| first
Seventh-day Adventist church
in Washington New Hampshire
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It's birthplace in the township of Washington,
New Hampshire, in 1844, reveals three central
truths about the history of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
1. Before it was "Adventist" or Sabbath
keeping Adventist, it was "Christian."
2. It celebrates a history that has emphasized
"freedom."
3. It welcomes and grows from diversity within
its membership.
THE CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM
The local church where "Christian,"
"Advent," and "Sabbath"
combined was established by Christian Connection
believers, a religious body that in the mid-nineteenth
century was fifth in membership within the United
States.
Members of the Christian movement sought biblical
authority for every aspect of belief. They wanted
"NO CREED BUT THE BIBLE."
Thus, if they were convinced from the Scriptures
of the literal soon advent of Christ and the
continuing validity of the seventh day Sabbath,
their heritage demanded acceptance.
Because William Miller, a well-known
Baptist preacher,exhibited profound knowledge
of the Scriptures as he lectured upon the literal
soon advent of Christ, scores of Christian Connection
churches and many of its ministers and leaders
became "Adventist" in the late 1830s
and 1840s. The Washington, New Hampshire, Christian
Connection church by the early 1840s was an
"Adventist" church.
SOCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, & THEOLOGICAL FREEDOM
Another element of the Seventh-day Adventist
heritage from "Christians" involves
the Seventh-day Adventist emphasis upon freedom.
Washington, New Hampshire, was the initial town
in the United States to name itself after George
Washington, and it took that name in 1776, the
year of the American Revolution. Its very birthplace
seemed a call to personal freedom.
"Christians," as did Seventh-day Adventists
from their earliest days, actively sought freedom
for all and worked toward abolition of slavery
as well as roles for women in the church, and
fostered a strong opposition to formalized church
creeds.
Freedom was also emphasized through an orientation
toward temperance and health reform. Proper
care of the physical frame would yield a clear
mind with which to perceive scriptural truths.
Thus within nineteenth-century Adventism one
finds strong anti-slavery actions, women licensed
as ministers, and health reform principles that
included abolition of alcohol and tobacco within
the membership.
Religious freedom came to mean more than the
separation of church and state. It also implied
a right to read the Scripture for oneself and
come to conclusions not bound by creedal presuppositions.The
prophetic guidance of Ellen White
within the movement solidified this perspective
of social, organizational, and theological freedom.
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 MILESTONES |
1831 to 1844
The "great second advent awakening."
1849
First paper, the Present Truth, was printed
in Middletown, Conn.
1860
Name of Seventh-day Adventist adopted by the
church.
1863
First General Conference and formation of the
SDA church on May 21, 1863.
1866
The Health Reform Institute opened
its doors.
1871
First college opened which became Andrews University.
1896
The Church now has established work in 209 countries.
1915
Ellen G. White dies on July 16, at St. Helena,
CA.
1942
Voice of Prophecy radio show begins broadcasting
coast to coast.
1950
Faith for Today TV show begins.
1955
SDA membership hits 1 million.
1986
SDA membership hits 5 million.2 |
INFORMATION SHEET |
The Sabbath question has been
of concern to mankind in
general throughout the religious history of
the human race.
 Timeline
of the Sabbath history through the ages.
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Church
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