For the past 2000 or so years, Christians have been hoping and praying for the return of Christ. Although this hope rose and fell over the centuries, there was perhaps no time that interest and expectation was more strong and focused as in the early 1800s, rising to a fever pitch around 1840. Contributing to this phenomenon were the writings, talks, and sermons of a number prominent Bible scholars, clergy and laymen from a wide range of Christian denominations in the United States, Great Britain, and Europe.
Here is a list of some of the more prominent:
| Name | Lived | Country | Occupation | Expected Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Miller | 1782-1849 | USA | Baptist Preacher, founder of the Millerite movement | 1844 |
| Pierre Agier | 1748-1823 | France | Lawyer and Writer | 1838 – 1848 |
| John Bacon | 1738-1820 | USA | Politician | 1866 or 1926 |
| Joseph Bates | 1792-1872 | USA | Ship captain, Minister | 1844 |
| John Bayford | 1800s | UK | Taught Christianity to Jews | 1844 |
| John Bengel Abbrech | 1687-1752 | Germany | Pietistic Scholar | 1836 |
| David Bernard | 1800s | USA | Baptist Minister | late 1843 |
| James Bicheno | ?-1831 | UK | Christian Minister | 1864 |
| Edward Bickersteth | 1786-1850 | UK | Evangelical Minister | 1854 |
| Elias Boudinot | 1740-1821 | USA | Member of Congress, Co-Founder American Bible Society | 1844 |
| Charles Bowles | ?-1843 | USA | Offical in Baptist Church | 1843 |
| Joshua William Brooks | 1790-1882 | UK | High-ranking member Church of England | 1844 |
| Emile Broussais | ?-1855 | France | 1842 | |
| John Aquila Brown | UK | Author | 1843, 1917 | |
| Charles Buck | 1771-1815 | UK | Theologian | 1844 |
| Adam Hood Burwell | 1790-1849 | UK, Canada | Evangelical Teacher, Author | 1844 |
| Alexander Campbell | 1788-1866 | Ireland, USA | Clergyman | 1830 |
| Robert Owen | 1800s | USA | Baptist Scholar | 1866 |
| David Chytraeus | 1530-1600 | Germany | Theologian and Author | 1676 and 1866 |
| Adam Clake | 1762-1832 | Ireland | Old Testament Scholar | 1844 |
| John Cook | 1784-1854 | USA | Baptist layman, Writer | 1844 |
| Edward Cooper | 1771-1833 | UK | Head of Stafford University | 1867 |
| William Cunnighame | 1776-1849 | Scotland | Bible Scholar | 1843, 1866 |
| John Nelson Darby | 1800-1882 | UK | Anglican Minister, Plymouth Brethren | “all too close” |
| William Cummins Davis | 1760-1831 | USA | Religious Scholar and Author | 1847 |
| William Digby | 1783-1866 | Ireland | Archbishop | 1844 |
| George Duffield | 1794-1868 | USA | Bible Scholar | 1843, 1844-47 |
| Edward Eliott | 1793-1875 | USA | Presbyterian Minister, Writer | 1866 |
| Joseph Emerson | 1777-1833 | USA | Church Leader | 1866 |
| Stanly Georges Faber | 1800s | UK | Minister, Salisburg Church | 1866 |
| Benjamin Farnham | 1800s | USA | Teacher, Writer | 1864 |
| James Ferguson | 1710-1776 | UK | Astronomer | 1843 |
| John Fry | 1779-1849 | UK | Researcher, Bible scholar | 1844, 1892 |
| Henry Gauntlett | 1762-1833 | UK | High-ranking member of the Anglican Church | 1866 |
| Francois Samuel Robert Louis Gaussen | 1790-1863 | Switzerland | Protestant pastor | 1839 – 1849 |
| John Gill | 1690-1771 | UK | Baptist Minister | 1866 |
| William Girdleston | 1800s | UK | Anglican Church Minister, Author | 1890, 1965 |
| Samuel Gobat | 1799-1879 | Switzerland | Bible Scholar | 1866 |
| Edward Dorr Griffen | 1770-1837 | USA | Preacher | 1847, 1866, 1896, 1922 |
| Matthew Habershon | 1789-1852 | UK | Engineer and Architect | 1844 |
| Samuel Hopkins | 1721-1803 | USA | Biblical and Divinity Scholar | 1866 |
| Wolaston William Pym | 1782-1852 | England | Priest and author | 1844 |
| Emmanuel Swedenborg | 1698-1772 | Sweden | Writer and Scientist | 1844 |
| Joshua Lacy Willson | 1774-1847 | USA | Government Official | 1847 |
| Joseph Wolff | 1795-1862 | Germay | Jew converted to Christianity | 1844 |
| G.W. Hoffmann | 1771-1846 | Germany, Palestine | Father of Templer Movement | See below |
| Christof Hoffmann | 1815-1885 | Germany, Palestine | Leader of Templers | See below |
Note: G.W. Hoffmann founded the Korntalite sect in Wuriemberg, Germany, with the purpose of encouraging his followers to go to Jerusalem to wait for coming of Christ. His goal was to construct a large Temple for Christ, and his group became known as the Templers. His son, Christof, became the leader of the group in 1856 and brought them to Haifa in the Holy Land to witness the coming of Christ. Bahá’u’lláh visited and stayed with the group two times, and revealed a Tablet in honor of their leader.
Main Resource: Leroy, Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith of our Fathers, Washington, an extensive, 4 volume study on messianic expectation in Christianity, perhaps the best source for this topic.
Also: Brooks, Joshua William, Dictionary of Writers on the Prophecies, London.