The New York Herald
[Unsigned]
14 November 1842
The Miller Camp Meeting at Newark—The Closing Scene.
NEWARK, Monday, Nov. 14.
As far as regards Mr. Miller's connection with Newark, personally,
the long agony is over. Mr. Miller took his departure to-day for New York
about two o'clock, by the steamboat; and what further transpires must be
chronicled by your domestic corps of reporters.
The farewell ceremonies took place in the Free Church. The
performances commenced at nine o'clock in the morning with a hymn, the
burthen of which was:—
My old companions fare you well—fare you well.
Will you go?—will you go?
I'm not going down to hell,
Will you go?—will you go?
This was set to the tune of:—
Will you go?—will you go?
All for to see the monkey show?
Will you go?—will you go?
After this, and one or two more hymns, Father Miller and Brother
Himes came in. Another hymn was sung, and Father Miller delivered a brief,
but very commonplace address, comparing himself to St. Paul when about to
leave the brethren, and the latter fell on his neck and kissed him. He
said, he was about to leave them—to take the parting hand—never to see
their dear faces again until the resurrection morning in 1843—(here the
women wept bitterly)—what day he would not say; but it would be very
soon—in a very few months. He thanked all kindly who had listened to him,
as he said, a poor old man. (The ladies wept again.) He told them to love
Christ—to study their Bible, and wait till next year, when they would all
meet in heaven. (Here the ladies sobbed loudly and deeply.) He concluded
thus: "May God bless you all. (Cries of "amen.") May God dwell with you
until the second coming of Christ, and then we may all dwell in his
kingdom for ever." (Cries of "amen," "glory to God," "hallelujah," and
weeping bitterly.)
BROTHER HIMES then rose
and said—Ministers had accused them of being the same as Joe Smith or
Matthias, but they had sought to spread the truth, not by fanatical
prophecies, but by the Scriptures and sober argument. We appeal only to
the Bible, and give you our rules of interpretation. The veriest villains
on earth would be saints compared to us if we were not sincere. We
sacrifice time, health, money, personal comfort, and our souls and bodies
to the cause. We have continual calls to give lectures all over the
country; as we can't do this, we publish books to speak for us. This they
call a speculation, and they say Brother Miller has made a fortune by his
writings. Why he hasn't made enough to pay for the paper and ink on which
his books were written. Others go round to preach against us and charge 25
cents admission; we charge nothing. We have pitched our great tent eight
times. We have held thirty camp meetings. We have converted to our faith
15,000 souls. Everywhere our influence has been felt. The churches have
been shaken to their centre. The ministers of God have been waked up.
Brother Brownlee coming over here has done us so much good, that I'd
cheerfully pay all his expenses if he'd come again. We'd as leave that
ministers spoke against us as for us. We want the people aroused. And now
you must get up an association here, to be as a depot. The whole state
must be waked up. Love your church, your minister, your Bible, but don't
let your mouth be gagged. Pray, read, circulate pamphlets, form Bible
classes; get your ministers to join them. Be kind and good to all. In this
place I have paid out $147 for the expenses of the camp meeting. Brothers
Flagg and Flavel have also paid out $200, making a total of about $350. We
have received in donations $250, making $150 to be paid; those who think
they have been benefitted by us, can hand in their names and subscription
to Brother Flavell, and if they don't, he is willing to bear the expense
himself.
Here Brother Miller rose and said that he had been accused of making
money. He received enough from his farm to keep him in clothes for a year.
He had nothing to do with the finances or with the books. He had received
in all $5 from three persons within the last two weeks. When he came to
Newark, his money was reduced to $2. He now had enough to carry him to the
next place; and he believed that God would always provide for him. He had
been accused of building houses; but all he owned in the world was a farm
of 160 acres at Low Hampton. The concerns of the world were a burthen to
him; so much so that it was a great trouble to go and buy even a new hat
when he wanted one. He wished he had some one to travel with him, and take
all worldly concerns off his hands.
After this a man rose up in the congregation and said that he had
heard a minister say that Father Miller declared that all who didn't
believe his doctrine would go to Hell.
Father Miller rose and said he had never said any such thing.
Another said that he had heard that Brother Fitch declared that if
the world did not come to an end next year, he would burn his Bible.
Brother Himes said this was also false.
Another man rose up and said that he had heard that Brother Fitch had
preached in Albany that if all the sinners were not in hell in 1843, they
never would be at all.
Brother Himes said that this also was false.
Another man rose and said he had heard that Father Miller said that
if Christ did not come next year, God would be a very great liar.
Father Miller replied that he had never said any such thing; and that
this was a fair sample of the lies that the devil, through his enemies,
told about them.
After this the congregation all rose, and sang the following hymn:—
Dear brother, I wish you well—
Dear brother, I wish you well—
When my Lord calls, I trust I shall
Be mentioned in the promised land—
Be mentioned in the promised land—
Be mentioned in the promised land.
When my Lord calls, I trust I shall
Be mentioned in the promised land.
Dear sister, I wish you well,
Dear converts, I wish you well,
Poor sinner, I wish you well,
Poor mourner, I wish you well,
This was the close. Father Miller then stood in the centre of the
church, and all the females of the audience (a large number) passed in
front of him, and shook hands with him and many kissed him. If was a truly
affecting scene: the women wept bitterly, and as he left the church, a
very lovely and lady-like woman hung on his arm, blessed him, and wept as
though her heart would break.
At last he got into a plain wagon, drove down to the boat, and put
off for New York amid the prayers and singing of many who accompanied him.
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