Adventist Heritage, Winter 1975
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
.4 MAGAZINE of ADVENTIST HISTORY col -) No .2 Wow long shall we allow him in our state schools? ri COVER PHOTO: The September color edition (August 25, 1925) of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES deals with the question of evolution, including a discussion of teaching it in public schools. credit: Pacific Press cAdventistWelitage THE VENTR DIY SABBATH, SE A PE1113ETI3 AL SIGN, TO THE ENTERING INTO THE THE $noongum, nom GATES OF THE HOLY OITY. fiCCORDING TO TIE COMUNDIENT. BY JOSEPII BATES. olxl can. "Brentrcu, 1 write no new commandment.beginning. unto you, 1..U. but au old commandmentmandment is the which WORD ye which.had Mon ye havethe hand from ittetirgiant.s created the heaven mid the earth.'" John ti I. God i :" 1.In "the An beginning God blessed the seventh day, and rested from. darer hey that do his commandmets, thailhey rim ii: . Rev. wort: right teetheed tree of life and enter in," C. DFORD liEW-BE PRESS OF BF.NJAM1N LINDSF.Y 1.546. courtesy: White Estate cAdventistcHentage A MAGAZINE of ADVENTIST HISTORY Winter, 1975 I Volume 2, Number 2 Published by the Department of Archives and Research, University Libraries, Loma Linda University EDITORS Jonathan M. Butler Union College Gary Land Andrews University ASSISTANT EDITORS Editor's Stump 4 Eric D. Anderson Articles Wayne Judd Pacific Union College When Adventists Became Sabbath-keepers 5 CONSULTING EDITORS Godfrey T. Anderson by David M. Young Loma Linda University Richard W. Schwarz The 1893 Chicago World's Fair: 11 Andrews University An Early Test for Adventist Religious Liberty MANAGING EDITOR by Ben McArthur James R. Nix Loma Linda University The San Francisco Evolution Debates: 23 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Mary Childs June 13-14, 1925 Loma Linda University by Alonzo L. Baker LAYOUT ARTIST Bill Kirstein An Angwin Portfolio 33 Graphic Design Studio by Walter C. Utt EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Everett N. Dick Memories of E. A. Sutherland 41 Jerome Clark by J. Wayne McFarland and T. A. McFarland Ron Graybill Frederick Hoyt as told to M. Margaret McFarland Maurice D. Hodgen Lora E. Clement 48 Paul J. Landa C. Mervyn Maxwell by LaVonne Neff Donald R. McAdams Wm. Frederick Norwood Heirloom MANAGING BOARD The Lucinda Abbey Hall Collection 55 Norman J. Woods, Chairman by Ron Graybill James R. Nix, Secretary Godfrey T. Anderson Jonathan M. Butler Bookmarks Maurice D. Hodgen Righteousness by Faith 58 Gary Land Paul J. Landa by Richard W. Schwarz A. Graham Maxwell Sources of Adventism George V. Summers 62 by Gary Land Marginal Notes 64 • Subscription orders and change of address notices should be sent to: Adventist Heri- • Adventist Heritage is published semi-annually by the Department of Archives and tage, Loma Linda University Library, Loma Linda, California 92354. Research, Loma Linda University Library. Bulk rate postage paid at Loma Linda, Califor- • Editorial correspondence and manuscripts should be sent to: Adventist Heritage, His- nia. Copyright 1975 by Loma Linda University Library, Loma Linda, California 92354. tory Department, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49104. • Subscription rates: $2.50 a copy; $4.00 a year (additional postage outside U. S. ). • Adventist Heritage invites manuscripts. Each will be considered, but no responsibility Available back issues are sold at the single copy rate. will be assumed for unsolicited material. 3 clialx, Joseph Bates' first tract on the Sabbath presented the Sabbath as a legal obligation as set forth in the Decalogue. The second edition of this tract, expanded from 48 to 62 pages, appeared the following year and related the Sabbath to prophecy, specifically the Third Angel's Message. EDIT R DVENTIST historians have concentrated science who carefully reread original documents A mostly on Millerism and the development of in researching his article. But he also recalls the nineteenth-century Adventism. While Adventist celebrated debate as one of the two creationist Heritage strives to present articles dealing with debaters. the whole spectrum of Adventist history, the M. Margaret McFarland contributes the jour- journal has been weighted toward the early nal's first fully oral history with a taped interview period. In this issue, with the exception of David that includes her father and grandfather. Here Young's article on the Sabbath, we specialize is obtained a personal and colorful account of the largely on more recent topics. extraordinary E. A. Sutherland from an old adver- Near the end of Adventism's first half century, sary, Tilgham A. "Mac" McFarland. Hopefully, the 1893 Chicago World's Fair figures promi- oral histories will become a frequent feature in nently in its history. Just when Americans Adventist Heritage. marveled over exhibitions of social, cultural and Lora E. Clement served for thirty years as technological achievement, Ben McArthur finds editor-in-chief of the Adventist Youth's Instruc- Adventists alarmed by a congressional blue law tor where she communicated to several genera- to close the Fair on Sundays. tions of Adventist young people through her Adventism is young enough that a good share weekly column "Let's Talk It Over." Through of its story may be told from recent autobiogra- the years, however, Miss Clement revealed little phy, personal recollections and oral history. The about her own life. LaVonne Neff relies on corres- memories of participants require special handling pondence with the editor's friends and colleagues when writing accurate history, yet certainly this in shaping a personal profile. is the stuff from which lively and significant The Heirloom features the recently discovered accounts are written. Lucinda Abbey Hall Collection from earlier Ad- In "The San Francisco Evolution Debates: ventist history. These remarkable letters were June 13-14, 1925," Alonzo L. Baker writes as a written to a western New York Adventist woman distinguished professor of history and political who "inspired confidence and intimacy." Forthcoming in cAdventistcHentage HAVE YOU MISSED A COPY OF ADVENTIST HERITAGE? THE MOVE TO TAKOMA PARK Adventist Heritage magazines are mailed at a special bulk rate and are generally considered non-forwardable. Please send us your change of URIAH SMITH: WOOD ENGRAVER address notice promptly so we can keep our files current. There will be a $1.00 service charge for all replacements of issues mailed to your former C. H. JONES: address. PUBLISHER OF THE GOSPEL 4 WHEN ADVENTISTS BECAME David M Young SABBATH-KEEPERS OR approximately one hundred years Seventh- Millerites nevertheless took an open attitude to- F day Adventists have popularly believed that ward other Christian groups. the Seventh-day Sabbath "truth" came to the The Society which call themselves Christian Brethren advent movement for the very first time through calculate to act upon liberal principles, both with regard to Rachel Oakes, a Seventh Day Baptist living in sentiments and enterprise, they never calculate to assume the ground, that they are infallible or too pure to unite Washington, New Hampshire. According to the with other societies in their worship that try to love and traditional story, Mrs. Oakes brought the Sabbath serve God, much less, to shut out any society whatever message to Frederick Wheeler, a circuit-riding that wish to occupy our houses of worship when not oc- preacher, and the two of them convinced T. M. cupied by us, when application is made to those who have Preble, another advent preacher. Inspired by the the care of the house, upon these principles the house in contemplation is calculated to be erected. example and teachings of Oakes and Wheeler, Preble wrote an article on the Sabbath for The Hope Within the next few months the group built a small of Israel, an adventist paper, which was read by church building on the southern side of Millen Joseph Bates, a retired sea captain. Bates in turn Pond, a site donated by a sympathetic widow. The wrote a pamphlet on the same subject, and through congregation was pastored by Frederick Wheeler, a his work the Sabbath became a major doctrine Methodist circuit preacher. It was to this small body around which the Seventh-day Adventist nucleus of Christians that Rachel Oakes introduced the formed. So goes the tradition. But there is more to "Sabbath message." the introduction of the Sabbath doctrine to the ad- Converted to the Methodist church at the age of vent movement. The skeletal story needs to be filled seventeen, Mrs. Oakes became interested in "the out somewhat. Sabbath question" eleven years later. Soon con- Although there were some isolated incidents of vinced that the seventh day was the correct day of seventh day sabbath-keeping among adventists in worship, she left the Methodist church and joined Europe and South America during the 1830's, the the Seventh Day Baptist church in Vernon, New church at Washington, New Hampshire, did play an York, a small town not far from Syracuse. important role in bringing the sabbath doctrine and the Advent message together. In that small town a Not long after accepting the Seventh Day Baptist few rural craftsmen and farmers who believed in teachings, Rachel Oakes moved to Washington with the coming advent as taught by William Miller or- her daughter Delight, who was to teach school. A ganized the First Christian Society Church on April short time later the advent doctrine and the Chris- 4, 1842. Although they had apparently experienced tian Brethren attracted Mrs. Oakes' attention. As a difficulties with their previous churches, these result she wrote back to New York in 1841 asking that her name be dropped from the Seventh Day Baptist books. The Baptists refused, explaining David M. Young, a graduate student at Loma Linda University, that she had done nothing for which they should wrote this article as a seminary student at Andrews University. remove her name. 5 Being a zealous advocate of the Sabbath, Mrs.