Charles Fitch (1804–1844): The Herald Who Gave His Life for the Second Angel's Message
Charles Fitch stands as one of the most beloved and fearless leaders of the 1843–1844 Millerite Advent movement. A Congregational and Presbyterian minister of great eloquence, abolitionist fervor, and personal warmth, Fitch became the thundering voice of the Second Angel's Message of Revelation 14:8 — “Babylon is fallen, is fallen... Come out of her, my people.”
The 1843–1844 Prophetic Chart: Fulfilling Habakkuk 2:2
In May 1842, feeling the great need of a visual aid to make the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation clear to thousands at camp meetings, Charles Fitch and Apollos Hale co-designed the famous 1843 Prophetic Chart. Painted on cloth, this giant chart fulfilled the prophecy of Habakkuk 2:2 — “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Over 300 copies were printed and carried by evangelists like William Miller, Joshua V. Himes, Josiah Litch, and Captain Joseph Bates across America and Great Britain.
1843 Chart Downloads & Explanation Pages
“The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message as it swells to a loud cry.”
— Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 277.1. Read the [Loud Cry study](/loud-cry/) and examine the historical records in the [Seventh-day Adventist Name History](/seventh-day-adventist-name-history/) and the [April 15, 1904 Incorporation Record](/april-15-1904-new-organization/).
Died Eight Days Before October 22, 1844: The Lake Erie Baptisms
In the autumn of 1844, as the Midnight Cry echoed across America pointing to the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month (October 22, 1844), Charles Fitch was preaching in Rochester and Buffalo, New York with burning urgency.
In early October, on a cold, blustery day with a brisk wind blowing off Lake Erie, large crowds gathered to be baptized into the Advent faith. Fitch stepped into the freezing waters and baptized a large group of converts. As he finished and walked back toward town in his wet clothes, a second group met him, begging to be baptized. Driven by deep love for souls, Fitch returned into the frigid lake and baptized the second company. As he reached the shore again, a third company met him on the road. Without hesitation, he turned back a third time into the icy waters of Lake Erie to ensure every believer was sealed in baptism before the expected coming of Christ.
Severe chills and high fever immediately seized him. He was taken to Buffalo suffering from severe pneumonia. On October 14, 1844 — just eight days before October 22 — Charles Fitch fell asleep in Jesus at the age of 39. His dying words were a triumphant witness:
“I believe in the promises of God.”
The Sacrifice of the Fitch Family & Mrs. Zerviah Fitch's Unshakable Faith
Charles Fitch was married on May 19, 1828 to Zerviah Roath Fitch. Together they were blessed with seven children: Charles, William, Mary Elizabeth, Robert, Ellen, Libby, and Jennie.
Tragedy struck the family deeply during their years of ministry. Four of their children died in childhood:
- Little Willie Fitch (who would have been 7 years old) died on December 5, 1843 after a painful illness.
- Twenty-month-old Robert Fitch died just 22 days later on December 27, 1843.
- Two other infant children had been buried earlier in the east.
Fitch comforted his grieving wife with the biblical truth of the conditional state of the dead (“the dead know not anything”), as preached by George Storrs, believing that when Christ returned, their sleeping little ones would be returned to their arms from the land of the enemy.
When Charles Fitch himself died on October 14, 1844, his widow Zerviah Fitch demonstrated a level of faith that awed the entire movement. A eyewitness correspondent writing to The Midnight Cry! (published by Joshua V. Himes) on October 17 recorded that Sister Fitch remained at her husband's bedside in Buffalo “without a tear, expecting to meet her husband very soon” on October 22, 1844. She did not mourn as those without hope, fully believing that in just eight days the voice of the Archangel would call Charles and their four children out of their dusty graves in the special resurrection!
Preaching the Second Angel's Message (Revelation 14:8 & 18:4)
In July 1843, Charles Fitch preached and published the historic sermon “Come Out of Her, My People”. Based on Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:4, Fitch was the first Millerite leader to courageously declare that Babylon is not merely Papal Rome, but also all Protestant churches that reject the light of the Second Advent.
He called upon all true believers to separate from fallen churches and step onto the pure platform of present truth. Over 50,000 believers responded to this Second Angel's call in 1843–1844.
In 1842, Fitch also co-designed the famous 1843 Prophetic Chart with Apollos Hale, painted on cloth, fulfilling Habakkuk 2:2 (“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it”).
Featured Prophetic Witness: Standing Under the Tree of Life in Vision
Standing Under the Tree of Life: Brethren Fitch & Stockman
In December 1844 at Portland, Maine, 17-year-old Ellen Harmon received her very first open vision from God (this was a divine vision, not a dream). In this glorious revelation of the New Jerusalem and the final reward of the saints, she was taken in vision to the heavenly city and saw Charles Fitch and Methodist-turned-Millerite preacher Levi Stockman standing underneath the Tree of Life, talking with the living saints about what they had passed through while sleeping in the grave.
“We all went under the tree and sat down to look at the glory of the place, when Brethren Fitch and Stockman, who had preached the gospel of the kingdom, and whom God had laid in the grave to save them, came up to us and asked us what we had passed through while they were sleeping. We tried to call up our greatest trials, but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us that we could not speak them out, and we all cried out, ‘Alleluia, heaven is cheap enough!’ and we touched our glorious harps and made heaven's arches ring.”
Historical Foundation & Present Truth Citations
1. The Trinity and the change from Sabbath to Sunday
“Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and of sprinkling or pouring instead of being ‘buried with Christ in baptism,’ ‘planted in the likeness of his death:’ but we pass from these fables to notice one that is held sacred by nearly all professed Christians, both Catholic and Protestant. It is, The change of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment from the seventh to the first day of the week.”
— James White, “Preach the Word,” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, December 11, 1855, vol. 7, no. 11, p. 85. Historical citation confirmed by the Biblical Research Institute
2. The Reformers stopped reforming
“The ‘mystery of iniquity’ began to work in the church in Paul’s day. It finally crowded out the simplicity of the gospel, and corrupted the doctrine of Christ, and the church went into the wilderness. Martin Luther, and other reformers, arose in the strength of God, and with the Word and Spirit, made mighty strides in the Reformation. The greatest fault we can find in the Reformation is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of Papacy behind, such as natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sunday-keeping, the church would now be free from her unscriptural errors.”
— James White, “The Word,” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 7, 1856, vol. 7, no. 19, p. 148.
Original archive issues:
3. As John the Baptist Heralded the First Advent
“As John the Baptist heralded the first advent of Jesus, and prepared the way for his coming, so also, Wm. Miller and those who joined him, proclaimed the second advent of the Son of God.”
— Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, “The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels” (1858), chapter “William Miller,” p. 129. Read the original 1858 book
Pioneer & Study Resource Connections
- William Miller — The leader of the 1844 Advent awakening; read Miller's 14 Rules and Brother Miller's Dream.
- Captain Joseph Bates — Sea captain and Sabbath apostle; read Seal of the Living God and Bates' 1868 Autobiography.
- James White — Early publisher of The Present Truth and defender of pioneer foundation truths.
- Ellen G. White — Lord's messenger who saw Charles Fitch at the Tree of Life in vision (Early Writings, p. 17). Read The Great Controversy (1858).
- Apollos Hale — Co-creator of the 1843 Prophetic Chart.
- Josiah Litch — Baptized by Charles Fitch in September 1844; predicted the August 11, 1840 fall of the Ottoman Empire.
- George Storrs — Preacher of biblical conditional immortality.
- Hiram Edson & O. R. L. Crosier — Discoverers of the sanctuary truth; study the Sanctuary Page.
- J. N. Loughborough — Pioneer historian; read Questions on the Sealing Message (1916).
- The 144,000 Hub — Sanctuary, seal, special resurrection, and restored jewels.
- Escape Babylon — Step onto the true 1844 platform of present truth.
- Complete Site Index — Full master library directory of SundayLaw.com.
Charles Fitch died in active battle for the Second Angel's message. Ellen White later recorded seeing Brother Fitch at the Tree of Life in vision (Early Writings, p. 17), resting safely in the hands of his Savior until the morning of the resurrection.
