:52, 53.-Verse 6th, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders." Verse 7th. "It shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished." When was the power of the holy people scattered? In the A. D. 70, and here ended this time, times, and half time: but Daniel did not at that time understand it, and says, verse 8th, "And I heard but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord what shall be the end of these things?" Verse 11th. "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, (to set up the desolation of abomination) there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." Then this 1290 days marks the time from the taking away of the daily sacrifice by Antiochus, to the setting up of the abomination in the holy place by the Romans, as spoken of by Jesus in reference to Daniel's vision: which time was about 235 years, by our common chronology, and the 1290 days do not represent years. We might notice some other numbers, but deem these amply sufficient, to show the total failure of days being symbols of years, in all cases in the scriptures. Some of the saints on earth may find that these numbers do not refer to the rise of the true church, in 1830, or the first endowment in 1836, any nearer than they refer to the second advent of Messiah. We are to watch for the coming of Messiah in faith, meekness, humility and prayer; observing the signs of the times instead of mystical numbers, and the wise will understand. S. P."
We do not agree in every particular with the above; but we consider that the false foundation upon which Mr. Miller rests his fabric is fully developed and exposed in all its naked deformity.
Concerning there being no certainty in numbers, however our wise men may have differed in relation to this matter, we believe that there is a certainty in them when they are understood; (or why did the prophets give them?) but we do not think that either Mr. Miller or his followers understand them. Language has become confounded, corrupted, changed, mixed and adulterated, so that words are very unintelligible signs of ideas, in the most perfect languages now extant. But numbers have not become so altered; fo [so] far as we have any knowledge, numbers are the same in all languages; they may have different names, but are the same in arithmetical calculations. Two and two make four, and four and four make eight in the English, French, German, Hebrew, Caldaic, Arabic, and, we believe, in all the different languages. But, while this uniformity exists, there is a difference in the times spoken of in the scriptures; not a discord, but different rules of calculation. We are told that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Now, as we know what the Lord's time is, and what men's time is, if Mr. Miller will importune God, and get the spirit of prophecy, which will teach him a little more than his philosophy, he may, perhaps, get to know what a prophet's time is, and then if he can obtain the ministering of angels, as Daniel did; they may perhaps inform him what an angel's time is, and thus, becoming acquainted with God's, angel's, prophet's and man's time, and having the spirit of prophecy to know the circumstances under which the numbers were given, and their application, he will be able to arrive at more just conclusions than to believe that the end of the world will be this year, or next.
Some of his fanatical preachers have made the following statement.-
"Several Millerites have lately been in our city, and they pronounce Mormonism one of the greatest humbugs of the age; and aver that Joseph Smith is the great he goat spoken of in the scriptural prophesies."-Chicago Democrat.
We do not profess to be such great prophets, nor such profound philosophers as Mr. Miller and some of his associates; but we prophecy that the world will not come to an end on the 28th of April next, nor next year. And when it comes to pass we shall know which is the greatest humbug; Millerism or Mormonism, and probably we may then found out who wears the beard.-Ed.
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