A.T. Jones: THE MAN AND THE MESSAGE

The Charge of Evil Motives

Knight holds Jones to ridicule because he once told the General Conference Committee that "for years … he had been convicted that he was destined to be editor of the Review" (p. 165). He "was quite certain that he was God's chosen messenger to clean up Adventism, beginning with Battle Creek" (p. 172).

According to Ellen White, Adventism certainly needed cleaning up. From far-away Australia she encouraged Jones to press for reformation. She recognized that he was indeed "the messenger of God" to help in that task and generally supported him in his efforts, albeit with needed cautions and counsels (Letter O-19, 1892 [1025]).

The Lord was coming soon, he felt. Could any of us have had better vision? We too would have believed what Ellen White kept saying, and would have been impressed with current American church-state developments. But was Jones's zeal for reformation necessarily arrogance on his part? With the context in mind, studying the records does not substantiate such a cynical judgment.

Perhaps even his Review confession was in truth a request for his brethren's prayers rather than a gloating over selfish ambition. Reformation was needed, and few others were concerned enough to do anything firm about it. Is there not some wholesome self-respect that any servant of the Lord should have?

Although Ellen White had often said that he was "Christ's delegated messenger" "whom God has commissioned," a man "divinely appointed," sent with "a message of God to the Laodicean Church" (Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 78-80, 97; MS 8a, 1888; Letter S-24, 1892 [121-128, 1052]), he knew nothing about many of these hundreds of endorsements. But is it not possible that at times he could mingle at least a measure of appropriate humility with sensing something of his calling? The printed evidence leans strongly in his favor. One brief sample of his spirit may be enlightening:

[Christ] bears our nature forevermore. That is the sacrifice that wins the hearts of men. … Whether the man believes it or not, there is a subduing power in it, and the heart must stand in silence in the presence of that awful fact. … Ever since that blessed fact came to me that the sacrifice of the Son of God is an eternal sacrifice, and all for me, the word has been upon my mind almost hourly: "I will go softly before the Lord all my days" (Bulletin, 1895, p. 382).

What he tried to do, without success, Ellen White tried to do in 1901 (and even she eventually failed; cf. Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 104-106). Someday the Lord may again send someone to effect reformation, someone who contritely overcomes where Jones failed. Repentance alone will enable us to recognize the Lord's leading when that day comes.

A century later, here is a book repeating what Ellen White said happened after 1888: "There are some who have criticized and depreciated, and even stooped to ridicule, the messengers through whom the Lord has wrought in power" (Bulletin, 1891, pp. 256-258 [904]).