Soon after his return to Low Hampton, Miller took tentative
steps towards regaining his Baptist faith. At first he attempted to combine both, publicly espousing Deism while simultaneously attending his local Baptist church. His attendance turned to participation when he was asked to read the day's sermon during one of the local minister's frequent absences.
His participation changed to commitment one Sunday when he was reading a sermon on the duties of parents and became choked with emotion.
[5] Miller records the experience: "Suddenly the character of a Savior was vividly impressed upon my mind. It seemed that there might be a Being so good and compassionate as to Himself atone for our transgressions, and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of sin. I immediately felt how lovely such a Being must be; and imagined that I could cast myself into the arms of, and trust in the mercy of, such an One."
[6]
Following his conversion, Miller was
soon challenged by his Deist friends to
justify his newfound faith. He did so by examining the Bible closely, declaring to one friend "If he would give me time,
I would harmonize all these apparent contradictions to my own satisfaction, or I will be a Deist still."
[7] Miller commenced with
Genesis 1:1, studying each verse and not moving on until he felt the meaning was clear. In this way he became
convinced firstly, that postmillennialism was unbiblical; and secondly, that the time of Christ's
Second Coming was revealed in Bible
prophecy.
