P-18 Not One Man: The Leadership Controversy of the 1870s

Buller Hallway

In the early 1870s, the Adventist church struggled in regard to leadership. In late 1873, General Conference President, George I. Butler, attempted to bring resolution to these issues by writing a tract upon the subject. When Butler presented his Leadership on November 15, it was unanimously accepted as the official Seventh-day Adventist position on leadership. Within one year, major issues regarding the philosophy of Butler’s Leadership began to unfold. In fact, by November 1874, leadership had “exploded.” As a result, many attempts were made to bring about harmony and reestablish peace within the ranks of Sabbath-keepers. After about four years of struggle, the controversy was finally resolved and certain aspects of Butler’s Leadership were rescinded. This poster will provide a brief overview of the leadership controversy that waged throughout the 1870s within the SDA Church. It will highlight the three primary views of leadership that arose at this time, and illustrate the major events that took place in a concise manner.