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3-1-2014

Route to Roots: Tracking Adventist Pioneers

Gerald A. Klingbeil Andrews University, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Klingbeil, Gerald A., "Route to Roots: Tracking Adventist Pioneers" (2014). Faculty Publications. 3183. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/3183

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By Gerald A. Klingbeil

Right: SOON AND VERY SOON: On Ascension Rock, close to the farm of William Miller in White Hall, New York, we try to imagine the moment. Below: MEET SOME FRIENDS: associate editor Gerald Klingbeil with the life-size photos of Ellen and James White at the Adventist Historic Village in Battle Creek, Michigan. n October 2013 associate editor Gerald A. Klingbeil Iwent on a journey to redis- cover Adventist roots. He joined an Adventist Heritage Tour, led by James Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate at the General Conference. For 9 days, they traveled nearly 2,200 miles (3,540 km) in the northeastern United States. Starting off as a group of 35 strangers, ranging in age from 8 to 80, they parted as friends; no, more than that, as family. The following offers glimpses into his blog.1 Left: THE DAY AFTER: and his friends met to pray in a barn like this after the of October 22, 1844. It was a cold day when we visited Hiram Edson’s farm in Clifton Springs, New York. Below: OUR WHEELS THAT GAVE US WINGS: Our tour bus gave us an exceedingly better ride than most pioneers traveling in the nineteenth century would have experienced.

Tracking Adventist pioneers

here are many routes to our runner of the ) would In contrast, , James T roots. Roots determine who and take at least a day to set and proof the White, and Ellen Harmon, the three what we are. A tree with deep roots type. The actual printing of 1,000 cop- key founders of Seventh-day Advent- will grow strong and tall. Shallow ies would take another day or two, ism, all responded willingly to God’s roots will result in superficial after which the print sheets would call to preach the soon return of growth. The root metaphor also have to be dried before they could be and the many other truths they were helps us understand our Adventist cut to size and folded together. discovering in Scripture. heritage. James and Ellen White, Depending on the season of year and What made the difference? It , or J. N. Andrews are temperatures, the drying of the couldn’t have been age or experience. easily recognized Adventist brand printed sheets could take more days. Bates was 52 in 1844, but both Ellen names. However, what about the Not surprisingly, printing wasn’t and James were young adults (Ellen lesser-known heroes of the Advent cheap. In an age of laser printers and was 17 years old in 1844, and James movement? What about the nitty- print-on-demand books, I have a new was 23). We know that all of them at gritty of a young movement strug- admiration for those hard-working times struggled with new light, emo- gling to stick together and to articu- Adventist pioneers who, despite their tional challenges, and other issues. In late—by God’s special guidance— long days, made time to focus on first the end, I think it was their passion for the unique message that Adventists things with eternal dividends. Jesus that made the difference. are to bring to a world that needs to hear the cries of the three angels? O O efore Ellen Harmon received her was moved by our visit to the Gor- O Bfirst vision, God chose two men I ham North Street Cemetery where he “good ol’ days” sound safe and to communicate His will. William Foy, Ellen White’s twin sister, Elizabeth, is T comforting and uncomplicated. an African American, and Hazen Foss buried. As far as we know, Elizabeth Yet life in the early nineteenth century both received visions, according to never accepted Christ. Listening to lacked most of the conveniences that their later testimonies. While Foy, one of Ellen’s letters to “Lizzie”(as she we take for granted. Every loaf of albeit timidly, related these visions was known), in which Ellen pleaded bread meant an investment of many publicly and continued to be a faithful with her sister to give her heart to her days of accumulated work. And think Baptist preacher, Foss, afraid of being Savior, made me swallow hard. Faces of printing in nineteenth century ridiculed, decided not to share the of family members or good friends New England. The eight-page visions given him. Sadly, he died an who walked away from Jesus (or never pamphlet Present Truth (fore- agnostic in 1893. accepted Him) flashed before me. In

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Ellen’s appealing words, I heard some- ingly limitless energy of young adults. I s I listened to the stories of Wil- thing of God’s longing to wrap those I can still feel that passion today when I Aliam Miller and those who fol- love in His arms. speak with my teenage daughter about lowed him, their sacrificial spirit and topics that she is passionate about. fortitude touched me again. They were O When Adventist teenagers get it, noth- willing to hold their beliefs regardless hat kind of story would I hear if ing can stop them. That was a vital part of ridicule, scorn, or derision. WAnnie Smith—poet and unof- of the success story of early . For all his later faithfulness, it took ficial managing editor of the fledgling They were few; they had limited William Miller many years to fix his Adventist paper in Rochester, New resources—yet they were ready to heart on Jesus. Once converted, he York—could speak today? I think I move forward, convicted by truth, and spent two years studying Scripture. He would hear enthusiasm, optimism, pas- assured of divine appointment. I need didn’t surrender his brains when he sion, deep convictions, and the seem- to rediscover that drive in my own life. entered church. He realized that the

Dear Lizzie:

“Don’t you believe on Jesus, Lizzie? Do you not believe He is your Saviour? That He has evidenced His love for you in giving His own precious life that you might be saved? All that is required of you is to take Jesus as your own precious Saviour. . . . Lizzie, believe, simply believe that Jesus means just what He says. Take Him at His world and hang your helpless soul on Jesus Christ. . . . Just believe that Jesus will hear your confession, receive you penitence, and forgive every sin and make you children of God. Jesus pleads in your behalf. Will Right: THE STORY TELLER: Jim you give yourself in trusting faith Nix, director of the Ellen G. White to Jesus? I long to take you in my Estate at the General Conference, arms and lay you on the bosom of shares the stories behind the story. Above: FAMILY CONNECTION: Jesus Christ.” Ellen White's twin sister, Elizabeth, Letter of Ellen G. White to her is buried in this family plot in sister Elizabeth Bangs, written on Gorham, Maine. February 21, 1891. Lizzie passed to her rest 10 months later.

26 Adventist World - nad | March 2014 Below: DISCOVER THE SABBATH: The Washington Church in New Hampshire is the first Sabbath-keeping church of Adventists—long before the establish- ment of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Right: BIRD’S EYE VIEW: An attentive audience listens to Jim Nix recounting stories of people who worshipped, loved, and laughed more than 170 years ago

York, cried and prayed. Their tears and questions did not go unanswered. On the morning following the Great Disappointment, as Edson crossed a cornfield, he suddenly felt as if heaven had been opened and he could see right into the . This discovery helped the scat- tered Advent believers make sense of God of revelation was also the God who opposition to his wholistic approach the big picture of Bible prophecy. I created our powers of reasoning. Fol- to education. One day he received a wish we could capture its centrality lowing his intensive study, he wrote: “I tempting invitation from W. K. Kel- for the total package of what makes was constrained to admit that the logg to join the new company produc- the Seventh-day Adventist Church.2 Scriptures must be a revelation from ing cornflakes as director of the sales The sanctuary is the glue that keeps God. They became my delight; and in department. Magan spent an entire all elements of our theology Jesus I found a friend.” His friendship night praying about this tempting together—and Jesus is right at the with Jesus sustained him as he preached invitation. In the morning, he knew center of the sanctuary! the imminent of Jesus the direction he had to go. Many years before thousands of people for more later he wrote to a friend, “I must stick O than a dozen years. Scholars estimate to this message.” Selling cornflakes ne of the most important lessons that the Millerite movement encom- (and making money) just couldn’t OI am bringing home from my passed at its height approximately compare to shaping and molding journey is that family sticks together. 500,000 people in North America. This young minds searching for direction Family members cry together—and was no irrelevant, backwater Christian and a mission. sometimes they even disagree. Yet, at sideshow—it was loud; it was noisy; it the end of the day, we stick together. was fearless; and it was passionate. O When I read the history of early s early Advent believers grappled Adventist pioneers, I find strong con- O Awith the reality that Jesus didn’t victions and passionate discussions. aithfulness in difficult circum- come in 1844, many questioned the However, that was not the end. There Fstances seems to have been a soundness of their prophetic interpre- was something bigger that moved us trademark of many of our early lead- tations. Others, feeling embarrassed forward: a world that needed to know. ers. Percy T. Magan, one of the early and misled, rejected alto- From the beginnings of early Advent- educators of the fledgling Seventh-day gether. A small group, including ism this vision has grown. Early Adventist Church, at times faced Hiram Edson of Port Gibson, New Adventists thought that they had to

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Right: THE POWER BEHIND THE PEN: Small printing presses like this one in the historic Old Sturbridge Village, Massa- chusetts, provided an ideal vehicle for getting the Advent message out. Below: THE NO-GO PROPHET: Gravestone of Hazen Foss in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Foss had refused to share visions.

THE EXCITEMENT OF FALL: Not even all the gravestones of Elmswood Cemetery in Haverhill, Massachusetts, could dampen the joy of the youngest member of our tour group.

reach the world in the United States; want us to try to go back to the “good s we hugged and shook hands at after all, this was a country of immi- ol’ days.” They embraced the changing AO’Hare International Airport in grants from all over the world. As they world that surrounded them and con- Chicago it felt as if I had found impor- grew in their understanding of God’s stantly wrestled with the question of tant roots. Irrespective of my birth- global mission, they realized that the how the new could be used to further place, my language, or my culture, I am world was much bigger. They never God’s plan. They used innovative first and foremost a member of God’s spoke of the 10/40 window, but fol- papier-mâché beasts when they wanted family, waiting for the Blessed Hope to lowing the departure of J. N. Andrews to talk about God’s prophetic pan- become a sweet reality. And while I to Europe in 1874, mission and service orama found in Daniel and Revela- wait, I want to share the Good News. I became the rallying cry of Adventism. tion.3 They were willing to climb into 1 You can read the complete blog of this journey, including also It must be still today. unproven means of transportation many more images, at http://adventistreview.org/route-to-roots. There is one more insight from this (just think train or later automobile) in 2 Gerald A. Klingbeil, “Big Picture Thinking: The Sanctuary and the Heart of Adventist Theology,” Adventist Review, Oct. 20, route to our roots: Our pioneers were order to reach their next appointment. 2011, pp. 18–21. 3 See Glúder Quispe, “William Ward Simpson: Adventism’s first real people, living in a real world; and They pushed forward because they successful big-city evangelist,” Adventist World, March 2013, they were no saints. They would not knew that time was short. pp. 40, 41.

Adventist Heritage Ministry Gerald A. Klingbeil To discover more about many of the sites mentioned in this article, is an associate editor you can visit the website of Adventist Heritage Ministry of Adventist World who (http://www.adventistheritage.org/) for additional loves history and pho- resources, images, stories, and volunteer opportunities. tography. He lives with his wife Chantal and their three daughters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

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