Adventists, << AD vehn tihsts, >> are members of religious groups that stress the doctrine of the Second Coming. That is, they believe that Jesus Christ may return to the earth at any moment.
Such questions as when, where, and how Jesus would return have excited the curiosity of Christians. Interest was particularly high during the early 1800’s. William Miller, a Baptist minister in Low Hampton, N.Y., was one of many students of the Bible who tried to find the answers. For years, Miller studied the prophecies recorded in the Old Testament Book of Daniel and the New Testament Book of Revelation. After many calculations, he announced in 1831 that the Second Advent would occur in 1843 or 1844. Thousands of people believed him, and some sold their possessions. His followers, called Millerites, waited for the coming of Christ and the end of the world.
When the world did not end in 1844, many of Miller’s followers were bitterly disappointed. They abandoned his movement to form new ones. The largest one–the Seventh-day Adventist Church–emerged about the time of the Civil War. This group also stressed the doctrine of the Second Coming. But it avoided Miller’s inclination to predict the specific time that Jesus would return.
The Seventh-day Adventists believe the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. They abstain from anything that might affect bodily health, including tobacco, alcohol, tea, and coffee. The Adventists conduct an extensive missionary program because they believe the Second Coming cannot take place until all nations have heard the Gospel.
