Fragments of history
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the largest of several Adventist groups which are related with the Millerite movement of the 1840s in New York, a phase of the tree and the Second Great Awakening.
William Miller predicted on the basis of Daniel 8:14–16 and the "day-year principle" that Jesus Christ would return to Earth between the Spring of 1843 and the Spring of 1844. In the summer of 1844, Millerite Adventists came to believe that Jesus would return on October 22, 1844, understood to be the Biblical Day of Atonement for that year. When this did not happen (an event known as the "Great Disappointment"), most of his followers disbanded and returned to their original churches.
Some Millerites came to believe that Miller's calculations were correct but that his interpretation of Daniel 8:14 was flawed as he assumed it was the 'earth that was to be cleansed' or Christ would come to cleanse the world. These Adventists arrived at the conviction that Daniel 8:14 foretold Christ's entrance into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary rather than his second coming.
This new awareness of a sanctuary in heaven became an important part of their thinking. Over the next few decades this understanding developed into the doctrine of the investigative judgment: an eschatological process commencing in 1844 in which Christians will be judged to verify their eligibility for salvation and God's justice will be confirmed before the universe. This group of Adventists continued to believe that Christ's second coming would be imminent.”
Beliefs
“There is a generally recognised set of "distinctive" doctrines which distinguish Adventism from the rest of the Christian world:
Law—the Law of God is "embodied in the Ten Commandments", which continue to be binding upon Christians.
Sabbath—the Sabbath should be observed on the seventh day of the week, specifically, from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
Second Coming and End times—Jesus Christ will return visibly to earth after a "time of trouble", during which the Sabbath will become a worldwide test. The second coming will be followed by a millennial reign of the saints in heaven. Adventist eschatology is based on the historicist method of prophetic interpretation.
Wholistic human nature—Humans are an indivisible unity of body, mind and spirit. They do not possess an immortal soul and there is no consciousness after death (commonly referred to as "soul sleep").
Conditional immortality—The wicked will not suffer eternal torment in hell, but instead will be permanently destroyed.
Great Controversy—Humanity is involved in a "great controversy" between Jesus Christ and Satan. This is an elaboration on the common Christian theory that evil began in heaven when an angelic being (Lucifer) rebelled against the Law of God.
Heavenly sanctuary—At his ascension, Jesus Christ commenced an atoning ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. In 1844, he began to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary in fulfilment of the Day of Atonement.
Investigative Judgment—A judgment of professed Christians began in 1844, in which the books of record are examined for all the universe to see. The investigative judgment will affirm who will receive salvation, and vindicate God in the eyes of the universe as just in his dealings with mankind.
Remnant—There will be an end-time remnant who keep the commandments of God and have "the testimony of Jesus". This remnant proclaims the "three angels' messages" of Revelation to the world.
Spirit of Prophecy—The ministry of Ellen G. White is commonly referred to as the "Spirit of Prophecy" and her writings are considered "a continuing and authoritative source of truth”, though ultimately subject to the Bible.”
Community
A small percentage of the world population is seventh day adventist, and are still growing as a community. There are growing communities in the US, since it’s population is protestant, and probably because there’s more materialistic evidence (calculations) to prove their beliefs.
“Land Total Population % SDAs Number of Seventh-day Adventists
Pitcairn-54 76.9% 42
Antigua and Barbuda-63,739 8.3% 5,312
Montserrat-12,800 8.3% 1,067
Grenada-95,537 7.1% 6,824
Saint Lucia-150,630 7.1% 10,759
Anguilla-10,785 6.7% 719
Belize-224,663 6.7% 14,978
British Virgin Islands-13,368 6.7% 891
Jamaica-2,615,582 6.7% 174,372
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-119,09 6.7% 7,939
Solomon Islands-426,855 6.3% 26,678
US Virgin Istands-97,240 6.3% 6,078
Vanuatu-181,358 6.3% 11,335
Dominica-66,633 5.6% 3,702”
They emphasise a strict diet, and don’t condone abortion.
Sources
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