"Bad money drives away good money".
Back in the 70s this saying was circulated quite freely. The real coins of gold & silver were seldom seen, more scare than chickens teeth, but composite coins were like leaves of autumn, still are. But I see something different here on this forum, [in reverse] posts containing substance with bible & SOP evidence, [gold coins] the trivia posts [composite coins] begin to retreat back to the bushes. Back where there is no sunlight, just fungus growing from mens thoughts & published books. Old Dagon the fish god never could stand alone in the same room with something Holy. But mortal still tried by propping him back up. Truly amazing!!!

In the wake of the Adventist disappointment of 1844, the Millerite movement disintegrated into numerous splinter groups as new leaders squabbled over doctrinal differences, and fought for control of the movement. Miller was in agony of soul to see his former companions war with one another in the press and from the pulpit. Some even turned and attacked him. Shortly before his death in the last half of the 1840's, he recorded the following glimpse of his despair:

"Some brethren, whom I had loved in the gospel with a deep and intense interest, had become alienated from me, as well as from each other, and were trying to supplant and injure the characters, usefulness, influence, and abilities of other brethren and myself, and had become like the obscene fowls of the air who live only on carcasses and putrid flesh; it seemed to me that I should be obliged to give up all confidence in men, and all love for them; so that, like David, I had no Jonathan left."

"While in this deplorable state of mind, when I was about to believe in the total depravity of all men, and that all profession of religion was nothing but hypocrisy, I received comfort and consolation from the following, which may pass for a dream...."

I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought casket, about ten inches long by six square, made of ebony and pearls curiously inlaid. To the casket there was a key attached. I immediately took the key and opened the casket, when, to my wonder and surprise, I found it filled with all sorts and sizes of jewels, diamonds, precious stones, and gold and silver coin of every dimension and value, beautifully arranged in their several places in the casket; and thus arranged, they reflected a light and glory equaled only by the sun.

I thought it was my duty not to enjoy this wonderful sight alone, although my heart was overjoyed at the brilliancy, beauty, and the value of its contents. I therefore placed it on a center-table in my room, and gave out word that all who had a desire might come and see the most glorious and brilliant sight ever seen by man in this life.

The people began to come in, at first few in number, but increasing to a crowd. When they first looked into the casket they would wonder and shout for joy. But when the spectators increased, every one would being to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket and scattering them on the table.

I began to think the owner would require the casket and jewels again at my hand; and if I suffered them to be scattered, I could never place them in their places in the casket again as before; and felt I should never be able to meet for the accountability, for it would be immense. I then began to plead with the people not to handle them, nor take them out of the casket; but the more I plead, the more they scattered; - and now they seemed to scatter them all over the room, on the floor, and on every piece of furniture in the room.

I then saw that among the genuine jewels and coin they had scattered an innumerable quantity of spurious jewels and counterfeit coin. I was highly incensed at their base conduct and ingratitude, and reproved them for it; but the more I reproved the more they scattered the spurious jewels and false coin among the genuine.

I then became vexed in my very soul, and began to use physical force to push them out of the room; but while I was pushing out one, three more would enter, and bring in dirt, and shavings, and sand, and all manner of rubbish, until they covered every one of the true jewels, diamonds, and coins, which were all excluded from sight. They also tore in pieces the casket, and scattered it among the rubbish. I thought no man regarded my sorrow or my anger. I became wholly discouraged and disheartened, and sat down and wept.

While I was thus weeping and mourning for my great loss and accountability, I remembered God, and earnestly prayed that he would send me help.

Immediately the door opened, and a man entered the room, when the people all left it; and he, having a dirtbrush in his hand, opened the windows, and began to brush the dust and rubbish from the room.

I cried to him to forbear, for there were some precious jewels scattered among the rubbish.

He told me to 'fear not,' for he would 'take care of them.'

Then, while he brushed, the dust and rubbish, false jewels and counterfeit coin, all rose and went out of the windows like a cloud, and the wind carried them away. In the bustle, I closed my eyes for a moment; when I opened them, the rubbish was all gone. The precious jewels, the diamonds, the gold and silver coins, lay scattered in profusion all over the room.

He then placed on the table a casket, much larger and more beautiful than the former, and gathered up the jewels, the diamonds, the coins, by the handful, and cast them into the casket, till not one was left, - although some of the diamonds were not bigger than the point of a pin.

He then called upon me to 'come and see.'

I looked into the casket, but my eyes were dazzled with the sight. They shone with ten times their former glory. I thought they had been scoured in the sand by the feet of those wicked persons who had scattered and trod them in the dust. They were arranged in beautiful order in the casket, every one in its place, without any visible pains of the man who cast them in. I shouted with very joy, and that shout awoke me.

What a MIGHTY warrier was William Miller, so comforting to know that an angel marks the spot of this Sunday keeping mans grave to be awakened at the "last trump". He did a work that no one connected with the world school system could ever do. He had no preconceived ideas from the seminary teachers he needed to discard in order to go in the vineyard and work for the Master. If it hadn't been for the influence of his Sunday keeping friend he could have advanced with the increase of light from heaven. But heaven laid him away early to save him from going into error.

Quote:

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While I was thus weeping and mourning for my great loss and accountability, I remembered God, and earnestly prayed that he would send me help.

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What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
-----------Joseph M. Scriven

Sometimes I wonder where my dreams come from.

Titus that's twice for that message. Third time's the charm. Was I haunting your dreamscape or something? If so we need to talk.

I am so glad that heaven has so arranged things that heaven's "truth" does not depend on the ever changing opinions of man. Futher more heaven's truth will ever remain truth where it is believed or not. The "church" [people, not brick & stone] just happens to come along FROM following the "truth". If you are not a follower of the "truth", then you might just as well go join yourself to a club where one picks & chooses their leaders that tickle their ever changing fancy.