The Great Advent Movement Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination, Takoma Park, Washington, D. The Great Advent Movement By EMMA. E. HOWELL Issued by the Young People's Department!, of Missionary Volunteers, General Conference' of Seventh-day Adventists GENERAL CONFERENCE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TAKOMA PARK. WASHINGTON 12, D.C. RENCE LIBRARY TAKOMA PARK. WASHIN REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSN. TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C. Printed in the U. S. A. Copyright, 1935, by the Review and Herald Publishing Association Revised, 1941 Foreword IN this abridged history of the Seventh-day Adventist de- nomination emphasis has been laid on the message in its various phases rather than on the men and women who so loyally proclaimed the timely messages. Brief character sketches have been given of some who were most closely associated with the beginnings of the advent movement, but in the main, biographies of men will have to be culled from other books. We gratefully acknowledge material help and direct informa- tion from the following books: "The Great Controversy," by Mrs. E. G. White ; "The Great Second Advent Movement," by J. N. Loughborough ; "A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists," by M. Ellsworth Olsen; "Story of the Advent Message," by Matilda Erickson Andross ; "Founders of the Message," by Everett Dick; and "Pioneer Stories," by A. W. Spalding. In the revised edition of 1941, we acknowledge further courtesies of assistance by LeRoy E. Froom and the Ellen G. White Publications office staff. Access to original sources, made available by the research work of these men, has led to minor changes in some of the stories of the beginnings of this movement. We regret that these were not available when the first edition was prepared. This history is written expressly for Seventh-day Adventist young people, in order that they may see the remarkable ways in which the Lord has led this people, and, seeing, shall be in- spired to study and prepare for service. As Mrs. E. G. White in her advanced years looked back over the progress of the advent movement, she exclaimed : "In review- ing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God ! As I see what the Lord has wrought, I am filled with astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as leader. 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. 7199 A Word to Teachers Reference Books.—It is essential that the bibliography in this text shall be studied. The notes are addressed to the teachers and should be included in the class assignments. If there is not time or opportunity for everyone in the class to study all the collateral reading, assign references to individuals who will report briefly before the class. The texts most generally referred to are "The Great Controversy" "Life Sketches," "Early Writings," and "Senior Missionary Volun- teer Studies on Bible Doctrines." Other Sources of Information.—The Year Book, prepared annually by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; the Review and Herald; the Youth's Instructor; division and union papers; and conversation or correspondence with your local conference workers—all are sources of information to be used in connection with this text. Dates.—We have endeavored to give the fewest possible dates, but history is made by the very progress of the marching years. The vital thing for the student is to memorize the most important dates, and group all others about these few. For instance, Seventh-day Adventist history disconnected from the year 1844 would mean nothing. Visualize the events that took place prior to this date and those following it. Again, it is important that Seventh-day Adventists know when our f or- eign mission work began-1874. By keeping that year in mind it is not difficult to remember in general when the various coun- tries were opened to the light of the third angel's message. Other dates also can be fixed in mind by applying the law of association. Historical Sequence.—Make it clear and keep it prominent in the minds of the students that the work of Seventh-day Adventists has developed step by step ; that when one phase of the work was introduced, it was carried along simultaneously with the others, unless it superseded some branch. The chap- ters in this book deal with different features from their incep- tion to the date of printing the book; but do not let the student accept the idea that the denomination has fostered one phase of the work over a period of time, then another, and another. All features have worked together for the finishing of the third angel's message and the coming of our Saviour. ' 6 Table of Contents THE BASIS OF OUR DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY(cid:9) 9 THE FIRST ANGEL'S MESSAGE .(cid:9) 12 THE GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT OF 1844(cid:9) 26 THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE(cid:9) 31 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY(cid:9) 34 THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE AND THE SABBATH TRUTH 39 ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION(cid:9) 49 DEPARTMENTS OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DE- NOMINATION .(cid:9) 65 PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 66 HOME MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 72 SABBATH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 76 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION(cid:9) 80 YOUNG PEOPLE'S DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONARY VOLUN- TEERS(cid:9) 89 MEDICAL DEPARTMENT .(cid:9) 96 AMERICAN TEMPERANCE ASSOCIATION(cid:9) 105 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 107 COMMISSION ON NATIONAL SERVICE AND MEDICAL CADET TRAINING .(cid:9) 110 MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION(cid:9) 112 THE ELLEN G. WHITE PUBLICATIONS(cid:9) 114 BUREAU OF HOME MISSIONS .(cid:9) 116 NORTH AMERICAN NEGRO DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 119 7 8(cid:9) The Great Advent Movement PRESS BUREAU(cid:9) .(cid:9) .(cid:9) . 121 TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT(cid:9) 123 EVANGELISM AND CONVOCATIONS(cid:9) • 125 OUR MISSION ADVANCE(cid:9) 138 NORTH AMERICA(cid:9) . 141 EUROPE(cid:9) 151 AUSTRALASIA AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS .(cid:9) . 171 SOUTH AMERICA(cid:9) 184 ASIA, INCLUDING JAPAN AND MALAYSIA .(cid:9) • 197 CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES(cid:9) 221 AFRICA .(cid:9) 229 COUNTING THE COST(cid:9) 243 FACTS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS SHOULD KNOW(cid:9) 245 IMPORTANT DATES IN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY 246 INDEX(cid:9) 247 The Basis of Our Denominational History FROM the time that Adam and Eve were compelled to leave their Eden home, down to the present, the coming of the Lord has been the hope and stay of God's children. In the beginning, however, even an approximation of the time of His coming was withheld. It would have been a great discouragement to our first parents and their immediate posterity if they had foreseen that it would be thousands of years before their hopes would be realized. Much greater would have been their temptation to say, "My Lord delayeth His coming," and thus to put off preparation for the event. In mercy the Lord then veiled the future, but as the day approaches He has not left His people in darkness. In all ages He has had important truths intended by His grace to lead out a people from the bondage of sin and to fit them for entrance into the heavenly Canaan. Always He has had at least one who would carry out His bidding in fostering these truths. When He was about to destroy the world with a flood, Noah was instructed to warn the inhabitants of the earth, and for one hundred twenty years he faithfully preached and prepared for that event. When the time came for the children of Israel to be de- livered from Egyptian bondage, God raised up Moses to deal with the haughty Pharaoh. All during the halting progress of Israel in that forty-year march through the wilderness, Moses was, under the mighty hand of God, their leader. John the Baptist was 'appointed a special work as the fore- runner of the first advent of our Lord. And the twelve dis- ciples, who had been taught personally by the Master Teacher, had a special commission to tell the world of a risen Saviour who would come again in the clouds of heaven. .rvV e today are not left to grope in ignorance of the times in which we live. The Lord down through the ages has spoken through His prophets. If the Jews had been alert to the scrolls of the prophets, they would not have been in darkness regarding the first advent of our Lord. Even so, it behooves us who live in these last days to look to the times in which we are living. 9 10(cid:9) The Great Advent Movement NOTE."—To get the most out of this denominational history class, everyone should understand the following lessons in the booklet, "Senior Missionary Volunteer Studies on Bible Doctrines:" 13. The Setting lip of Christ's Kingdom 14. Empires of Prophecy x8. The Mediatorial Work of Christ 19. The Cleansing of the Sanctuary 20. The Time of the Cleansing of the Sanctuary The messages of the prophets are not the only basis that we have for our belief that Jesus is soon to return to this earth. We have the word of Jesus Himself that His followers could know when the time of His second appearing was drawing nigh. His disciples wanted to know, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world ?" Read our Lord's reply in one or more of the Gospel records : Matthew 24 :1-33; Mark 13 :1-26 ; Luke 21 :7-28. Do we have evidence that these signs have been fulfilled? .(cid:9) NOTE.—Find your answer in the facts given in "The Great Controversy" concerning the following events: The Lisbon earthquake in 1755 (pp. 304, 3o5)• The dark day and the moon turned to blood (pp. 306-308). The falling of the stars (pp. 333. 334)• The entire chapter, "Heralds of the Morning," in "The Great Controversy," pp. 299-316, dwells upon the fulfilling of events that our Saviour said would come to pass. With this background clearly in mind, we see that those who proclaimed the first angel's message had ample reasons for con- viction that the second advent of our Lord and Saviour was "even at the door." In no less measure was the message of the second angel a part of God's plan. And how thrilling it should be to us who bear the third angel's message, which is the burden of Seventh-day Adventists, to know of a surety that we are living in the very closing days of earth's history ! "We are living, we are dwelling, In a grand and awful time; In an age on ages telling— To be living is sublime." All notes are addressed to teachers. They are for special class assignment. and should receive due emphasis.