Taken from The Seventh-Day Adventists: A History

© 1988 Anne Devereaux Jordan

Pages 25-37

Faith and Failure The Millerites

  WILLIAM MILLER WAS BORN IN 1782 IN LOW HAMPTON, New York, a rural region of lakes, rolling hills, and farms in the upper part of New York State. His childhood was normal for a boy growing up on a farm: long working hours, care for crops and animals, and Sundays spent with his family at the Baptist church in the nearby village. The only thing that set Miller apart from his peers was that he was a voracious reader.

William Miller was an eloquent and persuasive speaker. His manner of preaching was not flowery or oratorical, but he dealt in plain and startling facts that ference. He supported his statements and theories by Scripture proof as he progressed. A convincing power attended his words that seemed to stamp them as the language of truth.'

 What Miller spoke of, moving his listeners from indifference to enthusiasm, was the Second Coming of Christ, which he said would happen within the lifetime of his audience.

In an age and area where most people were farmers, Miller also became a farmer. In 1803 he married and moved to Poultney, Vermont, in the Green Mountains. Helped by his wife, Lucy, Miller still found time to read, and quickly exhausted the local library. Miller read the writings of David Hume, Voltaire, and Thomas Paine. He sought answers to the seeming contradictions between what existed in the world and what was pronounced in the Bible. As a result of his reading, he turned to Deism as the only logical explanation of the world, despite the urging of his mother to return to the Baptist beliefs in which he had been raised. He felt that what one achieved in this life was what mattered and that the hope for man lay in supporting the struggling young country. His home became a meetingplace for others who shared his views. He spoke to them as convincingly in support of Deism and love of country as he later spoke fervently in support of adventism.

Believing as he did that hope lay in aiding the United States, Miller volunteered for service in the War of 1812. Forty-seven others volunteered with him on the condition that they serve directly under his command.

The War of 1812 is generally considered by historians to be one of America's mistakes. Feeling threatened by the British and Spanish, and having a desire to gain Canada and Florida as territories, the United States rushed into war without thought or preparation. Except for the fact that the British already were occupied in fighting Napoleon, the War of 1812 would have been a total disaster. As it was, one invading British army easily captured the city of Washington, D.C., and burned the public buildings before withdrawing. The only significant victories for the Americans were the Battle of Plattsburg and the Battle of New Orleans, the latter occurring after the war had officially ended. The Battle of Plattsburg was fought on the shores of Lake Champlain in New York State, not far from William Miller's boyhood home. Miller and his men were ordered to the shores of the lake and there fought bravely in this one American triumph.

"Sir: It is over, it is done," Miller wrote to his commanding officer on September 11, 1814, the afternoon of the battle.

 The British fleet has struck to the American flag. Great slaughter on both sides-they are in plain view, where I am now writing .... The sight was majestic, it was noble, it was grand. This morning, at ten o'clock the British opened a very heavy and destructive fire upon us, both by water and land. Their . . . rockets flew like hailstones .... You have no idea of the battle .... You must conceive what we feel, for I cannot describe it.

 

In December of 1814 the British and Americans met at Ghent in Belgium and agreed upon a treaty, although the fighting continued into 1815 with Andrew Jackson's

defeat of the British at New Orleans in January. Histo­rians concede that the battles of Plattsburg and New Orleans played significant roles in the treaty negotia­tions and that, had the Americans lost those battles, the British would have insisted upon concessions from the United States before ratifying the treaty. The victories demonstrated to the British America's strength.

Miller returned home from the war in victory in 1815. The rashness of the war, however, and the im­probability of the victory at Plattsburg made him ques­tion the basis of his Deistic beliefs. It seemed as if God had taken a hand in aiding the American side. But if this were so, reasoned Miller, then God had not aban­doned the world. He was not the "watch-maker" of Deistic tradition who, having wound up and set the world in motion like a clock, then left it to run alone. Being the reader he was, Miller once again turned to books, and to the Bible, to help him resolve his di­lemma. "From 1816 to 1822 he continued to study, testing his conclusions against all possible objections, before writing out his 1822 statement of faith . . . ."s

During this period Miller and his family moved back to Low Hampton. His father had died and Miller paid the mortgage on his boyhood home for his mother and settled on a 200-acre farm nearby. At the urging of his mother and his uncle, a Baptist minister, he renewed his attendance at the local Baptist church whenever his uncle gave the sermon. These encounters with the Bap­tist church and with religion focused the attention of Miller's studies more and more upon the Bible. He found himself particularly intrigued by a text in the Old Testament book of Daniel.

The one said, "For how long will the period of this vision last? How long will the regular offering be suppressed, how long will impiety cause desola­tion, and both the Holy Place and the fairest of all lands be given over to be trodden down?" The answer came, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the Holy Place shall emerge victorious" (Daniel 8:13-14).

 The passage in Daniel set Miller thinking. In 1818 he came to the conclusion that, based upon that text, Christ would return "about the year 1843," the 2300 days mentioned in Daniel having passed, according to his calculations, and "in about twenty-five years . . . all the affairs of our present state would be wound up."7 This doctrine of a "temporal" millennium-a period when sin would be eliminated, the world evangelized, and universal happiness would prevail-was not a new one. Writers in Britain and continental Europe, as well as North America, had reached similar conclusions. The most popular dates set for the millennium were 1843, 1844, and 1847, though some looked to 1866 or 1867.8 The energy behind the predictions of these writ­ers had died out quickly, however, unlike the enthusi­asm Miller was to generate with his prophecies.

It was not until 1831 that Miller felt called upon to spread word of his discovery, but he was reluctant to do so. He was only a farmer, then about fifty years old, with no experience in public speaking. He was used to discussing his views with small groups of friends, not with strangers. According to various accounts, Miller

finally promised the Lord that he would speak publicly on his views but only if he were invited to do so.

 Within a half an hour came Miller's sister's boy, Irving Guilford, who lived about sixteen miles away [to ask him to preach] .... When the request came, Miller's heart quailed, but there was nothing he could do but fulfill his promise to the Lord.

 

Miller spoke on his ideas of the Second Coming of Christ. Word spread about these ideas and he received more and more invitations to speak. "In 1833 a local Baptist who knew Miller well signed a license for him to preach."10 Miller, although not ordained, was now licensed to speak and to spread what he felt was the truth. More and more of the crowds to whom he spoke became convinced of his views and soon took to calling themselves "Millerites."

On November 13, 1833, an event occurred that seemed to confirm Miller's predictions. In the Book of Matthew (24:29), Christ prophesied that "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." In 1833 there was a meteor shower later described by astronomer W.J. Fisher in 1934 as "the most magnificent meteor shower on record."" In 1876 R.M. Devens called it astounding. He had observed it from the edge of Niagara Falls and wrote that ". . .an incessant play of dazzlingly brilliant luminosities was kept up in the whole heavens. Some of these were of great magnitude and most peculiar form .... the first appearance was that of fireworks of

the most imposing grandeur, covering the entire vault of heaven with myriads of fire-balls resembling skyrockets .... no spectacle so terribly grand and sublime was ever before beheld by man as that of the firmament descending in fiery torrents over the dark and roaring cataract."12 He continues on to note that "Arago computes that not less than two hundred and forty thousand meteors were at the same time visible above the horizon of Boston."13

For the Millerites the meteor shower seemed the second sign of the imminent arrival of Christ. The first sign, they felt, was a "darkening of the sun" that had occurred on May 19, 1780. On that day an eclipse occurred that began between 10 and 11 A.m. and lasted approximately fifteen hours. This "darkening," combined with the falling of the stars in 1833, convinced Miller and his followers that the Advent of Christ was near.

The Millerite movement was regarded as harmless by most traditional clergy, especially as William Miller urged his listeners to remain with their own churches and his following was small. By 1840 Miller actually included a number of prominent ministers of the time among his followers. The most influential of them, to Miller, was Joseph V. Himes. He urged Miller to shift from preaching in small, rural areas to preaching in cities so he could reach more people. Himes took over the promotion of Miller's views, and organized and promoted Miller's movement.

Himes was born in 1805 and was trained as a cabinetmaker. In 1827 he became a minister of the Christian Connection and organized the Second Christian Church of Boston. Joseph Himes proved to be just the

campaign manager Miller needed. He organized other ministers to preach and spread Miller's ideas and launched and edited the Adventist periodical, Signs of the Times. Signs of the Times was soon imitated in other cities by other followers of Miller, resulting in the publication of Midnight Cry, Glad Tidings, Advent Chronicle, Jubilee Trumpet, Philadelphia Alarm and many others. Miller's word was spreading.

By 1843 the traditional clergy was becoming con­cerned about the popularity of the Millerite movement. At a meeting of Methodist ministers that year, a resolu­tion opposing the Advent doctrine was passed. It was typical of the reaction of many churches.

 

Resolved, That the peculiarities of that theory relative to the second coming of Christ and the end of the world, denominated Millerism, together with all its modifications, are contrary to the stan­dards of the church, and we are constrained to regard them as among the erroneous and strange doctrines which we are pledged to banish and drive away. 16

 

The traditional clergy openly opposed Millerism and banished members of their churches who espoused it. They were even more outraged, however, when Miller, at the urging of his followers, set an actual time for the Second Coming of Christ: spring of 1844.

When Miller first started preaching the Second Ad­vent he set no definite date. As he continued preaching, however, he was urged by his listeners to tell them when Christ would come. Using 457 B.C., Miller's cal­culation of the time when Daniel wrote his prophecies,

as a starting date, he calculated: 457 B.C. + 2300 years = 1843-1844. Using the rabbinical Jewish calendar as a reference, he said

 

I am fully convinced that sometime between March 21st, 1843 and March 21st, 1844 [the Jew­ish year], according to the Jewish Mode of com­putation of time, Christ will come."

 

But April 1844 passed and the Second Advent had not occurred. Many Millerites turned against the move­ment because of this, but others, most notably Charles Fitch, Apollos Hale, Sylvester Bliss, and Samuel S. Snow, determined that an error had been made in their figuring. They pointed out that the biblical parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) indi­cated there would be a delay, a "tarrying time." Christ would return to this world, and soon, but they had yet to determine the new time.

In the meantime opposition to the Millerite move­ment was coming to a head. The traditional churches rejected Miller's predictions and told Miller's followers that they must renounce his views or leave their churches. In the summer of 1844, Joseph V. Himes wrote

 

Most of them [the believers] loved their churches, and could not think of leaving. But when they were ridiculed, oppressed, and in various ways cut off from their former privileges and enjoyments, and when the "meat in due season" was withheld from them, and the syren song of "peace and safety" was sounded in their ears from Sabbath to

Sabbath, they were soon weaned from their party predilections, and arose in the majesty of their strength, shook off the yoke, and raised the cry, "Come out of her my people."18

 

Miller was condemned in other quarters as well. Noted lexicographer Noah Webster wrote to Miller

 

Your preaching can be of no use to society but it is a great annoyance. If you expect to frighten men and women into religion, you are probably mistaken .... If your preaching drives people into despair or insanity, you are responsible for the consequences. I advise you to abandon your preaching; you are doing no good, but you may do a great deal of harm.

 

A great number of Miller's followers ignored the criticisms against him, as did Miller himself. They left their churches but did not organize a new church. They felt that there was no need to do so since the Second Coming of Christ was so close at hand and it would go against Miller's announcements that it was not his intention to organize a new religious denomination. Miller's followers were united as never before by the criticisms and by the thought that the time of Christ's return was near.

On October 6th, 1844, Miller wrote, "If Christ does not come within twenty or twenty-five days, I shall feel twice the disappointment I did in the spring." Finally, Miller set a second date for the advent: October 22, 1844. This, Miller and his followers felt, was the true date; the "tarrying time" was over.

On October 11, Miller wrote to Himes,

 

I think I have never seen among our brethren such faith as is manifested in the seventh month. "He will come," is the common expression. "He will not tarry the second time," is their general reply. There is a forsaking of the world, an unconcern for the wants of life, a general searching of heart, confession of sin, and a deep feeling in prayer for Christ to come. A preparation of heart to meet Him seems to be the labor of their agonizing spirits. There is something in this present waking up different from anything I have ever before seen. There is no great expression of joy: that is, as it were, suppressed for a future occasion, when all heaven and earth will rejoice together with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There is no shouting; that, too, is reserved for the shout from heaven .... No arguments are used or needed: all seem convinced that they have the truth. There is no clashing of sentiments: all are of one heart and of one mind. Our meetings are all occupied with prayer, and exhortation to love and obedience. The general expression is, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him."z1

As October 22 grew near, Miller's followers made preparations for Christ's coming, not only with prayers and confession of sin, but also with the selling of their homes or farms and other earthly possessions. Those who did not sell their lands or goods left their crops untended, feeling that there was no need to work their lands or harvest their crops since Christ was returning.

They did not even think of what might occur should Christ not come.

On October 22 Millerites all over the country gathered in small groups to await the event. The day was spent in prayer, and as day stretched into evening more and more Millerites came to realize that Christ was not returning. They felt, as Miller had written be­fore, "twice the disappointment" they had felt in the spring. On October 22 the Millerite movement crumbled.

Many turned away from the Millerite movement en­tirely, angrily feeling they had been duped. The leaders of the movement, Miller, Himes, and others, still ex­pected Christ to come, maintaining again that a mis­calculation had been made. A number of Miller's fol­lowers, however, stated that the 2300 days had indeed ended in 1844. They claimed that the "cleansing of the sanctuary" had indeed occurred spiritually and invisi­bly. These joined together into various fanatical groups. Some claimed to be sinless as a result of this invisible cleansing. Others said they were already in the king­dom of heaven on earth promised with the return of Christ, and they refused to work or support themselves. Yet another group held that the fulfillment experienced in the 1844 movement was not the Second Advent-it was yet to come. They believed, however, that the 1844 movement was a means of telling people to prepare themselves. This group decided to restudy the proph­ecies to see if they could discover why Christ had not returned as expected; in particular they looked again at the notion of "the cleansing of the sanctuary." "They too had accepted the popular opinion that the earth was God's sanctuary and had assumed that this `cleans ing' must refer to Christ's return to cleanse the earth by fire on the Day of Judgment."2z Their studies led them to the conclusion that the "sanctuary" mentioned was not, in reality, the earth as they had thought, but, rather, referred to the cleansing of a heavenly sanctuary as described in the New Testament Book of Hebrews (Hebrews 8 and 9). The coming of Christ had yet to happen; the Advent was being prepared for.

To this group belonged the founders of the Seventh­day Adventist Church. The Millerite movement was the ground from which the Seventh-day Adventist Church grew. As did Millerites, the Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches the imminent return of Jesus Christ, but without Miller's time-setting.

The year 1844 marked the end of the Millerites as a viable movement. It also marked the start of a group and a belief that continue today. Ardent believers in Christ's return-James White, Ellen Harmon, Joseph Bates and others-came together to form the strong and lasting denomination now known as the Seventh-day Adventists. Within two months of what came to be known as "the Great Disappointment,"z3 a young girl in Portland, Maine, stepped forward saying she had had a message from the Lord that he would guide those who had trusted him in the past.