What happened to Miller and Himes + Only a Few Faithful
"By October 1844, how many Adventists in the United States were waiting for Jesus to come?"
About 100,000 people were expecting Jesus to come.
Where was the first Sabbath Conference held, how many people attended, and who were some of the people who attended?"
The first Sabbath Conference was held in the small town of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, in April 1848. Albert Belden offered the use of a large, unfinished room in his house. The meeting started with 15 people and ended with 50. James and Ellen White were there, as was Joseph Bates.
What was James White's first paper called?
James White’s first paper was called The Present Truth. It was a short collection of articles showing that the Sabbath was the true day of rest. Because of this paper, many new people came to believe in the Sabbath truth.
After October 22, 1844, the faith of believers in the Advent movement was tested. What happened to William Miller?
William Miller lived into his sixties, though he was very sick and worn out from years of preaching. He never fully understood why Jesus didn’t come as he had expected, but he never gave up his love for Jesus and continued to hope for His soon return.
The first Sabbath Conference was a blessing, but the second one almost ended in disaster. Where was it held, and what happened?
It was held in Volney, New York. About 35 people attended the meeting, but they were not united in what they believed, and there were many arguments. During the meeting, God gave Ellen G. White a vision in which she encouraged everyone to unite on the truths of the three angels' messages in Revelation 14.
In 1850, James White started a paper called The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, and in 1852, he started a new magazine for youth called The Youth’s Instructor. Because of his dedication and honest work, people saw that he was trustworthy and gave him donations.
What did James buy with that money?
He purchased a printing press. This helped lower the cost of producing materials because they no longer had to pay other printers.
And what happened to Joshua Himes?
Joshua Himes worked hard to encourage the disappointed believers. For a time, he raised money to help the poorest of the Adventists who had given all they had to spread the Adventist message. Like Miller, he never understood why Jesus didn’t come, but he never gave up his love for Jesus or his belief in His soon return.
Where was the third Sabbath Conference held?
The third Sabbath Conference was held at Hiram Edson's barn—the same barn where he and his friends had prayed after the Great Disappointment.
How long after the Great Disappointment did this happen?
Nearly 20 years. During that time, God was patiently working with His people.
After the disappointment, only a few people continued to be faithful. While studying the Scriptures to understand what happened, they discovered some new truths. What truth did Hiram Edson discover?
Hiram Edson learned about the sanctuary truth.
The fourth conference was again in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Where was the fifth conference?
It was in Topsham, Maine. They prayed for guidance on how to publish all the truths they were learning.
James White continued to receive more donations, but he didn’t want to keep the money for himself because it might look bad to some people. As the movement grew, new needs were arising: how to choose pastors, how to pay workers, and who would own church property. What was the solution to these problems?
They decided to hold a large conference, called the General Conference, in Michigan. At this meeting, the group formally organized as a church.
What about Joseph Bates?
The Sabbath truth.
Conference number 6 was held in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in November 1848. During that meeting, Ellen G. White was taken into vision. What was her vision about?
She was shown that the Sabbath was very important for God’s end-time people and that the truth about the Sabbath was a light that would grow brighter until Jesus' coming.
What name was chosen for the church, and why?
The name chosen was Seventh-day Adventist, reflecting their belief in the importance of the seventh-day Sabbath and the hope of Jesus’ second coming.