The Rhode Islander

MILLER'S PREDICTION

One of our exchange papers contains the following-said to be the basis on which Miller predicts the end of the world in 1843. We copy it to let our readers see on what slight and uncertain grounds the prediction rests:-

Miller gives the following passage from the 26th Chapter of Leviticus, verses 27 and 28.

'And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me; then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury: and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.'

This he gives as God's prophecy which is four times repeated in the Bible as a warning to his people. The words 'seven times' he explains as follows;-'The prophecies that have been already fulfilled, such as the destruction of Jerusalem, the scattering abroad of the Jews, &c., and from them defines the word 'time' in a scriptural sense to mean a period of 360 years, (the number of degrees in a circle,) or 360 revolutions of the earth around the Sun. By this calculation-

360 years,
7 times,
2520 years.

The extent of the punishments 'seven times' is thus represented by 2520 years. The next point is to ascertain when this period of suffering commenced, in order to determine when it closes. Mr. Miller insists that it began under the reign of Manasseh, who was carried captive to Babylon by the Assyrians, six hundred and seventy seven years before Christ. He quotes chapter 15 of Jeremiah-

'And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord; the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of heaven, and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, King of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.'

The 2520 years of punishment therefore commenced under Manasseh, 677 B. C. As corroborative evidence Mr. Miller shows that Isaiah prophesies (7 chap. 8 verse,) that within three score and ten years Ephraim shall be broken so they be not a people. That prophecy was in 742 B. C. Just 65 years after that time the captivity took place. Take 65 from 742 and six hundred and seventy seven remains!
Years before Christ,
677

Years after Christ,
1843

Yrs of Punishment of the 7 times
1843

Or thus-

Total time of punishment,
2520 yrs,

Captivity or punishment begun
677 B. C.

The end of punishments,
1843

Thus in 1843 is the year in which our punishments are to come to an end. The 23d of April is the day set apart for the great event, but he does not state his reasons for setting apart this particular day. He may think, however, that he has good Scriptural reasons for supposing that the 23d day of April will be the day.