Miller, William, 1782-1849
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1782 - 1849
Biographical
William Miller (1782-1849) was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and grew up in Low Hampton, northern New York. After his marriage to Lucy P. Smith in 1803, Miller moved to Poultney, Vermont. Here he abandoned his Christian beliefs and became a Deist. During the War of 1812 Miller served as a lieutenant and then captain. In the face of violence and death, he began to reevaluate his life and its meaning.
After the war he went back to the Bible and started studying it verse by verse which soon led to his re-conversion to Christianity. As a result of his studies, especially the prophecies of the book of Daniel, Miller concluded that Christ would return to Earth in “about 1843.” Miller’s message was electrifying. Many people accepted his views of the immanent return of Christ, and thus there appeared a movement popularly known as Millerism or Millerites.
Since Christ did not come as expected, the Millerite Movement fragmented into several small groups after the October 22, 1844, “Great Disappointment.” Among those groups was the Sabbatarian group which later became the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is why the Seventh-day Adventists see their immediate roots in Millerism.
After the war he went back to the Bible and started studying it verse by verse which soon led to his re-conversion to Christianity. As a result of his studies, especially the prophecies of the book of Daniel, Miller concluded that Christ would return to Earth in “about 1843.” Miller’s message was electrifying. Many people accepted his views of the immanent return of Christ, and thus there appeared a movement popularly known as Millerism or Millerites.
Since Christ did not come as expected, the Millerite Movement fragmented into several small groups after the October 22, 1844, “Great Disappointment.” Among those groups was the Sabbatarian group which later became the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is why the Seventh-day Adventists see their immediate roots in Millerism.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
The Midnight Cry Video Production Collection
Collection
Identifier: Collection 240
Content Description
This collection contains materials related to the production of the film Midnight Cry! William Miller and the End of the World, from its proposal to its completion and post-production advertisement. The materials include correspondences, committee minutes, financial statements, and task sheets. There are also photocopies of pertinent books and images. The Midnight Cry master copies and the finished production in videotape format can also be...
Dates:
Majority of material found within 1988 - 1995
William Miller Collection
Collection
Identifier: Collection 25
Content Description
The present collection contains several personal items, documents, letters, and writings of William Miller. In addition, there is a compilation of written articles about Miller and the Millerite movement. The researcher should bear in mind the presence of a large body of material available on microfilm which relates to William Miller and the Millerite Movement. The microfilm collection, The Millerites and Early Adventist, is available in the Adventist Heritage Center as well as...
Dates:
1798 - 1983