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fullness of the Godhead bodily.

” (ST, 30-5-1895) But what connection does this all have to the
Christian Connexion? Well, a number of our Ellen White, 1888 and the
Apart from the clear parallel here, this statement is
clearly set in the context of the pre-incarnate na-
prominent pioneers came out of this movement.
These include Fred L. Mead, the Farnsworth’s,
"Christian Connexion"
ture of Christ. In this article, Ellen White is setting Uriah Smith, and James White. Looking at the By Brendan Knudson
forth the completeness of the sacrifice that was quote earlier regarding Christ’s being begotten,
made on our behalf. Christ’s being begotten is not created or adopted, we find a parallel thought There are two matters of Seventh-day Adventist
pointed to as part of the evidence of His divinity. within the writings of the Christian Connexion: history about which there has been some debate
Also, “the express image of the Father’s person” is in the past. The first is the question of the extent to
a quote from Hebrews 1, where Paul writes of “Because he is God's son, in a peculiar sense which Ellen White endorsed the 1888 message
Christ in His pre-existence and then contrasts that applicable to no other being in the universe. In the given by Waggoner and Jones, specifically with
with His humanity in chapter 2. Finally, when Christ scriptures angels and men are called sons of regard to their teachings on the Godhead. The
was begotten in the incarnation, He was not “in all God, but Christ is called his "own son," "his only- second is whether or not Ellen White’s views on
the brightness of His [Father’s] majesty and glory”, begotten son," "his beloved son," to distinguish the Godhead were closer to her Methodist back-
for this He had veiled. It is true that He is called the him from others who are sons of God by creation, ground, or were impacted by the Christian Con-
Son in the context of Bethlehem, but this was only and regeneration.” (James Williamson, editor of nexion background of her husband.
in a “new sense”. the "Gospel Herald" in History of All the Religious
Denominations in the United States, 2nd Edition, One of the main reasons that there is so much de-
“In His incarnation He gained in a new sense Harrisburg, PA: John Winebrenner, 1848, p. 165) bate in Adventism on the issue of the Godhead is
the title of the Son of God. Said the angel to that there seems to be support either way in the
Mary, 'The power of the Highest shall overshadow And so we see Ellen White using language which writings of Ellen White. Those who believe the trin-
thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be mirrors that of non-trinitarians, declaring that ity will point out statements such as the “three liv-
born of thee shall be called the Son of God' (Luke Christ is the unique, divine, eternal Son of God, ing persons of the heavenly trio” or “three powers
1:35). While the Son of a human being, He be- begotten and possessing a life that can “not be of the Godhead”, while those who adhere to the
came the Son of God in a new sense. Thus He reckoned by human computation”, “not measured pioneer beliefs will point to her visions where she
stood in our world--the Son of God, yet allied by by figures”. Even these last quotes are redundant saw only the Father and Son and her writings
birth to the human race.” (ST, 2-8-1905) if Christ had always been, as the trinitarian specu- about these Two. As shown in the article "Is the
lates. As more evidence like this becomes avail- Heavenly Trio a Trinity?" by this author, it may be
“He was born of the Holy Ghost. In other words, able, we are fast approaching the time when the that new information on her literary borrowing
Jesus Christ was born again. He came from myth (that Ellen White alone of the Pioneers held may help to clear the matter up.
heaven, God's first-born, to the earth, and was to a trinity) can be laid to rest.
born again. But all in Christ's work goes by oppo- To outline the problem, trinitarians believe that
sites for us: He, the sinless One, was made to be Christ is co-eternal with the Father. In short, this
sin in order that we might be made the righteous- For further information, a catalogue means that as long as there has been the Father,
ness of God in Him. He, the living One, the Prince of study resources as well as articles there has been the Son. All references to Father,
and Author of life, died that we might live. He by the present author, please Son and begetting therefore are to be interpreted
whose goings forth have been from the days of contact: in the light of the incarnation. The Pioneers, how-
eternity, the first-born of God, was born again in ever, saw that not all references could be inter-
order that we might be born again.” (A. T. Jones, preted thus. For the first 50 years, from the Sab-
Truth vs Tradition
RH, 18-7-1899) PO Box 97
bath Conferences to the beginning of the 20th cen-
Eagle Heights, Qld, 4271 tury, they were in unity that Christ was begotten of
Note now the paralleling thoughts between Mrs Australia the Father before anything was created, and that
White and the other 1888 messenger. It should be together, these Two created all things. While some
clear by now that her endorsement of the 1888 Phone: (07) 55 450486 have in the past attempted to make this out to be a
message extends to the understanding of Christ’s Mobile 0400 340 267 minority position, most Adventist historians admit
truthvstradition@mail.com
pre-existence. that this was the general, if not unani-
mous, teaching. The controversy surrounds
whether Ellen White was an exception to this or not. Waggoner’s The Righteousness of Christ (1890), Before men or angels were created, the Word was
a 98-page Pacific Press book setting forth his pre- with God, and was God… The world was made by
In 1888, the church reached a crisis point. At the cise teaching and phrasing at Minneapolis, based him, "and without him was not anything made that
General Conference Session in Minneapolis, two upon shorthand reports of Jessie F. Moser, taken was made." If Christ made all things, he existed be-
brethren, Waggoner and Jones, preached a rousing down at the Conference, which book was likewise fore all things. The words spoken in regard to this
message of Righteousness by Faith. Of this mes- reprinted in Australia in 1893, and then in Conti- are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt.
sage, Ellen White wrote: “The Lord in His great nental Europe in Hamburg and Basel as well.” Christ was God essentially, and in the highest
mercy sent a most precious message to His people (Eternal Verities Triumphant, p. 61) sense. He was with God from all eternity, God
through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This mes- over all, blessed forevermore.” (RH, 5-4-1906)
sage was to bring more prominently before the In the first chapters of this book, Waggoner estab-
world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins lishes the divinity of Christ, showing Christ to be “Here Christ shows them that, although they might
of the whole world. It presented justification through our God and Creator and while spending a whole reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His
faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive chapter establishing that Christ is not created, divine life could not be reckoned by human com-
the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest makes such statements as the following: putation. The existence of Christ before His incar-
in obedience to all the commandments of God… nation is not measured by figures.” (ST, 3-5-1899)
This is the message that God commanded to be “The Word was “in the beginning.” The mind of
given to the world. It is the third angel's message, man cannot grasp the ages that are spanned “From the days of eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ
which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and in this phrase. It is not given to men to know was one with the Father; He was "the image of
attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large when or how the Son was begotten; but we know God," the image of His greatness and majesty, "the
measure.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p. 91,92) that he was the Divine Word, not simply before He outshining of His glory." (Desire of Ages, p. 19)
came to this earth to die, but even before the
While no record of these presentations from Min- world was created… We know that Christ There is some striking resemblance in these quotes
neapolis is extant, the teaching on the subject may “proceeded forth and came from God” (John about the fathomless ages. The statement that
be gained from books printed by these two men 8:42), but it was so far back in the ages of eter- Christ’s divine life “could not be reckoned by human
including “Christ and His Righteousness”, “The nity as to be far beyond the grasp of the mind computation” matches very closely Waggoner’s
Glad Tidings” and “The Gospel in Creation” by of man.” (E. J. Waggoner, Christ and His Right- statement that Christ was begotten “so far back in
Waggoner and “Consecrated Way to Christian Per- eousness, p. 9) the ages of eternity as to be far beyond the grasp of
fection” and presentations at subsequent General the mind of man.” But the most striking resemblance
Conference sessions by Jones, as well as various “The Scriptures declare that Christ is “the only is to be found in the following quotes:
periodical articles. begotten son of God.” He is begotten, not created.
As to when He was begotten, it is not for us to “It is true that there are many sons of God, but
In the above quote from Ellen White, she said that inquire, nor could our minds grasp it if we Christ is the “only begotten Son of God,” and there-
the message brought “more prominently before the were told…There was a time when Christ pro- fore the Son of God in a sense in which no other
world the uplifted Saviour”. It is interesting then that ceeded forth and came from God, from the bosom being ever was or ever can be. The angels are
when we turn to Waggoner’s teachings on Christ at of the Father (John 8:42; 1:18), but that time was sons of God, as was Adam (Job 38:7; Luke 3:38)
this time, we find them to present clearly the Pio- so far back in the days of eternity that to finite by creation; Christians are the sons of God by
neer position that Christ was begotten in eternity. comprehension it is practically without begin- adoption (Romans 8:14, 15), but Christ is the Son
ning.” (ibid, p. 21) of God by birth.” (Waggoner, op. cit., p. 12)
“Christ and His Righteousness” is the Australian
title of a booklet that was printed two years after the Now let us compare these statements with some “A complete offering has been made; for "God so
Minneapolis session. As the very title suggests, it is from Ellen White. loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten
an examination of the person of Christ, and the Son,"-- not a son by creation, as were the angels,
Righteousness He brings. Leroy Froom wrote of it: “But while God's Word speaks of the humanity of nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner,
“An increasing stream of literature setting forth the Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decid- but a Son begotten in the express image of the
clear principles and provisions of Righteousness by edly regarding his pre-existence. The Word ex- Father's person, and in all the brightness of his
Faith continued to flow from our publishing houses isted as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority,
following 1888-conspicuously that of Dr. E. J. God, in union and oneness with his Father… dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the

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