d be in
possession of a far richer experience than they now have. There is too
little prayer, too little real conviction of sin, and the lack of living
faith leaves many destitute of the grace so richly provided by our
Redeemer.

God designed to prove His people. His hand covered a mistake in the
reckoning of the prophetic periods. Adventists did not discover the error,
nor was it discovered by the most learned of their opponents. The latter
said: "Your reckoning of the prophetic periods is correct. Some great
event is about to take place; but it is not what Mr. Miller predicts; it
is the conversion of the world, and not the second advent of Christ."(617)

The time of expectation passed, and Christ did not appear for the
deliverance of His people. Those who with sincere faith and love had
looked for their Saviour, experienced a bitter disappointment. Yet the
purposes of God were being accomplished: He was testing the hearts of
those who professed to be waiting for His appearing. There were among them
many who had been actuated by no higher motive than fear. Their profession
of faith had not affected their hearts or their lives. When the expected
event failed to take place, these persons declared that they were not
disappointed; they had never believed that Christ would come. They were
among the first to ridicule the sorrow of the true believers.

But Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with love and sympathy upon the
tried and faithful yet disappointed ones. Could the veil separating the
visible from the invisible world have been swept back, angels would have
been seen drawing near to these steadfast souls, and shielding them from
the shafts of Satan.

21. A WARNING REJECTED.

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In preaching the doctrine of the second advent, William Miller and his
associates had labored with the sole purpose of arousing men to a
preparation for the judgment. They had sought to awaken professors of
religion to the true hope of the church, and to their need of a deeper
Christian experience; and they labored also to awaken the unconverted to
the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to God. "They made no
attempt to convert men to a sect or party in religion. Hence they labored
among all parties and sects, without interfering with their organization
or discipline."(618)

"In all my labors," said Miller, "I never had the desire or thought to
establish any separat