Gday Jwfacts,
Prince went to a black SDA church and they are usually more conservative than the white churches. The ministers in black churches usually have robes which adds to their authority.
Maybe Prince looked to the SDA church as a whole and realised there was much division. This by itself may have made the witnesses a more attractive option. I general a more cultic religion is attractive because the need to think for oneself is unnecessary.
The similarities between the witnesses and the SDAs is the historisist interpretation of biblical prophesies and both are pre millienial. The historisist interpretations in th eSDAs are being challlenged and from the 1980 on some doctrines were being chalenged by well known SDAs which is not good for cultic thinking. People start to feel insecure with differing opinions.
Pre millenialism was not taught in the 18 century as most people believed the world would get better and better and then after the millenial jesus would come. People like miller held to the belief that the world would get worse and jesus would come a belief held by most churches now.
Just a few thoughts jwfacts