The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VII. Bates-Writer of First (1846) Sabbath Tract

New Bedford, Massachusetts, has had a long and illustrious history. It was formerly an old whaling town in those early times when Yankee merchantmen were sailing the seven seas, not only to European ports but to South America, the Orient, and even Australia. They were chiefly in quest of whale oil, the best illuminating and lubricating oil then known. New Bedford’s sister city, Fair Haven, across the Acushnet River, was the home of Captain JOSEPH BATES (1792-1872). At that time, however, Fair Haven was simply called East New Bedford. Here Joseph came with his parents when only a year old. His father was one of sixteen who, in 1798, banded themselves together to bring the Fair Haven Academy into being. ²¹ And this interest in education was transmitted to his son Joseph. PFF4 953.2

Young Bates wanted to become a sailor, and in 1807, when only fifteen, made his maiden voyage to England. On his second trip, however, in 1809, he fell into the hands of Danish privateers, used by Napoleon in his battle against all merchandising with Britain. Then, escaping and reaching England, he was a prisoner of war, until America and England came to blows in the War of 1812, spending five years in servitude on King George’s ships of war. He advanced through the years from second to first mate and finally to master, captain, and ship owner, retiring in 1828, when he had made a modest fortune—just twenty-one years from the time he first set sail as a cabin boy. PFF4 954.1

He was converted when all alone aboard his ship, and turned from drinking, smoking, and swearing. He became an ardent health reformer, and at eighty was still as “straight as a marble shaft.” After quitting the sea he returned home, because of his father’s death and to help his mother settle the estate. But within a year she died also, leaving him the Meadow Farm, where he lived. He had married in 1818, and for the first ten years his companion had lived the life of the typical sea captain’s wife of the time, waiting through the long voyages of separation. Along with some devotional books, she placed a Bible in his seaman’s chest, which finally brought him to Christ. So upon his retirement he joined her church, the Christian Connection, ²² which held to baptism by immersion. PFF4 954.2

In 1831 he sold the old home of his mother and joined with three other members in building the Washington Street Christian meetinghouse, where he was a faithful worshiper until 1839. In 1832 he had bought a piece of land called his “little farm,” and erected the usual buildings, including a two and one-half story home with seven rooms. He also planted a grove of mulberry trees, thinking to start a silk industry. Another building was for a manual labor school, because Bates was an ardent believer in education. PFF4 954.3

From 1839 onward, Bates was in the forefront of the 1844 PFF4 954.4

Picture 3: THE BRIDGE THAT MADE SABBATH HISTORY
Original bridge between new bedford and fair haven, massachusetts, on which james hall’s inquiry, “captain bates, what’s the news?” brought the startling rejoinder, “The seventh day is the Sabbath.” (inset) Joseph Bates
Page 955

Advent Movement with Miller, through both the first and second messages. He read Preble’s Hope of Israel Sabbath article in March, 1845. He never lost faith in God’s leadership, despite the fact that the Millerites had been mistaken in first believing the cleansing of the sanctuary involved the second advent in 1844. He had held fast, waiting, praying, and expecting more light. He studied the whole question of the Sabbath from the viewpoint of the Bible evidence, reviewed the historical angles cited by Preble, and investigated prophetic angles of its change and restoration. PFF4 955.1

He was both convinced and convicted. He must obey God, for that was the primary rule of his life. With characteristic promptness and vigor he made his decision to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. Naturally, the difficulties in the way of acting upon his decision arose before him-his family, friends, livelihood. And his money was now gone. But, he says, “In a f ew days my mind was made up to begin to keep the fourth commandment.” ²³ He was ever a man of decision and of action. PFF4 955.2

Next came the contact at Hillsboro and Washington, New Hampshire, and the confirmation he sought. Then followed the meeting between Bates and Hall on the low-slung toll bridge between Fairhaven and New Bedford. Bates, just returned from Washington, was hailed by James Madison M. Hall, his neighbor and fellow Adventist, with the question, “Good morning, Captain Bates, what’s the news?” (Original bridge pictured on page 955.) Hall was likewise looking for “light.” And then came the historic response, which must have come as a shock to Hall, “The news is that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God.” ²⁴ To Bates the Sabbath had brought the sweetness and rest of Eden, and he wanted to share it with others. So, shortly after this, he carried the good news to Hiram Edson in western New York, to James and Ellen White up in Maine, to Belden and Chamberlain in Connecticut, and to Otis Nichols in Dorchester, Massachusetts. PFF4 956.1

But, as upon his whole-souled acceptance of the advent faith in 1839, his wife Prudence was again hesitant over the Sabbath matter, and did not accept it until 1850. Bates, however, never wavered. He had persevered in various social and religious reforms-temperance, abolition, manual-labor schools, and the advent faith-and now the Sabbath! He was an ardent Adventist, his customary closing salutation being, “Yours in the Blessed Hope.” PFF4 956.2