A. From The Shaping of Adventism
Biography of William Warren Prescott, by Gilbert M. Valentine, Chapter 8, "Reformers in Refuge Down Under," pp. 87-91 (used by permission).
Evangelist to the Antipodes
... Arriving in the midst of an evangelistic campaign in Sydney in August 1895, Prescott found himself pressed into doing most of the preaching. His Christ- centered sermons, proclaimed in a rich American accent, made an immediate impact on colonial ears accustomed to the raucous call of currawongs and kookaburras. Eventually, he helped conduct public evangelistic meetings in all five of the eastern colonies, enabling him to model effective new patterns of evangelism. At the same time, he used his writing and editorial expertise in producing new tracts and pamphlets for evangelistic work. Mrs. White also utilized his editorial help in working through some difficult sections of Desire of Ages.
As we have noticed previously, Prescott's theological emphasis had changed radically since 1888. Events following Minneapolis had led him into a new religious experience that centered on "personal relationship with Christ." As a result, he now saw the doctrines of the church from a different perspective. As he explained years later to delegates at the 1919 Bible Conference, the change had come to him "almost like a personal revelation, like a person speaking to me." When he first "started out" in the work, he thought "the thing to do was to prove the doctrines. ... As I had observed and heard," he went on, the preacher's task is "simply to demonstrate the truthfulness" of church teachings. Since his "new vision," however, he had "cast the whole thing aside and started in the simplest way presenting Christ."[1] Church doctrines, he now believed, should be presented as "simply the gospel of Christ rightly understood." They should "grow out of a belief in Jesus Christ as a living personal Saviour."[2]
This was not some artificial additive or some sugar coating that Prescott thought was necessary to give Adventists a gospel flavor. Rather, it was a genuine, total reorientation of his belief structure. It set the pattern for the rest of his ministry. To bring other Adventist preachers to the same conviction became his life-long burden. "That ye might know Him whom to know is life eternal," became his hallmark text of Scripture. According to H. M. S. Richards, who attended some of the professor's later ministerial institutes, Prescott's "legacy to Adventist preachers" was that "Christ must be the center of every sermon."[3] Australia in the 1890's was still largely untouched by the Gospel message of 1888. Prescott's message stirred not only the minds but the hearts of the people.
The story of the campmeeting at Armadale in Melbourne in late 1895 illustrates well the kind of impact produced by the new thrust in Prescott's preaching. Pitched in the center of a middle-class suburb in full view of a major city railway line, the sixty-five-tent encampment presented a striking novelty for the community. As the meetings progressed, the regular congregation of two hundred camping church members was augmented during evenings and weekends by an inquisitive public. Evangelist John Corliss and Ellen White shared in the preaching, but it was Prescott who dominated the meetings not only with his schedule but also with his charisma. Undoubtedly, the professor's legendary voice attracted some of the colonials, but, according to those present, it was the Christ-centered content of his sermons that pulled in the crowds in ever increasing numbers.
Church workers were astonished at the interest, particularly in the light of the widespread prejudice against Adventists that had developed in the community. Uriah Smith's Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation had been widely distributed by colporteurs and its Arian slant on the pre-existence of Christ caused many to view Adventists as a heretical, sub-Christian sect which denied the divinity of Christ. Prescott responded to the criticism by preaching sound Christian doctrine. "His theme from first to last and always is Christ," reported an ecstatic W. C. White. "Preaching Jesus as Professor Prescott has done," added A. G. Daniells, "seems to have completely disarmed the people of prejudice." He felt that the public image of Adventists had been "completely revolutionized" by the professor.[4]
Prescott even managed to turn the traditional Adventist Saturday-Sunday polemic into a remarkable gospel presentation. Several weeks after the presentation on the Sabbath doctrine the seasoned but awed W. C. White was still marveling. Prescott had preached "with a clearness and power that exceeds anything I have ever heard in my life," he reported. The truth had been presented "with a freshness and a brightness" never seen in it before. He recalled that he had not even once heard Prescott preach "what we are accustomed to call a doctrinal sermon" on "the old lines." "The old lines of work" of getting up an "interest" by "presenting the prophecies" must "be abandoned," he asserted. "The whole thing" must receive "a new setting." He longed to see "every one" of the ministers emulate Prescott in "preaching Christ and him crucified."[5]
Ellen White, too, was ecstatic over Prescott's sermons and the quality of the people who were drawn by his "exaltation of Jesus." They were "the very best class" of society. "Unbelievers turn pale and say, that man is inspired," she reported to her son Edson.[6] She saw in this Christ-centered evangelism a pattern for the whole church. Testimonies went out encouraging others to follow the professor's example.
The new strategy of having secretaries take down the sermon in shorthand and transcribing it for printing and distribution to the homes of the people during the following week also proved highly successful. It was considered a major advance that had the added spinoff of providing the Australian field with much-needed tracts and booklets for evangelism. Australia was "years behind" in that regard, according to W. C. White. Others back home in Battle Creek, while applauding the progress, would have preferred it to have been at the hand of someone other than Prescott. Their reaction highlights the continuing tension over the "new theology" in the church at this time.
One pamphlet, entitled "The Law in Christ" was a transcript of what Prescott considered one of his best Armadale sermons. Approved by the Australian book committee, it was later developed into a series of six [actually seven] articles in The Bible Echo, the Australian church paper. During October 1895, Prescott sent the manuscript to the Battle Creek Publishing House, hoping that it would receive wider circulation. A Christo-centric presentation of the "law" and "justification by faith," the manuscript was based on Prescott's new understanding of the "law in Galatians." Two months later the Battle Creek committee informed Prescott that they would not publish the pamphlet. It contained "fundamental errors," they said--an assessment that "greatly surprised" Prescott's Australian friends.[7]
Prescott replied to the announcement by saying that he found the refusal a "trifle peculiar." Almost amused, he ventured to ask for an explanation. But Mrs. White was not at all amused. Absolutely indignant at the book committee, she stated plainly that she had no confidence in them. They were not adhering to the principle of "the Bible only" as the "rule of doctrine," she said and rebuked them for "restricting" the circulation of the gospel. Several months later, still bristling at the memory of the episode, she declared that the committee had been "following in the paths of Rome." Taking up cudgels in defense of the Minneapolis reform preachers, she declared it was not for the men on the committee to "condemn or control" the productions of those whom God was using as "light-bearers to the world." She repeated her charge that the committee had been acting like the papacy.[8]
Some months later--when Mrs. White wrote to S. N. Haskell in South Africa just before Prescott was about to leave Australia to visit him--she again alluded to the incident. Mindful of Haskell's suspicion of Prescott because of the Anna Rice episode and fearful that he might still react negatively to the zealous reformer, she urged Haskell to receive the professor with confidence. "The truth" was "in his heart," she said, as well as on his "lips." Waxing even stronger in Prescott's defense, she pointed out that "men in authority" in the church were "not always to be obeyed." In fact, "God sometimes commissions men to teach that which is regarded as contrary to established doctrines" and no "priest or ruler" has a right to prevent them giving "publicity" to their opinions. Just to make sure that the lessons would not be lost on the conservative Haskell, she lamented that "the spirit which ran riot at Minneapolis" was still being kept alive in the church. Adventists were "in danger of closing their eyes to truth" simply because it contradicted something they had previously accepted as truth."[9]
Such apologetics were not required for Australian Conference president, A. G. Daniells. In fact, he was doing his best to persuade the General Conference officers to allow Prescott to stay on in Australia in order to put a "permanent mould" on the work. But his efforts were unsuccessful.
A "mould," nevertheless, was put on Daniells himself. During the Armadale meetings the two ministers developed a respect for each other that blossomed into genuine friendship. Daniells was greatly impressed by Prescott's Christian experience and the time he spent in Bible study and prayer. He had been amiss in this respect himself. Prescott in turn, rejoiced that Daniells had "turned a new leaf' and that he could help Daniells renew his Christian experience. "He hardly seems to me like the same man now," he reported to W. C. White afterward.10 He was sure the change would be of much benefit to the church. Six years later the mutual respect and friendship would bear fruit. After Daniells' election to the leadership of the General Conference, he would insist that Prescott be appointed to serve as his lieutenant.
B. From The Return of the Latter Rain
A historical look at the loud cry and latter rain; unpublished manuscript by Ron Duffield, pp. 161, 162, 166, 167 (used by permission).
Armadale Campmeeting
Not long after arriving in Australia, Prescott took part in a three-week campmeeting in Armadale. This campmeeting ran from October 17 through November 11, 1895. Here Prescott took the heaviest responsibility in preaching, speaking over 31 times during the campmeeting. He presented all of his topics "as it is in Christ," including sermons on the Sabbath, the human and divine nature of Christ, and righteousness by faith. He also shared some of the same thoughts on Romans 5 that he had shared at the 1895 Ministerial Institute. EGW [Ellen G. White] and her secretary, Maggie Hare, were present at the campmeeting and heard Prescott speak. Maggie Hare took Prescott's sermons down in shorthand so they could be printed as pamphlets for the Australian Tract Society to be used in canvassing. Seven of these sermons can be found in The Bible Echo; two of which have also been found in pamphlet form. The rest of Prescott's 31 sermons printed in pamphlet form have not yet been located and/or released from the General Conference Archives.
The significance of Prescott's campmeeting sermons is seen when read in the light of EGW's response to them. Several of her letters written about this campmeeting have never been released from the White Estate. You will remember from the last chapter, the letter EGW wrote to S. N. Haskell, June 1, 1894, defending Jones and Prescott regarding their "misstep." In that letter, EGW made the comment: "heavenly intelligences will come among us, and men will speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Spirit of God" (The 1888 Materials, p. 1250). It would be well to keep this in mind while reading EGW's comments about the Armadale campmeeting. ...
No less than a dozen times, EGW wrote of the preaching of W. W. Prescott [WWP] during that time in terms that described a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon him. What should we learn today from these events that happened long ago? Was God, by demonstrating it in Australia, showing the church what He wanted to accomplish at Battle Creek, but could not because of continued rejection? Is not God showing us today what He wants to do with each and every believer when the Holy Spirit is welcomed as a dear Guest?
Other Work of W. W. Prescott
Prescott's work continued as he went from Armadale to Tasmania to help with another campmeeting. EGW's appraisal of the Tasmania campmeeting was the same: "The manifestation of the Holy Spirit has been seen in the discourses given, in the Bible lessons, in the education of workers, and with the believers. They never have had such privileges in hearing the riches of the truth presented in clear distinct lines" (Letter 127, Dec. 11, 1895, To Edson White).
Following the campmeetings, EGW and her son, W. C. White [WCW], had a "long talk" with a couple of other evangelists who were planning a "prolonged pull and expected to work up an interest by presenting the prophecies." Along with the help of W. W. Prescott, EGW and WCW tried to show them that "another line of work was called for in these times" (WCW to AGD [A. G. Daniells], Dec. 13, 1895).
W. C. White wrote several letters to O. A. Olsen [OAO], requesting that Prescott stay and help in Australia. As they began planning for the 1896 campmeeting "campaign," W. C. White and the Conference Committee of Australia requested that the General Conference allow Prescott to lead out in these campmeetings. White suggested that "his presence would ensure success." If Prescott could not stay, then their "first choice would be Bro. A. T. Jones" (WCW to OAO, Jan. 24, 1896). The committee even went as far as to say that if Prescott or Jones' services could not be obtained it would "be better to postpone this expensive campaign for a year" until they might obtain "proper help" (AGD to WWP, March 3, 1896). Both requests were denied and neither Prescott nor Jones would take part in future campmeetings there.
It should be obvious from this brief look at the year of 1895, that God was not done in His effort to show the church His desire to pour out the latter rain. What could not be done in Battle Creek because of unbelief was demonstrated in Australia. But a church cannot move any faster than its leadership, and since Battle Creek was the heart of the work, influencing the whole denomination, God in His mercy kept step with them.
Notes: