Seventy years ago Adventism stood at the crossroads. It was the 1888 General Conference session, and great theological issues pressed for settlement. These issues could well have resulted in serious division, perhaps complete disruption of the movement; but God had a vastly different destiny for this people, and for the message He has commissioned us to give to the world.
Looking back over the decades, we can surely trace the guiding hand of our God in the wonderful providences that have marked our way. These we dare not overlook, for years ago we were told that "we have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history."—Life Sketches, p. 196. And what history has been made these past seventy years!
The great majority of our workers today are, of course, unacquainted with those issues that confronted the historic conference of 1888. At times a half-vague reference may be made to it, and under some such expression as the "righteousness by faith controversy," giving a somewhat hazy idea as to the problems under discussion at that historic meeting. And though it is not our purpose at this time to deal with the issues involved, which will doubtless be dealt with in some historic detail in the foreseeable future, yet as workers we should know at least the underlying issues that confronted those leaders so many decades ago.
It was a far larger theme than just righteousness by faith. The whole question of the Godhead, the deity of Christ, the personality of the Holy Spirit, the nature of the incarnation, and the moral law in its relation to the Christian life, and particularly the fullness of the Godhead as revealed in Christ Jesus—these, as we look back on it, were really the major considerations in 1888.
Prior to that conference it would have been difficult to declare just what the denominational position was on some of these aspects of truth. Certain positions had been taken, and some of these appeared in published form. While such publications reflected the ideas of the author and perhaps a few others, it could not be maintained that such statements were our settled denominational position, for we were in our formative years. While there was general unity on most of the main lines of prophecy—although even in some of these areas there was also diversity—yet on such subjects as the Godhead, the eternal deity of Christ, the nature and work of the Holy Spirit, our leaders were not united.
Reference has been made in the January issue of THE MINISTRY (page 41) to a fourteen-page pamphlet published in Battle Creek in 1872 entitled A Declaration of the Fundamental Principles of the Seventh-day Adventists. This was not prepared by any group, nor endorsed by any committee so far as any record discloses. It was not an "official" publication, much less a "creed." No future editions were printed, although the contents appeared later in 1874 in the first volume of the Signs of the Times.
A book written by Uriah Smith entitled The Sanctuary and the Twenty-three Hundred Days was published in Battle Creek in 1877. In this the author states his own understanding of the Godhead and the place and work of Christ. But the language in a few places on such subjects as the atonement and the deity of Christ is in strange contrast with statements appearing twenty or thirty years later in the writings of Ellen G. White. One of the earliest references to the atonement by the messenger of the Lord appears now in Early Writings, page 260, and was written in 1858. Here she states clearly that our Lord at His ascension "shed upon His disciples the benefits of His atonement."
In 1884 a book appeared under the title The Atonement; an Examination of a Remedial System in the Light of Nature and Revelation, written by J. H. Waggoner. This too contains expressions that do not harmonize with later Spirit of prophecy statements. But while noting this we would not reflect adversely on these authors.
These men were honored and godly leaders. Both were editors—Uriah Smith being the long-time editor of The Review and Herald and J. H. Waggoner for some time editor of the Signs of the Times. In the Waggoner volume other statements appeared that do not harmonize with what we have taught as a denomination for the past sixty years. This, of course, is not difficult to understand, for during our fol.-illative years very little had been written by the messenger of the Lord on these particular subjects, for they had not yet come to the forefront. It will be noted that the views expressed and published by such good men as referred to were all prior to 1888. Then came that historic meeting. Whatever factors led up to these important discussions, one thing seems clear, and that is that the movement seemed compelled to come to grips with these large and vital issues. And there were men there who did not lack the ability to express their deep convictions on both sides of the controversy.
Those who record the story make it clear that Ellen G. White took a very firm position, urging the brethren there to open their hearts to the clear light of the Word of God as it was being presented. Rather than create a situation that could have brought irreparable division, she, following the conference, began to preach and write on the subjects under discussion.
While the recently assembled delegates were pondering the implications of what had been presented, the messenger of the Lord produced books and articles touching the theme of the controversy. In 1890 Patriarchs and Prophets appeared, but the most forthright analysis on righteousness by faith, however, is the little book Steps to Christ, which was published originally by the Fleming H. Revell Company. Later the copyright was purchased, since which time it has been held by the denomination. No book by this author has received such wonderful commendation. More than eight million copies of Steps to Christ have been sold, and it is printed in about eighty different languages.
The copyright date of this book is 1892, the year following the author's arrival in Australia. During the nine years she was there the clearest counsel on these profound themes poured from her pen, and what many consider the masterpiece of all the Spirit of prophecy volumes, The Desire of Ages, was written. This was in some ways a rewriting or an expansion of an earlier work under the title of The Spirit of Prophecy, volumes 2 and 3. But this new and fuller treatise sets forth the truths which were the points at issue during the 1888 controversy. Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, published in 1896, unfolded our Lord's teachings, as did Christ's Object Lessons, which appeared in 1900. Other books followed, such as The Acts of the Apostles and Prophets and Kings, as well as hundreds of periodical articles. In fact the whole Conflict of the Ages Series in its present expanded form has come into existence since 1888.
In these volumes, and especially The Desire of Ages, the subjects under discussion at that historic General Conference are clarified and unfolded more fully. The deity of Christ, the personality of the Holy Spirit, the complete sacrificial atonement on the cross, and, of course, all that is implied in righteousness by faith, naturally came into review and were emphasized as the wonderful life and teachings of our Lord were presented. The accompanying diagram may help to make clear some important historical steps in the development of our denominational beliefs.
The generation comprising the evangelistic army of Adventist workers scattered around the world today has come into existence since most of these books were written, and with the truth on these questions so clearly presented in these volumes, it is perhaps difficult for us to realize that at an earlier period in our history there were differences of opinion on some of these points. In view of this it may appear to some that we have changed our beliefs; it is better to say that we have emerged, that our denominational beliefs have crystallized, and that we have become unified in our declared understanding of truth. And this is largely because of the influence of the Spirit of prophecy counsels.
For that definite guidance of God's Spirit in these things let us thank our heavenly Father. We have often declared that we have no creed but the Bible. Nor do we have a definite systematic theology. But the writings of the Spirit of prophecy have, through the years, been a veritable bulwark to our faith. As one prominent minister of another faith recently remarked concerning these books: "You are truly a fortunate people to have such a wealth of literature, which to every loyal and informed minister or member of your church is recognized authority on doctrinal belief and church policy." We are fortunate.
Well, seventy years have gone by since that historic conference. These have been years of marked progress and development. Now we stand face to face with opportunities as great as, or even greater than, those presented at that time. We have been clearly told that had we as a people been ready to move into the greater concepts of truth to which the Lord was leading us then, and had we been prepared to give the matchless everlasting gospel message in its fullness to the world, we might long ere this have witnessed the mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God in the latter rain. Our hesitancy to move into the opening providences in past decades is to be regretted, but the big question now is, What shall be our attitude today? What shall we do at this time? The Lord is giving wonderful evidences of His leading. The past three or four years especially have seen His providential guidance. All over the world earnest, sincere people, Christians and non-Christians alike, are seeking to know what we as Adventists really believe.
To have been able to share our beliefs with so many of the leaders of different faiths has certainly been a privilege and a providence. But the discovery that so few have known what we really do believe is one of the most startling revelations of all. "How is it that we have never understood your teachings on these things before? We thought we knew, but we are amazed at our misconceptions." That is the way one outstanding Christian scholar put it when for the first time he understood our teachings on these great central truths of Christianity. Many others have expressed similar surprise.
These and a hundred other things surely constitute a divine call for a unity of purpose and a clarity of understanding of the great message God has commissioned us to carry to the world. Let none become concerned because our doctrines have been increasingly clarified through the years, but let us continue in the unity of the Spirit. Whatever may have been our record in the past, this is no hour for a divided witness or for a critical attitude. We stand face to face with the greatest opportunities of our history. Thrilling reports from all parts of the world field reveal an eagerness on the part of our workers everywhere to come up "to the help of the Lord against the mighty" and to unite their voices in giving the message a certain sound, thus preparing God's people for the outpouring of Pentecostal power. As no other people in the world, Adventists are able to sing:
"We are not divided,
All one body we;
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity."
The message of the Lord to us long ago was: " 'Press together, press together.' " Could any call be more pertinent today? In last month's issue we also talked about Unity of Adventist Belief. But let us now heed God's call to unity of Adventist action, and by God's grace strengthen the spiritual morale of the army of the Lord, and with closed ranks, march as a triumphant host to finish our God-given work, and thus hasten His eternal kingdom of peace.
R. A. A
