The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VI. Emergence of “Seventh Month” Movement Positions

Beginning first with an article written February 16, 1843, and continuing progressively throughout 1844, ³⁴ Samuel S. Snow emphasized the autumnal Jewish seventh month, Tishri, as the true ending of the prophetic 2300-year span, with the beginning dated from the autumn of 457 B.C. As early as May, 1844, Snow wrote: PFF4 799.1

“John’s ministry began in the latter part of A.D. 26, and ended with the autumn of A.D. 27. Here commenced the week of the confirmation of the covenant, i.e., the establishment of the gospel as a divine system, by the mighty works of Christ. Three years and a half from this point brings us to the spring of A.D. 31, when our Lord was crucified in the ‘MIDST [i.e., middle] of the week.’ Three years and a half more, (the last half of the week,) during which the word or covenant was confirmed by them who had heard the Lord, (Hebrews 2:3,) brings us down to the autumn of A.D. 34.... PFF4 799.2

“I believe this argument to be based on correct premises, and to be perfectly sound. What then is the conclusion? It must certainly be this: That as the 70 weeks ended in the autumn of A.D. 34, the remaining part of the 2300 days, i.e., 1810, being added, brings us to the autumn of A.D. 1844.... But I am confident, from the light I have received from God’s blessed word, in those glorious types which he has given in mercy, for his children to understand, that our King and Saviour will appear in his glory in the seventh month of the Jewish sacred year.” ³⁵ PFF4 799.3

This position reached its final printed form in the True Midnight Cry of August 22, 1844, published at Haverhill, Massachusetts, immediately following the epochal Exeter camp meeting. ³⁶ Snow’s argument was built upon the Karaite “true reckoning” for the sacred year-embracing both the “tenth day of the seventh month” ending, and an A.D. 31 spring crucifixion. Regarding the right year (1844) as now determined upon the basis of the outline prophecy periods, he set forth the specific day of the expected advent as October 22, our calendar equivalent of the tenth day of the seventh month the Day of Atonement—in this Karaite calendar year. ³⁷ From this he never deviates. PFF4 799.4

Ascertaining that the “new moon,” or first day of the seventh Jewish month, Tishri, fell on October 13, then the tenth day of that seventh month would fall on October 22, as its civil equivalent—though technically beginning at the previous sunset. So it would actually be October 21/22, as every Jewish day, from sunset to sunset, embraces parts of two civil days which run from midnight to midnight. But as the bulk of the day coincided with October 22, that was commonly spoken of as its civil equivalent. PFF4 800.1

Snow definitely shifted the date of the cross from the end of the seventieth week in A.D. 33, or 34, as still held by some, back to the prophetically specified “midst” of the seventieth week in the spring of A.D. 31. ³⁸ For this he cited William Hales, Irish clergyman and writer on science, as his chief chronological authority, ³⁹ along with the contrasting testimony of the rabbinical and Karaite calendars—the rabbinical involving A.D. 33, and the Karaite A.D. 31—as the only Friday Passover falling within the circle of years embracing Christ’s public ministry. ⁴⁰ This was another determinative factor. PFF4 800.2

Support for Snow’s position grew slowly but steadily. ⁴¹ Thus it was that the second and third of the three great structural dates of the 2300-year span came finally to be determined and consistently maintained by those participating in the seventh-month movement-which will be discussed in the next chapter. But it is to be noted that the starting point—the 457 B.C. joint beginning of the 70 weeks and the 2300 years—was taken as established and axiomatic, and was never revised, altered, or changed throughout the Advent Movement, in the shiftover from 1843 to 1844. PFF4 800.3

Picture 3: LEADERS IN THE VIRILE SEVENTH-MONTH MOVEMENT
(Left) Samuel s. Snow, Who at boston in July, 1844, First urged the revised dating of October 22, Which was idely accepted from the August exeter, N.Y., Camp meeting onward; (right) George Storrs, Strong supporter of the October 22 expectation, Particularly the midnight cry phase, Who also introduced the controverted teaching of conditional immortality
Page 800