The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: American Base Expansion and Overseas Extension

Let us now glance at certain other augmenting forces that increased the tempo at the American home base. We shall then turn to the rather remarkable extension of the Millerite movement overseas, on other continents and in the islands of the sea-literally out to the ends of the earth. As to the number of public heralds of the advent in 1842, the conservative Millerite leader, Josiah Litch, declared: PFF4 699.1

“There are now probably five or six hundred ministers of the gospel in the United States who are engaged more or less in preaching the doctrine of the speedy coming of Christ, and a large number who are devoted entirely to the work. The doctrine has made more progress within the last four months than in all previous time.” ¹ PFF4 699.2

And by March of 1844, associate editor L. D. Fleming made this amazing assertion of growth: “Something like fifteen hundred or two thousand lecturers are in the field proclaiming ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,’ therefore ‘repent.’” ² The result was a vigorous movement that drew hundreds of thousands into sympathy with premillennialism and away from the postmillennial concept that had been predominant. PFF4 699.3