The History of
the 1888 Message?

The Failure of Jones and Waggoner

Jones and Waggoner both lost their way.72 Does that mean their message was erroneous or unreliable? Ellen White answers this question:

Should the Lord’s messengers, after standing manfully for the truth for a time, fall under temptation, and dishonor Him who has given them their work, will that be proof that the message is not true? No; because the Bible is true [quotes Isa. 8:20]. Sin on the part of the messenger of God would cause Satan to rejoice, and those who have rejected the message and the messenger would triumph; but it would not at all clear the men who are guilty of rejecting the message of truth sent of God.73

She frequently spoke of them as "the messengers" of God’s righteousness,"74 "whom the Lord recognized as His servants,"75 "witnesses for God,"76 "Christ’s delegated messengers."77 They were "men whom God commissioned to bear a special message to the World,"78 "Men divinely appointed."79 "God has sent these young men,"80 and "is working through these instrumentalities."81 "God has … upheld them, … given them a precious message,"82 evidencing "heavenly credentials."83

Then why did they lose their way? "To a great degree" the real reason was the unchristlike "persecution" their brethren inflicted on them. It was easy enough for Luther to suffer persecution at the hands of the Roman Church which he could identify as "the little horn" of Daniel or the "harlot" of Revelation.84 But how could Jones and Waggoner endure "persecution" from the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which they knew to be the remnant church? "To a great degree the guilt" for Jones’ and Waggoner’s failure rests on those who opposed them. Note the following:

We should be the last people on the earth to indulge in the slightest degree the spirit of persecution against those who are bearing the message of God to the world. This is the most terrible feature of unchristlikeness that has manifested itself among us since the Minneapolis meeting.85

It is not the inspiration from heaven that leads one to be suspicious, watching for a chance and greedily seizing upon it to prove that those brethren who differ from us in some interpretations of Scripture are not sound in the faith. There is danger that this course of action will produce the very result assumed; and to a great degree the guilt will rest upon those who are watching for evil. …

The opposition in our own ranks has imposed upon the Lord’s messengers a laborious and soul-trying task; for they have had to meet difficulties and obstacles which need not have existed.86

The Lord will provide hooks (or permit Satan to do so) for all who wish to hang their doubts on them.87 The failure of Jones and Waggoner provides for many the "fatal delusion" which their sinful unbelief desires:

It is quite possible that Elder Jones and Waggoner may be overthrown by the temptations of the enemy; but if they should be, this would not prove that they had no message from God, or that the work that they had done was all a mistake. But should this happen, how many would take this position, and enter into a fatal delusion because they are not under the control of the Spirit of God.88

Speaking of that "most terrible feature of unchristlikeness that has manifested itself since the Minneapolis meeting," Ellen White says that "sometime it will be seen in its true bearing, with all the burden of woe that has resulted from it."89 If the coming of the Lord is as near as we say it is, then it follows that the time has come for that truth to be "seen in its true bearing." We should however note the fact that neither Jones or Waggoner ever gave up the Sabbath, or their faith in Christ or in the Bible, and there is evidence that both were repentant, humble Christians when they died. In today’s climate of church fellowship both would likely remain members.

The history of Calvary and the history of 1888 have something in common: both are revelations of buried "enmity against God" in the hearts of God’s people. Not a single Jewish history recognizes the full truth that Jesus was the divine Son of God, and that "enmity against God" caused the Jews (and not the Romans) to instigate His murder. But the prophet Zechariah tells us that before the Latter Rain can be poured out, the people of God in the last days will receive "the Spirit of grace and supplications: then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for his only son. In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness."90

We err when we assume that the 1888 message was the mere presentation of theological doctrine:

What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. When men see their nothingness, they are prepared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ.91

This "work" still awaits the doing; hence the finishing of the gospel commission in all the world still awaits the power. A message of genuine "righteousness by faith" would have accomplished the "work," had it been truly accepted. Afraid to face our true condition as "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked," we have invented a theory of "acceptance," so we can assure ourselves that we are "rich and have been enriched" (cf.. Revelation 3:17).

The "Alpha" and the "Omega"

NOTES:

72. See TCV Appendix B, pp. 302-316. [Return to text]
73. Letter O-19, 1892. [Return to text]
74. See TM 96, 97 (1896). [Return to text]
75. Ibid. [Return to text]
76. Ibid. [Return to text]
77. Ibid. [Return to text]
78. TM 80. [Return to text]
79. MS 8a, 1888. [Return to text]
80. Letter S-24,1892. [Return to text]
81. Letter O-19,1892. [Return to text]
82. Letter 51-A, 1895. [Return to text]
83. RH Mar. 18,1890. [Return to text]
84. GC 143. [Return to text]
85. GCB 1893, p. 184. [Return to text]
86. Ellen White Letter Jan. 6,1893, GCB 1893, p. 419. [Return to text]
87. GC 527. [Return to text]
88. Letter S-24,1892. [Return to text]
89. GCB 1893, p. 184. [Return to text]
90. Zech. 12:10; 13:1, NKJV. [Return to text]
91. RH Sept. 16, 1902, quoted in Daniells, Christ Our Righteousness, p. 104. [Return to text]