Belden was among the foremost in questioning Ellen White’s prophetic gift on the grounds that she was being influenced by her son and others in the sharp theological conflicts that marked the 1888 General Conference
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| Franklin Edison Belden and Ellen G. White |
Some of us have a feeling that the church is a place of smooth agreement and harmony forgetting that the disciples argued over their statuses in heaven (Luke 22:24) and Apostles Paul and Peter over the circumcision of the gentile (Galatians 2:11–13).
The same thing happened between the most prolific singer and hymn-writer of the Seventh-day Adventists Franklin Edison Belden and the most prolific essays and books author of the Adventist world Ellen G. White.
The
conflict is most vivid in the late 1880s and 1900s when Belden questioned
the publication and spiritual authority of his maternal Aunt Ellen White's
books and the copyright benefits of Belden's personal books.
In the
first place, Belden did not like the praised spirit of prophecy the church perceived
in Ellen White's books and, as an influential figure at the publishing house,
Belden was ready to block the publication of The Great Controversy 1888 and Patriarchs
and Prophets 1890.
At the
General Conference of 1888, which entirely challenged the prophetic authority
of Ellen White books, Belden himself challenged her aunt arguing that she had
some other influencing individuals in her book instead of the spirit of God.
"[Belden]
was among the foremost in questioning Ellen White’s prophetic gift on the
grounds that she was being influenced by her son, W. C. White, as well as A. T.
Jones and E. J. Waggoner, in the sharp theological conflicts that marked the
conference" The Encylopedia of the Seventh-day Adventists states.
Belden,
who was one of the policymakers and the Review and Herald Publishing
Association (RHPA), "was among those at the Review and Herald office who
instituted policies that undercut Ellen White’s influence", according to
Encyclopedia of the Seventh-day Adventists.
Among
the policies put in place to undermine Ellen White's books was the promotion
for the sale of only a single selected book given to the church's distributors in the
door-to-door sales strategy.
The
Encyclopedia of the Seventh-day Adventists comments that the policy "had
the effect of diminishing circulation of newly published books in Ellen White’s
Conflict of the Ages series – The
Great Controversy (1888) and Patriarchs and Prophets (1890)".
In
1905, Belden went into disputes with the Review and Herald for allocating the profits
that proceeded from the Hymns and Songs hymnal to fund the publishing house
instead of the church's mission work.
"Although
it was reported that Belden was greedy for money, in reality he was upset that
the copyright for Hymns and Tunes had been re-assigned to RHPA in violation
of an 1885 agreement that all profit from its sales would go to support the
church’s mission work, not the publishing house" the Encylopedia of the
Seventh-day Adventists comments.
Belden
expressed dissatisfaction over the church's move to transfer the Battle Creek
Tabernacle (church) and all the institutions established as early as the 1850s to
West Michigan Conference.
He,
along with others especially pioneers students and administrators at Battle
Creek institutions, lodged a lawsuit against the move but were defeated and
disfellowshipped by the church board from the Battle Creek Tabernacle church.
Disputes
between Belden and the Church persisted and he could win compensations in some cases
until his death in late 1945, at age 87.
The
church bought Belden's papers and manuscripts at $1000.
The
prolific singer and composer was also a man of controversy in the church; the
relative to Ellen White did not deal with her aunt relatively well.
Have
you had any problem with a fellow Seventh-day Adventist or the church itself? Have
you seen a believer behaving in a way that you thought wired toward the church
or a fellow believer?
Share
your reaction below in the comment space.
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May God bless you
I think what we learn from this is that it is normal when there are disputes in church.
ReplyDeleteWe should not expect suggestions to pass without question.
I'm happy that Ellen White's works were criticised by the General Conference until they came to a conclusion about her works