The Great Second Advent Movement

There are already many useful books in the hands of the people, and my apology for adding another to the list, is that in these pages I state many things concerning Adventists, and especially Seventh-day Adventists, which have not heretofore been brought in this form before the people. Besides this, many who espoused the cause in later years, and who have not witnessed the things mentioned, have earnestly requested a narration of these facts and experiences from those earlier in the work. Having been familiar with the advent movement in 1843 and 1844, and having, since Jan. 2, 1849, proclaimed the doctrine, first as an Adventist, and since 1852 as a Seventh-day Adventist, I esteem it a pleasure to "speak the things I have seen and heard."

I have presented a statement concerning the advent movement, which from 1831 to 1844 spread to every civilized nation of the world.

Since 1845 there have been other bodies of Adventists which have proclaimed, and still are proclaiming, the near advent of Christ. Instead of tracing all of those bodies, it has been my purpose to give, at some length, the rise and progress of the Seventh-day Adventists, calling especial attention to those agencies which, in the providence of God, have aided in developing, from poverty and small beginnings, a people of whom, although they number only about one hundred thousand, some of their opponents have said, "From the energy and zeal with which they work one would judge that there were two million of them."

Even those who are only slightly conversant with Seventh-day Adventist history know that since 1845 Mrs. E. G. White has been prominently connected with the movement, both as a speaker and writer. They also know that connected with her work there have been peculiar exercises, or gifts. It has been my privilege to be present present and witness the operation of this gift about fifty times. In these pages I have called attention to some twenty-six definite predictions made by Mrs. White which have been most accurately fulfilled.

In addition to my own observations, I have also presented the testimony of other eye-witnesses respecting their experiences. Such facts should have more weight with the candid reader than random statements made by those who have never been present on such occasions.

I commit the work to the readers, hoping that, with the blessing of God, the perusal of these pages may be a means of promoting the cause of Christ in many hearts, and trusting that all, as they read, will bear in mind the words of Paul to the Thessalonians, "prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

J. N. Loughborough.
Mountain View, California, May 1, 1905.

Preface to the 1992 Edition

Biographical Sketch

John Norton Loughborough was an eyewitness to the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist church. A brief overview in his own words of his life and ministry (extracted from the Appendix A) will give a background to this new edition of his book.

I was born in Victor, Ontario County, N.Y., on Jan. 26, 1832. This village of 200 or more inhabitants was surrounded by a well settled farming community for miles. It was on the old mail stage line from Albany to Buffalo. This village was where I attended Sunday school and public service until the spring of 1848, when the city of Rochester, N.Y. became my headquarters. Both my father and grandfather were local ministers in the Methodist church, but supported themselves....

...In the last week in December 1843, I heard my first discourse on Advent preaching. It was from Brother James Barry, on the topic, "The Hour of His Judgment is Come." The mighty power of God set home the truth he proclaimed. It seemed as though we were standing before the judgment bar of God. Under the exhortation that followed from the pastor, I with many others pressed my way to the front to be prayed for. And there began my first effort to pray and seek God....

In the winter of 1852, before I had begun to preach the third angel's message, when I was studying whether I should preach the message, or sustain myself and wife by hand labor, a vision was given to Sister White in our meeting in Rochester one Sabbath, and a direct testimony was given for me to hesitate no longer, but to go out and preach the message, and the Lord would open the way for me to be sustained....

When I had got fairly into the work, in those early times, there was manifest what then was a mystery to me. It was this -in every important meeting in different states that Brother and Sister White attended, they would call upon me to go with them. I would say to myself, "Why do they not ask these ministers instead of me all the time?"

Then again, when those three rebellions came on from 1853 to 1865, when they started three different papers, one for each of those tirades, why was it that I was present, and saw each of the rebellions start? Then again, why was it that I was present to see Sister White in her open visions over forty different times, see her examined by the physicians, hear her make predictions of what was to take place - things that seemed incredible to those hearing the predictions, and yet literally fulfilled? I say in all candor, these opportunities were not occasions of exaltation to me, but a mystery. I would say to myself, "Why is all this so?"

...In 1890, I was requested by the General Conference to labor east of the Rocky Mountains. Then came this testimony, written to Elder O. A. Olsen, of which a copy was also sent to me: "I say let Elder Loughborough do a work that is suffering to be done in the churches. The Lord would have his voice heard as was John's, telling the things which he himself has experienced in the rise and progress of the third angel's message. Let Elder Loughborough stand in his right place, as a Caleb coming to the front, and bearing a decided testimony, in face of unbelief, and doubt and skepticism, 'we be well able to go up and possess the goodly land.' Do not fasten Elder Loughborough in a corner anywhere. Do not bind him to any one conference. Let him go here and there, and everywhere, telling what he has seen, and known and handled in the rise of the third angel's message.

A Specific Call to Circulate Loughborough's Book

At the turn of the century, after Brother Loughborough wrote Rise and Progress of the Third Angel's Message which was the precursor to The Great Second Advent Movement, Ellen White penned these words:

I feel deeply over our present situation. We must now do a work that should have been done long ago. We must do as the Lord directed Moses to do, when the children of Israel, having crossed the desert, were encamped on the borders of Jordan. Moses was bidden to rehearse to them all the dealing of the Lord to them during their journeyings through the wilderness. The record of this rehearsal is found in the book of Deuteronomy.

The record of the experience through which the people of God passed in the early history of our work must be republished. Many of those who have since come into the truth are ignorant of the way in which the Lord wrought. The experience of William Miller and his associates, of Captain Joseph Bates, and of other pioneers in the advent message, should be kept before our people. Elder Loughborough's book should receive attention. Our leading men should see what can be done for the circulation of this book.

We must study to find out the best way in which to take up the review of our experiences from the beginning of our work, when we separated from the churches, and went forward step by step in the light that God gave us. We then took the position that the Bible, and the Bible only, was to be our guide; and we are never to depart from this position. We were given wonderful manifestations of the power of God. Miracles were wrought. Again and again, when we were brought into strait places, the power of God was displayed in our behalf.- Letter 105, 1903 (CWE145)

Why Republish?

In the light of the foregoing testimonies, let us reflect on the reasons why Brother Loughborough was instructed to recount our history, and why we have felt led to bring his account back into active circulation.

Call to Remember

Above all, a review of historical events gives us an opportunity to trace God's hand at work, to see evidences of His loving care. This builds faith, and teaches us the lessons of the past, both positive and negative. It reviews the Scriptural foundations of our church, and reveals the sacrificial spirit of our pioneers. It recalls our spiritual roots. As Brother Loughborough stated on p. 33, "If it was good for Israel to call to remembrance the leadings of the Lord with them, is it not good also for us? In ecstasy the psalmist again says, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.'"

A Special Time in History

The years of the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist work was one of the special times in history. At least three criteria of such come to mind.

1. When a major prophecy is being fulfilled. Usually such an event is not widely nor fully discerned at the time. It is therefore particularly important and helpful to look back with the perspective of hindsight to understand the dimensions of the prophecy -the messages the Lord planned as present truth for that period in earth's history.


2. When foundations are being laid for a special work the Lord plans to do. In understanding such times it is very important to see the way the pillars were laid, the evidences from Scripture and the providential events that step by step led the "pioneers", those builders called for such a time as that, to come to a meaningful and logical conviction as to the message and the mission committed to them by God.


3. When major transitions in the anti-typical, real sanctuary service occur. Since God's way "is in the sanctuary" (Ps.77:13), it is critical to understand and follow by faith what God is doing to handle the sin problem. Particularly helpful in this is the parallel between the preceding major transition and the one in the Advent awakening. The Lord would have us reflect on what happened at the move from the courtyard to the holy place (from Calvary to the Ascension), and how the godly people of that time initially misunderstood what occurred, and thereby experienced a very trying disappointment, but finally came to see their place in the unfolding of God's plan. Their experience shines a light on that of the believers in 1844 and following, at the transition from the holy place to the holy of holies (from Intercession to Intercessory Judgment).

All three of the above criteria we see in the founding period outlined in Brother Loughborough's account. We desire to grasp and partake of the same spirit of those who sought for truth "as for hid treasure", found it, and committed all to its proclamation.

Affirming the Spirit of Prophecy

Another reason for republishing Loughborough's testimony is to affirm again in our day the historical and Biblical role of Ellen White's ministry as a writer, speaker, and recipient of the Spirit's special gift, to which he referred in his preface.

Eyewitness Account of the Founding Truths

Evidence points to at least three reasons Ellen White gave instruction some 90 years ago to make this book widely available, and to review and republish the words and accounts of those who had laid the foundations of the work. (1) These eyewitnesses were dying, and their personal, verbal testimonies were thus being silenced. (2) The increasing thousands who were joining the church with no personal knowledge of either the founding events or founding persons would lead to a church ignorant of its God-ordained roots. (3) The testing ministries of heresies would try the church, particularly in its blinded condition as evidenced in, and resultant from, the Minneapolis experience. Thus the confidence of many in the fact that the Lord had ever led in this movement would be sorely tried in many, varied, and subtle ways. It would be critical that the evidences of His hand at work be clearly and strongly recounted.

Notes on Appendix A

The questioning, doubting ignorance of those who were not eyewitnesses was seen in Brother Loughborough's own lifetime. One such example provided the impetus for him to write what is here given as the Appendix. We sense it a privilege and duty to be able to include his response in this edition, this being the first time it has been published. We were made aware of its existence by a reference to it in L. E. Froom's booklet Finding the Lost Prophetic Witnesses. We quote Froom's description of the history of the manuscript which forms Appendix A:

Another valuable accession was a large typewritten manuscript pecked out by J. N. Loughborough on an old Blick telegraph typewriter, all in capitals. It was his answer, prepared in 1918 shortly before his death, to the charges of lies, distortion, and inaccuracy hurled by certain critics a short time before against his earlier books concerning the beginnings of the Advent Movement. When offered for publication to one of our publishing houses, it was obviously not of sufficient general interest to warrant issuance. It was accordingly returned to the author.

In his advancing years Elder Loughborough gave it to H. A. Washburn, then professor of history at Pacific Union College, who valued it and preserved it. One day the professor's cottage burned to the ground, and with it went his fine library. The few books he had left were on his desk at the college. Among them was this manuscript, entitled "Some Experiences." At the close of my first series of lectures on the Millerite Movement, which I had been asked to give at the opening of the Advanced Bible School held that year at Pacific Union College, Professor Washburn brought the manuscript and placed it in my hands with the observation, "Now I understand why this manuscript should be one of the few things preserved from my entire library by being on my desk in the college. God wanted it kept for this use. Put it in the Advent Source Collection."-pp. 48, 49

The Cooperation of the Lord with Humanity

Understanding something of the nature of mankind as evidenced in our own hearts, we are acutely aware of the earthen vessels the Lord has ever had with which to work. We present this book to bolster faith in how the Lord has worked, not to build a false confidence in the frailty of the humans through which He sought to accomplish His will. We make no excuses for any of the ways in which the humanness of these godly men and women may be revealed to the earnest seeker of truth in this our day, as he reads this book or any other account of those momentous times. God has ever worked in cooperation with mankind, in a union of humanity with divinity (Eph.2:20). Let us ever listen for His voice, even through the faltering words of others. "Despise not prophesyings; prove all things; hold fast to that which is good." (1 Thes.5:20, 21). (See Selected Messages, Vol. 3, pp.342-347)

Founding Period the Focus

We see this book's greatest contribution is in answering many questions (often even unasked) about our founding period and early years. Other questions that are pertinent to the later experience of the church in the end of the nineteenth century and since are best covered elsewhere. The messenger of the Lord has described in the testimonies the condition of the church then, the light the Lord attempted to bring in 1888, and the consequences, for that time and for the years extending to our day, of the church's having rejected that message.

It is important to see the contrast between the delay of the peoples' expectation, which has been the lot of God's people through the ages, who hoped they were near the coming of the Lord but received evidence that it was not for their time, and the delay of the Lord's intentions, when as with Israel of old He brought us as a people to the borders of Canaan and said, "Go in", and we entered not in because of unbelief. Let us see where we are, and why we are here. Let us learn the lessons of our forefathers, recount the blessing and long- suffering of the Lord, and allow Him to do in and through us what He was unable to do 100 years ago.

Challenge to Current Church

In Brother Loughborough's preface he stated that the 100,000 Seventh-day Adventists that then comprised the church showed an energy and zeal that made them seem like 2 million. Using the same ratio, could we say now that our 6 million seem like 120 million? What challenges does his recounting of the early years bring to the church today?

We leave with you some unanswered questions we pray this new edition will raise:

1. Where has the "movement" gone?


2. Has it been true to its foundations?


3. To what degree can the changes we see in the church since Loughborough's day be explained by changes in society or by the Lord at work in our midst.


4. Why are we still here some 150 years after the movement first began proclaiming the near return of Christ?

In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what the Lord has wrought, I am filled with astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history. -Life Sketches, p. 196

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. (Proverbs 22:28)

The Adventist Pioneer Library Committee Loma Linda, California, March 1, 1992