The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

How the Second Message was Proclaimed

The Midnight Cry of Sept. 12, 1844, contains a statement made by Elder J. V. Himes respecting the second angel’s message, and the circumstances which led to the proclamation of the same. His letter is dated, McConnellsville, Ohio, Aug. 29, 1844, and reads:— GSAM 173.1

“When we commenced the work with Brother Miller in 1840, he had been lecturing nine years. During that time he stood almost alone. But his labors had been incessant and effectual in awakening professors of religion to the true hope of God’s people, and the necessary preparation for the advent of the Lord; as also the awakening of all classes of the unconverted to a sense of their lost condition, and the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to God, as a preparation to meet the Bridegroom in peace at his coming. Those were the great objects of his labors. He made no attempt to convert men to a sect or party in religion. GSAM 173.2

“When we were persuaded of the truth of the advent at hand, and embraced the doctrine publicly, we entertained the same views, and pursued the same course among the different sects, where we were called, in the providence of God, to labor. We told the ministers and churches that it was no part of our business to break them up, or to divide and distract them. We had one distinct object, and that was to give the ‘cry,’ the warning of the judgment ‘at the door,’ and persuade our fellow-men to get ready for the event.... The ministry and membership who availed themselves of our labors, but had not sincerely embraced the doctrine, saw that they must either go with the doctrine, and preach and maintain it, or in the crisis which was right upon them, they would have difficulty with the decided and determined believers. They therefore decided against the doctrine, and determined, some by one policy and some by another, to suppress the subject. This placed our brethren and sisters among them in a most trying position. Most of them loved their churches, and could not think of leaving. But when they were ridiculed, oppressed, and in various ways cut off from their former privileges and enjoyments, and when the ‘meat in due season’ was sounded in their ears from Sabbath to Sabbath, they were soon weaned from their party predilections, and arose in the majesty of their strength, shook off the yoke, and raised the cry, ‘Come out of her, my people.’ GSAM 173.3