An Explicit Confession Due the Church

1938	Authors’ original unwitting contact with 1888 message through discovery of The Glad Tidings, by E. J. Waggoner (a verse-by-verse study on Galatians).
1947	Publication of The Fruitage of Spiritual Gifts, Review and Herald Publishing Association. Thesis regarding 1888: the message was merely a re-emphasis of the historic Protestant doctrine as taught by Luther, Wesley, and other Reformers; 1888 message was accepted, great revival, marvelous victory for Church.
1949	Publication of Captains of the Host, Review and Herald Publishing Association. Thesis regarding 1888: no recognition that message was beginning of the Latter Rain; initial opposition changed to acceptance; Jones’ and Waggoner’s message faulty and extreme; 1890s were era of victory. Neither book examines primary sources of information on this subject.
1950	December—Research begins by the authors into the 1888 history, in the Potomac University Library and the Vault of the Ellen G. White Publications office, Washington. Interest sparked by Seminary classes. Initial permission to study Ellen G. White materials in the Vault revoked.
1950	Winter, Spring—Gathering of Ellen G. White manuscripts from retired ministers relevant to the 1888 era.
1950	July—Letter to General Conference Officers concerning so-called “Christ-centered preaching” versus the 1888 concepts of “righteousness by faith.” Officers reply, cancelling return bookings to Africa and appointing a hearing in September.
1950	August-Writing of 1888 Re-examined, and preparation of 204 mimeograph stencils.
1950	September—Hearing before General Conference subcommittee in Washington; presentation of 16 copies of 1888 Re-examined, to General Conference. Subsequent clearing for return to Africa as missionaries.
1950-1951	Winter—Return to East Africa, resumption of mission service.
1951	December—Manuscript rejected by Defense Literature Committee; authors urged not to disseminate their convictions. Reason for rejection: Authors’ evaluation of 1888 message as beginning of the Latter Rain and Loud Cry, new light never fully perceived before, “not true;” their interpretation of the 1888 aftermath wrong, on authority of A. W. Spalding; manuscript is “critical,” Holy Spirit now being poured out on Church in “doubling our membership” program; minor theological problems also cited.
1952	February-March—Authors reply to Defense Literature Committee by letter, appeal their decision to judgment of the Lord and the disposition of His providence; write friends not to agitate the issues or republish the manuscript.
1952-1957	While authors are in Africa, unauthorized individuals in different parts of the world reproduce 1888 Re-examined, for distribution. Some private individuals make or hire stenographers to make personal copies, retyping it in its entirety. Authors receive numerous letters telling how readers greatly blessed in reading it. Correspondents urge General Conference to show real reason why manuscript was rejected in 1951. Pressure results in preparation by the General Conference of another reply to manuscript. Meanwhile, authors maintain confidence in the ultimate triumph of truth and advise loyalty to Church and its organization.
1958	June—Authors attend General Conference Session, Cleveland, peruse advance copy of A Further Appraisal, second General Conference reply to the manuscript.
1958	July—Authors write to chairman of committee pointing out fallacies and untenable portions of this document, quoting Ellen G. White evidence, in attempt to save General Conference from embarrassment.
1958	August—Further research, gathering of unpublished Ellen G. White material.
1958	September—General Conference publishes A Further Appraisal of 1888 Re-examined, in substantially same form as advance copy seen at Session. Reaffirms its rejection. Reason given was one not even mentioned in 1951 report, in fact was implicitly denied therein: authors had wrested many of their Ellen G. White exhibits from their overall context and thus formed wrong conclusions.
1958	October—Authors send 70-page mimeographed document to General Conference Committee members, An Answer to A Further Appraisal. Authors quote Ellen G. White exhibits in larger context. Many unpublished documents not available in 1950 added in support of thesis.
1959	January—Authors again appeal the ultimate disposition of these issues to God’s care, assure General Conference of continuing loyalty, return again to East African mission field.
1959	January—Officers receive Third Report from subcommittee appointed to deal with the manuscript. No discussion of evidence contained in authors’ An Answer.
1959	Authors grant permission to concerned layman to appeal consideration of 1888 Re-examined to North Pacific Union Committee, through regular channels. Appeal results in laymember publishing an edition of facsimile-reproduced documents pro and con, including original manuscript together with various General Conference refutations.
1961	April—General Conference President invites authors to submit in writing a brief summary of their manuscript for further consideration by a subcommittee of five.
1961	July-Brief summary written and submitted by mail, from East Africa. General Conference withholds from the authors the identity of the five members of this Committee.
1961	August—Anonymous committee of five reports to General Conference President. General Conference withholds reports from the authors of 1888 Re-examined, sends only selected excerpts. Authors are told that the judgment of this anonymous committee is against their manuscript. This should end the matter.
1962	February—Publication of By Faith Alone, Pacific Press Publishing Association. Written at General Conference request as an effective answer to the basic thesis of 1888 Re-examined. Thesis regarding 1888 message: was same as the message of justification as taught in the creeds of the Protestant churches of the day; no clear recognition that it was the beginning of the Latter Rain; message since 1888 “in perfect harmony with the best evangelical teaching”—fails to distinguish between popular Evangelical “righteousness by faith” and that which is in harmony with the cleansing of the sanctuary and which will make possible the final atonement; rejects denominational repentance.
1964-1971	Author of Movement of Destiny corresponds with authors of 1888 Re-examined, offers to share evidence that will disprove their thesis. Authors ask to be allowed to see relevant Ellen G. White evidence. Request denied, authors told they will see evidence in forthcoming book, urged to retract before publication seriously embarrasses them. Authors reply that they can retract only when they themselves see the relevant Ellen G. White evidence requiring such a retraction.
1966	March-Publication of Through Crisis to Victory, 1888-1901, endorsed by Ellen G. White Estate as an answer to the thesis of 1888 Re-examined.
1967	June—One of the authors of 1888 Re-examined invited to meet with subcommittee in Washington to discuss implications of the manuscript and its circulation by unauthorized publishers. Basic thesis of manuscript again rejected, this time on the grounds that it has contributed to a breakdown of confidence in General Conference leadership. Author denies this charge, iterates that such breakdown of confidence stems rather from untenable nature of positions taken to counteract call to denominational repentance.
1969	Publication of The Faith That Saves. Thesis regarding 1888: completely fails to recognize real significance of the message as being beginning of the Latter Rain; discounts value of Jones and Waggoner contribution; true righteousness by faith is taught by evangelical Protestantism; the 1926 General Conference messages deserve more study than the 1888 message. (Investigation of the 1926 messages reveals that in general they were identical to the popular Evangelical presentations of the day and did not include the fundamental basics of the 1888 message.)
1969	May—Review and Herald (May 8) publishes article, “The Year 1888,” reporting on results of June 1967 meeting; General Conference affirms confidence in loyalty and sincerity of authors of 1888 Re-examined.
1971	February—Publication of Movement of Destiny.
1971	May—First presentation of church “Week of Prayer,” using slides photographed from out-of-print 1888 message sources. Title of series: “The 1888 Message Itself as Found in the Writings of Jones and Waggoner.”
1971-1972	December-January—Editorials in the Review and Herald affirming the basic 1888 view of Christ’s nature in incarnation.
1972	March—First publication in an official denominational publication (The Ministry) of recommendation to study writings of Jones and Waggoner.
1972	October—Publication of a re-print of The Glad Tidings as revised and edited by one of the authors (Pacific Press Publishing Association).
1972	October—Completion of “An Explicit Confession . . . Due the Church” by the authors of 1888 Re-examined.