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Until the end of 1844, Miller held resolutely to his conviction that Christ would return to the earth to "cleanse the sanctuary," which he interpreted to mean the earth. After the set dates passed, Miller wisely left off with date setting, admitted his mistake, and no longer participated in the adventist movement. He did not become a Seventh-day Adventist.

From the shambles of the confused and unscriptural date-setting movement, there emerged various groups with differing doctrinal peculiarities. Some of these groups gradually were formed into Seventh-day Adventism. The following history from Seventh-day Adventist publications contains the major factors in this formation.

1. A group of Advent followers in New Hampshire began Sabbath-keeping in 1844, and began to publish their views through pamphlets. Among these were Joseph Bates and James White, who later became Ellen G. White’s husband.

2. Some of these Sabbath-keepers accepted the visions of Hazen Foss and Ellen Harmon in relation to the "Investigative Judgment" doctrine and the end-time "Third Angel’s Message" of Revelation 14:9-12. The doctrine of investigative judgment, as taught by the SDA Church, claims that in 1844 Christ entered into the heavenly holy of holies to begin investigating the records of human works. It is supposed that this investigation will decide the eternal destinies of all men. The "Third Angel’s Message," which is a warning against taking the mark of the beast and which speaks of "they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Re. 14:9,12), was erroneously taken by the Adventists to refer to themselves, since they uphold the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath. A SDA publication relates these events:

Near the time of the expected advent in the fall of 1844, there was also given to Hazen Foss, a young Adventist of talent, a revelation of the experience of the advent people. Shortly after the passing of the time, he was bidden to relate the vision to others, but this be disinclined to do. He was warned of God as to the consequences of failing to relate to others what had been revealed to him, and was told that if he refused, the light would be given to someone else. But he felt keenly the disappointment of 1844, and ‘said that he had been deceived.’ After a severe mental conflict, he ‘decided he would not relate the visions.’ Then, ‘very strange feelings came to him, and a voice said, ‘You have grieved away the Spirit of the Lord’ (E.G. White Letter No. 37, 1890).

‘Horrified at his stubbornness and rebellion,’ he ‘told the Lord that he would relate the vision,’ but when he attempted to do so before a company of believers, he could not call it to mind. In vain were his attempts to call up the scenes as they had been shown to him; and then in deep despair he exclaimed, ‘It is gone from me; I can say nothing, and the Spirit of the Lord has left me.’ Eyewitnesses described it as ‘the most terrible meeting they were ever in.’

Early in 1845, Foss overheard Ellen Harmon relate her first vision to the company of believers at Portland, Maine. He recognized her account as a description of what was shown him. Upon meeting her the next morning, he recounted his experience, of which she had not before known, and encouraged her to faithfully perform her work, stating: ‘I believe the visions are taken from me and given to you. Do not refuse to obey God, for it will be at the peril of your soul. I am a lost man. You are chosen of God; be faithful in doing your work, and the crown I might have had, you will receive.’ On comparing dates, they discovered that it was not until after he had been told that the visions were taken from him, that Ellen Harmon was given her first revelation. Although Hazen Foss lived till 1893, he never again manifested interest in matters religious (Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White—Messenger to the Remnant, revised to 1969, p. 30).

"...in the year 1844 ... there was a group of Advent believers among whom was manifested the gift of prophecy. The agent of this gift [Ellen Harmon] was called to service in 1844. Later those associated with this gift came in contact with the Bible teaching already referred to—the truths of the Sabbath and of the heavenly sanctuary and the judgment hour. Thus was formed the nucleus of the definite Advent Movement of the prophecy. We see the various special factors all having their roots in 1844. And from that day to this, the people of the prophecy have been hastening on toward all nations with the gospel message of preparation to meet the Lord" (Gift of Prophecy, p. 13).

The advent movement was unbiblical from its inception. The Lord Jesus plainly warns against setting specific dates for His return:

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matt. 24:36).

"Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Mt. 24:42).

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matt. 24:44).

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt. 25:13).

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is" (Mk. 13:32-33).

"It is not for you to know the time or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power" (Acts 1:7).

Every religious movement, no matter how sincere and fervent, which has set dates for the Second Coming of Christ has done so in direct opposition to Jesus’ warnings. God is not in any date-setting movement. William Miller was probably sincere in his zeal to proclaim Jesus’ soon return, but he was sincerely wrong. He was deluded, together with those who followed him, including those who later became members of Seventh-day Adventism.

The doctrine of Sabbath worship for New Testament believers is a heresy in direct contradiction to Bible teaching. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days" (Col. 2:16). Those within the advent movement who accepted the Sabbath-keeping doctrine were simply being led another step further from the truth.

First the date-setting error; then the Sabbath error; then the Investigative Judgment error. The latter has no foundation in Scripture whatsoever, yet it was accepted as "light from heaven" by many of the already deceived and straying adventists.

Finally, the visions of Hazen Foss and Ellen White were added to this heretical stew. Hazen Foss was not dealing with the God of the Bible. The gifts and calling of the true God do not change (Ro. 11:29). Stubborn prophets and ministers are dealt with as rebellious children until brought to repentance, as Jonah was, but their gift and calling remains. Even though poor Hazen Foss repented and heartily agreed to obey the visions, he was rejected by the angel and told that he had "grieved away the Holy Spirit."

The Bible, on the other hand, says the New Testament believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit "unto the day of redemption" (2 Co. 1:22; Ep. 1:12-14; 4:30). Praise the Lord, He cannot be grieved away! The angel who dealt with Hazen Foss was a liar! He was a deceiving spirit, a fallen angel under the command of the father of lies—the Devil. The powerful movement that has arisen upon the visions of this angel is as deceitful and false as he is.

There is an urgent need to learn from the Adventists’ mistakes. To disobey Romans 16:17 is serious and often leads to error and shipwreck of faith. The Adventists ignored clear Bible teaching on the Second Coming and followed a movement based upon doctrines contrary to this teaching. Many were then led on to other, more serious errors, culminating in the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist group.

When we find teaching in a religious movement that is contrary to plain Bible doctrine, we must avoid that movement in obedience to Romans 16:17. No matter how much supposed good is in the movement, it is dangerous and must be avoided if it promotes teachings plainly contrary to Scripture. Weakness here—inability and unwillingness to stand against and separate from heresy—is evidence of spiritual illness.

Ellen White’s father, Robert Harmon, was a follower of William Miller. Because of their acceptance of adventist theories, the Harmons, Ellen included, were dropped from the Methodist church in Portland, Maine, in 1843 (D.A. Delafield, Ellen G. White and the S.D.A., p. 87). Ellen had made a personal commitment to adventism during a sermon by Miller, and at age 17 she allegedly began receiving visions concerning this movement. This began soon after October 1844, the last date that had been set by Miller and his followers; and in these visions, many Adventists saw the leading of God in answer to their bewilderment and desperation. The teenage girl was allegedly commanded by the revealing "angel" to proclaim the visions to others, and as she did, a following of adventists rallied around her as a prophetess of God.

"Back in December 1844, in her first prophetic vision, she was shown the advent people traveling on an elevated road to heaven, with a brilliant light illuminating their pathway. At the end of this path was the golden City of God, the New Jerusalem, described by John in the last chapters of the Revelation. The light shining from the commencement of the trail was symbolic of the Lord’s presence with the movement from its beginning until the second coming of the Lord ... ‘In my second vision ... about a week after the first, the Lord gave me a view of the trials through which I must pass, and told me that I must go and relate to others what He had revealed to me ... Said the angel ... Deliver the message faithfully; endure unto the end, and you shall eat the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water of life’" (Ellen G. White and the SDA Church, pp. 12- 13).

Seventh-day Adventism was guided both in its doctrine and practice by this female voice, who was believed to possess the gift of prophecy and to be an inspired commentator of Scripture. Note the following quotation from a SDA publication:

"Mrs. White’s preeminent mission was to help build the dynamics of a Biblical faith into a Christian movement. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is indebted to her as a spiritual leader and a pioneer builder and guide. In most of the soulwinning activities of the church, from its very beginnings, the leaders received guidance from what they believed were the prophetic insights of this servant of God" (Ellen G. White and the SDA Church, pp. 10-11).

Ellen Harmon married James White on August 30, 1846, and became a Sabbath-keeper soon after. The Whites had four children—all boys—and they worked together to establish the Adventist movement until James’ death in October 1881. Often James and Ellen would speak at the same meetings. Ellen lived and labored for thirty-four years following James’ death. Eleven of those years were spent in Europe and Australia, helping establish the SDA movement in those continents.

Mrs. White was involved in an aggressive public speaking ministry.

"A much sought-after public speaker, Ellen White was often invited to address those who attended important gatherings of the church. ... As a revival speaker she was unsurpassed. As a temperance lecturer she reached her largest audiences. ... She met literally thousands of speaking appointments" (The Spirit of Prophecy Treasure Chest, pp. 176-177; this official Seventh-day Adventist publication is distributed with an advanced correspondence course which is sent to those with more than casual interest in the denomination; the author took this course in the late 1970s; the book is also sold in Adventist bookstores).

During the seventy years between 1844 and 1915, it is claimed that Mrs. White received approximately 2,000 visions and dreams. She said she was commanded to write her visions for preservation, and in fulfilling this charge she produced over 100,000 handwritten manuscript pages from which were published fifty-four books.

Throughout her life, Ellen White and her denomination were guided by these profuse visions, which she received usually at night. Through these she was instructed concerning (1) the supposed divine origin of the Adventist movement, (2) the Investigative Judgment, (3) the importance of Sabbath-worship, (4) the SDA health movement, (5) worldwide Adventist literature outreach, (6) the worldwide Adventist school system, (7) even the financial systems and ecclesiastical organization of the SDA church.

Thus we see that the major guiding influence of the SDA Church has been, from its inception, the visions and interpretations of Ellen G. White. While Adventist leaders claim that the Bible is their sole rule for faith and conduct, the fact is that without Ellen White there would be no Seventh-day Adventism. Since there are many Bible reasons for believing Mrs. White’s prophetic ministry was not of God, it follows that the denomination founded upon this ministry was also not of God.