In the early days of the Adventist movement, believers sought to align every part of life with biblical truth—including the question of when the Sabbath begins.
Joseph Bates, a leading advocate for the seventh-day Sabbath, taught that it began on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and ended on Saturday at the same hour. Yet in 1847, views varied: some believed the Sabbath started at sunrise, others at sunset.1
During a vision in Topsham, Maine, Ellen White heard an angel repeat the words: “From even to even shall ye celebrate your Sabbaths.” Bates took this as confirmation of his 6:00 p.m. position, and the practice remained unchanged for several years.
By June 1854, however, James White began to question whether their understanding was truly rooted in Scripture. He realized they had never studied the matter carefully but had accepted the 6:00 p.m. timing based largely on experience. He asked D. P. Hall to explore the issue, but when Hall was unable to do so, James turned to J. N. Andrews, who took up the challenge.
Andrews’ careful study led to a pivotal presentation at the Battle Creek Conference in November 1855. Drawing on compelling biblical evidence, his study showed that the terms “even” and “evening” pointed to sunset—not a fixed clock time. While 6:00 p.m. might approximate sunset at the equator, in many regions it varied significantly. His argument was so convincing that nearly everyone accepted the new understanding—except for two respected figures: Joseph Bates and Ellen White.
Ellen hesitated. Hadn’t her 1847 vision affirmed the 6:00 p.m. time? And if Andrews was right, why hadn’t God corrected them sooner? On November 20, 1855, she was taken off in vision again. This time, she raised the question directly with the angel. The angel repeated the familiar phrase, “From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath” (Lev 23:32). When she asked what it meant, the angel replied, “Take the word of God, read it, understand, and ye cannot err. Read carefully, and ye shall there find what even is, and when it is.”
Remarkably, rather than giving her a direct answer, the angel employed the vision to point her back to Scripture—showing that even Ellen White’s theological insight was to rest on the Word. Ellen then asked whether God had been displeased with their earlier observance. The angel reassured her that in 1847, they had not rejected the truth but had misunderstood it. God had waited patiently, allowing time for deeper Bible study and understanding.
This experience became a powerful affirmation of God’s grace and guidance. He does not condemn unintentional misunderstandings made in the pursuit of truth. Instead, He lovingly leads His people into greater light—at the right time, and through His Word.
Denis Kaiser is an associate professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.
