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Chapter 70—1850
In 1885 Twenty-One Seventh-day Adventists Described Their Belief About the Shut Door in 1850.
We now present a very explicit and comprehensive statement covering this whole shut door experience, of believers in the third angel’s message previous to the year 1851. There are a goodly number of living witnesses who embraced the truth at that early date, who know whether these statements are true or not. Why should not their testimony be considered in this connection? We have obtained the signatures of quite a number, all of whom embraced the truth as early as 1850, and all were in the ’44 movement:— SDD 47.1
“We, the undersigned, having been well acquainted with the Advent movement in 1844 at the passing of the time, and having also embraced the truths of the third angel’s message as early as 1850, hereby cheerfully subscribe our names to the following statement concerning the shut door doctrine held by believers in the third angel’s message from the time of its rise to the last mentioned date, and onward. SDD 47.2
“They believed, in harmony with Revelation 3:7, 8, and other scriptures, that at the close of the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14 Christ closed his work in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and changed his ministration to the most holy, and entered upon the work of the Judgment, changing his relation in this respect to the plan of salvation. Here was a door opened and a door shut. SDD 47.3
“They believed that those who had the clear light upon the first angel’s message and turned against it, bitterly opposing it, were rejected of God. But they did not believe that those who had not had the light or those who had not come to years of accountability previous to 1844, if they should seek God with honest hearts, would be rejected. SDD 47.4
“While they believed with William Miller and the great mass of Adventists immediately after the passing of the time, that their work for the world was done, and that the Lord would come very soon, yet after the light upon the sanctuary and the third message explained their disappointment, they did not believe that mercy was past save for those who had rejected the light.” SDD 47.5
| J. B. Sweet | , South Saginaw, Mich. |
| Samuel Martin | , West Ringe, N. H. |
| Ira Abbey | , North Brookfield, N. Y. |
| Mrs. R. B. Abbey | , North Brookfield, N. Y. |
| Mrs. Diana Abbey | , North Brookfield, N. Y. |
| Mrs. L. B. Abbey | , North Brookfield, N. Y. |
| Herman S. Gurney | , Memphis, Mich. |
| Ann E. Gurney | , Memphis, Mich. |
| Wm. Gifford | , Memphis, Mich. |
| Mrs. Mary S. Chase | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. S. M. Howland | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. F. H. Lunt | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. Melora A. Ashley | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. Caroline A. Dodge | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. Sarah B. Whipple | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. Uriah Smith | , Battle Creek, Mich. |
| Mrs. Paulina R. Heligass | , Moline, Kan. |
| R. G. Lockwood | , St. Helena, Cal. |
| Mrs. R. G. Lockwood | , St. Helena, Cal. |
| Reuben Loveland | , North Hyde Park, Vt. |
| Mrs. Belinda Loveland | , North Hyde Park, Vt. |
—George I. Butler, The Review and Herald, April 7, 1885, p. 217. SDD 47.6