Trnidad Review and Herlad

April 22, 1999
AnchorPoints
How early Adventists struggled

with the truth about the Trinity
Women’s Ministries
Enters Its Second Century
LETTERS
Y2K However, being subject to the problem nature of Divinity is like saying
Regarding Henry Felder’s “If the Lights doesn’t mean that the software will President Clinton could accurately
Go Out” (Feb. 25 AnchorPoints fail. Take credit card expiration dates. describe the daily life of an infantry-
Edition). In Many, if not most, credit cards now man like me—or vice versa.
reality, every have expiration dates of (20)00 or The Bible clearly states that God
one of the pre- later, which means that under the Y2K knows our hearts. This is easily
dicted Y2K scenario, these cards would be expired understood, for He created them and
consequences and worthless. Yet the problems are so gave them a spark of His own divine
has already small as to be a minor inconvenience breath to make them alive. Our
happened. But at worst. experiences, in this sense, belong to
because they Recently I have been involved with Him because He gives us the life to
have happened my county’s Department of Emergency experience. Job asked of God, “For
for reasons Management. This organization is very He is not a man, as I am, that I may
other than Y2K, only passing media concerned about Y2K. They under- answer Him, and that we should go
attention has been given. Computers stand that there may be some com- to court together. Nor is there any
crash all the time, power systems fail, puter-related issues, but they are far mediator between us, who may lay
and airplanes fall out of the sky. But more concerned about the fear this his hand on us both. . . . Do You
regardless of how sad it may be for issue has created. Their preparation is have eyes of flesh? Or do You see as
those affected, the reality is that these far more related to dealing with fear a man sees?” (Job 9:32-10:4, NKJV).
events are not the literal or spiritual driving irrational behavior than with The answer to Job’s question is
“end of the world.” any direct consequences of computer an emphatic yes. Jesus Christ came
I have worked in computer systems problems. While we are familiar with in order to fully experience us in as
for 30-plus years. The most difficult the prophecies of last-day events, we us. Paul spends the majority of his
problems to correct are those that pro- need to be very careful that we do not Epistles describing us as being “in
duce only tiny errors, such as a book- get so caught up in this that we, along Christ.” To me, this means that God
keeping system that is off by one cent with the Y2K fear mongers, suffer through Christ is the only one who
in $1 billion. Large errors, when they another “Great Disappointment.” We can truly say to us, “I feel your
occur, are so obvious that no one takes need to be part of the solution, not pain.”
the results seriously. We’ve all heard part of the problem. Incidentally, the only Nietzsche
about the $100,000 water bill received quote I can appreciate is “If you
by a retired widow. That type of mis- —Wilmer Radke Christians want me to believe in your
take is so obvious that it quickly gets B R E M E R T O N , WA S H I N G T O N Redeemer, you’d better act a little
corrected, and the only real penalty is more redeemed!”
embarrassment to the company issuing
the bill. Might that happen with Y2K? Why the Suffering? —Brian A. Heitman
Of course, but the results would be the I found Clifford Goldstein’s “The F AY E T T E V I L L E , N O R T H C A R O L I N A
same—embarrassment to the issuer. Rough Edges” (Feb. 25) very touching
Another reality is that Y2K prob- and caring. However, I must take issue
lems won’t begin on January 1, 2000; with the apparent insinuation that Those Adventist Teachers
they have already begun. Any com- God does not feel our pain. To assume Bill Knott’s “Taught by Love” (Feb. 25)
puter application (and only those that Friedrich Nietzsche, a neopagan, brought up hundreds of memories of my
applications) that does date calcula- atheistic philosopher, would make a own education in Adventist schools. I
tions is already subject to the problem. correct statement concerning the remember the teachers—some very
2 (490) A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W, A P R I L 2 2 , 1 9 9 9
good, some, well, not as good. But all contact me at 508-898-1901 (phone) or
were dedicated and loving. lavertue@gis.net.
Some have thought that our
schools can’t compete with public — M a r k L a Ve r t u e
schools in preparing people for life. I S H I R L E Y, M A S S A C H U S E T T S
believe that much of my “success” and COVER STORY
my desire for spiritual things have
come because of the good training I Internet—The Upside 8 Heresy or Hopeful Sign?
Early Adventists and their struggle
received in our schools. Regarding Stephen Chavez’s Feb. 18 to understand the teachings of
My hat is off to our dedicated news commentary, “Get Connected,” the Bible.
teachers. They have been among the I’d like to offer a different viewpoint BY JERRY MOON
instruments God has used to save my about our cyberspace interconnectivity
life . . . for eternity. and outreach. ARTICLES
While Chavez contends that surf-
— T h u r m a n C . P e t t y, J r. ing the Internet can’t substitute for 14 One Dog Telling
BURLESON, TEXAS being there in person, the number Another Dog
Good news travels fast.
one reason for the Internet has been,
BY GERRY KARST
and still is, e-mail. This one feature
Anti-Tobacco Campaigner alone dramatically reconnects people 23 The Red Suspenders
I was delighted with Dr. Linda Ferry’s at all levels, especially those who He made a statement when he didn’t
call for action to stop the proliferation can’t be there in person. wear them, but what was it?
of tobacco use (see “Anti-Tobacco E-mail and the Internet have BY E RV I N K . T H O M S E N
Campaigner Speaks Out,” Feb. 25 allowed a level of personal connec-

Newsbreak). tivity that was previously unattain- 24 A World to Win
When you’re doing a big job,
Aside from the state of California, able for many. For example, I know everyone is important.
Massachusetts has one of the most one Adventist freelance writer who, BY BILL KNOTT
effective and comprehensive state- because of her physical limitations, is
wide antismoking programs in the unable to do the “typical” outreach 28 Anything Is Possible
United States. The Massachusetts and witnessing activities, much less Telling the gospel to those who
can’t hear.
Tobacco Control Program (MTCP) go to church. Instead of languishing
BY JOYCE RIGSBY
has been extremely effective in help- at home in self-pity, she uses the
ing to reduce the number of smokers Internet to stay connected with
DEPARTMENTS
in Massachusetts to well below the friends in similar situations, even
national average. Just about every city hosting an online church on 2 Letters
and town in the commonwealth has a Sabbath! 7 Give & Take
vendor working to provide free smok- This is just one example of how the
16 On the Home Front
ing-cessation programs in the commu- Internet, when used for God, has
nities. Sometimes these vendors work expanded the possibilities for “fishing” 17 Tuesday’s Child
with local Adventist churches to for me. And let’s not forget our other 18 World News & Perspectives
assist in providing funding, materials, technological means of fishing: radio,
22 Clifford Goldstein
and guest speakers for local smoking- TV, and telephone. While we try to
cessation programs. follow up each lead with a personal 26 It Seems to Me
Unfortunately, just providing smok- visit, many are led to Christ without 27 Bulletin Board
© D I G I TA L S T O C K / D I G I TA L C O M P O S I T E
ing-cessation services is not enough to an actual warm-body contact. Are

31 Reflections
stop the growth of tobacco use; com- they any less “saveable”?
munities must adopt local laws to I believe that God rejoices over
restrict or ban tobacco use in public every soul “caught” for Him, no matter EDITORIALS
places. We must pray for those work- what the means. Some may fish from
5 Time to Go for Broke
ing in tobacco control—and for those the yacht, rowboat, dinghy, or raft.
trying to stop using tobacco. Others are able to fish only from shore 6 Sweet Fragrances
To get involved in preventing the or pier (technology). At least we’re all Cannot Be Hidden
number one cause of preventable death, fishing for Jesus.
PHOTO
or for information on collaborating with

your local vendor to provide smoking-
COVER
— E r n i e M e d i n a , J r.
cessation services (Massachusetts only), LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA
A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W, A P R I L 2 2 , 1 9 9 9 (491) 3
“Behold, I come quickly . . .”
Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of

His matchless love, news of His present workings, help
for knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return.
Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

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Vol. 176, No. 16
E D I T O R I A L
Time to Go for Broke

WILLIAM G. JOHNSSON
O
f all the hundreds of letters that came in with 1. Offer a price no one can refuse.
checks for the “$25 Club”—and they are still Again and again people give one main reason they don’t
arriving—one stands out. The writer enclosed subscribe—the price. Let’s offer a low, low, unbelievable
a very large gift, but price they can’t refuse.
his accompanying This of course will be for new sub-
words moved me even more. scribers only, but listen—as the cir-
Tell us your dreams for the
Review, he said. Share them with us God uses the culation rises sharply, we can reduce
the renewal price for everyone, you
and let us have a part. If they make included.
sense to us, we’ll join with you to
make them happen. And if they
simplest methods. 2. Use the best technique out
there—word of mouth.
don’t make sense, we’ll let you know Ellen White’s words burn in my
that also. soul: “God often uses the simplest
My dear friend whom I have never met, you know who means to accomplish the greatest results” (The Desire of
you are and I thank you. This editorial is for you—and for Ages, p. 822). I dream a dream that doesn’t call for big mar-
anyone else who believes that the Lord has a special mission keting budgets, glitzy ads, mass mailings. Its beauty is its sim-
for the Adventist Review and who is prepared to weigh my plicity: people who believe in the Adventist Review and its
ideas and, if they make sense, roll up their sleeves with me. mission tell others and invite them to come into the circle
The burden on my heart is this: I think it is time to go of blessing.
for broke. Jesus is coming soon; let’s lay aside the status quo Many people today don’t believe advertising anymore,
and throw ourselves into the task of sharing the good news trash letters that look like they’re a sales pitch without even
about our Lord to a dying world. opening them (confession time: I’m writing about myself!).
Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all The most effective plan is still Jesus’ way: Go . . . tell.
peoples. That discipling involves going, preaching, baptiz- Is this a good plan? What do we need to make it work?
ing, and instructing (Matt. 28:19, 20). And would you be ready to help make it happen?
The Adventist Review has a unique place in this mission. My dear friend, chances are we have never met, but I feel I
While other agencies proclaim the message, our primary role know you. I have been in this sacred job many years now, and
is to build up, to nurture, to ground believers in their rela- your letters, notes, and calls have formed within me a deep
tionship to Jesus and in the message and mission of the conviction that the greatest asset the Review has, after the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. Lord Himself, is you, the wonderful subscribers to the weekly.
The North American Division Edition, sent out gratis Any lingering doubt was swept aside by your response to
once a month, is a wonderful start. But the profile of sub- the $25 Club. I have been overwhelmed, moved to tears by
scribers to the weekly Review is even more wonderful, star- your generosity, love, and support.
tling. We have abundant data to show that they are the So that’s my dream. Think it over,
loyal core of our church, loving the Lord and providing lead- pray about it. Tell me if we should go
ership and financial support. forward. Tell me if we should quietly
I am talking about you, dear reader! That is why this edi- lay the plan aside.
torial is going to you, not to the general audience that Write, fax, call, e-mail to: Adventist
receives the NAD Edition. Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Let’s go for broke: let’s pull out all the stops and bring in Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600;
many more like you. Our subscriber list is approaching fax: (301) 680-6638; call (301)
50,000. By the Lord’s grace and our earnest efforts, let’s go 680-6560; e-mail: reviewmag
for broke and make it 100,000. @adventist.org.
Here’s how (and you tell me if it makes sense): I’ll be waiting to hear from you.
E D I T O R I A L
Sweet Fragrances
MYRNA TETZ
Cannot Be Hidden
S
he was 3 years old when she turned my bottle of was to have beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh
Chanel No. 5 upside down over the drain. and six with perfumes and cosmetics (Esther 2:12). The Wise
Unwittingly, of course. Years later she gave me Men brought incense and myrrh to Baby Jesus. Mary anoint-
Beautiful, no doubt to ed Jesus’ feet with expensive spike-
atone for that errant act nard. Nicodemus brought a mixture
of childhood.
One Christmas I received a bot-
We are to God of myrrh and aloes (75 pounds) and
wrapped the body of Jesus with the
tle of L’Air du Temps from our son.
He explained that he did not smell the aroma spices in strips of linen (John 19:39).
Today we’re seeing an escalation
every fragrance on the store counter of information and products pro-
in order to decide which one to buy;
his choice was made because he
of Christ. moting aromatherapy as an ancient
art of carefully selecting herbs and
liked the bottle. botanicals known for their ability
Walking past the perfume counters in department stores to help transform and restore one’s emotional well-being.
without stopping is not one of my major strengths. On a recent Chamomile, cedarwood, geranium, bergamot, lemon,
hurried department store walk-through I stopped at the per- lavender, and orange, it is claimed, help inspire a sensory
fume counter and sprayed on a new scent. We were visiting experience that helps to support one’s emotional and psy-
this now 30-plus daughter and her family, and for the rest of chological well-being (this from the container housing
the day, whenever I entered their space, both she and her hus- oils, gels, mists, and lotions).
band commented on how much they liked the fragrance. That But more important than the enjoyment of scents that
evening I was presented with Poem perfume as a birthday gift. please our olfactory senses is the fragrance we can release by
Perfume scents, the fragrance of flowers, and the aroma of living our lives as Christ lived His. Paul may have been
scented candles can change an ordinary room into one that thinking of the aroma of incense in the streets of Rome dur-
delights the senses and promotes a feeling of well-being. Gifts ing a triumphal parade with incense bearers perfuming the
such as these are treasured and used with memories attached. air as they waved their censers3 when he referred to God,
Perfume in Bible times was valued, too, for it was an “who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and
important item of trade. There was myrrh and frankincense through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowl-
from Arabia and Africa, aloes and nard from India, cinna- edge of him.” He challenges us by saying that “we are to
mon from Aylon, galbanum from Persia, and stacte and saf- God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved
fron from Palestine.1 These were important in the lives of and those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 2:14, 15, NIV).
people in Bible times, and inspired writers often referenced “The graces of our Saviour’s character, implanted in our
fragrances to teach valuable spiritual lessons. hearts,” wrote Ellen White, “will shed around us a precious
For instance, the priest was brought more directly into fragrance.” 4 Even as we want to linger in a space
the presence of God during the ritual of the offering of haunted with a pleasant aroma, so individuals
incense than he was throughout the course of any other act. will want to stay in our company, for “when
This incense “represents the merits and intercession of the love of Christ is enshrined in the heart,
Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is like sweet fragrance it cannot be hidden.” 5
imputed to His people, and which can alone make the wor-
ship of sinful beings acceptable to God.” 2
1
The Bible Almanac (Nashville: Thomas
Nelson, 1980), p. 484.
Joseph was sold to businessmen (Ishmaelites) and rode to 2
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 353.
Egypt with camels loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh. 3
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Solomon wrote, “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart” Commentary, vol. 6, p. 841.
4
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5,
in comparison to the pleasantness of a friend’s earnest coun- p. 174.
sel (Prov. 27:9, NIV). Esther, before she could see the king, 5
Steps to Christ, p. 77.
ADVENTIST LIFE
GIVE
Last summer, on our family visit to the Kellogg Museum in
Battle Creek, we were viewing the video telling of the begin-
ning of the cereal industry. The video mentioned Ellen
White and other early Adventists. Next it showed some of
their advertising methods, and Tony the Tiger was pictured.
My 8-year-old granddaughter, Sarah, leaned over to her
father and said, “Daddy, I didn’t know that Tony the Tiger
was a Seventh-day Adventist.”
—Alice Wagner, Hartford, Michigan
&
TAKE
PHOTO © PHOTODISC
THE TIGHTROPE Though clouds hide the ending

Your heart they are mending
Look up! See the tightrope! What is there to lose, with so much
A taut and straight height-rope to win?
Simplicity gleaming against the clear sky
DREAM CENTER What means that strange tightrope, Hold on to the tightrope!
In this feature Adventists share That strong strand-of-white rope? The day-and-the-night rope
church-related dreams. I see that you’re standing there, The world gets much farther and
My dream for our Seventh-day wondering why farther away
Adventist Church is that, seeking God You’re held fast by bright hope
individually with increasing earnest- Step on to the tightrope! When winds blow the tightrope
ness and commitment, we will draw The frightening high tightrope God’s Spirit will guide you as you
closer to God and, accordingly, closer Stretched over the cities and vastness make your way
to one another (criticizing ourselves, below
not our brothers and sisters!). With You’re wounded and friendless Just stay on the tightrope!
total surrender to God and implicit The distance seems endless That pure, clean, and white rope
trust in His guidance, we will intensify But it leads to Somewhere that you High above ideas, opinions, and taste
interest in eternal values, away from want to go God’s will is the tightrope
the temporal. Crucifying self, not our His mercy-and-might rope
Saviour afresh, we will permit God to Walk out on the tightrope! It’s fastened securely about His own
finish His work in our hearts and The end-out-of-sight rope waist!
lives—then, through us, in the earth. Above all the noise, the cacophony’s din —Sarah Jane Raffety, Arlington, Texas
Prepare the way for Jesus to return and
take us home!
—Blossom F. Vassar, Livingston, New York
P H O T O © D I G I TA L S T O C K / D I G I TA L C O M P O S I T E
CONTRIBUTE TO GIVE & TAKE

We can especially use submissions to these
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Exchange, Jots & Tittles, and Dream Center.
And we can always use top-quality photos/
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Spring, MD 20904; fax: 301-680-6638; e-
mail: 74532.2564@compuserve.com.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Early Adventists’ struggle with the truth about the Trinity
BY JERRY MOON doctrinal agreement on the Trinity from pork4 and pointed out the advan-
affords insights into several aspects of tages of moving toward a vegetarian
how Adventists discovered truth and way of eating.5 But what about the
preserved church unity amid a diversity other animals listed in Leviticus 11 as
of viewpoints. inappropriate for dietary use? Another
Part of the legacy of the Great 40 years would pass before Adventists
Disappointment of October 22, 1844, would reach agreement that oysters,
was that it taught its survivors a pro- for instance, were also to be omitted
found distrust of human opinion and from the diet of Bible-believing
tradition concerning the Bible. It Christians.6
instilled in them a fierce determina- In view of this lengthy process of
tion to test every belief by Scripture doctrinal development in which lay-
and to reject every doctrine not firmly people as well as ministers took an
grounded on a “Thus saith the Lord.” active part, it is not so surprising that
This meant that virtually everything some teachings assumed by most
had to be investigated. The pioneers Christians were rather late in receiving
weren’t endowed scholars with unlim- attention from this small but rapidly
ited time for study, but people with growing Christian denomination.7
families to raise and bills to pay. The Adventist understanding of the
Consequently, the process of reaching doctrine of the Trinity came about
doctrinal consensus was a slow and through a long process of scrutiny, initial
A
LTHOUGH lengthy one. rejection, and eventual acceptance. The
The first priority was to solve the early Adventists had no question about
we claim to problem of why Jesus had not come the biblical testimony regarding the
on October 22, 1844, the end point eternity of God the Father, the deity of
be believers of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14. Study Jesus Christ “as Creator, Redeemer, and
on this issue led Hiram Edson and Mediator,” and the “importance of the
in, and wor- Owen Crosier by February 1846 to a Holy Spirit.” 8 However, they weren’t
fairly comprehensive understanding initially convinced that Christ had
shipers of, of the relationship between the Old existed from eternity or that the Holy
Testament earthly sanctuary and the Spirit was a personal being, so they
only one God, I have thought that New Testament heavenly one where rejected the concept of “trinity.”
Jesus had been ministering since His Anyone who has done any reading
there are as many gods among us as ascension.2 in theological writings about the
Meanwhile others had been study- Trinity knows that there can be a vast
there are conceptions of the Deity,” ing the seventh-day Sabbath. The bib- difference between the bare biblical
lical basis for the Sabbath was one statements about the Trinity and
wrote D. T. Bourdeau in the Review in issue on which there already existed philosophical speculations about it.
extensive writings because Seventh Some who have encountered the
1890.1 What could have led Bourdeau, Day Baptists had already been observ- philosophical speculations may be par-
ing it for two centuries. But the inter- doned for questioning whether they
a highly respected evangelist and mis- connectedness of Sabbath and sanctu- really have any biblical basis. The use,
ary with the three angels’ messages and however, of extrabiblical words to
sionary in Canada, Europe, and the other end-time prophecies still had to describe biblical concepts is not inher-
be worked out. ently wrong. The word “millennium,”
U.S.A., to make such a pessimistic Another example of what seems for example, is an extrabiblical Latin
today as a surprisingly slow discovery term for a thoroughly biblical con-
statement about Seventh-day of a biblical lifestyle is that more than cept—the 1,000 years of Revelation
14 years after the Disappointment, 20. So “trinity” is a Latin word mean-
Adventist beliefs regarding God? James and Ellen White were still ing “triad” or “trio”—three compo-
apparently using pork.3 It was not until nents that make up one whole.
P H O T O © D I G I TA L S T O C K
It may come as a surprise to some issues of church organization had been The biblical doctrine of the Trinity
that the consensus reflected in the 1980 settled in May 1863 that Ellen White refers to the concept that God is one
Statement of Fundamental Beliefs didn’t received the first comprehensive vision (Deut. 6:4), but that the Godhead or
always exist among Adventists. The on health reform, which called Deity (Col. 2:9) is composed of three
story of how the church came to Adventists to complete abstinence Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14, etc.).9 The including Joseph Bates and James shared this view.12 And they were right
word “person” indicates a being with White, had been members of the in rejecting the concept that the Father
personality, intellect, and will. Unlike Christian Connection. and Son are the same person. This is an
the multiple gods of polytheism, the Either because of the influence of ancient heresy that denies the threeness
three persons of the biblical Godhead these leaders, or because others had of God and asserts that Father, Son, and
are perfectly united in nature, charac- independently come to similar conclu- Holy Spirit are indistinguishable as sepa-
ter, and purpose so that despite Their sions, the Adventist pioneers who rate personalities.13
individuality, They are never divided, questioned the doctrine of the Trinity Another objection to the Trinity was
never in conflict, and thus constitute included the most influential writers the misconception that it teaches the
not three gods, but one God.10 among them, with one major excep- existence of three Gods. “If Father,
How this can be explained has tion—Ellen White.11 Whatever may Son, and Holy Ghost are each God, it
been the subject of much thought and have been Ellen White’s original would be three Gods,” wrote
speculation over the cen- Loughborough in 1861.14
turies. But just as the con- A third view was that
cept of Incarnation—Deity belief in the Trinity would
becoming flesh (John diminish the value of the
1:14)—defies human abil-
ity to fully explain, yet is
God seldom gave atonement.15 Since the
“everliving, self-existent
nonetheless a truth the
Bible teaches and light by visions until God” cannot die, then if
Christ had self-existence
Christians accept, so also as God, He couldn’t have
with the Trinity.
Here’s where part of the
His people had died on Calvary, they rea-
soned. If only His human-
problem occurs. The theo-
logical explanation of the
done their best to ity died, then His sacrifice
was only a human one,
Trinity doctrine over the
centuries imported analo- investigate what the inadequate for redemp-
tion.16 (See sidebar “What
gies and illustrations that Happened to Christ’s
made sense to the people of
a given time and place and
Scriptures had to Deity When He Died?”)
The fact that Christ is
helped make the concept
understandable to them.
say on the subject. called Son of God and
“the beginning of the
These additions to the creation of God” (Rev.
scriptural data, however, 3:14) was thought to
sometimes went far beyond prove that He must be of
the actual statements of more recent origin than
Scripture. While they made a certain beliefs, she never expressed anti- God the Father.17 It was also argued
sense at the time they were written, Trinitarian views in her writings, and that “there are various expressions
they sometimes seemed unbiblical or she eventually led Adventists to recon- concerning the Holy Spirit which
even nonsensical to people of other sider and accept a biblical concept of would indicate that it [sic] could not
times and places. Some writing about the Trinity, as we shall see later. be properly considered as a person,
the Trinity is a curious mixture of such as its being ‘shed abroad’ in the
Bible, medieval philosophy, and the Before 1890: Anti-Trinitarian heart [Rom. 5:5], and ‘poured out
personal opinions of the writer. Arguments upon all flesh’ [Joel 2:28].” 18
This wasn’t lost on some Christians Among the reasons given by the early Most of these objections to the
of the early 1800s, who associated the Adventists for rejecting the Trinity was Trinity are based on either misunder-
doctrine of the Trinity with other the misconception that the Trinity made standings of the Trinity doctrine,
traditional beliefs they personally the Father and the Son identical. Joseph extreme distortions of it, or speculative
rejected. So it was that an American Bates wrote regarding his conversion in extrabiblical additions to it. None of
denomination called the Christian 1827, “Respecting the trinity, I con- them is a valid objection to the true
Connection concluded that the doc- cluded that it was impossible for me to biblical view of one God in three per-
trine of the Trinity, at least the form believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the sons. Yet all of the objections were
of it that they had encountered, was Son of the Father, was also the Almighty based on biblical texts. This shows
of nonbiblical origin. Some prominent God, the Father, one and the same that while misunderstanding or preju-
Millerites, such as J. V. Himes, and being.” D. W. Hull, J. N. Loughborough, dice may have played a part, the pio-
early Sabbathkeeping Adventists, S. B. Whitney, and D. M. Canright neers were united in basing their
arguments on Scripture. As long as After Andreasen entered the ministry with no modified energy, but in the full-
they appealed to Scripture itself rather in 1902, he made a special trip to ness of divine power” (p. 671; italics
than to a creed as their rule of doc- Ellen White’s California home to supplied).
trine, they were bound to discover the investigate the issue for himself. Ellen The result of these and similar state-
truth sooner or later. White welcomed him and “gave him ments was a division of opinion among
access to her manuscripts.” He had the ministers and leaders of the
1898: Turning Point brought with him “a number of quota- Seventh-day Adventist Church. Some,
The watershed for the Adventist tions” concerning which he “wanted such as General Conference president
understanding of the Trinity came in to see if they were in the original in A. G. Daniells, Review and Herald edi-
1898. In that year Ellen White pub- her own handwriting.” He later tor William Prescott, and Andreasen,
lished her monumental Desire of Ages, recalled, “I was sure Sister White had accepted these statements as inspired
in which she differed sharply with doctrinal correction for the church.
most of the pioneers regarding the Others, disbelieving that they could
preexistence of Christ. She lost no have been wrong for so many years,
time in bringing up the main point.
Her third sentence in chapter 1
If Ellen White had continued to repeat the old argu-
ments.
declared, “From the days of eternity
the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the corrected every Ellen White’s testimony, by calling
attention to scriptures whose signifi-
Father” (p. 19; italics supplied). cance had been overlooked, created a
Yet even this sentence was not
sufficiently unequivocal to clarify
incomplete paradigm shift that couldn’t be
reversed. As Adventists, like the
her position regarding the deity of
Jesus. Later in the book, writing on
understanding of Bereans of Acts 17:11, returned to the
Scriptures to see “whether those things
the resurrection of Lazarus, she
quoted the words of Christ: “I am truth, some were so,” they came to a growing con-
sensus that the basic concept of the
the resurrection, and the life,” and Trinity was a biblical truth to be
followed them with a seven-word
comment that would turn the tide
Adventists would accepted and embraced. The change
didn’t occur overnight, but no new
of anti-Trinitarian theology among
Adventists: “In Christ is life, original,
have done nothing anti-Trinitarian publications came
from denominational presses after
unborrowed, underived” (p. 530, ital-
ics supplied). Christ didn’t ultimately except sit and wait 1898.20 Some reprints of older books
and articles still contained such views,
derive His divine life from the but these were eventually discontinued
Father. As a man on earth, He sub-
ordinated His will to the will of the
for her to write. or edited to reflect the new under-
standing.
Father (John 5:19, 30), but as self-
existent God, He had power to lay never written, ‘In Christ is life, origi- Why No Correction Till 1898?
down His life and take it up again. nal, unborrowed, underived.’ But now Some may wonder, “If the pioneers
Thus in commenting on Christ’s resur- I found it in her own handwriting just were wrong about such a basic matter,
rection, Ellen White again asserted as it had been published. It was so with why didn’t God lead Ellen White to
His full deity and equality with the other statements. As I checked up, I correct them right at the beginning?”
Father, declaring, “The Saviour came found that they were Sister White’s That question involves three issues:
forth from the grave by the life that own expressions.” 19 the timing of God’s purposes, the
was in Himself ” (p. 785; see also the The Desire of Ages contained equally method of His working through Ellen
next two paragraphs). uncompromising statements regarding White, and the relation of both timing
These statements came as a shock the deity of the Holy Spirit. On pages and method to the unity of the church.
to the theological leadership of the 669-671, Ellen White repeatedly uses Regarding timing, it’s generally rec-
church. M. L. Andreasen, who had the first-person pronoun “He” in refer- ognized 21 that God had a definite order
become an Adventist just four years ring to the Holy Spirit, climaxing with of priority for introducing new truth to
earlier at the age of 18, and who would the impressive statement, “The Spirit the church. Instruction to publish
eventually teach at the church’s main was to be given as a regenerating agent, came in the 1840s; the call for “church
North American seminary, said the and without this the sacrifice of Christ organization” came in the 1850s; and
new concept was so different from the would have been of no avail. . . . Sin just two weeks after the conclusion of
previous understanding that some could be resisted and overcome only a long contentious struggle that result-
prominent leaders doubted whether through the mighty agency of the Third ed in the legal organization of the
Ellen White had really written it. Person of the Godhead, who would come church (May 1863), God sent the
comprehensive vision on health ments that couldn’t be explained away need to send a vision to deal with it.
reform.22 Perhaps God saw that the and that were destined eventually to While the early Adventists
young church could sustain only a cer- change the view of the church. eschewed the word “trinity,” much of
tain level of uncertainty and debate Thus the timing and method of what they did believe was compatible
without breaking up its unity, so He God’s leading through Ellen White with Trinitarianism, as they occasion-
paced the introduction of new light so reflected concerns not only for church ally acknowledged 23 (see also sidebar
as not to overwhelm the believers. unity, but for safeguarding the spiritual “Were the Early Adventists Arians?”).
Timing was important, not only in life of the church and its foundation in The pioneers in the 1840s and 1850s
institutional developments, but in doc- personal Bible study. If every time were approaching the Bible from the
trinal development and correction as someone studied the Bible and came to standpoint of other extremely impor-
well. In correcting doctrinal errors, an incomplete understanding of truth tant doctrines, such as the earthly and
Ellen White was very careful not to Ellen White had corrected it, soon heavenly sanctuaries, which have
unnecessarily disrupt church unity Adventists would have done nothing everything to do with the character of
over issues that might need correction except sit and wait for her to write. God. In the divine purpose for this
but that weren’t as essential to practi- Historically, the progressive under- movement, the understanding of the
cal godliness as some people thought. standing of truth has always involved character of God was a higher priority
Even concerning the great issue of groping after it, writing partial under- than the understanding of His nature.
righteousness by faith that tore the standings, to be corrected and After extensive Bible study, con-
church apart in the 1880s and early advanced by others afterward. firmed by revelation, laid the founda-
1890s, Ellen White tried initially to It appears to be a pattern in tions of the sanctuary and related doc-
keep that from being brought before Seventh-day Adventist history that trines, God led Ellen White to invest
the church in a contentious, disunify- God seldom gave light by visions until more and more of her time in studying
ing way. Only after both G. I. Butler His people had done their best to and writing about the life and charac-
and E. J. Waggoner had gone into pub- investigate what the Scriptures had to ter of Christ. In connection with this
lic print with their disagreements did say on the subject. The few exceptions rediscovery/revelation of the character
Ellen White concede that since the were cases in which perhaps God saw of Christ, both in His full humanity
damage of disunity had already been there was too much at stake to wait for and His full deity, she was led to cor-
done, the only way out was by a full the normal process to work itself out. rect two errors that had prevailed
discussion in order to discover the Much more often, He allowed partial regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit.
truth about the issues under debate. truth or outright error to stand for Christ had been regarded as less eternal
She never wrote an article directly years or even decades while people than the Father, and the Holy Spirit
confronting wrong views about the studied it and evaluated it from had been regarded as merely a power or
Godhead. But she published in The Scripture. If the error would be refuted influence coming from Christ and the
Desire of Ages and elsewhere state- by personal Bible study, God didn’t Father, rather than as a divine person,
coequal with Christ and the Father.
Were the Early Adventists Arians? The acceptance of Christ’s full eter-
nity and the Holy Spirit as the third
Arianism was a teaching about Jesus that arose in the fourth century. Though person of the Godhead removed the
rejected at the Council of Nicaea in 325, it was fought over for another half cen- two greatest reasons for opposition to
tury after that as succeeding emperors enforced Arianism or Trinitarianism as the the doctrine of the Trinity. With the
official view of the church. new perspective provided by The Desire
The basic teaching of Arius was “that the Son of God was not eternal but cre- of Ages, Adventists went back to their
ated by the Father from nothing as an instrument for the creation of the world; Bibles and discovered a whole range of
and that therefore He was not God by nature, but a changeable [mortal] creature, information about the Godhead that
His dignity as Son of God having been bestowed on Him by the Father on account they had not noticed before. They
of His foreseen abiding righteousness” (“Arianism,” Oxford Dictionary of the became convinced that indeed, the
Christian Church). The Adventist pioneers have sometimes been called “semi- Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Arian” rather than Arian, because while they believed that Jesus had a beginning, were three divine persons. Yet they
they differed somewhat from the second part of the Arian definition. The found clear scriptural teaching as well
Adventists believed that Christ did indeed partake of God’s own nature and thus that these three were one in nature,
was not “merely” a creature, even though they held that at some time in distant character, and purpose. Thus they con-
eternity past God the Father had brought Him into existence. stitute one God, not three Gods. The
Both the Arian and semi-Arian positions, however, were decisively refuted by belief in three divine Persons who con-
Ellen White in The Desire of Ages. (Compare pp. 530, 785; see also The Seventh- stitute one God is precisely the concept
day Adventist Bible Commentary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 5, p. 1113.) for which the word “Trinity” stands.
For these reasons leaders from the
Ages, p. 686) and suffered “unutterable anguish . . . at
What Happened to Christ’s Deity the hiding of His Father’s face” (ibid., p. 755). “The with-
When He Died? drawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this
hour of supreme anguish pierced His hear t with a sorrow
One of the early Adventist arguments against the Trinity that can never be fully understood by man.” Christ
doctrine was that if Christ had been eternally preexistent “feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their sepa-
with the Father, He would have been immor- ration was to be eternal.” She explains that
tal and thus could not have died on “it was the sense of sin, bringing the
Calvar y’s cross. Father’s wrath upon [Christ] as man’s sub-
In order to protect the reality of His death on stitute, that . . . broke the hear t of the Son
the cross, the pioneers felt they had to deny of God” and wrung from His lips the agoniz-
that Christ had preexistent divine immortality. ing cr y, “My God, my God, why hast thou for-
Ellen White plainly rejected this reasoning, saken me?” (ibid., pp. 753, 754).
explaining that when Jesus died on the cross, Thus she elevated the sacrifice of Christ far
“Deity did not die. Humanity died” (manuscript above mere human dying because it involved
131, 1897). Again she wrote, “Humanity died: the rending apart, “the temporary severing of
divinity did not die” (Youth’s Instructor, Aug. 4, the mysterious unity” of the Trinity (Erwin R.
H O WA R D S A N D E N
1898; both quotations are in The Seventh-day Gane, “The Arian or Anti-Trinitarian Views
Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1113). Presented in Seventh-day Adventist Literature
In explaining that only Christ’s humanity died, she in and the Ellen G. White Answer” [M.A. thesis, Andrews
no way minimized the divine component of Christ’s sacri- University, 1963], pp. 92, 95).
BY
fice on Calvar y. Christ’s deity did not die, but suffered While Christ’s deity could not perish, it suffered the infi-
I L L U S T R AT I O N
something far worse—the rending of the Trinity. “Christ nite ordeal of being separated from the Father, with whom
felt His unity with the Father broken up” (The Desire of He had been, until this, eternally one.
3
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, 17
Uriah Smith, Looking Unto Jesus (Battle
second generation of the pioneers and vol. 1, pp. 206, 207. Creek, Mich.: Review and Herald, 1898), p. 10;
many others after 1898 accepted the 4
While she strongly maintained the health Uriah Smith, Thoughts on the Book of Daniel and
doctrine of the Trinity as a further advantages of abstinence from pork, she consis- the Revelation (Battle Creek, Mich.: Review and
tently insisted that it was not a test of fellow- Herald, 1882), p. 487.
unfolding of the biblical truths that ship. Ibid., vol. 1, p. 206; manuscript 15, 1889 18
Uriah Smith, “In the Question Chair,”
the first pioneers had accepted. This (in Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, p. 173). Review and Herald, Mar. 23, 1897.
unfolding illustrates the divinely
5
Vegetarianism for Ellen G. White meant 19
M. L. Andreasen, “The Spirit of
not habitually using meat, not necessarily total Prophecy,” chapel address at Loma Linda,
ordained reason the pioneers were abstinence. Herbert Douglass, Messenger of the California, Nov. 30, 1948, quoted in Russell
reluctant to make official statements of Lord (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 1998), p. 316; Holt, “The Doctrine of the Trinity in the
doctrine and absolutely refused to vote A. L. White, Ellen G. White: The Australian Seventh-day Adventist Denomination: Its
Years (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald, Rejection and Acceptance” (term paper,
a creed—because they recognized 1983), vol. 4, p. 119. Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary,
there was more truth coming, and they 6
See, e.g., S. N. Haskell, The Bible Training 1969), p. 20.
didn’t want to hinder it by defining School (May 1903), vol. 1, p. 186; Ron Graybill, 20
Gane, p. 55.
“The Development of Adventist Thinking on 21
Roger W. Coon, “The ‘Organization’
their beliefs too rigidly. Clean and Unclean Meats” (Washington, D.C.: Message, Final 20 Years” (lecture outline,
Seventh-day Adventists still hold Ellen G. White Estate, 1981). Writings of E. G. White, Andrews University,
to that principle. Even though they
7
Seventh-day Adventists numbered about Mar. 5, 1996).
3,500 in 1863, 75,000 in 1898, and 10.3 million 22
Some older sources give June 6, because
voted in 1980 a Statement of Funda- in 1999. the vision was given on a Friday night (June 5)
mental Beliefs, they still maintain that 8
Gane, p. 109. after sundown, hence by sundown reckoning was
the Bible is their only creed. The
9
See also Seventh-day Adventists Believe part of Sabbath, June 6, 1863.
(Washington, D.C.: Ministerial Association, 23
R. F. Cottrell, “The Doctrine of the
Fundamental Beliefs can and will be General Conference of SDA, 1988), pp. 22-25. Trinity,” Review and Herald, June 1, 1869.
refined as further insights clarify old 10
Seventh-day Adventists Believe, p. 23.
truths or as new situations necessitate
11
Gane, p. 67.
12
Ibid., pp. 9, 104.
new explanations to the world of what 13
Ibid., p. 3.
the Bible teaches and what Seventh- 14
J. N. Loughborough, “Questions for
day Adventists believe. ■ Brother Loughborough,” Review and Herald,
Nov. 5, 1861.
15
Gane, p. 105. Jerry Moon is associate pro-
1
D. T. Bourdeau, “We May Partake of the 16
J. H. Waggoner, The Atonement (Oakland, fessor of church history at the
Fullness of the Father and the Son,” Review and Calif.: Pacific Press, 1884), pp. 173-175. Uriah
Herald, Nov. 18, 1890. Seventh-day Adventist
Smith made a similar argument in Looking Unto
2
O.R.L. Crosier, “The Law of Moses,” Day- Jesus (Battle Creek, Mich.: Review and Herald, Theological Seminary in
Star Extra, Feb. 7, 1846. 1898), pp. 23, 24; in Gane, p. 29. Berrien Springs, Michigan.
D E V O T I O N A L
One Dog Telling

Another Dog
It shouldn’t be difficult to share good news
BY GERRY KARST
I
T WAS A CLEAR, CRISP FALL DAY IN CENTRAL of water, and we wiped the dog’s face and gave him a drink.
Alberta in 1973. Crops had been harvested, and bales He wagged his tail in thanks and appreciation, and with a
of new straw dotted the fields. Overhead, flocks of relieved look ran off. I continued my work.
Canada geese were making their way south for the Trying to get the job finished the next day, I noticed the
winter. Our mobile home had just been moved to a same dog come around the corner of the trailer again. But
new site in Penhold, where we were scheduled to hold evan- this time he didn’t come right over to me. He turned and
gelistic meetings for the Alberta Conference in the nearby ran back around the trailer, then reappeared a second time.
town of Olds. Because of the biting cold that comes with He did this several times, as though playing some game.
winter on the Canadian prairies, it was necessary to close in Then the reason for the unusual behavior became apparent,
the open area around the bottom of the mobile home with as a second dog followed the first one around the corner.
“skirting” to keep the cold air from chilling the floors and The first dog led the second over to where I was working.
freezing the water lines. And as I looked down, I noticed that the second dog had his
Working at installing the skirting, I noticed a rather large face full of porcupine quills. So once again I fetched my pair
sandy-colored dog come around the corner of the trailer. At of pliers. Once again I removed quills from the face and
first I paid no attention, until the dog came right over to me nose, from inside the mouth and under the chin. Once again
and pressed against my leg. It struck me as somewhat unus- we brought a bowl of water to do the cleanup job and offer a
ual, and the dog whimpered as though wanting to ask a drink. And once again the dogs wagged their tails in an
question. I looked down and noticed that his face was filled expression of thanks and went off once again to live a dog’s
with porcupine quills. life, devoid of quills.
I immediately fetched a pair of pliers and began pulling
quills out of the dog’s face. The dog was amazingly patient, even The Essence of Witnessing
though I was aware that there was considerable pain involved. The book of Second Kings relates an intriguing story.
Porcupine quills are designed to penetrate the flesh of an The Syrian army had laid siege to the city of Samaria, and
attacker easily. But because of a reverse barb on the tips, they the blockade had caused starvation for all inside. Four lepers
resist being pulled out. Occasionally a bit of blood would squirt (who were also beggars) sat by the city gate contemplating
out when the quills were removed. There were quills inside the their future. If they stayed inside the city, they reasoned,
roof of his mouth, quills in and around his nose. There were they’d surely die. So they decided to go to the camp of the
deeply buried quills in the loose soft skin of his neck. In all, I Syrians and beg for some food. If the Syrians did not have
removed more than 50 quills from that dog’s face. compassion on them, the worst that could happen was that
When the job was completed, my wife brought out a bowl they would be killed, so death would happen anyway.
But when they approached the another angle on witnessing. It’s one “Come unto me,” Jesus said, “all
camp of the Syrians, they were sur- dog telling another dog where to get help. you who are weary and burdened [with
prised to find the camp deserted, Because of sin, we have all been quills], and I will give you rest. Take
with all the supplies left behind. The painfully pierced by Satan’s quills. my yoke upon you and learn from me,
beggars couldn’t believe their good They are painful, they penetrate deeper for I am gentle and humble in heart,
fortune on finding such a windfall, and deeper with time, and we are help- and you will find rest for your souls.
and began gathering up gold, silver, less to remove them. Only Christ has For my yoke is easy and my burden is
food, and drink, and hiding it. Then the pliers necessary for the job. And light” (Matt. 11:28-30, NIV).
one of the beggars came to his senses. regardless of the pain, what a relief May we respond. And may we bring
“What we are doing is not right,” he when the quills come out! What a someone with us. ■
said. “This is a day of good news. relief when Jesus cleans us up and
RALPH BUTLER
Let’s go and tell it to the rest of the gives us a drink from the water of life!
people.” It’s good news when that happens, and
It’s from this ancient incident that the natural thing to do—which even Gerry Karst works in the
BY
we derive the classic definition of dogs are clever enough to under- office of the president of the
I L L U S T R AT I O N
evangelism as “one beggar telling stand—is to bring our quill-infested General Conference of
another beggar where to find food.” friends and neighbors to the one who Seventh-day Adventists in
And that day on the prairies I got yet can bring relief and cleansing. Silver Spring, Maryland.
O N T H E H O M E F R O N T
Hang On–
LESLIE KAY
It’ll Get Better

If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed the destructive inroads of my death-loving culture.
in darkness, . . . where then is my hope? Who can see any hope Wandering to the medicine cabinet, I grabbed the fistful
for me? Will it go down to the gates of death? Will we descend of Valium I knew I would find. As I slumped on the fluffy
together into the dust? (Job 17:13-16, NIV). toilet seat, I wondered if there were enough pills to do the
job, if I had enough “guts” to go through with it. I wondered
D
eath and darkness are rapidly settling upon this if anybody would care if I did.
earth. Courage and opti- Into these dark, satanically inspired
mism, once the express thoughts a new voice spoke, a calm,
domain of the young, are benevolent voice that pleaded with quiet
increasingly replaced by a authority. “Hang on,” it said simply. “It’ll
numbing, enervating hopelessness. For all get better—I promise.”
their unprecedented educational and Sensing that the voice could be trusted,
material advantages, most of these bright, I didn’t argue with it. I simply believed it.
promising young people are tragically ill- “OK,” I said aloud. “I’ll wait. But it has to
equipped to understand why. get better than this—and soon.”
A few months back my husband and I It didn’t get better soon. The habits and
chatted over lunch with two young men misconceptions of a lifetime didn’t fall away
who’d just moved from Saint Joseph, Missouri. overnight; the long tenacious tendrils of a
We asked the obvious question, “So what complex, Christless family legacy were not
brings you all the way to Kingman, Arizona?” quickly unraveled. But in time, it got just
“Warmer weather,” shrugged Kevin. enough better to keep me hoping that it
Mike had a different answer. “I wanted would get better still.
to get away from all the stuff that’s been happening there— And it keeps getting better. Blessings that a hopeless, alco-
like two of my best friends committing suicide within two holic, drug-abusing misfit once believed were extended only to
weeks of each other.” the favored and the few continue to shower down—blessings
“Suicide—within two weeks of each other?” Don and I of Christian family and friends; of peace and clarity of purpose;
asked in shocked unison. “Why?” of divinely instilled self-respect. Blessings of a glorious, invin-
“I don’t really know. Everything seemed fine. In fact, one cible “hope and a future” in Christ (Jer. 29:11, NIV).
of them had everything going for him. Just accepted into Even as death and darkness drape this world as with a bur-
the Navy Seals. Always a real straight arrow. But I guess he ial cloth, all may be assured by these words of Ellen White:
just felt like he couldn’t handle it anymore.” Mike shook his “Christ will never abandon those for whom He has died. We
head. “He was just 19.” may leave Him and be overwhelmed with temptation, but
Just 19. A promising young life; a child greatly beloved of Christ can never turn from one for whom He has paid the
God; a soul exhausted by secret torment, seeking permanent ransom of His own life” (Prophets and Kings, p. 176). PHOTO © PHOTODISC
relief. As I spooned and swallowed soup that had suddenly To any struggling, disheartened brother or sister, young or
turned tasteless, I remembered a day when I was just 18. old, I extend this encouragement: Don’t leave God’s loving
I’d come home from school to the usual empty house. Mom embrace. Don’t let go of hope. Let His wounded, capable
was at work; little brother, Patrick, at the baby-sitter’s. Dad and hands minister strength and healing to your trembling ones—
my stepmother, Faye, had moved to Arizona; my sisters were off and hang on. Though it takes time, it’ll get better.
raising families of their own. And in spite of the sunny south-
ern California afternoon, in spite of the comfort and security of
Leslie Kay lives in Chloride, Arizona, with her
my middle-class life, I couldn’t handle it anymore.
husband and two daughters.
I couldn’t handle the lovelessness and loneliness; the
fighting, the alcoholism, the bitter divorces and strained
remarriages. I couldn’t handle my addictive impulses and
ROSY TETZ
Win-Win
ave you ever seen monkeys grooming each other? One It makes sense for people to be nice to each other. In
H monkey sits still while the other monkey uses its fingers
to comb through the other one’s hair. A monkey’s fur is
wonderful for keeping warm; however, dirt gets trapped in it,
the beauty shop a worker who is nice has a better chance
of getting a tip. But there are lots of other reasons to be
nice. In every situation, when we get along, when we are
and fleas and other parasites think it’s a great place to live. friendly, when we help each other, everybody wins. It’s a
So monkeys help each other keep clean. win-win situation.
It’s what we call a win-win situation—both monkeys The Bible says, “Show respect for all people. Love the
benefit. The grooming monkey picks dirt and insects out of brothers and sisters of God’s family” (1 Peter 2:17, ICB).
the hair of the other monkey. And when it comes across a When you love and respect someone, there is a better
particularly luscious-looking louse, well, who can blame it chance that they will love and respect you. Win-win. But
for popping it into its mouth. After all, it deserves some even if they don’t, when you do there is still one winner.
reward for all its hard work. And that winner is you.
The monkey who is being groomed just sits there with its
eyes closed, a blissful look on its
face—unless, of course, it is a baby
monkey. Baby monkeys don’t
seem to enjoy it as much. The
look on their faces reminds me of
Family Time
the look you get on your face On Tuesday (or whatever day you like) gather your family
when your mother tries to comb together to worship God.
your hair. 8Act out at least two scenes of people showing respect to each
It makes sense for monkeys to
other, but don’t use any words in your play! What actions help to
help each other this way. It is eas-
ier for another monkey to groom show our respect for others? What actions are disrespectful?
those hard-to-reach places. 8Ask an adult at your family worship to tell you a story about a
Grooming spreads the group’s time when someone at church showed them great kindness and
scent around so it’s easier to know respect. How did they feel afterwards? Is that person a friend
who belongs. Also, grooming of theirs today?
helps maintain good relationships
8Read a story about Jesus treating His friends with kindness
among monkeys—it helps them
feel close to the others in their and respect: John 13:1-14. How do you think the disciples felt
PHOTO © PHOTODISC
group. Win-win. towards Jesus when He did this?

It’s nice that monkeys do this 8Sing a song with the others at your worship that talks about
for each other. It reminds me a being kind and thoughtful. Can’t think of one? Try this one (to
little bit of a beauty shop— the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”):
except for the part about the
“Jesus, by Your grace to me, I am loved and I am free;
bugs. When you get a haircut,
everyone is friendly. They ask Make me kind in all I do; May I point my friends to You;
you how you want your hair cut, Help me show Your special love, ‘Til we live with You above.”
and they do their best to make 8Pray that Jesus will give you His kind of love for everyone you
✃
you look great. It’s nice that peo- meet today.

ple do this for each other.
W O R L D N E W S & P E R S P E C T I V E S
Grieving for the “San”

B Y B I L L K N O T T, A N A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R O F T H E ADVENTIST REVIEW
New England Sanitarium in 1899
S
eventh-day Adventists in New prophet’s point: more than 800 patients trative control of the hospital.
England were thrown into were served in the first year at the new A new name for the hospital—Boston
consternation by the early site, and about 30 student Regional Medical Center—and a more
February announcement of the nurses were in training there.4 Drawing vigorous approach to community involve-
closing of Boston Regional on a much larger population in metropol- ment never fully succeeded in restoring
Medical Center, formerly New England itan Boston, the hospital became the hub either the hospital’s image or finances. By
Memorial Hospital (NEMH). Left of a growing Adventist community that late 1998 only three Adventist physicians
unclear was the future of both Greater over the decades came to include the continued to practice at the facility. When
Boston Academy, a 105-student day 195-bed hospital, the day academy, two a contracted sale with an Arizona-based
academy that has operated on the hospi- large congregations, and a sizable K-8 ele- doctors’ group fell through in January of
tal grounds since 1968, and the New mentary school. this year, the debt load of the hospital
England Memorial Hospital church, For more than 80 years a special rela- (now estimated at more than $52 million)
third-largest congregation in the tionship existed between the hospital and became impossible to sustain. Admini-
Southern New England Conference, also its old site in South Lancaster, location of strators announced that the hospital had
adjacent to the hospital. the Atlantic Union Conference office, the filed for bankruptcy protection on February
A special irony also attended the college, and the Southern New England 3, and transferred the last patients to other
February 6 closing: it was almost 100 Conference office. Hundreds of nursing facilities within a week.
years to the week since the beginning of students through the years di-vided their Church leaders in the Southern New
the church’s preeminent medical facility education between Atlantic Union England Conference and the Atlantic
in the Northeast. A January 24, 1899, College and the clinical training available Union have expressed deep regret over
announcement in the Advent Review and at the hospital. Many of these found per- the layoffs of hundreds of hospital
Sabbath Herald (now the Adventist manent employment at the employees and the economic impact on
Review) launched the New England hospital: dozens even made the daily com- the surrounding communities. The New
Sanitarium in South Lancaster, mute in carpools or vans. College students England Memorial Hospital church has
Massachusetts, on the campus of South found summer employment in many hospi- also set up a program to aid congregation-
Lancaster Academy (now Atlantic tal departments as clerks, custodians, and al members who have lost jobs because of
Union College). Within two years the communication assistants. the shutdown.
flourishing sanitarium welcomed 502 New England Adventists seemed hap- Though plans had been made as part of
patients in one calendar year from 22 piest with the hospital when they sensed the proposed sale to transfer title to the
states, several Canadian provinces, and its close ties to the rest of the church’s academy and local church properties to
the island of Jamaica.1 mission in the region. Frictions between denominational hands, the process was not
By 1902 the property on which the constituents and the hospital administra- completed at the time of the closing.
sanitarium stood had been purchased by a tion grew when the hospital joined a Protracted bankruptcy proceedings leading
wealthy local family offended at the sight network of Adventist health-care facili- to the sale of the hospital’s property may
of sick people and wheelchairs on the ties known as Adventist Health allow both the academy and church prop-
front lawn.2 The building was dismantled System/North in the early 1980s. While erties to be separated. ■
and moved about 40 miles east to apparently offering advantages in admin-
Stoneham, Massachusetts. The last istration and purchasing, the system
1
Myron Wehtje, And There Was Light: A
History of South Lancaster Academy, Lancaster Junior
patients were transferred to the new loca- obligated NEMH for system debt deemed College, and Atlantic Union College (South
tion in October 1902. When Ellen White intolerable by many church members. A Lancaster, Mass.: Atlantic Press, 1982), vol. 1
visited the reconstructed facility a few dramatic 1985 Southern New England (1882-1928), p. 140.
2
Ibid.
days later, she remarked that the move constituency session action even urged 3
Ellen White, Special Testimonies, Series B,
was “in God’s providence.” 3 that AHS/North “cease and desist” in No. 13, p. 3.
Healthy numbers seemed to prove the attempts to gain financial and adminis- 4
Wehtje, p. 141.
Stoneham hospital closes, ing those in obstetrics, will be discharged before the hospital
shuts down. Those who need longer hospitalization will be
patients discharged relocated to nearby facilities, Leccese said.
The hospital, which stopped accepting patients on
BY ALEX PHAM and DOLORES KONG, S TA F F W R I T E R S
January 22, had recently begun rescheduling surgeries that
FOR THE BOSTON Globe
would require long stays, and patients who arrived at the
emergency room were treated and released, or transferred to
The following article, first published on February 4, is other hospitals, according to the Associated Press.
reprinted courtesy of the Boston Globe. For months the hospital has been unsuccessfully searching
On February 3, officials at Boston Regional Medical for a buyer or financial backer. In 1997 Doctors Community
Center in Stoneham, Massachusetts, announced to employ- Healthcare Corporation of Phoenix, Arizona, signed a letter of
ees plans to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and intent to acquire the hospital, but the deal was never finalized.
close the hospital, according to sources who attended the Since then the hospital has been steadily losing money.
evening meeting. The hospital subsequently closed its doors The hospital, which was founded by the Seventh-day
on February 6. Adventist Church in 1899, has a full-time staff of 600 and a
The closure was confirmed by officials at the state part-time staff of about 290, according to Chris Hawrylak,
Department of Public Health, the agency that will oversee spokesperson for the hospital.
the shutdown of the 195-bed medical center. Hospital offi- Hawrylak told the AP that Boston Regional had lost $7.8
cials did not return numerous calls yesterday seeking com- million in the fiscal year ended September 1997.
ment. Hospital officials have blamed their financial woes on
The hospital had 39 overnight patients on February 4, declining reimbursement from managed care insurers and
according to Mark Leccese, spokesperson for the Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the
Department of Public Health. Many of the patients, includ- elderly and disabled. But industry observers also note that
N E W S B R E A K
New Ellen G. White Center cational institutions. Besides the research offices there are
Opens at Oakwood College 11 White Estate research centers around the world.
The Oakwood branch features a complete file of
n Sabbath, March 20, dedication and ribbon-cutting White Estate documents, a question-and-answer file, a
O services were held at Oakwood College in
Huntsville, Alabama, for the college’s new Ellen G.
subject file, and three full sets of printed materials. Three
computers and three microfilm readers serve branch users.
White Estate Branch Office. Oakwood joins Andrews The E. G. White CD is available on computer, and a new
and Loma Linda universities as the third Seventh-day CD containing unreleased materials is expected soon.
Adventist institution of higher learning to house a Researchers have access to the Morning Star Room, a
branch of the White Estate. beautifully appointed reading room featuring photographs
Located in the Eva B. Dykes Library, the new unit is from the turn of the century.
headed by Craig Newborn and promises to be an intellec- According to Newborn, the White Estate expects “active
tual and faith-building resource for students and staff of the promotion
college and interested persons in the community, says Tim of Ellen
Allston, the college’s public relations director. White mate-
The dedication featured several guests from the Ellen G. rials,” which,
White Estate based at the Adventist Church’s world head- he adds,
quarters, including Juan Carlos Viera, White Estate director. “can be best
In his remarks Oakwood president Delbert W. Baker accom-
indicated that with the opening of the present office, the plished by
four regions of the United States will have access to a engaging
White Estate branch—Loma Linda University in the people with
west, Andrews University in the north, the General Juan Carlos and Alicia Viera (left), Craig and the writings,
Conference in the east, and Oakwood in the south. The Janis Newborn (center), Delbert and Susan teaching
White Estate has now located a branch on the campus of Baker (right), visit the Morning Star room in them how
three of the four General Conference-administered edu- the E. G. White Branch Office. to read con-
Boston Regional is located in an area congested with hospi- Historical Note

tals. Rivals within a 10-mile radius of Boston Regional
include Winchester Hospital, Malden Hospital, Melrose- 141 Years Ago . . . A Reader Responds
Wakefield Hospital, Lawrence Memorial Hospital in A poignant letter from a faithful Review reader in the first
Medford, and Lahey Clinic in Burlington. years of the journal well illustrates the lifeline that the maga-
Hard economics have slowly pared the number of hospi- zine has been to six generations of Seventh-day Adventists.
tals in Massachusetts. The closure of Boston Regional “Permit a lonely one in the far West to speak through
would leave 83 acute care hospitals in the state, according the columns of the Review to the scattered flock,” wrote
to Leccese. Ten years ago there were 105 hospitals in the Lucinda Dawson from Rockford, Iowa, in the July 8, 1858,
state, he said. edition. (Iowa was then on the western edge of the settled
United States, and had been a state for only 11 years.) “It
has been nearly six years since I embraced the Sabbath and
other truths connected therewith.”
While not at all regretting her choices, Sister Dawson
wrote that she might be able to sympathize with other
Adventists who felt isolated and cut off from other believers.
“I have not seen any of like precious faith (with the exception
of my father) for the last eighteen months,” she wrote. “And
yet we are not alone, for God is with us by His Holy Spirit.”
In some regions of the world Seventh-day Adventists
still find themselves without fellow believers from whom to
draw strength. (See the April 8, 1999, cover story, “One.”)
Boston Regional Medical Center For 150 years the Adventist Review has always been mindful
that it is all the church some of its readers ever get.
N E W S B R E A K
structively, and helping them to apply these principles to life Libya, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. The report cites a num-
today.” Newborn adds: “A voice that is so obviously from a ber of other countries for violations of religious liberty
different era runs the risk of losing relevancy. How to read rights and restrictive laws.
something written so long ago and find a blessing in it “The reason for this report is to highlight the differ-
today—that is our underlying challenge.” ent trends in the area of religious freedom around the
world,” says John Graz, General Conference Public
General Conference Releases World Religious Affairs and Religious Liberty director. “A number of
Freedom Report countries give cause for great concern, and in producing
this report we want to call attention to the different
The Seventh-day Adventist Church released its pre- problems faced by those whose religion is not that of the
liminary dossier on religious freedom around the world. majority. We are committed to religious freedom as a
The report, issued March 4, places the nations of the basic human right, guaranteed by Article 18 of the
world in one of five categories related to the experience United Nations human rights declaration.”
of the Adventist Church, ranging from “religious free- Copies of the final report are available from the Public
dom for all” through “restrictive legislation” to “no Affairs and Religious Liberty Department, Seventh-day
religious freedom.” Adventist World Church Headquarters, 12501 Old
“In the main, persecution comes from religious extrem- Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6600,
ists,” says the report. “Other sources are governments and USA.—Adventist News Network.
governmental institutions. Persecution has been particu-
larly violent in India, Indonesia, Iran, Myanmar (Burma), Florida Hospital Gala Raises $475,000
Pakistan, and Sudan, where the chief religions are
Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. But Christians are not Florida Hospital’s annual Golden Gala weekend net-
the only people being persecuted, because intolerance ted $475,000 for two strategic hospital programs, reports
does not stop at any religious boundary.” Mary Ann Giordano, special events director.
Among the countries listed as the worst offenders The funds raised will be used for Florida Children’s
against religious freedom are Mauritania, Afghanistan, Hospital and Florida Hospital Shares, a mission out-
A Violent Planet
BY VICTOR BROWN, ADMISSIONS AND M A R K E T I N G V I C E P R E S I D E N T, WA L L A WA L L A C O L L E G E
thnic fighting in Kosovo and the NATO bombing guns will need to be great, because the Kosovo Liberation
E of Yugoslavia (Serbia) have dominated the news.

The Kosovar Albanians want freedom or at least
autonomy from Serbia. The Serbs want to retain control
Army (KLA) is outnumbered four to one and greatly out-
gunned as well.
It appears that all sides believe in the same thing.
over the Kosovo region. The NATO powers want peace NATO is willing to bomb Serbia into submission. Serbia
for everyone. Because the three parties were unable to will continue to “cleanse” Kosovo, and the KLA is willing
come to any peaceful conclusion, they started fighting. to fight to the last person.
A recent article about the Kosovo Where there is no trust in God, in
rebel fighters reveals what effect the N E W S C O M M E N TA R Y what else can they trust? As I listen to
years of strife have had on them. They the news from Kosovo, I keep thinking
say that they do not believe in words or peace treaties. of Psalm 20:7: “Some trust in chariots and some in
They don’t think there can be any lasting peace between horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”
them and the Serbs without fighting, so peace talks are (NIV). There is so much that divides—ethnicity, culture,
worthless. So what do they believe in? The fighters say, politics. We need to pray for the believers in the region
with shells exploding in the background, “We believe in and that all sides in this fighting will learn to trust in
our guns.” The article points out that this belief in their God—not guns.
N E W S B R E A K
reach program in which volunteer doctors travel to Texas doubled its membership rolls, reports Linda
developing countries and conduct surgeries and other Duncan Julie, correspondent for the Southwestern
medical treatments. Union Record.
The gala program included a pro-am golf tournament Some of the visitors drove as far as 85 miles to hear
and a concert by the nationally known keyboard artist John evangelist Steve Delong. Some arrived as much as an
Tesh. Giordano says that next year’s event will be used to hour early just to make sure that they got a front-row
establish a standing endowment for the children’s hospital. seat. Each night gift books were given to those who
brought the most guests to the meeting. One night a
Texas Congregation Doubles Membership woman brought 12 guests, Julie says. At the end the
meetings the 103-member church welcomed 108 new
As a result of an eight-week Amazing Facts Prophecy members into the congregation. Besides the baptisms,
Seminar, the Abilene Seventh-day Adventist Church in four weddings were performed and one new member was
able to quit a 15-year smoking habit.
Because of limited space, the church has initiated
plans to secure a new church building. “We hope to have
a new church within the next six to eight months,” says
Pastor Rodel Liwanag.
What’s Upcoming
Apr. 24 Christian Education Day

May 1 Community Services Evangelism
May 6 National Day of Prayer
May 8 Disaster and Famine Relief Offering
May 22 Global Baptism
New members of Abilene Seventh-day Adentist Church.
June 5 Bible Correspondence School Emphasis
C L I F F O R D G O L D S T E I N
The Forms of Truth
F
our centuries before Christ, the Greek philosopher that nullify the seventh-day Sabbath? Does the validity of
Plato expounded the doctrine of the forms—change- that truth depend, in any way, on how many people keep it or
less, eternal, and nonmaterial essences or patterns the quality of their obedience? Even more important, is that
that are poorly reflected by truth in any way implicated by the
the things of this world. moral character of those who keep it?
The circles and triangles we see, he
taught, are merely copies of the per- The forms we see If Hitler had been a Sabbathkeeper,
would that invalidate the Sabbath
fect circle and the perfect triangle. truth? Of course not.
Even the beautiful—from music to
colors—are beautiful only because
are merely copies If Christ entered the Second
Apartment of the heavenly sanctuary
they share in the form of beauty.
According to Plato, we are like
of the perfect. in 1844 to begin the pre-Advent
judgment, then all the books, tapes,
people who have always been articles, and sermons written or
chained to face a wall inside a cave; preached against it don’t change that
the only reality we see is shadows on the wall cast from reality. Even if the Seventh-day Adventist Church were (as
objects outside in the sunlight. In order to see the real and some within our ranks wish) to utterly disassociate itself from
perfect world, the world of the forms, we have to turn away that belief, it would make no difference, at least to the truth
from the wall and step into the light itself. For Plato, this itself. That truth, or any other truth in Christ, can no more
could be done only through education. be changed, weakened, or nullified by human actions than
Though many people (including his famous student can a unanimous vote by a General Conference session that
Aristotle) have criticized Plato’s metaphysics, and though the sun not rise keep the sun from rising.
Plato never quite explained where these perfect forms existed We must distinguish the message from the messengers.
(the “mind of God,” perhaps?), the theory of forms presents a The truths we believe are perfect truths, even if we under-
powerful analogy regarding Christ and His church. The stand and proclaim them imperfectly. Even more important,
absolute perfection that supposedly existed in the forms the truths we have as Seventh-day Adventists remain that
exists, instead, in Jesus, the literal embodiment of perfection. way, whatever we as individual Seventh-day Adventists do
And, as a church, we are to reflect that perfection. That we or even what the church as a whole does.
don’t, of course, is understood; that our failure does not take All who are members of this church at some point have to
away from Christ’s perfection and the perfect truth that ask themselves a crucial question: Why am I a Seventh-day
comes from Him should, indeed, be even more understood. Adventist? Answers such as Because the people are loving or
No matter how many blunders we as a church commit, no Because I was raised that way or Because I like the food aren’t
matter how many errors the local conference or even the General good enough. What first drew you here doesn’t matter (maybe
Conference itself makes, the truth in Christ remains unaltered. In it was the food); what matters is why you remain. Anything
the same sense that Plato’s world of the forms stayed unaffected short of a Holy Spirit-inspired conviction—born out of
by the world’s faulty reflections of it, the truth that Christ has prayer, obedience, and study of the Word—that we have been
given this church remains unaffected by the faulty manner in given sacred eternal truths that no one else is preaching will
which the church attempts to live and teach that truth. leave you staring only at the cave wall, while the light of
American poet Walt Whitman once wrote, “Only what truth shines brightly outside your view.
proves itself to every man and woman is so, /Only what
nobody denies is so.” More erroneous words could have
Clifford Goldstein is the newly appointed editor of
never been penned. What is so is so—regardless of what any
the Adult Sabbath School Bible Reading
man or woman believes or denies.
Guides.
What do I mean? If, for example, every seventh-day
Sabbathkeeper in the world started keeping Sunday, would
H E R I T A G E
A World to Win
Adventist women’s ministries enters its second century
BY BILL KNOTT
B
Y THE TIME ANY INSTITUTION REACHES Adventist women just now that’s destined to play a huge part
its 100th anniversary, we usually know what to in the accomplishment of the church’s worldwide mission.”
expect. For a denomination in which seven out of every 10 mem-
Lavish celebrations often attend an otherwise bers are female, the Seventh-day Adventist Church hasn’t
embarrassing festival of centennial self-congratula- always given high priority to the public ministries of women,
tion. Archives are ransacked for curious memorabilia: we gawk at least as reflected in its allocation of resources and leader-
at photos modeling street clothes we would never wear and ship structure. The brilliant and brief ministry of Sarepta
cars we would love to drive. Leaders insist in loud declarations Myrenda Irish Henry in the late 1890s officially launched
that they are still building on the foundation of the past. the young denomination’s program of “woman ministry,” but
But when the loose-knit federation of hundreds of mis- her untimely death in 1900 and the passing of Ellen White
sion groups known as women’s ministries crossed that mile- 15 years later dramatically slowed the momentum toward
stone in 1998, the parties were few and far between. There female-focused ministries.
simply wasn’t time. Both S. M. I. Henry and Ellen White had been well-known
For hundreds of thousands of Seventh-day Adventist public personalties vigorously involved in the anti-liquor cam-
women in more than 190 countries, the celebration they paigns of the era (Mrs. Henry had been a national evangelist
have their eyes on is still in the future. With limited funding for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union before her
and little of the official church support accorded their fully 1896 conversion to Seventh-day Adventism). Their many
employed brothers, Adventist women are leading the church books, pamphlets, and articles helped focus deserved attention
into a new century of lay evangelism, member reclamation, on the Holy Spirit’s gifts to women members of the church.
and baptismal growth. “Every woman who knows her sins are forgiven, and that
What they are accomplishing for the spread of the gospel she is a child of God, has a special part in this last message of
is nothing short of amazing: nearly 40,000 converts won by mercy,” Sarepta Henry wrote in an 1899 pamphlet, encour-
women in 19971 and another 9,000 lapsed Seventh-day aged by the active support of Ellen White. “This woman-
Adventists reclaimed for active membership—and the work ministry is the very core, the vital point of the gospel mes-
is just being organized in many areas! sage. That message cannot go without the women of the
Additionally, more than a half million Adventist women church. This fact must be appreciated by both men and
each year find inspiration and training at 8,500 retreats and women alike. Our brethren must have a solemn, earnest con-
nearly 13,000 training seminars. Far from being only intro- viction of this truth, or they will hinder that which if hin-
spective nurture events, many of these experiences are equip- dered will bring irretrievable loss. Any who do not receive
ping women attendees for frontline ministries that include the spirit of discernment will soon begin to try to “tinker”
lay preaching, evangelism, personal witnessing, and commu- that which God will commit to the interference of no man.” 2
nity needs-based programs. Church leaders in many regions In 1900 Adventist women also figured prominently in the
have belatedly realized how effective women can be in open- church’s leadership structure: nearly one third of the denom-
ing new regions and people groups for the church’s message, ination’s 42 conferences elected women as their second-
and are now integrating women-based ministries into their ranking officers.3 Six conferences had female treasurers. The
strategic plans. active involvement of women in the church’s leadership
“Woman-to-woman ministry is hardly a new and radical kept women’s gifts and ministries in full view of the church.
idea,” says Ardis Stenbakken, director of the Women’s A groundswell of enthusiasm for specifically woman-to-
Ministries Department at the church’s world headquarters. woman ministry was reflected in the church’s journals,
“But it’s an idea whose time has clearly come. There’s an irre- including the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald (now the
pressible energy and enthusiasm moving among millions of Adventist Review), which instituted a weekly Home column.
Within a few years of Ellen White’s that can break down cultural and reli- women. These women can’t read the
death in 1915, however, “women’s gious prejudice against the gospel. instructions on a medicine bottle, fill
ministries” began to be defined in After more than 60 years without out an employment form, or read the
increasingly domestic and less public such a ministry, the church’s North directions for a household cleaner.
ways. Published articles focused on the American Division in 1989 opened an They can’t read a Sabbath school les-
important roles of married women as Office of Women’s Ministries. By 1990, son to a child or the Bible. They have
homemakers and mothers: leadership leaders at the General Conference to get their gospel—their good news—
roles, public evangelism, and lay pas- Committee’s Annual Council were from someone else.”
toring ready to Other priorities on the department’s
received mini- reestablish an agenda include sponsoring abuse preven-
mal attention. Office of tion and recovery programs; economic
Women virtu- Women’s uplift for women in partnership with
ally ceased Ministries for organizations like ADRA (the Adventist
being elected the world Development and Relief Agency);
to major church. Five addressing women’s health risks for
denomina- years later at breast and uterine cancer; promoting
tional leader- the Utrecht more equitable workloads for women,
ship roles. especially in devel-
Though hun- oping nations; and
dreds of providing mentor-
Adventist ing and leadership
women served training.
the church as “A century
Bible instruc- ago Ellen White
tors, church wrote to encour-
school teach- age Sarepta
ers, medical Henry in her
personnel, and work,”
literature Stenbakken con-
evangelists, cludes. “Her
most did so in Left: Sarepta Myrenda Irish Henry; admonition is
supporting inset: Ardis Stenbakken still our charge:
roles for tradi- ‘Teach our sisters
tional efforts to reach the general pop- General Conference session, a that every day the question is to be,
ulation, rather than specifically female Department of Women’s Ministries Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do
audiences. was created, bringing the process full this day?’ ” 4 As women prayerfully ask
Not until the early 1980s did the circle in 97 years. that question, they’re uniting the
church again witness the emergence of “Our focus is not on what wasn’t church’s greatest human resource—
female-led ministries designed to reach done before now,” adds Ardis themselves—to the unlimited energy
out to other women in both the Stenbakken. “We have to be about and gifting of the Holy Spirit. From
church and the society. In North empowering women in each Adventist that connection, only good things can
America, cultural change and a congregation around the world to do emerge for both the church and the
renewed emphasis on the biblical doc- the work the Spirit is calling them to world.” ■
trine of spiritual gifts created opportu- do right now. Working woman-to-
nities for a rapidly expanding women’s woman within a specific culture is ever The most recent year for which complete
1
figures are available.

retreat ministry in which more than so much more effective than the most Sarepta Myrenda Irish Henry, A Woman
2
25,000 Canadian and U.S. women well-intentioned program we could Ministry, or The Gospel in the Home (Battle Creek,
now annually participate. provide from somewhere else.” Mich.: Review and Herald Pub. Co.), p. 40.
General Conference Bulletin, 1899-1900.
3
In other world divisions of the “One critical issue affecting women Ellen White to Mrs. S.M.I. Henry, March
4
church, gifted women moved with that we’re committed to facing is the 24, 1899, in Advent Review and Sabbath Herald,
Spirit-inspired speed to serve as lay pas- global problem of illiteracy,” she adds. May 9, 1899.
tors, evangelists, Bible discussion group “Best estimates indicate that more
leaders, health ministries coordinators, than 1 billion adults worldwide can’t Bill Knott is an associate
and humanitarian aid directors. By so read, including surprisingly large num- editor of the Adventist
doing, they helped fulfill Sarepta Henry’s bers of people in ‘developed’ countries. Review.
vision of a woman-to-woman ministry Of these, nearly three quarters are
I T S E E M S T O M E
Oxygen, Ice,
R. LYNN SAULS
and Grapefruit
G
od is a mystery. We cannot see Him. We most vital to their very existence. If separated from it, we
cannot directly experience Him through our can lose consciousness in five minutes, experience brain
senses. damage in eight minutes, and die in 15 minutes. Yet
The natural world, humans did not know about it
which we can see, until 200 years ago.
hear, smell, taste, and feel, is also a This is not too surprising when
mystery. we realize that oxygen cannot be
From our Florida room (sun-
porch or lanai) we can see two The natural world directly perceived through the
senses. We cannot see it or smell it
large grapefruit trees. The limbs of or taste it. Only when it is isolated
one droop toward the ground, is a mystery. can we weigh it. We know of its
each fall weighed down with pink existence mainly through what it
fruit; the limbs of the other, with does when it combines with other
golden fruit. If the fruit is picked, elements. When it combines with
it won’t keep as well as when left iron, it forms rust. When it com-
on the tree. At room temperature it will keep only for a bines with combustible material, it makes fire. When it
week or so before it begins to shrivel and decompose. If it combines with red blood cells in the human body, it
is stored in the refrigerator crisper, it will keep for a keeps us alive.
month before losing its flavor. But if it is left on the tree, We are also surrounded this moment by God’s presence,
it will keep fresh and sweet for a number of months; the and have been all our lives. He is around us, seeking
pink from November through May, the one with the entrance into our hearts. If we allow Him, He becomes part
lighter flesh through June—even in 90-degree heat. A of us. If we are separated from Him by doubt, neglect, or
biologist could explain how this works, but why it works waywardness, our lives become chaotic, we experience loss
this way is a mystery. And a welcome one. of vision, and the very meaning of existence perishes.
Ice, it seems to me, is the best example of the mysteries Though God is everywhere, often we do not discern
of the natural world. Nearly everything in its solid state is Him. We cannot see Him any more than we can see oxy-
heavier than in its liquid state. Water is an exception: ice gen. We cannot directly experience His presence through
floats. And it’s a good thing; otherwise it would form on the our senses. But He brings us again and again to discover
bottoms of lakes, ponds, and larger bodies of water and in Him. We see Him in His works. We see His concern for us
one winter destroy the plant and animal life there. The in the floating ice on a New England pond. In silence we
warmth of spring and summer would be insufficient to melt hear Him knock upon the doors of our hearts. We hear
that ice, insulated as it would be from the sun’s rays. Him call as we discern the needs of others and realize that
In a few years the lakes and rivers of much of the world as we serve them, we serve Him. The Word becomes flesh
would be frozen solid. A few more years and the globe would and dwells among us. He helps us know and demonstrate
be a mass of ice. Nearly everything in its solid state is heav- that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand
ier than in its liquid state. But ice floats. Is not a powerful, are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11).
intelligent, loving God the answer to this mystery? So it seems to me.
But how to accept the mystery of a God we cannot see?
Consider oxygen, one of the most abundant elements on
earth. It is the substance most vital to life on this planet.
R. Lynn Sauls has taught English and journalism on
But in spite of its abundance and importance, it was
the college and university level before retiring to
unknown until 200 years ago, when Joseph Priestley, an
Naples, Florida, with his wife, Helen.
English scientist, demonstrated its existence.
Until then humans had been unaware of the substance
GARBUTT-PARRALES, Ernestina College of Medical Evangelists (now Loma
Florencia—b. Jan. 19, 1936, Stann Creek, Linda University) and served with his wife as a
Belize; d. Nov. 24, 1998. She served in the medical missionary in Jerusalem, Iraq, Libya, and
church as an educator, teaching academy and Pakistan. He returned to the United States and
college. In the early sixties she was diagnosed practiced in Chehalis, Washington, until his
with scleroderma and spent the rest of her life retirement in 1976, after which he served over-
dealing with this progressive disease. She was a seas as a relief physician. He is survived by his
professor of Spanish in the Department of wife, Anna; four sons, Robert, James, Paul, and
Modern Languages at La Sierra University and Richard; one brother, John; 10 grandchildren;
conducted summer classes in Spain. and three great-grandchildren.
GLADDEN, Ralph Theodore—b. May 21, KEYMER, Charles—b. Oct. 7, 1922, St.
1903, Omaha, Nebr.; d. Oct. 14, 1998, Gaston, Louis, Mo.; d. Dec. 14, 1998, West Jordan, Utah.
Oreg. He served in the church as a pastor and He served in the church for 42 years as a pastor,
conference leader in Oregon, Idaho, and singing evangelist, and administrator. He was the
At Rest Montana; and as a retired worker for two years
in Irian Jaya. He is survived by his wife,
Michigan Conference president for 14 years. He
is survived by his wife, Maxine; one son,
AMBS, Esther D.—b. Oct. 12, 1910, Virginia; three sons, Don, Ron, and Tom; one Michael; one brother, Lawrence; three grand-
Galesburg, Mich.; d. Dec. 5, 1998, Angwin, foster son, Steve Lescomec; two daughters, children; and one great-grandson.
Calif. A food service director and teacher at Esther Steffanson and Sharon Kelm; and many KNARR, Ronald C.—b. Nov. 18, 1939,
Forest Lake Academy, 1937 to 1940, she later grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great- Reading, Pa.; d. Nov. 15, 1998, Hamburg, Pa. He
became a home economics teacher serving four great-grandchildren. served in the church as an elementary school
years at Southwestern Junior College and 42 GONZALEZ, Rafael—d. Jan. 9, 1999, educator throughout the United States for 20
years at Pacific Union College. She is survived Panama. He was a nursing instructor at Bella years. He is survived by his mother, Virginia
by one sister, Louise. Vista Academy and later at Montemorelos Knarr; three daughters, Jody, Cheryl, and Jill;
BECK, Reuben—b. Nov. 3, 1921, Medina, University. He died while swimming in the and one grandson.
N.Dak.; d. Nov. 16, 1998, Springville, Utah. He ocean after making a successful effort to save one LANGE, Sylvia Ethel—b. Sept. 13, 1897,
served as a manager in Book and Bible houses in of his nephews. He is survived by his wife and South Dakota; d. Sept. 15, 1998, Candler, N.C.
Nebraska and Ohio and later was the treasurer three children. She began her service as a teacher in Oregon.
of the North Dakota Conference. He retired in GROW, Julia Muir—b. Feb. 17, 1906; d. Feb. After her marriage to Oliver Lange they went to
1992 after 40 years of service. He is survived by 24, 1999, California. She was an educator and India as missionaries in 1930 and stayed nearly
his wife, Mabel; one son, Robert; one daughter, founder-president and director of Cave Springs 50 years. She is survived by four daughters,
Donna Jean Bullock; three brothers, John, Jake, Home for the Handicapped, Pegram, Tennessee, LoRita Erickson, Marcella Manley, Virginia
and Edwin; and one sister, Velma McGruder. the only school of its kind operated by Seventh- Erickson, and Marjorie Bankhead; 15 grandchil-
BRECHER, Lila—b. Sept. 30, 1910, Selma day Adventists, and where she served from 1956 dren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-
Township, Mich.; d. Oct. 29, 1998, Berrien until her retirement in 1990. She is survived by great-grandchildren.
Springs, Mich. She served as a literature evange- one son-in-law, Charles DeArk; four grandchil- LAYLAND, Calvin H.—b. Oct. 31, 1919,
list for the Lake and Pacific union conferences. dren; four great-grandchildren; five step-great- Dallas, Tex.; d. Nov. 8, 1998, Chico, Calif. He
BURTON, Lois Lorena—b. June 10, 1910, grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren. served as a medical missionary in Ethiopia,
Van Zant County, Tex.; d. Jan. 26, 1999, HAINES, Clara—b. Oct. 10, 1903, Thailand, Taiwan, Borneo, South America, and
Stillwater, Okla. She served as a Bible instructor Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; d. Feb. 14, 1999, England.
and church school teacher in Oklahoma and Auburn, Calif. She served for many years in the MADSEN, Mabel L.—b. Dec. 11, 1912,
Texas. She is survived by her husband, James; Pacific Union as a literature evangelist. She is Casey, Iowa; d. Jan. 26, 1999, Harrah, Okla. She
two sons, Wilbur and Leal; six grandchildren; survived by two sons, Bob and John; one sister, served in the denomination for 42 years as a
and nine great-grandchildren. Retha Chambers; six grandchildren; and seven teacher in Iowa, Colorado, Tennessee, and
COON, Marjorie Cates—b. Nov. 11, 1923, great-grandchildren. Taiwan.
Minneapolis, Minn.; d. Dec. 24, 1998, Ocala, HIGGINS, Hervey Lee—d. Nov. 23, 1998, Mc HENRY, William Joshua—b. Feb. 17,
Fla. She served as a teacher in Tennessee with Altamonte Springs, Fla. He served in Haiti eight 1916, Pune, India; d. Jan. 11, 1999, Yakima,
her pastor-husband, Miles, who died in 1984. years in the seminary and later as an administra- Wash. Over a span of 43 years he and his wife
After retirement she taught in Korea and at tor. He also served in Cuba, Costa Rica, established hundreds of village schools in India
Shenandoah Valley Academy in Virginia. She Wisconsin, and Michigan. He is survived by his and trained teachers. He served as educational
also helped start a school in Russia. wife, Lenora; one daughter, Rita Andrus; one secretary for the Southern Asia Division. In the
DEMING, Robert C.—b. Feb. 22, 1922, stepdaughter, Tralece Burch; seven grandchil- 1950s he also taught five years at Mount Ellis
Crary, N.Dak.; d. Dec. 23, 1998, St. Helena, dren; and seven great-grandchildren. Academy in Montana. He is survived by his
Calif. A veteran of World War II, he served HILLEBERT, Joseph Arthur—b. Dec. 28, wife, Aimee; two daughters, Nola Aichele and
more than 36 years in Adventist education, 1915; d. Aug. 20, 1998, Hagerstown, Md. He Winetta Martin; one foster son, Farook Sait; his
from elementary to college level in California, served in the church for more than 25 years, first stepmother, Agnes Voelker; two brothers,
Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Kansas, and at the Review and Herald and then as a chauf- Winston and Milton; three adopted sisters,
Canada. He is survived by his wife, Mary; and feur for the General Conference. He is survived Carolyn Mund, June Williams, and Ruth
four sisters, Margaret Calkins, Doris Eigenberg, by his wife, Mildred; two sons, Joseph and Gary; Yacovetti; nine grandchildren; one stepgrand-
Ruth Roberts, and Marietta Deming. one brother, Paul; one sister, Ruth Thompson daughter; one foster grandson; six great-grand-
FAHL, Helen Wilmot—b. May 10, 1909, Corson; three grandchildren; and one great- children; and six step-great-grandchildren.
Laurium, Mich.; d. Apr. 4, 1998, Berthoud, grandchild. NYMAN, Marion—b. Apr. 24, 1908,
Colo. She served as a secretary in the Iowa, KARMY, Shukry Dibsy—b. Oct. 21, 1910, Frankfurt, Mich.; d. Nov. 1, 1998, Lodi, Calif.
Nebraska, and Colorado conferences. She is sur- Ain Karim, Palestine; d. May 19, 1998, Sun She served in the General Conference office
vived by three brothers, Richard, Robert, and City, Arizona. He began his service as a student before her retirement in 1975.
James; and three sisters, Mildred Coffin, Shirley literature evangelist in Peru, having immigrated
Warner, and Jean Gregerson. from Palestine. In 1942 he graduated from the
L I F E S T Y L E percent of the overall population of that area.” 2 Therefore,
with the world’s population at 5.9 billion, there are 5.9
million deaf people worldwide; 270,000 in the United
States (population 270 million).
Ninety-four percent of deaf people in this country are
Anything unchurched. Communication barriers and lack of awareness

are the biggest challenges in preparing the deaf “for the joy
of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider ser-
Is Possible
vice in the world to come.” 3
Heather Whitestone’s crowning as Miss America on
September 17, 1994, heightened public awareness of deaf-
ness. Heather lost all hearing in her right ear and 95 percent
The deaf population will remain in her left ear at 18 months.
Little did she realize when she was crowned Miss
largely unreached unless more America that her ability to communicate fluently with the
hearing world would “land her in a war over whether to
hearing people become involved. sign or speak.” 4 This conflict is a central consideration in
the education of deaf children and in introducing deaf peo-
ple to Christ.
Oralism
BY JOYCE RIGSBY Oralists contend that learning speech is the right of all deaf
children. They believe that, assisted by hearing aids, deaf
T
EARS STREAMED DOWN HER FACE AS people should learn to communicate through speech and
she said, “This child is destroying our whole fam- lipreading, “and that sign language will either distract deaf
ily.” Anna* was talking about her 2-year-old children from learning speech or, because it is easier to
grandchild, who was born deaf. I wondered how learn, kill what motivation deaf students have to learn
best to tell her that deafness is a difference to be speech.” 5
accepted and not a disease to be cured. That a deaf child can do Heather’s mother, Daphne, chose oralism for Heather when
anything a hearing child can–except hear. That anything is possi- she was a toddler. Little Heather was drilled on speech and
ble, but “everything deaf children learn they have to be taught.” 1 enunciation for hours and hours every day. It took her six years
to learn to say her last name and 18 years of speech therapy in
Awareness via Statistics all. Daphne chose what she felt in her heart was best.
“The deaf population of any given area approximates 0.1 This method necessitates that an authority figure enforce
learning. Heather is one of a small percent-
age who excelled using this method. Now
she says, “What works for me may not work
for others. . . . Every deaf person is
different.” 6
According to Time magazine, this
method was only sporadically successful,
and students learned American Sign
Language (ASL) on the sly.7 Therefore,
most schools for deaf persons no Resources sponsored by Adventist Deaf
longer practice pure oralism.
Ministries
Totalism
Totalists believe that learning sign Adventist Deaf Ministries (ADM): Thompson U. Kay is the director, assisted by
language is the right of all deaf children. David Trexler. ADM is organized for evangelism, preparation of materials, recogni-
“Only 5 or 10 percent of all children tion of the deaf, deaf awareness and leadership, and organization of deaf min-
born deaf ever develop intelligible istry. Contact: Adventist Deaf Ministries, P.O. Box 67276, Lincoln, NE 68506;
speech. . . . A skilled lip reader . . . is office location 1632 South 25th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Phone 402-477-3346
lucky if he can understand one fourth of (voice), 402-477-4538 (TTY). E-mail 74532.136@compuserve.com.
what is being said. ” 8
Lip reading, speech training, hear- North American Division Deaf Advisory Committee: Manuel Vasquez, vice presi-
ing aids, visual aids, and sign language dent for special ministries, is the chair, with representation from both union and
are all used to facilitate learning in conference levels. Approximately 50 percent of the committee members are deaf.
this approach. A deaf child knowing
sign language can communicate even New Adventist Deaf Ministries Website: http://www.deafadventist.org.
earlier than a hearing child can speak. Developed by volunteer Mike Dobson and an ADM committee, the site features
At 16 months Ben Fletcher had family life, health, spiritual, and deaf ministry. Videos, brochures, newsletters,
hearing aids that he regarded more as Bible study guides, coloring books, Sabbath School lessons, and workshop
pull-apart toys than equipment to help schedules are available. Camp meetings, Deaf Lay Ministry Enrichment
him hear. The Fletchers realized that Seminars, and Deaf Awareness Seminar schedules are also available.
Ben needed a language immediately so
he “would then have a tool with Canadian Deaf Ministries Website: www.tagnet.org/deafministry. John Blake is
which he could continue to learn coordinator of the Alberta Conference Deaf Ministries. He and his wife, Alberta,
throughout his school career and from also coordinate Adventist deaf ministries in Canada and produce a newsletter.
which he could progress to learning
English as a second language, written For a free Adventist Deaf Online Newsletter: Contact jim@hovco.com.
and, if he proved to be an ‘oral’ child,
spoken as well.” 9
They followed their hearts, and Through the years a
Lorraine wrote, “We have to sign; we number of Seventh-day
have no choice. Not to sign would be Adventist families have
to deprive Ben of the possibility of faced the challenge of
normal development, to waste the educating their deaf
enormous potential for learning children. John and
offered by the preschool years.” 10 Ben Alberta Blake, from
was introduced to the deaf community, Alberta, Canada, told
JOEL D. SPRINGER
and the whole family learned British me how they balanced

Sign Language (BSL). the “sign versus speak”
Unless there is a deaf child in the controversy that is cen-
family, most people do not consider tral to educating a deaf
BY
PHOTOS
the difficulties inherent in educating child.

someone who has no language. John was pastoring a
Resources for Seventh-day Adventist church in but may be the only way for the deaf
Canada when 3-month-old Judy, their child to have friends.
Hearing-impaired: second child, became deaf following a Unless more hearing people in the
severe case of chicken pox. The couple church and society choose to learn
TTY—Teletypewriter is a machine realized some of the implications sign language, the deaf population will
with a typewriter keyboard. When involved in educating Judy and knew remain largely unreached for Christ. I
one key is struck, it activates a sim- that the Seventh-day Adventist school have yet to meet anyone who regrets
ilar key on a machine on the other system had no provision for deaf chil- learning sign language. And yet I have
end and a message is typed out. dren. (Sadly, this situation has not met many parents who are belatedly
TDD is the newer term. changed appreciably since Judy was born sorry they did not put forth the effort.
in 1970.) Anything is possible if we truly want
Alexander Graham Bell Association Alberta dreamed of taking special to reach deaf children and adults for
for the Deaf (advocate for the audito- training that would qualify her to Christ, both inside and outside our
ry-oral deaf community), 3417 Volta teach deaf children. She writes, “God church, in this country and in other
Place NW., Washington, D.C. 20007, worked through many miracles and we countries. Here are six ways to minister:
202-337-5220 (voice/TTY). Fax: 202- moved to the school for teachers of 1. Search for the deaf—deafness is
337-8314. deaf children. I took a new program invisible.
and we began a life of working with 2. Socialize with the deaf—they
Independently Merging Parent our children.” By then there were four can be very isolated.
Associations of California (IMPACT; children–two hearing girls, Judy, and a 3. Share Christ with them—94
organization of parents, teachers, and deaf boy they had adopted. percent are unchurched.
professionals serving hearing- During the next 14 years Alberta 4. Sign with them—this will bring
impaired children in California). worked with her deaf children as growth to you.
Contact: John Allmann, newsletter edi- teacher or interpreter. The most suc- 5. Show them the way to the
tor, 14181 Chagall Ave., Irvine, CA. cessful program was when they had kingdom.
92606. Website: www.deafkids.org. their own classroom at the church 6. Spend eternity with them. ■
school and joined in with the hearing
National Association of the Deaf students in the afternoon. At home * Not her real name.
(NAD) believes in options. (This advo- the whole family communicated in 1
Paul W. Ogden and Suzanne Lipsett, Silent
cacy ensures an accessible system sign language. Garden (New York: Martins Press, 1982), p. 53.
of services.) Sponsors of American
2
William Yount, Be Opened (Nashville:
Broadman Press, 1976), p. 72.
Society for Deaf Children (ASDC). Where to Go and What to Do? 3
Ellen G. White, Education (Mountain
Telephone: 1-800-942-2732. She sat across from me as we ate View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1903), p.
lunch one day during deaf camp meet- 13.
4
San Bernardino Sun, Mar. 3-5, 1995.
National Information Center on ing. “How I wish I’d known where to 5
Ogden and Lipsett, p. 83.
Deafness at Gallaudet University turn when our son became deaf,” she 6
Heather Whitestone, in Silent News
(clearinghouse of information on deaf reminisced. Another mother of a deaf (monthly newspaper for those who are deaf)
November 1994.
communication), 800 Florida Avenue child said, “I get so frustrated. Most 7
Time, Oct. 3, 1994.
NE., Washington, D.C. 20002-3695, educators don’t know enough to advise 8
Thomas S. Spradley and James P., Deaf
202-651-5051 (voice), 202-651- me—I have to educate them!” Like Me (New York: Random House, 1978;
Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press,
5052 (TTY), 202-651-5054 (fax). Many of us have been socialized to 1985), p. 200.
Website: www.gallaudet.edu/~nicd. trust professionals and don’t realize 9
Lorraine Fletcher, Language for Ben
E-mail: nicd.infotogo@gallaudet.edu. that they may have little knowledge (Auburn, Calif.: Condor Book, 1987), p. 173;
Ben’s Story (same book), (Washington, D.C.:
about deaf culture and community. I Gallaudet University Press, 1988).
Lead Line: Free hotline sponsored by have included a list of groups to con- 10
Ibid.
the House Ear Institute. Gives infor- tact so all Adventist Review readers can
11
Keith Sibley, in Silent News, May 1995.
mation about any aspect of deaf edu- be a resource for people such as Anna
cation and advice for parents of hear- (see sidebars).
ing-impaired or deaf children. 1-800- It is of primary importance in
352-8888 (voice/TTY) or 1-800-287- choosing a method of educating a deaf
4763 (voice/TTY) in Canada and child “that parents are exposed to deaf
California. Contact: Barbara Lincoln, adults so that they can understand
Joyce Rigsby is a retired mis-
Lead Line, House Ear Institute, 2100 what their deaf child needs, not what
sionary and freelance writer
West Third Street, Fifth floor, Los the parents prefer.” 11 Government resi-
living in Hanford,
Angeles, CA 90057. dential schools for deaf children will
California.
not likely meet a Christian’s priorities,
R E F L E C T I O N S
Who’s in Charge Here?

BY RICHARD MAFFEO
T
hirty years. That’s how long it had been since I driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck
had last seen my childhood home. As I down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-10, RSV).
stepped out of the car and walked along the Perceptions rooted in the natural senses can be deceptive.
cracked sidewalk toward the Consider, for example, the time when the
aging red-brick buildings, memo- Syrian army surrounded Elisha (2 Kings 6:14).
ries flooded my mind. Privet hedges, probably Twenty-four hours earlier the grassy pastures
the same ones I ran through as a child, lined outside Dothan gently undulated in the soft
the perimeter of the large grass area separating breezes. Now they encircled the massive force
either side of the three-story buildings. The of men and weapons of war surrounding the
gnarled maple towered above the empty play- city. When Elisha’s servant looked out over
ground to my right. I used to hang upside the horizon, his stomach turned over in knots.
down on those monkey bars. The situation appeared hopeless. Defeat
I turned a corner and there it was: 2208. The seemed inevitable.
bold black numerals above the stone entryway “Alas, my master!” cried the servant, “What
stood out in contrast to the graying concrete. shall we do?”
Somewhere beneath the soil and grass to my Elisha looked and using vision beyond the
right, Mom and I buried my pet turtle and sev- natural saw heaven’s horses and chariots
eral goldfish. swarming to their rescue. The physical evi-
I pushed the green wooden door open and stepped, as it dence did not change. Syria remained massed for battle. But
were, through a time portal. Everything was just as I remem- the spiritual evidence, perceived through eyes of faith,
bered, yet so different. When I was a child, the cavernous brought peace where fear reigned. Victory was assured when
hallway extended for miles. Now claustrophobia settled over tragedy seemed likely.
me. At one time I could hide behind the radiator there in Perception. How ought we as Christians to view dark-
the corner. I could never squeeze myself into that space now. ened shadows and cavernous hallways? How shall we view
I stepped onto the black-tiled stairs and climbed two at a doors that loom monstrously large before us or enemies
time until I reached the third-floor landing and stood out- massed on our horizons? As Elisha? Or as his servant?
side my old apartment. Funny. The rust-brown metal door What do we call the battles we face? Illness? Loss?
no longer loomed monstrously large as it did years earlier. I Poverty? Loneliness? Divorce? If Satan can be trusted to do
felt like a real-life Gulliver in my own Lilliput. anything, he can be trusted to mount an offensive against us
We understand our world through a process of percep- at our weakest moments, keeping us so busy flailing and
tion, using our senses to learn about our environment. cowering for protection that we forget who really is in
However, sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing limit us to charge. He hopes we will forget that, although the battle is
physical realities. They do little to help us understand arrayed against us, the horses and chariots of God encamp
important, yet intangible, things—such as knowing the around God’s people (Ps. 34:7).
assurance of God’s love or His comfort in the midst of sor- Children perceive reality distorted by their inexperience
row. These defy our senses because they are rooted in what and immaturity. Children of God, however, must learn to
the Scripture calls faith—“the substance of things hoped for, look beyond the physical, because the God of Elisha still
the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Faith often reigns, and victory still belongs to the Lord. ■
seems inconsistent with appearance, but to those who have
PHOTO © PHOTODISC
developed a mature confidence in God, faith is a rock-solid

Richard Maffeo is a registered nurse who lives in
wisdom. Through faith, men and women confidently pro-
San Diego, California.
claim victory despite physical evidence to the contrary.
Through faith we assert in the midst of trial, “We are
afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not

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April 22, 1999

How early Adventists struggled

Campaigner Speaks Out,” Feb. 25 allowed a level of personal connec-

ing-cessation services is not enough to an actual warm-body contact. Are

or for information on collaborating with

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of

Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Editor William G. Johnsson

Consulting Editors: G. Ralph Thompson, Matthew

To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. (Please

E-mail: Internet: reviewmag@adventist.org

Subscriptions: US$38.97 for 40 issues, US$50.97 for 52

Postmaster: Send address changes to Adventist Review, 55

Scriptures credited to ICB are quoted from the

The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119), published since

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

Time to Go for Broke

THE TIGHTROPE Though clouds hide the ending

CONTRIBUTE TO GIVE & TAKE

Early Adventists’ struggle with the truth about the Trinity

One Dog Telling

It’ll Get Better

group. Win-win. towards Jesus when He did this?

you look great. It’s nice that peo- meet today.

Grieving for the “San”

Boston Regional is located in an area congested with hospi- Historical Note

E of Yugoslavia (Serbia) have dominated the news.

Apr. 24 Christian Education Day

The Forms of Truth

figures are available.

Anything unchurched. Communication barriers and lack of awareness

and the whole family learned British me how they balanced

the difficulties inherent in educating child.

Who’s in Charge Here?

developed a mature confidence in God, faith is a rock-solid

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