Counsels on Stewardship -- Study Guide

A Pioneer’s Unmarked Grave

His name, Samuel Rhodes, never gained the prominence of Bates, White, or Andrews. Yet his life and unmarked grave symbolize the spirit of the pioneers that has moved men and women from many countries to take the gospel into new territories all over the world. Discouragement faced and overcome, not a few of these also rest today in unmarked graves throughout the earth. CS-SG 39.9

Born in 1813 in New York State, he spent all his money as a very successful preacher of the second advent of Christ. After the great disappointment of 1844 he was truly disappointed and discouraged. For three years he lived in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Finally, his spirit soothed, he responded to the appeals of Hiram Edson to rejoin the little band. The spirit had returned to this pioneer, and he again preached the message. CS-SG 39.10

He accompanied James and Ellen White into Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. He was a member of the Advent Review publishing committee with Bates, White, and Andrews. He designed the first Seventh-day Adventist prophetic charts. CS-SG 39.11

In 1850, fired by the report of Joseph Bates, who had gone to Michigan in 1849, Rhodes set out for that frontier. On he went to Indiana, spreading the “word.” He was the first pioneer to go into Illinois and Wisconsin. His efforts brought many men and women into the movement, a number of whom became leaders. CS-SG 39.12

In 1867 a letter was received from him stating his wife had died. One more letter came the following year. After that, nothing. He died in Marshall, Michigan, in April, 1883, at 70 years of age. No one knows how he died, except that he had worn out his body, which was returned to Battle Creek for burial in a lonely, unmarked grave. The spirit of the pioneers continues. CS-SG 39.13