William Miller’s Apology and Defence, August 1

THE AGE OF THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE

I was then satisfied, as I saw conclusive evidence to prove the advent personal and pre-millennial, that all the events for which the church look to be fulfilled before the advent, must be subsequent to it; and that unless there were other unfulfilled prophecies, the advent of the Lord, instead of being looked for only in the distant future, might be a continually expected event. In examining the prophecies on that point, I found that only four universal monarchies are any where predicted in the Bible to precede the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom; that three of those had passed away, - Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia, - and that the fourth, Rome, had already passed into its last state, the state in which it is to be when the stone cut out of the mountain without hands shall smite the image on the feet, and break to pieces all the kingdoms of this world. I was unable to find any prediction of events which presented any clear evidence of their fulfilment before the scenes that usher in the advent. And finding all the signs of the times and the present condition of the world, to compare harmoniously with the prophetic descriptions of the last days, I was compelled to believe that this world had about reached the limits of the period alloted for its continuance. As I regarded the evidence, I could arrive at no other conclusion. WMAD 9.1