Story of the Advent Message

352 Pages·2013·8.36 MB·English

Story of the Advent Message
THE THREEFOLD MESSAGE
" I Saw Another Angel Fly in the Midst of Heaven, Having the Everlasting Gospel
to Preach unto Them That Dwell on the Earth." Rev. 14: 6.
Story of the
Advent Message
Prepared for
The Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists
By
MATILDA ERICKSON ANDROSS
(Reconstituted in 1961)
Review and Herald Publishing Association
Takoma Park, Washington, D. C,
South Bend, Ind.(cid:9) Peekskill, N. Y.
Printed in the U. S. A.
INTRODUCTION
THE Christian church is the most important institution in this world.
It is the body of Christ on earth, of which He is the Head. It is main-
tained for the edification and perfection of His people, and as an agency
for carrying to a lost world the good news of salvation from sin. As such,
the church is the object of God's special care. It is the family of God on
earth, who unite with the family in heaven in the worship of their King
and in carrying forward His purposes for mankind.
" The church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is
the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard."—
" Testimonies to Ministers," p. 15.
An institution so dear to the heart of God should be dear to the
hearts of His people; and children and young people should early have
instilled into their hearts love for and loyalty to the church.
Aside from a knowledge of the great truths of salvation as taught
in the Bible, nothing will be more helpful in holding the loyalty of the
young people of the advent message than an acquaintance with the marvel-
ous story of the rise and progress of the movement, and the daily unfolding
providences of God in its onward march to the uttermost parts of the earth.
So the church has set before its youth a Standard of Attainment,—
a mark of proficiency in Bible doctrines and denominational history, which
they are all asked to reach. It is our ideal that every Missionary Volunteer
should become a Member of Attainment. Good progress has been made.
All round the world, in groups and alone, we find young people studying
for these important examinations. Nearly 13,000 certificates have already
(1924) been issued to the young people of many lands, including Japan,
Korea, China, the Philippine Islands, Australia, New Zealand, India,
Africa, and South America, as well as Europe and North America.
But for years we have felt the need, in this work, of a young people's
story of the advent movement. That need has now been met in this
book, written in the usual lucid and attractive style of its author. It is
sent forth by the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department of
the General Conference, with the prayer that it may be helpful to our
youth everywhere, presenting to them God's great plan for these closing
days of the world's history, and His purpose for them in this —
" grand and awful time,
In an age on ages telling —
To be living is sublime."
M. E. KERN, General Secretary,
Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department.
Copyright, 1926
Review and Herald Publishing Association
CONTENTS
Foreword - - - -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 6
I. The Morning Star of the Advent Movement (cid:9) 9
II. The Advent Movement in America-(cid:9) - 19
III. The Advent Movement in Other Lands -(cid:9) 29
IV. The Great Disappointment -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 37
V. Light After Darkness(cid:9) 49
VI. Divine Leadership All the Way - - 57
VII. Covenanting with God Through Sacrifice(cid:9) 67
VIII. The Lengthening Honor Roll(cid:9) - 75
IX.. Laying the Foundation(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 91
X. Our Plan of Organization(cid:9) -(cid:9) - 103
XI. The United Purpose of Advent Believers(cid:9) 113
XII. The Printing Press and the Message(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 119
XIII. The Church at Study(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 131
XIV. Training the Young for Service -(cid:9) - 135
XV. The Gospel of Health(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 149
XVI. The Home Missionary Movement -(cid:9) - 158
XVII. Duty to God and to Country -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 167
XVIII. The Third Angel's Message and the American Negro 177
XIX. Our Young People -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 183
XX. The Message Among Foreigners in America -(cid:9) - 195
XXI. The Birthplace of the Advent Movement (cid:9) -(cid:9) 207
XXII. Following the Gospel Through Northern Europe 221
XXIII. Central and Southern Europe -(cid:9) 237
XXIV. In the Dark Continent -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 253
XXV. The Gospel in Inter-America(cid:9) -(cid:9) 271
XXVI. The Continent of Opportunity -(cid:9) -(cid:9) - 283
XXVII. Australia and the South Pacific(cid:9) 299
XXVIII. The Southern Asia Division(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) - 313
XXIX. Seeking the Lost in the Far East(cid:9) -(cid:9) 324
Appendix -(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 344
Index(cid:9) -(cid:9) -(cid:9) 349
•
FOREWORD
MANY have helped in the preparation of this book. First stand
those whose writings have made its preparation possible. " The
Great Second Advent Movement," " The Life of William Miller,"
some unpublished manuscripts, "Our Story of Missions," "An Out-
line of Mission Fields," The Year Book, old files of the Review and
Herald, and books on the early advent movement have been par-
ticularly helpful. " The Great Controversy," " Early Writings,"
" Life Sketches," " Life Incidents," and " Pioneer Stories " have also
contributed to its pages. Aside from this, secretaries in the General
Conference office have provided data concerning their respective de-
partments. And grateful acknowledgment is due Elder C. P. Boll-
man for his work in collaboration and final preparation of the
manuscript for the press.
The Missionary Volunteer Department, under whose auspices this
volume has been prepared especially to help our young people in
their study for the Standard of Attainment, realizes that it is not
sending forth a complete, exhaustive history. Our aim has rather
been to tell enough of the facts to give our youth a fairly compre-
hensive picture of the development of the advent movement, and
enough of the thrilling experiences to clothe the bare facts and join
them together into the story of one great movement reaching out
farther and farther as it envelops the earth.
It has also been our effort to make the book a sort of reception
hall, where our young people may meet some of the heroes of the
cross in the advent movement. It is a matter of regret that we
cannot crowd many more into this space, and that so few of our ,
noble women in the army of Prince Emmanuel are present in this
reception hall. Somehow, so many of them hide behind their hus-
bands and escape the press, thus making it difficult to learn of them.
But in the great reception hall of heaven, the faithful women who
have given their all, in the home or in other fields of service, as well
as the men who have made the same investment in the King's busi-
ness, will receive the sweet words of the Father's commendation as
He welcomes home His children.
This book is sent forth with the earnest prayer that it may inspire
every reader with a determination to be present at .the reception;
and I firmly believe that the better our young people bow the
6
FOREWORD(cid:9) 7
history of the advent movement, the greater will be their appre-
ciation of the church of God and the stronger their determination
to triumph with it; for just as there is blessing hidden for us in the
history of ancient Israel recorded in the Book of books, so strength,
encouragement, inspiration, warning, and guidance are found in
abundance in the history of God's remnant people.
Surely every one who would become a worker, or who desires
to render better service, should become acquainted with our history,
for " the Lord wants men who see the work in its greatness, and
who understand the principles that have been interwoven with it
from its rise."—" Gospel Workers," p. 463, ed. 1915. In speaking
of the importance of knowing our history, Mrs. E. G. 'White wrote
some years ago:
" Reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of
advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see
what the Lord has wrought, I am filled with astonishment, and with con-
fidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future,
except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching
in our past history."—" Life Sketches," p. 196, edition 1915.
M. E. A.
To our Young People in the Advent Message who love the
faith once delivered to the saints, and who are striving
to become workmen whom God can approve.
WILLIAM MILLER
" Neither Time nor Ridicule Could Dim His Vision of the 'Blessed Hope,'"
CHAPTER I
THE MORNING STAR OF THE ADVENT
MOVEMENT
CALLED TO HIS MISSION
LOOKING back just beyond the point where the boundary lines
of our denominational history converge, we see the lone figure• of
a God-fearing man going forth to tell others the message that :is
burning in his own breast. By God's great prophetic clock, "the
fulness of the time bad come " for that message to be given to the
world; and William Miller was the man whom God had called to
lead out in this work in America. For weeks, months, yes, for
years, the command, " Go tell it to the world," had been impressed
more and more deeply on his heart. Again and again he had said,
" I can't go, Lord." But finally, late in July or early in August
of 1831, the struggle ended. William Miller covenanted with God
to go if He would open the way by sending him invitations to speak.
Of this experience he writes :
" Instantly all my burden was gone, and I rejoiced that I should not
probably be thus called upon; for I had never had such an invitation"—
"Life of William Miller," by James Wlvite, p. 79; ed. 1875.
The test, however, came within an hour, when Irving Guilford,
his nephew, arrived and asked him to go to a church sixteen miles
away, and speak on the coming of the Lord. Surprise gave way to
rebellion. And rebellion quickly ripened into a determination to
break his covenant. Still he could not say, "No." Without giving
the boy who had brought the message any answer, he hastened in
great distress to a near-by grove. William Miller himself says:
" I struggled with the Lord about an hour, endeavoring to release
myself from the covenant I had made with Him; but I could get no
relief. . . . I finally submitted, and promised the Lord that, if He
would sustain me, I would go, trusting in Him to give me grace and
ability to perform all He should require of me. I returned to the house,
and found the boy still waiting. He remained till after dinner, and I
returned with him to Dresden"—Id., p. 80.
10(cid:9) STORY OF THE ADVENT MESSAGE
The next day, the first Sunday in August, 1831, William Miller
entered publicly upon the work of proclaiming the advent message;
and what was the result? He subsequently confessed:
" As soon as I commenced speaking, all my diffidence and embarrass-
ment were gone, and I felt impressed only with the greatness of the
subject, which, by the providence of God, I was enabled to present."—
Id., pp. 80, 81.
This first lecture given at Dresdev, N. Y., touched hearts, and
William Miller was earnestly requested to remain and lecture there
during the week. This he did. People flocked in from neighboring
THE MORNING STAR
As the Morning Star Heralds the Coming Dawn, so Did William Miller
Herald the Soon-coming Saviour.
towns, and there were many conversions. A week later, when he
returned to his home, another invitation awaited him.
William Miller had crossed his Rubicon. He had entered upon
the work to which the Lord had called him, and there was no occasion
now to doubt his mission, for doors were opening much faster than
he could enter them. From all directions came urgent invitations
to write and to speak. Surely he had never dreamed in his earlier
days of becoming the leader in a great second advent movement, but
God had a plan for his life; and now, before proceeding farther,
let us look back and see how God trained a humble farmer for such
important service.