Minister William Miller was dedicated to sharing his beliefs and faith. He is known for starting a religious movement known as Millerism.
Born on February 15, 1782, William Miller was born in Pittsfield, MA, to Captain William and Paulina Miller. As a young child, his family moved to New York. His mother provided homeschooling until William attended the East Poultney District School. Reading continued to be part of his studies.
William wed Lucy Smith in 1803. The newlyweds moved to Poultney, and Miller became a farmer. Serving in the community, Miller was elected as Constable, Deputy Sheriff, and Justice of the Peace. Historians report that he was financially successful.
Along with his community duties, William became a lieutenant in the Vermont militia.
Although he was brought up in the Baptist faith, he rejected those Baptist beliefs and became a deist. The Oxford Dictionary defines a deist as a person who believes in the existence of a supreme being who does not intervene in the universe.
Miller’s military career included time in the Army of the United States. He recruited others for the war and eventually was promoted to captain. During one particularly fierce battle, William survived a horrific experience where other men were killed. William Miller viewed his survival as miraculous and soon changed his view on how God interacts with the universe.
He later wrote, “It seemed to me that the Supreme Being must have watched over the interests of this country in a special manner, and delivered us from the hands of our enemies. So surprising a result, against such odds, did seem to me like the work of a mightier power than man.” — From Memoirs of William Miller by Sylvester Bliss
After the war experience, Miller continued to reconsider his life and beliefs. Finding his Baptist roots and leaving his ideas about deism, Miller began participating in church activities.
This change in reconsidering his Baptist upbringing and leaving his belief in deism took time, the study of the Bible, and much thought from Miller.
Miller’s mother noticed that he wasn’t attending church at certain times. Miller shared with his mother that he wasn’t edified by how the deacons read and that his attendance would be better if he could do the readings. This was suggested to the officials, and William Miller began participating in the readings.
During his intense study of the Bible, Miller began to believe the Bible’s prophecies spoke about the second coming of Christ in a particular way.
Continued study of nature and humanity led Miller to see what he previously believed was untrue. There was no happiness or assurance in deism, only doom and gloom.
As his conversion to believing in God continued, Miller questioned how God could exist. He noted that aside from the Bible, he could find no evidence. Studying the Scriptures began to provide clarity and promise.
“I found the Lord God to be a Rock in the midst of the ocean of life. The Bible now became my chief study, and I can truly say, I searched it with great delight.”— From The Memoirs of William Miller
Miller became especially interested in the second coming—the return of Christ, when he will set up his kingdom, judge enemies, and reward the faithful.
According to his study of Scripture and the calendar year, Miller calculated that the second coming of Christ would happen in 1843. He based on his reading of the book of Daniel:
“He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and morning; then, the sanctuary will be reconsecrated” (Daniel 8:14 NIV).
Historians report Miller assumed the “cleansing of the sanctuary” represented the purification of Earth by fire.
William Miller was convinced that the 2300-day period began in 457 BC. Therefore, the second coming would occur in 1843. Sharing his views brought followers and invitations to preach.
“My principles in brief, are, that Jesus Christ will come again to this earth, cleanse, purify, and take possession of the same, with all the saints, sometime between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844.” — Quoted in William Miller and the Advent Crisis by Everett N. Dick, 96–97
In 1831, William began to preach that the world would end around 1843 and the Second Coming would occur. Many people followed his beliefs, starting a movement called Millerism.
Miller’s ideas were published in a paper named Signs of the Times, whose first edition appeared in 1840. The monthly magazine continues to be published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Literature helped spread the Millerism movement as more people were exposed to Miller’s thinking. His writings were published in numerous cities, and his messages were shared in the United States and Canada.
When 1843 passed, his associate Samuel Snow suggested a new date for the second coming: October 22, 1844. When the second coming still didn’t happen, many Millerites weren’t sure what to think. Adventists refer to this period as the Great Disappointment.
Different people had different reactions. You can read some of them in Dan Graves article below. The major reactions were that some followers returned to their previous denominations. Some believed there would be an explanation for their disappointment in not having the second coming date correct. Others joined the Shakers—they believed that Christ had already returned and appeared in the person of Mother Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers.
Even though Miller’s prediction did not come true, he continued to have followers. The Mutual Conference of Adventists met to discuss the issue. This body formed the Evangelical Adventists.
Followers such as Joseph Bates, James White, and his wife, Ellen White, believed Miller’s prophecy was true but that he had not interpreted events correctly. Ellen White was believed to have the gift of prophecy. Their interpretation of Scripture in Daniel 8-9 was that God had begun cleansing the heavenly sanctuary and examining all names in the Book of Life. This group of people did not set a new date for the second coming but insisted His return was imminent. They also emphasized returning to worshipping God on the seventh day (Saturday). The Seventh-day Adventists were established in 1863.
By the middle of 1845, a major division of Millerite groups, who had not given up their belief in the second coming, was forming. The “shut-door” theology believed that William Miller had given the final call for salvation, and anyone who did not accept his message was lost.
The Albany Conference, held in April 1845, created a ten-point statement of belief, developed an evangelism plan, and passed resolutions rejecting certain beliefs. The Evangelical Adventists were formed through this conference, which began the Advent Christian Church.
William Miller died on December 20, 1849.
While Miller may be best known for his end-times teaching, he did evangelize many people and brought them to faith. His life exemplifies how God can use anyone at any time to bring others to Him. Scripture shares various times and situations where God uses people of various ages, social statuses, mental and physical abilities, and more to further His message.
Miller’s return to faith after years of doubt reminds us that although we may stray from faith, God is always ready for us to return to Him. We may have questions and doubts, yet the truth can be found in His Word, the Bible. Although William Miller was dedicated to certain beliefs, his mind was open to changing those thoughts.
While studying the Bible can help us know more about God and His plan, we must also follow its warnings. Groups like the Millerites have opted to predict when the second coming will occur. According to Matthew 24:35-37, we do not decide when Jesus will return.
God knows the exact day and time of the return of Jesus. Focusing on an exact date of the second coming can take the focus off the Father and onto ourselves. Our aim should be to live for God and share His message with others.
“So you must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44 NIV)
In His Name,
Melissa Henderson
When will Jesus return? Christ warned that no man knows that day and hour. This has not stopped rash theologians from announcing dates. All have subsequently been disappointed by events. One of the most prominent prediction makers was Baptist preacher William Miller.
Miller gained a large following, predicting that Christ would return on this day, October 22, 1844. His theories were not far-fetched if one accepted interpretations in vogue through much of church history. The argument goes something like this: The prophet Daniel’s eighth chapter speaks of 2,300 days. Many of the greatest scholars of the church (Augustine and Bede for example) took these days to stand for years. 490 years (the 70 “weeks” mentioned in Daniel 9:24) were “cut off” from the 2,300 years, leaving 1810 years. It was assumed that Christ died early in 31 AD with 3-1/2 years of Daniel’s 70th week still to run. Adding those 3-1/2 years to 31 AD brings us to late 34 AD, at which time the 1810 remaining years supposedly began. 1810 + 34 brings us to 1844. Technical considerations placed the date in October 1844.
Under this interpretation, it seemed possible to match actual historical events with the sequence of events in Daniel chapter eleven. Byzantium, the Pope, Egypt, Turkey, France, and other countries, supposedly fulfilled various predictions derived from the Bible. The whole argument was developed at length and convinced vast numbers of people.
As many as 100,000 followers gathered at the predicted time in makeshift temples and on hillsides to “meet the bridegroom.” Maxwell Pierson Gaddis attended one of these rallies and reported the result. When midnight came and Christ had not returned, people grew restless. Some walked out. One person said allowance must be made for differences of latitude and longitude between Palestine and the US. At about one o’clock one of the leaders rose and said “I never did fix upon the precise time myself, and I always told my brethren they would get into trouble if they did; but they would not listen to me, but followed other leaders...I believe the most important thing after all is, to be ready...”
Humiliated by what has been called “The Great Disappointment,” some Millerites shucked their faith completely. Led by Miller, others formed the Adventists. The majority returned to more traditional churches.
Resources
1. Gaddis, Maxwell Pierson. Foot-Prints of an Itinerant. Cincinnati: Printed at the Methodist Book Concern, 1855.
2. Miller, William. Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, About the Year 1843; Exhibited in a Course of Lectures. Troy, N.Y.: Elias Gates, 1838.
3. Smith, Uriah. The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. Takoma Park, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1944.
4. Various encyclopedia and internet articles.
(“Miller Wrongly Set Date for Christ's Return” by Dan Graves first published May 3, 2010. Last updated April 2007.)
Photo Credit: Graphic by G. Connor Salter, 1882 illustration supplied by Getty Images/denisk0
Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. Her passions are helping in the community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister.
Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and at http://www.melissaghenderson.com
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