The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

IV. Close of “1843” Shifted to New Moon of April

Pressure from opponents forced Miller’s scholarly associates to study anew their position on, or understanding of, the Jewish year, and to probe deeply into its history. As a result, they were led to make the first correction in their calculation—which pertained to the exact time of the beginning and ending of the “Jewish sacred year,” extending from spring to spring. PFF4 795.4

As far back as April, and then in June and December of 1843, and in February of 1844 ²¹ months before Miller’s original date expired for the ending of the “Jewish year 1843” at the time of the vernal equinox in 1844-his associates (Sylvester Bliss, Josiah Litch, Joshua V. Himes, Nathaniel Southard, Apollos Hale, Nathan Whiting, and others) came to a definite conclusion. This was that the solution of Daniel’s prophecy is dependent upon the ancient or original Jewish form of luni-solar time, and not upon the altered modern rabbinical Jewish calendar. (This is discussed in Prophetic Faith, Volume II, pp. 196-199.) They therefore began to shift from Miller’s original date for the ending of the 2300 years (at the equinox in March), over to the new moon of April, 1844. ²² Early in this period of investigation, a Signs of the Times editorial declared: PFF4 796.1

“Now there is a dispute between the Rabbinical, and the Caraite Jews, as to the correct time of commencing the year. The former [Rabbinical Jews] are scattered all over the world, and cannot observe the time of the ripening of that harvest in Judea. They therefore regulate the commencement of the year by astronomical calculations, and commence with the first day of the new moon nearest the vernal equinox, when the sun is in Aries. The Caraite Jews on the contrary, still adhere to the letter of the Mosaic law, and commence with the new moon nearest the barley harvest in Judea; and which is one moon later than the Rabbinical year. The Jewish year of A.D. 1843, as the Caraites reckon it in accordance with the Mosaic law, therefore commenced this year with the new moon on the 29th day of April, and the Jewish year 1844, will commence with the new moon in next April [18/19], when 1843 and the 2300 days, according to their computation, will expire. But according to the Rabbinical Jews, it began with the new moon the first of last April, and will expire with the new moon in the month of March next.” ²³ PFF4 796.2

They consequently reckoned that the last day of the Jewish year “1843” would close with the sunset of April 18, 1844. Therefore the first day of the first month (Nisan) of “1844,” true Jewish time, would have as its civil equivalent April 19, though beginning actually with the sunset of April 18. Thus it should read April 18/19. (See Exhibits C and D, page 790.) PFF4 796.3

And Himes, writing after the spring equinox in 1844, declared that the real Jewish year “1843” had not yet actually expired: PFF4 797.1

“After its [the Jewish year 1843] commencement, he [Miller] gave it as his opinion that the Lord would come some time between the 21st of March, 1843, and the 21st of March, 1844. This time has now passed by, and we are a few days beyond the time to which he believed the days might extend.... Although the Jewish year has not expired, but extends to the new moon in April, as we explained in our last, yet our time will be regarded by our opponents as having passed by.” ²⁴ PFF4 797.2

This correction by the Millerites, of the beginning of the Jewish sacred year, was made deliberately and understandingly, on the basis of the original Mosaic stipulation, to which their attention was directed by the early Karaite contention in behalf of beginning the true sacred year with the “new moon of barley harvest” in Judea, ²⁵ which usually fell in April. This was the basis for their designation of October as the seventh month, true Jewish time, for the Jewish sacred year. PFF4 797.3