The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a  Christian Protestant Denomination , born from an American religious movement that arose in the mid-19th century.¹

And though the Adventist Church didn’t exist at the time of the Protestant Reformation, it emerged because of the Reformation and the principles the Reformers stood for.

Like the Reformers before them, the founders of the Adventist Church were earnestly studying the Scriptures. They were more concerned about following the Bible’s teachings than following tradition.

These believers weren’t looking to form their own movement, though. But when they were no longer welcome in their own churches, they began gathering in groups to study the Bible.

Eventually, the believers came to the conclusion that they’d only be able to grow by becoming an official denomination. And with that realization, they gathered together to establish the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

This page will trace the chain of truth from the Reformation down to the time of this denomination. We’ll cover:

• The Protestant pursuit of truth
• The chain of truth from the Reformation to the Great Awakenings
• Discoveries that led to the Millerite Movement
• The Adventist Church’s growth out of the Millerite Movement
• How Adventism upholds Protestant principles
• What it means to carry the torch of the Reformation

To get started, let’s look at what was happening in Christianity long before the Adventist Church was formed.

The Protestant pursuit of truth

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

The Protestant Reformation began as a small religious movement that spread throughout Europe during the 16th century. It started with a desire to pursue biblical truth, even if that truth went against the authority of church tradition.

What makes this movement so noteworthy is that it arose during a time when the Christian church had significant power and authority.

Back then, even kings feared the church’s power.

But the Reformers recognized that God and His Word were their ultimate authority. If church tradition stood in the way of that, they had to be willing to press on to greater truth, despite opposition. We’ll look at more details about the Reformation in a moment, but the point here is this:

The Reformation was all about seeking a greater and greater understanding of truth in God’s Word.

The idea is perhaps best summarized by John Robinson, a Puritan (and Protestant) who spoke to the pilgrims before they sailed to America:

“I charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry; for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word.”²

For human beings, this encouragement isn’t easy to follow. We get comfortable, and change is difficult.

But down through the centuries since the Reformation, small groups here and there have followed this counsel and formed a chain of growing truth.

The Protestant Reformation’s connection to the Great Awakenings

The Protestant Reformation began when a theology professor named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church in 1517.³

This document called people to return to Bible truth, declaring that many of the teachings and traditions taught by the official church at the time (the Catholic Church) contradicted Scripture.

Luther was far from the first person to notice discrepancies between church traditions and God’s Word. Many years before his time, other Bible scholars, including John Wycliffe, John Huss, and Jerome of Faulfish, pointed out problems with corruption within the church,⁴ but it was Luther that truly sparked the beginning of the Reformation.

Much of this was due to the fact that Luther presented his theses in the age of the printing press, when documents and news could be reprinted at a faster rate and circulated more widely than ever before.⁵

With this technology, news of Luther’s theses spread and caused quite a stir, leading many people to question the official church and seek truth from the Scriptures (which had also become more available thanks to the printing press).⁶

Luther’s discoveries helped people realize they didn’t need a priest to come to God or to interpret Scripture for them. Instead, they saw that they could⁷:

1. Freely come to God through Jesus Christ
2. Study the Bible for themselves

Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin led the way in upholding Bible truths that had been neglected by the church. They attempted to reform the church from within, but the church was resistant.

The Austrian historian, Johann Loserth, explains that:

“More radically than any other party for church reformation [the Reformers] strove to follow the footsteps of the church of the first century and to renew unadulterated original Christianity.”⁸

Photo by Pixabay

These principles were so important to the Protestant Reformers that when faced with the choice to give up their beliefs or leave the church, they chose to leave.

Over time, the Reformers’ followers formed into groups, and eventually denominations. Looking back to the Reformation, we can see how these groups and churches carried a chain of truth as each successive one rediscovered and re-emphasized Bible teachings:

• The Lutheran Church⁹: They adopted and spread Martin Luther’s teachings. This included the truth that our salvation comes from accepting Jesus as our Savior, not from any good deeds we do. Another important truth was “the priesthood of all believers,” the idea that people don’t need a human priest to access God because everyone can access God through Jesus.¹⁰

• The Swiss Reformers¹¹: These reformers, largely led by Ulrich Zwingli, emphasized the importance of sanctification, or the idea that Christians, are called to reflect the love and goodness of Christ throughout their lives. They also worked to reform Catholic mass. They rejected the idea that the bread and wine could be turned into the actual body and blood of Jesus by a priest. Instead, they thought of these objects as symbols of Christ’s sacrifice.

• Anabaptists¹²: These believers rejected the practice of infant baptism, holding onto the biblical truth that baptism is based on personal conviction and a declaration of faith.

• Sabbatarians¹³: These believers were the first reformers to keep the biblical seventh-day Sabbath.

• The Puritan Movement¹⁴: They emphasized the importance of following the Bible over church tradition.

• The Baptist Church¹⁵: This group of believers taught that baptism must involve full submersion in water.¹⁶ Roger Williams, who was a member of the Baptist Church for a time, promoted the truth of religious liberty—that everyone has the right to believe as their conscience dictates.¹⁷ He even went on to establish the Rhode Island colony, a place where settlers would be free to worship as they chose.¹⁸

• The Methodist Church¹⁹: They emphasized the importance of sanctification and having a personal faith experience. Unlike many churches at the time, they rejected predestination, the teaching that God chooses ahead of time who will be saved and who will be lost. Instead, they saw that Scripture shows anyone can accept or reject salvation based on free will.²⁰ They also felt it was their Christian duty to stand for social justice.

One after another, Protestant churches formed as believers came upon Bible truths.

But many only went so far in pursuing truth..

Often, one group of believers would settle into their beliefs and close themselves off from accepting further truth.

The Lutheran Church, for example, didn’t accept the Swiss Reformers’ teaching on sanctification.²¹ They also didn’t accept the Anabaptist teaching of confessions of faith for baptism and continued to baptize infants.²²

The Anglican Church didn’t prioritize Bible study as much as the Puritans.²³ And neither the Puritan nor the Anglican Churches accepted the Baptist teaching of religious liberty.²⁴ The Calvinist Church held to predestination rather than accepting the Methodist teaching that salvation is based on each individual’s choice to accept Jesus.²⁵

As believers chose to stand up for biblical truth within their faith traditions, many of them experienced persecution—ironically, from those who had also once been the subject of persecution themselves.²⁶

Though each group began with a commitment to follow God’s Word, they resisted new waves of progress. They became uncomfortable with the idea of accepting any revelations from other Reformers, even though the entire Protestant Reformation was based on the continuous pursuit of Bible truth.

But that wouldn’t be the end of religious reform.

Later on, great religious revivals took place in North America.

The First Great Awakening occurred from the 1720s to the 1740s.²⁷ It re-emphasized the importance of turning back to God in the face of a secular society.²⁸ The Second Great Awakening occurred from 1795 to 1835.²⁹ It recognized free will and the need for personal spiritual revival and societal reform.³⁰

As the names suggest, these revivals reawakened people to Bible truths. Many Protestant churches, like the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches, began to flourish during this time.³¹

These revivals set the stage for the Millerite Movement.

Discoveries that led to the Millerite Movement

During the Second Great Awakening, a farmer named William Miller developed a fascination with Bible prophecy and began studying the 2300-day prophecy in Daniel 8:14. He compared the prophecies he found in the Old Testament with the prophecies he found in the New Testament.

Eventually, he came to believe that the prophecy in Daniel referred to the Second Coming of Christ because it spoke of a time when the sanctuary—what many Christians believed to be symbolic for the earth—would be cleansed.

As he tried to put together the pieces of the prophetic puzzle, he concluded that the 2300-day prophecy referred to 2,300 literal years, based on the year-day principle of Bible prophecy (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:5-6). It began in 457 BC and would come to an end in 1843 or 1844.

He believed this meant Jesus would come again at that time.

William Miller shared this message and gained a large following of people, many of whom were Protestant believers.

According to W. L. Emmerson, author of The Reformation and the Advent Movement,

“From a study of 174 Millerite preachers and lecturers, E.N. Dick found that 44.3 percent were Methodists, 27 percent Baptists, 9 percent Congregationalists, 8 percent Christian Connection, and 7 percent Presbyterian, while less than 5 percent came from the Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed churches.”³²

Though the Millerites were mistaken in their attempts to predict the Second Coming, they did uncover some valuable truths about the Second Coming. At a time when so many people taught that the Second Coming was symbolic, or in the distant future,³³ they showed that the Bible said the Second Coming was literal, visible, and soon.

For Miller’s followers, soon meant October 22, 1844.

But when that date arrived, Jesus didn’t come, and the Millerites were heartbroken. The day was known as the Great Disappointment.

Sadly, some of the Millerites left the faith altogether.

However, one group of people, out of a desire to seek further truth, wanted to understand where they’d gone wrong.

They continued to seek God and study their Bibles, forming the movement that led to the Adventist Church.

The Adventist Church’s growth out of the Millerite Movement

In the wake of the Great Disappointment, one group of Millerites turned to the Bible for answers. They wanted to understand why the Advent, or Second Coming, didn’t happen.

As Protestants, these Advent believers saw the Bible as the ultimate authority on Christian faith. This meant they only adopted teachings that aligned with the Word of God and principles of Scripture.

After several study sessions, they learned that October 22, 1844, did have some prophetic significance. But it didn’t point to the Second Coming like they thought. Instead, they learned that this day pointed to another event. It was the day Jesus entered the Most Holy Place to begin a special work of judgment there.

Encouraged by this knowledge, the Advent believers continued to search for Bible truth. In doing so, they rediscovered long-forgotten doctrines like the holy day of worship—the seventh-day Sabbath.

Their group grew. Eventually, the believers felt that in order to continue their group’s growth and pay their own pastors, they would need to establish a denomination.³⁴

On May 21, 1863, the Advent believers established an organized church body. They named it the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And many of the believers who had been involved in the studies, like James White and Ellen G. White, went on to become Adventism’s pioneers and leaders.

How the Adventist Church upholds Protestant principles

Photo by John-Mark Smith

The Adventist Church isn’t just a branch of Protestant Christianity. It honors the very principles the Reformers stood for, otherwise known as the five solas—soli Deo gloria, sola gratia, sola fide, sola Christus, and sola Scriptura.³⁵

Because we believe that God alone is worthy of worship, we believe in the Protestant principle of soli Deo gloria, or the idea that glory belongs to God and God alone.³⁶

A section of our fundamental belief on God says:

“God, who is love, is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.”³⁷

We believe in the Protestant principles of sola gratia and sola fide, or the ideas that we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus.³⁸

This is evident in a section of our fundamental belief on the experience of salvation:

“Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, Substitute and Example. This saving faith comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace.”³⁹

We believe in sola Christus, or the idea that Jesus is the only mediator between God and humankind.⁴⁰ This idea lies at the heart of our fundamental belief on Jesus’ role as our mediator and High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.⁴¹

In our congregations, we also uphold sola Scriptura. This principle teaches that the Bible is the ultimate authority of our faith.

Our first Fundamental Belief reaffirms this, saying,

“The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His [God’s] will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.”⁴²

To this day, Adventists continue to emphasize the importance of personal Bible study. We see it as a way to not only pursue Bible truth but also build a closer relationship with Jesus.

Carrying the torch of the Reformation

The desire for truth fueled the Protestant Reformation.

The Reformers broke away from the church because they wanted to live by the Bible. In doing so, they created a chain of Protestant denominations, all looking to relearn Bible truths.

In the same way, the believers that founded the Adventist Church didn’t let tradition stop them from pursuing Bible truth. Instead, they held the Bible up as the foundation of their faith, just as we Adventists do today.

The Adventist Church believes the Bible is inspired by God and is reliable and trustworthy.

Even though some of our doctrines differ from other Christian denominations, we still maintain the Protestant desire to pursue biblical truth.

As one of our co-founders, Ellen G. White puts it:

“The truth of God is progressive; it is always onward, going from strength to a greater strength, from light to a greater light. We have every reason to believe that the Lord will send us increased truth, for a great work is yet to be done.”⁴³

Like the Reformers of old, we are dedicated to following God’s will as expressed in His Holy Word. And we remain open to adopting new truths as the Holy Spirit reveals them to us.

1. Melton, Gordon J., and James Hutchinson Smylie, “Adventist,” Britannica. [↵]
2. Quoted in White, Ellen, The Great Controversy, p. 291. [↵]
3. Wylie, James Aitken, The History of Protestantism, vol. 1, pp.540-542 [↵]
4. “Huss and Jerome: The Bohemian Revolution,” Lineage Journey. [↵]
5. “Gutenberg’s Press and It’s Impact on the Reformation,” Lineage Journey. [↵]
6. Ibid [↵]
7. “The Great Awakening,” Lineage Journey. [↵]
8. Quoted in Emmerson, W.L., The Reformation and The Advent Movement, Orion Publishing, 2001, p. 9. [↵]
9. Hillerbrand, Hans J, “Lutheranism,” Britannica. [↵]
10. “Priesthood of All Believers,” Britannica. [↵]
11. Emmerson, p. 33. [↵]
12. Emmerson, pp. 37-39. [↵]
13. Emmerson, pp. 74, 77-78. [↵]
14. Mark, Joshua J. “Puritans,” World History Encyclopedia, Jan. 21, 2021. [↵]
15. Hudson, Winthrop S.“Baptist,” Britannica, April 8, 2024. [↵]
16. Emmerson, p. 135-136. [↵]
17. “Roger Williams,” Britannica. [↵]
18. Emmerson, pp. 167-169. [↵]
19. “Distinctive Wesleyan Emphases,” United Methodist Communications. [↵]
20. Davies, Rupert E., “Methodism,” Britannica. [↵]
21. Emmerson, pp. 13-14. [↵]
22. Hillerbrand, Hans J., “Worship and organization,” Britannica. [↵]
23. Mark, Joshua J., “Puritans,” [↵]
24. Ibid. [↵]
25. Davies. [↵]
26. Ibid, p. 181. [↵]
27. “Great Awakening,” Britannica. [↵]
28. Ibid. [↵]
29. “Second Great Awakening,” Britannica. [↵]
30. Ibid. [↵]
31. “The Great Awakening,” Khan Academy. [↵]
32. Emmerson, p. 200. [↵]
33. Ibid, pp. 194-196. [↵]
34. Douglass, Herbert E., Messenger of the Lord, p. 183. [↵]
35. Engle, Karen, “5 Solas of the Reformation—What They Are & Why They Matter,” Logos, Oct. 8, 2021. [↵]
36. Engle; “Official Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Seventh-day Adventist Church. [↵]
37. “Official Beliefs.” [↵]
38. Engle. [↵]
39. “Official Beliefs.” [↵]
40. Engle. [↵]
41. “Official Beliefs.” [↵]
42. Ibid. [↵]
43. White, Ellen Gould, Signs of the Times. [↵]

More Answers

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, founded on May 21, 1863, in Battle Creek, Michigan, began as a grassroots movement in the 19th century, following the Second Great Awakening.

Early founders named it “the Seventh-day Adventist Church” to highlight their beliefs in the seventh-day Sabbath and the Second Advent, or Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Once the Church started to gain more momentum, its headquarters were moved from Battle Creek, Michigan, to Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1989.¹

Today, the Adventist Church is a worldwide Protestant Christian denomination with nearly 22 million baptized members. It has churches of all sizes, as well as schools, hospitals, media and publishing houses, relief agencies, and various service ministries around the world.

But how did we get to this point?

Seventh-day Adventism has a rich history of sincere Bible study and a collective ambition to share the profound hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.

To give you an overview of its origins and growth, we’ll highlight the major milestones:

• The Advent Movement that paved the way
• Ellen White and the growth of Seventh-day Adventism
• Mission work and global expansion
• Our official statement of belief

To get the full picture of how the Adventist Church began, we have to go back a few decades before it started.

The Advent Movement that paved the way

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Before there was Seventh-day Adventism, there was the Second Great Awakening and the Millerite Movement. The latter was started in the 1830s by William Miller, a farmer, military veteran, and eventual preacher. Miller wanted to deepen his understanding of the Bible after he returned from war, and he was intrigued by what he found in the prophetic passages in the book of Daniel.

Though William Miller never became a Seventh-day Adventist himself, his study of the Bible encouraged others to do the same, including those who later started the Adventist Church.

Here’s how:

A close call during the War of 1812 turned Miller’s thoughts toward the fragility of life. Convinced that he should have died but didn’t, he became interested in God and the Bible and searched for new purpose.

As he read through Daniel and compared its prophetic passages to those in Revelation, he determined that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would be a physical, literal event…and it might be happening much sooner than many had thought.

Not wanting to lead anyone astray, Miller didn’t speak up right away. He studied for nine more years until he could no longer stifle his conviction.² It was time to tell the world.

Learn more about William Miller’s experience with God and study of the Bible.

The Millerite Movement

Miller’s study of the 2300-day prophecy in Daniel 8 and 9 convinced him that the Second Advent (the Second Coming of Christ) was right around the corner—in 1843 or 1844. Eventually, his follower Samuel Snow set a more specific date: October 22nd, 1844.³

This prediction gained traction, and the movement grew in both size (possibly even up to one million⁴) and enthusiasm. Followers mostly came from existing churches. They were Methodists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians.

Their belief in the soon coming of Christ was radical at the time because most churches believed in postmillennialism, the idea that Jesus would return to earth after a thousand years of peace. As a result, many of the existing churches removed Miller’s followers from their membership.

So they came together and called themselves the Millerites, and they excitedly anticipated the predicted date.

As the morning of October 22nd approached, each believer had been preparing for the Second Coming.

They spent time in prayer, they sold their properties, and some even left their farms’ harvests sitting in the fields. They eagerly awaited the first sight of Jesus and a host of angels. Many probably stayed up late, waiting for the clock to strike midnight, thinking Jesus might make His appearance at the very last second.

Find out more about the Millerite Movement of the 1830s and 40s.

The Great Disappointment

But midnight passed. The hours had slowly ticked by, but nothing happened.

That’s why October 22nd, 1844, has since become known as the Great Disappointment.

It’s true that the Bible gives us incredible insight about the future of humanity. But when we’re tempted to go overboard in trying to figure everything out, right down to the last detail, Scripture includes some warnings—even specifically about predicting the exact date and time of the Second Coming:

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36, NKJV).

 

“Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44, NKJV).

These truths didn’t stand out to the Millerites, or they were interpreted differently. But that changed after the Great Disappointment. With time, many disheartened but persevering Christians recognized where they went wrong.

Those who were committed to diving back into Scripture found a way forward.

Carrying on in faith

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

After the Disappointment, many Millerites gave up their newfound hope and returned to their normal lives. Some felt they had been wrong about the October 22nd date, including William Miller. He continued to believe Jesus would return soon but didn’t set a date.

Others felt that the October 22nd date had been correct, but the event was wrong. They dove into their Bibles, wondering where they went wrong—and they found answers.

They learned that the Bible passage in Daniel 8:14 didn’t point to the Second Coming of Jesus but to His ministry in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in heaven. It also marked the beginning of the investigative judgment for all professed believers throughout history.

While they maintained their belief in Jesus’ soon return, they also embraced the new truth about the heavenly sanctuary.

Then, an influential Millerite named Joseph Bates found out that according to the Bible, the Sabbath is on Saturday, not Sunday. He learned this from Seventh-day Baptists (who had been in the United States since the 1600s). And after much Bible study, he was convinced and went on to share the truth by writing a booklet about it. He gave the booklet to many fellow Millerites, including James and Ellen White.⁵

Soon, they too were convinced of the biblical seventh-day Sabbath. Later, these three would become some of the leading founders of Seventh-day Adventism.

As they shared the Sabbath truth among the scattered groups, those who accepted it came to be known as Sabbatarian Adventists.

Further Bible studies during a series of 20 meetings from 1848 to 1850 led to the discovery of other biblical teachings like⁶:

• The dead are asleep until the Second Coming
• In the last days, Christians will be called back to biblical truth, and a small group of believers will answer the call (Revelation 14)
• Many will display the prophetic gift in the last days and proclaim the good news about Jesus to the world (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17)

These beliefs were quite different from what other Christian denominations of the time taught. But Adventists believe in what we call present truth—truths from the Bible that are relevant to a specific time and context and may not have been known in earlier times.

And since this new understanding of the Bible often set the members of the movement at odds with other churches, they ended up forming their own denomination in 1860 with the name “Seventh-day Adventist.”

Three years later, in 1863, the denomination was officially organized as the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

The Church started out in North America with its headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan.

But soon, it grew beyond North America, and an elaborate church structure developed.

Let’s see how that growth happened.

Ellen G. White and the growth of Seventh-day Adventism

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

Two of the most influential founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church were Ellen G. White and her husband, James White.

She is recognized by the Church as one who exhibited the prophetic gift (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14), although she did not claim the title of “prophet” for herself.⁷

Find out whether Ellen White was truly a prophet.

She helped shape the early years of Adventism by writing and speaking the things God impressed her with.

Through guidance and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, Ellen White spearheaded several initiatives in the Adventist Church like:

• The publishing work—beginning with the Present Truth periodical that started in Rochester, New York, under the leadership of James White (1849)
• The health work—beginning with the Battle Creek Sanitarium under the leadership of John Harvey Kellogg (1866)
• The Adventist educational system—beginning with Goodloe Harper Bell’s school in Battle Creek (1872)

Inspired by the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, Adventists grew from these humble beginnings to the worldwide denomination that we know today.

But to get to that point, they engaged in widespread evangelistic initiatives and overseas missions.

Discover more about the life of Ellen White.

Mission work and global expansion

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

In 1874, the church decided to sponsor the very first Adventist overseas missionary to Europe: J. N. Andrews.

There, he established a publishing house in Switzerland, planted congregations, and put together an organizational structure for the church in Europe.

This began Adventist overseas missions. Soon, missionaries were sent out to share the Gospel. And the church spread all over Europe, South America, Australia, Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world.

And wherever the church’s missionary work went, the publishing, health, and educational work also did.

As part of their mission to share the love of Jesus with the world, Adventists provided education, healthcare, and other essential infrastructure to support local communities. The result was an extensive network of Adventist institutions around the world.

By 1901, there were 75,000 church members worldwide. In addition, the church had established two colleges, a medical school, 12 secondary schools, 27 hospitals, and 13 publishing houses.

With the growing numbers and geographical scope of Adventism, it became necessary to reorganize the administrative structure of the church.

That’s how we ended up with the structure that exists today.

We have the General Conference (GC) as the highest administrative level, overseeing the global church. The GC has various departments like Communications, Education, Sabbath School, Religious Liberty, and Youth Ministries.

The GC consists of divisions that cover different world regions. And the divisions are made up of union conferences, which are made up of local conferences. At the lowest level, we have local churches within those conferences.

After this structural reorganization, the church’s headquarters, together with the first denominational publishing house (the Review and Herald Publishing Association), was moved from Battle Creek to Takoma Park, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Today, it’s located in Silver Spring, Maryland.

As of 2022, there are 97,811 Adventist churches worldwide with a total of 22,234,406 church members.

See more about the Adventist Church’s current population and demographics.

Overview timeline of the early Adventist Church

• 1790-1840: Second Great Awakening in the United States
• 1831: War-veteran-turned-preacher William Miller deepens his studies and begins preaching about his new discoveries in Scripture
• 1839: Joseph Bates joins William Miller’s movement, the Millerites, focusing on how the “Second Advent,” or Second Coming of Jesus, is near
• 1844, October 22: The Great Disappointment—William Miller misinterprets prophetic statements in Daniel and Revelation, thinking Jesus would return on this date
• 1845: J. N. Andrews (namesake of Andrews University) accepts Miller’s teachings on the seventh-day Sabbath
• 1846: Joseph Bates publishes an article on the biblical seventh-day Sabbath, which convicts James and Ellen White
• 1849: James White begins publishing a periodical that’s now called the Adventist Review
• 1851: Ellen White publishes her first book: A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White
• 1852: First Adventist printing press is established in Rochester, New York
• 1855: Biblical research supports the Sabbath timing, beginning sunset Friday and ending sunset Saturday
• 1860, October 1: Delegates name the denomination “Seventh-day Adventist”
• 1863: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is established
• 1866: First Adventist-owned and operated medical institution is established
• 1868: First Adventist camp meeting is held
• 1872: Opening of first Adventist-sponsored school
• 1874: Opening of first Adventist college
• 1874: General Conference launches their educational society
• 1874: J. N. Andrews leaves on his first mission trip to Europe
• 1879: Adventist membership reaches 16,000
• 1888: The Great Controversy is first published
• 1901: Adventist membership reaches 75,000

Adventism’s official statement of beliefs

Adventism’s early history focuses on some specific biblical beliefs that made it stand out from other Christian churches at the time. But it’s important to remember that our beliefs rest on Jesus Christ as our Savior and the truth found in the Bible.

Our goal is to share Jesus’ love throughout the world so we can all joyfully anticipate His soon return.

In 1980, the General Conference produced the church’s first official statement of beliefs, voted by members from across the world. It became known as the 27 Fundamental Beliefs.

This statement of beliefs was not established as a “creed,” which is an established teaching or interpretation by an authoritative church body. Instead, its purpose is to summarize how Adventists interpret the key themes of Scripture and to leave room for God to reveal more truth through Bible study.

These beliefs are reviewed at each General Conference session. And in 2005, a new belief (#11) was added to the list.

15. Baptism
16. The Lord’s Supper (Communion)
17. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries
18. The Gift of Prophecy
19. The Law of God
20. The Sabbath
21. Stewardship
22. Christian Behavior
23. Marriage and the Family
24. Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
25. The Second Coming of Christ
26. Death and Resurrection
27. The Millennium and the End of Sin
28. The New Earth

Learn more details about each Adventist fundamental belief.

Adventist history still in the making

What a journey we have been on together! Starting out in 1830 with a humble farmer who found renewed hope in Scripture, we’ve tracked Adventism’s progress to the present day. Who would’ve thought that it would come so far in such a short time?

From the beginning, the Adventist faith has been rooted in the study of the Word of God. Every foundation was studied thoroughly and prayerfully by the founders of our church.

They would’ve never imagined just how much of an impact their discoveries have made in people’s lives.

As a group of humans, we have had our fair share of conflicts, but God has been with us every step of the way. And as we continue to move forward, we pray that our church leaders will continue to seek wisdom from Jesus and the Bible, just as our founders did.

Our work isn’t finished yet. Many people across the world are still longing for God’s love and the assurance that He is coming back for us.

So our history has not and will not end until the moment we’re all waiting for—when Jesus returns to the earth, when sin and Satan will be destroyed, and when we can live with God for eternity.

Related Articles 

1. Knight, George, R., A Brief History of Seventh-day Adventists, p. 120. [↵]
2. Hale, Apollos, and Bliss, Sylvester, Memoirs of William Miller, J.V. Himes, 1853., p. 81. [↵]
3. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, pp. 30-31. [↵]
4. McNamara, Robert, “History of the Millerites,” ThoughtCo, Sep. 1, 2021. [↵]
5. White, A. L., Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862, vol. 1, p. 121. [↵]
6. Fortin, Denis, “Ellen G. White and Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines: Her role in the development of distinctive beliefs,” Andrews University.[↵]
7. White, Ellen, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 31-32. [↵]

More Answers

Maybe you’ve heard these terms and wondered, What’s the big deal?

The Protestant Reformation was a major religious movement that attempted to reform the church of the time—the Roman Catholic Church. Though it started in the early 1300s with John Wycliffe, many mark its official start in 1517, when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, protesting the corruption in the Church and its teachings. Many individuals followed Wycliffe and Luther, including Jan Hus, Jerome, Huldrych Zwingli, John Knox, and John Calvin.

So, how does the Protestant Reformation, a movement from half a millennium ago, relate to Christians today?

It all comes down to the principles that the Reformation stood for—principles like salvation by faith alone in Christ and faithfulness to Scripture above human tradition. These principles—and the right to teach and uphold them—are what the Reformers like Luther and Wycliffe stood for. And the Reformation is one of the reasons why Protestant denominations, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, still hold onto these core Bible teachings today.

So, let’s get a bird’s eye view of the Reformation to see how these principles thread their way through it. Expect to learn:

• Factors that paved the way for the Reformation
• Key principles of the Reformation
• How the Reformation played out and influenced Christianity

Factors that paved the way for the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation didn’t simply pop onto the scene of history one day. It resulted from hundreds of years of challenge within the church, including an overemphasis on tradition and church authority and a lack of everyday access to the Scriptures.

Throughout the Middle Ages, faithful Christians sought to uphold the apostles’ teachings, but were often suppressed or discouraged because their views contradicted church leadership and tradition. Compromise went deeper and deeper as the church became more involved in politics in Western Europe.

But an important invention would make it possible for faithful Christians to speak out and spread their message more quickly. That invention was the printing press.

Here’s a little more on each of these factors:

Challenges within the church

Photo by Divina Clark on Unsplash

By the 12th and 13th centuries, the official (Catholic) Church of Europe had become intertwined with the monarchies around it. And really, the church controlled the state. This kind of power, of course, led to corruption and greed among church leadership.

The secular rulers only put up with this kind of control for so long before they began to push against it. In this way, the spiritual reformation was preceded by a kind of political reformation.

England is a major example of this push-back.

On May 15, 1213, King Henry II of England gave power over his kingdom to the pope. This surrender, however, led to a protest as people pushed for their liberties. These protests resulted in the signing of the Magna Carta, which was basically a constitution that protected the people.¹

Pope Innocent wasn’t quite so willing to give up control, however, and “declared the Great Charter null and void.” Church historian D’Aubigne writes that this was “the first time that the papacy came into collision with modern liberty.”²

The king was caught between the people and the pope. But the barons who had pushed for the signing of the Magna Carta, “unmoved by the insolence of the pope and the despair of the king, replied that they would maintain the charter.” As a result of their defiance, the pope excommunicated them—or kicked them out—from the church.³

D’Aubigne explains that “England had been brought low by the papacy: it rose up again by resisting Rome.”⁴ And that resistance had only begun.

The control and corruption of the Catholic Church at the time weren’t only political, of course; they were also spiritual. Many unbiblical practices and teachings had made their way into the belief structure over the centuries, such as:

• The worship of saints, including Mary
• The pope mediating between God and the people
• Salvation by works
• Infant baptism

Rather than teaching as Scripture does that God’s forgiveness could be received freely, the pope began to issue “pardons”—known as “indulgences” (what Luther later protested). The people could purchase these indulgences to receive forgiveness of past, present, or future sins.⁵

It was a money-making business to fill the church coffers and pad the pockets of church leadership.

The corruption at the top spilled also over into the orders of the monks. One line of monks, who were known as the “mendicant friars,” traveled around and begged for money, allowing them, in turn, to live in luxury.⁶

The overall misuse of Scripture went unnoticed by most of the common people, however, due to the next factor we’re about to discuss.

Lack of access to the Scriptures

Photo by cottonbro studio

Throughout much of the Middle Ages, the Bible wasn’t available to the common people in their own languages. This is one of the reasons why this time period is sometimes referred to as the Dark Ages—it was “dark” because few people had access to the “light” of Scripture.

Yes, there were some smaller parts of the Bible around: the Gospel of John, parts of the Old Testament, and paraphrases of the Gospels and Acts. But as D’Aubigne points out, many of these were “hidden, like theological curiosities, in the libraries of a few convents.”⁷

At that time, the common belief was that it was “injurious” for everyday people to read the Bible for themselves and that they needed the priests to do it on their behalf.⁸

As a result, many people simply accepted what the priests and church leaders told them. They considered the clergy to be the spiritual authorities. And they didn’t have a way to question the teachings or required practices of the church because they couldn’t read the Bible and know the will of God for themselves.

So, out of fear and habit, they simply followed what they were told.

What’s more, even if the Bible had been translated into their languages, it still wouldn’t have been easy to access. After all, the Bibles had to be meticulously copied by hand, and books were possessions of the wealthy—not just anyone.

All of that, though, would change with Gutenberg’s invention.

The invention of the printing press

Image by Birgit Böllinger from Pixabay

Up until the early 1400s, any kind of literature had to be copied by hand. But by the 1430s and 1440s, Gutenberg was experimenting and working on the construction of the printing press with movable type.

By 1455, he published the 42-line Bible, which became “the first book printed on a moveable type press in the West.”⁹

The timing was key.

A Dutch man named Erasmus, who helped to produce the first Greek New Testament,¹⁰ began using the printing press to print books in German. He envisioned that someday, the Bible would be available to the common people.¹¹ In his own words:

“I would to God the plowman would sing a text of scripture at his plow and that the weaver at his loom would drive away the tediousness of time with it.”¹²

By the time Martin Luther came on the scene and began protesting the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, he could print tracts and spread them throughout Germany and Europe.

The Bible and information about spiritual topics were becoming more widely available to the common people. People began to read the Bible for themselves and realized how much they had never been taught or had been taught incorrectly. They were hungry for truth.

This hunger for Scripture and reaction to church corruption paved the way for the key principles of the Protestant Reformation.

Key principles that spurred the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation can ultimately be condensed to five solas—the word for “only” or “alone” in Latin. These solas are:

• Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone
• Sola fide—faith alone
• Sola gratia—grace alone
• Solus Christus—Christ alone
• Soli Deo gloria—glory to God alone

The first one highlights the centrality and authority of Scripture. The Reformers longed to bring the people and the Catholic Church back to the Bible as its guide instead of continuing to rely on tradition.

The Bible was above tradition and church authority, and the test for it. If a belief or practice contradicted the Bible, then it needed to go.

The rest of the solas highlight the scriptural teaching of salvation. Salvation by grace through faith in Christ, to the glory of God.

Salvation isn’t the result of performing specific actions, obeying church traditions, or purchasing pardons for sin. As the Reformers (perhaps most famously, Martin Luther) discovered, salvation isn’t about human effort but Christ, and what He has done for us. It’s a gift of love!

These truths drove the Reformation as the Reformers realized that no church or secular authority had the right to stand between an individual and God. Everyone could have a personal and saving relationship with Jesus Christ by faith.

Even today, these principles are foundational to Protestant Christianity.

How the Reformation played out and influenced Christianity

The Reformation wasn’t a one-time event or even an exact timeline of events. It was a movement that grew slowly and then burgeoned in many different parts of Europe in the 16th century: England, Germany, Bohemia, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and more. Throughout the Western world, the principles of the Reformation were spreading with the help of the printing press and enthusiastic individuals.

But if we were to nail down a starting point for the Reformation, we might turn to John Wycliffe, known as “the morning star of the Reformation.”

The morning star of the Reformation

John Wycliffe (c. 1330-1384) became a professor of divinity at Oxford and carried a burden to teach the Word of God. D’Aubigne writes that “he accused the clergy of having banished the Holy Scriptures and required that the authority of the word of God should be re-established in the church.”¹³

He pushed against the control that the papal Christian church and its traditions—such as saint worship, transubstantiation, and pilgrimages—had over the people.

The desire for people to read the Bible for themselves led him to take on the huge task of translating it—by hand!—from Latin to English, finishing the project in 1380.

His efforts and teachings would go on to impact many more.

Wycliffe’s teachings spread

Wycliffe’s followers continued to travel and preach after his death. Because many of the religious leaders of that time viewed Wycliffe’s teachings as heretical, they began to call his followers Lollards, a Dutch term meaning “mumblers” that had been used to refer to other heretical groups in the past.

But despite this bad press, Wycliffe’s teachings reached Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) in 1400 and impacted people like Jan Hus and Jerome.¹⁴

Hus from Prague was a priest, university professor, and preacher who also had a passion to see the Bible exalted above all else.

The historian Wylie writes that Hus had “placed the Bible above the authority of Pope or Council, and thus he had entered, without knowing it, the road of Protestantism.”¹⁵

His stand for truth would lead to his burning at the stake in 1415.

About a hundred years later, another individual would rise up to become a significant figure in the Reformation.

Martin Luther’s epiphany

Martin Luther never intended to start a movement—only to restore the truths of the Bible he loved.

From childhood, Luther had wrestled with a fear of God, always concerned that he needed to do something to appease God’s wrath and be assured of salvation. He thought that becoming an Augustinian monk would allow him to do that.

He did everything possible to earn salvation—rituals, ceremonies, self-denial, and even forms of self-abuse because he feared God’s condemnation so much.

But something was shifting in his mind. Luther became a professor at the University of Wittenberg and pursued his master’s in divinity. He could read the Bible in Latin, and one day, while he was teaching a course on the book of Romans, he came across Romans 1:17: “The just shall live by faith.”

Slowly, he was realizing that “there is then for the just a life different from that of other men: and this life is the gift of faith.”¹⁶

The clincher, though, came on a pilgrimage he made to Rome.

His trip was an overall disappointment, as he saw the corruption and lack of spirituality among church leaders there. During the trip, he found himself going up the famed Pilate’s Staircase on his knees to earn an indulgence that the pope had promised. Suddenly—like thunder—Romans 1:17 flashed into his mind: “The just shall live by faith.”

And at that moment, Luther realized the futility of what he was doing. Salvation was freely given to him by a loving God; all he had to do was receive it in faith.

Luther stood up, packed his bags, and left Rome soon after.

The 95 Theses

As the teaching of salvation by faith alone became clearer to Luther, he began to more strongly oppose the selling of indulgences. He saw the corruption connected with teaching people that they could purchase forgiveness rather than receive forgiveness and a heart change from Jesus.

Luther preached against indulgences and refused to accept them from his congregation.

And he went one step further.

Luther knew that large crowds of people would be coming to Wittenberg on November 1, 1517, All Saints Day, to tour the newly built castle church and see its relics.¹⁷

So, he wrote out 95 arguments—or theses—against indulgences and corruption within the church, nailing them to the door of the Wittenberg Church on October 31. The document was, in essence, an invitation to discuss or debate, though no one took him up on it.¹⁸ Nonetheless, Luther’s 95 Theses gained notoriety and were discussed and circulated with the help of the printing press.

The common people weren’t the only ones who took notice. Over time, Luther’s views and calls for reform created a stir among church leadership. In 1521, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, called a special meeting—the Diet of Worms (pronounced Dee-et of Vorms)—to discuss Luther’s teachings.

At this meeting, Luther was asked to give up his teachings, which he refused to do. “Luther asserted that his conscience was captive to the Word of God and that he could not go against conscience.”¹⁹

Meanwhile, his teachings and the principles of the Reformation were gaining traction beyond Germany.

The spread of the Reformation movement

Image by Patrice Audet from Pixabay

With the help of the printing press, Luther was able to publish tracts and pamphlets, circulating the principles of salvation by faith in Christ much more easily than in times past.

Soon, the Reformation was in full swing in other countries in Europe with the efforts of individuals like:

• Huldrych Zwingli, a leader in the Swiss Reformation
• John Calvin, a leader in the French Reformation
• John Knox in Scotland
• William Tyndale in England
• Laurentius and Olaf Petri in Sweden
• Hans Taussen in Denmark

Some heard Luther teach, or they read his writings, while others simply came to the same conclusions as they began to study the Bible for themselves.

Though the Reformers never intended to separate from the church, many had no choice because of the opposition they received. As a result, the followers of these Reformers formed their own groups, which later became some of the denominations we know today.

Luther’s followers, for example, formed the Lutheran Church.

Calvin’s followers, Calvinism.

John Knox, the Presbyterian movement.

The discovery of truth continued to progress as these reformers stood up against corruption and false teachings in the church at large. Truths that had been lost during the Dark Ages were restored again.

And that’s because the Reformers were seekers of truth, desiring to follow what they found in the Bible and what God was revealing to them. They longed to see the triumph of the five solas.

Seventh-day Adventists—as do many other Protestant churches—see themselves as “heirs to the Protestant Reformation.”²⁰ We desire to carry on the principles of the Reformation—such as Scripture alone and salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. And we also desire to be seekers of truth, always open to new things we may find in the Word of God. It’s a principle we call “present truth.”

The path of the Reformation, though, was far from a straight path. A counter-reformation by the church at large denounced the reformers as heretics and sought to oppose their teachings.

And even the Reformers themselves sometimes missed the mark and failed to see their own blind spots. It’s for this reason that a group of people like the Anabaptists, who believed in baptism by immersion, were persecuted not only by the official church but also by other Protestants.

And for this reason, the Puritans boarded the Mayflower for the Americas to flee the control of the Protestant Church of England and be able to serve God according to conscience.

The restoration of truth in the Protestant Reformation was a journey that progressed over time. The Protestant principle of Scripture also influenced the beginning of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Seventh-day Adventism and the principles of the Reformation

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

Seventh-day Adventism is a child of the Protestant Reformation in that it came from numerous different Protestant denominations. Those who started the Adventist Church had the same goal as the Reformers—upholding the principles of the Reformation, particularly Sola Scriptura.

It started with William Miller, a Baptist who earnestly studied the Scripture and discovered the teaching of Jesus’ Second Coming.

Though Miller himself never became a Seventh-day Adventist, he influenced others like James and Ellen White, who were Methodists, in their quest for truth. Others joined them from Congregationalist, Baptist, Episcopalian, and Lutheran backgrounds to study the Bible and rediscover truths that hadn’t been given much study during that time, or some that had been long forgotten. Truths like:

• The seventh-day Sabbath
• Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary
• The state of a person’s existence after death

Their study all came out of a desire to hold fast to the Protestant principle of growing in the knowledge of truth.

The Reformation teaches us the value of truth

This page isn’t a full history of the Reformation; and it couldn’t possibly be, considering that volumes and volumes have been written on this topic. But the one important message we’ve seen is this:

The Reformation was all about continually seeking after truth in the Bible, the ultimate authority of the Christian.

We should never rest satisfied that we have “arrived” and don’t need to learn more. There is always more to discover about the infinite God we serve. We can continue to learn more truth that builds on existing truth.

John Robinson, a Puritan pastor who spoke to the pilgrims before they departed on the Mayflower, summarized this principle well:

“I charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry; for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word.”²¹

This emphasis on Bible study and seeking truth has been an important aspect of Adventism from its roots in the 1800s. And it continues to lead us today.

Related Articles

1. D’Aubigne, J. H. Merle, History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, p. 1656. [↵]
2. Ibid., p. 1657. [↵]
3. Ibid., p. 1658. [↵]
4. Ibid. [↵]
5. Wylie, James Aitken, The History of Protestantism, vol. 1, p. 539. [↵]
6. D’Aubigne, p. 1665. [↵]
7. Ibid., p. 1674. [↵]
8. Ibid. [↵]
9. “The Gutenberg Press,” Treasures of the McDonald Collection, Special Collections & Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries. [↵]
10. Patton, C. Michael, “Seven Historical Events that Prepared the Way for the Reformation,” Parchment and Pen. [↵]
11. Little, Katherine, “Before Martin Luther, there was Erasmus – a Dutch theologian who paved the way for the Protestant Reformation,” The Conversation, Oct. 29, 2019. [↵]
12. Ibid. [↵]
13. D’Aubigne, pp. 1666–1667. [↵]
14. Wylie, p. 277. [↵]
15. Ibid., p. 283. [↵]
16. D’Aubigne, p. 210. [↵]
17. Wylie, pp. 540–542. [↵]
18. Ibid. [↵]
19. Dr. Scott Hendrix, author of Luther and the Papacy: Stages in Reformation Conflict, quoted in Coffman, Elesha, “What Luther Said,” Christianity Today, Aug. 8, 2008. [↵]
20. Lemos, Felipe, “Why Should We Still Study the Protestant Reformation?” Adventist News Network, Nov. 7, 2020. [↵]
21. Quoted in White, Ellen, The Great Controversy, p. 291. [↵]

More Answers

John Nevins Andrews (1829–1883) was an influential leader in the early days of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was a Bible scholar who helped shape several Adventist beliefs and juggled many roles in the Church. Most notably, he was the first official missionary for the Adventist Church outside North America.

Today, his most famous legacy is Andrews University, an Adventist college in Berrien Springs, Michigan, named after him.

In this post, you’ll learn more about who J. N. Andrews was, his contributions to the Adventist Church, and his roles as a theologian, missionary, and ministerial trainer.

We’ll answer the following questions:

• Who was J. N. Andrews?
• What role did he play in forming the Adventist Church?
• What was his significance as a missionary?
• What is his legacy?

Let’s begin with the details of his early life.

Who was J. N. Andrews?

J. N. Andrews was born in Poland, Maine, on July 22, 1829. But soon after, his family moved to Paris Hill, Maine, where he grew up in a farming community.

His only record of formal schooling is six months of secondary school at age 14. But he had an appetite for learning and continued to teach himself.

By his late teens, he could read several languages and had a broad general knowledge. He also had a good understanding of Latin, algebra, and English grammar.

His aunt said that Andrews was a “fine, promising boy—a very fine scholar and strictly moral [with] first-rate common sense.”¹

One of his uncles noticed his scholarly potential and offered to pay for Andrews to attend law school. But by this time, he and his family had become Millerites.

And this religious experience led him down the path that he took for the rest of his life.

Conversion and joining the Millerite Movement

J. N. Andrews traced his first religious conviction to the young age of five. That’s when he heard a sermon on Revelation 20:11 at the local Methodist Episcopalian Church.

In 1842, when he was 12, he heard Joshua Himes and other Millerite preachers teach about the Second Advent. This experience led to the day in January 1843 when he said he “found the Savior.”²

His family and several other Millerite families in the neighborhood joined together to form a congregation.

Then came the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844.

It took a while before he could understand the experience. And he struggled to come to terms with the Disappointment.

But then, in mid-1845, he read a tract by T. M. Preble, a Seventh Day Baptist, on the sacredness of the seventh-day Sabbath. That helped convince Andrews, and he became a Sabbath keeper at the age of 17.

A few years later in September 1849, Ellen White, James White, and Joseph Bates visited Andrews in Paris Hill. They shared a new understanding of Daniel 8:14 as explained in a paper by O.R.L. Crosier, another Millerite. They said that “the cleansing of the sanctuary” refers to Jesus’ new work in the heavenly sanctuary, not His return to earth.

This explained the Millerites’ error which led to the Great Disappointment.

After learning about this new position, Andrews wholeheartedly joined Bates and the Whites in sharing it with other former Millerites.

And at a conference that month, he “felt a call to ministry.” This marked a major turning point in his life.³

From then on, he devoted his entire life and talents to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But he didn’t do this alone. His family was his great support and encouragement.

His marriage and family

On October 29, 1856, Andrews married Angeline Stevens (1824–1872).

The Stevens and Andrews families were friends in Paris Hill, and by this time, they had both moved to Waukon, Iowa.

John’s first two children were born there: Charles (1857) and Mary (1861).

In 1863, he and his family went to New York, where they had two more children, both of whom died in infancy.

Then sadly, his wife Angeline died from a stroke at age 48 in 1872. In her eulogy, John wrote, “No unkind word ever passed between us, and no vexed feeling ever existed in our hearts.”⁴

Andrews moved to South Lancaster, Massachusetts, where the children could stay with a family friend. He never remarried.

But despite all the personal tragedy, J. N. Andrews was a strong leader in the early days of Adventism.

J. N. Andrews’ role in the early Seventh-day Adventist Church

Photo by Hannes Wolf on Unsplash

In October 1849, at age 20, Andrews wrote a letter to James White, who was the editor of the Present Truth at the time. That letter began Andrews’ long career as a writer and editor for Adventist publications.

The first Adventist press was set up in Rochester, New York, in 1852. Andrews joined James White and Joseph Bates as a member of the publishing committee. He was only 22.

Just before that, Andrews had begun traveling in the New England area to preach and do pastoral work. Then, he was ordained as an Adventist preacher in 1853.

Because of his skill as a writer and a preacher, and because of his great love for study, he made significant contributions to the Adventist Church. He contributed to the doctrinal understanding, ministerial effort, leadership, and development of church initiatives.

Here are some highlights:

Doctrinal contributions

As mentioned earlier, Andrews was an avid scholar. And he used all his intellectual gifts to study the then-young Adventist Church’s beliefs, such as:

Sunset as the beginning of Sabbath: The Church was not settled on when Sabbath should begin. Some said Friday at midnight. Others, Saturday morning or Friday at 6 p.m.

So, he undertook intense research and published a paper in 1855 that said, according to the Bible, sunset on Friday marks the beginning of the Sabbath.⁵

Defense of Sabbath’s observance throughout history: In 1861, he published his most prominent book, The History of the Sabbath and the First Day of the Week, which traced the Sabbath throughout history.

Tithing system: He also led a biblical study of systematic benevolence in 1858. It’s what led to the Adventist Church’s current tithing plan.

Health reform: He helped introduce new health reform ideas to the Adventist community during the early 1860s.⁶ His teachings were based on his and his son’s experiences with health challenges.

Defense of Ellen White’s ministry: As editor of the Review, he wrote an article entitled, “Our Use of the Visions of Sr. White.” In it, he showed from the Bible the place of spiritual gifts in the church and supported the ministry of Ellen G. White.⁷

Prophetic interpretation of Revelation 13: He pointed out the connection between the two-horned beast of Revelation 13 and the United States of America.⁸

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

State of the dead: After the Civil War, Andrews wrote on the doctrine of the non-immortality of the soul.⁹ This was to help answer questions on life after death and the state of the dead.

And this wasn’t even all he did. He also held leadership positions and spearheaded various initiatives.

Church leadership and organization

Andrews was generally a dedicated hard worker. And if there was something that needed to be done or a role that needed to be filled, he never hesitated to help out.

He served in several capacities in the church. His positions included:

• Organizer of the denominational publishing house (1860)
• Co-founder of the New York and Minnesota conferences (1862)
• Organizer of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (1863)
• Registrar of the denomination so it could own property legally (1863)
• Creator of the Church organization’s bylaws and constitution (1863)
• Advocate of the non-combatant status for Adventist draftees in the Civil War in Washington D.C. (1864)
• Third president of the General Conference (1867–1869)
• Editor of the Review and Herald after James White and Uriah Smith (1869–1870)

And throughout his years in leadership, he put evangelism at the forefront. Let’s look at that next.

Evangelism

When Adventists decided to have annual evangelistic meetings called “camp meetings,” Andrews hosted the very first one in the fall of 1868.

And he proved to be a very gracious host. It’s reported that every night, he went from tent to tent, asking the attendees, “Are you all comfortable for the night?”¹⁰

Andrews also pioneered new evangelistic methods. For example, he started long-term pastoral mission efforts in some places, instead of the typical two- or three-week evangelistic meetings.¹¹

Eventually, his love for evangelism took him across the ocean as a missionary.

J. N. Andrews as the first Adventist overseas missionary

Photo by Katherine McCormack on Unsplash

J. N. Andrews became the first missionary to be sent overseas by the Adventist Church. Together with his teenage children, he left New York for Neuchatel, Switzerland, in September 1874.

This was in response to calls for a minister to be sent to a group of Sabbath keepers that had come together in Switzerland seven years earlier.

Besides his excellent scholarship, evangelistic experience, and love for the gospel, he was chosen for this assignment for two reasons:

1. He had been corresponding with this group for more than three years.
2. He could read the Bible in French, which was an important language in Europe.

Ellen White was confident of Andrews’ suitability for the task and wrote to church leaders in Europe saying, “We sent you the ablest man in our ranks.”¹²

He worked to unite the Sabbath-keeping group and organize the mission field.

Then, he established an Adventist publishing press in Basel, Switzerland, and started a French evangelistic periodical called Les Signes des Temps. This was the French version of Signs of the Times, which was published back on the American Pacific coast.

In all this, his children were his support and helpers in the printing and publishing work. The family decided to speak only French at home (except for an hour a day). And in a short while, Mary became the copyeditor and proofreader for the French periodical.

Andrews also led in efforts to:

• Train leaders and young men for evangelistic outreach
• Establish Basel, Switzerland, as the mission base for the rest of Europe
• Convene with the General European Conference at Tramelan (near Basel), Switzerland, along with J. N. Loughborough and other delegates
• Form foundational policies for overseas mission work for the Adventist Church
• Shape and establish the future of Adventist work across national and cultural boundaries by showing the importance of adapting mission efforts to local circumstances

However, due to overwork, an inadequate diet, and poor sanitation, John developed pneumonia, and Mary developed tuberculosis.

In the fall of 1878, John went back to North America to attend the General Conference Session. He took Mary with him in hopes she could receive treatments and recover at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. But she died on November 27, 1878.

Heartbroken again, Andrews returned to Europe.

And after nine years of service in Europe, he died in 1883 at the age of 54. His body was buried in Basel, Switzerland.

But even though he died young, he left a telling legacy.

J. N. Andrews’ legacy

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

J. N. Andrews was a Seventh-day Adventist minister, pioneer missionary, evangelist, writer, editor, and scholar.

He had a gifted intellect, which he used to advance Adventist theology and minister to others. It is reported that later in life, he was fluent in seven languages and had memorized the whole of the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament.

His book History of the Sabbath and the First Day of the Week continues to persuade thousands about the Sabbath truth to this day. And his writing and evangelism led many to the truth and continue to nurture the Church in North America, Europe, and North Africa.

To honor his contribution to Adventist scholarship and global mission:

• John Nevins Andrews School in Takoma Park, Maryland, was named after him in 1907
• Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, was named after him in 1960
• A sculpture of John, Mary, and Charles was unveiled in front of the Andrews University Pioneer Memorial Church in 1993

But beyond his achievements, John N. Andrews left us an example of a life of wholehearted service to God, the church, the community, and the world. In his life, we see zest for the gospel and an unwavering love for God.

To learn more about the inspiring lives of others in the Adventist Church,

Related Articles

1. Persis Sibley Andrews Black Diary (PSABD), October 8, November 9, 1843, Maine Historical Society, Portland Maine. [↵]
2. White, James, “John Nevins Andrews,” The Health Reformer, April 1877, p. 98. [↵]
3. White, Ellen, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2 (Battle Creek, MI: James White, 1860), p. 117. [↵]
4. “Death of Sister Andrews,” ARH, April 16, 1872, 124. [↵]
5. White, Ellen G., Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 116. [↵]
6. The Health Reformer, June 1877, p. 161. [↵]
7. Review and Herald, February 15, 1870. [↵]
8. Andrews, J. N., “Thoughts on Revelation XIII and XIV,” Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 1, May 19, 1851, pp. 81–85.[↵]
9. Pamphlets such as Thoughts for the Candid (1865), Samuel and the Witch of Endor (1866), Departing and Being With Christ (nd), and The Wicked Dead: Are They Now Being Punished? (1865). [↵]
10. Spalding, Arthur W., Origin and History of Seventh-day Adventists, vol. 2 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1962),  p. 12. [↵]
11. Andrews, J. N., “Labors in Maine,” Advent Review and Herald, October 31, 1865, p. 173. [↵]
12. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, p. 436. [↵]

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Seventh-day Adventists are a Protestant Christian denomination who hold to the biblical seventh-day Sabbath. From this belief, they get the first part of their name.

But how about the second part—”Adventist”?

“Adventist” refers to a group of people who believe in the literal arrival of Christ to earth. Seventh-day Adventists adopted the name because it points to their roots as a movement and encapsulates their ultimate hope in this life—being reunited with Jesus Christ when He returns to take us to heaven.

We’ll give you some more details as we answer:

• What is the root meaning of “Adventist”?
• Where did the term “Adventist” come from?
• Why was “Adventist” chosen for the Seventh-day Adventist denomination’s name?

What is the root meaning of “Adventist”?

The term “Adventist” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “arrival” or “appearance.” It’s where we get the word advent, referring to the arrival of someone or something important. An Adventist is someone waiting for the arrival of Christ for the second time.

You may have heard Christians talk about the Advent season—the few weeks before Christmas when we celebrate the first coming of Christ. “It is intended as a season of devotion.” ¹

Advent is not just about Jesus’ first coming. It also applies to His Second coming, especially when the word second is placed in front of advent.

Where did the term “Adventist” come from?

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The term “Adventist” originated in the early to mid-1800s from a religious awakening in the United States known as the Millerite Movement. Through studying the Word of God, people in this movement, including its founder William Miller, believed that Jesus was going to return soon in a literal manner prior to the millennium (the 1,000-year period mentioned in Revelation 20). This belief earned them the name Adventist.

The Millerites had concluded, based on a prophecy in Daniel 8:14, that Jesus would come in 1844. When He didn’t, some Millerites formed denominations that continued to study Scripture for more guidance.

The ones that still exist today include:

• Seventh-day Adventists
• Christadelphians
• The Advent Christian Church
• The Church of God (Seventh Day)

Today, other Christian denominations fall into the category of Adventist because they also anticipate the soon return of Jesus prior to the millennium ² :

• The Church of God and Saints of Christ
• The Church of God General Conference
• Grace Communion International
• The Philadelphia Church of God
• The United Church of God

But we want to zoom in on why Seventh-day Adventists chose to include “Adventist” in their name.

Why was “Adventist” chosen for the Seventh-day Adventist denomination’s name?

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Coming out of the Millerite Movement, those who formed the Seventh-day Adventist Church still held onto their belief in the soon coming of Christ. Thus, our name points back to our origins and forward to our continued hope. The Second Coming is the climax of our faith.

Sin separated humans from God and caused them to lose the beautiful Garden of Eden. It plunged us into a world where good and evil are at war with one another and the devil is wreaking havoc and causing suffering.

But when Jesus returns, He will put an end to sin and live with His people forever in an Eden-like paradise (2 Peter 3:10–13; Revelation 21:1–4).

The Bible helps us to see that this event is not far off in the future. Instead, Jesus gave signs to indicate that it is very near. We are living in the final days of earth’s history!

This belief was in mind when in 1860, 25 church leaders gathered in Battle Creek, Michigan, to decide on the church’s name. Before this point, other names had been suggested, such as “Church of God.” But the leaders wanted something that would express our beliefs without being a turn-off to others. ³

Credit for suggesting “Seventh-day Adventist” goes to David Hewitt, the first Seventh-day Adventist in Battle Creek and a leader in the church. ⁴

It was accepted nearly unanimously because it “set forth [their] faith in the near coming of Christ, but would also show that [they] were observers of the seventh-day Sabbath.”

Ellen White, one of the church’s co-founders, put it this way:

“The name, Seventh-day Adventist, carries the true features of our faith in front.” ⁵

But please note:

This name was never meant to create a sense of exclusivity. Adventists believe that there are true Christians in many different denominations. Our name simply expresses our belief that Jesus is coming soon to end the war between good and evil.

“Adventist” reminds us of our blessed hope.

The name “Adventist” identifies a group of people who love Jesus and expectantly wait for the Second Coming, as promised in the Word of God. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we want to share the “blessed hope” with others and help them to be ready for this exciting event (Titus 2:13, ESV).

Thus, our name—instead of separating us from other people—drives our mission to reach out and bless others with the good news that Jesus is coming to redeem us.

To learn about Adventists’ fundamental belief in the soon return of Jesus,

1. “Advent,” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary  [↵]
2. Listed in the Handbook of Denominations in the United States by Roger E. Olson. [↵]
3. Oliver, Barry, “Denominational Organization, 1860–1863,” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, April 28, 2021.  [↵]
4. Gomide, Samuel, “Hewitt, David (1805–1878),” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, April 28, 2021.  [↵]
5. White, Ellen, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4b (Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, Battle Creek, MI, 1864), p. 54. [↵]

Related Articles

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William Miller was a farmer in the early 1800s who gave his life to God and began intensely studying his Bible. This study led him to some unexpected conclusions, namely that Jesus Christ’s Second Coming would happen in his lifetime—in 1843 or 1844. As Miller began sharing this news, he sparked a religious revival in North America called the Millerite Movement.

So, who was William Miller and what led him to this conclusion? Let’s look at:

• William Miller’s background
• William Miller and the Millerite Movement
• His life after Jesus didn’t return
• His connection to the Seventh-day Adventist Church

We’ll start with the backstory of a humble man who never intended to start a major religious movement.

William Miller’s background

William Miller was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1782. He was the first of William and Paulina Miller’s 17 children. Soon after his birth, the family moved to Low Hampton, New York.

Miller’s father, who had served as a captain in the Revolutionary War, was not very religious. His wife, though, was a devout Baptist, whose prayers were not lost on her eldest son.¹

As a child, Miller showed intellectual promise and curiosity. As soon as he learned to read, he began to do so every night with books borrowed from neighbors.²

William Miller’s marriage and occupation

In 1803, William Miller married Lucy Smith, with whom he had five children. He continued farming and became involved in the civil matters of his community, serving as constable, deputy sheriff, and justice of the peace.

Despite his busy life, he found time for his favorite pastime—reading. His curiosity sparked some questions about his beliefs.³

Becoming a deist

After their marriage, the Millers settled in Poultney, Vermont, where Miller became acquainted with deists. Deists believed in God but rejected the Bible and viewed Him as a distant deity that left the world to run on its own. This kind of God was not personally involved with His created beings.

Miller had always wondered about some perplexing passages in the Bible and had never received solid answers from preachers. If the Bible didn’t have answers, perhaps deism was the solution.

He began reading books by deistic philosophers, but his mind was not at ease. He struggled with what they believed about the afterlife—that humans cease to exist.⁴

Questions of eternity and death became even more real when he faced the horrors of war.

Returning to Christianity

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William Miller became a captain in the army during the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. His experiences during that time led him back to Christianity and belief in a personal God.

While he served in the war, the Americans experienced an unexpected victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh.⁵ They were far outnumbered and should have lost, yet they didn’t. In the same battle, a shell exploded near Miller, barely missing him.⁶

After the war, his close brush with death caused him to confront his own mortality. He took a special interest in God and wondered what His plan could be for his life.⁷

Moving back to Low Hampton, New York, he began attending the Baptist Church—but only when his uncle, the church minister, gave the Sunday sermon. When his mother asked him why he didn’t come at other times, he complained about how the deacons read the sermons: “When Uncle’s away, Mother, why don’t they let me read it?”

His mother took his words to heart, and the next time his uncle was away, Miller did read the sermon. And many more times after. As he did so, the words of Scripture began to have an impact on him.⁸

During one of these sermons, conviction pierced his heart so strongly that he could not finish. That day in 1816, he realized his need for a Savior. He began to spend time specifically reading the Bible to know this personal God.

Here’s how he puts it:

“When [I was] brought almost to despair, God by His Holy Spirit opened my eyes. I saw Jesus as a friend, and my only help. … And the Scriptures, which before were dark and contradictory, now became the lamp to my feet and light to my path.”⁹

“But how do you know the Bible is the Word of God?” his deist friends challenged him.¹⁰

This question caused him to study even more, and then he discovered a prophecy that would lead to a worldwide religious movement.

William Miller and the Millerite Movement

William Miller’s deep dive into the Bible led him to prophecies about the Second Coming of Jesus. The more he studied, the more he became convinced that Jesus was coming soon—most likely in 1843 or 1844.

As he shared this with others, a religious revival, known as the Millerite Movement (also called the Advent Movement), swept across the country.

What exactly did he uncover?

The 2,300-day prophecy

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Miller’s biographer, Sylvester Bliss, in Memoirs of William Miller, gives us a look into his Bible study journey.¹¹ Miller began his Bible study to respond to the challenge of his deist friends. He decided he would study verse by verse, using the margin of his Bible and a concordance to find cross-referenced verses. Eventually, he uncovered a prophecy in Daniel 8:14 that seemed to point to the Second Coming of Christ and the judgment day:

“For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed” (Daniel 8:14, NKJV).

Like other Christians of his time, he thought that the sanctuary referred to the earth. The cleansing, then, had to be its cleansing by fire when Jesus returned, as described in Revelation 21:8.

Miller believed, as did many theologians before him, that a day in Bible prophecy equals one year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6). This meant that this prophecy was referring to 2,300 literal years.

In addition, he realized that Daniel 9 connected with Daniel 8 and provided a starting point for the prophecies in both chapters: 457 BC—the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

All that remained was a math calculation. Counting 2,300 years from 457 BC, Miller came to 1844.

Could it be that Jesus was coming in less than 25 years? That the end of the world was so close?

Miller wasn’t sure, so he kept it to himself as he continued to study out objections.

The call from God

After about 13 years of study, Miller was growing more convinced in his Bible studies on Daniel 8:14. He wrestled with the message God was giving him: “Go and tell the world of their danger.”

“I can’t go, Lord.” He felt inadequate to speak about the Bible in public since he had little or no theological training and was not ordained as a minister. He was just a farmer who loved to study the Bible.

But to ease his conviction, he decided: “If I should have an invitation to speak publicly in any place, I will go and tell them what I find in the Bible about the Lord’s coming.”¹²

A sense of peace came over him. He didn’t dream that anyone would actually invite him to preach!

Half an hour later, a young man knocked at the door and asked if Miller would come that Sunday and share about the Second Coming.

Keeping his promise to God, Miller accepted the invitation, and revival took place in the church. Soon another invitation came, and another. So many requests poured in that he couldn’t keep up.

Thinking to solve this problem, he published a book in 1832.¹³ But this only served to increase interest.

In 1839, he partnered with Joshua V. Himes, a well-known reform leader from Boston, who began promoting his message. One way Himes did this was by starting a periodical called the Signs of the Times.¹⁴

Miller also received help from Apollos Hale to create the 1843 prophecy chart that showed the Bible prophecies that ended in 1843.¹⁵

Though he had not intended to, he had begun a religious revival, just after the tail end of the Second Great Awakening, that spread across the United States and even the world. Through it all, he remained a humble Bible student and follower of Jesus.

But you may be wondering:

Did he ignore plain passages in the Bible that say no one knows the day nor the hour of Jesus’ coming (Mark 13:32)?

No, he did consider those passages. For this reason, he never set a definite time for the Second Coming but only said that he believed it would happen sometime in 1843 or 1844. Later on, one of

Miller’s followers set the date of October 22, 1844.¹⁶

Miller was skeptical of this exact date for Jesus’ coming. It wasn’t until the beginning of October that he became convinced that October 22nd “was at a probable point of time.” He believed it was “a work of God” because of the way people were confessing their sins and earnestly searching their hearts as they waited for Jesus to come.¹⁷

Did William Miller claim to be a prophet?

When speaking about Jesus’ coming and the judgment day, William Miller never claimed to be a prophet. He was a genuine Christian who was sharing what he had learned through years of diligent Bible study.

Furthermore, he had no goals to build a following or convert people to a specific denomination. His motives were pure—he wanted people to be ready to meet Jesus.

He wrote:

“My whole object was a desire to convert souls to God, to notify the world of a coming judgment, and to induce my fellowmen to make that preparation of heart which will enable them to meet their God in peace. The great majority of those who were converted under my labors, united with the various existing churches.”¹⁸

He showed a similar attitude when Jesus did not return as expected on October 22, 1844.

How did Miller respond to the Great Disappointment?

Naturally, October 22nd, 1844, was a disappointment to Miller. But he remained humble and trusted that God’s plan had not failed. It must have been a human error.

On August 1, 1845, he published a document that became known as William Miller’s Apology and Defence. In it, he admitted that he had been mistaken about the timing of Christ’s return.

But he expressed some confusion. Why had God seemed to be working so clearly in people’s lives during the Millerite Movement right before October 22nd? Why did they experience peace and joy while waiting if the time had been wrong?¹⁹

He also traced his line of reasoning and said that he could not find where his calculations were off. He believed that he had followed God’s leading and done the right thing in sharing his convictions:

“I therefore still feel that it was my duty to present all the evidence that was apparent to my mind; and were I now in the same circumstances, I should be compelled to act as I have done.”²⁰

Nonetheless, in the remainder of his life, he took to heart the lesson of not setting dates for the Second Coming.

Miller’s life after the Great Disappointment

Miller never spoke of a definite time for the Second Advent again, but he continued to hope for that day.²¹ He formed a group of believers and supported the younger leaders in the movement until he died in 1849.

Many of his followers gave up their faith in God after the Great Disappointment, while those who didn’t split up into three main groups:²²

1. Those who believed the date was wrong, but that Christ’s coming would take place soon.
2. Those who believed that Christ had come, but in a “spiritual” sense, or not as a physical event.
3. Those who believed the date was correct, but the anticipated event was not.

Miller was part of the first group, but it “pained [him] to see a spirit of sectarianism [a strong attachment to a religious sect] and bigotry.”²³ He was concerned that some of the people in these groups had gone to extremes in their beliefs.

For this reason, he met with some of his followers at a conference in Albany, New York, on April 23, 1845. There they clarified their beliefs and encouraged one another, but never set a new date for Jesus’ return.²⁴

But how about the Seventh-day Adventists? Did he join them?

What is William Miller’s connection to Adventism?

William Miller’s earnest study of the Bible and the resulting movement was a catalyst for starting the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But he was not a founder of the Church and never became involved with it. In fact, he died in 1849, many years before Adventism’s organization in 1863.

But after October 22, 1844, there was a small group of people who believed that the date had indeed been correct. The event, however, was not. Returning to their Bibles and guided by the Holy Spirit, this group—which included individuals like Ellen G. (Harmon) White, James White, and Joseph Bates—realized that Jesus had moved from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary to begin a work of judgment instead.

At the same time, they were learning about other things that had either become de-emphasized or forgotten about over time, such as the seventh-day Sabbath. Many years later, they would form the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

But Miller would not be among their ranks since he didn’t agree with them about Jesus’ work in the sanctuary. Ellen G. White, who became one of the founders of the Adventist Church, wrote that Miller also didn’t accept the Bible’s truth about the Sabbath due to the influence of his fellow workers.²⁵

Nevertheless, through what he started, others further pursued the truths of the Bible.

God used Miller despite his misinterpretation

William Miller was a true man of God who looked forward to Jesus’ return. Though mistaken about the timing of that event, he simply wanted others to be ready, and God used him in powerful ways to bring revival worldwide.

Because of the Great Disappointment, a handful of people began studying their Bibles more deeply. What they discovered led to the Seventh-day Adventist Church—a thriving Christ-centered denomination today. In this way, God took William Miller’s mistake and turned it into a blessing.

1. Bliss, Sylvester, and Hale, Apollos, Memoirs of William Miller, (J.V. Himes, 1853), p. 4. [↵]
2. Himes, Joshua V., Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology, Selected from Manuscripts of William Miller with a Memoir of His Life (Boston: Moses A. Dow, 1841), p. 7. [↵]
3. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), p. 9. [↵]
4. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, p. 3.  [↵]
5. “The Battle of Lake Champlain,” Naval History and Heritage Command [↵]
6. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), p. 11. [↵]
7. Ibid., p. 12. [↵]
8. Ibid., p. 12. [↵]
9. Himes, Joshua V., Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology, Selected from Manuscripts of William Miller with a Memoir of His Life (Boston: Moses A. Dow, 1841), p. 7–14. [↵]
10. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), p. 12. [↵]
11. Bliss, Sylvester, and Hale, Apollos, Memoirs of William Miller, (J.V. Himes, 1853), pp. 68–69. [↵]
12. Bliss, Sylvester, and Hale, Apollos, Memoirs of William Miller, (J.V. Himes, 1853), pp. 92–99. [↵]
13. The full title of the book is “Evidences from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ About the Year A.D. 1843, and of His Personal Reign of 1000 Years”. [↵]
14. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), pp. 16–18. [↵]
15. Ibid., p. 19. [↵]
16. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, pp. 13, 24. [↵]
17. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, p. 25; White, James, Sketches of the Christian Life and Public Labors of William Miller, ch. 16. [↵]
18. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, p. 23. [↵]
19. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), p. 35. [↵]
20. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, p. 33. [↵]
21. White, James, Sketches of the Christian Life and Public Labors of William Miller, ch. 16. [↵]
22. Douglass, Herbert, Messenger of the Lord, (Pacific Press, Nampa, Idaho, 1998), p. 134. [↵]
23. Miller, William, William Miller’s Apology and Defence, p. 26. [↵]
24. White, James, Sketches of the Christian Life and Public Labors of William Miller, p. 344. [↵]
25. White, Ellen G., Early Writings (Review and Herald, Washington, D.C., 1882), p. 303. [↵]

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James Springer White (1821–1881) was a key figure in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the husband of Ellen G. White.

He played an active part in the Millerite Movement, waiting for Jesus to return in 1844. When this didn’t happen, he joined with other Millerites, including his wife, to continue studying Scripture and eventually begin the Adventist Church.

Though sickly from childhood, he was a driven man who perhaps accomplished more in the history of Adventism than any other individual.

Here’s what we’ll cover about his life:

• An overview of James White’s early life
• His life after the Great Disappointment
• His roles in the Adventist Church

Let’s get a glimpse of his earlier years and how they shaped his ministry.

James White’s early life

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

James White was born on August 4, 1821, in Palmyra, Maine. He was one of the nine children of John White and his wife Elizabeth—godly people who modeled Christian values to their children. He was baptized into the Christian Connection movement at the age of 15.¹

But from the beginning, he struggled with his health. A severe illness at three years old left him with terrible eyesight so he couldn’t read or attend school for many years.²

For someone like James with an insatiable love for learning, this was incredibly discouraging!

But finally, when he was 19, his eyesight improved enough for him to complete his teaching certificate during an intense 12-week course for elementary teachers at the Academy at St. Albans, Maine.³ During this time, he spent as much as 18 hours a day studying!⁴

Later on, he brought that same hardcore commitment into the Millerite Movement.

Joining the Millerite Movement

James White had planned to further his education while working as a teacher. But his plans changed when he heard William Miller’s teachings about Christ’s soon return. He felt God’s call to become a preacher.

Miller’s followers, based on his interpretation of prophecies in Daniel, believed Jesus was going to return in 1844.

When James first heard William Miller’s teachings, he thought they were extreme.

You can imagine his surprise when he found out his mother had accepted the belief of the imminent Second Coming too. As he tried to object, she calmly shared passages of Scripture that worked a change in his heart. Despite his initial concerns, he too became convinced.⁵

Then, the Holy Spirit’s conviction set in.

James White felt God calling him to return to the town where he had been a teacher before so he could share the Second Coming message with his students’ families.

And so began his journey to become a preacher.

He purchased some publications about the Second Coming and studied them with his Bible. As 1842 rolled around, he began traveling and preaching full-time.

Sometimes he faced opposition—like when a mob followed him to the venue for his meetings and threw snowballs at him through the window.⁶

But James White was a determined man who longed to prepare others for Jesus’ return. Within two years, he led over 1,000 people to Christ.⁷ He was also ordained as a minister in 1843, taking on the title Elder James White.⁸

So what did he do when Jesus didn’t return as expected? Let’s find out.

James White’s life after the Great Disappointment

When Jesus didn’t come on October 22, 1844 (known as the Great Disappointment), James White found comfort in the Word of God. As he and fellow Millerites, like Joseph Bates and Hiram Edson, re-studied the passages of the Bible that led them to expect Jesus’ coming, they found truths that paved the way for the formation of the Adventist Church.

What kinds of truths?

The Millerites had thought the prophecy of Daniel 8:14, which spoke of the cleansing of the sanctuary, referred to the cleansing of the earth by fire at Jesus’ coming (2 Peter 3:11–12).

But they were wrong.

One Millerite leader, O.R.L. Crosier, went back to his Bible and came to a different conclusion:

The sanctuary referred to the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8:1–2), and Jesus had begun a work of judgment there instead (Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14).

Crosier wrote an article on this topic, which James White found and read.⁹ As he accepted this belief, he entered a new phase of his Christian journey.

Meanwhile, he was also on the path to a new stage in life: marriage.

Marrying Ellen Harmon

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

James White saw Ellen Harmon for the first time in 1843 when he attended meetings in her hometown—Portland, Maine. But it wasn’t until 1845 that the two met in Orrington, Maine, when she traveled there to speak.¹⁰ He recognized that her calling came from God and volunteered to travel with her and her sister Sarah as their protector.¹¹

The two had no plans of getting married; they felt Jesus was coming too soon for that!¹²

But as rumors spread about James White and Ellen Harmon traveling together, they had to make a decision. Here’s how Ellen White described it:

“He told me…he should have to go away and leave me to go with whomsoever l would, or we must be married. So we were married.”¹³

And that was that! Seems they just needed a little nudge to realize where their hearts were already heading.

Even though their life together began with unusual circumstances, it was evident that they loved one another deeply. James later wrote about his wife:

“We were married August 30, 1846, and from that hour to the present she has been my crown of rejoicing.”¹⁴

And Ellen White affectionately called him “the best man that ever trod shoe leather.”¹⁵

So began their life together. Along the way, they would have four children:¹⁶

• Henry Nichols (1847–1863)
• James Edson (1849–1928)
• William Clarence (1854–1937)
• John Herbert (1860, died at 3 months)

But unlike most couples who settled into the routine of home and work life, James and Ellen White knew that God had called them into ministry together. This would be a key focus of much of their life together.

Working together with Ellen White

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

James and Ellen White were a power team in the Adventist Church—traveling, speaking, writing, encouraging believers, and helping organize churches. Often, when they went to churches or camp meetings, James would speak and then his wife would share her message.¹⁷

He was supportive of his wife’s role, never losing faith in the messages that God gave her.

This trust was significant. As a clear thinker, he was not swayed by extreme views, and people respected him for that discernment. As a result, he was able to use his influence to show the validity of her messages.¹⁸ He also “acted vigorously to implement what she advised and what to him seemed common sense.”¹⁹

In turn, she supported him and became his strength when he hit a health crisis.

Struggling with health

Unfortunately, James White’s early struggles with health continued throughout much of his lifetime. In 1865, at only 44 years of age, he suffered his first of five strokes.

This was likely due to overwork—something science is now showing us can increase the risk of strokes and shorten a person’s life.

He was so dedicated to God’s work that he found it difficult to delegate his responsibilities. He worried that no one else would invest the same effort and energy that he had, so he pushed himself to his limits.²⁰

In the end, he cut his own efforts short too, dying on August 6, 1881, at only 60 years old. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Despite his short life, James White’s accomplishments went far in helping the newly formed Seventh-day Adventist Church become a solid organization.

James White’s role in the Adventist Church

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

James White was one of the co-founders of the Adventist Church and one of its leaders from the beginning. Both before and after marriage, he traveled, preached, and helped organize churches. He served as the president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (the highest level of church leadership) for a total of ten years.

He also filled these roles:

• Developing fundamental beliefs and incorporating the church
• Publishing
• Starting and leading church institutions
• Encouraging Adventist health reform

Let’s look at each of these in detail.

Developing fundamental beliefs and incorporating the church

James White’s discerning and analytical mind was a valuable asset in developing Adventist doctrine. From 1848 to 1850, he and his wife attended the first conferences of Sabbath-keeping Adventist believers, where they earnestly studied the Bible.

James especially helped study the following Fundamental Beliefs:²¹

• The Second Coming before the millennium
• The seventh-day Sabbath
• The state of the dead
• The three angels’ messages
• The sanctuary
• Baptism by immersion
• The prophetic gift

As the doctrines became established, he urged the church to become an official organization—something that many early Adventists opposed at first.

What were his reasons for pushing for organization?

The church needed a way to own land and institutions and a way to provide credentials for ministers and pay them.²²

Ever the go-getter, James White wrote five articles in 1853 that advocated for church organization.

Over time, other church leaders saw the light in his suggestions. In October 1861, the Michigan conference was organized. And the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists became official in 1863.

Before long, James White was pioneering the Church’s ministries and institutions, too.

Publishing

“Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.”

Throughout his lifetime, James White was involved in publishing materials that would lead people to a deeper understanding of Bible truth.

In 1849, his wife had a vision that instructed him to start a periodical. With this counsel in mind, he began publishing the Present Truth, later known as the Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald (the Adventist Review today).

He also began a periodical for young people, called the Youth’s Instructor.

As the publishing work grew, James and Ellen White established a press in Rochester, New York, in 1852.²³ That little press became the Review and Herald Publishing Association.

Never one to settle, he started another periodical, the Signs of the Times, on the West Coast in 1874. He also helped buy land for a publishing house there, starting the Pacific Press in 1875.²⁴

Starting and managing church institutions

Besides establishing the church itself, James White founded and led many of its institutions. These include its first school, Battle Creek College (1868), and its first health center, the Battle Creek Sanitarium. With his aptitude for business and management, he helped institutions out of financial difficulties as well.

The Review and Herald was one.

Because of sickness, he had to step down from its management for a year, and while he was gone, its financial situation plummeted. However, when he took it over again, it regained what was lost and made a profit.²⁵

James White was large-hearted and generous, and at times he would even use own resources to support the church’s work. He believed in the work and was determined to move it forward.

Encouraging health reform

Photo by Dex Ezekiel on Unsplash

Ellen White was convicted by the Holy Spirit about the importance of simple health principles, such as water, exercise, fresh air, sunlight, and a healthy diet. When her husband’s health took a turn for the worse in 1865, they realized the need to live out these principles.

After James’s first stroke, Ellen White took him to a health center in Dansville, New York, that specialized in water therapy and natural healing. The couple stayed there for three months, but he saw little improvement in his health.²⁶

What to do?

Soon after, she recognized God’s calling for the church to start its own health center in Battle Creek in 1866. Unlike the center in Danville, this one would also incorporate a spiritual component and rejuvenating activity (as opposed to complete bed rest) into its program.²⁷

As she put health reform principles into practice, she saw James improve too. But it was difficult to keep him from going back into his habits of overworking. His inability to manage his workload may well be the reason he suffered four more strokes and died young.

Though James White didn’t fully benefit from the health reforms because of his tendency to overwork, they became an important part of Adventist health teachings and went on to benefit many others.

An ardent pioneer of the Adventist Church

James White contributed to the Adventist Church in countless ways: from helping start the church, to studying its fundamental beliefs, to growing it into a denomination.

Who would have thought that such a sickly young man could do so much? He went against all odds to become a teacher, and then brought that same determination into his work for God.

He deeply loved the Bible’s truths and committed himself to the success of the Adventist Church—even at the cost of his health and life.

Related Articles 

1. Foster, Ray. “Elder James White,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 1, 1995 [↵]
2. White, James. Life Incidents, (Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association. 1868), p. 12 [↵]
3. Foster. “Elder James White [↵]
4. White. Life Incidents. p. 13 [↵]
5. Cooper, Richard. “A Unique Partnership,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 2, 1995[↵]
6. White, James. Life Incidents. p. 77 [↵]
7. Bischoff, Fred. “Qualified for the Job,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 3, 1995 [↵]
8. Foster. “Elder James White” [↵]
9.  Steinweg, Marlene. “James White: A Man of Action,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 3, 1995 [↵]
10. White, Ellen. Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White, Pacific Press, 1922. p. 69 [↵]
11. Maxwell, C. Mervyn. Tell It to the World, Pacific Press, 1977. p. 60 [↵]
12. Maxwell. p. 200 [↵]
13. Steinweg, Marlene. “Her Husband’s Crown,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 2, 1995 [↵]
14. White, James. Life Sketches, SDA Steam Press, 1880. p. 126. [↵]
15.  White, A. L. Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827–1862, vol. 1, Review and Herald, 1985. p. 111. [↵]
16. Ibid. p. 46 [↵]
17. Cooper, Richard. “A Unique Partnership,” Lest We Forget, vol. 5, no. 2, 1995 [↵]
18. Douglass. p. 53 [↵]
19. VandeVere, Emmett K. “Years of Expansion, 1865–1885,” The World of Ellen G. White, p. 67, quoted in Douglass. p. 53 [↵]
20.  Douglass, p. 54 [↵]
21. Steinweg, Marlene. “James White: A Man of Action,” Lest We Forget, Vol. 5, No. 3, 1995 [↵]
22. Douglass. p. 184 [↵]
23. White, Jame. Life Incidents. p. 293 [↵]
24. Loughborough, J. N. The Great Second Advent Movement, Adventist Pioneer Library, 2016. p. 243 [↵]
25. Maxwell. p. 200 [↵]
26.  Douglass. pp. 301–305 [↵]
27.  Ibid. [↵]

More Answers

The key figures and founders of Seventh-day Adventism were a group of people from various Protestant Christian denominations who were committed to studying the Word of God and sharing about Jesus Christ.

Though concentrated on the east coast of the United States, the movement didn’t remain there long. These individuals had a vision for a diverse worldwide movement that would reach across cultures and languages and result in connected congregations across the globe.

The Holy Spirit working through their efforts has done just that.

We’ll learn more about the lives of these ordinary yet devoted figures in the Adventist Movement:

• William Miller
• Hiram Edson
• Joseph Bates
• Ellen G. White
• James White
• J. N. Andrews

Lots to cover! So, let’s begin with a man who emerged on the scene shortly after the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century.

William Miller

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

Initially known as the man who spurred the curiosity surrounding the second coming of Christ, William Miller was an American Baptist preacher and one of the forerunners of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Before becoming a devoted Bible scholar, Miller was a deist. After returning from serving in the War of 1812, however, he became anxious about the concepts of death and the afterlife.

He turned to the Bible for answers.

While studying his Bible, he learned much more than he ever thought he would. His memoir records how he found Scripture to contain “principle so perfectly adapted to the wants of a fallen world” and that “in Jesus I found a friend.”¹

As Miller began to preach and publish information about the Second Advent, he and many of his followers, known as Millerites, were mocked openly and became unwelcome in their Christian churches.

So they went on to form the Millerite Movement, which focused on the truths they learned from their studies. They came to believe that Jesus would come in 1843 or 1844, and some of his followers eventually settled on October 22, 1844, as the exact date.

When Jesus didn’t return, the day became known as the Great Disappointment.

This set them back a bit. But they weren’t going to give up easily.

Many of his followers dove back into the Bible, back into the prophecy of Daniel 8:14. They knew the 2,300-day prophecy meant something, just not the coming of Christ.

Though Miller was wrong about the timing of the Second Coming, it spurred his followers (some of whom we’ll cover next) to start the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a movement that would continue to prepare the world for Christ’s return.

Hiram Edson

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

Hiram Edson is perhaps best known in the Adventist Movement for his role in uncovering why Jesus didn’t come on October 22, 1844. And throughout the rest of his life, he encouraged and guided others to the truths in the Bible.

So how did he help unravel the Great Disappointment?

On October 23, as believers were reeling from their disappointment, Edson, a Millerite leader in his area, got a distinct impression that he needed to “encourage the brethren.”²

After praying with a small group of believers, he and a fellow Millerite, O.R.L. Crosier, set off through a cornfield to visit his neighbors.

But suddenly, Edson stopped.

“Brother Edson, what are you stopping for?” Crosier called out.

Edson responded, “The Lord was answering our morning prayer.”³

He shared how the Holy Spirit impressed him that Jesus wasn’t supposed to come to the earth on October 22, 1844. Rather, Jesus had begun an important work, known as the Investigative Judgment, in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary.

This impression spurred Edson, along with Crosier and another individual named F. B. Hahn, to study the prophecy in Daniel that William Miller had studied. As they did so, they saw its connection to Jesus’ heavenly ministry (Hebrews 8 and 9).⁴

In 1846, Edson held a conference on his property in New York, where he shared what he had uncovered and met other Millerites who eventually started the Adventist Church.

Though he continued to work as a farmer throughout his life, spreading the gospel was always uppermost in his mind. He financially supported the church in every way he could.⁵ And he also went on evangelistic tours throughout New York and even up to Canada with other leaders in the Adventist Church, like Joseph Bates and J. N. Andrews.⁶

He received an honorary ordination to the ministry sometime between 1866 and 1875,⁷ but his life is truly an example of a layperson who committed to spreading the gospel in whatever ways he could.

Joseph Bates

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

Joseph Bates was a powerhouse in the Adventist Church, traveling—often on foot—from city to city to preach. He was involved in many leadership roles within the church and wrote on numerous biblical subjects, including the seventh-day Sabbath.

But before becoming an Adventist preacher, Joseph Bates spent many years out at sea. During this time, he began to read the Bible—a New Testament slipped into his suitcase by his wife. The little book changed his life, and he committed his life to God.

When he retired from the sea at age 35, he had a small fortune of $11,000—worth nearly $328,000 today.

After leaving the sea, Bates learned about William Miller and his teachings. He began working with Miller to educate people on the truths Miller and his followers had discovered. Despite the Great Disappointment, his faith in God didn’t waver.

In fact, he believed in the Advent Movement so much that he ended up putting his entire life’s savings—all $328,000 worth—toward its growth.

In 1846, Bates wrote a piece about the biblical seventh-day Sabbath and how it’s one of the ten commandments that has been forgotten by the Christian world. James and Ellen White read his article and, from it, decided to become “Sabbatarian Adventists.”

Along with James and Ellen White, Joseph Bates is one of the co-founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

We’ll learn about James and Ellen White next.

Ellen G. White

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

Ellen White, recognized as having the biblical gift of prophecy, helped start and organize the Adventist Church. As it grew, she supported and guided its leadership, health and medical work, educational work, and worldwide missions. She was also a prolific writer, writing nearly 100,000 pages during her lifetime.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the Bible is the foundation of the Adventist faith. And everything Ellen White wrote was to make sure church leadership did not stray from the guidance of Scripture.

Through her writings, she provided the great controversy framework, which helped people see the Bible through the lens of a battle between Christ and Satan. She also sought to help people apply God’s Word to their daily lives in a practical way—no matter what denomination a person claimed.

All of Ellen White’s counsels and admonitions were documented and compiled into what is known today as the EGW Writings. These are managed by the trustees of the EGW Estate in Silver Spring, Maryland, and they remain relevant and of great value to the church.

James White

James White—Ellen White’s husband—was active in the Millerite Movement and, after the Great Disappointment, helped start the Adventist Church. He was a key proponent of organizing the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and played an integral role in founding other institutions.

The first Adventist school, health center, and publishing house were all started by him.

His personal health issues were what spurred the organization of an Adventist medical system. After receiving medical care while recovering from a stroke, he and his wife realized the help wasn’t what it could be. In response, they established the Battle Creek Sanitarium.

In addition to the health work, James White was involved in publishing, together with his wife. His first publication was The Present Truth, and it quickly became an effective gospel-spreading method. This periodical later became known as the Adventist Review and still circulates today.

The success of the Adventist Church in various witnessing methods—education, healthcare, and literature—can be attributed to James White’s tireless efforts.

J. N. Andrews

Courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate, Inc.

John Nevins Andrews was an earnest Bible student who devoted his life to God’s work and contributed in many ways to Adventist theology. He spent many years writing and editing for Adventist publications, eventually taking the publishing work to Europe as the first Adventist missionary.

It all started when at age 12, Andrews learned about the Millerite Movement and excitedly awaited Jesus’ coming. The Great Disappointment was a big blow for him.

While struggling to know how to proceed, he learned about the seventh-day Sabbath and began to keep it. A few years later, in 1849, he met James and Ellen White and Joseph Bates, who directed him to the Bible and helped him understand what had really occurred on the day of the Great Disappointment.

At 20 years of age, he devoted himself to God’s work in numerous ways.

His earnest Bible studies led him to publish books, including an in-depth look at the history of the Sabbath. He also used his writings to support Ellen White’s writings, and together, they worked to spread the good news of Christ.

Later on, when the Adventist Church was officially established, he held the role of president of the General Conference for a time. He was also an editor of the Adventist Review.

As Seventh-day Adventist beliefs spread throughout America, Andrews knew that wasn’t enough.

If Christians were supposed to share the three angels’ messages with the whole world, then he needed to do just that. So he went to Switzerland, helping to lead the church in Europe, provide ministerial training, and establish Adventist publishing there.

Andrews’ mission work not only began the globalization of the Adventist Church but also helped grow the kingdom of God.

Today, Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan—the first Adventist university—is named after J. N. Andrews in recognition of his efforts.

The Adventist Church today

Thanks to the work of Miller, Edson, Bates, the Whites, Andrews, and many others, Adventism flourished all around the world.

In the late 1870s, the church only had 16,000 members.

Twenty years later, in 1901, the worldwide membership count totaled 75,000.

Today, there are more than 20 million local church members, as well as 8,000+ schools, 100+ hospitals, and 50+ publishing houses.

With its fundamental beliefs firmly founded in biblical truth, the Adventist Church continues to grow, learn, and share the gospel with the world. The expansion of the Adventist Church hasn’t stopped…and it won’t until Christ returns to take us home.

Related Articles 

1. Bliss, Sylvester, Memoirs of William Miller (Joshua V. Himes, Boston, MA, 1853), p. 65. [↵]
2. “The Voice of God,” Lest We Forget, vol. 3, p. 2. [↵]
3. “Hiram Edson,” Adventist Learning Community. [↵]
4. “The Voice of God,” Lest We Forget, vol. 3, p. 2. [↵]
5. “Hiram Edson: Chosen instrument,” Lest We Forget, vol. 3, pp. 4–6. [↵]
6. “Hiram Edson: The Farmer in the Cornfield,” Lineage. [↵]
7. Ibid. [↵]

More Answers

Joseph Bates was a sailor-turned-preacher who joined the Millerite Movement and waited for the Second Advent of Jesus to happen in 1844. Despite being disappointed when this didn’t occur, Bates held onto his faith and played an integral part in starting the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Let’s explore how God used this energetic and sincere-hearted Christian.

We’ll learn about:

• His early life
• How he became a Christian
• His involvement in the Millerite Movement
• His role in the Adventist Church

His early life

Photo by Diego Catto on Unsplash

Joseph Bates was born in Rochester, Massachusetts, on July 8, 1792. About a year later, his family moved to New Bedford, a port town known for whaling. Being so close to the sea stirred in Joseph the desire to be a sailor.¹

At 15 years of age, Bates convinced his parents to allow him to go as a cabin boy on a voyage. This experience was the beginning of his sailing career and countless adventures and hardships.

One time, Danish privateers captured Bates and the rest of the ship’s crew. When the crew was finally set free, they were penniless. Bates managed to make his way to Liverpool, England, where another hardship awaited him. This time, the British authorities seized him and forced him to join their navy. He attempted to escape but failed.²

After two and a half years with the British navy, Bates became a prisoner during the War of 1812 because he refused to fight against his own country. This refusal landed him in the infamous Dartmoor Prison, from which he was finally released in 1815—five years after being forced into the navy.³

Despite these calamities early in his sailing career, Bates wasn’t deterred. After marrying Prudence Nye in 1818, he sailed for another ten years, eventually becoming a sea captain.

During that time, a small act of kindness by his wife would begin to change captain Joseph Bates’ life.

How did Joseph Bates become a Christian?⁴

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

Joseph Bates’s heart softened towards God thanks to the kindness and foresight of a ship’s cook as well as Bates’s wife.

Though religion had been part of his life while growing up, he lost sight of God during his time as a sailor—that is, until a terrible storm at sea and the prayer of the ship’s cook convinced him that God had saved his life.⁵ Not long after, before setting out on another voyage, his wife slipped a pocket New Testament into his travel trunk.

When Bates went to grab one of his novels to read, he picked up the New Testament and read a poem that had been written on its front page. This poem, called “The Hour of Death,” impressed on him the fragility of life and convicted him of his need for God.

Forgetting about the novels he had packed, Bates became engrossed in the Bible.

One day, he realized that he needed to confess his sins and pray to God—for the first time. Finding a private place on the ship was not easy, but he managed to fit in a crawl space under the ship’s dining table.

Over time, he discovered the peace he had been seeking and committed to following God all the way.

The change in his life was noticeable. When Bates arrived home, he began attending the Christian Connection Church weekly and worshiping with his family each day. He also became an advocate for abolition (ending slavery) and temperance (urging people to abstain from alcohol).

Life on board Bates’s ship was different too. He didn’t allow alcohol or profanity and required his men to keep the Sabbath (Sunday at the time). At the beginning of the voyage, he would kneel and pray—an action that he later found out led some of the crew to become Christians.⁶

Joseph Bates and the Millerite Movement

Bates retired from sailing in 1828 and decided to farm while continuing to serve God. In the fall of 1839, he heard a Millerite preacher proclaim that the Second Coming would take place in 1843 or 1844. Intrigued, Bates got a hold of some of William Miller’s lectures and read them. Soon, he accepted the message and promised to support it.⁷

He joined together with Joshua V. Himes, a leader in the Millerite Movement, whom he had known from his work with temperance. Bates was soon a leader also, helping organize one of the Millerite general conferences in 1840.

In preparation for Jesus’ coming, Bates sold his farm and paid off his debts. Then, he committed to traveling and preaching to everyone who would listen.

When Jesus didn’t come on October 22nd, 1844, Bates and his wife were disappointed, but they didn’t lose their faith. He continued to travel and encourage the disheartened Millerites.

As a small group of believers began learning new truths in the Bible, Bates too made some discoveries.

How Joseph Bates became a Seventh-day Adventist

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

After the Great Disappointment, Bates stayed connected with many of the Millerites who were trying to make sense of October 22nd. Bible study helped them find answers. As their doctrines became more developed, they founded the Adventist Church.

Bates’s greatest contributions to Adventism include:

• Discovering the Sabbath truth
• Holding leadership roles with Seventh-day Adventism
• Promoting a healthy lifestyle
• Publishing articles and tracts about the Bible

We’ll look at each one in more detail.

Discovering the Sabbath truth⁸

The Millerites who awaited Jesus’ coming in 1844 were Sunday keepers, but this would change when Bates learned about the seventh-day Sabbath through a Millerite preacher named Frederick Wheeler. After this, Bates began sharing the Sabbath truth with early Adventists.

But here’s how it got to Bates in the first place.

At the beginning of 1844, Rachel Oaks, a Seventh-day Baptist, heard a sermon by Frederick Wheeler.

Afterward, she confronted him: “While you were speaking, Elder Wheeler, I could scarcely contain myself. You said that we must observe all of the Ten Commandments, and yet you yourself constantly break one of them!”

Wheeler must have been a little stunned.

“Why, Sister Oaks, whatever do you mean?”

“I mean that the fourth commandment says, ‘The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,’ but you keep the first day.”

Mrs. Oaks was bold, for sure. But it worked.

Frederick Wheeler became the first Sabbath-keeping minister in North America. He passed on this truth to a man named Thomas Preble, who wrote an article about the Sabbath in February 1845.

When Bates came across that article, he immediately began the 140-mile trip to visit Wheeler (remember—people couldn’t just hop in their cars and go places!). Though arriving late at night, Bates woke Wheeler up, and the two men discussed and studied the rest of the night.

On the way home, Bates decided he would keep the seventh-day Sabbath. He became an avid promoter of it to the other Millerites.

Here’s one example:

In 1846, Bates read an article by O.R.L. Crosier, which gave a biblical explanation for what had happened on October 22nd, 1844. Instead of returning to the earth, Jesus had begun a work of judgment in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary. Upon reading this, Bates set off to meet Crosier, Edson, and other Millerites. Even as he learned from them, he convinced them of the Sabbath too.

That same year, he wrote his booklet The Seventh-day Sabbath, A Perpetual Sign, which gave biblical and historical evidence for the Sabbath. He shared a copy with James White and Ellen White, co-founders of the Adventist Church, leading them to accept it as truth.

Holding leadership roles within Seventh-day Adventism

As the small group of Advent believers grew, Bates became more involved in its leadership meetings and helped to found the Adventist Church.

Though he didn’t hold any official titles in the church, he traveled and preached all throughout the East Coast. He also often chaired the Sabbath-keeping Bible conferences.⁹ And in 1860 he chaired a meeting in Battle Creek, Michigan, that brought about the official organization of the Adventist Church.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle

In the 1860s, Ellen White, one of the leaders of the Adventist Church, began speaking more on the subject of a healthy lifestyle. Joseph Bates recognized health reform principles that he had already been following for many years, so he began to share them with others as well.

Back in the 1820s, Bates had decided to give up tobacco and alcohol completely. By 1844, he also quit drinking coffee and became a vegetarian.¹⁰

Not to mention that he was physically active, walking many miles throughout his years of travel!

And his lifestyle decisions paid off. At the age of 75, he was able to say, “I am entirely free from aches and pains!” He lived to be 80 years old and still preached 100 times in his last year of life.¹¹

His example inspired the other Adventists and helped shape Adventist beliefs about health today.

Publishing articles and tracts about the Bible

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

Even with all his traveling and speaking, Bates found time to write. He authored two booklets that gave biblical and historical evidence for the Sabbath as well as many articles for the Review and Herald, an Adventist periodical.

When Bates decided to write his first booklet, it was a faith venture because he had very little money at the time. In fact, he was so broke that he spent his last money to buy his wife four pounds of flour.¹² But he trusted that the Lord would provide for them.

That same day, he went to the post office and found a surprise letter waiting for him.

The contents?

Money to provide for his family and write the booklet. The Lord did provide!

Because of Bates’s faith, his publications directed people to the truths of the Bible and shaped Adventist doctrine.

Joseph Bates: A powerhouse in the Adventist Church

Joseph Bates was one of the many earnest, Christ-centered founders of the Adventist Church.

Dying in 1872, he left behind a life of energy, drive, and unstoppable faith—both as a captain and an Adventist Christian. He never grew weary in sharing the truth and pointing people to Jesus. He is buried in Monterey, Michigan, and is asleep until Jesus’ soon return.¹³

We are thankful to Bates for the way he promoted and established many of our Bible-based beliefs, including the Sabbath and a healthy lifestyle.

Related Articles

1. Bates, Joseph, Life of Joseph Bates: An Autobiography (Review and Herald, 1927), p. 13. [↵]
2. Maxwell, C. Mervyn, Tell It to the World, (Pacific Press, Nampa, ID, 1977), p. 77. [↵]
3. Bates, pp. 64, 71. [↵]
4. Ibid., pp. 135–137. [↵]
5. Maxwell, p. 77. [↵]
6. Bates., pp. 169–170. [↵]
7. Ibid., p. 180. [↵]
8. Maxwell, pp. 74–76. [↵]
9. Ibid., p. 80. [↵]
10. Ibid. [↵]
11. “Joseph Bates,” The Ellen G. White Estate. [↵]
12. Ibid., p. 81–83. [↵]
13. “Joseph Bates,” Ellen G. White Estate. [↵]

More Answers

On October 22, 1844, thousands of Christians in the Northeastern United States eagerly watched the skies for what they believed would be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

These believers were known as “Millerites” because they were currently following the Scriptural interpretations of a farmer and veteran soldier turned Baptist minister, William Miller. These interpretations focused on the 2300-day prophecy in Daniel 8:14.

Miller believed the Second Coming of Christ to be literal and imminent. And one of his most zealous followers was convinced that the very date of Jesus’ return would be October 22, 1844. Then Jesus’ followers would go to heaven, and the earth would be cleansed of sin by fire.

But when Jesus didn’t appear as expected, the Millerites became understandably discouraged. Many of them gave up on their faith in Christianity altogether.

This day was such a blow to the Millerite Movement that it became known as the Great Disappointment.

On the other hand, this day is also an important marker in pre-Seventh-day Adventist history. Pioneers of what would soon become the Advent Movement, such as James and Ellen G. White and Hiram Edson, responded to the Great Disappointment by going back to Scripture to better understand why or how October 22, 1844, might have been significant.

These same diligent students of Scripture—through prayerful, Spirit-led study—laid the foundation for the Seventh-day Adventist Church (organized in 1863).

So let’s unpack the prophecy surrounding the year 1844, as well as what it means to Seventh-day Adventists and other Christians. You’ll learn about:

• What people thought would happen in 1844
• What happened after the Great Disappointment
• What happened on October 22, 1844
• Why 1844 is significant and what we can learn from it

What did people think was going to happen in 1844?

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Millerite Christians believed Jesus was going to return to earth as the Bible describes in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. They expected Him to appear in the sky, resurrect believers who had died, take His followers to heaven, and cleanse the earth by fire in judgment upon evil and sin. They chose this date based on a prophecy in Daniel 8:14, which spoke about God “cleansing” the sanctuary, which they believed to be the earth.

To understand why, let’s look at the events that led up to the Millerite Movement.

Years before 1844, William Miller began fervently studying the Bible, with a special interest in prophecy and what was in store for eternity.¹ He took into consideration all parts of the Bible, tying together visions from Ezekiel, verses from Numbers, prophecies of Daniel, and the apocalyptic book of Revelation to discover what he called the 2300-day prophecy.²

This prophecy is complex enough for an entire article. But in summary, Daniel 8:14 was its cornerstone:

“And he said to me ‘For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” (NKJV).

Miller believed that cleansing the sanctuary meant cleansing the earth, or purifying it, by fire. He noted that “‘sanctuary,’ in the Scripture, generally means the place where God is worshipped and adored, and where He or His glory dwells, when it has reference to God or holy things; but when it has reference to man, it means his house, or dwelling-place, city, or defence.” He then referenced passages from all over the Bible to support this thought, such as Psalm 114:2 and Isaiah 9:13.³

Then, his study of verses like Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34 led him to realize that in apocalyptic and prophetic biblical literature, a mention of a day actually symbolized a year.⁴

This meant that the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14 would have meant 2300 years, a span that started in 457 BC with Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25).⁵

With this knowledge, Miller felt that Jesus would return sometime between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844. But he didn’t set a specific date.

However, when Jesus didn’t return by March 21, 1844, one of his followers suggested that maybe they shouldn’t have made their calculations using the rabbinical Jewish calendar. They set the date April 18-19, 1844, which was based on the Karaite Jewish calendar.

Discouragement began to set in when this date also failed, but a later date—October 22, 1844—was adopted after a follower of Miller, Samuel Snow, gave a lecture at an August camp meeting about the starting date of the prophecy.

This date was based on the belief that Jesus’ Second Coming would fulfill the Jewish feast called the Day of Atonement that foreshadowed God’s judgment. It fell on the tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:27). In 1844, that day was October 22.⁶

Miller’s followers, the Millerites, enthusiastically clung to the prediction and prepared themselves for Jesus’ soon return.

So, when October 22, 1844, came and went, many were so disappointed that they left the movement.

Not all of them lost their faith, however. (More on this later.)

What happened after the Great Disappointment?

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On October 22, 1844, Millerites all across North America waited expectantly for Jesus to return. But as the final hours of the day ticked away, nothing happened.

The disappointment the believers experienced caused many of them to abandon the movement. The anger and sadness they felt when Jesus didn’t return were simply too much.

Many went back to their previous congregations and traditions. Those who had sold all of their possessions, including their homes, in preparation for the Second Coming were left with nothing.

They also experienced ridicule and violence from those who didn’t believe in the Millerite message. Several churches were vandalized, and opponents taunted them with questions like “Have you not gone up?”

For others, the Great Disappointment pushed them to dive back into the Scriptures and discover what they had misunderstood. And so, a small group of Advent believers, or believers who believed in the Second Coming of Christ, banded together.

One Advent believer who felt a particular need to dig deeper into the Bible after the Great Disappointment was Ellen White (then Ellen Harmon).

Ellen White and her family were among the Millerites who believed Christ’s return would be on October 22nd.

She recalls that day:

“It was hard to take up the vexing cares of life that we thought had been laid down forever. It was a bitter disappointment that fell upon the little flock whose faith had been so strong and whose hope had been so high. … We were disappointed but not disheartened.”⁷

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Eventually, through further Bible study and guidance from the Holy Spirit, Ellen White and the Advent believers were given a clearer understanding of the Second Coming.

This insight encouraged them and helped them dispel some common misunderstandings that came out of the Great Disappointment.

Some still believed Jesus’ return would happen in a matter of weeks or months. So, Ellen White helped them understand that though they might not know the future or the timing of Jesus’ coming, it was worth taking every opportunity to do God’s work.

She and other Advent believers also spoke against a popular teaching among people at the time: the shut-door theology.

This theology stated that after October 22, 1844, those who hadn’t accepted William Miller’s message couldn’t be saved. The door of salvation was “shut.”

But in studying the Bible, Ellen White and the other believers realized that salvation was still available for every person God created.

In the end, this realization would bring hope to many and play a role in reshaping early Adventist ideas about salvation.

The believers’ study of the Bible also helped them uncover other Bible teachings including the seventh-day Sabbath and what happens to people after they die.

Though the early believers’ experience with the Great Disappointment may have been discouraging, the long-term impact of this event led them to engage in deeper Bible study.

It even led them to learn what really happened on October 22, 1844.

What happened on October 22, 1844?

Many who experienced the Great Disappointment didn’t believe anything happened that day. They simply chalked it up to a false religious excitement and gave up on the teachings of the Millerite Movement.

In the months after the Disappointment, though, some became certain something had happened. But what could it have been?

Jesus began cleansing the sanctuary

Some Advent believers, including a New York farmer named Hiram Edson, continued to hold onto the hope of Jesus’ Coming. These believers were committed to understanding Bible truth, especially regarding what had really happened in 1844.

And eventually, God gave them an answer.

The Review and Herald, an Adventist publication, recounts the miraculous story of how God revealed the truth of the 2300-day prophecy to Hiram Edson:

“After breakfast I said to one of my brethren, ‘Let us go to see and encourage some of our brethren.’ We started, and while passing through a large field, I was stopped about midway in the field. Heaven seemed open to my view, and I saw distinctly and clearly that instead of our High Priest coming out of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to this earth on the tenth day of the seventh month, at the end of the 2300 days, He, for the first time, entered on that day into the second apartment of that sanctuary, and that he had a work to perform in the most holy place before coming to the earth; that He came to the marriage, or in other words, to the Ancient of days, to receive a kingdom, dominion, and glory; and that we must wait for His return from the wedding.”⁸

Edson, along with other Advent believers, Hahn and Crosier, studied the Scriptures together and discovered that Miller had misinterpreted Daniel 8:14. The “sanctuary” of that verse wasn’t a reference to the earth.

Instead, they realized that the cleansing of the sanctuary of Daniel 8 was a heavenly event (Daniel 7:9-10; 1 Peter 4:17; Revelation 20:12; Matthew 22:1-14).⁹

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This means that in 1844, Jesus began the final phase of His ministry in heaven: cleansing the heavenly sanctuary, a process of judgment that must occur before Jesus can return again. This involved Jesus moving from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place, where He began the process of reviewing the names and examining the hearts of those who profess to be believers (Hebrews 8:1-5; Daniel 7:9-27).

Jesus does this by reviewing a record of our lives, including every sin and every decision for Christ (Ecclesiastes 12:14). In this way, the judgment—or “cleansing”—that is happening in heaven right now is the cleansing of the records of those who have chosen God and accepted the salvation of Jesus.

While the word “judgment” can have a negative or fear-inducing connotation, the teaching of the Investigative Judgment actually offers us hope.

When we accept Jesus as our savior, the record of our sinful deeds is covered and removed by His perfect sacrifice. In this way, instead of allowing us to be condemned by the record of our sinful lives, Jesus presents His perfect and holy life in our place, freely giving salvation to all who choose Him. He also frees us from those sins and begins to cleanse our lives, helping us become more like Him.

This way, we will be ready to someday live in the New Earth—free from the sin, suffering, and evil we see in the world today.

This understanding helped Advent believers find new hope in Jesus and His plan of salvation. And the teaching about the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, paired with the concept of the Day of Atonement, eventually became a distinct doctrine (the Investigative Judgment, or Pre-Advent Judgment) of the Advent Movement which was passed on to the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.¹⁰

The Advent believers’ studies also helped them realize that Scripture never supported the idea of trying to pinpoint the exact date of Jesus’ return. Indeed, the Bible says that “no one knows the day or the hour” of the Second Advent (Matthew 24:36, NKJV).

Though the Millerites were wrong about setting a date, God was able to use them to remind the world of the importance of Christ’s Coming. And He continued to work through the Advent believers as they rediscovered the value of sincere and prayerful Bible study, learning to trust in God over human calculations.

Dependence on God and the Bible for guidance

Those who lived through the Great Disappointment learned firsthand how important it is to back up theological claims with the Bible and prayerful study.

The pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church displayed this kind of dependence on the Bible and on God. Through their study and prayer, they helped establish the Seventh-day Adventist Church and guided believers to new perspectives on salvation and the heavenly sanctuary.

The Great Disappointment also teaches us that…

God’s timing is not like our timing

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The Bible highlights the importance of waiting on the Lord:

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage; and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14, NKJV).

October 22, 1844, really puts verses like this one into perspective. Human beings have a limited perspective of time. We are finite beings, while God is infinite. His timing is perfect. When we put our faith in His timing, He will guide us and strengthen us.

Be perpetually ready for Jesus’ Second Coming

Admittedly, it’s easy to become an alarmist as soon as it seems the world is in crisis. When something bad happens, it’s natural to want it to mean something more than just another manifestation of sin. Sometimes people still try to set a time period for Jesus’ return, only to be disappointed when years pass and He doesn’t come.

Rather than being swayed by human opinion and anxiety, we can maintain a daily relationship with Jesus. This helps us always stay ready for His return, allowing us to live our lives in peace and trust in God’s plan for us.

We can follow Paul’s advice:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12, ESV).

No matter what’s happening in the world, we can find hope in the Second Advent, just like the Advent believers did in the wake of the Great Disappointment.

As we wait for the Second Coming, let’s prayerfully read the Bible and learn about the wonder of God’s love and His plan of salvation for us.

If you’re interested in learning more about the plan of salvation, prophecy, or the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, check out our Bible study page.

Related Articles

1. Loughborough, J.N. The Great Second Advent Movement, Adventist Pioneer Library, 2016. p. 102. [↵]
2. Ibid., p. 94. [↵]
3. Miller, William. On the Cleansing of the Sanctuary, Joshua V. Himes, 1842. [↵]
4. Pfandl, Gerhard. “In Defense of the Year-Day Principle,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 2012. [↵]
5. Maxwell, Mervyn. Tell It to the World, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Nov. 1, 2002. p. 26. [↵]
6. Ibid. p. 28–31. [↵]
7. White, Arthur Lacey. Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862 (vol. 1), Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1985. p.54. [↵]
8. “The Spirit of 1844,” Review and Herald, June 23, 1921, Review and Herald Publishing Association, June 23, 1921. [↵]
9. Damsteegt, P. Gerard. “The Sanctuary and Adventist Experience,” Ministry, 1994. [↵]
10. “What Adventists Believe About Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary,” General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. [↵]

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