T. M. Preble
Encyclopedia
Thomas Motherwell Preble (1810–1907) was a Free Will Baptist minister
in New Hampshire
and a Millerite
preacher. After accepting the teachings of William Miller
, Preble was excommunicated
from his church.
Preble appears to have accepted the seventh-day Sabbath in 1844, possibly from Frederick Wheeler or someone associated with the Washington
, New Hampshire, church. Preble was the first Millerite to advocate the Sabbath in print. In the Feb. 28, 1845, issue of the Hope of Israel, a Seventh-day Adventist
periodical in Portland
, Maine
, was reprinted in tract form in March, 1845, with the title, Tract, Showing That the Seventh Day Should be Observed as the Sabbath. This tract led to the conversion of J. N. Andrews and other Adventist families in Paris
, Maine, as well as to Joseph Bates
. Preble is known to have kept the seventh day Sabbath until mid-1847.
He later repudiated the Sabbath and opposed the Seventh-day Adventists.
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and a Millerite
Millerites
The Millerites were the followers of the teachings of William Miller who, in 1833, first shared publicly his belief in the coming Second Advent of Jesus Christ in roughly the year 1843.-Origins:...
preacher. After accepting the teachings of William Miller
William Miller (preacher)
William Miller was an American Baptist preacher who is credited with beginning the mid-nineteenth century North American religious movement now known as Adventism. Among his direct spiritual heirs are several major religious denominations, including Seventh-day Adventists and Advent Christians...
, Preble was excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
from his church.
Preble appears to have accepted the seventh-day Sabbath in 1844, possibly from Frederick Wheeler or someone associated with the Washington
Washington, New Hampshire
Washington is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,123 at the 2010 census. Situated in a hilly, rocky, forested area, and with 26 lakes and ponds, Washington is a picturesque resort area...
, New Hampshire, church. Preble was the first Millerite to advocate the Sabbath in print. In the Feb. 28, 1845, issue of the Hope of Israel, a Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
periodical in Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, was reprinted in tract form in March, 1845, with the title, Tract, Showing That the Seventh Day Should be Observed as the Sabbath. This tract led to the conversion of J. N. Andrews and other Adventist families in Paris
Paris, Maine
Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly...
, Maine, as well as to Joseph Bates
Joseph Bates (Adventist)
Joseph Bates was an American seaman and revivalist minister. He was the founder and developer of Sabbatarian Adventism, a strain of religious thinking that evolved into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Bates is also credited with convincing James White and Ellen G...
. Preble is known to have kept the seventh day Sabbath until mid-1847.
He later repudiated the Sabbath and opposed the Seventh-day Adventists.
Family History
Preble's great-grandparents were massacred by Indians in 1758 in Woolwich, Maine. Their children, among whom was Preble's grandfather, Ebenezer Preble, Jr., were captured and sold to the French in Quebec, Canada, from where they were later found and brought back by their maternal grandfather. Preble's father, Motherwell Preble, was named after Thomas Motherwell, who married Rebecca Preble, the sister of Ebenezer Preble, Jr. and who was also captured by the Indians.See also
- MilleritesMilleritesThe Millerites were the followers of the teachings of William Miller who, in 1833, first shared publicly his belief in the coming Second Advent of Jesus Christ in roughly the year 1843.-Origins:...
- The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 ed., has a helpful biographical entry on T. M. Preble.
- Ellen G. White EstateEllen G. White EstateThe Ellen G. White Estate, Incorporated, or simply the White Estate, is the official organization created by Ellen G. White to act as the custodian of her writings, which are of importance to the Seventh-day Adventist Church...
's Legacy of Light CD-ROM.