is not the case that the Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs), established in 1863, are a "splinter group" of the Seventh Day Baptist, at least not in the sense that they broke away from their church and formed the SDAs. But there was a connection and an influence. Rachel Oakes Preston (1809–1868) a Seventh Day Baptist from Verona, New York, brought Seventh Day teaching to a small Millerite group that became the SDAs in Washington, New Hampshire. Through her influence, Frederick Wheeler became the first SDA preacher. One family, the Cottrells, looked favorably upon William Miller's Second Advent message but did not join the movement prior to 1844 because it did not acknowledge the seventh-day Sabbath. After a group of Adventists accepted the Sabbath, the Cottrells joined them. Later on, in the 1860s and '70s, the leadership of the two organizations associated with each other. They recognized their common interest in promoting Sabbath observance. Adventist pioneer James Springer White went so far as to advise Adventist preachers not to conduct evangelistic campaigns in the small towns with a Seventh Day Baptist presence. By 2017, Seventh Day Baptists had 81 churches including those located in the U.S. and Canada. Seventh Day Baptist churches are present in all regions of the United States, with a greater presence in the Northeast and Southern regions of the United States. Statement of Belief Seventh Day Baptists consider liberty of thought under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to be essential to Christian belief and practice. Therefore we encourage the unhindered study and open discussion of Scripture. We uphold the individual’s freedom of conscience in seeking to determine and obey the will of God. The following statement is not intended to be exhaustive, but is an expression of our common belief, which is derived from our understanding of Scripture (2 Corinthians 3:17–18; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:3–6, 15; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). God We believe in one God, infinite and perfect, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe who exists eternally in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and desires to share His love in a personal relationship with everyone (1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Kings 8:27; 1 John 1:5; Genesis 1:1-2; Acts 17:24-25, 28; Psalm 90:1-2; Matthew 28:19; John 3:16; Isaiah 57:15; 2 Peter 3:9). The Father We believe in God the Father, who is sovereign over all, and is loving and just as