Book: Clarence Creager Crisler, Organization: Its Character, Purpose, Place, and Development in the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1938). HTML, PDF.
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Chapter 9: Institutional Organization, and Choosing a Name
Prior to the year 1860, Sabbathkeeping Adventists had not adopted a denominational name, nor had they any legal organization for the holding of property. This occasioned constant anxiety. Early in 1860, James White, who had long borne the chief financial responsibility of the publishing work, proposed to organize in such a manner as to hold church property legally in the name of the church. Much discussion followed.
A few weeks later, J. N. Andrews suggested that the brethren meet in a general council, in the hope that light might break in, and all might come to see eye to eye. (See Review and Herald, Aug. 21, 1860.)
The official call for this conference appeared first in the Review dated September 4, 1860, and was signed by J. N. Andrews, Uriah Smith, J. H. Waggoner, and James White. (See Id., Sept. 11, 1860.)
A Representative Gathering
The brethren met in Battle Creek, Michigan, September 28, 1860. The attendance was representative. “We were gratified,” wrote Uriah Smith, the secretary, “to see quite a full representation of preachers from different parts. Among these were Brethren M. Hull and M. E. Cornell, from Iowa; Wm. S. Ingraham, from Wisconsin; Joseph [p. 78] Bates, J. H. Waggoner, James White, J. N. Loughborough, J. B. Frisbie, R. J. Lawrence, and J. L. Edgar, from Michigan; T. J. Butler and G. W. Holt, from Ohio; E. A. Poole, from New York; and also J. N. Andrews and C. W. Sperry, from their labors in that State the past summer.
“Many brethren met for the first time at this meeting, whose cordial salutations and beaming countenances bespoke their joy at meeting, their union of heart, and their love for the truth. As the hour arrived for religious exercises at the commencement of the Sabbath, the house was densely filled with the brethren and sisters who had come up from different States to this happy gathering to wait upon the Lord and receive His promises.”—Review and Herald, Oct. 2, 1860.
The Question Under Consideration
Upon invitation, James White reviewed the successive steps leading up to the call for a council meeting during which the brethren might determine upon some plan of action for safeguarding the general interests of the cause. He said, in part:
“I have presented some of the necessities of something being done; but I have not undertaken to point out just what should be done. … I suppose the real question is, whether we shall so organize as to hold our office of publication and our meetinghouses.”—Id., Oct. 9, 1860.
Before the close of the morning session, J. N. Andrews, J. H. Waggoner, and T. J. Butler were appointed as a committee to bring in recommendations for consideration by the believers at the afternoon session of the conference.
Their report, as rendered, reads as follows:
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A Plan for Organizing a Publishing Association
“1. We recommend to the conference the organization of a publishing association that may legally hold the Review office.
“2. That the association shall consist of seven members selected by this conference, who shall apply to the legislature for an act empowering them to hold the office property, and carry on the business of publication.
“3. That members may be admitted to this association on the payment of one dollar annually, and they may become life members on the payment of twenty-five dollars. [Membership in the association, as finally provided for by Article IV, Section I, of the bylaws of the association, was on the following basis: “Any person keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ may become a shareholder in this association on the payment of ten dollars into its treasury, and each person may hold as many shares as they shall thus purchase, and for each and every share held by them, they shall be entitled to one vote in all the business meetings of the association.”—Acts of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association; p. 8, Art. IV, Sec. I (published in 1861).]
“4. That the officers of the association shall consist of a business agent, a committee on publication, a treasurer who shall also act as secretary, and an auditor, to be elected annually.
“5. The business agent shall be the presiding officer of the association.
“6. This association shall be called the Advent Review Publishing Association [changed at time of organization to Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association].
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“7. It shall be located at Battle Creek, Michigan.
“8. The whole amount obtained by donations, subscriptions, sales of publications, or otherwise, shall be expended in the publication of periodicals, books, and tracts, and for charitable and benevolent purposes.”—Review and Herald, Oct. 16, 1860.
Favorable Action
The items of the report, considered one by one, were adopted unanimously. The committee that had brought in the report, was enlarged by the addition of Brethren Poole, Loughborough, Smith, Ingraham, White, Hull, and Appleton, and the next morning at sunrise a constitution was presented and unanimously adopted.
“The following names were then presented to the conference as the first seven brethren to form the commencement of the association, and make application to the legislature: James White, J. H. Waggoner, J. N. Loughborough, G. W. Amadon, U. Smith, George T. Lay, and D. R. Palmer.
“These nominations were ratified by the conference.”—Id., Oct. 23, 1860.
Adopting a Name
Action having been taken to organize a publishing association, the brethren in council still faced the necessity of choosing some name by which the denomination might be known, as no legal steps could be taken by a nameless body. The discussion on this question was a lengthy one, leading, however, to a happy conclusion.
“The name ‘Seventh-day Adventists’ was proposed as a simple name and one expressive of our faith and position, [p. 81] and the brethren finally agreed upon the adoption of a resolution reading,
“Resolved, That we call ourselves Seventh-day Adventists.”
Thus closed the memorable meeting at which official action was taken to organize a publishing association and to adopt a denominational name.
The Voice of Approval
Although there were a few who demurred for a time, this action met with general favor throughout the field. John Byington, kept from the conference by illness, wrote:
“I am glad to learn that the conference saw eye to eye in forming a legal association so that there may be order in the temporal matters of the church. If it is right for a brother to give or take a deed of a house, in my mind it is equally so for an association to so arrange that they can legally hold a meetinghouse or printing establishment. God is a God of order in temporal as well as spiritual matters pertaining to His church on earth.
“As to a name, I have sometimes thought the plain Scriptural term, ‘Church of God,’ was all that is necessary. But in reflecting more on this subject, I see that God has given to His people and to individuals names suitable to the time and circumstances under which they were placed. The Lord said Jacob should be called Israel, and though in many places in the inspired Book after this we read the name Jacob, yet Israel was the significant name; for he had power with God and with men, and prevailed. Gen. 32:28. The first followers of our Saviour were called disciples, as a disciple is a learner. Christ was their teacher in person. … The disciples were called Christians first [p. 82] at Antioch. Acts 11:26. I know not whether by friends or enemies, or both; but I do know that the name Christian at that time was very significant, as Christ was very dear to His saints, but by the mass He was called an impostor. I would say to my brethren scattered abroad, I cannot see a reasonable or Scriptural objection to the name Seventh-day Adventists, as it is significant of the position the church of God must occupy in the time of the end.”—Id., Oct. 30, 1860.
R. F. Cottrell, who had opposed the plan at first, wrote: “I am truly glad to hear from the conference, by brethren that were present, and feel to thank the Lord for the unity of spirit that exists among His people, and which pervades their assemblies. I do not feel like waiting for the full report in the paper, but upon the information received from brethren who were present, can say, I am persuaded that the means recommended are in accordance with the will of God. … In my first articles on the subject of organization, I was wrong in taking the position that the property of the church was properly held. This point, upon consideration, I immediately yielded.”—Id., Nov. 6, 1860.
James White, while en route to Iowa shortly after the close of the conference, wrote to Uriah Smith:
“Our conference was one of wearisome labor, yet let God be praised that a good degree of harmony prevailed, and that the dear servants of the Lord parted with increased confidence in and love for each other. We look back with the greatest pleasure to the doings of our conference. The action upon securing church property legally is all that we have ever suggested, and more than we ever expected would be so unanimously adopted. This [p. 83] takes a great burden from our mind, and inspires courage to labor on in the cause.”—Id., Oct. 30, 1860.
The following year, 1861, Testimony for the Church, No. 6, was published. One of the articles in this is entitled, “Our Denominational Name.” From this article are selected these extracts:
“I was shown in regard to the remnant people of God taking a name. Two classes were presented before me. One class embraced the great bodies of professed Christians. They were trampling upon God’s law and bowing to a papal institution. They were keeping the first day of the week as the Sabbath of the Lord. The other class, who were but few in number, were bowing to the great Lawgiver. They were keeping the fourth commandment. The peculiar and prominent features of their faith were the observance of the seventh day, and waiting for the appearing of our Lord from heaven. …
“No name which we can take will be appropriate but that which accords with our profession and expresses our faith and marks us a peculiar people. The name Seventh-day Adventist is a standing rebuke to the Protestant world. Here is the line of distinction between the worshipers of God and those who worship the beast and receive his mark. …
“The name Seventh-day Adventist carries the true features of our faith in front, and will convict the inquiring mind. Like an arrow from the Lord’s quiver, it will wound the transgressors of God’s law, and will lead to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. I, pp. 223, 224.
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Incorporating the Review and Herald Office
During the first business session of a conference held in Battle Creek, Michigan, April 26-29, 1861, “the seven who were chosen at the conference of September 28, 1860, to form the commencement of the association, petition to the legislature for a law, etc., reported to the conference through Brother Loughborough.”
Early in 1861 the legislature of the State of Michigan had passed an enactment “to provide for the incorporation of associations for the publication of periodicals, newspapers, books, tracts, documents, and other publications.” This was signed by the governor, March 7, 1861. The way was now open for the formation of a legal company. (See Review and Herald, April 30, 1861.)
On May 23, 1861, “the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association met according to appointment, … and proceeded to the adoption of bylaws, and the election of officers.”—Review and Herald, May 28, 1861. “The following were nominated and chosen: … President, James White; vice-president, G. W. Amadon; committee on publication, James White, Cyrenius Smith, and J. P. Kellogg; secretary, E. S. Walker; treasurer, U. Smith; auditor, J. N. Loughborough; editor of the Review and Herald, James White; editor of Youth’s Instructor, G. W. Amadon.”—Acts of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, pp. 14, 15 (published in 1861).
“This was the first of the various legal organizations formed by this people. … All can now see the necessity for such corporations, and may wonder that it was not always seen by us. But let none lose the practical lesson [p. 85] contained in this case. While we should most earnestly seek the Lord for divine guidance, we must remember that as He works in us as His instruments, we too have a work to do. We are not to expect Him to do what He has left for us to do, and what He ‘works in us’ ‘to do.’ ”—J. N. Loughborough, in The Church; Its Organization, Order, and Discipline, p. 113.
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