Joseph Bates
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One of the most interesting characters among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination was Joseph Bates. He was born July 8, 1792, at Rochester, Massachusetts, not far from where the Pilgrims landed.
While Joseph was a lad his father moved to New Bedford, where he went into business. This was destined to be Joseph's home until he moved with his family to Michigan in 1858. The town of New Bedford was divided during the War of 1812, and the eastern part was renamed Fairhaven.
While yet a schoolboy, Joseph had an ardent desire to become a sailor. He had the natural characteristics of a pioneer and felt that he would be at the height of his glory if only he could sail on a voyage of discovery and see what was on the other side of the world. When he talked to his mother about his desire to go to sea, she tried to persuade him to choose some other occupation, and he was afraid to ask his father about it. Finally his parents decided to allow him to go on a short trip by water to Boston to cure him of his mad desire. This, however, only whetted his appetite to go out into the great unknown, and finally in the year 1807 his father secured a place for him as cabin boy on a new ship sailing for Europe.
On the return trip a shark followed the ship all day long. Sailors are a brave and hardy group, but they are superstitious. There is a saying that if a person is sick on board, a shark will follow for days in order to get the corpse when it is buried at sea. Sailors have a dread of being eaten by a shark. When a shark followed the boat, various stories about sharks swallowing men alive, biting them in two, or swallowing them in two mouthfuls were revived.
Toward evening the cabin boy ascended the main mast to see whether he could catch sight of a vessel. As he came down, when about fifty feet from the deck and sixty from the water, he missed his hand hold and fell. Fortunately he struck a rope, which broke his fall and saved him from being dashed upon the deck, but it whirled him into the ocean.
As he came up he saw the ship, his only hope of rescue, passing rapidly beyond his reach. Hindered by his thick, heavy clothes, he was almost unable to swim, but fortunately his plight was immediately seen, and the captain and crew rushed toward the stern of the ship. The first officer hurled a coil of rope with all his might, and the floundering boy caught the end of it with one hand. "Hang on," came the shout, and they hauled him through the sea and set him safely on the deck. After it was ascertained that he was unhurt, someone asked where the shark was. Immediately the boy began to shake with fear, as the crew had been doing while he was in the water. The lad had not thought about the shark while he was in the water. When they looked, there it was, placidly swimming along on the opposite side of the ship.
Mr. Bates spent two and one-half years in the British service and two and one-half as a prisoner of war.
He arrived home after an absence of six years three months. He was overjoyed at seeing his father, mother, brothers, and sisters, and among others a certain young lady, Prudence Nye, the daughter of Captain Obed Nye, whose friendship he had cultivated before he left home.
During the next few years Mr. Bates continued to follow a seafaring life. As a result of his experience in the British Navy he was able to command a position as first mate, or second in command of the ship. On February 15, 1818, he married Miss Nye, and they lived in happy companionship until separated by death in their old age.
In 1821 Bates was promoted to the captaincy of a boat sailing to South America. His brother was the chief mate. On this first voyage as captain he became convinced of the error of a habit he had followed for more than a year; namely, the drinking of strong spirits. He had limited himself to one glass a day, taken at noon, and now he came to the point where he had a stronger desire for that one glass than for his food. While reflecting on the matter, he resolved never to drink another glass while he lived. He testified after forty-six years that he had never violated that resolution except to use alcohol for medicinal purposes. At the time of his resolution it was considered genteel to drink wine in company, and he continued this practice.
On the next voyage after his first step in reform, Captain Bates, while at Lima, Peru, resolved never to drink another glass of wine. This extreme reform completely isolated him from those with whom his vocation caused him to associate. He was exposed to jeering remarks when he refused to drink with his friends. On one occasion Captain Bates was invited to a large dinner party at Lima in honor of the officers of American ships in the harbor on George Washington's birthday. On this occasion the gentleman giving the dinner singled out the chief officer before the whole assembly and challenged him to drink. Bates boldly flew his colors, however, and filled his glass with water!
At about the same time the doughty captain was convicted of the error of smoking, and resolved never to use tobacco in any form again. On this voyage to the Pacific coast of South America, he also tried sincerely to break himself of the habit of swearing, and studied his Bible. He later remarked, "I concluded that I was making myself a tolerably good Christian." Thus, step by step, this strong-willed man of high ideals attempted in his own strength to reform, and succeeded in becoming a clean man of irreproachable habits.
As the years had come and gone, Captain Bates had won the esteem of his superiors until on this voyage he was part owner of the ship, and had the confidence of his partners in the venture to the extent that he was authorized to sell and purchase cargoes as often as it proved advantageous, and to use his own judgment in traveling to any part of the world which he deemed might be profitable. Captain Bates was thus supercargo as well as captain and part owner. And yet with all his pleasant prospects and good fortune, he was troubled. He had laid out a good-sized pile of books to take on his voyage. His wife felt there were more novels and romances than necessary, and accordingly placed a New Testament on top of the pile of books in the trunk. This was accompanied by an appropriate poem, which arrested the captain's attention and made him in his lonely hours think more and more upon spiritual things. He wanted to be a Christian, but he was passing through a severe struggle. At this time a member of the crew became ill and grew worse day by day. This intensified his feelings. In his despair he thought of jumping overboard as a solution to his problem. Finally, after intense mental suffering, he decided to pray, but had no secret place. He was afraid his officers and men would learn that he was under conviction. Finally he contrived a secret place under the dining table in the captain's cabin. He tells us that the first time he ever bowed the knee in prayer it seemed to him his hair stood out straight. The death of the sick member of the crew brought the matter to a climax, for he, the captain, an unconverted man, had to take charge of the burial service. He was conscience smitten, and retired to his hole under the table to pour out his soul before God in an earnest plea for forgiveness. He signed a covenant with God pledging to serve and honor Him, and immediately he felt the approbation of God and enjoyed peace in his resignation to the will of his Master. From this time forth he formed the habit of spending his time before breakfast in prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.
On his return from this voyage, Captain Bates was baptized and joined his wife in her membership in the Christian Church.
On his next voyage Captain Bates made his ship a reform institution. When the ship was well out to sea, he called the crew together and gave the members their instructions. The officers were to treat their men with kindness. There were to be no liquor and no intoxicating drinks on board except a small amount in the medicine chest to be dispensed by prescription of the captain. There was to be no swearing. This raised some objection, but the captain's word is law on a ship. He furthermore forbade the sailors to work or to go ashore on Sunday. He gave them Saturday afternoon off to mend and wash their clothes whether at sea or in port. He gathered the crew onto the deck in fair weather, or into the cabin in stormy times, and conducted daily worship. After he had announced the rules for the voyage, the captain knelt down and commended the boat and crew to God, who alone was able to guide and protect them on their way through unseen dangers in the days and months ahead. When Captain Bates returned from this voyage, nearly all the crew desired to remain with the ship and sign up for another voyage with the same working policy.
The captain was an enterprising businessman, and God had prospered him during these long years of privation and danger, and he now gave up the sea at the age of thirty-six with a snug fortune for that period.
The next few years were given over to improving a little farm, which his father had bequeathed to him. He built a building on his farm and planted mulberry trees for the purpose of furnishing food for silkworms.
One day during the autumn of that year, while Bates was working in his orchard, a friend who was a minister in the Christian Church invited him to attend a lecture that evening on the second coming of Christ. He was astonished that anyone could find anything in the Bible concerning the time of Christ's second advent, but he apparently fully accepted the doctrine within the next few months, for in September of the next year, when a call was made for the first general conference of Advent believers in all the world, Joseph Bates was one of the sixteen men who signed the call. He thus became the earliest of all those who later became Seventh-day Adventists, to embrace and participate in the Advent Movement.
In May, 1842, one of the most important general conferences of the 1844 movement took place at Boston. Joseph Bates's ability and standing in the Advent Movement was recognized in his election as chairman of the conference.
During the summer of 1842 Captain Bates attended camp meetings at various places, apparently in the capacity of a layman; but obviously he was considered a leader, was a member of committees, and supported the various plans and arrangements.
Owing to the fact that some of the members of the church where Mr. Bates worshiped, opposed the Advent message, he was finally constrained to withdraw from their fellowship. At that time he sold his share in the nine-thousand-dollar church, which he and three other men had built, and three quarters of which they still owned.
Along with the other believers Captain Bates experienced the first disappointment in the spring of 1844. While waiting for further light, they relied upon the scripture, "Though it [the vision] tarry, wait for it." All the early part of that summer the Advent people waited.
In August Mr. Bates attended a camp meeting held at Exeter, New Hampshire. While he was on the way the idea was presented to him that he would find new light there. When he came onto the grounds he passed from tent to tent to learn if there was any new light. The "true midnight cry" message was given at this meeting; namely, that Christ would appear October 22, 1844. The people scattered, carrying with them the thought that within sixty days Christ would come. As the people on foot, on trains, and in stages, wagons, and buggies dispersed into the various States, a mighty cry went up throughout New England: "'Behold, the bridegroom cometh!' Christ, our blessed Lord, is coming on the tenth day of the seventh month! Get ready! Get ready!!" Mr. Bates participated in the stirring activities incident to the tenth-day-of-the-seventh-month movement, as explained in Bible prophecy. With tens of thousands of believers at that time he was deeply disappointed.
In those dark days of disappointment in the fall of 1844 and during the months following, Mr. Bates, with others, sought diligently for light. Occasionally, before the great disappointment, individuals had brought up the matter of observing the seventh day as the Sabbath. At Washington, New Hampshire, Mrs. Rachel Preston, a Seventh Day Baptist who came to visit in the community, persuaded the members of the Adventist company of the necessity of keeping the Sabbath, and she joined them in looking for the second coming of Christ. This occurred about the time of the great disappointment. Shortly thereafter, two men, J. B. Cook and T. M. Preble, called the attention of the Advent believers to the need of Sabbath observance.
In the spring of 1845 Mr. Bates visited the company of Adventists in Washington, New Hampshire, who were keeping the Sabbath. Through their influence and the reading of the article by T. M. Preble, he was led to the observance of the Sabbath.
He began to keep the Sabbath in March, 1845, and was thus the first of the outstanding pioneer leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist people to accept the Sabbath. In fact, for more than a year he stood alone in teaching this doctrine, which later became one of the cardinal beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Once convinced of a reform, Captain Bates immediately took hold of it in earnest and began to proclaim it. This is well demonstrated in connection with his acceptance of the Sabbath. When he started across the bridge at Fairhaven on his return from the journey to the Washington Sabbath-keepers, he met a neighbor, a Mr. Hall, who called out, "Hello, Brother Bates! what's the news?"
"The seventh day is the Sabbath," earnestly replied the old sea captain.
As has been stated, he began at once to proclaim this new-found truth, and became the true father of the Sabbath among the people who were to become the Seventh-day Adventists. In August, 1846, he published the first Sabbath tract ever put out by Adventists. The story of the production of this tract is a classic among Adventist pioneer stories and is given here as J. N. Loughborough says Captain Bates gave it to him.
"He said that while in prayer before God, he decided to write the book, and felt assured that the way would open to publish it. He therefore seated himself at his desk, with Bible and concordance, to begin his work. In the course of an hour, Mrs. Bates came into the room and said, 'Joseph, I haven't flour enough to make out the baking,' and at the same time mentioned some other little articles that she needed. 'How much flour do you lack?' her husband asked. 'About four pounds,' was her reply. 'Very well,' he replied. After she left the room, he went to a store near by, purchased the four pounds of flour and the other articles, brought them home, and again seated himself at his writing desk. Presently Mrs. Bates came in and saw the articles on the table and exclaimed, 'Where did this flour come from?' 'Why,' said the captain, 'isn't there enough? You said you wanted four pounds.' 'Yes,' said she, 'but where did you get it?' 'I bought it,' said he; 'is not that the amount you wanted to complete the baking?' 'Yes,' continued Mrs. Bates, 'but have you, Captain Bates, a man who has sailed vessels out of New Bedford, to all parts of the world, been out and bought four pounds of flour?' 'Yes, was not that the amount you needed to complete the baking?' 'Yes,' said Mrs. Bates, 'but have you bought only four pounds (!) of flour?'
"Another trial soon followed. When Captain Bates left the sea, he sold out his interest in a ship for $11,000, but now he had spent his all to advance the cause of truth. Up to this date Mrs. Bates did not know his true financial condition, but he felt that he must now acquaint her with it; so he calmly said, 'Wife, I spent for those articles the last money I have on earth.' With bitter sobs Mrs. Bates inquired, 'What are we going to do?' The captain arose, and with all the dignity of an officer directing his vessel, said, 'I am going to write a book; I am going to circulate it, and spread this Sabbath truth before the world.' 'Well,' said Mrs. Bates, through blinding tears, 'what are we going to live on?' 'The Lord is going to open the way,' was Captain Bates's smiling reply. 'Yes,' said Mrs. Bates, 'the Lord is going to open the way! that's what you always say,' and bursting into tears, she left the room.
"After Captain Bates had continued his work for half an hour, the impression came to him to go to the post office, where there would be a letter for him, and sure enough there was a letter. In those days the postage on letters was five cents, and prepayment was optional. The writer of this letter had for some reason failed to pay the postage. And here again Captain Bates was humbled, because he was obliged to tell the postmaster, with whom he was well acquainted, that he could not pay the postage, for he had no money; but he said, 'Will you let me see where it is from?' 'Take it along,' said the postmaster, 'and pay some other time.' 'No,' said the captain, 'I will not take the letter out of the office until the postage is paid.' While he had the letter in his hand, he said, 'I am of the opinion that there is money in this letter,' and turning to the postmaster, he asked, 'Will you please open it? If there is money in it, you can take the postage out; if not, I will not read it.' The postmaster complied with his request, and lo! it contained a ten-dollar bill. He found, by reading, that the letter was from a person who said the Lord so impressed his mind that Mr. Bates was in need of money that he hastened it to him. In the haste he probably forgot to pay the postage.
"After paying the postage he went to a provision store, bought a barrel of flour for $4, besides potatoes, sugar, and other necessary articles. When giving orders where they were to be delivered, he said, 'Probably the woman will say they don't belong there, but don't you pay any attention to what she says; unload the goods on the front porch.' He then went to the printing office and made arrangements for publishing one thousand copies of a tract of about one hundred pages, with the understanding that as the copy was furnished the printers were to put it in type as rapidly as possible, sending proofs to him. He was to pay for the work as fast as he received the money, and the books were not to be taken from the office until the bills were all paid.
"Captain Bates knew well there was no money due him, but he felt it his duty to write this book, believing that the Lord would move on the hearts to send the money when it was needed. After purchasing paper, pens, etc., thus giving time (or the household supplies to go in advance of him, he went to the head of the street leading to his house. On seeing that the articles were there, he went into the house by the back entrance, and seated himself again at his desk. Mrs. Bates came in and said excitedly, 'Joseph, just look out on the front porch. Where did that stuff come from? A drayman came here and would unload it.' ... 'Well,' said Captain Bates, 'I guess it's all right.' 'But,' said Mrs. Bates, 'where did it come from?' 'Well,' said the Captain, 'the Lord sent it.' 'Yes,' said Mrs. Bates, 'the Lord sent it! That's what you always say.' He then handed the letter to his wife, saying, 'Read this, and you will know where it came from.' She read it, and again retired for another cry, but it was of a different character from the first; and on returning she humbly asked his pardon for her lack of faith." -- The Great Second Advent Movement, pp.251-254.
At first James White and Ellen Harmon, the other members of the trio of original pioneers of the third angel's message, did not accept the Sabbath, but in 1846 they did so, and from that time on presented a united front in building up the Advent body. During the next few years Joseph Bates traveled among the scattered companies of Advent believers, presenting these newly discovered principles -- the Sabbath and the true significance of the sanctuary.
Captain Bates was a man of great faith. Although he had little money, he was in the habit of saying, "The Lord will provide." At one time he felt that he should go into New Hampshire and present the message there. Having no means, he was on the point of starting his journey on foot when money came unexpectedly from a young woman who had hired herself out at a dollar a week in order to secure money to help the cause of Christ. After working only two weeks she felt so impressed that Mr. Bates needed money that she went to her employer and drew five dollars in advance. This came just in time to enable Mr. Bates to make the trip by train.
At another time when he felt the Lord wanted him to go to a certain place, so strong was his faith that he actually took his place in the chair car without money or a ticket. Before the train started, a stranger came and handed him five dollars to assist him in his work. These experiences came to be common in the life of this man of God who hung onto the arm of God and received help just when it was most needed. (See Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists, M. E. Olsen.)
In 1849 he made a tour through Michigan, hunting out isolated members and secluded companies of those who had had a part in the 1844 movement, laying deep the foundation for the sturdy structure that was to be reared there in the near future. He raised up a church at Jackson.
Joseph Bates was a prodigious worker, never sparing himself. After working hard all day he would walk eight miles to talk with those who had been in the 1844 movement and for whom he carried a burden.
In the summer of 1852 Joseph Bates again visited the church at Jackson, Michigan, and while there was impressed to go farther west. He was further impressed to get off the train at Battle Creek. Here he went to the postmaster and inquired who was the most honest man in town. The postmaster directed him to the home of David Hewitt, a Presbyterian. Walking to the home of this man, he said, "I have been directed to you as the most honest man in Battle Creek; if this is so, I have some important truth to present to you." The reply was, "Come in; I will hear it." As the result of that visit Mr. Hewitt kept the next Sabbath and became the first Seventh-day Adventist in Battle Creek.
His letters tell the story of a trip beginning when he left Fairhaven in time to attend the general conference held in Battle Creek, November 16, 1855, when he was sixty-three years of age. He was chosen chairman of that meeting, and shortly after it was over, he started west toward Chicago on the train. Suddenly the cars were thrown from the track by a broken rail. The passengers were jostled about, and the fire was jolted from the stove by the impact. Mr. Bates helped extinguish the fire, and the passengers, although not seriously injured, were obliged to sit in the woods for five or six hours. To him it was merely an incident in a busy life, and he thanked God for His protection and went on his way.
In 1856 he returned from Wisconsin to attend the general conference held at Battle Creek in May. He served as chairman of this assembly, and evidently was considered the chief speaker, for he spoke at both the morning and afternoon meetings on Sabbath.
Mr. Bates continued to work in Michigan during the autumn and winter of 1856 and 1857. The resolute spirit of the old sailor is shown in his baptism of seven persons at Monterey, Michigan, in the dead of winter. With the mercury 30o below zero some of the brethren cut the ice, which was three feet thick, and the old veteran, sixty-five years of age, baptized the group.
The story of his next few years might be told if to the phrase "in journeyings oft" there is added, "with brief intermissions at home, and in continuous service as chairman of the general conference sessions."
For an estimate of the character of Joseph Bates, probably we could do no better than to quote from his fellow laborer, James White, who joined him in 1846, when Mr. Bates was fifty-four years of age. Although Mr. Bates was twenty-nine years older than his young comrade, the two joined forces and, like father and son, constructed the framework of the movement which was to become the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. They were aided in this work by James White's companion, Ellen G. White. To this trio Joseph Bates brought maturity, good health, natural leadership, and prestige. Of Joseph Bates, James White says:
"Elder Bates was a true gentleman. We might suppose that a man of his natural firmness and independence, after twenty-one years of seafaring life, and commander of rough sailors a large portion of that time, would be exacting and overbearing in his efforts to reform others. True, he would speak what he regarded truth with great freedom and boldness; but after he had set forth principles, and urged the importance of obedience, he was willing to leave his hearers to decide for themselves. . . .Elder Bates was in the hearts of his people. Those who knew him longest and best, prized him most."
He died in his eightieth year, on March 19, 1872, at Battle Creek, and was buried at Monterey, Michigan, by the side of his wife.