As the Mayflower
first caught sight of land
00:00:18.61\00:00:21.72
off the coast of Massachusetts,
00:00:21.75\00:00:23.95
that first group of
pilgrims could not have imagined
00:00:23.99\00:00:27.69
what would become of this land.
00:00:27.72\00:00:29.59
Whilst they were
only seeking a place
00:00:29.62\00:00:31.66
where they could
experience freedom of worship,
00:00:31.69\00:00:34.53
as with many things
in life, the reality
00:00:34.56\00:00:37.43
became much bigger
than the original idea.
00:00:37.47\00:00:40.64
Landing here in Plymouth
Rock and settling nearby,
00:00:40.67\00:00:45.17
the pilgrims struggled
through the first winter,
00:00:45.21\00:00:47.84
losing over 40 of their friends.
00:00:47.88\00:00:50.48
But due to the generosity
00:00:50.51\00:00:52.18
of some of the
local Native Americans
00:00:52.21\00:00:54.92
the rest made it through.
00:00:54.95\00:00:56.65
As the years
passed and more people
00:01:09.70\00:01:11.53
made the journey over,
00:01:11.57\00:01:12.97
settlements were
founded and the East Coast
00:01:13.00\00:01:15.34
became more and more populated
00:01:15.37\00:01:17.81
until eventually
there were 13 colonies.
00:01:17.84\00:01:20.88
During the rise
of what would become
00:01:20.91\00:01:22.64
the United States of
America, these 13 colonies
00:01:22.68\00:01:25.91
were under the rule
of the British crown.
00:01:25.95\00:01:28.38
But tension would
build over the years
00:01:28.42\00:01:30.79
until eventually war broke out
00:01:30.82\00:01:32.92
between the
colonies and the Crown.
00:01:32.95\00:01:35.59
The British were defeated
and the colonies would go on
00:01:35.62\00:01:38.89
to sign the
Declaration of Independence
00:01:38.93\00:01:41.73
here in the Independence Hall
00:01:41.76\00:01:43.97
in Philadelphia in
1776, July the 4th.
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Four days later on July the 8th
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the bells would
ring out in Philadelphia
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as the Declaration was read out.
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One of the bells that was rung
00:01:57.05\00:01:58.48
is believed to
have been Liberty Bell,
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which thereafter would go on
to become a symbol of freedom.
00:02:00.58\00:02:04.22
Over the years America
00:02:12.06\00:02:13.56
would become a haven
for those seeking refuge
00:02:13.60\00:02:16.10
from religious persecution.
00:02:16.13\00:02:18.03
Although Western Europe
had gone through a Reformation,
00:02:18.07\00:02:20.97
in many cases the movement
of reform had stagnated.
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And whilst the new religion
00:02:24.57\00:02:25.97
would have some
different beliefs,
00:02:26.01\00:02:27.74
often they administered control
00:02:27.78\00:02:29.84
and discipline
like the Mother Church
00:02:29.88\00:02:32.18
and did not take kindly
00:02:32.21\00:02:33.92
to dissenters
and nonconformists.
00:02:33.95\00:02:36.58
Some coming over were
seeking new opportunities
00:02:36.62\00:02:39.95
and this new land with
an undiscovered interior
00:02:39.99\00:02:43.22
would prove fertile terrain.
00:02:43.26\00:02:45.33
The new pilgrims
recognized the tyranny
00:02:50.73\00:02:53.30
that had been imposed in
Europe with state-run churches
00:02:53.34\00:02:56.67
and were familiar
with the corruption
00:02:56.71\00:02:58.47
where church
officials and priests
00:02:58.51\00:03:00.44
were sometimes little
more than civil servants.
00:03:00.48\00:03:03.75
Thus as the founding
fathers set out the Constitution
00:03:03.78\00:03:06.88
and the Bill of Rights
that would form the basis
00:03:06.92\00:03:09.42
of the United States of America,
00:03:09.45\00:03:11.29
they were very careful
00:03:11.32\00:03:12.65
that the two
institutions of church and state
00:03:12.69\00:03:15.22
should remain separate.
00:03:15.26\00:03:16.89
It would read,
"Congress shall make no law
00:03:16.93\00:03:19.73
respecting the
establishment of religion
00:03:19.76\00:03:22.33
or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof."
00:03:22.36\00:03:25.40
The church would not
be beholden to the state
00:03:31.37\00:03:33.94
and the state could not
act in a special interest
00:03:33.98\00:03:36.58
of any particular church
but rather treat all people
00:03:36.61\00:03:40.15
equally in the sight of the law.
00:03:40.18\00:03:42.25
It was Benjamin
Franklin who said,
00:03:42.28\00:03:44.19
"When religion is good
00:03:44.22\00:03:45.55
I conceive it
will support itself."
00:03:45.59\00:03:48.46
And so in America they
sought to have a religion
00:03:48.49\00:03:51.33
that did not rely on
the support of the state,
00:03:51.36\00:03:54.30
and so this encouraged
more than one church to form.
00:03:54.33\00:03:57.20
There was not and there is not
a national church of America,
00:03:57.23\00:04:00.97
an official
denomination or religion,
00:04:01.00\00:04:03.51
but rather America was
founded on the principle
00:04:03.54\00:04:06.54
of the separation
of church and state.
00:04:06.57\00:04:09.18
This more than anything else
00:04:17.92\00:04:20.09
is what helped
make America great
00:04:20.12\00:04:22.36
and has been the cause
00:04:22.39\00:04:23.73
of its
prosperous past and present.
00:04:23.76\00:04:26.09
Freedom of religion
lies at the foundation
00:04:26.13\00:04:28.76
of all other
freedoms and once this goes,
00:04:28.80\00:04:32.00
the others will
crumble in quick succession.
00:04:32.03\00:04:34.97
America would
be a fertile ground
00:04:35.00\00:04:37.31
for many churches to flourish
00:04:37.34\00:04:39.14
and over the upcoming weeks
00:04:39.17\00:04:40.61
and months we will
see some of the movements
00:04:40.64\00:04:42.94
that took root here and
grew in this land of liberty.
00:04:42.98\00:04:46.98
Stay with us over
the upcoming episodes
00:04:47.02\00:04:49.42
as we continue this journey
and as we explore our lineage.
00:04:49.45\00:04:54.09
America as a nation
was sought after initially
00:05:14.31\00:05:17.31
by those fleeing
religious persecution in Europe.
00:05:17.35\00:05:20.88
Yet, upon
arriving in the New World,
00:05:20.92\00:05:23.32
many people slipped
into religious lethargy
00:05:23.35\00:05:26.25
as the pressures
and opportunities
00:05:26.29\00:05:28.72
of the New World
enveloped their lives.
00:05:28.76\00:05:31.49
In the 17 and 1800s,
00:05:31.53\00:05:33.80
two revivals would take place
known as the Great Awakening.
00:05:33.83\00:05:38.83
An integral individual
in the First Great Awakening
00:05:45.81\00:05:48.81
was George Whitfield.
00:05:48.84\00:05:50.28
George Whitfield
attended Oxford University
00:05:50.31\00:05:53.08
and was a member
of the Holy Club,
00:05:53.11\00:05:54.82
along with John
and Charles Wesley
00:05:54.85\00:05:56.95
that sought to lead practical
00:05:56.99\00:05:58.55
and spiritual revival in
their lives and communities.
00:05:58.59\00:06:02.62
Upon graduating, he
didn't settle in a church,
00:06:02.66\00:06:05.93
but became a popular
outdoor itinerant preacher
00:06:05.96\00:06:09.16
and traveled to America
eight times during his life.
00:06:09.20\00:06:12.67
He died here in America
00:06:12.70\00:06:14.47
and is buried
here in this church
00:06:14.50\00:06:16.71
in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
00:06:16.74\00:06:18.94
In the 1740s it's likely that
apart from the King of England,
00:06:25.78\00:06:29.68
George Whitefield was the most
00:06:29.72\00:06:31.55
well-known
Englishman in America.
00:06:31.59\00:06:34.16
His captivating sermons
thrilled large audiences
00:06:34.19\00:06:37.79
all up and down
the eastern seaboard
00:06:37.83\00:06:40.06
and led to a revival
amongst all denominations,
00:06:40.10\00:06:43.13
in particular the Baptists.
00:06:43.16\00:06:45.40
He is the first preacher
00:06:45.43\00:06:46.87
who preached to the
enslaved in the south
00:06:46.90\00:06:49.04
and this Great
Awakening was the first time
00:06:49.07\00:06:51.54
that African-Americans
00:06:51.57\00:06:52.91
had embraced
Christianity in large numbers.
00:06:52.94\00:06:56.14
This First Great Awakening
00:06:56.18\00:06:57.81
led to a
multiplication of churches
00:06:57.85\00:07:00.28
and greater respect
00:07:00.32\00:07:01.65
and cooperation
between all denominations.
00:07:01.68\00:07:04.52
Some say that this period
00:07:10.36\00:07:11.93
had an impact on
the changes America
00:07:11.96\00:07:14.06
was soon to undergo.
00:07:14.10\00:07:15.83
Some scholars argue
that the evangelical movement
00:07:15.86\00:07:18.93
of the 1740s played a key role
00:07:18.97\00:07:21.64
in the development
of democratic thought
00:07:21.67\00:07:24.11
as well as the
belief in the Free Press
00:07:24.14\00:07:26.54
and that information
00:07:26.57\00:07:27.91
should be shared
unbiased and uncontrolled.
00:07:27.94\00:07:31.28
The American War of Independence
00:07:31.31\00:07:33.21
and the
Declaration of Independence
00:07:33.25\00:07:35.22
would happen a
few decades later.
00:07:35.25\00:07:37.39
The Second Great
Awakening began around 1800
00:07:41.29\00:07:44.83
and continued until the 1830s,
00:07:44.86\00:07:47.56
one name that is associated
00:07:47.60\00:07:49.53
with this revival at this time
in America is Charles Finney.
00:07:49.56\00:07:54.27
He brought the
camp meeting to town
00:07:54.30\00:07:56.44
and established
a revival formula
00:07:56.47\00:07:58.77
that became copied
in many other churches
00:07:58.81\00:08:01.48
at the time.
00:08:01.51\00:08:02.84
This included praying
for people in public by name,
00:08:02.88\00:08:06.75
allowing women to testify
00:08:06.78\00:08:08.78
and pray in public
to mixed audiences,
00:08:08.82\00:08:12.15
appointing a pew at
the front of the church
00:08:12.19\00:08:14.92
as the "Anxious Bench",
00:08:14.96\00:08:16.62
having a room
where you could meet
00:08:16.66\00:08:18.36
and pray with people,
00:08:18.39\00:08:19.73
and the meetings
would be protracted
00:08:19.76\00:08:21.56
over several weeks in town.
00:08:21.60\00:08:24.03
In small chapels all
across the East Coast
00:08:29.44\00:08:32.34
and as well as in large
cities the revival took place.
00:08:32.37\00:08:36.11
It was especially strong
00:08:36.14\00:08:37.55
in the
northeasterly states in America,
00:08:37.58\00:08:39.91
and it marked a
significant shift
00:08:39.95\00:08:41.88
where it moved
beyond the educated elite
00:08:41.92\00:08:44.65
to those less
educated and less wealthy.
00:08:44.69\00:08:47.86
A byproduct of this revival
00:08:47.89\00:08:49.86
were the other reform
movements that it encouraged,
00:08:49.89\00:08:52.86
such as the temperance movement,
00:08:52.89\00:08:54.60
the abolition of
slavery, and women's rights.
00:08:54.63\00:08:57.87
Structures were
being broken down
00:09:02.10\00:09:04.44
and the gospel was spreading.
00:09:04.47\00:09:06.71
God was using
the ordained clergy
00:09:06.74\00:09:08.98
and laymen alike
to share the message
00:09:09.01\00:09:11.91
and bring revival.
00:09:11.95\00:09:13.52
This would pave
the way for people
00:09:13.55\00:09:15.58
to accept the
messages that humble,
00:09:15.62\00:09:17.85
often unlearned men and women
would share in the years ahead.
00:09:17.89\00:09:22.52
God has never been
restricted academically,
00:09:22.56\00:09:25.66
structurally,
or by social class.
00:09:25.69\00:09:28.60
He has used and He will continue
00:09:28.63\00:09:30.90
to use humble
servants to preach His message.
00:09:30.93\00:09:34.77
Another revival
will come to this world
00:09:34.80\00:09:37.17
before the return of Jesus,
00:09:37.21\00:09:39.01
a revival such as this
world has never seen before,
00:09:39.04\00:09:42.61
and God is looking
for people, men and women,
00:09:42.64\00:09:45.85
young and old who will be
willing to be used by Him.
00:09:45.88\00:09:50.09
William Miller was
the oldest of 16 children
00:10:14.54\00:10:17.45
and was born in
Low Hampton, New York.
00:10:17.48\00:10:20.12
His parents were
Christians and in his home
00:10:20.15\00:10:22.88
there were only three books,
00:10:22.92\00:10:24.45
the Bible, the
Psalter, and the prayer book.
00:10:24.49\00:10:27.72
He had an
insatiable desire to learn
00:10:27.76\00:10:30.23
and would read
these over and over again,
00:10:30.26\00:10:32.89
but his desire to learn
00:10:32.93\00:10:34.40
would lead him to
others in the area
00:10:34.43\00:10:36.30
with more extensive
libraries than in his home.
00:10:36.33\00:10:39.43
He would borrow books,
00:10:39.47\00:10:41.00
and by the light
of burning pine knots
00:10:41.04\00:10:43.51
he would read them
late into the night.
00:10:43.54\00:10:45.81
This soon distinguished him
00:10:45.84\00:10:47.88
as one of the
most educated people
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.81
in his area both
of his own age group
00:10:49.84\00:10:52.61
and those older as well.
00:10:52.65\00:10:54.82
As William Miller
reached the age of marriage,
00:10:58.05\00:11:00.72
he met a young
lady named Lucy Smith
00:11:00.76\00:11:03.69
here in the town
of Poultney, Vermont,
00:11:03.73\00:11:06.13
a few miles from where he lived.
00:11:06.16\00:11:08.20
After they got married,
he moved here to this town
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.43
and found out that
they had a library here.
00:11:11.47\00:11:14.00
Here he would spend hours,
00:11:14.04\00:11:15.50
day after day and was introduced
00:11:15.54\00:11:17.71
to the writings of
Voltaire, David Hume,
00:11:17.74\00:11:20.64
and Thomas
Paine, all great deists.
00:11:20.68\00:11:23.91
Deists believe that
God created the world
00:11:23.95\00:11:26.25
and set it in
motion but after that
00:11:26.28\00:11:28.62
he took a step
backwards, detaching himself
00:11:28.65\00:11:31.45
from the
everyday affairs of man.
00:11:31.49\00:11:33.92
William Miller would
go on to become a deist.
00:11:33.96\00:11:36.42
In 1812 America was at war
00:11:42.06\00:11:44.70
with England and William Miller
00:11:44.73\00:11:46.30
had a strong
sense of patriotism,
00:11:46.33\00:11:48.57
and like his father before him
00:11:48.60\00:11:50.64
he volunteered to
fight for his country.
00:11:50.67\00:11:53.27
In the town of
Poultney where he lived,
00:11:53.31\00:11:55.58
47 men volunteered to fight
00:11:55.61\00:11:58.35
on the condition that
he would be their officer.
00:11:58.38\00:12:01.18
Two things stood out
00:12:09.86\00:12:11.19
in William's mind from this war.
00:12:11.23\00:12:13.13
The first was when a shell,
00:12:13.16\00:12:14.96
just like this one from
the Battle of Plattsburgh,
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.63
exploded within two feet
of him and three other men.
00:12:17.67\00:12:21.94
Whilst the others
sustained injuries,
00:12:21.97\00:12:24.04
he walked away unscathed.
00:12:24.07\00:12:26.41
The second was a
battle of Plattsburgh itself.
00:12:26.44\00:12:29.54
The Americans were
heavily outnumbered,
00:12:29.58\00:12:32.11
the British were
much better trained
00:12:32.15\00:12:34.55
and experienced having
just defeated Napoleon,
00:12:34.58\00:12:38.12
yet they were soundly beaten
00:12:38.15\00:12:39.85
by an army they should
have routinely defeated.
00:12:39.89\00:12:43.36
The protection
and providence of God
00:12:43.39\00:12:45.66
was vividly
impressed upon his mind
00:12:45.69\00:12:48.13
and was not something
he could easily shake.
00:12:48.16\00:12:51.83
After returning to his hometown
after the death of his father,
00:13:00.61\00:13:04.55
he would sometimes attend church
00:13:04.58\00:13:06.31
with his mother, his
wife, and his children.
00:13:06.35\00:13:09.12
Whilst he was a
deist, he enjoyed listening
00:13:09.15\00:13:11.69
to his uncle preach and
he also wanted his children
00:13:11.72\00:13:14.79
to attend church.
00:13:14.82\00:13:16.42
When his uncle
was away, however,
00:13:16.46\00:13:18.29
one of the deacons
would read a prepared sermon
00:13:18.33\00:13:20.93
and one Sunday
he told his mother
00:13:20.96\00:13:23.47
that he did not
want to go to church
00:13:23.50\00:13:25.53
because he found the
deacon's reading to be boring.
00:13:25.57\00:13:28.80
He did say, however,
that he would be open
00:13:28.84\00:13:31.21
to reading in the
future if an opportunity arose.
00:13:31.24\00:13:34.78
Like any good mother would,
00:13:34.81\00:13:36.78
she arranged for
him to be the reader
00:13:36.81\00:13:39.05
the next time
his uncle was away,
00:13:39.08\00:13:41.18
and it turned
out that the sermon
00:13:41.22\00:13:42.98
was about parental duties
and the importance of prayer.
00:13:43.02\00:13:46.89
Whilst he was
reading, he broke down crying,
00:13:46.92\00:13:50.23
struck by the inconsistency
00:13:50.26\00:13:52.49
by the fact that
he did not pray yet
00:13:52.53\00:13:54.80
he encouraged
his children to pray.
00:13:54.83\00:13:57.93
Suddenly the
character of the Savior
00:14:03.41\00:14:05.61
was vividly
impressed upon his mind,
00:14:05.64\00:14:08.28
how He would atone for our sins
00:14:08.31\00:14:10.15
and suffer death in our place.
00:14:10.18\00:14:12.35
He later said,
"God opened my eyes
00:14:12.38\00:14:15.28
and oh, my soul,
what a beautiful Savior
00:14:15.32\00:14:18.45
I saw Jesus to be."
00:14:18.49\00:14:20.16
He fell in love
with Jesus and the Bible
00:14:20.19\00:14:22.96
and this would
take him on a journey
00:14:22.99\00:14:24.76
that would go far in life.
00:14:24.79\00:14:27.00
The love of Jesus can
melt the most stony of hearts.
00:14:35.17\00:14:38.41
Whilst William believed in
God, it was an impersonal God.
00:14:38.44\00:14:42.21
Yet when he saw the
loving character of God,
00:14:42.24\00:14:45.18
it melted his
heart and pierced through
00:14:45.21\00:14:47.95
his logical and rational mind.
00:14:47.98\00:14:50.52
Maybe you are
someone, or you know someone
00:14:50.55\00:14:53.02
who has similar
doubts that William had.
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.59
Pray.
00:14:55.62\00:14:56.96
Pray that they may
see the love of God.
00:14:56.99\00:14:58.83
Pray that they
may open their hearts
00:14:58.86\00:15:01.13
and allow Him to come in.
00:15:01.16\00:15:06.37
When I was growing up, if
you wanted to study history,
00:15:06.40\00:15:08.90
or do research on
a particular topic,
00:15:08.94\00:15:11.04
there was really only
one option that we had,
00:15:11.07\00:15:13.64
and that was to read a book.
00:15:13.68\00:15:15.44
And I never really used
to like reading that much.
00:15:15.48\00:15:17.61
So we decided to create a
resource that will translate
00:15:17.65\00:15:20.42
this written information
into the language of today.
00:15:20.45\00:15:25.62
My name is Adam Ramdin.
And my name is Clive Coutet.
00:15:25.65\00:15:28.29
And we are the
cofounders of Lineage Journey.
00:15:28.32\00:15:31.16
Back in 2016, I was
reading a Great Controversy
00:15:31.19\00:15:33.66
and I was really struggling
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.03
to find any
relevant video resources that
00:15:35.06\00:15:37.17
I could use to
aid me in my study.
00:15:37.20\00:15:38.83
So I decided to approach
Adam about the possibility
00:15:38.87\00:15:41.14
of making some
videos on the Reformation.
00:15:41.17\00:15:43.57
So we started filming in
the end of 2016, and in 2017
00:15:43.61\00:15:48.14
we released 48 videos
that covered the period
00:15:48.18\00:15:51.38
of the early church all
the way through to the end
00:15:51.41\00:15:54.45
of the Reformation.
00:15:54.48\00:15:55.82
Then in 2018 and 2019
00:15:55.85\00:15:57.79
we released another 52
episodes on church history.
00:15:57.82\00:16:01.49
These have now been
viewed all over the world
00:16:01.52\00:16:04.13
in over 100 countries covering
about 50 different languages
00:16:04.16\00:16:07.83
and we have over 3
million views online.
00:16:07.86\00:16:11.20
These videos have
been used as a resource
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.50
in both secular
and Christian schools
00:16:13.54\00:16:15.84
as well as several church
denominations across the globe
00:16:15.87\00:16:19.11
using Bible
studies, study groups,
00:16:19.14\00:16:21.74
as well as play to
the general congregation.
00:16:21.78\00:16:23.85
They also make a great
online evangelistic tool
00:16:23.88\00:16:26.65
where people are
able to share them,
00:16:26.68\00:16:28.25
and we've seen
them go into countries
00:16:28.28\00:16:29.68
that we ourselves can't go,
00:16:29.72\00:16:31.09
countries that are
Muslim countries where
00:16:31.12\00:16:32.92
the Christian message cannot go.
00:16:32.95\00:16:35.29
One of the
challenges we have though,
00:16:35.32\00:16:36.99
is that amongst our
team of almost 10 people,
00:16:37.03\00:16:39.13
we are all
volunteers on this project,
00:16:39.16\00:16:41.20
sacrificing our
time, our effort and energy
00:16:41.23\00:16:43.60
in order to make
these resources together.
00:16:43.63\00:16:46.13
Just to put
things into perspective,
00:16:46.17\00:16:47.97
each Lineage episode
as well as the filming
00:16:48.00\00:16:50.54
takes an
additional two to three days
00:16:50.57\00:16:52.57
in post-production.
00:16:52.61\00:16:53.94
That is a lot of
time and sacrifice
00:16:53.98\00:16:55.88
that this team has made
00:16:55.91\00:16:57.25
in putting 100
episodes together.
00:16:57.28\00:16:59.08
So we need to raise the funds
00:16:59.11\00:17:00.52
to cover the cost of the filming
00:17:00.55\00:17:02.25
as well as the
continued production
00:17:02.28\00:17:04.42
costs that come after that.
00:17:04.45\00:17:06.52
So for as little as $1 a month,
00:17:06.55\00:17:08.39
you can help us to
expand this ministry
00:17:08.42\00:17:10.63
to create new resources to reach
00:17:10.66\00:17:12.73
more people across the world.
00:17:12.76\00:17:14.50
Thank you for visiting this page
00:17:14.53\00:17:16.23
and taking the time
to watch this video.
00:17:16.26\00:17:18.40
We really appreciate that.
00:17:18.43\00:17:19.93
Thank you for your
support of the ministry so far.
00:17:19.97\00:17:22.44
And we ask that
you would prayerfully
00:17:22.47\00:17:23.97
consider being a partner
with us on this Patreon page.
00:17:24.01\00:17:28.21
May God bless you.
00:17:28.24\00:17:29.58
And we ask that you
continue to keep this ministry
00:17:29.61\00:17:31.85
and our future plans in prayer.
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.98
William was in love with Jesus
00:17:56.81\00:17:59.34
and set out to
read his Bible again.
00:17:59.37\00:18:02.14
Sitting here in this room
and starting in Genesis 1:1,
00:18:02.18\00:18:07.15
he made his way methodically
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.08
through the Bible using
his Cruden's Concordance.
00:18:09.12\00:18:12.35
When he came across a word
00:18:12.39\00:18:14.29
or a verse that
he did not understand
00:18:14.32\00:18:16.86
he would cross-reference it
00:18:16.89\00:18:18.59
until he came to a
full understanding.
00:18:18.63\00:18:20.76
He came to Daniel 8:14:
00:18:20.80\00:18:22.83
"Unto 2300 days
00:18:22.86\00:18:25.43
then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed,"
00:18:25.47\00:18:27.37
and did not understand it.
00:18:27.40\00:18:29.17
Rather than reading on,
00:18:29.20\00:18:30.91
he stopped there,
stayed there, studied it out,
00:18:30.94\00:18:34.41
and his conclusions
00:18:34.44\00:18:35.78
would have a
far-reaching impact.
00:18:35.81\00:18:38.35
The motivating
factor in William's life
00:18:45.82\00:18:48.39
was not a pursuit
of head knowledge,
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.49
but it was his love of Jesus.
00:18:50.53\00:18:52.56
It was a deep love
00:18:52.59\00:18:54.33
and a force that kept him going.
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.80
As he continued
his study of Daniel 8,
00:18:56.83\00:18:59.53
he came to the conclusion that
00:18:59.57\00:19:01.24
Jesus would come
in about 25 years.
00:19:01.27\00:19:04.21
As he studied and
restudied, he concluded in 1818
00:19:04.24\00:19:09.34
that Jesus would
come around the year 1843.
00:19:09.38\00:19:13.88
Yet despite
having this great news,
00:19:19.25\00:19:21.42
he did nothing about it,
keeping it mainly to himself.
00:19:21.46\00:19:25.29
He did tell a few friends
but did nothing publicly.
00:19:25.33\00:19:28.70
He was worried that
he would be made fun of
00:19:28.73\00:19:30.90
and did not want to
leave his hometown to speak.
00:19:30.93\00:19:34.10
He did write some
articles that were published
00:19:34.14\00:19:36.71
but as yet he had
done no preaching.
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.64
William struggled with the
call to preach for 13 years.
00:19:46.88\00:19:50.35
He heard in his mind
over and over the words,
00:19:50.39\00:19:53.82
"Go and tell the world."
00:19:53.86\00:19:55.76
Finally, one day, he
made a prayer of commitment
00:19:55.79\00:19:58.86
that if he was asked to
preach, then he would go.
00:19:58.89\00:20:02.13
He felt this was a
pretty safe fleece,
00:20:02.16\00:20:04.70
for no one was going to
ask a 50-year-old farmer
00:20:04.73\00:20:07.87
to preach about
the Second Coming.
00:20:07.90\00:20:09.90
Not long after,
his doorbell rang
00:20:09.94\00:20:12.87
and his nephew
Irving Guilford was there,
00:20:12.91\00:20:15.24
and he asked him if
he would come to Dresden
00:20:15.28\00:20:17.51
to share the things
that he had been studying.
00:20:17.55\00:20:20.35
Rather than there being thankful
00:20:20.38\00:20:22.18
his prayer had been answered,
00:20:22.22\00:20:23.89
he stormed out the door angrily.
00:20:23.92\00:20:26.92
He walked out of his house
00:20:32.56\00:20:34.30
and came to
this maple grove here
00:20:34.33\00:20:36.70
and paced up and down.
00:20:36.73\00:20:38.63
His daughter Lucy followed him,
00:20:38.67\00:20:40.64
and after watching a while
she went back inside and said,
00:20:40.67\00:20:44.14
"Mummy,
something's wrong with Daddy."
00:20:44.17\00:20:46.47
You see, something was wrong.
00:20:46.51\00:20:48.04
He was under conviction
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.71
and could not
reason his way out of it.
00:20:49.74\00:20:52.15
His nephew lived
over half an hour away,
00:20:52.18\00:20:55.08
which meant he left his house
00:20:55.12\00:20:56.99
before Miller prayed
the prayer of commitment,
00:20:57.02\00:20:59.85
and he could thus
see the moving of God
00:20:59.89\00:21:02.46
in this situation.
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.03
As the sign says,
he went in a farmer
00:21:04.06\00:21:07.10
and came out a preacher.
00:21:07.13\00:21:09.76
After accepting
the call to preach,
00:21:16.67\00:21:18.81
Miller traveled extensively
over the next ten years
00:21:18.84\00:21:22.08
across the northeastern
part of the United States
00:21:22.11\00:21:25.05
with his prophecy
chart and Bible with him.
00:21:25.08\00:21:28.08
Many were converted,
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.65
and the revival wasn't linked
to a particular denomination.
00:21:29.68\00:21:32.89
Although Miller was a Baptist,
one estimate has him winning
00:21:32.92\00:21:36.12
over 40,000 to
the Baptist Church
00:21:36.16\00:21:38.39
and over 40,000 to
the Methodist Church.
00:21:38.43\00:21:41.73
It was not long
before he would meet up
00:21:41.76\00:21:43.80
with Joshua V. Himes,
thus extending his influence
00:21:43.83\00:21:47.10
from the spoken
word to the written word.
00:21:47.14\00:21:50.41
Maybe God is calling you
to the ministry to preach.
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.68
Maybe you have been resisting
00:21:58.71\00:22:00.05
His call like
William did for 13 years.
00:22:00.08\00:22:03.28
I want to assure you
that the best place to be
00:22:03.32\00:22:06.19
is safe in the peace
00:22:06.22\00:22:07.82
that you are not
resisting the Holy Spirit
00:22:07.86\00:22:09.92
and that you're following
God's will for your life.
00:22:09.96\00:22:12.26
If God is calling you,
00:22:12.29\00:22:13.80
then step out in
faith and let Him lead.
00:22:13.83\00:22:16.70
As the word was preached that
00:22:38.29\00:22:39.85
Jesus was
coming soon, very soon,
00:22:39.89\00:22:43.12
the movement gained
traction and momentum.
00:22:43.16\00:22:46.09
Whilst they were
doubters and scoffers,
00:22:46.13\00:22:48.46
the numbers of those waiting
for Jesus' return swelled.
00:22:48.50\00:22:52.50
The movement
was at its strongest
00:22:52.53\00:22:54.37
in the Northeast
00:22:54.40\00:22:55.74
of the United States of America,
00:22:55.77\00:22:57.37
though it was
by no means limited
00:22:57.41\00:22:59.64
to just being an
American phenomenon.
00:22:59.67\00:23:02.81
Before the days of email
and internet communications,
00:23:07.45\00:23:11.05
God's Spirit was
moving on different people
00:23:11.09\00:23:13.36
around the world as
they studied His Word
00:23:13.39\00:23:16.12
and came to similar conclusions.
00:23:16.16\00:23:18.39
In England a
preacher named Edward Irving
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.16
proclaimed the soon
return of Jesus, in Germany,
00:23:21.20\00:23:24.73
Johann Bengel,
00:23:24.77\00:23:26.10
in South America,
Manuel de Lacunza.
00:23:26.13\00:23:29.14
This was a worldwide revival
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.81
fulfilling the
text in Daniel 12:4
00:23:31.84\00:23:34.64
that says at
"The time of the end
00:23:34.68\00:23:36.85
men would run to and fro
00:23:36.88\00:23:38.81
and knowledge
would be increased."
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.78
Knowledge of the Bible,
00:23:40.82\00:23:42.18
but in particular knowledge
00:23:42.22\00:23:44.12
of the books of
Daniel and Revelation.
00:23:44.15\00:23:46.76
The believers
initially expected Jesus
00:23:52.19\00:23:54.86
to return in the spring of 1844,
00:23:54.90\00:23:58.23
and when He did not,
00:23:58.27\00:23:59.63
this produced
some disappointment.
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.57
But they were greatly encouraged
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.27
when Samuel Snow's studies
00:24:03.30\00:24:05.14
revealed the prophecy pointed
towards October the 22nd.
00:24:05.17\00:24:09.51
This brought great
revival amongst the believers
00:24:09.54\00:24:12.38
as they wanted to
put their wrongs right
00:24:12.41\00:24:14.88
and be ready to
meet Jesus when He comes.
00:24:14.92\00:24:17.82
They wanted their lives
00:24:17.85\00:24:19.22
to show evidence of their faith.
00:24:19.25\00:24:21.29
Some sold their houses,
others closed their businesses,
00:24:21.32\00:24:24.93
some farmers left
their crops in their fields,
00:24:24.96\00:24:27.70
and many others got baptized.
00:24:27.73\00:24:29.96
Charles Fitch was a minister
00:24:35.47\00:24:36.97
who baptized many
people in the autumn of 1844,
00:24:37.01\00:24:40.58
and
unfortunately on one occasion
00:24:40.61\00:24:42.44
because there were so
many people to baptize
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.75
and he spent so long
00:24:44.78\00:24:46.11
in the chilly
New England waters,
00:24:46.15\00:24:47.95
he caught pneumonia.
00:24:47.98\00:24:49.45
He died on October the 14th,
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.62
but due to the faith
that he and his family shared
00:24:51.65\00:24:54.36
in the soon return of Jesus,
00:24:54.39\00:24:56.19
they believed they would see him
00:24:56.22\00:24:57.69
in just a few weeks.
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.09
His obituary
would spell this out.
00:24:59.13\00:25:01.70
The believers in the locality
00:25:06.00\00:25:07.77
of William Miller's
farm gathered on his property
00:25:07.80\00:25:10.91
to wait for Jesus' return
and stood here on this rock,
00:25:10.94\00:25:14.74
today known as Ascension Rock.
00:25:14.78\00:25:17.15
They believed they
would ascend to heaven.
00:25:17.18\00:25:19.91
When Jesus did not come,
00:25:19.95\00:25:21.72
they suffered a
bitter disappointment
00:25:21.75\00:25:24.22
and their hopes were dashed.
00:25:24.25\00:25:26.09
They had hung
their lives on the belief
00:25:26.12\00:25:28.29
that Jesus was coming
soon, and now He hadn't.
00:25:28.32\00:25:32.36
Was their faith in
vain? Was it presumption?
00:25:38.73\00:25:42.24
Could they recover
from the embarrassment,
00:25:42.27\00:25:44.57
ridicule, and
shame they would face?
00:25:44.61\00:25:47.61
Henry Emmons later said,
00:25:47.64\00:25:49.81
"I waited all Tuesday
and dear Jesus did not come.
00:25:49.84\00:25:54.25
I waited all the
forenoon of Wednesday,
00:25:54.28\00:25:57.05
but after 12 o'clock
I began to feel faint.
00:25:57.09\00:26:01.06
My natural strength
was leaving me very fast
00:26:01.09\00:26:04.19
and I lay prostrate for two days
00:26:04.23\00:26:06.70
without any pain,
sick with disappointment."
00:26:06.73\00:26:11.13
Hiram Edson later commented,
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.10
"Our fondest hopes and
expectations were blasted,
00:26:13.13\00:26:16.91
and such a spirit
of weeping came over us
00:26:16.94\00:26:19.97
as I have never
experienced before.
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.88
It seemed that the
loss of all earthly friends
00:26:22.91\00:26:26.01
could have been no comparison.
00:26:26.05\00:26:28.25
We wept and wept
till the day dawned."
00:26:28.28\00:26:31.22
The believers would now be
challenged to live by faith,
00:26:34.66\00:26:38.13
to hang on to God
and to trust His promises
00:26:38.16\00:26:41.93
when they didn't know how.
00:26:41.96\00:26:43.40
To have faith in
the moments of darkness
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.87
and to trust
00:26:45.90\00:26:47.24
when it doesn't
seem to make sense.
00:26:47.27\00:26:49.24
This would be their test,
00:26:49.27\00:26:50.97
and it's a test that
comes our way as well.
00:26:51.01\00:26:53.61
Let us remember when it does
00:26:53.64\00:26:55.68
that His eye is on the sparrow,
00:26:55.71\00:26:57.88
and He watches over us
00:26:57.91\00:26:59.51
in the good times as
well as in the tough times.
00:26:59.55\00:27:02.42