Book: General Conference Committee, A Statement Refuting Charges Made by A. T. Jones Against the Spirit of Prophecy and the Plan of Organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination (Washington, DC: General Conference Committee, 1906). HTML, Scan.
Contents: Refutes charges made by A. T. Jones after he had united with J. H. Kellogg in undermining the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Chapter 5: The Charge of Bureaucracy
Elder Jones makes the sweeping charge that “the present order of General Conference affairs is a thoroughly bureaucratic government;” that “that is what in practise every section is, whatever it may be called.” The title “Religious Liberty Bureau,” he declares is “expressive of the whole.” He pictures the whole organization as arbitrary, czar-like, papal in principle and practise, and opposed to Christianity and individual freedom. Because the General Conference “has one man at the head and center of its organization,” he conveys the idea that this denomination has “a visible head,” and declares that “in this one thing the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is more like the Catholic Church than is any other Protestant church in the world.”
This, if true, is a very serious and sad condition for the denomination to be in. If it rightly represents matters, no lover of liberty would long remain with the denomination; he would seek affiliation with some church less “like the Catholic Church.” Moreover, if true, the denomination has been “like the Catholic Church” for many years; for with the exception of 1901-02, there has been a president of the General Conference ever since the Conference was first organized in 1863.
But is it true? Is an organization divided into departments, or bureaus, necessarily bureaucratic in the bad sense of that term? A bureaucratic government may be had; but this does not prove that every government or organization with a bureau or with bureaus is bad. Civil governments themselves have generally been bad. Shall we therefore condemn all civil government?
To our minds this is simply absurd and extravagant,—an example of strained logic and special pleading. A false argument is made by making a play upon words. [p. 33] An unreasonable and unwarranted premise is laid down, and from it an extreme and extravagant conclusion is drawn.
If it is impossible for a bureau to exist in a republican form of government, how is it that the government of the United States continues to be a republic with its Weather Bureau, its Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Bureau of Statistics, and a score or more of other bureaus?
A few years ago, the Catholic World, of New York, declared Seventh-day Adventists to be the only “remnant of true Protestantism in the world.” And the Catholic Mirror, in its articles on “The Christian Sabbath,” published in 1893, singled them out as the only sect of Protestants who adhere to the Bible and the Bible only as their teacher and guide. Now is it not a little strange that, while Catholics regard Seventh-day Adventists as the most unlike the Catholic Church of all the Protestant churches in the world, Elder Jones has so changed as to openly declare that, in that which constitutes the very essence of the Papacy, “the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is more like the Catholic Church than is any other Protestant church in the world”?
So far as we are aware, Elder Jones has never refused to occupy positions of responsibility in the denomination. Without protest, he has repeatedly allowed himself to be elected “president” of a State Conference, of the International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, and of other organizations in our ranks. Against these he has raised no protest or note of warning. Why, then, this cry of “popery” because there is a president of the General Conference?
In defending themselves in a wrong course, men naturally accuse others of the very things of which they themselves are guilty. This principle is stated in Rom. 2:1: “Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same thing.”
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Elder Jones has identified himself with a movement, and has become the champion of a movement, that for years has sought either to dominate, or, if it could not dominate, to overthrow, all properly constituted order, organization, and united effort in this denomination, and which, in not a little of its doings, has truly been “arbitrary,” “papal,” and “bureaucratic.” And now that the Testimonies have rebuked that wrong, ambitious thing, and the officers of the General Conference have stood by the Testimonies in seeking to correct that wrong, Elder Jones styles the whole General Conference organization papal, arbitrary, and bureaucratic.
But we do not think that those who know the truth will be deceived by any such charges, or that they will, on account of such arguments, become alarmed, and think that their liberties are going to be taken away from them because order, organization, and discipline are maintained in the denomination. When in the local sanitarium work there arises what appears to the management to be a spirit of insubordination and disorder, Elder Jones very quickly recognizes the need and the propriety of order, system, and discipline, and complains very bitterly if any there “show disrespect to their teachers” and “to those in responsibility.” Bat if order, system, and discipline are needed in the local work, or in one branch of the work, how can they be less so in the general work?
We do not think that this denomination will decide at this late day to throw all order, organization, and discipline overboard. Now, as in all ages past, the loyal acid true will stand for order and organization. The Testimonies have spoken too plainly upon this subject to be misunderstood. They say:—
“There is order in heaven, and God is pleased with the efforts of his people in trying to move with system and order in his work on earth.”
“There are many restless spirits who will not submit to discipline, system, and order. They think that their [p. 35] liberties would be abridged were they to lay aside their own judgment and submit to the judgment of those of experience.”
“Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in perfect order, that subjection and perfect discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed Christians just as far from heaven’s arrangement as he can; therefore he deceives even the professed people of God, and makes them believe that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality; that the only safety for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially distinct from bodies of Christians who are united, and are laboring to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. I, pages 191, 413, 649, 650.
“O how Satan would rejoice to get in among this people, and disorganize the work at a time when thorough organization is essential, and will be the greatest power to keep out spurious uprisings, and to refute claims not endorsed by the word of God. We want to hold the lines evenly, that there shall be no breaking down of the system of regulation and order. In this way license shall not be given to disorderly elements to control the work at this time. We are living in a time when order, system, and unity of action are most essential. And the truth must bind us together like strong cords in order that no distracted efforts may be witnessed among the workers. If disorderly manifestations appear, we must have clear discernment to distinguish the spurious from the genuine.”—“Special Testimonies,” No. 3, pages 60, 61.
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