Retired sea captain Joseph Bates hears William Miller’s message of Christ’s soon Second Coming and is absolutely convinced it is true.
Retired sea captain Joseph Bates hears William Miller’s message of Christ’s soon Second Coming and is absolutely convinced it is true. He gives his energy, his money and even sells his house to help spread the news of the soon Second Coming.
Great personal sacrifice follows as Bates’s son rejects the message and leaves home angrily to start a career on the high seas.
1843 comes and goes and Christ does not return that year as predicted. Bates joins forces with other believers who discover what they believe is the correct date for the Second Coming, October 22, 1844.
The Great Disappointment of 1844 shakes the faith of Bates and other Millerites. They are the laughingstock of those around them and are forced to rebuild their lives in utter poverty, having sacrificed for the cause.
Bates and others return to their study of the scriptures to find that instead of signaling Christ’s return, October 22, 1844 was the date Christ entered the Heavenly Sanctuary to intercede before the Father on the behalf of believers.
As he continues to study with friends, Bates discovers the truth of the seventh-day Sabbath. This new revelation attracts partners in and Ellen White.
Under the steady leadership of Bates and the Whites, the Advent movement grows. Publishing, Christian education and a growing health message distinguish the new work.
In 1863, Bates, the Whites and other early Adventists co-found the Seventh-day Adventist Church.