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Prophecy in the Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen G. White, one of the church's co-founders, was a prophet, understood today as an expression of the New Testament spiritual gift of prophecy.[1] However dozens of other Seventh-day Adventists throughout the history of the church have not only claimed the gift of prophecy for themselves, but convinced at least some others as well.

History

Numerous Seventh-day Adventists have claimed the gift of prophecy throughout the history of the church.

Ellen White

Main article: inspiration of Ellen White

Adventists believe church co-founder Ellen G. White was a prophet, understood today as the New Testament "gift of prophecy".[2] White preferred to describe herself as a "messenger".[3]

Two members of the Millerite movement (out of which Seventh-day Adventists emerged) claimed to have had visions prior to Ellen White – William Foy and Hazen Foss.

William Foy

File:UnknownProphet.jpg

William Ellis Foy (1818–1893) was an African American Freewill Baptist minister and preacher in the Millerite movement, who claimed to receive four visions from 1842 (two visions) to 1844. A tall man, he was the first of three Millerites to claim visions around the time of the 1844 "Great Disappointment".

A common theme of his visions was that the Second Coming would come later than the Millerites expected. They inspired many people through the Great Disappointment when Jesus did not return as they had expected. Ellen White supported his visions.[4] They also concern the judgment, and rewards for the righteous.[5]

He claimed visions in January and February of 1842, told in his autobiographical The Christian Experience of William E. Foy, published 1845.[6] They were similar to those experienced by Ellen White.[7]

Foy was reluctant to obey his commission to share the visions, yet did eventually. He never became a Seventh-day Adventist, and his subsequent history was unknown. J. N. Loughborough's account[8] was simply repeated by later historians[9] (e.g. Light Bearers, 64) until Delbert Baker's definitive 1987 biography The Unknown Prophet traced his subsequent history.[10]

See also.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Hazen Foss

Hazen Foss (1818–1893) was another Millerite who claimed to receive several visions. However he refused to proclaim them, and God told him he was "released" from that ministry, and the message given to Ellen White instead.[18] He was Ellen White's brother-in-law. Adventists tend to believe the prophetic gift offered to these two men was instead passed on to White.[19]

See also.[20][21][22][23]

Early Adventists

Adventists believe Hiram Edson received a vision about the heavenly sanctuary or investigative judgment on October 23, 1844 – the day following the "Great Disappointment". He wrote,

"...while passing through a large field I was stopped about midway of the field. Heaven seemed open to my view, and I saw distinctly and clearly..." Jesus as High Priest[24]

Dorinda Baker was another purported visionary, associated with the Israel Dammon trial. E. J. Waggoner claimed "a revelation direct from heaven" at a campmeeting in Healdsburg, California in 1882. In the midst of another's sermon,

"...an experience came to me that was the turning point in my life. Suddenly a light shone about me, and the tent seemed illumined, as though the sun were shining; I saw Christ crucified for me, and to me was revealed for the first time in my life the fact that God loved me, and that Christ gave Himself for me personally."[25]

After 1888

The 1888 Minneapolis General Conference provided "impetus" to those radically seeking God's presence.

Anna Phillips

For instance, W. W. Prescott supported the claimed new prophetess Anna Rice Phillips. From Ogden, Utah, she first claimed visions in 1891, but Ellen White convinced the church she was sincere yet mistaken.[26][27][28][29][30]

Others

By the 1890s, a "flood of volunteers" stepped forward, hoping to be the next prophet. However Ellen White usually responded to them that she had been given no "light" about the future prophetic gift.[31]

Anna Garmire from Petoskey, Michigan claimed visions as early as 1884. Ellen White rejected them. The Garmires influenced others in this way until as late as 1900.[29]

Fannie [Frances E.] Bolton (1859–1926), a former literary assistant to White, claimed visions around the end of the 1800s.[29][32]

In the 19'00s, Mrs. Mackin claimed the gift of prophecy, and under her and her husband Ralph's influence, a young girl (a family friend) also prophesied.

After Ellen White

Ellen White died in 1915. According to her son Willie White, subsequently "A dozen or more persons" claimed the gift, to succeed Ellen. He considered some "good-hearted but misguided", but others fanatical and who denounced those remaining unconvinced by their claims.[33]

Margaret Rowen

Margaret W. Rowen claimed to receive visions, and formed the short-lived Reformed Seventh-day Adventist Church.

She became an Adventist in 1912. She claimed to receive her first vision on June 22, 1916 which she shared with members of a prayer group at her South Side Los Angeles Church, gaining a small following. Several church leaders, especially Dr. Bert E. Fullmer, supported her. A periodical The Reform Advocate and Prayer Band Appeal was printed. The Southern California Conference investigated the claims, but was originally inconclusive. She authored A Stirring Message for the Time (Pasadena, California: The Grant Press, 1918). In 1918, A. G. Daniells reported the investigators had concluded her visions were not of heavenly origin. The following year Rowen, Fullmer, a physician, and at least two other ministers were disfellowshipped.

In 1920, a false document was planted by Fullmer (under Rowen's directive) in the Ellen G. White Estate files in White's home. Dated 1911 and supposedly written by White, it announced Rowen as a succeeding prophetess. At its peak, the movement had around 1000 followers. Rowen gave several flase predictions. Fullmer authored Bearing Witness (Los Angeles: The Reform Press, 1923). In 1925, Fullmer admitted the fraudulent letter. In the March 1926 issue of the periodical, he presented his conclusion that Rowen was a fraud. In response, she conspired to murder him the following year, but was unsuccessful. She served a one-year sentence in the San Quentin State Prison in California, by which time her movement had fallen apart.[34][35][36][37][38][39][40]

Others

Numerous leaders of offshoot groups have also claimed the gift of prophecy, for example Victor Houteff, founder of the Shepherd's Rod offshoot. Benjamin Roden was another, founder of the Branch Davidian offshoot of Shepherd's Rod,[41] whose wife Lois Roden succeeded him as prophetess, and claimed a vision about the feminity of the Holy Spirit. David Koresh considered himself the final prophet. He apparently saw himself as Ellen White's successor.[42]

Another is French "visionary" Jeanine Sautron.She claimed to see dreams and visions similar to those experienced by Ellen G. White. A radical offshoot was formed based on her volumes 'Dreams and Visions' that were published in audio cassette version and book format and publilshed in her native tongue of French and later translated into English and Spanish. The offshoot was originally called 'Seventh-Day Adventist The Remnant' but was later renamed 'Laodicea The Remnant', in order to separate it's affiliation with the Seventh-day Adventist main body, and after the Adventist belief of the end times church mentioned in the biblical book of Revelation.[38][43][44][45][46]

Amateur archaeologist Ron Wyatt claimed to meet "at least" an angel, and another time four angels.[47][48][49] Others have claimed to hear the voice of God, for example, Robert Brinsmead's father Cedric claimed to hear voices saying, "Go north, young man." after which the family moved.[50] Chinese Adventist David Lin claims his mother was told by a voice to go to Tianjin.[51]

Author Herbert Douglass wrote in 1998, "At any given time in the last few decades, at least a dozen people around the world have convinced others that they have been given the gift of prophecy."[38]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fundamental Beliefs". Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  2. ^ This terminology is used in the 28 Fundamentals, the official beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists. Also see for example, "The Biblical Basis for a Modern Prophet" by Frank B. Holbrook, Biblical Research Institute, April 1982. Also appearing on the White Estate website. "Can All Be Prophets? Ellen G. White Statements That Bear on the Question" by the White Estate, 1969
  3. ^ White, Ellen (1906-07-26). "A Messenger" (DjVu). Review and Herald. 83 (30). Review and Herald Publishing Association: 8–9. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  4. ^ Ellen White, "MR No. 1253 - William Foy Lectures in Beethoven Hall" p95–97 of Manuscript Releases, Volume 17, Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald, 1987)
  5. ^ "The inside story about people and events that shaped our history". Adventist Review 164:42 (October 15, 1987), p16
  6. ^ The Christian Experience of William E. Foy Together with the Two Visions He Received in the Months of Jan. and Feb. 1842 by Foy. Published by John and C. Henry Pearson in Portland, 1845. OCLC 76043021. Online here. It was republished by Andrews University Press as Christian Experience; publisher's page, sample. (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Center for Adventist Research, 2005). ISBN 1883925525 ISBN 9781883925529. Apparently republished earlier in Early S.D.A. pamphlets by Joseph Bates, William Ellis Foy and others (Payson, Arizona: Leaves-of-Autumn Books, 1987)
  7. ^ http://www.andrews.edu/universitypress/catalog.cgi?key=184
  8. ^ Rise and Progress of the Seventh-day Adventists (DjVu), 1892, p70 onwards
  9. ^ http://www.andrews.edu/~jmoon/Documents/CHIS_570/CHIS_570%20Lecture_Outline.pdf
  10. ^ Baker, Delbert (1987). The Unknown Prophet: The Story of William Ellis Foy. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald. ISBN 0828004013.
  11. ^ http://www.4hispeople.org/williamellisfoy.htm http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/refute9a.htm http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/rea/sop.htm
  12. ^ Poirier, Tim (August 1987). "Black Forerunner to Ellen White: William E. Foy" (PDF). Spectrum. 17 (5). Roseville, California: Adventist Forums: 23–28. ISSN 0890-0264. Retrieved 2008-08-11. Includes the box "Questions and Answers About The Unknown Prophet, William Foy" by Delbert Baker, p24–25
  13. ^ Baker, Delbert W. (14 January 1988). "William Foy: Messenger to the Advent Believers (The story of an unknown prophet)" (DjVu). Adventist Review. 165 (2). Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald: 1, 8–10. ISSN 0161-1119. Retrieved 2008-08-17. Download the free DjVu Browser Plugin
  14. ^ Gary Land, Historical Dictionary Of Seventh-day Adventists, p104–05
  15. ^ "Early Visions: Foy-White Parallels" by Douglas Hackleman. Adventist Currents, July 1984, p11
  16. ^ See also articles in the SDAPI
  17. ^ William Ellis Foy by R. L. Potter, self published in 2004 apparently. OCLC 166253381
  18. ^ The Unknown Prophet p134–141
  19. ^ Nix, James R. (4 December 1986). "The third prophet spoke forth" (DjVu). Adventist Review. 163. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald: 22. ISSN 0161-1119. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  20. ^ "Hazen Foss", p486–89 of A Prophet Among You. See also "William Foy and Hazen Foss" above
  21. ^ http://www.whiteestate.org/books/mol/Chapt3.html#William%20Foy%20and%20Hazen%20Foss from Messenger of the Lord
  22. ^ See articles in the SDAPI
  23. ^ http://www.truthorfables.com/Foss.htm http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/rea/sop.htm
  24. ^ Hiram Edson, from a manuscript fragment about his life and experiences; as quoted by Francis D. Nichol in The Midnight Cry (Washington: Review and Herald, 1945), 458
  25. ^ E. J. Waggoner, The Everlasting Covenant, v. As quoted in David P. McMahon. Ellet Joseph Waggoner: The Myth and the Man (Fallbrook, California: Verdict Publications, 1979). Chapter 2, "A Biographical Sketch" – SDANet AtIssue version, Present Truth Magazine version. See also E. J. Waggoner, Confession of Faith, p5–6; which was published posthumously
  26. ^ Seeking a Sanctuary, 79
  27. ^ "An Experience With a False Prophetess" section, p469–71 of Appendix A in A Prophet Among You by T. Housel Jemison
  28. ^ Anna Rice Phillips, Battle Creek prophetess: A bibliographical guide to sources in the Heritage Room, Pacific Union College Library. Gary W. Shearer. See also SDAPI articles
  29. ^ a b c Adventism in America ed. Gary Land, p105–6. As quoted in Another Gospel by Ruth A. Tucker, p106
  30. ^ http://egwdatabase.whiteestate.org/nxt/gateway.dll/egw-comp/section00000.htm/book04611.htm/chapter04623.htm
  31. ^ Chapter 5, "The Los Angeles Seventh-day Adventist Reform Church", p84-99 of Tarling
  32. ^ Her apparently sole published article is a poem, "Comfort in the book" (DjVu). Advent Review and Sabbath Herald v93 (4 May 1916), p12. She also composed hyms - http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH19850613-V162-24/index.djvu. Ruybalid, M. Keith, "Our heritage of Adventist hymnody". Worker, Journal of Sabbath School Action 1982, v98, Dec 1, p6
  33. ^ W. C. White, Battle Creek Enquirer 25 July 1915. As quoted by Tarling
  34. ^ "Reformed Seventh-day Adventist Church" in Historical Dictionary of Seventh-day Adventists by Gary Land, p243
  35. ^ Seeking a Sanctuary, p203–4
  36. ^ Larry White, "Margaret W. Rowen, Prophetess of Reform and Doom" (DjVu) Adventist Heritage 6:1 (Summer 1979), p28–40
  37. ^ "Day of Doom". Time 2 February 1925
  38. ^ a b c Douglass, Herbert E. (1998). "Chapter 47: Messenger and Message Inseparable". Messenger of the Lord (3rd edition ed.). Nampa, Idaho; Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Pacific Press. ISBN 0-8163-1622-8. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ From the Wandering Jew to William F. Buckley, Jr.: On Science, Literature, and Religion by Martin Gardner. (Prometheus, October 2000); ISBN 1573928526. See also "The Incredible Flimflams of Margaret Rowen" articles by Martin Gardner; part 1, "Seventh-day Adventists and the Second Coming" (subscription needed). Free Inquiry (22 March / Spring 1996). "The Sad Saga of Dr. Bert Fullmer. (Supported Reform Seventh-Day Adventist Church)" (subscription needed). Free Inquiry 22 September 1996
  40. ^ Lowell Tarling, The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism
  41. ^ The Branch Davidians of Waco by Kenneth G. C. Newport, 136
  42. ^ "Koresh on Ellen White" by Dennis Hokama. Adventist Today 1:1 (May–June 1993), p12. See also that entire issue
  43. ^ Jeanine Sautron: An Analysis of Her Writings by Vance Ferrell. (Pilgrims Books, 1993)
  44. ^ Dreams and Visions by Jeanine Sautron. (Dreams and Visions Evangelistic Center, 1991)
  45. ^ Studies in the Book of Revelation by Steve Moyise, p41
  46. ^ Record v100 (16 September 1995), p4
  47. ^ Ark of The Covenant by Jonathan Gray (Adelaide, South Australia: Jonathan Gray [or Ind Group Pty Ltd], 1997); ISBN 0646300733, p361–63, 588
  48. ^ Holy Relics Or Revelation by Russell R. Standish, Lowell Scarbrough and Colin D Standish. (Hartland Publications, 1999). ISBN 0923309640. See for example chapter 25, "Other Deceptions", p127–135
  49. ^ http://www.ronwyatt.com/Transcript%20Ron%20Wyatt%20Interview%20Ark%20of%20the%20Covenant.htm
  50. ^ http://www.bobbrinsmead.com/rdb.html
  51. ^ http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive21-25/21-5lin.pdf, p39. See Word search for "David Lin" in the SDAPI

External links

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