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Black History Themes: These vignettes provide some of the building blocks for understanding African roots in the Adventist Church. Equally important is the need to view Black Adventist history in the context of general church history. Five themes run throughout the Black history narrative. An understanding of these themes can help us better understand the inherent dynamics of Black Adventist history and to conceptually grasp how it meshes with Adventist history as a whole. 1. The development of the Black work was the providential outworking of Gods plan for Adventists to take the gospel to all the world. Never should the evolution of Black church work be viewed as the efforts of one race to paternalistically help another. As followers of Christ, Adventists were under a divine mandate to share the gospel with any and every person possible. It was an issue of spiritual duty and responsibility (Rev. 14:6). Ellen White repeatedly told church leaders that they were not fulfilling their mission if they didn't direct their efforts to the South. The profound needs of Blacks just out of slavery made the responsibility of sharing the gospel all the more urgent. In light of cultural selfishness and residual prejudices natural to the human heart, Adventists were challenged to see if the power of the gospel was able to stir up a love that would actively assist the oppressed and unfortunate. 2. From its beginning, God designed that the Seventh-day Adventist Church be multicultural and inclusive of all people. This is evident from the very basis of the gospel commission and the three angels messages, which are directed to all the world. God never considers one group of people to be superior to another. The message of Christ emphasizes unity and equality among all people The Adventist Church was to model to the world not only the correct message but also the correct demonstration of that message. 3. Ellen White was the single most influential person in the Seventh-day Adventist Church to advocate the development of the Black work. Ellen White can rightfully be called the initiator of the Black work. No person had a greater impact on the inclusion and status of Black people in the Adventist Church; it is impossible to talk about Black Adventist history without constantly referring to her contributions. All significant workers in the early Black work, either directly or indirectly, pointed to either Ellen White or her writings as the source of their inspiration and guidance. There would have been little hope for the Black work had Ellen White not championed the cause.
Further, every member of the James and Ellen White family made some contribution to the development of the Black work. James White was the first General Conference president to issue a call for volunteers to work in the South. Ellen White advocated freedom for slaves and pushed for Adventist work among Black people, and she gave money and resources to build the Black work. Edson White gave at least a decade of his life to building the Black work. William White, as his mothers assistant, supported her efforts on behalf of Blacks. 4. The Black work was instrumental in helping the Adventist Church mature in its outlook on multiculturalism. Prior to the early 1870s Adventists confined their efforts primarily to the northern part of North America. However, when they did begin to consider a broader perspective for outreach effort, it was to Europe that their attention was turned. In 1874 John N. Andrews went to Switzerland as the first missionary. In 1895 Ellen White highlighted an important inconsistency: "We should take into consideration the fact that efforts are being made at great expense to send the gospel to the darkened regions of the world, . . to bring instruction to the ignorant and idolatrous; yet here in the very midst of us are millions of people... who have souls to save or to lose, and yet they are set aside and passed by as was the wounded man by the priest and the Levite" (The Southern Work, reprint ed., p. 20). Ellen White left the church little room to excuse its lack of effort in this area. 5. There is cause for celebration concerning the Black church work because progress in this area was the result of the combined efforts of the entire church.
The first issue of the Gospel Herald was printed in 1898 aboard the Morning Star. The Seventh-day Adventist Church now has another opportunity to make good its mission in helping the suffering groups in society. The church is still challenged to demonstrate inclusive cultural diversity and concern for the oppressed and needy. |
William Foy's
grave is located in the Birch Tree Cemetery in East Sullivan, Maine.
On his gravestone is inscribed an epitaph: "I have fought a
good fight..." (2 Tim. 4:7, 8)
Ellen
G. White (1827- 1915) became the foremost advocate of work among
Blacks in the South.
The
White and Black Adventists who went South did so at great sacrifice.
Slowly but surely the work among Blacks began to pick up momentum.
Records indicate that in 1890 there were only 50 Black members.
However, by 1910 there were more than 3,500 Black members! Similar
increases were realized in tithe, mission schools, workers, and
churches. In spite of the challenges faced by the Black work, God
blessed with success!