Seventh-Day Adventists

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 3, 1874

Seventh-Day Adventists.

We have received No. 3 of Himes’ Journal, published by Eld. J. V. Himes, Buchanan, Mich. In it, he speaks as follows of his recent visit to this place:—

“Friday, Nov. 14.—By special request of the Advent church in Assyria, Mich., and Eld. H. Holler, their pastor, I visited this people. On the way, I called at Battle Creek and spent a day with the

“SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.

“I went first to the Health Institute, where I was cordially received by Bro. E. B. Gaskill, the superintendent. Subsequently I saw Eld. White and his wife, and Eld. J. N. Andrews, all of whom made me welcome.

“Their institutions are located in the west part of the city, where they occupy several buildings for printing and book-binding; two large brick, and one smaller wood structure. The brick buildings cost ten thousand dollars each, and are well suited for their objects. They are to add two new power-presses soon. They have a large stock of paper, as also books and tracts on hand, and paid for. They employ about fifty hands. Their weekly paper, entitled the Advent Review and Herald, has a weekly circulation of about five thousand copies. They also publish a paper for the Danes, in their language. Also, a magazine entitled the Health Reformer.

“In connection with the Publishing Department here, a Stock Company of brethren of this faith have established a Health Institute, on the principles of the Water Cure and health reform. They have convenient, comfortable buildings, and the house is made not only pleasant to their guests, but their treatment has sent many an invalid home rejoicing in improved or restored health.

“They have erected another brick building within the last year, at a cost of ten thousand dollars, which they purpose to use for a school for young men, especially those preparing for the ministry.

“Their General Conference was in session to-day, and I went in and heard Elder James White, the chief leader of this enterprise.

“It may not be known to all our readers that after the time set for the advent in 1844 passed, a class of believers took the ground that the time was right, but the mistake was in regard to the nature of the event, that is, the personal coming of Christ at that time; that the prophetic periods brought us to the time of Judgment, and the Advent would take place speedily after. And their peculiar explanations of the prophecies accord with these views.

“They have been greatly strengthened in these views by the visions of Mrs. White (the wife of Elder White), whose writings have given form and strength to the theory.

“While I look upon many things in the theory of this branch of the Advent body as erroneous, I am, as a journalist, free and frank to say that their devotion, piety, liberality, and industry, have not been exceeded by any other branch of the Advent family.

“But to the meeting: Elder W. read the tenth chapter of Revelation, and expounded it, with other prophecies, in a way to sustain their theory. They think the coming of Christ is at hand, but have no time fixed for the event. In connection with their theory of the prophetic events of the last days, they hold to the seventh-day Sabbath, as essential to be kept by the believers in this last time. They have prepared an elaborate history of the Sabbath which they affirm sustains their views. The work was first written, and has now been enlarged, by its author, Eld. J. N. Andrews, one of the most able writers of this school. It would not be possible for me, in a sketch like this, to speak of the merits of these expositions of prophecy, or of the Sabbath question. . . .

“Though I was known to be an unbeliever in many of their views, I was received and treated with the greatest kindness.”