Does the Bible reveal the TIME of Christ's secornl advent?

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The Millerite adventists and other Millenarian groups in Great Britain 1830-1860.
Dunton, Hugh Ivor Brian
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1
THE MILLERITE ADVENTISTS
AND OTHER MILLENARIAN GROUPS
IN GREAT BRITAIN
1830 - 1860
Hugh Ivor Brian Dunton, M.A.
King's College
Thesis submitted to the University of London
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
1984
2
ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS
The dissertation examines the followers of William Miller, the
Millerites, and some analogous groups in Britain. A study of some
religious thought patterns provides a framework in which to place the
Millerites and their cognates. The second chapter studies the system of
interpretation of prophecy that underlay millenarian thought in the
period, including William Miller's. An outline of the Millerite movement
in the United States, already fully covered in other works, provides a
setting for the work in Britain. The fourth chapter is a narrative of
events from 1840 to 1848. Taken largely from Millerite sources, it
shows a movement that may have attracted several thousand members, but
lacked leadership and cohesion. Successive disconfirmations of second
advent predictions discouraged the members. The methods employed by
the Millerites showed some variations from those of contemporary
itinerant preachers. A considerable amount of literature was produced.
Millerites both in Britain and America were noted, generally
unsympathetically, in the British religious and secular press.
Relationships with clergy of other persuasions were surprisingly
extensive, in this respect differentiating the Millerites from most
restorationist groups. Some speakers and writers treated them as
serious opponents rather than ridiculing them. The social composition
and religious background of the Millerites appears typical of most of
the restorationist groups examined. Millerite teachings are studied to
discover the content, and if the teaching developed over the years.
British Millerism, as American, had many theological strands. The
Mormons, Churches of Christ, Christadelphians and the Catholic Apostolic
Church provide comparisons with the Millerites, particularly on the
3
question of why they survived and the Millerites faded away. The final
chapter suggests that vagueness of doctrine, weakening of the American
base and the impact of new teaching at a time of discouragement
disintegrated the movement, although small groups lingered for at least
two decades.
This is the first detailed study of Millerism in Britain and has
drawn on sources hitherto unused in this connection.
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 8

ABBREVIATIONS 9

INTRODUCTION and DEFINITIONS 13
CHAPTER I SOME CURRENTS OF RELIGIOUS THOUGHT
1. The Nineteenth Century

Background 22
2. The 'Ruin of the Church', or

'Christianity without Sect' 30

3. True Israelites 36

4. Millenarianism 44
CHAPTER II KEYS TO DANIEL AND THE APOCALYPSE
1. Historicist Principles of

Interpretation 61

2. The Year—Day Principle 67

3. The Four Empires 71

4. Twelve Hundred and Sixty Days 72
5. Two Thousand Three Hundred

Evenings and Mornings 74

6. The Seventy Weeks 77

7. The Times of the Gentiles 78

8. The Seventh Chiliad 81

9. The Great Jubilee 82

10. The Year, Month, Day and Hour 83

11. 'About 1843' 84
5
CHAPTER III THE SECOND ADVENT MOVEMENT IN
THE UNITED STATES 1830-1855
1. William Miller and his

Background 87

2. The First Conference 90

3. Come out of Babylon 92

4. The Midnight Cry 93

5. After the Disappointment 93

6. The Albany Conference and Beyond 95
CHAPTER IV THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MILLERITE
MISSION TO GREAT BRITAIN

1. Motivation 102

2. Good News in Print 105
3. The Mission to England

1842-1844 107

4. 1844 119

5. 1844 and Disconfirmation 125

6. 1845 127

7. 1846 and the English Mission 129

8. 1847 137

9. 1848 140

10. Local Studies 141

11. The Geography of Millerism 165

12. Numbers 167

13. List of Places 169
CHAPTER V METHODS

1. Preaching and Travelling 171

2. Magazines and Tracts 175

3. Book Distribution 185

4. Magazine Contents 188
6
CHAPTER VI RELATIONS WITH PEOPLE, PRESS,
CHURCH AND CLERGY
1. British Views of American

Millerism 192
2. Relationships with Other

Churches and Organizations 197
3. Separation, Church—outed, or

Co—operation 211

4. Popular Attitudes 217

5. Reasoned Opposition 221

CHAPTER VII SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS
BACKGROUNDS OF THE MILLERITES

1. Social 233

2. Religious 239

3. Training and Financing 240

CHAPTER VIII THE TEACHINGS OF THE BRITISH
MILLERITES

1. The Bases of Understanding 247

2. Statements of Belief 249

3. Sermon Series 256

4. Conversion and the Gospel 261

5. Baptism 264

6. Holy Communion 268

7. Man after Death 270

8. The 'Shut Door' 276

9. The Sanctuary 277

10. The Last Things 279

11. There shall be Signs... 281

12. Time Setting 287

13. Current Affairs and Prophecy 295
7
CHAPTER IX PEOPLES CALLED OUT

1. The Brethren 297
2. The Catholic Apostolic

Church 300

3. The Christadeiphians 303
4. The Campbellites, or, The Churches

of Christ 311

5. The Latter-Day Saints in Britain 317
CHAPTER X THE DECLINE OF MILLERISM

1. The Age to Come 331

2. The Remnant 334
3. A British Adventist

Group in America 345

4. Reasons for Decline 347

CONCLUSION 355

BIBLIOGRAPHY 356
PLATE 246
8
Acknowledgements
Theses do not by statute or regulation require a prefatory note.
However, it would seem churlish to pass by those who have helped to make
this work possible. Professor Stuart C. Hall has, by his confidence,
guidance and informed criticism,ensured that a 'spare time' project has
been completed. County and municipal librarians and secretaries of
historical or church organizations have proved unfailingly courteous and
efficient. The high standards of Dr Williams's Library, the Bodleian,
and the British Library are well enough known not to require the
writer's praise. Andrews University, Michigan, Aurora College
Illinois, Berkshire Christian College, Lenox, Mass., and Newbold
College, Bracknell, have been most helpful in making available their
collections of nineteenth century books and papers.
A special debt is due to those who turned manuscript into
typescript, wearying revisions not withstanding, and to the technical
skills, patience and great generosity of Mr Arthur Dyason and Miss
Cheryl Dyason and of the directors of D.P.S. for word-processing and
printing.
9
ABBREVIATIONS
Full bibliographical details of each work are given in the first
reference in the notes and in the Bibliography. In this list of
abbreviations only sufficient information is given for ready recogni-
tion. Dissertations are indicated by (D).
Adventist, Importance An Adventist, The Importance of the Doctrine
of the First Resurrection
Advent Review Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
AH Advent Herald
AHBA Advent Harbinger and Bible Advocate
AHMA Advent Harbinger and Midnight Alarm
Ambassador Ambassador of the Coming
Arthur, 'Come Out' D.T.Arthur, 'Come Out of Babylon: A Study of
Separation and Denominationalism, 1840-
1865'(D)
Arthur, 'Himes' D.T.Arthur, 'Josiah V.Himes and the Cause of
Adventism, 1839-1845' (D)
AV Authorised Version
Bible Advocate Bible Advocate and Precursor of Unity
Bible Advocate (H) Bible Advocate (Hartford, CT)
Billington, 'Churches L.Billington, 'The Churches of Christ in
of Christ' Britain: A Study in Nineteenth-Century
Billington, 'Millerite L.Billington, 'The Millerite Adventists in
Adventists' Great Britain, 1840-1850'
Billington, 'Revivalism' L.Billington, 'Popular Religion and Social
Reform: A Study of Revivalism and
Teetotalism, 1830-50'
Bliss, Memoirs S.Bliss, Memoirs of William Miller
Bristol Times Bristol Times and Bath Advocate
Brit.Mill.Harb. British Millennial Harbinger