A coach bus full of students began the journey to tour Adventist Historic sites in New York and New England from August 6 to 13, 2017. This is an annual event for students of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Many find it a way to connect with the roots of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Javier Casas reflected on his experience and said, “My passion for the gospel and the proclamation of the gospel has been ignited …. I came back [from the tour] with a sense of urgency and expectancy that I hadn’t had in a very long time.”

On Monday, in Rochester, New York, the students toured Mount Hope Cemetery to see the graves of Mary Andrews, Angeline Andrews, Carrie Andrews, Nathaniel White and Anna White, and Frederick Douglass. Two attendees flew private drones they had brought along to capture footage and photos for a video of the tour sites. Afterward. the bus drove around the city to see historic sites, and then began the trip to Massachusetts. Lunch was served in the parking lot of a Walmart and headed toward the Erie Canal Museum, something new to the trip this year. The group spent about an hour on a guided tour of the small museum and then were back on the road to Ludlow for the night.

The following day the study tour went to Mystic Sea Port in Connecticut—another new site for the tour since Old Sturbridge Village was no longer open on Tuesdays. The group enjoyed seeing what an 1830s sea port village was like. The staff of the village were very knowledgable and there was lots to see. Mystic Sea Port puts people into the mindset of life in the 1830s. That was a few years earlier than the events focused on during the tour, but a good place to start to get a feel for how daily life was lived for our Adventist pioneers. Next, the group was back in the bus and headed to sites related to Joseph Bates.

Joseph Bates, one of the co-founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, grew up in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. His childhood home was near enough to the Atlantic to see the ocean-going vessels in the harbor and it is easy to understand how Bates developed a longing to go to sea. Bates spent 20-plus years at sea and retired as captain of his own ship with a comfortable fortune. The tour went to the home that he built upon his retirement which was later sold to fund the spread of the Millerite Advent message. Along the rocky water’s edge, where the old Fairhaven Bridge once stood, participants heard the story of how the Sabbath being the seventh day of the week came to the Millerites and to Joseph Bates. Bates then wrote three tracts on the Sabbath, one of which James and Ellen White read and were convinced to start keeping the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath.

Wednesday, the tour went to Maine; the house was pointed out where James and Ellen White were living when they accepted the Sabbath. This was in Gorham, Maine, while the Whites were living with Ellen’s parents in 1847. Gorham, Maine, is also where Ellen was born. She spent many of her growing up years in Portland, Maine. The tour visited many sites in Portland, but because of a fire in the 1860s and construction of newer buildings, many of the sites are uninspiring. For example, the spot where Ellen Harmon was baptized is now a parking lot because the city reclaimed land from the bay.

Thursday was spent in New Hampshire. First was a visit to the Washington, New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventist church, which features the Sabbath Trail on its property. The group spent the morning in the church hearing stories and singing songs. After lunch, a walk along the Sabbath Trail and picture taking time, the tour moved on to the childhood home of Uriah Smith and his sister Annie Smith. The LaJoies, owners of the Smith tavern, opened their home for a tour. Everyone enjoyed seeing the restored tavern. Annie Smith’s grave is in a cemetery nearby, near her family members.

That evening, the group ate at the Country Life Restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire. This is an independent, Adventist owned, vegan restaurant. Many on the tour considered it to be the best meal of the trip. It was a learning experience for many who were not familiar with the health ministry of these restaurants. It served as an anchor for the lectures about the health message given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Friday was spent at the William Miller Farm and chapel. Elder Jim Nix, president of the White Estate, joined us to present the story of William Miller in the chapel. With passion and exhortation he described Miller’s conversion. He held up a cannon ball as a visual aid in describing the war of 1812 and the battle in which Miller took part. Later Elder Nix presided over the tour through Miller’s home. Later on, a group photo was taken on Ascension Rock with everyone wearing the special t-shirts that were given to each participant this year.

Sabbath morning the group was at the Roosevelt Seventh-day Adventist Church for the worship service and then Sabbath School. Dr. Burt spoke for the worship service and presented a special plaque of thanks to the church during Sabbath School. (See article on page 1) The church was again blessed to have the group. A very delicious lunch of beans, rice, and Asian salad, along with a dessert of homemade pies was served and pita pocket feast was prepared for a to-go supper. After a visit to the Roosavelt Cemetery, the bus was quickly loaded before a severe storm rolled through. The bus was not very far down the road when the pouring rain and wind began. On the route to the Hiram Edson barn, the storm cleared and the sun returned. After a meaningful visit to the barn, the group enjoyed the sack supper that the Roosevelt Church had provided. Then it was back to Rochester, NY for the night.

Sunday’s journey back to the University was uneventful; all were thankful for safe travels and the good weather God provided at key destinations over the whole week.