A coach bus full of students began the journey to tour Adventist Historic sites in New York and New England from July 31 to August 8, 2016. This is an annual event for students of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Many find it a way to connect with the roots of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Rosimayre Barreiros reflected on her experience and said, “This experience of visiting the places where they walked and reading about the pioneers, especially Ellen G. White, was a life transformation for me. What I valued most from this tour was the understanding of their faith in God’s word, their love for God, and their willingness to sacrifice all to proclaim truth.”

On Monday, in Rochester, New York, the students toured Mount Hope Cemetery to see the graves of Mary Andrews, Angeline Andrews, Carrie Andrews, Nathaniel White and Anna White, and Frederick Douglass. Two attendees flew private drones they had brought along to capture footage and photos for a video of the tour sites. Afterward. the bus drove around the city to see historic sites, and then began the trip to Massachusetts. Lunch was served in the parking lot of a Walmart, and then we were back on the road to Ludlow for the night.

The following day the study tour went to Old Sturbridge Village and sites related to Joseph Bates. Old Sturbridge Village puts people into the mindset of life in the 1830s. That was a few years earlier than the events we focus on during the tour, but a good place to start to get a feel for how daily life was lived for our Adventist pioneers.

Joseph Bates, one of the co-founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, grew up in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. His childhood home was near enough to the Atlantic to see the ocean-going vessels in the harbor and it is easy to understand how Bates developed a longing to go to sea. Bates spent 20-plus years at sea and retired as captain of his own ship with a comfortable fortune. The tour went to the home that he built upon his retirement which was later sold to fund the spread of the Millerite Advent message. Along the rocky water’s edge, where the old Fairhaven Bridge once stood, participants heard the story of how the Sabbath being the seventh day of the week came to the Millerites and to Joseph Bates. Bates then wrote three tracts on the Sabbath, one of which James and Ellen White read and were convinced to start keeping the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath.

Wednesday, the tour went to Maine; the house was pointed out where James and Ellen White were living when they accepted the Sabbath. This was in Gorham, Maine, while the Whites were living with Ellen’s parents in 1847. Gorham, Maine, is also where Ellen was born. She spent many of her growing up years in Portland, Maine. The tour visited many sites in Portland, but because of a fire in the 1860s and construction of newer buildings, many of the sites are uninspiring. For example, the spot where Ellen Harmon was baptized is now a parking lot because the city reclaimed land from the bay.

Thursday was spent in New Hampshire. First was a visit to the Washington, New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventist church, which features the Sabbath Trail on its property. The group spent the morning in the church hearing stories and singing songs. Lunch was served with a special treat from the Brummels—sugar on snow. This consisted of shaved ice topped with boiled down maple syrup that hardened over the ice. During lunch, several students along with Dr. Burt were privileged to eat at the picnic table dedicated to the memory of Stan Hickerson. After lunch, a walk along the Sabbath Trail and picture taking time, the tour moved on to the childhood home of Uriah Smith and his sister Annie Smith. The LaJoies, owners of the Smith tavern, opened their home for a tour. Everyone enjoyed seeing the restored tavern. Annie Smith’s grave is in a cemetery nearby, near her family members.

That evening, the group ate at the Country Life Restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire. This is an independent, Adventist owned, vegan restaurant. Many on the tour considered it to be the best meal of the trip. It was a learning experience for many who were not familiar with the health ministry of these restaurants. It served as an anchor for the lectures about the health message given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Friday was spent at the William Miller Farm and chapel. Elder Jim Nix, president of the White Estate, joined us to present the story of William Miller in the chapel. With passion and exhortation he described Miller’s conversion. He held up a cannon ball as a visual aid in describing the war of 1812 and the battle in which Miller took part. Later Elder Nix presided over the tour through Miller’s home.

Sabbath morning the group was at the Roosevelt Seventh-day Adventist Church for the worship service and then Sabbath School. Dr. Burt spoke for the worship service and the church was blessed to have the group. A very delicious lunch of haystacks and pie was served and pita pocket feast was prepared for a to-go supper. After a visit to the Roosavelt Cemetery, the bus was loaded and off to the Hiram Edson barn. After getting off the highway, the bus was delayed by a small-town parade. After about a 15 minute wait, the tour was back en route to the barn before heading back to Rochester, NY for the night.

Sunday’s journey back to the University was uneventful; all were thankful for safe travels and the good weather experienced over the whole week.

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In Their Own Words . . . Students Reflect

Previous to this Adventist study tour, my journey with  Seventh-day Adventist history and the pioneers had been a most fulfilling one. I thoroughly enjoy history and what it teaches us about our present experience. The study tour was everything that I had hoped for from the aspect of causing me to dig deeper into our distinctive truth. In addition, I have a greater appreciation of the humanity of our pioneers and the wide range of emotions they experienced. The tour made me feel closer to the pioneers which enabled me to more fully appreciate their sacrifice and contribution to the Advent Movement. I find myself reading their writings with more depth of understanding and more empathy.
— Jim John

I honestly did not know what to expect from this journey of Adventist Heritage. I was not born into the church and cannot recall a major emphasis on Ellen White when I was prepared for baptism in 1998. In my undergraduate program at Griggs University, I was introduced to historical Adventist classes that had me read books on our heritage, but I was still unmoved as to our history. Coming to the Seminary in 2015 to obtain my MDiv lead me to study more about Ellen White, but honestly, I just saw her as superfluous. Therefore, when I came on this heritage tour, I was not expecting to be transformed by our heritage and history.

For me, it began as Dr. Burt demonstratively displayed a passion I had not seen in any Seminary professor. While I sat there in the front row of the Washington, NH Church, I was transfixed by the presentation of our history. It was presented in such a way that I was moved to realize the importance of our heritage and history. I used to think that historical sites were the epitome of soporific realities, however, I am of a different opinion after the tour.

In essence, this trip to New England has changed my life as a Seventh-day Adventist. I am no longer simply a Seventh-day Adventist minister. I am now Pastor Howard Tello, a Seventh-day Adventist, heritage loving, history reading, vegetarian loving, Ellen White reading minister!
— Howard Tello

by Jim Ford, Associate Director

This year, we celebrate two anniversaries here at the Center for Adventist Research. The first is the 50th anniversary of the formal establishment of the Heritage Room at Andrews University as a fully staffed research facility. Prior to 1966, the Heritage Room existed as a place, but was overseen by one of the library staff, who also had other responsibilities. In 1966, Louise Dederen was hired as the full time curator for the Heritage Room. It was with her focus and energetic attention that the collection began to grow exponentially, as well as providing a heightened level of service. Mrs. Dederen brought a professional approach to caring for the collection. We owe a large measure of thanks to the Emmanuel Missionary College librarians, who carefully collected and preserved a very wide range of “heritage” materials. It was this base, in addition to the resources that came from the Seminary Library when it moved from Washington, DC, that forms the original holdings of the Center for Adventist Research.

The Heritage Room, and later the Adventist Heritage Center, began expanding its physical footprint on the lower level of the James White Library. First one room and then another was taken over for storage. In 1966, the Heritage Room occupied one room located roughly where the Center’s current lobby is. By the time Mrs. Dederen retired in 1991, the Adventist Heritage Center occupied around 5,000 square feet, which included a fire-resistant vault, 3 exhibit rooms, a large reading area, a reception area, and 3 storage rooms.

We also celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of a collection of Ellen G. White documents at Andrews University, which ultimately led to the formation of the first White Estate Branch Office in 1961. The initial motivation for the Ellen White materials being held at Andrews University was the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The placement of White materials here was a preservation measure to guard against loss in the event of a nuclear exchange between the two powers.

The first director of the Ellen G. White Research Center was T. Housel Jemison. After his untimely death in 1963, he was succeeded by his wife, Hedwig Jemison. With the White materials on campus, there was a push for access to them by the faculty and students. This led to the establishment in 1961 of a small office to serve this need. Under her leadership, the contents of the vault were slowly released for student use, one year at a time and only for advanced graduate students at first. Eventually usage progressed to MDiv students and the White materials are now permanently available for anyone to use in research.

The Heritage Room was in the southwest corner of the lower level of the James White Library building. In 1982, the White Estate Branch Office outgrew its small 500 square foot space in the Seminary Building and moved into a 2,000 square foot space on the northwest side of the lower level of the Library. In 1999, Library administration suggested the Adventist Heritage Center and the White Estate Branch Office be physically merged into one location as a service to patrons. This put all Adventist materials into one physical location. Also, both entities had similar space and storage needs which could be shared.

The new 6,000 square foot physical space was completed in 2000. The two entities moved in together, but functionally remained separate. In 2003, the two entities were merged functionally into what is today known as the Center for Adventist Research.

This year’s tour got started with a bit of a bang early Sunday morning, August 2. Just as the bus pulled out of the Howard Performing Arts Center parking lot where students had boarded, one of the students fell ill and had to be rushed by ambulance to the hospital. His seat was filled by another student who had come just in case a spot opened up. Later it was reported that the hospitalized student was doing okay, but was being kept for observation and testing.

After this bit of excitement, the bus full of students re-began the journey to tour Adventist History sites in New York and New England from August 2-9, 2015. This is an annual event for students of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Many find it a way to connect with the roots of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Arnell McCoy reflected on his experience and said, “The sights combined with the lectures really gave me a new appreciation for what the pioneers sacrificed in order to follow the call that God put on their lives.”

On Monday morning, in Rochester, New York, the starter on the Andrews University bus broke down, however, the study tour was not delayed. The students were shuttled by hotel transportation to the Mount Hope Cemetery to see the graves of Mary Andrews, Angeline Andrews, Carrie Andrews, Nathaniel White and Anna White, and Frederick Douglass. A city-type bus was chartered from the University of Rochester to pick up the students and Dr. Burt , take them around the city to see historic sites, and then back to the hotel. While the group ate lunch in the parking lot, the AU bus was repaired, and by early afternoon, was back on the road to the next stop in Massachusetts with only a slight delay to the schedule.

On the following day the study tour went to Old Sturbridge Village and sites related to Joseph Bates. Old Sturbridge Village puts people into the mindset of life in the 1830s. That was a few years earlier than the events we focus on during the tour, but a good place to start to get a feel for how daily life was lived for our Adventist pioneers.

Joseph Bates, one of the co-founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, grew up in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. His childhood home was near enough to the Atlantic to see the ocean-going vessels in the harbor and it is easy to understand how Bates developed a longing to go to sea. Bates spent 20-plus years at sea and retired as captain of his own ship with a comfortable fortune. The tour went to the home that he built upon his retirement which was later sold to fund the spread of the Millerite Advent message. Along the rocky water’s edge, where the old Fairhaven Bridge once stood, participants heard the story of how the Sabbath being the seventh day of the week came to the Millerites and to Joseph Bates. Bates then wrote three tracts on the Sabbath, one of which James and Ellen White read and were convinced to start keeping the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath.

The next day the tour went to Maine; the house was pointed out where James and Ellen White were living when they accepted the Sabbath. This was in Gorham, Maine, while the Whites were living with Ellen’s parents in 1847. Gorham, Maine, is also where Ellen was born. She spent many of her growing up years in Portland, Maine. The tour visited many sites in Portland, but because of a fire in the 1860s and construction of newer buildings, many of the sites are uninspiring. For example, the spot where Ellen Harmon was baptized is now a parking lot because the city reclaimed land from the bay.

The day following the Maine sites was spent in New Hampshire. First was a visit to the Washington, New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventist church, which features the Sabbath Trail on its property. After a morning of stories and songs, followed by lunch, a walk along the Sabbath Trail, and taking pictures of the graves of the individuals featured in the stories earlier in the day, the tour went to the childhood home of Uriah Smith and his sister Annie Smith. Annie’s grave is in a cemetery nearby, near her family members.

That evening, the group ate at the Country Life Restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire. This is an independent, Adventist owned, vegan restaurant. Many on the tour considered it to be the best meal of the trip. It was a learning experience for many who were not familiar with the health ministry of these restaurants. It served as an anchor for the lectures about the health message given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Friday was spent at the William Miller Farm and chapel. Elder Nix presented the story of William Miller in the chapel. With passion and exhortation he described Miller’s conversion. He held up a cannon ball as a visual aid in describing the war of 1812 and the battle in which Miller took part. Later Elder Nix presided over the tour through Miller’s home.

Sabbath morning the group was at the Roosevelt Seventh-day Adventist Church for the worship service and then Sabbath School. Dr. Burt spoke for the worship service and the church was blessed to have the group. A very delicious lunch of Thai curry was served and a mediterranean feast was prepared for a to-go supper. A visit to the Roosavelt Cemetery and then to the Hiram Edson barn was in the schedule before heading back to Rochester, NY for the night.
Sunday’s journey back to the University was uneventful; all were thankful for safe travels and the good weather experienced over the whole week.

by Samuel Pagan, Student Assistant at the Center for Adventist Research

Many staff, faculty, and students—including myself­—waited with great expectation for The Gift of Prophecy in Scripture and History Symposium which would take place from October 15-18, 2015, in warm remembrance of the Adventist prophetic figure, Ellen White, who died 100 years ago this past summer.

Opening night saw the arrival of other participants and attendees who came from different parts of the world field.  The Symposium was hosted on the beautiful campus of Andrews University and featured 22 presentations including speakers such as Dwight K. Nelson, Alberto Timm, Jiří Moskala, Merlin Burt, Ángel M. Rodríguez, and Ekkehardt Mueller. The symposium encompassed a wide range of topics related to the Gift of Prophecy and included Old Testament scholars, New Testament Scholars, and Ellen G. White scholars. I saw scholars from various Adventist institutions in North America and overseas.  I also witnessed General Conference president Ted Wilson, attending the meetings.  I could feel the excitement and also the reverence in the room. I realized that in coming together for this names Symposium, we were acknowledging—even more so professing that God has, in fact, led His people through the prophetic voice which has affected each one of us.

I was happy to receive at registration a hard-copy of the newly published book, The Gift of Prophecy, which had all the lectures that were to be presented during the long weekend.  As the sessions got underway, I enjoyed the presentation topics, the format of the symposium, and especially the panel discussion which gave attendees the opportunity to participate through written questions.  The presenters were well prepared with their topics and did a good job in making their various points.  During the panel discussion some seemed a bit timid when taking on the challenges of some of the questions by the attendees.  Nevertheless, the questions were addressed to the best of their abilities and we all were benefited and greatly blessed.
The Sabbath was truly a high Sabbath.  It began on Friday evening with two important lectures relevant to current concerns. These were followed by the performance of a beautiful Symphony entitled, “We, From Battle Creek,” written especially for the Symposium and dedicated to the spirit of the Adventist pioneers.

Sabbath morning continued highlighting the importance and role of the gift of prophecy in the Adventist Church.  The excitement and enthusiasm of the previous day seemed to be on the rise with each hour, as I witnessed the Pioneer Memorial Church fill to capacity.  Elder Ted Wilson preached a sermon which was his personal testimony to the importance of Ellen White’s ministry in the church. He revealed in the course of his talk that his great-grandfather had come to know the Adventist message through an evangelistic tent meeting where he heard Ellen White speak.  The whole Wilson family owed their conversion to Adventism to the personal ministry of the Adventist prophetess.  His strong commitment to Ellen White’s ministry was affirmed.

The Sabbath afternoon presentations, also held in the Pioneer Memorial Church, again witnessed abundant attendance. Other wonderful lectures, more specific to Ellen White’s ministry, appealed to the larger lay crowd.
Two moments stood out for me during this session. The first was David Trim’s presentation on how Ellen White’s writings address the urgency of the Adventist mission—those of us in the audience really felt her passion for reaching the world.  The second came during the panel discussion when the participants were asked to share their own opinion on which book by Ellen White was the most important one. Merlin Burt, Director of the Center for Adventist Research responded, “The one you read.”

I believe the Symposium has reminded us of God’s wonderful gift of prophecy, and of our duty to read the prophetic writings.