Joseph Bates

[Don777]

This thread:

Joseph Bates has been credited with being the "real" founder of Sabbatarian Adventism.

This topic thread intends to highlight the life and teachings of this fascinating church pioneer.

[Don777]

Bates brings the Sabbath to the Shut Door Adventists

After the disappointment of 1844, those who would eventually form the Seventh-day Adventist Church viewed themselves as the "Shut Door Adventists" (Perhaps we can examine this further, later.)

Joseph Bates introduced James and Ellen White to the Sabbath.

Here is his major work on the topic:

THE SEVENTH DAY SABBATH

A PERPETUAL SIGN

FROM THE BEGINNING, TO THE ENTERING INTO THE GATES OF THE HOLY CITY

ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27266/27266-h/27266-h.htm

[Don777]

Autobiography of Joseph Bates, 1792-1872.

http://www.earlysda.com/bates/joseph-bates1.html

[Kevin H]

Hiram Edson was considering the Sabbath before he heard about these others such as Bates who were considering the Sabbath. Mrs. White said that Edson was feeling hurt and while she was critical of his hurt feelings, she did say that it was partially justified as there were a large number of our beliefs that Edson had either come to or considering and not getting credit for them.

[Kevin H]

But Captain Bates is still a remarkable man!!!

[Don777]

The Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3

In 1850, Adventist doctrine was still developing. Our settled view on how to interpret the Seven Churches of Revelation 2 and 3 was still in the future.

For example, I was taught that the Seven Churches represent distinct chronological zones in church history. I was quite surprised to recently read an early essay by Joseph Bates where he put the last three churches in the same time zone.

Joseph Bates Interprets the Seven Churches of Revelation

In 1850, Joseph Bates taught that the last three churches coexisted at the same time.

Sardis

Sardis represented the "nominal" Christian church which rejected the Adventist message of William Miller.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia represented the true believers who united under the Adventist message leading up to October 22, 1844 and held to the correctness of the date afterwards. These he called the "shut door believers". They eventually became the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Laodicea

The seventh church, the Laodicean church, represented those Adventists who had slipped away from the correct stand.

Notice how he writes:

"As the first four states of the church were in the past, (about A. D. 1798 ) let us confine our exposition relative to the last three, which are all in an organized state, at the present time.

"This [sardis], we understand to be the present nominal church, the Babylon, which God's people came out from under the second angel's message, which closed up at the tenth day of the seventh month, 1844. They were then " about to die," and are now spiritually DEAD. ... "

He goes on to assert:

"It is in vain for them [the Albany Millerites led by Joshua V. Himes] to apply the Laodicean state of the church, now existing, (and must exist before Jesus comes,) to any other class of believers on earth [other than themselves]. The shut door believers are in the Philadelphia church. The nominal church, are back of 1844, in the Sardis state, spiritually dead. ..."

At some point in the 1850s the Sabbatarian Adventists came to apply Laodicea to themselves, but early on, they viewed themselves as the pure church of Philadelphia.

You can read Bates essay for yourself at:

Joseph Bates. "The Laodicean Church." The Review and Herald, November 1, 1850. Volume 1, Number 1. pp 7,8.

http://docs.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH18501101-V01-01__B.pdf#view=fit

[Don777]

Mrs. White said that Edson was feeling hurt and while she was critical of his hurt feelings, she did say that it was partially justified as there were a large number of our beliefs that Edson had either come to or considering and not getting credit for them.

Kevin,

Can you guide us to the source where Ellen White writes this about Edson?

Thanks

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Kevin H

Mrs. White said that Edson was feeling hurt and while she was critical of his hurt feelings, she did say that it was partially justified as there were a large number of our beliefs that Edson had either come to or considering and not getting credit for them.

Kevin,

Can you guide us to the source where Ellen White writes this about Edson?

Thanks

Yes. I would like to see this also. I love SDA history. And that one is a new one on me.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted By: Kevin H

Mrs. White said that Edson was feeling hurt and while she was critical of his hurt feelings, she did say that it was partially justified as there were a large number of our beliefs that Edson had either come to or considering and not getting credit for them.

Kevin,

Can you guide us to the source where Ellen White writes this about Edson?

Thanks

My source is secondhand, it was the tour guide at the Adventist Heritage Edson Farm. I'll try to see if I can find him at campmeeting tomorrow and ask for a more direct source.

[Windsor]

I read the autobiography of Joseph Bates a couple years ago. It would really make a good movie or mini-series.

[Kevin H]

I read the autobiography of Joseph Bates a couple years ago. It would really make a good movie or mini-series.

How true!!! There are quite a few stories that would make wonderful movies or miniseries. Joseph Bates is one, Harry Orchard is another.