Hiram Edson | |
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Born |
Hiram Edson January 1, 1806 Gorham, Maine |
Died | January 8, 1882 | (aged 76)
Occupation | Pioneer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church |
Hiram Edson (1806–1882) was a pioneer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, known for introducing the sanctuary doctrine (investigative judgment) to the church. Hiram Edson was a Millerite adventist, and became a Sabbath-keeping Adventist. Like all Millerites, Edson expected that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would occur on October 22, 1844. This belief was based on an interpretation of the 2300 day prophecy which predicted that "the sanctuary would be cleansed" which Millerites took to mean that Christ would return on that day.
Hiram Edson, was a prosperous farmer of Ontario County, N.Y.. Edson's first wife died in 1839, leaving him to care for three children. He soon remarried in Port Gibson, New York. At the time, Edson was a steward of the Methodist church who had embraced the Millerite expectation of the Advent in the spring of 1843. His home in Port Gibson soon became a home church for the believers of the region.
The Millerite message came to Rochester, New York, in 1843 and soon spread to Port Gibson. The message was based on the preaching of William Miller and predicted that Christ would return about the year 1843, which was later refined to October 22, 1844. This belief was based on the day-year principle and an interpretation of the 2300 days mentioned in which predicted that "the sanctuary would be cleansed". The Millerites understood this verse to point to Christ's return to "cleanse" the earth.
Edson, a Methodist, heard and accepted the message at an evangelistic series. On the last day of the series, Edson was impressed to visit a dying neighbor and ask for his healing in the name of the Lord. He followed through on this thought, entering the neighbor's home late that night and laying his hands on him. It is said that the neighbor immediately threw off the blankets, got out of bed, and began praising God. Soon the whole household was doing the same.