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Series Code: LIN
Program Code: LIN000010A
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00:18 As the Mayflower first caught sight of land
00:21 off the coast of Massachusetts, 00:23 that first group of pilgrims could not have imagined 00:27 what would become of this land. 00:29 Whilst they were only seeking a place 00:31 where they could experience freedom of worship, 00:34 as with many things in life, the reality 00:37 became much bigger than the original idea. 00:40 Landing here in Plymouth Rock and settling nearby, 00:45 the pilgrims struggled through the first winter, 00:47 losing over 40 of their friends. 00:50 But due to the generosity 00:52 of some of the local Native Americans 00:54 the rest made it through. 01:09 As the years passed and more people 01:11 made the journey over, 01:13 settlements were founded and the East Coast 01:15 became more and more populated 01:17 until eventually there were 13 colonies. 01:20 During the rise of what would become 01:22 the United States of America, these 13 colonies 01:25 were under the rule of the British crown. 01:28 But tension would build over the years 01:30 until eventually war broke out 01:32 between the colonies and the Crown. 01:35 The British were defeated and the colonies would go on 01:38 to sign the Declaration of Independence 01:41 here in the Independence Hall 01:44 in Philadelphia in 1776, July the 4th. 01:48 Four days later on July the 8th 01:51 the bells would ring out in Philadelphia 01:54 as the Declaration was read out. 01:57 One of the bells that was rung 01:58 is believed to have been Liberty Bell, 02:00 which thereafter would go on to become a symbol of freedom. 02:12 Over the years America 02:13 would become a haven for those seeking refuge 02:16 from religious persecution. 02:18 Although Western Europe had gone through a Reformation, 02:21 in many cases the movement of reform had stagnated. 02:24 And whilst the new religion 02:26 would have some different beliefs, 02:27 often they administered control 02:29 and discipline like the Mother Church 02:32 and did not take kindly 02:33 to dissenters and nonconformists. 02:36 Some coming over were seeking new opportunities 02:39 and this new land with an undiscovered interior 02:43 would prove fertile terrain. 02:50 The new pilgrims recognized the tyranny 02:53 that had been imposed in Europe with state-run churches 02:56 and were familiar with the corruption 02:58 where church officials and priests 03:00 were sometimes little more than civil servants. 03:03 Thus as the founding fathers set out the Constitution 03:06 and the Bill of Rights that would form the basis 03:09 of the United States of America, 03:11 they were very careful 03:12 that the two institutions of church and state 03:15 should remain separate. 03:16 It would read, "Congress shall make no law 03:19 respecting the establishment of religion 03:22 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." 03:31 The church would not be beholden to the state 03:33 and the state could not act in a special interest 03:36 of any particular church but rather treat all people 03:40 equally in the sight of the law. 03:42 It was Benjamin Franklin who said, 03:44 "When religion is good 03:45 I conceive it will support itself." 03:48 And so in America they sought to have a religion 03:51 that did not rely on the support of the state, 03:54 and so this encouraged more than one church to form. 03:57 There was not and there is not a national church of America, 04:01 an official denomination or religion, 04:03 but rather America was founded on the principle 04:06 of the separation of church and state. 04:17 This more than anything else 04:20 is what helped make America great 04:22 and has been the cause 04:23 of its prosperous past and present. 04:26 Freedom of religion lies at the foundation 04:28 of all other freedoms and once this goes, 04:32 the others will crumble in quick succession. 04:35 America would be a fertile ground 04:37 for many churches to flourish 04:39 and over the upcoming weeks 04:40 and months we will see some of the movements 04:42 that took root here and grew in this land of liberty. 04:47 Stay with us over the upcoming episodes 04:49 as we continue this journey and as we explore our lineage. 05:14 America as a nation was sought after initially 05:17 by those fleeing religious persecution in Europe. 05:20 Yet, upon arriving in the New World, 05:23 many people slipped into religious lethargy 05:26 as the pressures and opportunities 05:28 of the New World enveloped their lives. 05:31 In the 17 and 1800s, 05:33 two revivals would take place known as the Great Awakening. 05:45 An integral individual in the First Great Awakening 05:48 was George Whitfield. 05:50 George Whitfield attended Oxford University 05:53 and was a member of the Holy Club, 05:54 along with John and Charles Wesley 05:56 that sought to lead practical 05:58 and spiritual revival in their lives and communities. 06:02 Upon graduating, he didn't settle in a church, 06:05 but became a popular outdoor itinerant preacher 06:09 and traveled to America eight times during his life. 06:12 He died here in America 06:14 and is buried here in this church 06:16 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. 06:25 In the 1740s it's likely that apart from the King of England, 06:29 George Whitefield was the most 06:31 well-known Englishman in America. 06:34 His captivating sermons thrilled large audiences 06:37 all up and down the eastern seaboard 06:40 and led to a revival amongst all denominations, 06:43 in particular the Baptists. 06:45 He is the first preacher 06:46 who preached to the enslaved in the south 06:49 and this Great Awakening was the first time 06:51 that African-Americans 06:52 had embraced Christianity in large numbers. 06:56 This First Great Awakening 06:57 led to a multiplication of churches 07:00 and greater respect 07:01 and cooperation between all denominations. 07:10 Some say that this period 07:11 had an impact on the changes America 07:14 was soon to undergo. 07:15 Some scholars argue that the evangelical movement 07:18 of the 1740s played a key role 07:21 in the development of democratic thought 07:24 as well as the belief in the Free Press 07:26 and that information 07:27 should be shared unbiased and uncontrolled. 07:31 The American War of Independence 07:33 and the Declaration of Independence 07:35 would happen a few decades later. 07:41 The Second Great Awakening began around 1800 07:44 and continued until the 1830s, 07:47 one name that is associated 07:49 with this revival at this time in America is Charles Finney. 07:54 He brought the camp meeting to town 07:56 and established a revival formula 07:58 that became copied in many other churches 08:01 at the time. 08:02 This included praying for people in public by name, 08:06 allowing women to testify 08:08 and pray in public to mixed audiences, 08:12 appointing a pew at the front of the church 08:14 as the "Anxious Bench", 08:16 having a room where you could meet 08:18 and pray with people, 08:19 and the meetings would be protracted 08:21 over several weeks in town. 08:29 In small chapels all across the East Coast 08:32 and as well as in large cities the revival took place. 08:36 It was especially strong 08:37 in the northeasterly states in America, 08:39 and it marked a significant shift 08:41 where it moved beyond the educated elite 08:44 to those less educated and less wealthy. 08:47 A byproduct of this revival 08:49 were the other reform movements that it encouraged, 08:52 such as the temperance movement, 08:54 the abolition of slavery, and women's rights. 09:02 Structures were being broken down 09:04 and the gospel was spreading. 09:06 God was using the ordained clergy 09:09 and laymen alike to share the message 09:11 and bring revival. 09:13 This would pave the way for people 09:15 to accept the messages that humble, 09:17 often unlearned men and women would share in the years ahead. 09:22 God has never been restricted academically, 09:25 structurally, or by social class. 09:28 He has used and He will continue 09:30 to use humble servants to preach His message. 09:34 Another revival will come to this world 09:37 before the return of Jesus, 09:39 a revival such as this world has never seen before, 09:42 and God is looking for people, men and women, 09:45 young and old who will be willing to be used by Him. 10:14 William Miller was the oldest of 16 children 10:17 and was born in Low Hampton, New York. 10:20 His parents were Christians and in his home 10:22 there were only three books, 10:24 the Bible, the Psalter, and the prayer book. 10:27 He had an insatiable desire to learn 10:30 and would read these over and over again, 10:32 but his desire to learn 10:34 would lead him to others in the area 10:36 with more extensive libraries than in his home. 10:39 He would borrow books, 10:41 and by the light of burning pine knots 10:43 he would read them late into the night. 10:45 This soon distinguished him 10:47 as one of the most educated people 10:49 in his area both of his own age group 10:52 and those older as well. 10:58 As William Miller reached the age of marriage, 11:00 he met a young lady named Lucy Smith 11:03 here in the town of Poultney, Vermont, 11:06 a few miles from where he lived. 11:08 After they got married, he moved here to this town 11:11 and found out that they had a library here. 11:14 Here he would spend hours, 11:15 day after day and was introduced 11:17 to the writings of Voltaire, David Hume, 11:20 and Thomas Paine, all great deists. 11:23 Deists believe that God created the world 11:26 and set it in motion but after that 11:28 he took a step backwards, detaching himself 11:31 from the everyday affairs of man. 11:33 William Miller would go on to become a deist. 11:42 In 1812 America was at war 11:44 with England and William Miller 11:46 had a strong sense of patriotism, 11:48 and like his father before him 11:50 he volunteered to fight for his country. 11:53 In the town of Poultney where he lived, 11:55 47 men volunteered to fight 11:58 on the condition that he would be their officer. 12:09 Two things stood out 12:11 in William's mind from this war. 12:13 The first was when a shell, 12:15 just like this one from the Battle of Plattsburgh, 12:17 exploded within two feet of him and three other men. 12:21 Whilst the others sustained injuries, 12:24 he walked away unscathed. 12:26 The second was a battle of Plattsburgh itself. 12:29 The Americans were heavily outnumbered, 12:32 the British were much better trained 12:34 and experienced having just defeated Napoleon, 12:38 yet they were soundly beaten 12:39 by an army they should have routinely defeated. 12:43 The protection and providence of God 12:45 was vividly impressed upon his mind 12:48 and was not something he could easily shake. 13:00 After returning to his hometown after the death of his father, 13:04 he would sometimes attend church 13:06 with his mother, his wife, and his children. 13:09 Whilst he was a deist, he enjoyed listening 13:11 to his uncle preach and he also wanted his children 13:14 to attend church. 13:16 When his uncle was away, however, 13:18 one of the deacons would read a prepared sermon 13:20 and one Sunday he told his mother 13:23 that he did not want to go to church 13:25 because he found the deacon's reading to be boring. 13:28 He did say, however, that he would be open 13:31 to reading in the future if an opportunity arose. 13:34 Like any good mother would, 13:36 she arranged for him to be the reader 13:39 the next time his uncle was away, 13:41 and it turned out that the sermon 13:43 was about parental duties and the importance of prayer. 13:46 Whilst he was reading, he broke down crying, 13:50 struck by the inconsistency 13:52 by the fact that he did not pray yet 13:54 he encouraged his children to pray. 14:03 Suddenly the character of the Savior 14:05 was vividly impressed upon his mind, 14:08 how He would atone for our sins 14:10 and suffer death in our place. 14:12 He later said, "God opened my eyes 14:15 and oh, my soul, what a beautiful Savior 14:18 I saw Jesus to be." 14:20 He fell in love with Jesus and the Bible 14:22 and this would take him on a journey 14:24 that would go far in life. 14:35 The love of Jesus can melt the most stony of hearts. 14:38 Whilst William believed in God, it was an impersonal God. 14:42 Yet when he saw the loving character of God, 14:45 it melted his heart and pierced through 14:47 his logical and rational mind. 14:50 Maybe you are someone, or you know someone 14:53 who has similar doubts that William had. 14:55 Pray. 14:56 Pray that they may see the love of God. 14:58 Pray that they may open their hearts 15:01 and allow Him to come in. 15:06 When I was growing up, if you wanted to study history, 15:08 or do research on a particular topic, 15:11 there was really only one option that we had, 15:13 and that was to read a book. 15:15 And I never really used to like reading that much. 15:17 So we decided to create a resource that will translate 15:20 this written information into the language of today. 15:25 My name is Adam Ramdin. And my name is Clive Coutet. 15:28 And we are the cofounders of Lineage Journey. 15:31 Back in 2016, I was reading a Great Controversy 15:33 and I was really struggling 15:35 to find any relevant video resources that 15:37 I could use to aid me in my study. 15:38 So I decided to approach Adam about the possibility 15:41 of making some videos on the Reformation. 15:43 So we started filming in the end of 2016, and in 2017 15:48 we released 48 videos that covered the period 15:51 of the early church all the way through to the end 15:54 of the Reformation. 15:55 Then in 2018 and 2019 15:57 we released another 52 episodes on church history. 16:01 These have now been viewed all over the world 16:04 in over 100 countries covering about 50 different languages 16:07 and we have over 3 million views online. 16:11 These videos have been used as a resource 16:13 in both secular and Christian schools 16:15 as well as several church denominations across the globe 16:19 using Bible studies, study groups, 16:21 as well as play to the general congregation. 16:23 They also make a great online evangelistic tool 16:26 where people are able to share them, 16:28 and we've seen them go into countries 16:29 that we ourselves can't go, 16:31 countries that are Muslim countries where 16:32 the Christian message cannot go. 16:35 One of the challenges we have though, 16:37 is that amongst our team of almost 10 people, 16:39 we are all volunteers on this project, 16:41 sacrificing our time, our effort and energy 16:43 in order to make these resources together. 16:46 Just to put things into perspective, 16:48 each Lineage episode as well as the filming 16:50 takes an additional two to three days 16:52 in post-production. 16:53 That is a lot of time and sacrifice 16:55 that this team has made 16:57 in putting 100 episodes together. 16:59 So we need to raise the funds 17:00 to cover the cost of the filming 17:02 as well as the continued production 17:04 costs that come after that. 17:06 So for as little as $1 a month, 17:08 you can help us to expand this ministry 17:10 to create new resources to reach 17:12 more people across the world. 17:14 Thank you for visiting this page 17:16 and taking the time to watch this video. 17:18 We really appreciate that. 17:19 Thank you for your support of the ministry so far. 17:22 And we ask that you would prayerfully 17:24 consider being a partner with us on this Patreon page. 17:28 May God bless you. 17:29 And we ask that you continue to keep this ministry 17:31 and our future plans in prayer. 17:56 William was in love with Jesus 17:59 and set out to read his Bible again. 18:02 Sitting here in this room and starting in Genesis 1:1, 18:07 he made his way methodically 18:09 through the Bible using his Cruden's Concordance. 18:12 When he came across a word 18:14 or a verse that he did not understand 18:16 he would cross-reference it 18:18 until he came to a full understanding. 18:20 He came to Daniel 8:14: 18:22 "Unto 2300 days 18:25 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," 18:27 and did not understand it. 18:29 Rather than reading on, 18:30 he stopped there, stayed there, studied it out, 18:34 and his conclusions 18:35 would have a far-reaching impact. 18:45 The motivating factor in William's life 18:48 was not a pursuit of head knowledge, 18:50 but it was his love of Jesus. 18:52 It was a deep love 18:54 and a force that kept him going. 18:56 As he continued his study of Daniel 8, 18:59 he came to the conclusion that 19:01 Jesus would come in about 25 years. 19:04 As he studied and restudied, he concluded in 1818 19:09 that Jesus would come around the year 1843. 19:19 Yet despite having this great news, 19:21 he did nothing about it, keeping it mainly to himself. 19:25 He did tell a few friends but did nothing publicly. 19:28 He was worried that he would be made fun of 19:30 and did not want to leave his hometown to speak. 19:34 He did write some articles that were published 19:36 but as yet he had done no preaching. 19:46 William struggled with the call to preach for 13 years. 19:50 He heard in his mind over and over the words, 19:53 "Go and tell the world." 19:55 Finally, one day, he made a prayer of commitment 19:58 that if he was asked to preach, then he would go. 20:02 He felt this was a pretty safe fleece, 20:04 for no one was going to ask a 50-year-old farmer 20:07 to preach about the Second Coming. 20:09 Not long after, his doorbell rang 20:12 and his nephew Irving Guilford was there, 20:15 and he asked him if he would come to Dresden 20:17 to share the things that he had been studying. 20:20 Rather than there being thankful 20:22 his prayer had been answered, 20:23 he stormed out the door angrily. 20:32 He walked out of his house 20:34 and came to this maple grove here 20:36 and paced up and down. 20:38 His daughter Lucy followed him, 20:40 and after watching a while she went back inside and said, 20:44 "Mummy, something's wrong with Daddy." 20:46 You see, something was wrong. 20:48 He was under conviction 20:49 and could not reason his way out of it. 20:52 His nephew lived over half an hour away, 20:55 which meant he left his house 20:57 before Miller prayed the prayer of commitment, 20:59 and he could thus see the moving of God 21:02 in this situation. 21:04 As the sign says, he went in a farmer 21:07 and came out a preacher. 21:16 After accepting the call to preach, 21:18 Miller traveled extensively over the next ten years 21:22 across the northeastern part of the United States 21:25 with his prophecy chart and Bible with him. 21:28 Many were converted, 21:29 and the revival wasn't linked to a particular denomination. 21:32 Although Miller was a Baptist, one estimate has him winning 21:36 over 40,000 to the Baptist Church 21:38 and over 40,000 to the Methodist Church. 21:41 It was not long before he would meet up 21:43 with Joshua V. Himes, thus extending his influence 21:47 from the spoken word to the written word. 21:55 Maybe God is calling you to the ministry to preach. 21:58 Maybe you have been resisting 22:00 His call like William did for 13 years. 22:03 I want to assure you that the best place to be 22:06 is safe in the peace 22:07 that you are not resisting the Holy Spirit 22:09 and that you're following God's will for your life. 22:12 If God is calling you, 22:13 then step out in faith and let Him lead. 22:38 As the word was preached that 22:39 Jesus was coming soon, very soon, 22:43 the movement gained traction and momentum. 22:46 Whilst they were doubters and scoffers, 22:48 the numbers of those waiting for Jesus' return swelled. 22:52 The movement was at its strongest 22:54 in the Northeast 22:55 of the United States of America, 22:57 though it was by no means limited 22:59 to just being an American phenomenon. 23:07 Before the days of email and internet communications, 23:11 God's Spirit was moving on different people 23:13 around the world as they studied His Word 23:16 and came to similar conclusions. 23:18 In England a preacher named Edward Irving 23:21 proclaimed the soon return of Jesus, in Germany, 23:24 Johann Bengel, 23:26 in South America, Manuel de Lacunza. 23:29 This was a worldwide revival 23:31 fulfilling the text in Daniel 12:4 23:34 that says at "The time of the end 23:36 men would run to and fro 23:38 and knowledge would be increased." 23:40 Knowledge of the Bible, 23:42 but in particular knowledge 23:44 of the books of Daniel and Revelation. 23:52 The believers initially expected Jesus 23:54 to return in the spring of 1844, 23:58 and when He did not, 23:59 this produced some disappointment. 24:01 But they were greatly encouraged 24:03 when Samuel Snow's studies 24:05 revealed the prophecy pointed towards October the 22nd. 24:09 This brought great revival amongst the believers 24:12 as they wanted to put their wrongs right 24:14 and be ready to meet Jesus when He comes. 24:17 They wanted their lives 24:19 to show evidence of their faith. 24:21 Some sold their houses, others closed their businesses, 24:24 some farmers left their crops in their fields, 24:27 and many others got baptized. 24:35 Charles Fitch was a minister 24:37 who baptized many people in the autumn of 1844, 24:40 and unfortunately on one occasion 24:42 because there were so many people to baptize 24:44 and he spent so long 24:46 in the chilly New England waters, 24:47 he caught pneumonia. 24:49 He died on October the 14th, 24:51 but due to the faith that he and his family shared 24:54 in the soon return of Jesus, 24:56 they believed they would see him 24:57 in just a few weeks. 24:59 His obituary would spell this out. 25:06 The believers in the locality 25:07 of William Miller's farm gathered on his property 25:10 to wait for Jesus' return and stood here on this rock, 25:14 today known as Ascension Rock. 25:17 They believed they would ascend to heaven. 25:19 When Jesus did not come, 25:21 they suffered a bitter disappointment 25:24 and their hopes were dashed. 25:26 They had hung their lives on the belief 25:28 that Jesus was coming soon, and now He hadn't. 25:38 Was their faith in vain? Was it presumption? 25:42 Could they recover from the embarrassment, 25:44 ridicule, and shame they would face? 25:47 Henry Emmons later said, 25:49 "I waited all Tuesday and dear Jesus did not come. 25:54 I waited all the forenoon of Wednesday, 25:57 but after 12 o'clock I began to feel faint. 26:01 My natural strength was leaving me very fast 26:04 and I lay prostrate for two days 26:06 without any pain, sick with disappointment." 26:11 Hiram Edson later commented, 26:13 "Our fondest hopes and expectations were blasted, 26:16 and such a spirit of weeping came over us 26:20 as I have never experienced before. 26:22 It seemed that the loss of all earthly friends 26:26 could have been no comparison. 26:28 We wept and wept till the day dawned." 26:34 The believers would now be challenged to live by faith, 26:38 to hang on to God and to trust His promises 26:41 when they didn't know how. 26:43 To have faith in the moments of darkness 26:45 and to trust 26:47 when it doesn't seem to make sense. 26:49 This would be their test, 26:51 and it's a test that comes our way as well. 26:53 Let us remember when it does 26:55 that His eye is on the sparrow, 26:57 and He watches over us 26:59 in the good times as well as in the tough times. |
Revised 2020-05-29