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Historical Foreword
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close of the meeting carried away very different impressions. Many
felt that it was one of the most profitable meetings that they ever
attended; others that it was the most unfortunate conference ever
held.”
Differing Attitudes Toward Righteousness by Faith
Ellen White was much in the field during the next two years,
endeavoring to lead the churches and conferences to a deeper, fuller
understanding of the important message of righteousness by faith.
She spoke of this Bible truth as one which, though “new to many
minds,” was in reality “old truth in new Framework.”—Ellen G.
White,
The Review and Herald, July 23, 1889
, reprinted in
Selected
Messages, B. 1, p. 355
.
She was able to report during the following General Conference
session, held in Battle Creek from October 18 to November 5, 1889,
that “the spirit that was in the meeting at Minneapolis is not here. All
moves off in harmony. There is a large attendance of delegates. Our
five O’clock morning meeting is well attended, and the meetings
good. All the testimonies to which I have listened have been of an
elevating character. They say that the past year has been the best
of their life; the light shining forth from the word of God has been
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clear and distinct—justification by faith, Christ our righteousness.
The experiences have been very interesting
.
“I have attended all but two morning meetings. At eight O’clock
Brother Jones speaks upon the subject of justification by faith, and
great interest is manifested. There is a growth in faith and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”—Ellen G. White
Manuscript 10, 1889
, published in
Selected Messages 1:361
.
Unfortunately, several among the leaders of our work connected
with the General Conference and our institutions at Battle Creek
ranked themselves on the negative side and established in the very
heart of the work of the church a hard core of resistance. Within
the next few years, many of those who had placed themselves in
this camp saw their mistake and made heartfelt confessions. But
there were some who stubbornly resisted. Some of these, connected
with the business interests of the church and our institutions, made
their influence felt well through the 1890’s. It was of such that Ellen