Monday, March 28, 2011

End of the World After NERGC? Bummer!

Chances are, you’ve never been to or even heard of Low Hampton, New York. 

It’s not very big – just a stop in the road, really – across the state line from Fair Haven, Vermont and one of several similarly sized hamlets in the Washington County  town of Hampton – a town of 23 square miles with fewer than 900 people. It’s one of those “you-can’t-get-there-from-here” places that you find all over upstate New York.

Its claim to fame is William Miller’s chapel, erected in 1848.  William Miller was a Pittsfield, Massachusetts-born farmer who moved to Low Hampton after the War of 1812.  His uncle Elisha Miller was the Baptist preacher in Low Hampton.

Chances are, you’ve never heard of William Miller, either.  If not, you’re probably also not familiar with the “Great Disappointment.” 

The “Great Disappointment” came about all because William Miller (pictured left), formerly a farmer from Washington County, had been studying the Bible, and specifically the Old Testament prophecies. 

But the trouble with prophecies and with angel’s voices, which Miller and many of his followers heard, is that the message contained therein  is not always crystal-clear.  Especially when  it comes to terrestrial dates.

October 23, 18 44 was a particularly bad day, truly a day of “Great Disappointment.”   

You see, Miller and his followers had determined – based upon careful Bible study – that Jesus was going to return to earth on October 22, 1844. 

At least, that’s what they were sure the Bible said.

Many of Miller’s followers sold everything they had and, dressed in white robes, waited for the inevitable End Of The World.  (Cue the drums and trumpets)

Problem is, October 22, 1844 came and went.   

No Jesus. Bummer! 

Hence, the “Great Disappointment.”, sending Miller and his followers – thousands of them – back to the drawing board. 

(Hint: Ancient Hebrew calendars are really very, very difficult to figure out…)

There’s a lot more to the William Miller story, but that’s not the point of today’s post.  Rather, I want to give you fair warning that Miller’s spirit is alive and well, and is currently touring the country by bus.


Then, if you’ve made any firm plans for May 21st, 2011, you might want to see if you can cancel and get your deposit back so you can spend it all on your big blast of a party on May 20th.

If you're concerned and want to learn directly from the prophetic source himself, here’s the direct link to Harold Camping’s (the modern day William Miller) website:  http://www.ebiblefellowship.com/may21/

And you thought those Mayan prophecies were something to worry about?   

Silly you!

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