of the same elevated and tender spirit. His sermons were clear, earnest, solemn, and impressive. His sen- tences were short, often highly rhetorical in structure, and always pregnant with Gospel truth. As a jiastor, and in the sick-room, lie was not surpassed. But in nothing did he so soar heavenward, and seem so lull of divine power, as in public prayer. A number of power- ful revivals of religion occurred under his ministry. Dr. Milledoler declined several pressing offers of high posi- tions in the Churcli. In 1823, witli Dr. Gardner Spring, he visited, as commissioner of the General Assembly, Die missions among the Tuscarora, Seneca, and Catta- raugus Indians. In the great benevolent movements of his time he was an earnest actor. He was moderator of the Presbyterian (ieneral Assembly in 1808. and pres- ident of the (General Synod of the Reformed Church in 1823, and was one of the members of the convention that formed the American Bible Society in 1816. He helped to organize and was the first president of the Society for Evangelizing the Jews, and an active orig- inal member and corresponding secretary of the United Foreign Missionary Society formed in 1817. He pub- lished a number of sermons, public addresses, and other pamphlets. In his old age Dr. Milledoler was most venerable in appearance, elegant in manners, and saint- like in spirit. His snow-white hair, and almost ruddy complexion, and scrupulous neatness in dress, his unfail- ing courtesy and radiant goodness, stamped liim not merely as a Christian gentleman of the old school, but as one who lived for two worlds, blessing tliis one and waiting for the glory of the next. See Spraguc, A nnals of the A mer. Pulpit, vol. ix ; Corwin's Manual of the Ref. Church, s. v. ; Personal Recollections. (W. J. R. T.)
Millenarians (or Chiliasts), a name given to those who believe that the saints will reign on earth with Christ a thousand years. See Mii-lennium.
Millenary Petition is the name of the paper which was jiresented to king James YI of Scotland (James I of England), as he passed through England on his way to London, by the Pnritans. It contained a petition signed by nearly a thousand ministers, and hence the name 3lillenarian. It jirayed for such changes or alterations in ceremonial as the Puritans had gener- ally contended for. An answer to it was published by the University of Oxford, and the divines of Cambridge thanked their Oxonian brethren. The conference at Hampton Court, however, was the result of the fa- mous petition. See Fisher, Hist, of the Reformation, p. 434 ; Neale, Hist, of the Puritans (Hari^er's edition), i, 228 ; Fuller, Church History, book x, p. 21. See PiRi-
TANS.
Millennium. This term signifies a period of a thousand years, and in its religious use is applied to the ]iroi)hctic lera mentioned in Rev. xx, 1-7. The 3Iil- Icnarians or Chiliasts, in ancient and modern times, are characterized by their tenet respecting the second ad- vent of Jesus, which they believe will be accompanied by the resurrection of the martyrs and saints, who will reign with him on earth, in a state of blessedness and rest, for a thousand years, when the resurrection of the wicked will occur, together with the final judgment and its eternal awards. They have differed somewhat among themselves concerning the character of this millennial kingdom, some viewing it as more and some as less spir- itual in its nature, employments, and joys. They have also differed in other minor ]>articulars; but in the main opinion relative to the advent, the first resurrection, and the temporal reign of Christ, the various classes of 3111- lenarians are agreed. This doctrine is generally attrib- uted to a .lewish origin. Josephus {Ant. xviii, i, 3) says of the Pharisees that they hold to the confinement I of the souls of the wicked in an everlasting prison, but 'that the righteous "have power to revive and live j again." In a second passage ( War. ii.8. 14) he describes liie Pharisaic doctrine in a similar manner, for it is not 1 probable that, in this last place, he intends to ascribe to
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