Americans who know nothing about George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and the other founding fathers of this country cannot appreciate the debt we owe to these individuals. Similarly, no Adventist who is unfamiliar with names like William Miller, Joseph Bates, Hiram Edson, Uriah Smith, and James and Ellen White will fully appreciate what it means to be an Adventist. For as Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, once said, "Life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards."
The Millerite Movement
William Miller (1782–1849) was one of the most unlikely candidates to lead a great Christian revival. Although his mother was a deeply committed Baptist and his grandfather and uncle were both Baptist preachers, young William turned away from his family’s Christian faith. An avid reader who spent hours in front of the fireplace late at night with books by Jefferson, Franklin, Thomas Paine, and other early American authors, William accepted their belief in the existence of God as revealed by reason and nature alone, but not by supernatural revelation. He eventually rejected the Scriptures and became an avowed skeptic.
After serving in the War of 1812, William moved his family to Low Hampton, New York, where he hoped to live quietly as a farmer. But William was not at peace with himself. In 1816, he accepted a challenge that would dramatically change his life.
William had always argued that Christians could not "know" the Bible was the Word of God; yet it suddenly occurred to him that without a careful study of Scripture, he was in no position to "know" that the Bible was not God’s Word. For the next two years, William made a serious study of the entire Bible, was convinced that it must be a revelation from God, and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.
With the aid of a concordance, William continued to study the Bible diligently for the next 13 years. Fascinated by the Scriptures’ prophetic passages, particularly in the book of Daniel, he became convicted that Daniel 8:14, which he believed pointed to the second coming of Christ, would soon be fulfilled. But he hesitated to share his conclusion for fear that his interpretation might be wrong.
After years of research and prayer, William became convicted God was calling him to preach this prophetic message in the churches. In spite of his fear of public speaking, William vowed in August 1831 to preach his message only if he were specifically invited to do so. He was sure no one would invite a 50-year-old farmer with no training or experience to preach. But within an hour of the time he made his deal with God, William received a specific invitation to preach at the local Baptist church.
For the next eight years William accepted every invitation he could, and by the fall of 1839, the Millerite revival began to gain national momentum. William Miller became a household name across America. It was not unusual for Millerite camp meetings to draw crowds as large as 10,000 people.
When the Lord did not return between the spring of 1843 and the spring of 1844 as the Millerites had hoped, they reexamined their interpretation and settled on October 22, 1844, a day corresponding to the Jewish Day of Atonement, as the day that Jesus would return. The final months before October 22 were filled with prayer, sacrifice, and joy. Many quit their jobs and sold their possessions to spread the good news of Christ’s return.
But like the early disciples who were devastated by crucifixion Friday, the Millerites were destined to experience what came to be known as the "Great Disappointment." (To be continued in the next issue)
Portions of this article were adapted by Ann Fisher from Welcome to the Family, an out-of-print book published jointly by Home Study International and the North American Division, and used with permission. Ann writes from Walla Walla, Washington.
