Tell It To The World--Millerite Movement

[Gregory Matthews]

The entire 19^th century in the United States was a time of religious ferment and change. Unitarianism was formally organized in 1825. The LDS (Mormon) denomination formally organized in 1830.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses trace their background to Charles Taze Russell and the 1870s. The Advent Christian Church formally organized in 1860 and the Seventh-day Adventists in 1863.  In addition there were Utopian groups such as the Oneida Community (1847) and the Brook Farm Association (1844).

 

Whitney R. Cross discusses this period in his 382 page book The Burned Over District.  This book concentrates on the years from 1800 to the 1850s in the area of West Central New York State.

 

One-hundred seventy-two years ago this past Saturday an event happened (October 22, 1844) that is   of great interest to students of church history in the United States.  It was on that day that the so-called Millerite Movement cane to a crashing end.  Christ had not come.

 

The Millerite Movement had achieved some success in Europe, primarily in England.  But, in the United States it had achieved major standing.

 

William Miller was a Baptist farmer who came to believe that Christ would return sometime during the 1843 – 1844 time period, which ended on October 22.  Both the Advent Christian and Seventh-day Adventist denominations trace their foundations back to the break up of the Millerite Movement.

 

A major video that is focused on the Millerite Movement, its break up and events that followed was released Saturday.  It is in two versions.  One is full length, for showing  to an audience at one time.  The second divides into six (6) segments that can be viewed separately.

 

That six segment version  has been placed on the Internet.   It can be viewed at:

 

https://telltheworld.adventist.org/watch

Then click on Watch the film.

That will bring up the 1st video.  From there you can watch each succeeding video.

 

While this video was independently produced, it had major support from the SDA Denomination.   The first two segments deal with William Miller  his message of the soon return of Christ.  The middle two segments deal with what immediately happened after Christ failed to return.  The last two segments  continue on with the story.  

 

This video has been professionally produced.  While it is told in story form, it is historically accurate in its major parts. 

 

Anyone interested in American religious history should consider watching this video as it provides an interesting story of what was once a part of our religious history.