Bates, Joseph; White, James [editor]. The Early Life and later Experience and Labors of Elder Joseph Bates. Battle Creek, Mich.: Steam Press of the Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association, 1877. [12554]
Black publisher's cloth, "S. D. A. Pub Association, Battle Creek" in blind on both covers, gilt ship and title on spine, spine ends chipped with small loss, 7 x 4 3/4 inches. Previous owners' paper address label and ink name stamp on the front end papers. Wood-engraved portrait of Bates with facsimile inscription and tissue guard, 320 generally clean pp., thin tide mark in the top margin of some leaves. Good. Hardcover.
Joseph Bates (1792-1872), b. Rochester, Massachusetts; d. Battle Creek, Michigan. Bates was a co-founder of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and is credited with convincing James White and Ellen G. White of the validity of the seventh-day Sabbath.
A seaman, Bates rose through the ranks from cabin boy to captain, and while still a lad he was captured and impressed into the British Navy during the War of 1812. Bates and his fellow American captives refused to fight against their countrymen, which resulted in their incarceration for five years, part of which was served in Dartmoor Prison.
After the war and his release he continued at sea, becoming a captain in 1821.
Bates experienced a Christian conversion at a revival meeting in 1827, and joined with the "Christian" church in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, a congregation within the Restorationist Movement of the Christian Connexion.
By 1839 he was persuaded of the Second Advent message as preached by William Miller. Bates began to preach and lecture at camp meetings and other places, and promoted the causes of abolition, temperance, vegetarianism, and the Seventh-day Sabbath. His initial skepticism regarding Ellen G. White was overcome when he became convinced of the truth of one of her visions. He was a key founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
This autobiography relates a vivid account of an American at sea in the first quarter of the 19th century. It tells of shipwreck, capture, imprisonment, privateers, floggings, a mutiny, a hurricane...all manner of adventures and perils facing the mariners of that time. His life at sea take up about the first 250 pages of the Memoir.
The latter third of the book is devoted to his Christian work, describing the Seaman's Friend Society, the American Tract Society, Antislavery work, William Miller, a Second Advent Conference, and discusses interpretations of prophecy. He describes meetings of various kinds, including "among the slaves." The Great Disappointment comes into view, and he relates his thoughts and beliefs after the first and second predictions of Our Lord's return did not take place.
