1888: The Message, The Mystery, and the Misconceptions

By Joe W. Grisham

Did God send a special message to His people 100 years ago? Was the message accepted, or rejected? What was this message? Can we know it today, or did God allow it to be lost for all eternity? Were Jones and Waggoner "troublemakers" or "Christ's delegated messengers?" What was Ellen White's

position in the midst of all this? Just where did

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fourth Angel Ministries
• Release date: Jul 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9781947451629

Book preview

Chapter One

THE EVENTS PRECEDING 1888

As we consider the historic General Conference Session of 1888, we find three key people who stand out above all others: Ellen G. White, Ellet J. Waggoner, and Alonzo T. Jones. All the issues today (as 100 years ago) revolve around who these people were and what they were saying. The problem was that Jones and Waggoner were introducing ideas that were contrary to the already established opinions of a large portion of the church leaders. Two issues which caused such a stir were of little importance: yet they succeeded in distracting from the greater messages God was sending His people at that time.

One of these side issues was between A. T. Jones and Uriah Smith concerning one of the ten horns of Daniel 7. Smith had been teaching for years that one of these horns represented the Huns, and now Jones was saying the Alemanni, rather than the Huns, was more correct.

The other issue arose between E. J. Waggoner and G. I. Butler, the General Conference president, over the law in Galatians. This had been an issue between these two since the 1886 General Conference Session, when Waggoner had presented the idea that the law in Galatians was the moral law. This was contrary to the position of most Seventh-day Adventists, who believed it was the ceremonial law.

During the 1886 General Conference Session, Ellen White, who was in Europe at the time, was shown the proceedings in vision and later wrote to Elder Butler:

That conference was presented to me in the night season. My guide said, 'Follow me; I have some things to show you.' He led me where I was a spectator of the scenes that transpired at that meeting. I was shown the attitude of some of the ministers, yourself in particular, at that meeting, and I can say with you, my brother, it was a terrible meeting.¹

She went on to say:

The Lord was not pleased with that meeting. Your spirit, my brother, was not right. The manner in which you treated Dr. Waggoner was perhaps after your own order, but not after God's order. The course you took was not excusable, even if his views were questionable.²

On February 10, 1887 (three months after the 1886 session), Elder Waggoner prepared a 71 page booklet in response to an 85 page booklet by Elder Butler on the law in Galatians, which had been distributed to the delegates at the 1886 Session. However, he left it unpublished for nearly two years, probably due to a letter written by Ellen White on February 18, reproving him and Jones for publicizing differences of belief:

It is no small thing for you to come out in the Signs as you have done, and God has revealed that such things should not be done. We must keep before the world a united front. Satan will triumph to see differences among Seventh-day Adventists. These questions are not vital points.³

Elder Waggoner took this counsel from God's messenger, but sad to say, Elder Butler did not. Thus, within a couple of months, the prophet sent a rebuke to Elder Butler and Uriah Smith.

I have sent copies of letters written to Brethren Waggoner and Jones to Elder Butler in reference to introducing and keeping in the front and making prominent subjects on which there are differences of opinion. … I was pained when I saw your article in the Review …

And when this is followed by a pamphlet published of your own views, be assured I cannot feel that you are just right at this point to do this unless you give the same liberty to Dr. Waggoner … I believe now that nothing can be done but open discussion. You circulated your pamphlet; now it is only fair that Dr. Waggoner should have just as fair a chance as you have had."⁴

These were the events leading up to the 1888 Session. And now, with the prophet back from Europe and the delegates assembled, we come to one of the saddest chapters in the history of the remnant church.

---

NOTES:

The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, pp. 92-93

Ibid., p 97

Ibid., pp. 22-23

Ibid., pp. 32-33, 35

Chapter Two

THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Aseven-day ministerial institute preceded the conference session in Minneapolis during which Jones presented his reasons for preferring the Alemanni rather than the Huns, and Waggoner gave his arguments as to why the law in Galatians was the moral law. Elder Butler was unable to attend the Minneapolis meetings due to poor health, but was kept informed through correspondence by various individuals. At one point Ellen White wrote him:

The spirit which has prevailed at this meeting is not of Christ.¹

On October 23, Elder Kilgore, a member of the General Conference Committee and a strong supporter of Elder Butler, requested that all discussion on righteousness by faith be discontinued until Elder Butler could be present. In response to this motion, the prophet, who was seated on the platform, immediately rose to her feet and said:

This is the Lord's work. Does He want His work to wait for Elder Butler? The Lord wants His work to go forward and not wait for any man.

The next morning in her presentation to the delegates Ellen White said:

"Had Brother Kilgore been walking closely with God he never would have walked onto the ground as he did yesterday and made the statement he did in regard to the investigation that is going on. That is, they must not bring any new light or present any new argument … because one man is not here. Have we not all been looking into this subject?

I was never more alarmed than at the present time. … I want to tell you, my brethren, that it is not right to fasten ourselves upon the ideas of any one man. … If the ministers will not receive the light, I want to give the people a chance; perhaps they may receive it. 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 White is the same as she used to be in years gone by.²

A few days later she wrote:

"We have had the hardest and most incomprehensible tug of war we have ever had among our people... We are determined to do all we can in the fear of God to help our people in this emergency.

A sick man's mind has had a controlling power over the General Conference Committee and the ministers have been the shadow and echo of Elder Butler about as long as it is healthy and for the good of the cause. … Elder Butler, we think, has been in office three years too long and now all humility and lowliness of mind have departed from him. He thinks his position gives him such power that his voice is infallible.³

The problem was the same then as it is today. The people had begun to look to men instead of the Word of God, to leaders in the church rather than Christ, to their favorite author in the place of the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). When we come out of that rut and begin to look to Jesus Christ and Him crucified, the power of the Holy Spirit will enlighten our minds, the eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will be able to know of the doctrine whether it is of God. It was because

Reviews for 1888

[Mapumulo Jabu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an excellent book about the 1888 message. Joe Grisham's approach makes it easy to understand this most precious message.