Who was the first Seventh-Day Baptist to believe in the Bible Sabbath and distribute related tracts?

Rachel Oakes is recognized as the first Seventh-Day Baptist who embraced the belief in the Bible Sabbath and actively distributed related tracts. Her influence was significant in the early development of the Sabbath-keeping movement. Oakes introduced the concept of observing the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week to the early Adventist community, particularly impacting figures like Joseph Bates, who played a vital role in promoting this belief within the Adventist movement.

Her dedication to spreading knowledge about the Sabbath through tracts laid a foundational understanding that contributed to the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This played a key role in the transition of the belief in the Sabbath from a minority viewpoint to a more mainstream practice among Adventists. The historical context surrounding her actions and the consequences they had on the movement underscore her significant contribution to the establishment and dissemination of Sabbath observance.