Look For The Waymarks..And Tell It To The World!


RH.1905-10-12.022
The work is soon to close. The members of the church militant who have proved faithful will become the church triumphant. In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what God has wrought, I am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.
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A few years ago I was surprised to learn how little real truth was known about the roots of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. I learned that many believed that the church was begun and founded simply on the visions of Ellen White. Although God gave her visions to confirm their studies, it was through much Bible study and prayer that most of these Bible truths were discovered.

Recently, I had the privilege again, to visit Battle Creek, MI, what is now known as the birthplace of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination. It was here that its name was chosen in 1860, and here the General Conference of SDA was organized in 1863. It was here that the Church had its first venture in tent evangelism in 1854, first 'Review' office building in1855. The first health institution in 1866, first official SDA school 1872, and first college in 1874. The world-wide headquarters of the Church remained in Battle Creek until 1903.

Although Battle Creek was the birthplace of the organized Seventh-Day Adventist Church, it was in the granite hills of New England that the Three Angels' Message began to be preached in 1831 by a man named William Miller.

In this study, we will look at many interesting people and their stories, which went into the organization and development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

William Miller was brought up as a Baptist on a farm in Low Hampton,

New York. But, Miller was no ordinary farmer, for after the family was asleep at night, he read by the light of pitch knots in the fireplace of their log cabin. Even after his marriage, and move to the Green Mountains in Vermont, he continued to read; and soon exhausted the public library. The books William Miller read included Voltaire, and Thomas Paine, and it was not long before he adopted Deism. In other words, he believed that God created the world and set it in operation under unalterable laws of cause and effect. He believed men ought to live clean, kindly, and honest lives, but, to believe in prayer, a Saviour, or life after death, he thought to be only superstition.

But, some things he experienced in the war of 1812 began to cause Miller to wonder. Could it be that God had taken a personal interest in America? What about the shell that had exploded at his feet without hurting him or killing his friends? Was there a God who cared? He began to have doubts about Deism, and soon, Miller started to study the Bible in earnest.

"If the Bible is the Word of God," Miller said, "then everything it contains can be understood, and all its parts made to harmonize." In that intensive study, he found a wonderful promise. Jesus, who by now, he knew as his wonderful Friend and Saviour, had promised to come again to earth!

Correctly, he determined, (using Ezekiel 4:6 and other texts) that the 2300 days were 2300 years, and that they began in 457 BC. Incorrectly, as we now know, he assumed that the "cleansing of the sanctuary" was the end of the world and the second coming of Christ. After about two years of study, he came to the startling conclusion that Christ would return "about the year 1843"…that was only about 25 years away.

What to do? Why, others must be warned!! A voice burned in his soul, "Go and tell it to the world."