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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Adventists</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01166a.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="A group of six American Protestant sects which hold in common a belief in the near return of Christ in person"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="01166a.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/a.htm">A</a> > Adventists</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Adventists</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>A group of six <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">American</a> <a href="../cathen/12495a.htm">Protestant</a> <a href="../cathen/13674a.htm">sects</a> which hold in common a <a href="../cathen/02408b.htm">belief</a> in the near return of <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> in person, and differ from one another mainly in their understanding of several doctrines related to this common <a href="../cathen/02408b.htm">belief</a>. They are, excepting the "Seventh Day Adventists" and the branch entitled "The Church of God" congregational in government.</p> <p>The <a href="../cathen/13674a.htm">sects</a> of Adventists are the outcome of a religious agitation begun by William Miller (1781-1849) in 1831, after a minute study of the <a href="../cathen/12473a.htm">prophecies</a> of the <a href="../bible">Bible</a>. Testing the mysterious pronouncements concerning the <a href="../cathen/10212c.htm">Messias</a> by a method exclusively <a href="../cathen/04503a.htm">historical</a>, he looked for the fulfillment of every <a href="../cathen/12473a.htm">prophecy</a> in its obvious surface reading. Every <a href="../cathen/12473a.htm">prophecy</a> which had not been literally accomplished in the first coming of <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> must needs be accomplished in His second coming. <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a>, therefore, should return at the end of the world in the clouds of <a href="../cathen/07170a.htm">heaven</a> to possess the land of <a href="../cathen/03569b.htm">Canaan</a>, and to reign in an earthly triumph on the throne of <a href="../cathen/04642b.htm">David</a> for a <a href="../cathen/10307a.htm">thousand years</a>. Moreover, taking the 2,300 days of the <a href="../cathen/04621b.htm">Prophet Daniel</a> for so many years, and computing from 457 B.C.  that is, from the commencement of the seventy weeks before the first coming, Miller concluded that the world would come to an end, and <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> would return, in A.D. 1843. He gave wide circulation to his views and gained a considerable following in a few years. When the year 1843 had passed as any other, and the prediction had failed, Snow, one of his disciples, set himself to correct Miller's calculations, and in his turn announced the end of the world for 22 October, 1844. As the day drew near groups of Millerites here and there throughout the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a>, putting aside all worldly occupations, awaited, in a fever of expectancy the promised coming of <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a>, but were again doomed to disappointment. The faithful followers of Miller next met in conference at <a href="../cathen/01256a.htm">Albany</a>, N.Y., in 1845, and professed their unshaken <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> in the near personal coming of the <a href="../cathen/14142b.htm">Son of God</a>. And this has remained the fundamental point of the Adventist creed. According to the official census of 1890, the Adventists had 60,491 communicants; at present they have about 100,000 adherents all told. The Adventist movement, inaugurated by Miller, has differentiated into the following independent bodies:--</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <h2 id="section1">Evangelical Adventists (the original stock)</h2> <p>They believe the dead are conscious after separation from the body, and will <a href="../cathen/12792a.htm">rise again</a>; the just, first to reign with <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> on earth for the <a href="../cathen/10307a.htm">Millennium</a> and, after the <a href="../cathen/08552a.htm">Judgment</a>, in <a href="../cathen/07170a.htm">heaven</a> for all <a href="../cathen/05551b.htm">eternity</a>; the wicked to rise at the <a href="../cathen/08552a.htm">Day of Judgment</a> to be condemned to <a href="../cathen/07207a.htm">hell</a> forever. They may be said to have organized in 1845. They number 1,147 communicants.</p> <h2 id="section2">Advent Christians</h2> <p>These believe that the dead lie in an unconscious state till <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> comes again, when all will arise; the just to receive everlasting life; the wicked to be annihilated; since <a href="../cathen/07687a.htm">immortality</a>, once man's natural birthright, has been forfeited by <a href="../cathen/14004b.htm">sin</a> and is now a <a href="../cathen/06553a.htm">supernatural gift</a> had only through <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> in <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a>. The General Association was formed in 1881. The <a href="../cathen/01165a.htm">Advent</a> <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christians</a> number 26,500.</p> <h2 id="section3">Seventh Day Adventists</h2> <p>These hold to the observance of the seventh day of the week as the <a href="../cathen/13287b.htm">Sabbath</a>. They believe that the dead remain unconscious until <a href="../cathen/08552a.htm">Judgment</a>, when the wicked will be destroyed. They attempt, in addition, a detailed interpretation of certain biblical prophecies, and believe the prophetic gift is still communicated, and was possessed latterly by Mrs. E.G. White in particular. They were formed into a body in 1845. They number 76,102 members. [<em>Note:</em> As of 2005, this number stood at 12 million.]</p> <h2 id="section4">The Church of God</h2> <p>An offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventists. These dissidents refuse to accept the prophecies of Mrs. White, or the interpretation of the vision in <a href="../bible/rev012.htm#vrs11">Apocalypse 12:11-17</a>, as applying to the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a>. Otherwise they resemble the Seventh Day Adventists, They became an independent body in 1864-65. This church has 647 members.</p> <h2 id="section5">Life and Advent Union</h2> <p>A movement which, begun in 1848 was compacted into an organized body in 1860. This church insists that the wicked will not rise again, but will remain in an endless sleep. It has a membership of 3,800.</p> <h2 id="section6">Age-to-Come Adventists</h2> <p>These believe, besides the common Adventist doctrines, that the wicked will ultimately be destroyed, and that eternal life is given through <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a> alone. They originated in 1851; the General Conference was organized in 1885. They number 1,872 in the <a href="../cathen/15156a.htm">United States</a>.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">Taylor, The Reign of Christ (Boston, 1889); Wellcome, History of the Second Advent Message (Yarmouth. Maine, IB74); McKinstrey, The World's Great Empires (Haverhill, Mass., 1881); Andrews, History of the Seventh and First Day (Battle Creek, Mich., 1873); White, The Great Controversy (Battle Creek, 1870); Smith, Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation (1882); Long, Kingdom of Heaven Upon Earth (1882); The End of The Ungodly (1886); Pile, The Doctrine of Conditional Immortality (Springfield, Mass); Brown, The Divine Key of Redemption (Springfield, Mass).</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Havey, F.</span> <span id="apayear">(1907).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Adventists.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01166a.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Havey, Francis.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Adventists."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 1.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1907.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01166a.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Tony Camele.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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