The Jaffa Colonists from Downeast

Abstract

IN nineteenth century many waited expectantly for millennium. Rappites hoarded money for their passage to Palestine to be on hand to greet Redeemer at second coming.' Despite William Miller's failures to predict end of world, Adventist sects made headway. It was widely believed that Holy Land was about to witness those great events preceding day of judgment. Here Messiah would assemble chosen people, and here forces of evil would be routed. It was upon such ideas that George Jones Adams founded the Church of Messiah. Early in 1862 Adams and his red-featured, loud-voiced wife drove into small Maine coastal town of Jonesport in an old wagon drawn by a skinny, bob-tailed horse and opened meetings in first district schoolhouse.2 Jonesport, with twelve hundred people, two shipyards, a fish cannery, and several stores, was a busy place.3 A steamboat made weekly stops at landing, and there were stage connections with Ellsworth and Bangor. Mostly waterfront, town extended for a mile along Moosebec Reach. There are few lovelier spots on Maine coast. Most of men were farmers, fishermen, or seafarers. There was a Methodist society, and Baptists and Universalists shared a union church. Though people found enough to do, life was drab and uninteresting. Adams took area by storm. A good organizer and an eloquent preacher, he had already established his church and prophesied second coming. For a short time before his arrival he was active in York County, Maine,