Justification and Righteousness by Faith in The Seventh-Day Adventist Church Before 1900 by Norval F. Pease

JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH
IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
BEFORE 1900
A Thesis
Presented to
' the Faculty of the
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Religion
THE LIBRARY
S.D.A. Theological Seminary
Takoma Park
Washington 12, D.Ci
hy
Korval Frederick Pease
September 1945
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION . * . . ................ ............ . 1
The problem . » • ................. ................ 1~
Definitions of term3 used . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Validation of the problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Organization of the thesis . . . * . . • • • • • • » .4
Present status of the problem * • . . • • • • . . . 4
Statement regarding sources of data . . . . . . . . 5
II. THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION AMD RIGHTEOUSNESS.
BY FAITH IN THE CHRISTIAN C H U R C H .................. ^ 6
Purpose of the chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . » • • 6
Paul's teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The teachings of the church fathers before Augustine 7
The Pelagian controversy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mediaeval teaching on justification by faith . . . . 14
The Catholic viewpoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The evangelical viewpoint ........ . . . . . . . 14
The Protestant Reformation . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 15
Martin Luther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
John Calvin 18
Reactions to Protestant views on human salvation . . 19
Tie Council of T r e n t .................... .. 19
Protestant reactions 22
ii
CHAPTER PACE
The eighteenth century evangelical revival and
its influence on Seventh-day Adventism . . . . . . 24
III. THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
BY FAITH IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
PRIOR TO 1888 . . .......... 28
Purpose of the chapter . . . .............. . . » * 28
Organization of the chapter 28
• The teachings of James 'White on justification
by f a i t h ...................... . . * ............ 29
Early periodicals and books ........ . . . . . . . 31
Lack of emphasis on justification by faith . . . » 31
Beginning of interest in doctrine in Signs
of tiie Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Mrs. Y/hite’s survey of 1844-1889 . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mrs. "White fs early teachings on justification
by faith . .................................... . 3S
Her conversion 36
Quotations between 1858 and 1383 37
Justification by faith in The Great Controversy. . 41
•Warnings against legalism just prior to 1388 . . . » 45
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
IV. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1888 ..................... , 49
® The-condition of the church in 1888 . . « • • • • • 49
Hie institute preceding the conference . . . . . . . 50
V
iii
CHAPTER PAGE
The General Conference session . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Opening day, October 17 • • . • • • • • » •:•-»«. 54
Smith's sermon, "Ten Kingdoms" . . . . . . . . . -. _ r:A

- Waggoner's sermon, "Law and Gospel" . . . . . . 54
Second day, October 1 8 . • • • • • » . . . . . . . 54
Mrs. White*s sermon, "Christless Preachers" . . / 54

’Waggoner’s sermon on justification by faith . » 55
Third day, October 19 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 56
’Waggoner's sermon on justification by faith . « 56
This series continued until October 25 . . . . . 56
Fourth day, October 2 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Mrs. White’s sermon, "Advancing in Christian
Experience" ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Fifth day, October 21 59
Mrs, White's sermon, "Counsel to Ministers" . . ■ 59
Seventh day, October 23 . • • • • • • • • • • • • 61
Mrs. White’s 3ermon, "Missionary’Work" . . . . • 61
Eighth day, October 24 ............ . « • • • 62
Mrs. White’s "Morning Talk" . . . . . * • *P 6 62
- Hinth day, October 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.
Waggoner concludes series on justification by
faith ......................... -........... 62
Sixteenth day, November 1 . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Mrs. White’s sermon, "A Call for Deeper Study
of the ’Word" 63
i
-■?
CHAPTER PAGES
Later confessions indicate feeling at conference * • • 64
% Viewpoint of opposition ......... . . . . . . . . 65
'i Fear of emphasis on justification by faith. . • • « « 65
^ D i s l i k e of Jones and Waggoner 65
Confusion of issues • 66
Importance of conference 66
V. THE REVIVAL FOLLOWING 3HE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1888 . * 68
Purpose of chapter . • ........ ..............• • • • 68
1889 ..........................................., . . 68
Revival meetings in various centers • • • • • • • • 68
Smith's reaction to revival 71
Review articles 72
Signs articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
J. H. ’Waggoner's book . . . .............. » . . » 73
General Conference Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
1890 ................................................. 73
Tracts and pamphlets............ ................ » 73
Signs articles 74
Review artioles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Mrs. White reports progress of revival . . . * • • 75
Cottrell's attitude toward revival . . . . . . . . 75
Mrs. White appeals for revival . . . . . . . . . . 76
Patriarchs and Prophets 77

A2VJiC.R*it»!-
.
'
.’îiV
g CH A F E R FACS
a Confessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
i#
3 Scattered contributions during year . . . . . . . . 77
«
#
S Mrs. White's warning at General Conference . . . «, 77
| 1892 ............................................. . 78
1
H Signs a r t i c l e s ........ .. • ............... c < > 78
*»aaaaaMii^^
3
jl
S
Review articles
----
79
j| Steps to Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
S
1 1893 . . .................... ...................... 80
i
if Scattered articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
s
#
•2 Jones* sermons at General Conference Session • . » 80
;W
§t
jjj Mrs, White's warning to Jones ................. .. 81
Si
| 1894 ................................... 82
i-£
;| Littlejohn’s opposition
*
• . . . . . . « . • • . . 83
| Mrs. White reports progress of revival . . . . . . 83
1895 ........ .............................. .. 83
;f Review and Signs articles . . . . . . . . . . . . ' 83

4
•J
f . General Conference Session . . . . • • • . • • • * 84
2 Opposition as sensed by Mrs. White . . . . . . . . 84

. . . . . . .'
| 1896 ........ ...................................... 86
<
4 Strong promotion of doctrine in Signs . . . . . . 85
f Review articles . . . • • • » ........ • * . . » 86
-! 1897 ........ ............... .................. .. . 87
1 Jones becomes editor of Review . . . . . . . . . . 87
-1
_> % 1898 .................... . ............ - -
87
i Contributions of ’Waggoner and Covert . . . . . . . 87

vi
CHAPTER PAGE
The. Desire of Ages 87
1899 • « * , • ♦ » . » * • * . * * • • « * ■ * « o • « 88
Waggoner’s ’’Studies in Galatians” in Review . . . « 88
___ 1900 • 88
Waggoner’s The Glad Tidings published 88
Conditions at close of deoe.de 88
Mrs, White’s books 89
Steps to Christ 89
The Desire of Ages « , « « ,,,, «« a 94
Thoughts from, the Mount of Blessing » « • « « • « • 96
Christ’s Object Lessons 96
Importance of these books 97
VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 99
Summary'- .......... 99
Conclusions • * • « 100
BIBLIOGRAPHY 103
w -
i * W\s^3^He^Vxt,^Sit. '•/■•..
-iktlvii£i^WWpiWl•<*
CHAPTER I
IKTR0DUCTI02T ...
The purpose of this investigation was to discover the attitude
of the Seventh-day Adventist church toward -the doctrine of justification
and righteousness by faith. The scope of the investigation has included
the history of this denomination up to 1900 with due attention to the
background of church history in general.
Justification by faith is defined as ”, . . that judicial act
of God by which, on account of Christ, to whom the sinner is united by
faith, he declares that sinner to be no longer exposed to the penalty of
the law, but to be restored to his favor.”-'- The same idea is expressed
in different words in the W es trainster Catechism, where justification is
defined, ”. . . a n act of God’s free grace wherein He pardoneth all our
sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteous
ness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith a l o n e . F r e q u e n t l y ,
however, the companion term, ’’righteousness by faith”, is used to indi

vV
cate more than is included in mere justification. ”. . . the epistle to
the Romans is not simply justification by faith, but rather righteousness
by faith or salvation by fa.ith.”^ This concept of righteousness by faith

£‘
~ A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology (Philadelphia? The Judson
Press, 1944), p. 049.
2 Philip 3chaff, The Creeds of Christendom (Hew York? Harper and

Brothers, 1919), III, 683.
,3 Strong, op, oit., p, 873.

2
may be construed as synonomous with sanctification, or may be consid
ered as including both justification and sanctification* It is a more
general term than justification by faith.
Probably the most succinct definitive statement on the subject
in Seventh-day Adventist literature differentiates thus: "The right
eousness by which we are justified is imputed. The righteousness by
which we are sanctified is imparted. > The first is our title to heaven^
the second is our fitness for heaven."^ An analysis of this statement
shows it to be in harmony with the generally held evangelical Protestant
position on justification and sanctification. In Seventh-day Adventist
literature, however, the terms ’‘justification by faith” and "righteous-
ness by faith” are often used interchangeably, sometimes applying to
justification, sometimes to sanctification, sometimes to both. The em
phasis is on faith as an activating prinoiple in contrast to the legal
istic idea of salvation by works*
Several conditions obtain that justify such an investigation as
this:
First, the Seventh-day Adventist church has never adopted a
creed. The official dogmas of most other religious bodies can be deter
mined quickly by reference to accepted creeds or confessions. While
^ Mrs / E. G. White, "Qualifications for the ’.Worker," Advent Review

and Sabbath Herald, 72: 339, June 4, 1895. Seventh-day Adventists con
sider Mrs. E. G. White their leading authority in matters of Biblical
interpretation end church polity. They ascribe to her writings a place
second only to the Bible, believing -that she was guided by a degree of
divine inspiration* Many of her works are included in the bibliography
of this thesis.
3
these official statements of faith do not always reflect exactly the
actual life and practice, or even the unanimous belief of the eccles
iastical bodies concerned, yet such creeds and confessions do constitute
tangible evidence of trends of thought. But where there is no creed,
careful research is required to determine standards of belief.
Second, the doctrine of justification and righteousness by faith
is not a minor issue, but is and always has been a major Christian tenet.
Investigation that might seem unnecessary on some secondary topic, most
certainly justifies itself on one of the great dootrines of the Christian
faith,
Biird, the Seventh-day Adventist viewpoint on this doctrine has
been challenged both by other denominations and by groups that have with
drawn from the Seventh-day Adventist church. For example, about a decade
ago a new sect was organised on the assumption that Seventh-day Adventism
does not teach the doctrine of justification and righteousness by faith,
Thi3 organization, which is known as The Lord Our Righteousness Church,
with headquarters at Auburn, Washington, is still active, and continues
to have some degree of local success in gaining adherents. Such chal
lenges must not go unheeded. If the charges are groundless, the fact
should be demonstrated. If they are correct, the position of the church
should either be modified or soundly defended.
Fourth, many Seventh-day Adventists have heard of a crisis that
arose in the year 1888 regarding this subject. Ordinarily, however, they
have a very vague idea of what happened in 1888 and why. Inasmuch as
this crisis had to do with so fundamental a doctrine, it has been deemed

Y.-:. V. , ■ K':V.V.vHv.LAi:;AW
worth while to analyze the ©vents of 1888.
The subject has been subdivided in the following manner:
Chapter Two presents a survey of the interpretation of the doc-
trine of justification by faith in the Christian church since apostolic
times. Special stress is given to the teachings of Paul, Augustine,
Luther, Calvin, Arminius, and Wesley. Wesley’s movement is of special
importance because it constituted the immediate background of Seventh-
day Adventism,
Chapter Three analyzes the teaching of the doctrine under inves
tigation in the Seventh-day Adventist church prior to 1888. Early
Seventh-day Adventist periodicals and books have been searched for evi
dence as to what the church of that time taught and believed.
Chapter Four discusses in as much d9ts.il as ©misting sources
permit the crisis at the General Conference session of 1888. The ser
mons of ilrs. S. G. White during that conference are analyzed. Host of
these sermons have never been published before in any form*
Chapter Five presents the immediate results of the conference of
1888, terminating the investigation at the beginning of the present
century. The objective of this portion of the research has been to
determine the weight of the impact of the agitation begun in 1888 on
Seventh-day Adventist thought during the following decade.
There has been no previous investigation covering this field. The
nes.rest approach was the book, Christ Our Righ teousness, by A. G, Daniells,
published in 1926. Daniells’ presentation is largely theological, and
G. Daniells, Christ Our Righteousness (Takona Fark, D. C.s

Review and Kerald, 1926), 165 pp.
5
—.=3 Intended to awaken interest in the doctrine. The book, however,
ores nor rresent the doctrine in relation to its historical background;
r 3 f.rher does it integrate the subject "with denominational history as a
xkcle. The 1888 conference is not adequately covered. The objectives
of the author were hortatory rather than historical.
The principal sources have been files of denominational periodi
cals and books, including both published and unpublished works of Mrs,
E. G. \mite. Much of this material, including an invaluable collection
of sermons at the 1888 conference by Mrs. E. G. White, have been made
available by the office of the Ellen G. Yshite Publications. Standard
authorities have been used to verify general historical data*

CHAPTER II
THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BY
FAITH IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The purpose of this chapter is to trace, briefly, the church’s
interpretation of this doctrine from apostolic to modern times. Such
a survey reveals that this dootrine was one of the most discussed and
most controverted questions of Christendom,
Paul’s letters to the churches at Rome and Galatia constitute
the most fruitful source of the basic doctrine of justification by
faith. Paul was ,in constant conflict with the Jewish legalism of his
day. In contrast to this legalism, he presented faith in Christ as the
only means of justification, sanctification, and eventual salvation.
He taught salvation as a free gift, apart from law, and presented law
as merely a standard of conduot, impotent to save.-*-
.As long as the early church was on the defensive against Judaism
it was natural that Paul’s conception of salvation through faith rather
than works should be stressed.^ As the struggle with Judaism abated,
the simpler and more natural philosophy of salvation through obedience
became more and more prominent. Impetus was added to this trend by the
fact that the successors of Paul had not had Paul’s mystical experience
Romans 1:16,17; 3:20-28; 4:19-25; 5:9-11; 8:3,4,29,50.

Galatians 2:15-21; 3:21-27.
^George Park Fisher, History of Christian Doctrine (New York:

Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1932), I, 85.
- . W v;':'/ yV»‘,4 iS U -■i. £i.Ittiet
nor did they share his conceptions of Christ.3 It is amazing to notice
the rapidity with which changes of attitude developed*

*
Clement of Rome illustrates this tendency toward, the modifica
tion of Pauline doctrine early in the second century. While he extolled
faith, he showed no understanding of faith as a saving transaction.^
He . . really agreed with the other Christians of his day that sal
vation is to be had only by obesring God and doing his will,"®
The purported epistles of Ignatius abound with evidences of the
growing ecclesiasticism and emphasis on good works. His craving for
martyrdom contrasts strangely with the words of one greater than Igna
tius, " . . . and if I give my body to be burned, . . . it profiteth me
nothing tt5 The place to which he exalted good works is indicated in
the following exhortation: "Let your works be the charge assigned to

•7
you, that you may obtain from them a most worthy recompense."
The same trend i3 even more evident in the extravagant, alleg
orizing Epistle of Barnabas, so-called. The author urges;
The Lord will judge the world without respect of persons.
Ârthur C. McGiffert, A History of Christian Thought (New York:

Charles Scribner's Sons, 19327, I, 85. t
r;
^Clement, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapters XXXII
and XXXIII, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Alexander Roberts and James ' :
Donaldson, editor s" (Buffalo:The Christian Literature Publishing Com- ;
pany, 1885), I, 13. The volumes named above are hereinafter designated
as ANF. [
•
Sj.IcGiffert, loc. cit. f

'1
6I Corinthians 13:2. ' i
[
*
"Îgnatius, Epistle to polycarp, Chapter VI, ANF. I, 95.
8
Each will receive as he has doner if he is righteous, his

righteousness will precede him; if he is wicked, the reward
of wickedness is before him.8
The second part of The Epistle of Barnabas is entitled, "The Two Wavs".
The way of light and the way of darkness are contrasted with a. con
cluding, exhortation to "fulfil ©very c o m m a n d m e n t " T h e emphasis is
entirely legalistic, hot one trace of the Pauline teaching of salva
tion by faith can be observed.
The Didache, or Teaching of the Twelve A postles is very similar
to the closing chapters of Barnabas.10 This comparatively late dis
covery among patristic documents is exclusively moralistic. It is
thought to have been used as a manual of church instruction; and, if
such was the case, the Christianity of the time was as essentially a
legalistic code as was its precursor, Judaism.
Justin Martyr, the second century apologist, was emphatic in
declaring that " . . . each man goes to everlasting punishment or salva
tion according to the value of his actions."-1

-! Justin, however, in his
Dialogue With Trypho speaks of being " . . . purified. . , by faith
through the blood of Christ. . . ,"12 seems that the polemical
^The Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter IV, ANP., I, 139.
Îbid., pp. 148 f.
l^Sirsopp Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (Hew York: G. P. Putman's

Sons, 1930), I, 305-383*7"
11Justin Martyr, The First Apology, A HI I, 166.

1°
Justin Martyr, Dialogue Vtith Trypho, AHF-. . I, 200.
atmosphere of a Christian-Jewish. debate brought to the surface Paul's
teaching of faith as contrasted with salvation by works. Justin sum
marizes his idea of the plan of salvation thus;
And we are just as if drawn out from the fire, when purified
from our former sins, and rescued from the affliction and the
fiery trial by which the devil and all his coadjutors try us,
otvfc of which Jesus the Son of C-od has promised again to deliver
us, and invest us with prepared garments, if we do His command
ments j and has undertaken to provide an eternal kingdom for us.
It thus becomes evident that Justin was pitting a semi-legalistic
Christianity against a legalistic Judaism.
The limitations of this chapter forbid the mention of all the
Ante-Kicene fathers, but brief attention must be given to Irenaeus
because of his influence in the formation of the Catholic theology.I4
Irenaeus exercised his energies in combating the various Gnostic heresies
prevalent In his day. The Gnostics taught a salvation by knowledge.
They maintained that all men were not capable of salvation; but only a
favored few who were able to escape from things material into the per-
fect gnosis. Some Gnostics granted the possibility of a middle group
who might obtain salvation-through faith supplemented by works.13 Against
these Gnostic heresies Irenaeus wrote at great length. He emphasized
repentance and righteousness more than faith; he taught freedom of the
will* and he believed that ’’The righteousness demanded of the Christian,
13Ibid., p. 257.
141IcGiffert, op. cit., 134 ff.
13Ibid., pp. 52 f.
10
■was. . . obedience to an external law— the lav/' of God;”-*-3 As Justin •
fought Judaism, with a legalistic type of Christianity, so Irenaeus
fought Gnosticism with arrov/s from their own quiwer. He even accepted
the Gnostic idea of. salvation as release from the flesh rather than the
17
redemption of it.
Irenaeus was sacramentarian in his belief, and in combining his
sacramentarianism with his legalistic conception of salvation, he es
tablished a foundation of the historic Catholic system.
Henceforth it was everywhere recognized that participation,

in the sacraments and obedience— including both correct faith
and right conduct— were necessary to salvation, or in other
words, that there must be divine grace and human merit.IS
Tertuliian has been called ”ths founder of Latin theology,” "the
forerunner of A u g u s t i n . H e taught the importance of the death of
Christ in its relation to human salvation, but he held to a legalistic
view of repentance and divine acceptance. He taught penance and self
chastisement for sin. He anticipated Augustine's doctrine of original
sin, but taught freedom, of the will.
Clement of Alexandria considered faith as merely a conviction*

3
1
p * i39*
^ I b l d ., p. 142.
13Ibid., p. 147.
11
that certain things are true. His legalism is summed up in his estimate
of salvation as ” , . , the portion of him who lives according to the
commandments.""'
Origen, Clement’s pupil, became the great systematic theologian
of his age. He taught the saving result of faith, hut argued
that knowledge, ) f was necessary to greater spiritual develop
ment. Origen’s definition of faith, however, was merely accepting the

23
doctrines of the church. The framework of hi3 doctrinal structure
ms'-similar to that of Irenaeus and Tertullian. He agreed with most of
his contemporaries in upholding the doctrine of the freedom of the human

24
will
The trends of th9 first three centuries have* been presented by
summarizing the views of nine representative Christian leaders of the
time. Despite variations of vievrpoint, there runs throughout the fabric
of early patristic literature two discardable threads; first, an accep
tance of Christ as the only means of salvation, though not in the
Pauline sense; and second, the necessity of good v/orks as concomitants
of repentance and purveyors of divine merit. During this period, the
doctrine of freedom of the will held almost undisputed sway.^ TheI

,
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Boole Two, Chapter VI, AHF.,

II, 355.
23;icGiffert, op. olt., pp. 210 ff.
24origen, JDe Prinoipiis, Book Three, Chapter I, AHF., IV, 302-328
25k . R. Hagenbaeh, A Textbook of the History of Doctrines (New

York: Sheldon and Company, 1864), I, 188.
12
legalistic principles of Catholicism were firmly established and the
Pauline doctrine of salvation through faith alone seems to have been
wholly lost sight o f . T h e creeds of Hicea, (325 A. D.), and Constan
tinople, (381 A. D. ), agree that Christ came down ’’for our salvation,”^®
but give no clue as to how the salvation operates within the sphere of
the individual life.
The great questions regarding the economy of human salvation
came to the foreground during the Pelagian controversy that was waged
during the fifth century. The two outstanding characters in this
struggle were Augustine of Hippo and Pelagius.
Augustine is generally considered . . the most influential of
all the teachers of the church since the Apostolic age.”^ The most
distinctive part of his theology was his viewpoint on sin and grace.
Partly as a result of his own experience, Augustine was convinced that
man was originally and fundamentally sinful and that salvation is only
possible through the grace of God which is imx->arted not as a result of
man’s efforts but according to God’s decree. He insisted on man's
absolute dependence on God, and arrived in his thinking at the theory
of predestination. In seeming contrast to these spiritual and mystical
concepts, Augustine insisted on the supreme authority of the Catholic
church.^
^"Canons and Creeds of the First Four General Councils,” Trans

lations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European History
(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania PresTJ*, IV, 3,11*7
^Fisher, _op. oit., p. 175.
^ I b i d ., p. 183.
^JcGiffert, op. oit., p. 115

The views of Pelagius also reflect the man1s personality and ex
perience. His philosophy was based on the assumption that man is able
to do all that righteousness can demand, and that he esrr wprk out his
30
own salvation. Pelagius made his appeal to m a n ’s innate sense of ^
31
justice which rebels at the determinist philosophy. Pelagius* view
was individualistic in its nature, while Augustine’s view m s collec-
tivistic.
These clashing philosophies represent more than the views of two
men. They express two moral and religious systems,^ The decrees of
the church vindicated Augustine and anathematized Pelagius, neverthe
less the views of Pelagius continued to be held in a modified form
known as Semi-Pelagianism, This compromise viewpoint represented the
". , . common sentiment of the western church which antedated both
Augustine and pelagius and was opposed to the latter as well as the
former.The importance of Augustine and the Pelagian controversy
cannot be over-estimated.
Augustine embraced in his theology the seeds of two systems,

which more than a thousand years afterwards were to wage open
war against each other. The Roman-Catholic system was based
on his doctrine of the church (in opposition to the Donatists);
the system of evangelical Protestantism rests upon his views of
~ 3U3“ BT~V/arfie 1d, "Introductory Essay on Augustin and the

Pelagian Controversy," ITicene and Post-Kicene Fathers (New York: The
Christian Literature Company, 1887), Y, xiv.
*7*1
xFisher, op. cit., pp. 186 f.
Kagenbach, op. cit., p. 299.

33
Ibid., p. 296.
^McGiffert, op. cit., p. 136.

14
35
sin, grace, and predestination (in opposition to Pelagius),
This curious paradox has been commented on by H a m a c k ivho observed
that Augustine experienced, on the one hand, the last revival in the
ancient church of the principle that "faith alone saves"; and on the
other, he silenced the principle for a thousand years. °
For centuries following Augustine, Catholicism reflected a deep
ening asceticism and formalism. The church had developed into a full-
fledged heirarchy, and although schoolmen like Anselm and Aquinas might
talk about being saved by faith, faith to them meant willingness to

37
accept the teachings of the church. Penance, works of supererogation,
«
pilgrimages, and indulgences reflected the legalistic attitude of the
church. Certain mystics rose within the church who had a deeper appre
ciation of spiritual values than the rank and file, but their medita
tions and spiritual exercises had but very limited effect on the thought
and practices of the membership of the church.
Doubtless the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith was
limited during these centuries to such dissenting groups as the Tfelden-
ses. An ancient Waldensian work, in -denominating the Roman church as
the anti-Christ, charges:
M . . . h e robs and bereaves Christ of his merits, together with

all the sufficiency of grace, of justification, of regeneration,
remission of sins, sanctification, confirmation, and spiritual
' b'ovjagenbach, op. cit., p. 240.
"Âdolph Harnack, Zeitschrift f. Theol. u, Kirche 1891, 177, cited

.in article, "Jugtifi-cation7Tr'The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Vfcu B. Serdmans publishing Co., 1939*),' III, 17 8S~
^Fisher, op. cit., pp. 249 f.

nourishment} and imputes and attributes the same to his own auth
ority, to a form of words, to his own works; unto saints, and
their intercession, and unto the fire of purgatory, and separates
the people from Christ, and leads them away to the things aforsaid,
that they may not seek those of Christ, nor by Christ,'but only in
the works of their ov/n hands, and not by a lively faith in 0o<i,
nor in Jesus Christ, nor in the Holy Spirit, but by the will and
pleasure, and by the works of antichrist, according as he preacheth,
that all salvation consists in his works.38
Those who opposed the pervading Catholicism in pre-reformation
times held several doctrinal principles in common. One of these
principles was protest against the Catholic idea of salvation by works.
The Waldenses were not alone in voicing this protest; their views were
shared in part by such men as John "Wyclif of England and John Kuss of
Bohemia. These mediaeval protests, however, against papal legalism and
other abuses, were merely voices crying in the wilderness. These voices
were usually silenced by the authority of the hierarchy.
Eventually there arose a man whose voice could not be silenced.
Martin Luther, like Paul and Augustine, developed his religious vieyys
in the crucible of personal experience. Ten years in a friary convinced

39
him of "the total impotence and bondage of the will". He termed this
"the invincible concupiscence" of the flesh and at times despaired of
finding a satisfactory solution to the problems that harassed his soul.
■While in this state of perplexity, Luther came under the influence
of Staupitz, an Augustinian monk with strong mystical tendencies. Luther
accepted his teacher’s concept of "complete surrender of the being to
,
Quoted by Jean Paul Perrin, History of the Old Albigenses
(Philadelphia; Griffith and Simon, 1847} p. 245. This manuscript is
supposed to date back to the twelfth century.
^preserved g^th, The Life and letters of Martin Luther (Boston:

Houghton Mifflin Company, TsTl"}, preface, pp. viii f .
16
God, and an inner appropx-iation of Christ as the controlling principle
of the life." This philosophy of "pure passivity in God’s hands" and
"entire reliance on him"4^ formed the ba,sis of his doctrine of justifi
cation by faith. Time and experience strengthened his convictions until
the idea of justification by faith alone became the center of his the-
42
ology. Much he borrowed from Augustine, but he went beyond Augustine
in rebuilding the Pauline teaching.*

46
5
3
2
1
4 He apprehended righteousness as
an endowment of God, a justifying work wrought within man as a result of

44
the mercy of God. He conceived the principle of righteousness being
imputed; that the believer will be dealt with as if Christ's righteousness
were actually his pwn.46 Complementary to this belief was Luther’s
teaching of assurance. This belief released the Christian from the
bondage of fear coincidental with a legalistic religion.46 It is prob
ably not an exaggeration to conclude that Luther was "the first great,
clear preacher of the righteousness of faith sent to the Christian
church since the days of the apostle Paul." Like Paul, he conceived
ii. Newman, A Manual of Church History (Philadelphia; The

American Baptist Publication Society, 1931), II, 46.
41
Smith, loc. cit.
42Ibid., p. 336.
43
Julius Kostlin, The Theology of Luther (Philadelphia; The
Lutheran Publication Society,"”1887), "i, 3*27.
44Ibid., pp. 72 f.
45 Fisher, op. pit ., p. 275.
46Ibid., p. 274.
A7
'Kostlin, op. cit., pp. 77 f.
17
of faith as trust in the mercy of God through Christ; of justification

AO
as declaring the believer righteous through Christ.
In evaluating Luther*s work, however, it must be remembered that
he, like other mortals, had his shortcomings. He sometimes succumbed
to the human tendency to shoot beyond the mark. He sacrificed consis
tency at times in too slavish a regard for Augustine. In some instances
he seemed to interpret the scriptures by Augustine rather than Augustine
by the s c r i p t u r e s A l t h o u g h he taught the necessity of good works,®®

51
he sometimes made statements derogatory to good works.
Unfortunately, Luther followed Augustine rather than Paul in his
teaching of predestination, freedom of the will, and kindred doctrines.
Smith quotes Luther thus:
The human will is like a beast of burden. If God mounts it, it

wishes and goes as God wills; if Satan mounts it, it wishes and goes
as Satan wills. Nor can it choose the rider it would prefer, nor
betake itself to him, but it is the riders who contend for its
possession. . . . God foreknows nothing subject to contingencies,
but he foresees, foreordains, and accomplishes all things by an
unchanging, eternal, and efficacious will. By this thunderbolt free
will sinks shattered in the dust.52
These teachings, so repugnant to the common sense of the ordinary in
dividual, were certain to bring unfavorable reactions later.
4BJohn Alfred Faulkner, "justification," International Standard

Bible Encyclopaedia, III, 1787.
ÎJewman, op. cit., p. 52.
®°"Treatise on Good Y.brks", Yibrks of Martin Luther (Philadelphia:

A. J. Holman Company, 1915), pp. 173-285.
Newman, op. cit., pp. 87-SO.
52smith, op. cit., p. 208.

18
The Protestant reformation has been described, not as a circle
with Luther as the center, but as an ellipse with two foci— -Luther and
Calvin. Luther first expressed the doctrines of the reformation;
Calvin codified them.54 Luther adopted as the center of his system the
doctrine of justification by faith. Calvin accepted as his norm of
orthodoxy the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. These two doctrines
are mutually interdependent. Calvin's acceptance of the Augustinian-
Lutheran formula will be seen in his definition of justification by
faith:
On the other hand, he will be justified by faith, who, being

excluded from the righteousness of works, apprehends by faith the
righteousness of Christ, invested in which, he appears, in the sight
of God, not as a sinner, but as a righteous man. Thus we simply
explain justification to be an acceptance, by which God receives us
into his favour, and esteems us as righteous persons; and we say
that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of the
righteousness of Christ.55
Calvin and Luther harmonize olosely in their viewpoints on justi
fication by faith, but Calvin goes far beyond Luther in his insistence
on predestination. This dogma he takes to its uttermost boundary.5®
His radical position against free will, and his harsh uncompromising
predestinarianism planted theological- dragon's teeth that were certain
to bring a disturbing harvest of dogmatic controversy in later years.
55 a . W. Harrison, The Beginnings of Aminianism (London:

University of London Press, 1926), p* 1. ~~
5^lbid., p. 3.
55John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Chapter XI

(Philadelphia; PresbySerian Board of Christian EducaTionT* 1936), I, 793.
5®James Mackinnon, Calvin and the Reformation (London: Longmans,

Green, and Company, 1936), p. 216. "
19
The middle of the sixteenth century found, therefore, two dominant
Protestant schools of thought in Europe— Lutheranism and Calvinism. Both
were serving to emancipate thousands from the bondage of mediaeval.
Catholicism, and both were defending valiantly certain scriptural doc
trines. Both systems, however, possessed glaring weaknesses which brought
inevitable reactions from both Catholic and Protestant sources. It is
significant that much of the reaction to both Lutheranism and Calvinism
had to do with their teachings regarding the economy of human salvation.
The Council of Trent voiced the Catholic reaction. Catholic
leaders were quick to see the inconsistencies of the reformers. They
took a position that might be termed either semi-August ini an or semi-
Pelagian, but they carefully avoided identifying themselves with either
extreme. Many of the utterances of the council sound quite evangelical,
but scrutiny reveals that beneath this evangelical exterior, lay all the
traditional sacerdotalism of Catholicism.
The fifth session of the council issued a decree concerning orig-
inal sin. This decree sounds scriptural and evangelical, until it avers
that "the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ’' .must be applied "both to adults
and infants, by the sacrament of baptism rightly administered in the form

58
of the church. . . The same decree, at its close, makes speoific
exception of "the blessed and immaculate Virgin Mary" in its px-onounce-
msnts regarding original sin and concupiscence.®®
bVSchaff", op. cit., II, 83 ff.
®®Ibid., pp. 85 f.
®®Ibid., p. 88.
20
The sixth session, held January 13, 1547, dealt with the subject
of justification. A summary of the decrees on this doctrine reveals
the Catholic position:
Chapter I. Freewill, though weakened by original sin, was not
extinguished.
fil
Chapter III. Only those who are born again are justified.
go
Chapter IY. Baptism, necessary to justification.
Chapter Y. In adults, the "prevenient grace of God” prepares

63
for justification.
Chapter VII. Justification, not only remission of sins, but
"sanctification and renewal of the inward man, through the voluntary
reception of the grace, and of the gifts, whereby man of unjust becomes
just. . . ." Justification is said to include, not merely the foren
sic act, but real making righteous of the individual "according to each
one’s proper disposition and cooperation," and the infusion of "faith,

65
hope, and charity."
Chapter IX. The doctrine of certainty rejected.®®
Chapter X. After justification, " . . . they, through the obser-
Ibid., p. 89.
®Îbid., p. 90.
62Ibid., p. 91.
63roid., p. 92.
64Ibid., p. 94.
65Ibid., pp. 95 f.
66Ibid., p. 98.
21
vance of the commandments of God and of the church, faith co-operating
with good works, increase in that justice which they have received
through the grace of Christ, and are still further justified. . . ,"37
Chapter XI. The keeping of the commandment is enjoined. "Where -
fore, no one ought to flatter himself up with faith alone, fancying that
68
by faith alone he is made an heir. » .
Chapter XII. Secret mysteries of divine predestination alleged
to be unknown to raan.^
Chapter XIII. Salvation to be worked out . . i n labors, in
watchings, in almsdeeds: in prayers and oblations, in fastings and
chastity. . .
Chapter XIV. Penance including fasts, alms, prayers and other

71
pious exercise, necessary for those who fall from- justification.
72
Chapter XV. Grace, lost by mortal sin.
Chapter XVI. The justified are said, "by those very works which
have been done in God” to have "fully satisfied the divine law. . . and
73
to have truly merited eternal life."
of Ibid., P* 99.
68Ibid., P. 101.
3®Ibid., P * 103.
70Ibid., P. 104.
71Ibid., PP . 104
72Ibid., PP . 106
73Ibid., P* 108.
22
At the conclusion of these decrees, the dogmatism of the church
is indicated by the statement that any one who receives not "this
Catholic doctrine on Justification" cannot be justified.7^ The "de
crees" are followed by thirty-three "canons" which threaten anathema to
all who differ with the Catholic formula regarding justification. The
Council of Trent made no fundamental change in the traditional Catholic
position on justification. The decrees and canons tended to obscure
the real issues in the manner in which they made capital of the posi
tions of the reformers that were untenable.
The reaction to Lutheranism and Calvinism was not confined to
the Catholic counter-reformation.. Within Protestant ranks there arose
those who were unwilling to go all the way with the two major reformers.
Even Melancthon, Luther's close friend and co-laborer, held to freedom
of will, and avoided Luther's extremes regarding good works.7® The
Osiandrian and Stancarist controversies rent the newly formed Lutheran
church, and these controversies hinged on the nature of justification .

r?F\
by faith. Zwingld, the Swiss reformer, exhibited a tendency to modi
fy the extremera Augustinian views. The Anabaptists likewise opposed
the Augustinian system of doctrine, and insisted on freedom of will and

77
the importance of good works as the fruit of faith.
M l b i d ., p. 110.
75Harrison, op. clt., p. 11.
^Kewman, op. clt., pp. 319 f.
77Ibid., p. 154.
23
Arminius of Holland contributed much to later evangelical thought.
The five points of Arminian theology are here summarized because of their
far-reaching implications;
1. That God, by an eternal and unchangeable <1:ores in Christ

before the world was, determined to elect from the x a l ^ « n d sinning
human race to everlasting life those who through Ilis grace'b^love
in Jesus Christ and persevere in faith and obedience; and, on the -
contrary, had resolved to reject the unconverted and unbelievers
to everlasting damnation*
2. That, in consequence of this, Christ tire Saviour of the world

died for all and every man, so that He obtained, by the death on the
cross, reconciliation and pardon for sin for all men; and in such
manner, however, that none but the faithful actually enjoyed the same.
3. That roan could not obtain saving faith of himself or by the

strength of his own free will, but stood in need of God's grace
through Christ to be renewed in thought and will.
4. That this grace was the cause of the beginning, progress, and
completion of man's salvation; insomuch that none could believe nor
persevere in faith without this cooperating grace, and consequently
that all good works must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ.
As to the manner of the operation of that grace, however, it is not
irresistible.
5. That true believers had sufficient strength through the

Divine grace to fight against Satan, sin, the world, their own
flesh, and get the victory over them. . . .78
The objective of Arminianism was to maintain the thesis of human
responsibility with its moral implication, while'still upholding salva
tion by g r a c e . A r m i n i u s was not pelagian.®® He admitted the work of
the Spirit of God, and the importance of grace, but "he thought it his
duty to save the honor of God, and to emphasize, on the basis of the
Vdllarrisoh, op. cit., pp. 150 f. For source, see Schaff, op. cit.,
Ill, 545-549. ~
"^Fisher, op. cit., p. 340.
80jbid., p. 342.
24
clear expressions of the Bible, the free will of man as well as the
01
truth of the Hoctrine- nf— sin."
Probably the principle contribution of Arminianism was its influ
ence on Wesley*s evangelical revival, which has been called "Arminianism

82
on fire." - Among the various sources from which John Wesley gathered
his theology, two are outstanding, Arminianism and Moravianism. Ihe
latter can well be mentioned first because its impact was felt first.
The story of Wesley’s early experiences, including his missionary adven
ture to Georgia, is well known. It was in 1738, on returning to England
from his American trip, that wesley came to know the Moravians. These
people, the spiritual descendants of John Huss, had come under the leader
ship of Count Zinzsndorf of Pietistic Lutheran belief. E'rom his conver
sations with Peter Bohler, Wesley came to understand the great principle
of salvation by faith alone, and was "converted.*1 "Wesley dated his
conversion from a certain hour on the evening of May 24, 1738, as he

0*2
listened to the reading of Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.00
His conversion consisted in a renunciation of dependence on works of

gji
righteousness, and an acceptance of saving faith in Christ. It was
■Wesley’s preaching of this doctrine that gave rise to one of the greatest
ciIcTTr~Backwith, "Arminianism" The Hew Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia

of Religions Knowledge (Hew York: -Funk "and Wagnalls, 1908J7 i"/'29(TY7~~~~~
^Fisher, op. cit., p. 342.

Q»7
Lars p. Qualben, A History of the Christian Church (Hew York:
Thomas Kelson and Sons, 1940)', p. 369.
0±L. Tyerman, The Life and Times of John 'Wesley (New York: Har
per and Brothers, 187(3), I, 178. “
. .'^ -iA iV U v ^ -; . i “fc-!«&i! -VV.^CO#' Aaw.-barflyii -' 7 ' S i l » * 'i j Â ? fe«fcj.-. vlM W rsu
25
religious revivals of all time. The message kno>m as Methodisia 7/as
essentially a doctrine of how to ho saved. “ W s l e y suinaarltes^his" teach
ing thu:
The justification, whereof our articles and homilies speak,

means present forgiveness, pardon of sins, and consequently accep
tance with God. I believe the condition of this is faith; I -mean,
not only that without faith we cannot he justified, hut also that,
as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified.
Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it; much less
can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works,
springing from holiness of heart.
Repentance must go before faith, and fruits meet for it, if there
be opportunity. By repentance, I mean conviction of sin, producing
real desires and sincere resolutions of amendment; and by "fruits
meet for repentance," I mean forgiving our brother, ceasing from
evil and doing good, using the ordinances of God, and in general
obeying Him according to the measure of grace which we have re
ceived. But these I cannot as yet term good -works; because they
do not spring from faith and the love of God.
By salvation I mean, not barely deliverance from hell, or going

to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a' restoration of
the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery
of the Divine nature; the renewal of our souls after the image of
G-od, in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy, and
truth. This implies all holy and heavenly tempers, and by con
sequence, all holiness of conversation.
Faith is the sole condition of this salvation. Without faith

we cannot thus be saved; for we cannot rightly serve God unless we
love Him. An<i we cannot love Him unless we know him; neither can
7/9 know Him unless by faith.
Faith, in general, is a Divine, supernatural evidence, or con

viction of things not seen; that is, of things past, -future, or
spiritual. Justifying faith implies, not only a Divine evidence,
or conviction, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself; but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my
sins; that he loved me and gave Himself for me. And the moment a
penitent sinner believes this, God pardons and absolves him.
And as soon as his pardon or justification is witnessed to him

by the Holy Ghost, he is saved. He loves God and all mankind.
He has the mind that was in Christ, and power to v/alk as He also
walked. From that time (unless he makes shipwreck of the faith)
salvation gradually incx*eases in his soul.
26
The author of faith and salvation is God alone. He is the

sole Giver of every good gift, and the sole author of every good
work. There is no more of power than of merit in man; but as all
merit is in the Son of God, in what He has done and suffered for
us, so all power is in the Spirit of God. And therefore every man,
in order to believe unto salvation, must receive the Holy Ghost.
This is essentially necessary to every Christian, in order to faith,
peace, joy, and love. ?ihoever has these fruits of the spirit
cannot but know and feel that God has wrought them in his heart.®®
In these principles can be seen, not only Wesley*s insistence
on justification by faith alone as taught by Luther, but another teaching
with which neither Luther nor Calvin would have agreed. This is Wes
ley 's cardinal doctrine of freedom of choice. He objected to the doc
trine of predestination because he felt it rendered preaching vain,
removed the incentive to holiness, quenched human sympathy, destroyed
the comfort of religion, destroyed zeal for good works, made the Bible
contradictory, and blasphemed God and Christ. In holding and
teaching these anti-dsterministic views, We slay gave ample credit to
Arminius. In fact, one of the principle organs of Methodism, estab
lished by Wesley himself, was known as The Arminian Magazine. In the
official proposals for the publishing of this magazine, Wesley made a
statement against the doctrine that "some men shall be saved, do what
they will, and the rest bo damned, do what they c a n . C o n t r a r y to
this view, Wesley intended to show in his magazine that God willed that
all men should be saved. He began this periodical with a biographical
sketch of Arminius.
deibldTT pp. 52 f.
86Ibid., p. 319.
87Ibid., Ill, 280 ff.

27
Wesley’s theology, in its component parts, was not new, but lie
seemed to be guided of God in his ability to select the best from
Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Arminianism, and other systems
that had gone before and to avoid many of their pitfalls. His doctrines
exerted a great influence in a decadent generation, and initiatan ;;;Hny
social reforms.
Wesley’s theology is of special importance in this investigation
because many of the early adherents to Seventh-day Adventism were
originally Methodists. Especially is this true of Mrs. E. G. White
who experienced a Methodist conversion, and reproduced the Lbsleyan
philosophy of salvation in almost every detail in her writings.

CHAPTER III
THE DOCTRIKE OF JUSTIFICATION AUD RIGHTEOUSNESS
BY FAITH -IN THE SB TENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
CHURCH PRIOR TO 1888
The objective of this portion of the investigation has-been to

W if i" . ’
determine the status of the doctrine of justification and righteous
ness by faith in the Seventh-day Adventist church before 1888. This
date has been chosen as the terminal point of this phase of the study
because it wras in 1888 that this doctrine became a leading issue in the
Seventh-day Adventis$ church. The records of this period of four dec
ades have not been found plentiful; and instances of mention of this
particular doctrine are comparatively few. The order of presentation
of the findings of this part of the investigation is as follows;
First, inasmuch as James 'White seems to have been first to
allude to this doctrine, his contributions in this field are given the
initial place in this chapter.
Second, the references to the doctrine gleaned from other
sources prior to th8 middle eighties are surveyed. Attention is called
to the lack of emphasis on this doctrine during this time.
Third, a statement made by Mrs. S. G. White in 1889 is analyzed
indicating that she and her husband had been alone for forty-five years
in teaching this doctrine.
Fourth, Mrs. White's ovm writings are examined to determine her
attitude toward, and emphasis upon the subject. ■

Fifth, the crescendo of thought on the doctrine immediately
preceding the General Conference of 1888 is presented, with special
attention to the writings of Mrs. E* G. Tlhite during those months.
The first Seventh-day Adventist periodical, k n o w ^ s The Present
Truth, was first published by James White in 1849. The first isCi-s of
this paper contained the following statement*
The keeping of the fourth commandment is all-important present

■truth; but this alone, will not save anyone. T;re must keep all ten
of the commandments, and strictly follow all the flections of the
Hew Testament, and have living active faith in Jesus.1
This statement indicates an appreciation of the importance of "living
active faith in Jesus."
White's attitude is reflected further in articles written by him
in early issues of The A dvent Review and Sabbath Herald. In 1852 he

O
mentioned the joy of those who had "found Jesus," and later he made a
3
statement parallel to the one quoted above from The Present Truth.
During the same year,, he expressed himself definitely on the subject as
follows:
This text [Romans 3;20j may with propriety b© quoted as

applying to the blind Jew who rejects Jesus, but not to the
Christian who keeps the commandments of God, and hopes for
justification alone through Jesus Christ. .
And those who represent Sabbath-keepers as going away from
„ ,Xjames White, "Dear Brethren and Sisters— ," The present Truth,
lj 6, July, 1849.
2jgffnes Yjhite, "The Work of Grace," The Advent Review and Sabbath
Herald, 2; 94, February 17, 1852, hereinafter designated as Review.
3James White-, "Remarks in Kindness," Review, 2* 100, March .2,

1852.
so
Jesus, the only source of justification, and rejecting his

atoning blood and seeking justification by the law do it
either ignorantly or wickedly.
One may observe the letter of all ten of them [the coinxa.andrn.ent
and, if he is not justified by faith in Jesus Christ, never havs
right to the tree of life.
The gospel arrangement is plain. God's law convicts of sin, and

shows the sinner exposed to the wrath of God, and leads him to
Christ, where justification for past offenses can be found alone
through faith in his- blood. The law of God has no power to pardon
A
past offenses, its attribute being justice, therefore, the con
victed transgressor must flee to Jesus
In 1854, James White 7«*ote a series of editorials on ’’The Faith of
Jesus.” He upheld faith in Jesus as the source of ’’pardon and life.”®
While James White's sentiments are revealed by the quotations a-
bove, his statements on the subject under consideration are not numerous.
His continued interest in the subject is revealed in articles in the Signs

C 17
of the Times,0 mentioned later,' and in a book devoted to an explanation
of the plan of salvation, published by him just a few years before his
O
death. This book merely touches the subject of justification by faith.
Jemes White1s references to this doctrine, though few, are much more
numerous than those of other denominational writers. It cannot be said,
however, that he made of justification by faith a major doctrine of the
~~ " f a m e s ’"White, "Justified by the Law,” Review, 3; 24, June 10, 1852,
5James White, ’’The Faith of Jesus,” Review, 5: 44, February 28, 1854
^Hereinafter referred to as Signs.
Înfra, p. 32.
8James White, The Redeemer and Redeemed, or the plan of Redemption

through Christ (Oakland, California; Pacific Press, 1877), 48 pp.
51
church.
jf Early periodicals and books reveal a famine of material in this

i
field. Most of the attention was given to such" sublets as the law' of
God, the Sabbath, the prophecies, and conditional immortality, 'f-Ue
masthead of the Review^ from August 15 to December 19, 1854, listed the
"Leading Doctrines Taught by the Review.11 This list included absolutely
/ no mention of justification, righteousness, or any related topic. For
many years, the volumes of the Review disclose practically no discus
sions on salvation by faith except the occasional references from James
White mentioned above^J Contrary to this generalization, from June 2,
1863, to September 13, 1864, J. H. Waggoner presented a series of art
icles on the atonement. These articles v/ere later published in book

o
form, and went through several editions." They were also republished
in 1876 in the Signs. In the chapter, "Sin and its penalty," the subject
of justification is touched. There is doubtless a definite connection
between J. II. Waggoner’s interest in this subject, and the attitude of
his son, E. J. Waggoner, who at a later time became the leading pro
ponent of the doctrine of justification by faith.
Articles by Mrs. S. G. White were not common in the early volumes
of the Review. The office of the Ellen G. White Publications in Yiashing-
ton, D. C., has quite a complete index of all of the periodical articles
written by Mrs. White, and this index includes the items, "Justification
/
by Faith," and "Righteousness by Faith." A study of these listings indi
cates practically nothing from her pen on these subjects in denomination-
9j. H • Waggoner,
__ . The Atonement (Battle Creek:
_________ S. D. A. Fub-
lishing Association, 186877" Is4 PP*
32
al periodicals until the late eighties# /
An excejrtion to the general disregard of this doctrine appeared
in the Signs of 1875# Under the heading, "Fundamental Principles of
Seventh-day Adventists," the following points were included:
14. That, as the natural or carnal heart is at emnity with God

and His law, this enmity can he subdued only by a radical transform
ation of the affections, the exchange of unholy for holy principlesj
that this transformation follows repentance and faith, is the special
work of the Holy Spirit, and constitutes regeneration or conversion.
15. That, as all have violated the law of God, and cannot of
themselves render obedience to His just requirements, we are
dependent on Christ, first, for justification from our past offense,
and secondly, for grace whereby to render acceptable obedience to
His holy law in time to come.10
As James white was an associate editor of the Sign3 at the time, it is

*
reasonable to conclude that the inclusion of these paragraphs repre
sented his viewpoint.
Three years later, however, a book entitled The Biblical Insti
tute was published by Uriah Smith and James YJhite. This book en-
deavored to cover the field of Seventh-day Adventist theology, but
contained nothing on justification oi' righteousness by faith. Tire same
is true of a later similar book published by Uriah Smith.
The Signs, which began its career on the west coast in 1874, re
flects the beginning of the movement that led up to the great emphasis
r d 1Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists," editorial,

Signs, 1: 103, January 28, 1875.
Uriah Smith and James White, The Biblical Institute (Oakland,

California; pacific S. B. A. Publishing House, 1878), 352 pp.
•Ûriah Smith, Synopsis of Present Truth (Battle Creek, Michigan;

S. D# A. Publishing Assn#, jL884"J7 356 pp.. ■ .
on justification by faith in 1888. In 1876, as noted above, J. H.
Waggoner-published his series of articles on the atonement. Later in
the same year Jaraes White wrote on the subject, "Redemption."^ The
following year, White published his book on this s u b j e c t . ^ t,ate in
1877, White wrote on "The Law and the Gospel," giving a clear pre sent a-
tion of their relationship in the gospel plan, D and soon, after, he dis
cussed "Saving Faith.
bp to this time, the few who wrote on the subject mentioned it as
an important theological doctrine, but did not place great stress upon
it. Neither did they emphasize the aspect of the personal experience in
the life of the Christian relative to the acceptance of righteousness by
faith. The impression was given in all of these early periodicals, books,
and pamphlets that the doctrine of justification through Christ, though
important and true, is secondary to other doctrinal issues»J
By 1884, a definite trend was noticeable in the editorial policy
of the Signs. During this year, J. H. Waggoner published a series of
articles on Redemption." During the same year, B. J. Waggoner published
S u p r a p. 31..
James White, "Redemption," Signs, 3; 2, December 28, 1876.
^ Supra., p. 30.
James White, "The Law and the Gospel," Signs, 3; 370-378,

December 6-20, 1877.
•^James V/hite, "Saving Faith," Signs. 4: 12, January 10, 1878.
1®J. H. Waggoner, "Redemption," Signs, 10: 212 ff., April 3 to

Ray 22, 1884.
34
editorials on the specific subject of justification by faith* His
articles on this subject continued at rather frequent intervals. In

19
1883 he wrote on the specific title, “Justified by Faith,” and later
20
in the same year the same subject was handled by J. H. Waggoner.
These articles cited are samples of many articles of the same type
appearing in the columns of the Signs during the years immediately
preceding 1888. These articles indicate an appreciation of the impor
tance of the doctrine not found earlier. They were beginning to assume
the form of a challenge to a new and deeper experience in the lives of.
Seventh-day Adventists.
P In 1884 was published the Bible Reading Gazette, the predecessor
of the book later known as Bible Readings for the Home Circle. The
Gazette contained one lesson by R. F. Cottrell on the subject of justi-

21
fication by faith. The later expanded volume, published in 1888, also
22
contained a chapter on the subject. In both cases the subject was
treated as a theological truth but, practically speaking, was lost among
scores of other subjects that seemed to assume greater importance^!
J. Waggoner, "Jxistified by Faith,” Signs, 12: 183, March

25, 1806.
H. Waggoner, “justification by Faith,” Signs, 12: 712,

November 25, 1885.
^ Bible Reading Gazette, No. 46 (Battle Creek, Michigan: Review

and Herald, l884j^
^gBible Readings for the Hone Circle (Battle Creek, Michigan;

Review and HeraTd, 1088), p. 343.
\ i& iiiA .-.;* -J fe it t i* ..• -1* . Ja_U,
35
Thus far, the trend of the four decades ending in 1888 is evi
dent. ITp until the middle eighties the subject of justification and
righteousness by faith was practically untouched in Seventh-day Adventist
periodicals and books, aside from occasional references by James 11

hite.
This condition was aptly commented on by Mrs. E . G. White in a v.amp-
meeting address at Rome, hew York, June 17, 1889, the year following the '
crisis regarding the subject, where Mrs. White spoke as follows:
I have had the question asked, what do you think of this

light which these men [A, T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner/ are
presenting? Why, I have been presenting it to you for the last
forty-five years,— the matchless charms of Christ. This is what
I have been trying to present before your minds. When Brother
Waggoner brought out these ideas at Minneapolis, it was the first
clear teaching on this subject from any human lips I had heard,
excepting the conversation between myself and my husband.^3
v The foregoing quotation reveals that Mrs. Vvhite felt that the
doctrine of justification by faith had been lost sight of generally,
except by herself, her husband, and the men who spoke at the Minneapolis
meeting. This present investigation has verified her statements as they
relate to the activity of her husband and others prior to 1888. >It has.
been made evident that James White stood quite alone as a proponent of
i
this doctrine during his lifetime, .It now becomes necessary to examine
Mrs. White’s claims regarding her own teaching of this doctrine. What
had she herself presented on this subject during those years? Did her
teachings from the beginning of her public work down to the late
eighties indicate a deep interest in and -understanding of the doctrine
of righteousness by faith?
23jv;rs. E. G. White, Sermon delivered at -Rome, If. Y., June 17,

1889; Ellen C-. White Publications,'MS. 5, 1889, pp. 9, 10.
The first step in answering this question will be to refer to
her own conversion and her later description of it* As a child of about
nine years, she relates, she read an account of a man in England who
predicted that Christ would come in about thirty years. This made a
deep impression on her mind which was strengthened four years later when
William Miller preached in her home town of Portland, Maine. During
Miller’s revival, calls were made for conversion. Mrs. White tells
that sh3 had an inward feeling that she could never become worthy to he
called a child of God. There settled upon her childish heart despair
and discouragement.
The following summer the family attended a Methodist campmeeting.
There she heard a message— ” . . • to those who were wavering between
hope and fear, longing to he saved from their sins and receive the par
doning love of Christ, yet held in doubt and bondage by timidity and
fear of failure." The speaker "counselled such ones to surrender them
selves to God, and venture upon His mercy without delay. . . . All that
was required of the sinner, trembling in the presence of the Lord, was
to put forth the hand of faith and touch the scepter of His grace."
She also learned that;
Those who were waiting to make themselves more worthy of divine

favor before they ventured to claim the promises of God, were making
a fatal mistake. Jesus alone cleanses from sin; Hs alone can for
give our transgressions. He has pledged Himself to listen to the
petition and grant the prayer of those who come to Him in faith.
Many have the vague idea that they must make seme wonderful effort
in order to gain the ravor of God. But all self dependence is vain.
It is only by connecting with Jesus through faith that the sinner
becomes a hopeful, believing child of God.*^
^Mrs. E. G. White, Life Sketches (Mountain View, California;

pacific Fres3, 1S15J, pp. 21 ff.
In describing her reaction to this message, Mrs. "White exclaims
"How much I needed instruction concerning the simplicity of f&ithi"^
Then she proceeds to relate how, while praying,— her burden was lifted
and she received happiness and assurance. She relates, n r learned more
of the divine character of Christ in that short period, when bowed among,
the praying ones, than ever before. she went home from the meeting
with a light heart. She had experienced justification by faith.
"While it is true that the bulk of the writings of Mrs. "White on
the subject of righteousness by faith date from 1887 on, it is easily
demonstrated that this doctrine, so amply propounded in her later works,
was taught in its essential principles in her earlier works. As early
as 1858, in describing the plan of human salvation, Mrs. Ytfiite wrote of
the divine provision whsreby "through the merits of his blood, and obed
ience to the law of God, they could have the favor of God. . . ."27
Later in the same volume, in discussing Martin Luther, she stated;
He tried through works to obtain the favor of God; but he was

not satisfied until a gleam of light from heaven drove the dark
ness from his mind, and led him to trust, not in works but in
the merits of the blood of Christ; and to coxae to God for himself
not through popes nor confessors, but through Jesus Christ alone. h
In a work published in 1870, lira. "White describes vividly the
instruction given to Adam and Eve as they left Eden. They were told,
^Sjbid., p. 23.
^ Loc. oit.
2%irs. S. G. "White, Spiritual Gifts (Battle Creek, Michigan;

Review and Herald, 1858), p. 23.
38
the author avers, that their case was not hopeless, that Christ had
volunteered to die for them, and that;
-"Faith in the merits of the Son of God would so elevate men that
he could resist the devices of Satan, probation would be granted
him in which, through a life of repentance and faith in the atone-
ment of the Son of God, he might be redeemed from the transgression
of the Father's law, and thus be elevated to a position where his
efforts to keep the law could' be accepted. 29
In the year 1875 there m s first published a statement that
equals any later pronouncements for clarity of thought on this issue:
Christ perfected a righteous character here upon the earth, not

on his own account, for his character was pure and spotless, but
for fallen man. His character he offers to raan, if he will accept
it. The sinner, through repentance of his sins, faith in Christ,
and obedience to the perfect law of God, has the righteousness of
Christ imputed to him; it becomes his righteousness and his name
is recorded in the 'Lamb's book of life.
Christ endured these three great leading temptations in the

wilderness and overcame in behalf of man, working out for him a
righteous character, because he knew nan could not do this for
himself. . . . Christ entered the field in man's behalf to con
quer Satan for him, because he saw that man could not overcome
on his own account, Christ prepared the way for the ransom of man
by his own life of suffering, self-denial, and self-sacrifice, and
by his humiliation and final death.
In 1877 was published a volume by Mrs. Viihite on the life of Christ.
In the chapter on the interview of Ricodemus, the doctrine of salvation by
faith was taught c l e a r l y . L a t e r in the same volume Christ is described
29:virs. li. G. V3b.it©, The Great Controversy Between Christ and ( f^

Satan (Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald, 1870j,""l", ’"SS £~.
------------------ \£Z>
3%rs. S. C. Yihite, Testimonies to the Church (Mountain View,

California; Pacific press, 1930),jll, 371 f.
Îprs. 3. G. Waits, The Great Controversy Between Christ and fy 4 ..//l-

Satan, 1877, II, 132 i‘f. ' ' ~ ' * V '
39
as ” , . . our great High Priest, ready to accept the repentance, .and to
answer the prayers of his people, and, through the merits of his ovm
righteousness, to present them to the Father.®^
In 1877 and 1878 there came from the pen of Mrs. YJhite a series
of pamphlets on the life of Christ under the general topic of "Redemption
The purpose of these pamphlets, according to the publishers, was ", . .
to present the facts in the history of the life of Christ in connection

•2*2
with the great plan of human redemption in a clear light.”
Seventh-day Adventist ministers were urged by Mrs. Y/hite in 1879
to uphold Christ in their teaching, and to beware of ”cold theory.”®*
Another message of similar import was delivered during the same year
in which ’’practical godliness” was urged. Ministers were asked to
’’study anew the cross of Christ.”35 Another communication addressed to
ministers in 1880 repeats the same emphasis: ”Ho discourse,” she de
clared, ’’should over be delivered without presenting Christ and him

36
crucified as the foundation of the gospel. . . . ”
In 1882 Mrs. Vihite wrote, ’’An Appeal” intended to be read at camp-

37
meetings. This document contained very pointed statements regarding
3% ibid., pp. 261 f.
®®Mrs. E. G. Y/hite, Redemption: or the First Advent of Christ

With Kis Life and Ministry (Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald,
1877, p .’ 3,* publisher *s preface.
®^Mrs» E. G. Y/hite, Testimonies to the Church, IV, 313 ff.
Ibid., pp. 374 f.
®®Ibid-.,-p. 394.
®^Mrs. E. G. Y/hite, Testimonies to the Church, V., 217-235.

40
righteousness by faith. For example;
We must renounce our own righteousness, and plead for the right
eousness of Christ to be imputed to us.33
God has made ample provision that are may stand perfect in his
grace, wanting in nothing, waiting for the appearing of our Lord,
Are you ready? Have you the wedding garment on?39
God spared not his own Son, but delivered him to death for our
offenses, and raised him again for our justification. Through
___ -Christ we may present our petitions to the throne of grace. Through
him, unworthy as we are, we may obtain all spiritual blessings.
Do we con© to him, that we may have life?40
Tftien this intimacy of connection and communion is formed, our

sins are laid upon Christ, his righteousness is imputed to us.
He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him.-l
In 1883 a morning talk was presented by Mrs, Tihite on this sub
ject before the ministers assembled at the General Conference session

42
at Battle Creek, Michigan. This talk covered righteousness by faith
very comprehensively, as will be noted from the following excerptsj
nothing but his righteousness can entitle us to one of the

blessings of the covenant of grace. Yfe have long desired and
tried to obtain these blessings, but have not received them,
because we have cherished the idea that we could do something to
make ourselves worthy of them. ?Je have not looked away from our
selves, believing that Jesus is a living Saviour. 1Ye must not
think that our own grace and merits will save us? the grace of
Christ is our only hope of salvation. . . .'.'Then we trust God
fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a sin-pardoning
Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.-3
58Ibid., p. 219.
59Ibid:, p. 220.
-°Ibid., p. 221.
41Ibid., p. 229.
E* G. White, Gospel Workers (Battle Creek, Michigan:

Review and Herald, 1892), pp. 412-415. "
43ibid., p. 412.
$| -
>•
$j.
■vj|
A-
»**. ' •
r
*$p
.£-
■
.•it 41
•>r,
I
f There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God, and
partly to themselves. They do not look to God, to be kepi by his
power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation, and the
performance of certain duties for acceptance with him« There are
no victories in this kind of faith.44
There is need of oonstant -watchfulness and of earnest, loving

devotion; but these will come naturally 'when the soul is kept by
the power of God tiirough faith. Vie can do nothing, absolutely
nothing, to commend ourselves to divine favor. 7/e must not trust—
at all to ourselves nor to our good works; but when as erring,
sinful beings we come to Christ, we may find rest in his love.
God will nocept every one that comes to him trusting wholly in
the merits of a crucified S a v i o u r . 45
Thus far, the quotations from Mrs. "White on righteousness by
faith have been selected here and there from her writings, following a
chronological sequence from 1853 to 1883. These pronouncements scat
tered over a period of twenty-five years indicate a clear conception
of the doctrine of salvation through faith in Christ. These statements
are buttressed by the personal experience of conversion experienced
by Mrs. "White in her youth.
7 Doubtless the most significant exhibit of Mrs. Vihite’s under
standing of and attitude toward this doctrine is found in her book, The
Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. The argument of this book
is a presentation of the struggle in this world between the forces of
good and evil from the destruction of Jerusalem to the restoration of
the -world that Adventists expect will occur after the second advent of
Christ. Large portions of the book present a survey of such historical
subjects as the Protestant Reformation and the development of various
religious movements.
44jLid., p.dl4.
45Ibid., p. 415.
The subject matter of the book was first presented in very
brief form, and during a period of three decades it went through several
revisions until it reaohed its completed form in 1888. Just prior to
this 1888 revision, the author spent some time in Europe visiting the
places where various historical events she had dealt with took place.
It is of more than passing interest to observe the attention
given in this book to the doctrine of justification by faith. In other
books that have been quoted, the doctrine has been presented more or
les3 theologically. In The Great Controversy the stress is historical.
A brief tracing of the author’s treatment of the subject follows:
An early chapter deals with the rise of Roman Catholicism. This
chapter presents the Catholic teaching of salvation by works;
Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the

pope of Rome.
The gospel was lost sight of, but the forms of religion were
multiplied, and the people were burdened with rigorous exactions.
They were taught not only to look to the pope as their mediator,
but to trust to works of their own to atone for sin.^6
The author then proceeds to picture through succeeding chapters
the long list of those movements that endeavored to restore the doctrine
of justification through faith. The first named group were the Waldensas
One of the cardinal teachings of this sect was salvation through faith
4%rs. E* G. Y/hite, The Great Controversy Between Christ and

Satan (Battle Creek, Michigan; Review and Herald/ 18"83J,~pTJ55~"FT
Hereinafter designated as The Great Controversy.
l ■
v' :
43
alone .4^
They saw the plan of salvation clearly revealed in the sacred

pages, and they found comfort, hope, and peace in believing in
Jesus.
!*.■~r:
.v '
,
The doctrine that good works can atone for the transgression of
God’s law, they held to he based upon falsehood.48
Rext in line came John Wyeliffe, who protested against salvation by
works, and urged men to seek pardon from God. A little later in Bo-
AO
hernia, Hus3 and Jerome taught the same principles.
Luther’s well-known doctrine of justification by faith is
stressed by Mrs. Yfhite. Luther is described by her as seeing "the
fallacy of trusting to human works for salvation, and the necessity of
constant faith in the merits of Christ.88 The author explains how
Luther discovered on reading the work3 of Huss that they were in
agreement on ”the great truth of justification by faith."8^
Zwingle’s battle against salvation by works is mentioned8" and
in the same connection Mrs. White makes this general statement;
As men were rising up in different lands to present to the

people forgiveness and justification through the blood of Christ,
Rome proceeded with renewed energy to open her market throughout
h■
>
}•
f.
d7Supra., p. 14.
1;
48Ibid., p. 72.
48Ibid., pp. 83 f. t
•. -
50Ibid., p. 125. f1
y. ■
51Ibid., p. 140.
52Ibid., p. 175.
44
Christendom, offering pardon for money.
Turning to France, Mrs. 'White mentions Lefevre whom she quotes
as saying, "It is God who gives us, by faith, that righteousness which
_Jby-grace"justifies unto eternal life."^~ Farel's conversion to the
Protestant philosophy is mentioned.55
John Calvin is quoted as follows:
0 Father, his sacrifice has appeased thy wrath; his blood has
■washed away my impurities; his cross has borne my curse; his death
has atoned for me. We had devised for ourselves many useless
follies, but thou hast touched my heart, in order that I may hold
in abomination all other merits save those of Jesus.56
Mrs. "White's survey of this long period of Protestantism soon
brings her to the evangelical revival under Wesley and Whitefield. She
gives special stress to their experience and teaching regarding justi
fication by faith. She relates that in Wesley's time, the reformation
doctrine of justification by faith was largely eclipsed. She mentions
Wesley's vain attempts to find peace of mind in good works, comparing
them with Luther's struggles at Erfurt. She tells of Wesley's contact
with the Moravians, and his subsequent conversion. She concludes;
He continued his strict and self-denying life, not now as the

ground but as the result of faith; not the root but the fruit of
holTness. . . . WesTey*"s life was devoted to~the preaching of
the great truths which he had received,— justification through
faith in the atoning blood of Christ, and the renewing power of
the Holy Spirit upon the heart.5?*
7
6
5
5slbId., p. 178.
54=ibid., p. 212,
^Loe. cit.
56Ibid., p. 221.
57
Ibid., p, 256.
>»£-<»& — •vJ'-.-Ad.
45
Later in The Great Controversy Mrs, White presents the doctrine
of justification by faith in a didactic way.58 The principle contribu
tion of this book, however, is its clear revelation of 'Mrsf^Tnit? *s^
understanding of the place of justification by faith in church history.
It was immediately after Mrs. "White*s return from Europe, and
about the time of her completion of the revised edition of The Great
Controversy that a flood of material on the subject of righteousness by
faith began to come from her pen. It seems probable that there- is a
distinct relationship between her ripening understanding of the place of
this doctrine- in the history of the church as a whole and its place in
the Seventh-day Adventist church. Also, it becomes evident that when the
doctrine became a definite issue in 1888, she was prepared by her recent
experiences, research, and writing to take a well-defined position re
garding it. It must be admitted that the statements from Mrs. "White on
righteousness by faith in earlier years, though clear, are not as-numer
ous as In later years. Yet they are much more numerous and consistent
than those of other denominational writers during the same period.
Even though the doctrine of justification by faith was theoret
ically accepted by Seventh-day Adventists; and even though James "White,
Ellen G. White, and a few others had written on the subject, the evidence
is abundant that it was not considered by the denomination as a whole to
be a major doctrine. The early Seventh-day Adventists were largely people
who had already experienced conversion,— many of them In Methodism. To
these, salvation through. Christ was a living experience before they5
58fbid,, pp. 467, 471, 503

46
accepted the distinctive truths of Adventism. But as the years went by,
hundreds came into the Adventist faith who had not an experimental know
ledge of Christ. The lack of emphasis on salvation within the church
developed a legalism that assumed serious proportions.®® During the

eighties, a few of the leaders in the denomination began to feel this
lack keenly. Most vocal in warning against the prevailing trends was
Mrs. "White. Her writings, particularly during 1887 and 1888, were full
of warnings against legalism, and exhortations to accept Christ by faith.
A statement written late in 1887 illustrates the spirit of scores of
articles of the time«
There is a wide difference between a pretended union and a

real connection with Christ by faith. A profession of religion
places men in the church, but this does not prove that they have
a vital connection with the living Vine.
vYhen this intimacy of connection and communion is formed, our

sins are laid upon Christ, His righteousness is imputed to us. He
was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God
in Him.
The seriousness with ivhich Mrs. White viewed the disregard of
these great spiritual truths is manifest in another article;
The facts concerning the real condition of the professed people

of Goa speak more loudly than their profession, and make it evident
that some power has cut the cable that -anchored thorn to.the Eternal
Rock, and that they are drifting away to sea, without chart or
compass.®^*
0
6
®%i. E. Claen, A History of the Origin and progress of Seventh-

day Adventists ("Washington^ DT CTT Review 'and UeralH', pp. E2T5" f.
60L!rs. S. 0. Tfihite, "Union With Christ," Review, 64; 769,

December 13, 1887. *"~
®!yrs. E. G. TJhito, "How Do Vie Stand?" Review, 65: 465, July
24, 1888. “ “ ~ -
47
Just a fev.r weeks before the General Conference of 1888, where
this question cane to a head, Mrs, White asserted that ". . . the bur
den of our message should be the mission and life of u»-'-'<? Christ."6^
Despite the frequency and urgency of such messages from Mrs. "White —
during 1887 and 1888, and despite the position of authority held by
Mrs. Y'nite in the thinking of the denomination, these warnings and ex
hortations were largely xmheeded.66
During these months preceding the General Conference, it was not
only the Review that contained these pointed warnings, but the companion
periodical on the west coast, the Signs, was also publishing similar
articles. During the year 1888, several articles on the subject
appeared, some written by Mrs. E. G. White,64 and some by E. J. Waggon
er,66 who was becoming very emphatic in his teaching .of this doctrine.
This chapter has presented the denominational background of the
conference in the autumn of 1888. Several very definite conclusions
have been indicated by an investigation of the early period of Seventh-
day Adventist history:
First, the doctrine of justification and righteousness by faith,
6%irs. S. G. White, "The Work of the Minister,” Review, 65:

578, September 11, 1888.
66A. G. Daniells, Christ Cur Righteousness (WTashington, D. C.:

Review and Herald, 1926), pp. 54 f .
6“Mrs. E. G. YJhita, "Faith and Works," Signs, 14; 225, April 13,
1888; and "Steps in Conversion," July 6, 1888.
66For instance, E. J. ’Waggoner, "Different Kinds of Righteousness

Signs, 14: 119, February 24, 1888. :
though not disputed., was not a major Seventh-day Adventist doctrine.
Second, the small amount of attention given this doctrine in
early years cairn largely from James "White and Mrs. E. G. "White. A
beginning was made in the teaching of this doctrine by J. H. Waggoner,
. w h i c h was later continued in the early eighties by his sen, E. J.
TJaggoner.
Third, these few who realized the need of stressing this doc
trine came to feel a degree of alarm at the general indifference to the
doctrine. This feeling of alarm was clearly expressed by Mrs. E. G.
White.
Fourth, conditions were ripening for the emergence of this
doctrine as a vital issue. This crisis arose at the General Conference
of 1888 in Minneapolis ■
,Minnesota.
CHAPTER IV
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OP 16CC
It -was inevitable that the doctrine of justification by'>»lth
should eventually become a general issue. The indifference of four
decades was being challenged. An effort was being initiated to overcome
a certain spiritual inertia that had taken possession of the Seventh-day
Adventist church. The question assumed the role of a general issue at
the General Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the fall of 1888.
It is not to be supposed that the Seventh-day Adventist church at
that time manifested any outward signs of disintegration or lack of
vision. In fact, the very opposite was the case. The decades preceding
1888 had shovm growth and development in all lines.* A foothold had
been gained in foreign countries, several educational institutions had
been established, new churches were being organized continually, and
the church membership v/as increasing. Under such circumstances, mes
sages of warning and reproof were not welcome.
In order* to provide background for this study, it will be
necessary to reconstruct the procedure of the conference as accurately
as existing sources will permit. It must be borne in mind that no com
plete records were kept of General Conference daily sessions at that
early date. The chronological sequence Iras been reconstructed by a
comparison of the General Conference Daily Bulletin and the accounts of
the conference in the Review and in the Signs.
Although the session proper was scheduled to begin on VSednesday,

October 17, an institute m s hold preceding the conference, beginning
Wednesday, October 10. The Review of October 16 carried the following
comment about the subjects under discussions
The subjects proposed to be considered in the hours for Bible

and historical study are, so far, a historical view of the ten
kingdoms, the divinity of Christ, the healing of the Deadly Wound,
Justification by Faith, How far should we go in trying to use
the wisdom of the serpent, and Predestination, Other subjects
will doubtless be introduced.-
This quotation indicates that the question of justification by faith
was but one of a number of questions for discussion. It is apparent
that even those who prepared the agenda were unaware of the great part
this subject was to play. S. N. Haskell presided at the opening meetin
of the preliminary institute which convened at 7:30 P. M. October 10.
Ho records are extant of the agenda of that meeting.
Early in the morning of the next day, Thursday, October 11, Mrs.
E. G. White gave her first talk of the session. It was on the subject,
"A Living Connection with God." The subject matter was not controver
sial. The spirit of the talk is conveyed in the following quotations:
Brethren, it is a positive necessity that we come up to a higher

and holier standard. . . . I know that God hears the prayers of
His people. I know that He answers them. But He cannot bless us
while we are cherishing selfishness, and what saith the Scriptures?
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."
But if we put away all self-exaltation, all self-righteousness,
and come in living connection with God, the righteousness of God
will be imputed to us. . . . We want in the name of Jesus to
break down the barriers between our souls and God and then the
peace of Christ will abide in our hearts, by faith. . . . Our will
must be on God's side not on the side of Satan. The result of
proving the forgiving love of God is to be perfectly reconciled to
God's will. Then the human will and the divine become united. . .
■'■"The General Conference Institute," editorial, Review, 65:

648, October 16, 1888.
'M /. :
51
■We must put off self-righteousness, we must reach loftier heights.

God will direct the soul action, if we seek the righteousness of
Christ so that God can be pleased with our efforts. We want none
of self and all of Jesus.2
The same morning, Thursday, October 11, at nine o'clock, .b T.
Jones presented the message. As reported in the Review,
The point brought out was that personal consecration must lie
at the foundation of all our success in this viork. We are Christ's
representatives, and should he actuated by His love and His Spirit,
and should manifest His character before men.^
The same day, Jones spoke at 10:30 A. M. and at 2:30 P. M. oil the sub
ject of the Ten Kingdoms. It is interesting to anticipate at this
point that six days later, on October 17, the first day of the confer
ence proper, Uriah Smith spoke on the Ten Kingdoms at the 10:30 A. M»
hour. What he said may. he inferred from the following editorial comment
in the Review of October 23;
The principal question thus far discussed is that of the ten

kingdoms that arose out of the Roman empire as represented by
the ten horns of the fourth beast of Daniel 7. The claim is set
up, as our readers are aware, that the enumeration usually given
of those kingdoms should be changed and the Alemanni be put in
place of the Huns as one of the ten. This position was advocated
at great length, and as much was said on the other side as the
limited state of preparation would allow. In view of all that
was said on both sides, the sentiment of the delegates appeared,
from unmistakable indications, to be overwhelmingly on the side
of established principles of interpretation, and the old vi ew.
Whether or not this will make any difference with those who are
urging the new position remains to be sesn.^
’ Êllen G. White, "A Living Connection With God," (unpublished

Minneapolis, Minnesota, sermons, 1888, Ellen G. White Publications),
HS. 6, 1888, pp. 3-5.
®"The General Conference Institute," editorial, Review, 65:

648, October 16, 1838.
4« The Coixference n editorial, Review, 65; 664, October 23, 1888

52
An interesting sidelight on the discussion regarding the ten
kingdoms is found in a statement written "by A. T. Robinson, who was
present throughout the 1888 conference. This statement is dated
January 30, 1931.
j Elders TJ. Smith and A. T. Jones were discussing some features

in connection with the ten kingdoms into which western Rome was
divided. One day, Alder Smith, in his characteristic modesty,
stated that he did not claim originality in the view he held on
the subject, that he had taken statements of such men as Clark,
Barnes, Scott, and others mentioned, and drawn his conclusion from
such authorities. In opening his reply. Elder Jones, in his char
acteristic style, began by saying, "Elder Smith has told you he
does not know anything about this matter. I do, and I don’t want
you to blame me for what he does not know." This rash statement
called forth an open rebuke from Sister White who was present in
the meeting.5
The statement just quoted brings to light one very perplexing phase of
the whole situation. The men who promoted the doctrine of justification
by faith at the Minneapolis meeting did not always present their views
in a discreet, tactful way. This unfortunate situation developed a
spirit of prejudice against the men that in many minds obscured the
real issues involved. This argument over the question as to whether the
Huns or the Alemanni should be listed among the ten kingdoms aroused
prejudice that militated against the acceptance of the teaching of
justification by faith, which was stressed later during the session.
Returning again to the agenda of the institute, on Thursday,
October 11, at 4:00 P. II., E. J. Waggoner spoke on duties of church
officers. Ho record is left of the procedure of Friday, October 12,
‘ §A. 'f. Robinson, "Did the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination

Reject the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith?" (Unpublished manu
script dated January 30, 1931, held by Ellen G.' White Publications),
p, 1. A. T. Robinson is one of the few Seventh-day Adventist ministers
still living (1945) who was a delegate at the 1888 conference.
53
but the Review of October 23, records that a sermon v/as preached on
Sabbath, the 13th, by Mrs. E. G. White. Smith *s mention of this ser
mon is as follows: ' .
Sabbath, October 13, was a memorable day on acTdoiwt of the

refreshing received from the Lord. Sister White spoke in the
afternoon with great freedom and power. From the text, "Be non*
what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should.
be called the sons of God,11 most precious lessons were dravm of
the great goodness of God to us, and how we should receive his love,
and what he is willing to do for us, and what returns we should
make to him for his manifold mercies to us. Hearts were melted
by the sweet influence of the meeting, and it was indeed good to
be there. After the discourse, sixty-two earnest testimonies were
borne in quick succession, the burden of which was thanksgiving
and praise for the mercies and goodness of the Lord.6
The spiritual tone of Mrs. 'White* s messages from the opening of the
institute 'vas significant and characteristic. The way was being pre
pared for the presentation of the subject of justification by faith.
The procedure during the remaining days of the institute is not
revealed;. We can conclude, however, from the following statement from
the Review of October 23 that the week %vas well filled with discussion
cn the various subjects that had been announced:
Last week we gave a brief report of the opening of the Institute

in connection with the General Conference. The alloted time for
the Institute closed yesterday, the 17th; but as the subjects
proposed for examination haci not then been fully considered, a
portion of the time of the conference each day will be occupied
with these questions till ail who wish have spoken upon them.^
Perhaps it was providential that certain topics were held over
until the main conference session. It may be that they were thus made
6”The Conference," editorial, Review, 65; 664, October 23,

1608,
more prominent than they would have been had they been discussed during
the Institute. Later references will show that the issues pertaining
to justification by faith were discussed after the institute had closed.
The General Conference convened Yfednesday, October 17, at 9:00
A. M. S. II. Haskell was the temporary chairman in the absence of
G» I, Butler, the president of ths General Conference, who was ill.
Eighty four delegates were present.
Following the opening service at nine o*clock, was a service
at 10:30 which has already been mentioned, where Uriah Smith discussed
the subject of the ten kingdoms. It can well be imagined that a dis
cussion of this topic at such a strategic point in th9 proceedings had
considerable influence, on the attitude of those present.
At 2;30 in the afternoon of the same day, E. J. Waggoner pre
sented a discussion on the law of God and its relation to the gospel
of Christ. His talk was based on the Epistle to the Romans.
The next morning, Thursday, October 18, Mrs. White gave a
striking sermon on "Christless Preachers." This talk was reproduced
in the Review of October 18, 1889. Some excerpts follow:
We have a great and solemn truth committed to us for these

last days, but a mere assent to and belief in this truth will
not save us. The principles of the trutn must be interwoven with
our character and life. . . . We are losing a great deal of the
blessing we might have at this meeting, because we do not take
advance steps in the Christian life, as our duty is presented
before us; and this will be an eternal loss.
There are many who are content with a superficial knowledge

of the Truth.
55
Vie are not to be satisfied with our own righteousness, and

content without the deep movings of the Spirit of God,
• • • « • ♦ • * • ■ • • • * • •.
Christ says, ’’Without me ye can do nothing." It is this marked

nothingness, so apparent in the labors of many who profess to be
preaching the truth that alarms us; for we know that khx~ is an
evidence that they have not felt the converting power of Chrisv...
upon their hearts. You may look from the topmost bough to the
lowest branch of their work, and you will find nothing but leaves,
God desires us to come up to a higher standard. It is not his
will that there should be such a dearth of spirituality.
There are too many Christless sermons preached.8
These references show that Mrs. YJhite had apparently decided that
the tine had come to strike. The general exhortations of the sermons
of October 11 and October 13 have given place to a distinct delineation
of definite needs.
On the same day, the General Conference Daily Sulletin recorded:
At 9 A. M., Elder E. J. Waggoner gave another lesson on the

law and gospel. In this lesson the first and second chapters of
Galatians, in connection with Acts 15, were partially presented by
him to show that the same harmony existed there as elsewhere; that
the key of the book was "justification by faith in Christ" •with
the emphasis on the latter word; that liberty in Christ was always
freedom from sin; and that separation from Christ to some other
means of justification always brought bondage. He-stated inci
dentally that "the law of lAoses" and "the law of God" ware not
distinctive terms as applied to the ceremonial and moral laws, and
cited numbers 15:22-24, and Luke 2:23-24 as proof. He closed
at 10:15 by asking those present to compare Acts 15:7-11 with
Romans 3:20-25. Appeals were made by Brother Waggoner and Sister
White to the brethren, old and young, to seek God, put away all
®Mrs. K, G. White, "The IJeed of Advancement," Review, 66: 626,

October 0, 1889. ~
56
spirit of prejudice and opposition, and strive to come into the

unity of faith in tiie bonds of brotherly love.
The next day v/as Friday, October' 19. The Bulletin for that
day recalls:
At 9 A. M. Elder Waggoner continued his lessons on the law

and gospel. The scriptui-e3 considered viere the fifteenth
chapter of Acts and the second and third of Galatians, compared
with Romans 4 and other passages'in Romans. His purpose was to
show that the real point of controversy was justification by
faith in Christ, which faith is reckoned to us as to Abraham, for
righteousness. The covenant and promises to Abraham are the
covenant and promises to us.l®
> Waggoner1s series of studies continued until Thursday, October 25.
<Uo further Information regarding these studies is given in the Bulletin
excepting a summary at the close. Under the date of Thursday, October
25, -the eighth day of the session,zthis comment is preserved:
A series of 'instructive lectures has been given on "justifi

cation by faith" by Elder £. J. Waggoner. The closing one was
given this morning. With the foundation principles all are agreed,
but there are some differences of opinion to the interpretation
of several passages. The lectures have tended to a more thorough
investigation of the truth, and it is hoped that the unity of the
faith will be reached on this important question,H
During the period of time from October 17 to 25, while Waggoner
v/as presenting his series of studies, Mrs. White gave five discourses
of which record remains. The first of those five, the sermon on
9"Second Day's Proceedings," General Conference Daily Bulletin

(General Conference of Seventh-day Advontists, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
1888), October 19, 1883, p. 2.
10”Third Day* s proceedings," General Conference Daily Bulletin,

October 21, 1888, p. 1.
-^"Eighth Day's proceedings," General Conference Dally Bulletin,

October 26, 1888.
"Christless Preachers,” has already been discussed. A sixth sermon
.■was presented on Thursday, November 1, well to\vard the close of the con
ference. These public utterances have been examined carefully, and will
be analyzed in their order of occurrence. Regarding some of these
sermons, the Bulletin made the following statement:
Among the most interesting and important meetings, are the

early morning devotional meetings. The exhortations of Sister
white have been most cheering, as she has presented the love
of Christ and his willingness to help. That he is waiting to
pour out his Spirit upon his people in abundant measure. One
important thing in the cause of Christ is to be connected with
Christ .^
On Sabbath, October 20, Mrs. "White preaohed the Sabbath sermon.
Her topic was, "Advancing in Christian Experience.” Her text was
2 Peter 1; 11, 12. After a few statements calling attention to the
necessity of continual advancement, she said:
How what we want to present is, how may you advance in the
divine life. We hear many excuses; I cannot live up to this
or that. "What do you mean by this or that? Do you mean that
it was an imperfeot sacrifice that was made for the fallen
■ race upon Calvary, that there is not sufficient grace and
power granted us that w© work away from our own natural de
fects and tendencies, that it was not a whole Saviour that
was given us?- or do you mean to cast reproach upon God? Well,
you say, It was Adam’s sin. You say, I am not guilty of that, and
I am not responsible for his guilt and fall. Here all these
natural tendencies are in me, and I am not to blame if I act out
these natural tendencies. "Who is to blame? Is God?-*-^ |
The speaker proceded to show that there is power in Christ to over-
come natural tendencies toward evil. In a few simple words, she
l^hoc. cit.
l^giien G. White, "Advancing in Christian Experience,"

(unpublished Minneapolis, Minnesota, sermons, 1888, Ellen G. White
Publications), MS. 8, 1838, p. 2.
presents the doctrine of free-grace and assurance in Christ. The
Calvinistic idea of predestination is brushed aside, and the freedom
of choice is maintained.> The construction of the sermon indicates that
the speaker m s talking extemporaneously, yet she discussed clearly
profound truths that have confused theologians for centuries. Kin
addition to making clear the doctrine of free grace, Mrs. Tihite showed
in this sermon the correct relationship of grace to the law. She
stated in part:
TVhy should we not see in that law the righteousness of Jesus

Christ? for Christ comes in and imputes to me his righteousness
in his perfect obedience to that law. 14
She continued;
. . . God and man are united at the cross, and here righteous
ness and truth have kissed each other. Mercy and truth have met
together, and this is drawing man to the cross, where Christ died
in behalf of man, there to elevate the law of Jehovah, but not
lessen it one item. Could he have done this, Christ need not have
died. But the cross of Calvary will stand in the judgment and
testify to every one the immutability and changeless character of
the law of God, and not a word can be offered for sin in that d a y . 15
In addition to making clear the relationship of the great con
cepts of choice, free-will, and lav/, Mrs. ’White emphasized the prac
tical application of salvation. She said;
The justice of God was seen in that he gave Christ to die to

save man, for the law condemned him to death; but the righteous
ness of Christ was brought in and imputed to him that he might
be brought back to his loyalty to God. . . .
How Christ is in the heavenly sanctuary, iuid what is he doing?—

making atonement for us, cleansing the sanctuary from th3 sins of
the people. . . . Satan will come and tempt you and you will give14
1 4 lbid., p. 6 .
ISpoCi cit
59
way to his temptations. Tifnat then?— Why, come and humble your
hearts in confession, and by faith grasp the arm of Christ in
the heavenly sanctuary. Believe that Christ will take your
confession and hold up his hands before the hather, that have
been bruised and wounded in our behalf, and he wo.Il make an
atonement for all who will come with confession.J16
The second of the four sermons under consideration, was given
the follov/ing morning, Sunday, October 21. It is called ’’Counsel to
M i n i s t e r s S e v e r a l points may be listed that were stressed in this
sermon. It is easy to see their application to the spiritual prob- ■
lems that were rocking the convention:
(1) The ministry w a 3 urged to keep pace with advancing light.

f i l l
(2) Delegates at the conference were warned against evil speaking and
a critical attitude toward those %'/ho were leading out. (3) Workers
!f!
ware warned against debating rather than upholding Christ. (4) An
appeal was made for a more Christlike, Christ-centered ministry.^
A few brief quotations from this address indicate the trend of
the counsel given: "Many, many discourses, like the offering of Cain,
are profitless because C h r i s t l e s s " i n all you do, make Christ the
inri
center of attraction."^ "The heavenly universe is looking with a-
mazement upon our Christless work." "Put away the controversial

01
spirit which you have been educating yourself in for years.”‘jA
lÎbid., pp. 8 , 9.
•Êllen G. White, "Counsel to Ministers,” (unpublished Minneapolis-),

Minnesota, sermons, 1888, Ellon G. White Publications), MS. 8a, 1888.
1 8 lbid., p. 13.
>ibid., p. 8 .
^'JIbid., p. 9.
21,
Lee. cit.
60
The following quotation will hear careful study as one of the
key statements from Mrs. "White's sermons at the conference:
. . . God is presenting to the minds of men divinely appointed

precious gems of truth appropriate for our time. God has rescued
these truths from the companionships of error, and has placed "them
irTthVir proper "IVairSTwork. '"When these truths aro given their
’rTgliifuT pdhiTion""SruodT s great plan, when they are presented
inj^lligehtly and earnestly and with reverential awe by the Lord's
servants, many will conscientiously believe because of the weight
of evidence without waiting for every supposed difficulty which
may suggest itself to their minds, to be removed. Others, not
discerning spiritual things, will keep themselves in a combative
frame of mind, opposing every argument that does not meet their
ideas. Shall this miserable work cease. Those who have not been
sinking the shaft dseper into the mine of truth will 'see* no*~beauty
Tn"~fcha precious things presented at this Conference.2^ italics
not in originalJ
The portions of this passage that have been italicized prove
two things; first, the closing statement makes it clear that the
"truths'* being discussed were the "precious things presented at the
conference." These truths had to do with the doctrine of justifica
tion by faith. The first italicized statement points out that these
truths had been rescued by a Divine hand from "the companionship of
error," and that God had "placed them in their proper framework."
Y-Jhere was the doctrine of justification by faith to be found in 1888
and the preceding years? In the creeds of the Protestant churches
of the day, hence, froxa the Seventh-day Adventist viewpoint, "in the
companionship of error." The same churches which were rejecting the
Advent message and the law of God were holding, at least in form, the
doctrine of justification. From such a doctrinal environment God
"rescued" this truth, and placed it where it should be— in the
‘ST;'Ibid., pp. 10 f
Seventh-day Adventist church. It is interesting to note at this
point that during the past half-century, the trend toward Modernism in
Protestantism has well-nigh neutralized^
through Christ as taught by the founders of ProtestanEr
estant churches that have resisted Modernism have, in great part,
destroyed the force of the gospel by their inconsistent attitude toward
the Law of God. Is it not clear that in a dramatic way God "rescued"
the true doctrine of salvation through Christ from "the companionship,
of error," and placed it where it deserves to be, among the fundamental
teachings of the church that claims to have the coxrsnandments of God
and the faith of Jesus. This, in effect, seems to have been Mrs.
Yihite's explanation of the movement in the Seventh-day Adventist church
in 1888. ‘
The next discourse was given on Tuesday, October 23. It was a
brief talk on missionary work, lio mention is made of the controversial
issues before the conference. In the earnest appeal for church members
and leaders to engage in missionary work is manifested a keen percep
tion of the balance between faith and works. A few brief quotations
tell the story:
I want to know why we should not as Christians who profess

to believe the most solemn truths that God ever gave to mortals,
why we should not have works to correspond to our faith.
• * • • • • • ’ • * • * • * •
We want to be the very best and most intelligent workers

that there are anywhere.
62
But the first •work is a personal consecration to God.*

2®
The next morning, Wednesday, October 24, Mrs. White spoke again.
It should be borne in mind that Waggoner was concluding his series of
lectures the next day. This talk is quite different from the others.
It sounds like the lamentations of an ancient prophet. Mrs. White
said, "l never was more alarmed than at the present time."2^ The con
dition that alarmed her was apathy and indifference twoard the message
of righteousness by faith that was being presented at the conference.
Tne following statements indicate controversy:
. . . Eyes have ye but ye see notj ears, but ye hear not.

low, brethren, light has come to us and we want to be where
we can grasp it and God will lead us out one by one to him.
I soe your danger and, I want to xvarn you.25
. . . God did not raise me up to come across the plains

to speak to you and you sit here to question his message and
question whether Sister finite Is the same as she used, to be
in years gone by.26
. . . I have seen that precious souls who would have embraced

the truth have been turned away from it, because of the manner
in which the truth has been handled. Because Jesus was not In
it. And this is what I have been pleading with you for all the
time— we want Jesus.27
Ers. white's last sermon at the conference, of which any record
2jBllen G. White, "Remarks by Mrs. E, G. White on Missionary

Work," (unpublished Minneapolis, Minnesota, sermons, 1888, Ellen G.
V/hite publications), MS. 10, 1888, pp. 1 ff.
24Bllen G. V/hite, "Homing Talk by Mrs. E. G. White," (unpub

lished Minneapolis, Minnesota, sermons, 1888, Ellen G. White Publica
tions ), MS. 9, 1888, p. 1.
2 ®Ibid., p. 3.
2 ®Loc. cit.
2 ?it>id., p. 4
63
remains, urns given on Thursday, November 1.28 she began her dis-
course with a plea for tolerance in behalf of Waggoner. She did not
profess to agree with him entirely on his teaching regarding the law
rn the Epistle to the Galatians, yet she said, " . . . truth will lose
90
nothing by investigation." She continued:
The fact that he honestly holds soiae views of scripture

differing from yours or mine, is no reason why we should treat
him as an offender or as a dangerous man and make him the sub
ject of unjust criticism.
She endorsed without qualification his teaching on righteousness by
faith. She said:
1 see the beauty of truth in the presentation of the righteous

ness of Christ in relation to the law as the Doctor has placed
it before us. . . . That which has been presented harmonizes
perfectly with the light which God has been pleased to give me
during all the years of my experience. If our ministering
brethren would accept the doctrine which has been presented so
clearly,— the righteousness of Christ in connection with the
law,— and I know they need to accept this, their prejudices would
not have been a controlling power, and the people would be fed
with their portion of meat in due season.
During the course of her remarks, she spoke at length against the de
bating spirit, mentioning by name the minister who had led out in the
opposition to Jones and Waggoner at the conference.^ The entire dis
course constitutes conclusive proof of active opposition against Waggoner,
whoso teaching in regard to righteousness by- faith she vms defending.
That there was determined opposition to the doctrine of*

1
2-yi.lrs. E. G. White, "A Call to a Deeper Study of the Word,"

liS. 15, 1888, Ellen G. White Publications.
2 wIbid., p. 1 .
^ L o c . cit.
S1 Ibid., p. 2 .
Îbid.j.p. 5.
64
righteousness by faith as taught at the 1888 conference is further
attested to by scores of statements by Mrs. VJhite and others made after
the conference. Many of these statements will be presented in Chapter
V in connection with the developments of the following decade. ITothing,
however, bears more weighty evidence of the spirit of opposition than
the -confessions of men who themselves were opposed. Confessions are
not made without reason. In 1891 Mrs. liVhite described in a personal
letter the confessions of three prominent persons for their part in
the opposition movement at the conference of 1888.33 jn 1 3 9 3 she wrote
a letter to a prominent minister, reminding him of the part he and
others had played in opposing the message of justification by faith.3^
In his reply, the reproved minister said;
This eommunication by your hand to me I heartily accept as a

testimony from the Lord. It reveals to me the sad condition I
have been in since the Minneapolis meeting, and this reproof
from the Lord is just and true. . . .3°
According to Jones1 own account, the leading figure in the opposition
later 113
. . . cleared himself of all connection with that opposition;
*
and put himself body, soul, and spirit into the truth and blessing of
righteousness by faith in one of the finest and noblest confessions
that I have ever heard.”33 one delegate to the conference, who him
self accepted the doctrine at the time, relates:
33Mrs. E. G-. VJhite, letter W-32, Ellen G. Yihite Publications.
^ M r s . E. G. V/hite Letter Y-61, Ellen G. White publications,
p. YanHorn, Letter to Mrs. E. G. V/hite, March 9, 1893,

Ellen G. White publications.
36jones, potter to Holmes, May 12, 1921, Ellen G. White

Publications.
* ....- . !%?•.•£*»•- : -«m ».
65
Early in the spring, 1889, word began to come of those who

stood with the opposition at the conference beginning to see light
and soon earnest confessions followed. Within two or three years
most of the leading men who had refused the light at the confer
ence had come out with clear confessions.
The experience of the delegate quoted above, and othei' evidence,
indicates that there were those who accepted the teaching gladly and
enthusiastically at the time of the 1888 meeting. Others were con
fused and uncertain. There is no way of enumerating how many of the
eighty-four delegates or of the hundreds of attendants at the confer
ence sessions arrayed themselves on either side of the question. Such
an enumeration is beside the point. Regardless of those who accepted
the doctrine then; regardless of those who repented of their opposition
and accepted later; the fact remains that there was vigorous, organized
opposition to the teaching of the doctrine of justification by faith
at the conference. Those who opposed claimed that Seventh-day Adven
tists had always recognized the docti'ine of righteousness by faith,
which was theoretically true. 3hey feared that the emphasis on the
doctrine insisted upon by the speakers at the conference would endanger
the standing of the peculiar tenets of Seventh-day Adventists, and
thus rob Adventism of its distinctive character and f o r c e T h i s
opposition arose partly from a distrust and dislike on the part of
many for Jones and Waggoner. These men were young, and their*
7
5
37C . McReynolds, "Experiences Tvhile at th9 General Conference

in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1888," D Pile, 189, Ellen G. White
Publications.
38Mrs. S. G. White, Letter 51a, 1895, Ellen G. White publications.
39A. G. Daniells, Christ Cur Righteousness (Takoma Park, Wash

ington, D. C.: Review and" Herald publisHxng Association, 1326), pp.
57 f.
66
revolutionary message seemed iconoclastic. Apparently, some men who
did not think through the issues involved joined the opposition be
cause of the men who promoted the issues.
Another reason for the opposition was a confusion of issues.
Justification by faith, it must be remembered, was not the only issue
discussed at the conference. The "ten kingdoms” and the "law in
Galatians" were live topics of controversy. Mrs. White did not take
definite position on the "law in G a l a t i a n s . S h e did assert herself
definitely on justification by faith. Some were not as discerning as
she. Much was said by the opposition about "standing by the old
landmarks," meaning the fundamental principles of Adventist teaching.
Some months later, in recalling the controversy, Mrs. Vihite called
attention to the confusion that existed in many minds as to what con
stituted the old l a n d m a r k s M u d d l e d thinking, confused issues,
personal prejudices ware apparent throughout the controversy. The
confessions mentioned above v.rere doubtless, in many cases, precipitated
sober reflection after the individuals concerned were far removed
from the scene of controversy.
The seriousness of the Minneapolis conference and its contro
versy is pictured in the following quotation, "I have been instructed
that the terrible experience at the Minneapolis conference is one of
the saddest chapters in the history of the believers in present truth."
^'Supra., p . 63
^Hlrs. E. G. TOiite, MS. 13, 1889, Ellen G. White Publications.
4 % r s . E. G. Vihite, MS. B-179, 1902, Ellen G. White Publications.

67
Suoh a tragic episode could not help but have its effects in following
years. Two factors were present at the conference: first, the doc
trine of justification by faith was preached with clearness and vigor;
and second, this preaching was opposed with equal vigor. Would the
good seed sown by the preaching be choked out by the bad seed sown
by the opposition? The following chapter presents, in part, the answer
to this question.
CHAPTER V
THE REVIVAL FOLLOWING THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1883
The significance of the General Conference of 1888 can only be
understood by a study of the years immediately following* Did a new
emphasis on the doctrine of righteousness by faith develop as a result
of this conference? In an endeavor to discover the answer to this
question, a year by year examination was made of the periodicals, books,
and available unpublished data between 1889 and 1900. This chapter will
record the results of this investigation.
During the year 1889, Mrs. White, Jones, and Waggoner travelled
from coast to coast, presenting the same doctrine they had preached at
Minneapolis. Records remain of meetings at Pottersville, Michigan;
Oakland, California; Battle Creek, Michigan; South Lancaster, Massach
usetts; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Ottov/a, Kansas;
Williamsport, Pennsylvania; Rome, New York; and Kalamazoo, Michigan.^
Doubtless many other meetings were held of which no mention was made
in contemporary church periodicals.
The spirit of this revival is preserved in statements relative
to the various meetings. Regarding the meetings at Battle Creek, the
denominational center, Mrs. White wrote;
They [the members of the Battle Creek church] expressed their

gladness and gratitude of heart for the sermons that had been
preached by Brother A. T, Jones; they saw the truth, goodness,
LEevi sw, scattered references between March 2 and September 3,

1889
69
mercy, and love of God as they never before had seen It,2
In a later reference to the same meeting, Mrs. White added,. "A decided
advancement in spirituality, piety, charity, and activity has been
rrade as the result of the special meetings in the Battle Creelc churen."^
She related the practical results of the revival by telling of the pay
ment of thousands of dollars of tithes and offerings.
Mrs. White made frequent mention of the revival at South Lancas
ter, Massachusetts. There, as elsewhere, she found people struggling
under a burden of sin and doubt, and trying to solve their problems
without Christ. She related their spiritual deliverance thus:
There were many, even among the ministers, who saw the truth
as it is in Jesus in a light in which they had never before
viewed it. They saw the Saviour as a sin-pardoning Saviour,
and the truth as the sanctifier of the soul.4
In a morning talk at the meeting In Chicago, Mrs. White summarised
neatly the spirit and objectives of the revival, "Yfe have had abundant
light at these meetings, and we must walk in it. . . . We must not
preach any more Christless sermons, or any longer live Christless lives.
After the meeting at Ottawa, Kansas, in May, she reported encour-
% r s . E. G. White, "Revival Work in the Battle Creek Church,"

Review, 66: 106, Feb. 12, 1839.
^Mrs. E. G. White, "Where Are the Mine?" Review, 66: 113,

Feb. 19, 1889.
% r s . E. C. White, "Meetings at South Lancaster, Mass.," Review,

66: 146, Mar. 5, 1889. ~ ~
%rs. E. G. White, "Compassion for the Erring," Review, 66: 449,

July 16, 1889.
70
agingly, "In every meeting since the General Conference, souls have
6
eagerly accepted, the precious message of the righteousness of Christ."
The churches in Pennsylvania were found torn vdth discouragement
and apostasy. Waggoner and Jones both took part in the meeting at
Williamsport, regarding which Mrs. White reported, " . . . they [the
people3 were greatly encouraged. They testified to the fact that they
had never before attended meetings where they had received so much
instruction and such precious light.
Regarding the meeting in New York, the same encouraging report
was made. "When the doctrine of justification by faith was presented
at the Rome meeting, it came to many as water comes to a thirsty
traveller."^ One of the ministers present wrote, " . . . the presenta
tion of the subject of justification by faith by Sister White and Elds.
Jones and Waggoner did more to encourage all present than the investi
gation of all other subjects.”^
The president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,
in reporting the Kalamazoo meeting held in August, said:
Eld. E. J. Waggoner presented the subject of justification by

faith with much clearness and to the rejoicing of many; and the
truths of the third angel’s message seemed even more precious and
% r s . E. G. White, "Campmeeting at Ottowa, Kansas,” Review, 6 6 :

465, July 23, 1889.
^Krs. E. G. White, "Campmeeting at Williamsport, Pa.," Review,

66: 513, Aug. 13, 1889. ~ ~~
% r s . E. C. White, "Campmeeting at Rome, N* Y.," Review, 6 6 :

545, Sept. 3, 1889.
II. Lane, "The Work in New York," Review, 6 6 : 570, Sept.- 10,
1889
71
powerful than ever before.
More than thirty years later, A* T. Jones, in recalling the
summer of 1889, wrote to a correspondents
Then when campmeeting time came we all three [Mrs. Y/hite,

Waggoner, Jonesjvisited the campmeetings with the message of
righteousness by faith and religious liberty; sometimes all
three of us being at the same meeting. This turned the tide
with the people, and apparentl?/ v/ith most of the leading men.-^
Such a movement of revival was certain to cause repercussions.
Letters began coming to the editor of the church paper, the Review,
asking about the teaching of Jones and Waggoner, and seeking information
on the subject of justification by faith. Uriah Smith,, the editor at
the time, was not sympathetic to the new movement. He professed belief
in justification by faith, but he held that the denomination had always
adhered to that teaching. He felt that the teaching of Jones and
Y/aggoner tended toward antinomianism. In an editorial in the June 11
issue of the Review, he declared:
The law is spiritual, holy, just, and good, the .divine standard
of righteousness. Perfect obedience to it will develop perfect
righteousness, and is the only way any one can attain to righteousness.1*
Later in the same article he revealed his attitude toward the question thus:
But, it is asked, if a man undertakes to keep the law .in his own
strength and work out his own righteousness, can he do it? Is he
such a query would apply, we do not know, fie

not clothing himself with filthy rags? To what class or people
do know, however,
that there is not a Seventh-day Adventist in the land who has not
been taught better than to suppose that in his own strength he
^°0. A. Olsen, "Kalamazoo Campmeeting," Review, 6 8 : 553,

Sept. 3, 1889.
•Â. T. Jones, Letter to Mr. Holmes, May 12, 1921, Ellen G.

YJhite Publications, D File, 189.
-*-%riah Smith, "Our Righteousness," Review, 6 6 : 376, J\mc 11, 1889.

72
could keep the commandments, or do anything without Christ; and

it is a -waste of time to build an argument for any people on
premises which they never assume.13
This article from Smith brought a reaction. Less than a week
later * jin a oampmeeting address in Rome, Hew York, Mrs. ’White referred
specifically to the article, and declared that Smith did not see matters
c l e a r l y . O n July 2, Smith endeavored to clear himself in the columns
of his paper by arguing that his first article was misunderstood. He
concluded his explanatory article thus, "Any view which does not present
the Lord of life, and the law of righteousness in equal prominence
before the mind, is an imperfect and incomplete view of the subject."-*-3
Throughout the year 1389, the columns of the Review carried no definite,
constructive teaching on the subject of justification by faith except
the frequent allusions to the subject in the articles of Mrs. White.
Several other writers touched the subject in single articles, but
these articles were too fragmentary to make any outstanding contrib
ution to the understanding of the doctrine.
The doctrine received more adequate treatment in the Sims. This
was to be expected as Waggoner was editor of this periodical. In the
early part of the year there appeared a series of articles on the sub-
1 Z?
ject by Waggoner. During the simmer, M. C. Wilcox, who 3ater becamel
l3 Loc. cit.
-*-%trs. E. G. White, "Christ in the Law," MS. 5, 1889, Ellen G.

’White Publications.
-^Jriah Smith, "Our Righteousness Again," Review, 6 6 } 424,

July 2, 1889.
J. Waggoner, "The Obedience of Faith," Signs, 15 1 71

Feb. 4, 1899, and subfiequent articles in series.
9|j
73
editor of the paper, presented similar articles.1 ?
During the same year, J. H. Waggoner, the father of E. J.
‘Waggoner, wrote a tract entitled Justification by Faith. Thi-u seems to
have been the only printed treatment outside of periodical articles

TO
during the year*
A very encouraging indication regarding the progress of the re
vival movement appears in a report of the 1889 General Conference:
We are having most excellent meetings. The spirit that was in

the meeting at Minneapolis is not here. All moves off in harmony.
... All the testimonies to which I have listened have been of
an elevating character. They say that the past year has been the
best of their life; the light shining forth from the Word ofGod
has been clear and distinct. Justification by faith, Christ our
righteousness. . . . I have attended all but two morning meetings.
At eight o’clock Brother Jones speaks upon the subject of justi
fication by faith and great interest is manifested. . . . The
universal testimony from those who have spoken has been that
this message of light and truth which has come to our people is
just the truth for this time and wherever they go among the
churches, light, and relief, and the blessing of God is sure to
come in.
A retrospective glance over the year 1889, reveals justification
by faith as a live issue in the Seventh-day Adventist church. All evi
dence indicates that the doctrine was gladly received by many members
of the church who, judging by their enthusiasm, seemed to be ready
and waiting for such a message.
There wrere published during 1890 a number of tracts and pamphlets
17k . c . Wilcox, "Justification,” Signs, 15j 342, Juno 10, 1889,

and subsequent artioles in series.
18J. H. Waggoner, Justification by Faith (Oakland, California:

Pacifio Press Publishing Co., 18897. 40 pp.
l%Irs. E. G. White, MS. 10, 1889, Ellen G. White Publications.

74
on justification by faith. The major contribution in this lino was a
ninety-six page pamphlet entitled, Christ and His Righteousness, by
Waggoner.*
2® This work set forth the doctrine in detail. There also were
published a Sabbath school lesson on the subject, prepared in question
and answer form}2-1- a small tract by William Covert} 22 and a tract by E. J.
Waggoner which gave a very spiritual presentation of the subject.2^
The Signs of 1890 abounded in articles on the subject, most of
which were written by Waggoner. In addition to general articles and
editorials, Waggoner ran a series during September and October, pre
senting the doctrine quite in detail. 24 Late in the year there appeared
two articles bearing directly on the subject by Mrs. White.2^
In the Review of 1890, most references to the topic were from the
pen of Mrs. White* These, however, were quite numerous. Two articles
in the March issues are interesting as they present the encouraging and
the discouraging aspects of the revival efforts that had been under way
2°E. J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness (Oakland, Calif

ornia: Pacific Press Publishing Co., 1890)7 96 pp.
24,1 Justification by Faith}" Bible .Students Library, Ho. 61

(Oakland, California: Pacific Press Publishing Co., £890), 8 pp.
‘'^William Covert, "Righteousness," Bible Sindents Library, Ho.

71, 8 pp.
J* Waggoner, "Living by Faith," Bible Students Library,

Ho. 75, 16 pp.
2 -E. J. Waggoner, "No Justification by the Law," Signs, 16j 466,

Sept. 1, 1890, end subsequent articles of series.
2 % r s . E. G. White, "Justification by .Faith," Signs, 16: 540,

llov. 3 , 1890; and 18: 549, Nov. 10, 1890.
75
for more than a year. In a sermon at Battle Creek, she said:
I have travelled from place to plaoe, attending meetings where

the message of the righteousness of Christ was preached. I con
sidered it a privilege to stand by the side of my brethren, and
give my testimony with the message for the time; and I saw that
the power of God attended the message wherever it was spoken. You
could not make the people believe in South Lancaster that it was
not a message of light that came to them. The people confessed
their sins and appropriated the righteousness of Christ. God has
set his hand to do this work. We labored in Chicago; it was a
week before there was a break in the meetings. But like a wave
of glory, the blessing of God swept over us as we pointed men to
the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. . . .
I have tried to present the message to you as I have understood

it, but how long will those at the head of the work keep them
selves aloof from the message of God?^®
The discouraging aspect of the work she had been doing is made clear in
the following statement:
For nearly two years we have been urging the people to come up
and accept the light and the truth concerning the righteousness of
Christ, and they do not know whether to come and take hold of this
precious trxrth or not. They are bound about with their own ideas.
They do not let the Saviour in. I have done what I could to pre
sent the matter. I can speak to the ear, but I cannot speak to
the heart. Shall we not arise and get out of the position of
unbelief?^
In April of the same year another questioning note appeared in
the Review. R. F. Cottrell, the man who had compiled the study on jus
tification by faith in the Bible Reader’s' Gazette several years previously, ^8
wrote thus:*
2 % r s . E. G. White, "The Present Message," Review, 67: 161, -

March 18, 1890.
27
Mrs. E. G. White, "Christ Prayed for Unity Among Kis
Disciples," Review, 67: 146, Mar. 11, 1890,
2®Supra *> P• i
76
As a people, we have always held that "a man is justified

by faith without .the deeds of the law” . . . .
Men sometimes descend to ’’questions and strifes of words” when

they do not disagree on the great doctrines; but only on certain
terms, in the use of which they do not understand each other. 29
Cottrell's title, ’’Where Is the 'New Departure?*” is an index to the
thinkingof those who did not fully understand the revival movement.
The attitude of some of the leaders was further revealed in a statement
by Mrs. YJhite declaring that "some have turned from the message of the
righteousness of Christ to criticize the men and their imperfections
because they do not speak the message of truth with all the grace and
polish d e s i r a b l e . T h a t the revival movement was still in progress
in 1890 is indicated by an enthusiastic report of Jones* work at the

31
Ohio campmeeting, published by W. A. Colcord. ‘
Throughout the remainder of the year, the articles of Mrs. White
continued to stress justification by faith. At the close of the year,
she expressed her alarm in these words:
The Lord has sent a message to arouse his people to repent, and
to do their first works; but how has this message been received?
While some have heeded it, others have cast contempt and reproach
on the message and the messenger. Spirituality deadened, humility
and child-like simplicity gone, a mechancial, formal profession
of faith has taken the place of love and devotion. Is this mournful
condition of things to continue?32*
6
2
29R. F. Cottrell, "Where is the 'New Departure?*”, Review, 67;

242, April 22, 1890.
rs. E. G. White, "Living Channels of Light," Review, 67: 321,

May 27, 1890.
^Yf. A. Colcord, "The Ohio Campiaeeting, ’’ Review, 67: 522, Aug.

26, 1890. °
Ô
° Mrs. E. G. White, "Be Zealous and Repent," Review, extra, Deo.
23, 1890. ~
77
This article created a stir in official circles in Battle Creek. Mrs.
T/hite relates in a personal letter that confessions v/ere made hy three
prominent leaders following the publication of this appeal. 03 These
confessions were specific in their application to the Minneapolis,,
conference. In taking leave of the year 1890, it is interesting to note '
that during this year Mrs. White issued one of her major volumes, Patri-
archs and Prophets. ^ In this book is one of the clearest definitions
of justification by faith to be found anywhere in her writings. °
The reoords of the year 1891 are not productive of a great deal
of information on the subject. Dur5.ng this year a tract was issued
entitled ”Justification, Regeneration, and Sanctification. ” 33 *35 Scattered
articles appeared by Waggoner, M. C. Wilcox, and Fannie Bolton in the
Signs. The Review carried a series by J. F. Ballenger in which a
legalistic approach is evident.37 Mrs. White's articles in both the
Review and the Signs presented the subject indirectly, but very little
is added to the understanding of the status of the justification by
faith movement during that year. Probably the most specific contribution
3 3 Mrs. S. G. White, Letter to Brother and Sister Washburn, W-32,

"White Publications.
*îrs. S. G. "White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Mountain Vievr,

California; Pacific Press Publishing Association", 1913), 793 pp*
3 5 Ibid., pp. 372 f.
ODM. C. Wilcox, ”Justification, Regeneration, and Sanctification,”

Bible Students Library, Ho• 8 6 , 16 pp.
37j. p. Ballenger, ”Justification by ’Works,” Review, 6 8 ; 595 to

63; 642, Sept. 29 to Oct. 20, 1391.
73
v/as a statement made by Mrs* '.mite to the assembled delegates at the
General Conference of that year. She said:
You possess in a large degree the same spirit that v/as revealed
in the conference at Minneapolis. The deception that v.ras upon
minds there still exists. Some have not been willing to see and
acknowledge their, errors, and their blindness of mind remains.38
This— statement stands in contrast to Mrs* White’s statement regarding

39
the General Conference of two years previous.
The study of the year 1392 reveals that the agitation still con
tinued. A steady barrage of articles appeared on the pages of the Signs.
During February and March, J. 0. Corliss published a series qirite in
line with the teachings of Waggoner and Jones.^ Wilcox wrote an article
in H a y , ^ and S. N. Haskell contributed a series on "Saving Faith" during
August.^ Mrs. White wrote directly on the subject in September,^ and
Covert contributed two articles in December.^ Thes9 articles were
largely repetitions of the fundamental principles that all men are sinful,*
0
4
38jirs. E. G. White, "Our Present Dangers," General Conference

i'
Daily Bulletin (Battle Creek, Michigan; Review and Herald PuSTTshing
Co., T39T7.
39
Supra., p. 73.
40 • .
J. 0. Corliss, Series of articles on various phases of "Right
eousness," Signs, 13; 243 to 323, Feb. 22 to Mar. 28, 1892.
41
M. C. Wilcox, "Justified by What?" Signs, 18: 433, May 13, 1892.
^ S . N. Haskell, "Saving Faith," Signs, 18; 613 to 661, Aug. 8

to 29, 1892.
A3
‘ Mrs. E. G. White, "Righteousness Through Christ," Signs, 18:
Y r
679, Sept. 5, 1892.
44
~ ’
J.
V-.
william Covert,- "Justification," Signs, 19: 67, Dec, 5, 1892;

"The Power of Faith," 19: 99, Deo. 1892.
79
that there is no salvation through law alone, that justification is
freely offered through Jesus Christ, that the saved individual can have
the assurance of acceptance with God, and that power comes from God to
live the Christian life. These writers did not depreciate'the^lue of
the law, but upheld free grace as the divine means of salvation. In
the Review of April 5, E. W. Whitney begins an article with this phrases
"'While the question of the relation of faith and works is so pronounced
before the minds of our people as at present, . . ." The interest in
the subject indicated by Yfhitney is verified by two other articles on
the law and faith in the same issue by E. Hilliard and H. E. Sa^vyer.
The issue between lav/ and faith is clearly resolved by a statement from
the pen of Mrs. White appearing a few weeks later. She said, "Those Y/ho
would be saved must accept by faith the righteovisness pf Christ, and
when they do this, they will work the works of God." During the sum
mer of 1892, W. H. Littlejohn of Battle Creek wrote a series on "Justi-
fication by Faith." Littlejohn's emphasis was more technical than
that of Jones, Yfaggoner, and Mrs. White. Later developments indicated
that his articles were intended as a means of defending the editorial
policy of the Review, which still was not in complete sympathy with the
Jones-Yfaggoner movement. Late in the year, Mrs. ’White's articles came
out emphatically for the debated doctrine. She went so far as to apply
45g. W. Yfhitney, "Nature of Justyfying Works," Review, 69: 211,

Apr. 5, 1892,
^6I'irs. E. G. White, "The Work of God to Believe in Christ,"

Review, 69: 305, May 17, 1892.
H. Littlejohn, "Justification by Faith," Review, 69: 419

to 499, July 5 to Aug. 9, 1892.
80
the apocalyptic symbols of Revelation 18:1-3 to the movement. She declared
. . . for the loud cry of the third angel has already begun in
the revelation of the righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning
Redeemer. This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose
glory shall fill the whole earth.48
Mrs. White's greatest contribution of the year 1892 was the publication
of Steps to Christ,^9 which many believe to be the most concise and
appealing treatise on the practical aspects of the plan of salvation to
be found in Seventh-day Adventist literature.
The picture did not change radically in 1893. A few scattered
articles, some from obscure writers, appeared in the Review. The Signs,
as was its custom, stressed the subject more, with a number of pointed
articles by Mrs. White, Waggoner, Haskell, Wilcox, and others. During
the year, two tracts were issued by the Pacific Press Publishing Company,
written by Mrs. White.8*9 The most pertinent contribution of the year
was a series of twenty-four sermons by Jones at 'the General Conference
session of that year.*

84 These sermons are of immense importance to the
investigator today because they reveal exactly what Jones taught, and
they also reveal his attitude, as expressed in public discourse, toward
4% rs. E. G. White, "The Perils and Privileges of the Last Days,"

Review, 69; 722, Nov. 22, 1392.
‘% r s . E. G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, California;

Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1908), 144 pp»
89,1Justified by Faith,” and "The 'Way to Christ," Bible Students

Library, Numbers 104 and 105.
84A. T. Jones, "The Third Angel's Message," General Conference

Daily Bulletin (Battle Creak, Michigan; Review and Herald Publishing
Company, 1393X*
81
the issues of 1888. The following excerpt from a stenographic report
of one of these sermons reveals the man's feelings:
How, brethren, when did that message of the righteousness of

Christ begin with us as a people? [One or two in the audience-
’’Three of four years a go."j Which was it, three? or four?
[Congregation; ”Four.”J Yes, four. Yihere was it? [Congrega
tion: Minneapolis.U J 'What then did the brethren reject at
Minneapolis? [Some in the congregation: "The loud cry."J
What is that, message of righteousness? The Testimony has told
us what it is: the 1ond ory— -the latter rain. Then what did
the brethren in that fearful position in which they stood, re
ject at Minneapolis? They rejected the latter rain'— the loud
cry of the third angel’s message.
» «. * • * • • • • • • « e • «
I know that some there accepted it; others rejected it entirely.

You know the same thing. Others tried to stand half way between. . .
Jones was one of the principal speakers at several General Conference
sessions following this one, but his sermons at later sessions presented
justification by faith in a more general way. In 1893 he was pointed,
vehement, almost vitriolic, in his utterances. Just a few months after
the General Conference session, Jones received a letter from Mrs. Whits
warning him in a very kindly manner against the danger of extreme state
ments. A quotation from this letter, written from Napier, New Zealand,
follows:
I was attending a meeting, and a large congregation -were

present. In my dream you were presenting the subject of faith and
the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You repeated sev
eral times that works amounted to nothing, that there were no con
ditions. The matter was presented in that light that I knew minds
would be confused, and 'would not receive the correct impression
in reference to faith and works, and I decided to write to you*
You state this matter boo strongly. There are conditions to our
52roid., sermon N o . 7.
82
receiving justification and sanctification, and the righteousness

of Christ. I know your meaning, but you leave a wrong impression
upon many minds. While good works will not save even one soul,
yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good
works.®®
Thi-s-statement is important in that it reveals Mrs. White's fear of the
danger of antinomianism as a result of a misapprehension of the doc
trine of justification by faith.
It will be recalled that several leaders made definite confessions
early in 1891.®^ During 1893 a letter "was written by Mrs. Yfhite indi
cating that one of these very men was still maintaining an attitude
contrary to the spirit of the revival movement.®® This evidence is in
the same category as the conflicting reports regarding the General Con-
*
ferences of 1889 and 1891.®® Such contradictions show the futility of
generalization on the part of those who endeavor to reconstruct and
interpret the past. The investigator must take into account the ir
regular fluctuations of the conduct and attitude of organisations and
individuals.
During 1894 very little appeared on the subjeot in the Signs. Ho
books or tracts have been discovered dating from that year. There were,
however, some important developments reflected in the columns of the
Review, The most significant was a very definite reaction from the
®®Mrs. E. G. Yfhite, ’’Relation of Faith and Works," notebook

Leaflets (Washington, D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1945), Vo1. I, No. 21.
°'"‘Supra., p. 64.
®®Mrs. E. G. Yfhite, Letter 7-61, Ellen G-. White Publications.
°®Supra., pp. 73, 78*

W &i& iSS ■£ & *&&£&
83
party opposing the righteousness by faith movement. Early in the year
an article appeared written by W. H* Littlejohn who, it will be recalled
wrote on the subject of justification by faith in 1892.°^ Little
john attacked directly the r evival m o v e m e n t . H e quoted Smith ’’with
pleasure” in apparent defense of justification by faith, maintaining
that the denomination had always held the doctrine, and only a few had
failed to accept it. He refused to admit that ” . . . we as a people
have relied for justification upon our own works instead of the right
eousness of Christ.”^ A few weeks later, an article by Mrs. White,
perhaps by coincidence, neatly met Littlejohn’3 objections. She -wrote,
“Laborers in the cause of truth shouLd present the righteousness of
Christ, not a3 new light, but as precious light that has for a time
been lost sight of by the people."60 Although published material on the
topic was not plentiful during 1894, there is abundant evidence that the
revival was still under way. In a personal letter, Mrs. White wrote:
The Holy Spirit i3 presenting the grand and ennobling theme of

Christ and His righteousness, and the eyes of many are being
anointed to discern spiritual things. Many are gaining a ftiller
comprehension of the lessons contained in the Holy Book than they
have seen in the past, and they discern a higher standard of
piety.61 • •
57gupra., p. 79.
58',V. H. Littlejohn, "Justification by Faith, Hot a Hew Doctrine,"

Review, 71: 35, Jan. 16, 1894.
^ L o o . oit.
% r s , E. G. White, "Christ the Center of the Message," Review,

71: 177, Mar. 20, 1894.
®^Mrs. E. C-. White, Letter 27, 1894, Ellen C-. White Publications.
84
The R9view of 1895 seemed, to show a more favorable trend. In
addition to the regular flow of articles from Mrs. White, some other
contributors wrote on the subject, among whom were G. C. Tenney, M. E.
Kellogg, G. D. Ballou, and J. E. Kimball. In the Signs, an editorial of
April 4 named justification by faith as a leading Seventh-day Adventist

62
tenet of faith. Articles of interest on the subject appeared during
the year from D. T. Bordeaux, William Covert, Charles Whitford, and
M. C. Wilcox, These articles, like those mentioned above in the Review,
were either short homilies or brief doctrinal treatments of some phase
of justification by faith. Their principal claim to recognition is that
they indicate that the authors of the articles accepted and taught the
doctrine. Late in the year E. J. Waggoner taught the doctrine through
the medium of a series of articles on the book of Romans. This series
continued into the following year.
At the General Conference of 1895, Jones presented the subject,
bvit not nearby as dogmatically as in 1893. W. W. Prescott also spoke
on the theme. J, H» Durland prepared a week of prayer reading in which
he stressed justification by f a i t h . I t might appear on the surface
that justification by faith had won its place in the church, but the
following statement, written in 1895, indicates that Mrs. White did not
consider the problem solved:
Some have been cultivating hatred against the men whom God has
commissioned to bear a special message to the world. They began6
6^"Do Seventh-day Adventists Honor Christ?" editorial, Signs,

21: 210, April 4, 1895.
^General Conference Daily Bulletin, Battle Creek, Michigan:

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1895.
85
this Satanic work at Minneapolis. Afterward, when they saw and

felt the demonstration of the Holy Spirit, testifying that the
message was of God, they hated it the more, because it was a
testimony against them.64
The above indictment was included in a letter written to the
General Conference president. Later in the same document, Mrs. Whits
developed the reasons for the 1883 movement and the possibilities
‘wrapped up in it. She wrote:
The Lord in His mercy sent a most precious mes'sage to His people
through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more
prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice
for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification
through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the
righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to
all the commandments of God. . . .
. . . The message of the gospel of His grace was to be given

to the church in clear and distinct lines, that the world should
no longer say that Seventh-day Adventists talk the law, the law,
but do not teach or believe Christ.65
In warning those who persisted in opposing the revival movement, Mrs.
Y/hite said;
I would speak in warning to those who have stood for years

resisting light and cherishing the spirit of opposition. How
long will you hate and despise the messengers of God’s righteous
ness? God has given them His message. . . . But there are those
who despised the men and the message they bore. They have taunted
thorn with being fanatics, extremists, enthusiasts. Let me prox^hesy
unto you: unless you speedily humble your hearts before God and
confess your sins, which are many, you m i l , when it is too late,
see that you have been fighting against C-od*66
Probably the high point of editorial emphasis on the doctrine was
64<rr s. E. G. Y/hite, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers

(Mountain View, California: pacific Press Publishing Association, 1913),
pp. 79 f.
65Ibid., p. 91 f.
66Ibid., pp. 96 f.
86
reached in the Signs of 1596. Waggoner continued his "Studies in
Romans" until the close of April. Then on May 7 appeared an issxie with
a large ornamentive banner across the front page bearing the -words, "The
Lord Our Righteousness." Articles on the subject followed, written by
Mrs. White, M. C. Wilcox, F. M. Wilcox, William Covert, and others.®?
A doctrine could not receive more effective publicity in a periodical.
The following month, another special number appeared entitled "Righteous
ness and Life."®® This issue stressed the results in the life of the
acceptance of righteousness by faith. The Review of the same year con
tains discussions by Mrs. White, Jones, Prescott, and others quite as in
previous years. An interesting sidelight appeared in an editorial by
G-. C. Tenney. He wrote:
It is no secret that there are many who rejoice in the light

that has come to them in regard to imputed righteousness, while
in their lives or characters no marked changes have been wrought
by that knowledge.
To understand the why and how of righteousness by faith is not

righteousness by faith.
Other articles by Tenney indicate that his warning was sincere and con
structive rather than a thrust at those teaching righteousness by faith*
Late in 1896 came one of the most pertinent definitions of justification
by faith ever written by Mrs. White. She said: "Vhat is justification
by faith?— It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust,*
2
S^Signs, 3v:ay 7, 1896.
&®Signs, Juno 25, 1896.
®®G. C. Tenney, "Righteousness by Faith," Review, 73: 604, Sept,

22, 1896.
87
and doing for nan that v/hich it is not in his power to do for himself."70
The year 1897 brought one radioal change. Jones succeeded Smith
as leading editor of the Review. Jones’ first issue, October 5, carried

71
as its leading editorial an article entitled, "The Righteousness of God."
This article, and others that followed dux’ing the remainder of the year,
presented to the readers of the Review the first complete discussion of
righteousness by faith in the history of the periodical, outside of the
articles of Mrs. V/hite.
In 1898 the editors of the Review gave their attention to other
issues. Late in the year, Waggoner's series, "Studies in Galatians,"

72
began in the Signs. Covert published a book, The Story of Redemption,
containing a chapter cn justification by faith. The greatest contribu
tion of 1898 was the appearance of Mrs. White’s well-known volume, The
Desire of Ages.7^ Soon after, there oama out two companion volumes,
Thoughts From the Mount of Elesslng,7~ and Chrlst’s Object Lessons.75
70j.)rs. E. G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers,

p. 456.
71a . T. Jones, "The Righteousness of God," Review, 74: 632, Oct.

5, 1897.
72y/illiam Covert, The Story of Redemption (Oakland, California:

Facifio Press Publishing Company, 1898"), 237 pp.
7 %rs. E. G. V/hite, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, California:

Pacific Press Publishing Association, 194’Oj) 863 pp.
7%rs. E. G. White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing (Mountain

View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1900), 218 pp.
75>,rrs. e , 6 . White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Mountain View, Cal

ifornia: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1900), 436 pp.
88
These books are very specific in their presentation of the doctrine of
justification by faith. After Y/aggoner had finished his series, ".Studies
in Galatians," in the Signs, he repeated the articles in the Review.
These articles ran into 1900, the year when they were printed in book
-
form. 78
A survey of the period from 1888 to 1900 has revealed some very
interesting facts. In 1888 the three individuals who were promoting the
teaching of justification by faith we re Mrs. White, Waggoner, and Jones.
In 1900, these three still remained the impetus of the movement. They
had lost none of their interest in preaching this doctrine. As the new
century began, 'Waggoner was writing his book on Galatians, Jones was
promoting the doctrine in the columns of the Review, and Mrs. 'White was
writing such statements as this, "The righteousness of Christ, as a pure
white pearl, has no defect, no stain, no guilt. This righteousness may
be ours." During this decade, many had accepted the doctrine of jus
tification by faith in its fullness. The revival cannot be considered, a
failure, as it influenced the lives of large numbers of laymen and lead
ers alike. It can hardly be said, however, that the doctrine of justi
fication by faith had taken its place as a major tenet of the denomina
tion. In order for the doctrine to have achieved this status, it would
have to have become part of the teaching of practically all accredited
spokesmen of the denomination. Such was not the case. During the
Press Publishing Association, 1800), 26$

76E .j . Waggoner, The Glad Tidings (Oakland, California:
pp.
Pacific
77Mrs. E. G. White, "The Pearl of Great Price," Review, 76: 501,

Aug. 8, 1899.
k
•1{
ji
89
nineties, the revival centering about this great doctrine -was largely >
the work of the same three people, Mrs. Waite, E. J« Waggoner, and A.
T. Jones. True, there were other harmonizing voices here and there, but
no Elishas were in evidence by 1900 ready to assume the mantle in case
something should happen to the three principal champions of the doctrine.
The major contribution of the nineties to denominational thought
on justification by faith was not the sermons and articles of Jones,
Waggoner, or even Mr3, White, These had a tremendous immediate effect,
but were soon lost in the archives. To the present investigator it seems
that the books Steps to Christ, The Desire of Ages, Thoughts from the
Mount of Blessing, and Christ1s Object Lessons have, more than any other
factor, preserved for the denomination the spiritual emphasis of the re
vival movement of that decade.
Steps to Christ, for example, published in 1892, presents a defin
ite philosophy of human salvation. The author deals with the problem of
original sin in this manner:
Man was originally endowed v/ith noble powers and a well-balanced !: I

mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His
•' -
thoughts were pure, his aims holy. But through disobedience, his
powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His
nature became so weakened through transgression that it was im
possible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power'of'evil.
He was made captive of Satan, and would have remained so forever
had not God specially interposed.78
After emphasizing further the futility of unaided human effort,
she concludes, ’’There must be a power working from within, a new life
,r :
5 f
r/%Irs. E. G. V/hite, Steps to Christ, p. 19.

—'-jut.A t v <•*. ... i.-;*--. . - . __• i i- 'i___ .- _
90
from, above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power
is Christ. ~ And later in the same chapter she declares, "With His
own merits, Christ has bridged the gulf which sin had made, so that the
ministering angels can hold communion with man. Christ connects fallen
man, in his weakness and helplessness, with the Source of infinite

itSO
power.
After establishing the principle of the necessity of Christ to
salvation, Mrs. White asks, " . . . but how are we to come to Christ?"®’*'
The first step named in answer to this question is repentance. She dealt
with the concept of prevenient grace in these -words, "It is the virtue
that goes forth from Christ, that leads to genuine repentance. . . . We
can no more repent without the spirit of Christ to awaken the conscience
than we can be pardoned without Christ."7

82
*
9 She indicates her Aminian
viewpoint in many statements like the following:
Christ is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force
the will; and if by persistent transgression the will itself is
v/holly bent on evil, and we do not desire to be set free, if we
will not accept His grace, -what more can Ee do? vYe have destroyed
ourselves by our determined rejection of His love.8^
God does not force the will of His creatures. He cannot accept
an homage that is not willingly and intelligently given. A mere
forced submission would prevent all real development of mind and
character; it would make mail a mere automaton. Such is not the
79Ibid., p, 20.
B0Ibid., p. 23.
PI
Ibid., p. 26*
82Ibid., p. 30.
8SIbid., p. 39,
91
purpose of the Creator. . . . It remains for us to choose whether

we will be set free from the bondage of sin, to share the glorious
liberty of the sons of God.84
'//hat you need to understand is the true force of the will. This
is the governing power In the nature of man, the power of decision,
or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will.
The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise.
You can not change your heart, you can not of yourself give to God
its affections; but you can choose to serve Him.85
The chapter entitled ’’Faith and Acceptance” deals with the vital
point at issue. The experience of justification by faith is described
thus;
In like manner you are a sinner. You can not atone for your past
sins, you can not change your heart, and make yourself holy. But
God promises to do all this for you through Christ. You believe
that promise. You confess your sins, and give yourself to God.
You will to serve Him. Just as surely as you do this, God m i l
fulfil His word to you. If you believe the promise,— believe
that you are forgiven and cleansed,— God supplies the fact; you
are made whole. . . .88
The continuation of the relationship to God entered into at conversion
is clearly outlined:
Now that you have given yourself to Jesus, do not draw back, do
not take yourself away from Him, but day by day say, ”l am Christ’s;
I have given myself to Him;” and ask Him to give you His Spirit,
and keep you by His grace. As it is by giving yourself to God,
and believing Him, that you become His child, so you are to live
in Him.87
The question of sin following conversion is dealt with briefly but*

7
5
8
e4Ibid., p. 48.
85Ibid., p. 52.
®%bid., p. 55.
87Ibid., p. 56.
92
dearly* "Th© character is revealed, not by occasional good deeds and
occasional misdeeds, but by the tendency of the habitual words and
acts.'10® The author gives special prominence to reformation as a
fruitage of conversion. The age-old question of the relationship of
faith and works also receives attention:
There are two errors against which the children of God-— par
ticularly those who have just come to trust in His grace— especially
neod to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, i3 that of looking
to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring
themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy
by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibil
ity. . . •
The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in

Christ releases men from keeping the law of Godj that since by
faith alone we beqome partakers of the grace of Christ, our works
have nothing to do with our redemption.89
This relationship is further emphasized in such epigrammatic statements
as these* "Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith and
faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which en
ables u.3 to render o b e d i e n c e . " W e do not earn salvation by our
obediencej for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by
faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith."®'*' "That so-called faith
in Christ which professes to release men from the obligation of obedience

Q9
to God, is not faith, but presumption."
88Ibid., p. 62.
89jbid., p. 65.
®*
8Loc. oit.
91 Ibid., p.- 66. .

op
^ Loc. eit»
93
Mrs. White dwells on the subject of impxrfced righteousness. She
contrasts Kan’s hopeless condition and Christ’s perfect life, and con
cludes:
He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and givers
His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him '
as your Savious-, thon, sinful as your life may have been, for His
sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in
place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as
if you had not sinned.93
She proceeds immediately to describe imparted righteousness by stating,
"You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the con
tinual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He
will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure."*

9-
Summarizing imputed and imparted righteousness, she says, "Our only
ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in

OD
that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us." Mrs* White
also observes the distinction between faith that is merely belief, and
this saving faith by which men are redeemed."
The author presents in greater detail the process of Christian
development following conversion under the heading, "Growing Up Into
Christ." She insists throughout that this development is dependent upon
divine grace. She says:
Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone.
They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, but now they
seek by thier own efforts to live aright. But every such effort must /
" i b i d ., p. 67.
9 aLoc. oit.
"ibid., p. 68.
" L o o . ’ cit
94
fail. . . . He is not only the author hut the finisher of our

faith.®^
Regarding the problem of Christian assurance, Mrs, White says, "Looking

98
unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand."'
This-type of assurance, it will be observed, has in it no taint of pre
sumptuous boldness.
A survey of Steps to Christ indicates that the author gave con
sistent answers to the great theological problems centered about the
practical working of the plan of salvation. Her teachings are seen to
bear a close kinship to those of Wesley and Anrdnius, and stand in con
tradistinction to the extreme positions of Luther which led to antinomian
ism, the predestinarian teachings of Calvin, the sacerdotalism of Cath
olicism, and the religious liberalism of the present age.
The other books published by Mrs. White during the nineties,—
The Desire of Ages, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, and Christ1s
Object Lessons,— add nothing in principle to the teachings of Steps to
Christ, but supply a vast amount of material illustrative of these
principles.
The Desire of Ages is a commentary on the life of Christ. The
opening chapter deals with the plan of redemption.®® A better balanced
statement than the following regarding C-od*s purpose would be difficult
to find:
Ibid., p. 73.
®®Ibid.., p. 77.
®i’Hr3. E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp, 19-26.

95
Christ was treated as we deserve that we might be treated as

He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no
share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which
we had no share. He suffered the death"hvhi.ch-ours, that we
might receive the life which was His.100
He gat*ding the spiritual condition of the Jews at the time of Christ's
first advent, she says, "The principle that man can save himself by his
own works lay at the foundation of every heathen i*eligion; it had now be
come the principle of the Jewish religion. Satan had implanted this
princ iple. Wherever it is held, men have no barrier against sin."'*'^'
Throughout the book is pictured Christ's battle with the legalistic
Judaism, of his day. In the chapter entitled "The Sermon on the Mount",
the author contrasts the righteousness of the Pharisees with true right
eousness. She says, "Sinful men can become righteous only as they have
faith in God and maintain a vital connection with Him."102 The theme of
righteousness by works as contrasted to Christ’s righteousness runs
through much of the book. At the close of the section describing the
passion of the Saviour, Mrs. White devotes a chapter to the philosophy
of the sacrifice of Christ,103 In this chapter she states;
The lav; requires righteousness,— a righteous life, a perfect

character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims
of God’s holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as a man, lived
a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as
a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the
life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men. with the
- p „ 25
3-01lb Id,, p. 55.
l°2Ibid., p .310.
103Ibid., pp, 758-764.

98
attributes of God* He builds up the human character after the sim

ilitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual
strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is
fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can "be just, and the
justifier of him whioh believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3:26.104
The plan of salvation, in its various aspects, appears to be the under
lying theme of The Desire of Ages* The same evaluation can be made of
Christ1s Object Lessons and Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings inasmuch
as they constitute overflow material from the original manusbripts of
The Desire of Ages.
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing deals with the Sermon on the
Mount. A selected potation reads thus:
Not by painful struggles or wearisome toil, not by gift or

sacrifice, is righteousness obtained; but it is freely given to
every soul who hungers and thirsts to receive it.l°5
The sane book deals with "The Spirituality of the Law."-*-®0 The volume
closes with appeal in which the author declares:
Religion consists in doing the words of Christ; not doing to

earn God's favor, but because, all undeserving, we have received
the gift of His love, Christ places the salvation of man, not
upon profession merely, but upon faith that is made manifest in
works of righteousness.107
Christ* s Object Lessons is based on the parables of the T'aster.
The truth of justification through faith is taught in the parable of the*

7
0
1
10-Ibid., p, 782.
-*-®%rs. S. C-. White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 34.
10SIbid., pp. 73-118.
107
Ibid., p. 215
■ i a t w a y y v a a r B t i —lvi~ff -, i~iT , f ~
~~i
h W X ^ « ^ S t iS (^ ^ L ;5 .? A ,<^ titi2 !£ ^ x^ T ~ M ^ '4 8 a tU ijtoa iji#ja®.vu*iiuii
97
prodigal son,-*-®® in the story of the rich young r u l e r , a n d in other
connections; but it receives its fullest treatment in the parable of
the wedding garment.HO The garment is described as M . • . the right
eousness of Christ, His o»vn unblemished character that through faith is
imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour.“Hi- Self
righteousness is compared to the fig leaves of Eden. The parable is
given an urgent present-day application:
In our knowledge of Christ and His love the kingdom of God is

placed in the midst of us. Christ is revealed to us in sermons
and chanted to us in songs. The spiritual banquet is set before
us in rich abundance. The wedding garment provided at infinite
cost, is freely offered to every soul. By the messengers of God
are presented to us the righteousness of Christ, justification
faith, the exceeding great and precious promises of God's word,
froe access to the Father by Christ, the comfort of the Spirit,
the well-grounded assurance of eternal life in the kingdom of
God. '-That could God do for us that lie has not done in providing
the great supper, the heavenly banquet ? H 3
In a previous chapter in this thesis (Chapter III) were described
the contributions of the writings of Mrs. S. G. White to the doctrine of
justification by faith prior to 1888. These contributions were found to
be clear and concise, but not formidable In quantity. In contrast,it may
be fairly stated that Mrs. White's writings after 1888 are full of this
^ % r s , E. G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 198-211,
10SIbid., PP . 390-104.
110Ibid., PP . 307-319.
H ^ r b i d . , p. 310.
112Ibid., P* 311.
113
Ibid., P* 317.
93
subject. Steps to Christ, written early in the decade, can be con
sidered a handbook on the doctrine, other books written during the
decado are permeated with this new emphasis, and her last work, pub
lished posthumously, ends with a glorious picture of the day when,
"Clad in the armor of Christ's righteousness, the church is to enter
upon her final conflict."114 These books,it must be re-emphasized,
were not volumes of passing importance. From the time of their pub
lication they remained, and still continue to be, the most read relig
ious books outside the Bible in Seventh-day Adventist homes, churches,
and schools. <In these books the present generation M s the tangible
heritage of the revival, of the nineties. These volumes provide Seventh-
day Adventism with a powerful defense of the doctrine of justification
by faith and supply the Seventh-day Adventist ministry with an enviable
source of material for teaching the doctrine to their parishioners and
to the world.
^14L!rs. S. G. White, The Story of Prophets and Kings (Mountain

View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Assooiatxon7"X917), p. 725.
i
CHAPTER VI
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Justification by faith was an integral part of the religious
teaching of Paul, Augustins, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and many other
leaders in evangelical religious thought. These men differed in their
interpretation of the doctrine, but agreed in their evaluation of its
importance.
Early Seventh-day Adventism fell heir to the Wesleyan interpre
tation of this doctrine, but failed, in great part, to emulate Wesley’s
attitude toward it.^The paucity of attention given justification by
faith in Seventh-day Adventist circles prior to 1383 was understandable
enough. This new denomination was continually on the defensive on such
subjects as the Sabbath and conditional immortality; and justification
by faith, though accepted, was taken for granted* But this neglect of
a great doctrine, though understandable, was not defensible. Justifi
cation by faith, as a Christian doctrine, has such a vital connection
with human experience that its virtual absence in a body of teachings

,’’aC
inevitably reacts spiritually 'in a similar manner as vitamin deficiency
reacts physically. It was in warning against this spiritual starvation
that Mrs. White/and a few others raised their voices in the early eighties.
But vitamins are substances that cannot be weighed, seen, or tasted; and
the spiritual leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist church was made
up of practical men who wore not interested in intangibles. They felt
that it was their duty to supply the people -with what they considered
100
staple foods--the law, the prophecies, non-immortality of the soul, _et
cetera. Hence, when two young men from the '.Test, Waggoner and Jones,
insisted at the Minneapolis General Conference of 1888 that justification
by faith be given consideration as a major doctrine, there were many
who disagreed with their teachings.
Fortunately for these two men, their teaching on this subject was
approved and enthusiastically supported by Mrs. 'White. After the confer
ence, these three sponsors promoted a nation-wide revival among Seventh-
day Adventists, based on this new emphasis on justification by faith.
The records of the time report both success and failure for their cause.
Many rejoiced in their teachings, others opposed them, still others ig
nored them. Some who had originally opposed their work repented of their
obstructionism. Others continued their opposition. At the distance of
a half century, no one can tell where the majority stood at any one
time during those years.
Two far-reaching results accruod from this revival movement.
Many accepted the spirit of the new emphasis and benefited thereby; and
while the movement was in progress, the pen of Mrs. White was busy pre
paring a series of books that constitute, the major part of the; Adventist
literature oxi the subject of justification by faith.
The scope of this investigation reaches only to 1900, but it
leaves the investigator standing at the beginning of a new century,
peering into the future. Only a few years of the new century had passed
when Jones and Waggoner renounced Sevonth-day Adventism; but as early as
1902 Mrs. White had said they might do that very thing, but if they
JblM U IM M IlM lX IWUUW4I mu
101 ■>
■d.
should do so, "this would not prove they had no message from God, or
that the work that they had done was all a mistake."^ Their influence
liras largely gone, and their sermons and books were resting in the ar
chives, but unnumbered people rejoiced, in the message they had borne.
A few more years of the new decade passed v/hen Mrs* White died (1915).
1
Her writings did not remain in the archives, but, if anything, gained
■g
in. momentum after her demise.
Thus, early in the new century, the standard bearers for justi
fication by faith were gone. Scattered voices sounded, pitched in

&
harmony with those of the leaders of the movement, but no one appeared !■
to have the burden for the teaching such as-was borne by Mrs. White, ki
Waggoner, and Jones,
t:
Over a score of years in the new century passed before a renascence
*
of this movement appears. In the meantime, the force of the original
movement m s not entirely lost, and the books of Mrs. Vihite exerted their-
influence. It was in the nineteen-twenties that Elder A. G. Daniells,
former president of the General Conference, with several associates,
revived the revival of the nineties. The extent and results of this
movement lie beyond the scops of this treatment except to say that even
J
though Daniells has since gone to his rest, the waves of spiritual in ?.;
fluence set in motion by him continue to radiate through Seventh-day
Adventism.
At the present day (1945), as in the nineties, the situation has :• i
its encouraging and discouraging aspects. In the experience of some,
Ijirs, E. G. Viliito, Letter S-24, 1392, Ellen G. Vihite Publications. Hi

102
justification by faith is a sacred reality; while others consider it
merely a dogma of secondary importance. Some ministers stress the
doctrine, others do not. And today, as in the nineties, God only can
see the complete picture in its verity.
The issues have not changed. Justification by faith is still
the fundamental pillar of Protestantism. Modern Liberalism has robbed
many of the Protestant churches of this heritage. The spiritual
descendants of Luther, Calvin, and Wesley are, for the most part, not
as conoerned about spiritual salvation as were their forebears. These
conditions constitute a challenge to Seventh-day Adventism 'bo rally in
the defense of a great Christian truth that is suffering the neglect of
the Christian world. In order thu3 to protect this great doctrine, a
new emphasis can well be placed on it in the churches, schools, and
evangelistic endeavor of this denomination.

BIBLIOGRAEKY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
SOURCES AMD TRANSLATIONS
A. BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS
The Bible Reading Gazette. Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald
Publishing Company, 1885. 288 pp»
A series of studies in Seventh-day Adventist doctrines*
Bible Readings for the Home Circle. Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and
Herald Publishing Company, 1888. 599 pp,
A later series of studies in Seventh-day Adventist doctrines*
Bible Students * Library. Oakland, California: Pacific Press Publishing

Company, 1 8 8 numbered series of tracts, issued periodically,
on biblical subjects).
Waggoner, J. H*, Justification by Faith. No. 29, July 16, 1889. 40 pp.
[no name], Justification by Faith. No. 61, 1890. 10 pp.
Covert, William, Righteousness. No. 71, October 1, 1890, 8 pp.
Waggoner, E. J., Christ and His Righteousness. No. 72, 1890, 96 pp.
___ , Living by Faith. No. 75, 1890. 16 pp.
Wilcox, M. C», Justification, Regeneration, and Sanctification. No. 86,

October, 1891. 16 pp. '~
White, Mrs. E. G», Justified by Faith. No. 104, 1893. 16 pp.
__ Hie Way to £hrist. No. 105, May 1893, 16 pp.
Covert, William, Righteousness♦ No. 133, May, 1895, 16 pp,
Calvin, Johj Institutes of the Christian Religion, (Translated by John

Allen). 2 vols.; Philadelphia':" "presbyterian Board of Christian
Education, 1936,
Covert, William, JThe Story of Redemption. Oakland, California: Pacific

Press Publishing Company, 1898. 237 pp.
This work contains on© chapter on justification by faith.

Daniells, .Arthur G., Christ Our Righteousness» Washington, D. C.,:
Review and Herald Riblishing Association, 1926* 165 pp.
A work on righteousness by faith-written by a former president of

the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,
Donaldson, James, ancl Alexander Roberts, editors, The Ante-IIicene Fathers.-

8 vols.j Buffalo*■ The Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1885-97.
Source of information on the teachings of the church fathers regarding

justification by faith.
The Holy Bible, Edited by The American Revision Committee. Kew York*
"Thomas Kelson and Sons. 1901.
Lake, Kirsopp, translator and editor, The Apostolic Fathers. 2 vols.

New York* G. P. Putman's Sons, 1919-1930.
Contains references from some of the church fathers on justification

by faith.
Miscellaneous. 21 vols.j Battle Creek, Michigan* Seventh-day Adventist

Publishing Association,
A collection of early Seventh-day Adventist tracts and pamphlets, many

of which are undated,
Schaff, Philip, The Creeds of Christendom. 3 vols.j Kew York; Harper and
Brothers, 1919.
Contains decrees and canons of Council of Trent.
, editor, Kicene and Post Kicene Fathers. First series, 14 vols.j

Buffalo* The Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1886.
Contains information regarding the Pelagian controversy.
S. D. Advent Library. 8 vols.j Battle Creek, Michigan: Seventh-day

Adventist Publishing Association.
A collection of tracts and pamphlets of early Seventh-day Adventism,

dating from 1854 to 1870.
S. P. A. Miscellany* 5 vols.j Battle Creek, Michigan, Seventh-day Adventist

~ Publishing .Association.
A. collection of miscellaneous tracts and pamphlets, many of which are

undated, drawn from the early period of Seventh-day Adventist history.
106
Smith, Uriah, Synopsis of the Present Truth. Battle Creek, Michigan;

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, 1884. 336 pp.
A compendium of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine.
Smith, Uriah, ..and" James White, The Biblical Institute. Oakland, 'Calif
ornia; Pacific S. D. A. Publishing House, 1878. 352 pp.
A compendium of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine.
Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European History

6 vols.j Philadelphia; University of Pennsylvania Press, n.d. .
Contains orees of liicea and Constantinople.
Waggoner, E. J., Christ and His Righteousness. Oakland, California:

Pacific Press Publishing Company, 1890. 96 pp.
A detailed treatment of the doctrine, also listed under Bible

Students’ Library.
, The Glad Tidings. Oakland, California: Pacific Press Pub

lishing Company, 1900'. 265 pp.
A commentary on Galatians, teaching doctrine of justification by

faith.
, The Gospel in Creation. Battle Creek, Michigan; The Inter

national Tract Society, 1895. 169 pp.
Contains scattered references to justification by faith.
Waggoner, J. H., The Atonement. Battle Creek, Michigan: Seventh-day

Adventist Publishing Association, 1868, 164 pp.
This early book contains one chapter-on justification by faith.
, Justification by Faith. Oakland, California; Pacific Press

Publishing Company, 1889. 40 pp.
A treatise on justification by faith. Also listed under Bible

Students’ Library .
7/hite, Mrs. E. G., Christ’s Object Lessons. Mountain View, California;

Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1900. 436 pp.
, The Desire of Ages. Mountain View, California; Pacific Press

Publishing Association, 1898-1940. 863 pp.
107
, Gospel 'Workers. Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald

Publishing Association, 1392. 480 pp.
A series of talks given to ministers.
, The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. 4 vols.j ' .

Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald Publishing Association,
1370-1835.
An early series by Mrs. White covering in a brief way the same

material later included in her "Conflict of the Ages" series.
, The Great Controversy Betwsen Christ and Satan. Battle Creek;

Michigan: Review and Herald Publishing Company, 1888. 704 pp.
Covers the Christian dispensation, stressing the controversy

between good and evil.
, Life Sketches of Ellen G. ''White. Mountain View, California:

Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1915. 480 pp.
Autobiographical sketches.
, notebook Leaflets, (Compiled by Ellen G. White Publications).

Washington, D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1945,
Contains a letter written by Mrs. White to A. T. Jones on the

subject of faith and works.
, The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets. Mountain View, Calif-

~orni&: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1913. 793 pp.
, The Story of Prophets and Kings. Mountain View, California:

"Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1917. 753 pp.
, Redemption: or the First Advent .of Christ with His.Life and

Ministry. Battle Creek, Michigan; Seventh-day Adventist Publishing
Association, 1877. 128 pp.
An early work on the life cf Christ.
, Spiritual Gifts. Battle Creek, Michigan; Review and Herald

Publishing Company, 1858. 219 pp.
A very early volume containing evidence of her acceptance of

justification by faith.
, Steps to Christ. Mountain View,; California: Pacific Press

Publishing Association, 1892-1908. 144.pp.
A full treatment of the plan of human salvation, published three
years after the 1888 conference.
, Testimonies for the Church. 9 vols» in 4; Mountain View,

California; Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1938.
Evidence in early volumes of author’s belief in justification by

faith.
_______Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers. Mountain View,

California; Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1913. 544 pp.
A collection of manuscripts written during the decade 1890-1900,

many of which dealt vdth justification by faith.
_______ , Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing. Mountain View, Calif

ornia; Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1900. 218 pp.
Inspirational treatment of the sermon on the mount.
White, James, The Redeemer and Redeemed, or the Plan of Redemption

through Christ. Oakland, California: Pacific S.H d . A. Pub
lishing House, 1877. 48 pp.
Contains occasional references to author’s belief in justification

by faith.
Works of Martin Luther. 6 vols.; Philadelphia: A. J. Holman Company,

1915.
B. BULLETINS
The General Conference Daily Bulletin.
1887, Oakland, California.

1888, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1889, Battle Creek, Michigan.
1897, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Published by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Describes the procedure of the sessions listed, and preserves
many of the sermons and discussions.
109
C. PERIODICALS
The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald. Saratoga Springs, Hew York,
V oT kV 1 and 2; Rochester, New York, Vol. 3 to Vol. 7, No. 9j
Battle Creek, Michigan, Vol. 7, No. 10 to Vol. 70.
Official church publication of Seventh-day Adventists.
The Present Truth. Middletown, Connecticut, Vol. 1, No. 1, July, 1849.
The first issue of the first Seventhr-day Adventist periodical.
Signs of the Times.

4J
Oakland, California^ Vols. 1-6, 10-22, 24, 26.
A Seventh-day Adventist periodical established on the west coast

in 1874.
D. UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL
HcReynolds, C., ’’Experiences While at the General Conference in

Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1888.” D File,189, Ellen G. White
Publications, Washington, D. C.
Delegate tells of his conversion to teaching of righteousness

by faith at conference,
Robinson, A. T. "Did the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination Reject

the Doctrine of Righteousness by Faith?" Jan, 30, 1931. Ellen
G. 7vhite Publications, Washington, D. C,
Delegate gives his impressions of procedure at conference.
White, Mrs. E. G., "Minneapolis, Minnesota Sermons, 1888."
MS. 6, 1888, "A Living Connection With God,". October 11.,

MS. 8, 1888, "Advancing in Christian Experience," October 20.
MS. 8a, 1888, "Counsel to Ministers," October 21.
MS. 9, 1888, "Morning Talk by Mrs. E. G. White," Ootober 24. '
MS. 15, 1888, "A Call to a Deeper Study of the Word," November 1.
Unpublished manuscripts in custody of Ellen G. -White Publications,

Washington, D. C.
, "Christ and the Lav/." MS. 5, 1889, Ellen G. White Publications

Washington, D. C.
Sermon delivered at Rome, Hew York, June 17,- 1889.

110
, "The Excellence of Christ." MS. IS, 1839, Ellen C. White

P.eport of 1889 General Conference session.
, MS. 13, 1889, Ellen G. White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Unnamed manuscript clarifying fundamental principles of Seventh-

day Adventism, showing that the "landmarks" were not moved in 1888.
__ , "The Minneapolis Conference of 1888." B-179, 1902, Ellen G.

White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Deals with the extreme seriousness of the 1888 conference.
E. LETTERS
Jones, A. T., to Mr. Holmes, May 12, 1921. D File, 189, Ellen G.
White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Discusses freely the issues of the 1888 conference. Written

after Jones’ renunciation of Seventh-day Adventism.
Van Horn, I. D., to Mrs. E. G. White, March 9, 1893. Ellen G. White

Acknowledges opposition to justification by faith at Minneapolis •

conference.
White, Mrs. E. G», to Mr. and Mrs. Washburn, January 6, 1891. W-32,
Ellen G. White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Tells of confessions made by some of the opposers of justification

by faith at Minneapolis.
, S-24, 1892, Ellen G. White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Mentions possibility of Jones and Waggoner eventually leaving

Adventism.
__ , to I. D. Van Horn, January 20, 1893. V-61, Ellen G. White

-p^îcations, Washington, D. C.
An appeal to repent of opposition to revival movement in 1888.
_______ , 27, 1894, Ellen G. White Publications, Washington, D. C.
Reports progress of revival in 1894.

l
5
Ill
SECONDARY SOURCES AND REFERENCE WORKS
A. BOOKS
Fisher, George Park, History of Christian Doctrines. Hew York; Charles

Scribner's Sons, 1899-1932.. 583 pp.
Hagenbach, K. R», A Textbook of the History of Doctrines. 2 vols.j

New York: Sheldon and Company, 1864.
Harrison, A. K., The Beginnings of Arminianisrn to the Synod of Port.

London: Univsi'sity of London Press, 1926. 403 pp.
Hunt, R. H. Carew, Calvin. London: The Centenary Press, 1933. 335 pp.
Kostlin, Julius, The Theology of Luther. 2 vols.j Philadelphia; ii

Lutheran Publication Society ,~T8Ufr
Lee, Pmphrey, John Wesley and Modern Religion. Nashville, Tennessee:

Cokesbury Press, 1936. 354 pp.
McGiffert, Arthur C., A History of Christian Thought. 2 vols.j New

York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1932.
*
McKinnon, James, Calvin and the Reformation. London: Longmans, Green, I
and Company, 1936. 302’ pp. ;j
Newman, Albert Henry, A Manual of Church History. 2 vols.j Philadelphia:

The American Baptist Publication Society, 1931-40.
Olsen, M. E., A History of the Origin and Progress of Seventh-day

Adventists. Washington, D. C.; Review and Herald Publishing
\
Association, 1932. 768 pp.
Perrin, Jean Paul, History of the Ancient Christians Inhabiting the

Valleys of the Alps. Philadelphia: Griffith and Simon, 1847. 475 pp.
Includes a section giving source material on attitude of Waldenses

toward justification by faith.
Qualben, Lars P„, A History of the Christian Church. Hew York: Thomas
Nelson and Sons, 1940. 649 pp.
Smith, Preserved, The Life and Letters of Martin Luther. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911. 490 pp.
112
Strong, A. H., Systematic Theology. Philadelphia: The Judson Press-

1944 edition. 1166 pp.
Tyerman, L., The Life and Times of the Rev. John Wesley, M. A. 3 vols.
New York: Harper and Brothers, 1870.
B. REFERENCE WORKS
Beckwith, C. A., ’'Arrainianism,” The Iievr Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of

Religious Knowledge. 13 vols.j Rev/ York: Funk and Wagnalls
Company, 1908.
Faulkner, John Alfred, 11Justification,” International Standard Bible

Encyclopedia. 5 vols.; Grand Rapids, Michigan: Y m . B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1939.

Justification and Righteousness by Faith in The Seventh-Day Adventist Church Before 1900 by Norval F. Pease

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JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH

IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

' the Faculty of the

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts in Religion

Korval Frederick Pease

I. INTRODUCTION . * . . ................ ............ . 1

The problem . » • ................. ................ 1~

Definitions of term3 used . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Validation of the problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Organization of the thesis . . . * . . • • • • • • » .4

Present status of the problem * • . . • • • • . . . 4

Statement regarding sources of data . . . . . . . . 5

II. THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION AMD RIGHTEOUSNESS.

BY FAITH IN THE CHRISTIAN C H U R C H .................. ^ 6

Purpose of the chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . » • • 6

The teachings of the church fathers before Augustine 7

The Pelagian controversy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Mediaeval teaching on justification by faith . . . . 14

The Catholic viewpoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The evangelical viewpoint ........ . . . . . . . 14

The Protestant Reformation . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 15

Reactions to Protestant views on human salvation . . 19

Tie Council of T r e n t .................... .. 19

The eighteenth century evangelical revival and

its influence on Seventh-day Adventism . . . . . . 24

III. THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

BY FAITH IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

PRIOR TO 1888 . . .......... 28

Purpose of the chapter . . . .............. . . » * 28

Organization of the chapter 28

• The teachings of James 'White on justification

Early periodicals and books ........ . . . . . . . 31

Lack of emphasis on justification by faith . . . » 31

Beginning of interest in doctrine in Signs

Mrs. Y/hite’s survey of 1844-1889 . . . . . . . . . . 35

Mrs. "White fs early teachings on justification

Quotations between 1858 and 1383 37

Justification by faith in The Great Controversy. . 41

•Warnings against legalism just prior to 1388 . . . » 45

IV. THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1888 ..................... , 49

® The-condition of the church in 1888 . . « • • • • • 49

Hie institute preceding the conference . . . . . . . 50

The General Conference session . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Opening day, October 17 • • . • • • • • » •:•-»«. 54

Smith's sermon, "Ten Kingdoms" . . . . . . . . . -. _ r:A

Second day, October 1 8 . • • • • • » . . . . . . . 54

Mrs. White*s sermon, "Christless Preachers" . . / 54

Third day, October 19 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 56

’Waggoner's sermon on justification by faith . « 56

This series continued until October 25 . . . . . 56

Fourth day, October 2 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Mrs. White’s sermon, "Advancing in Christian

Fifth day, October 21 59

Mrs, White's sermon, "Counsel to Ministers" . . ■ 59

Seventh day, October 23 . • • • • • • • • • • • • 61

Mrs. White’s 3ermon, "Missionary’Work" . . . . • 61

Eighth day, October 24 ............ . « • • • 62

however, the companion term, ’’righteousness by faith”, is used to indi

may be construed as synonomous with sanctification, or may be consid

in Seventh-day Adventist literature differentiates thus: "The right

justification, sometimes to sanctification, sometimes to both. The em

phasis is on faith as an activating prinoiple in contrast to the legal