APPENDIX A
The 1888 View of the Two Covenants
V. THE TWO COVENANTS IN ADVENTISM SINCE 1888
-
Opposition from Minneapolis
continued for decades. As late as 1902 Uriah Smith published
anti-Waggoner articles on the covenants that occasioned a rebuke from
Daniells. In 1907 the controversy was still alive, with the Sabbath
School lessons for the third quarter on the covenants repeatedly stating
that the new covenant was a "compact" of "obey and
live," directly contrary to what Ellen White had endorsed in 1890.
This was doubtless due to a backlash against Jones and Waggoner inasmuch
as both had lost favor by this time. Daniells characterized Brickey’s
articles in the 1902 Review (supported by Uriah Smith) as "openly
and squarely against the message that came to this people at
Minneapolis" (letter to G. I. Butler, April 11, 1902). Three days
later in a letter to W. C. White he said they were an "open and
vicious attack on the message of righteousness by faith presented at
Minneapolis," "crooked and unsound," "directly
opposed to the truth of the gospel, " "in direct conflict with
[Patriarchs and Prophets]. The failures of Jones and Waggoner
were used by Satan to create antipathy for their message (which
influenced many despite Ellen White’s warning that to disparage their
message because of their personal failures would be "a fatal
delusion"). In1907 a firm decision was made to abandon their view
of the two covenants and to support the view of those who had opposed
them. 13
-
In the late teens and 1920s (and into
the 1930s) the evangelical philosophy of the Sunday School Times
(Robert C. McQuilken) invaded the Adventist church. It was widely
claimed that the popular Evangelical movement known as "the
Victorious Life" was a re-statement of the 1888 message, whereas
the actual 1888 message was largely unknown, probably due to that
prejudice.
-
By 1938-39 the 1888 view of the two
covenants was virtually unknown in the church, at least in publications.
-
The SDA Bible Commentary and Bible
Dictionary are very theological, but often fail to recover the
sunlit clarity of the Waggoner presentations. The idea generally is
built on the "contract" or "compact" understanding
of the new covenant, attributing the "condition" of obedience
which was not mentioned (for example, "on their part, the people
were to yield implicit obedience," Bible Dictionary, p.
229). The impression generally prevails that the old covenant was God’s
initiative rather than the people’s. Again, this is not criticism; the
writers had very likely never had occasion even to see the 1888 view, or
Ellen White’s support of it. 14
-
In the
accompanying
illustration (which shows the "dispensational" view) Edwin
Reiner sums up his concept: "Let no one say that the old covenant
was a covenant of works, while the new covenant is by faith" (p.
74). It is likely that neither the author nor the writer of the
"Foreword" had ever been exposed to the 1888 view. Their lack
of understanding was not their fault. The same can almost certainly be
said for the author of the next exhibit.
-
The impact of popular Adventist
thinking that the old covenant is good for children is illustrated in
the following verses from Psalms for Tiny Tots, a widely
published book among us for decades. The underlying philosophy is merit
by self-righteousness (attractive four-color pictures accompany each
verse; emphasis is supplied):
There is a place where we are sure
That we can always be secure.
In Jesus’ hands, so kind and strong,
Where all good boys and girls belong.
If
the child is biblically informed and has good sense, he knows that he is
not "good." The implication: he/she does not belong in those
"hands." If otherwise, this is only an appeal to fear.
It must have been a thrilling thing
To see the tiny newborn King.
I know you wish you’d had a peek
At Baby Jesus mild and meek.
Well, we can all see Him someday
If all His words we will obey.
The
rhyme required the word "obey" instead of "believe,"
so it is thoroughly old covenant. Now the author puts words in Jesus’
lips that He has never uttered, in vitiation of His warning in
Revelation 22:18:
I will whisper in your ears [Jesus is
pictured]
How I love you, children dear.
Promise Me you will be true
In every little thing you do.
The
next page shows the child standing before the ten commandment law:
I promise that I will obey
His Ten Commandments every day.
I promise that I’ll never go
Where His commandments tell me no.
I promise that I’ll always take
The path that His commandments make.
It
takes no imagination to know what will inevitably happen later. The
child forgets, goes where he shouldn’t, does or says something wrong;
then the feeling of self-reproach and spiritual discouragement ("I‘m
a failure!"), precisely what Roger Dudley found in his survey of
Adventist academy youth (Why Teenagers Reject Religion, pp.
9-17). The "fault" of the old covenant is set forth in Steps
to Christ: "Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of
sand. ... The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges
weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel
that God cannot accept you. ... What you need to understand is the true
force of the will. ... The power of choice God has given to men; it is
theirs to exercise" (p. 47).
Note
how the old covenant mind-set renders acceptable the Hindu idea of karma:
Helping Mother is lots of fun [little
girl pictured doing the ironing]
In getting all her housework done.
I know that it makes Jesus glad,
It helps make up for when I’m bad.
|