Jesus will be 179 years late - according to George Rapp and the Harmonists, who anticipated that Christ's reign would begin on September 15, 1829.
The Millerites (predecessors to Seventh-Day Adventists) thought October 22, 1844 was the day to watch for. Joseph Smith was well aware of the Millerites, and as the date drew near he more than once addressed their specific date with prophecy of his own, seeming to hint that 1890 was a better bet for Christ's return.
[The goofy punctuation and grammar here are as faithful as I can be to the way the editors of
The Words of Joseph Smith have preserved them. These are largely primary source notes and journal entries.]
Quote:
|
14 February, 1835: [Joseph Smith said] it was the will of God that those who went Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh—even fifty-six years should wind up the scene. History of the Church vol. 2, pg. 182.
|
Quote:
6 April, 1843: were I going to prophecy I would prophecy the end will not come in 1844 [i.e. the year the Millerites expected] or [184]5 or 6. or 40 years [more] . . . there are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till christ comes. I was once praying earnestly upon this subject. and a voice said unto me. My son, if thou livest till thou art 85 years of age, thou shalt see the face of the son of man.-- I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this & I took the liberty to conclude that if I did live till that time . . . he would make his appearance.-- but I do not say whether he will make his appearance or i shall go where he is. --
I prophecy in the name of the Lord God. -- & let it be written. that the Son of Man will not come in the heavens till I am 85 years old 48 years hence or about 1890. (Joseph Smith Diary, recorded by Willard Richards, in The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 179-180.)
|
[According to D&C 130.13, Joseph Smith heard this voice and the statement about 85 years of age on Dec. 25, 1832.]
Quote:
|
10 March, 1844: [Joseph Smith said] the Revelation of the Son of Man from Heaven, would not be in this year, nor the next; and he would say to his Millerite friends, that it would not be in forty years to come. He uttered all this in the name of the Lord, and said we should go home and write it – (recorded in the John Solomon Fullmer Papers, The Words of Joseph Smith, pg. 336.)
|
I think it's worth remembering that Joseph Smith and the early LDS did not operate in a vacuum, but they gave to, took from, influenced, and reacted to other religious movements of their time and place.