John Bartlet Adamson
Adamson
(1837-1904) was a businessman. There is some confusion as to his occupation,
but Russell described him as having “a profitable and increasing business
paying about $1,500 a year as well as other things.” One presumes Russell meant
he had other sources of income. How much beyond that he had in “other things”
is impossible to calculate. While fifteen hundred dollars is a paltry sum
today, it was a large income in 1881. Later in life he said that he had “always
been a church worker of an independent sort” and that he “always took a great
interest in religious matters.”
He
was introduced to the Watch Tower message sometime in 1881, while staying at
the YMCA in Columbus, Ohio. He found a copy of Zion’s Watch Tower and “was
attracted at once, finding in it so much Gospel (good news) and so much
better than I had.” He traveled to Pittsburgh, searching for the Watch
Tower office. He asked for it “among various religious newspapers,” each of
which disparaged the paper. Adamson thought that gave it “Scriptural marks of
saintship – being ignored, ‘cast out,’ and ‘suffering reproach’ for Christ’s
sake.
Russell’s
explanations confused him: “I could hardly follow Bro. Russell in his
explanations and see at once that there really is a plan of God in the Ages,
and that all the Scriptures fall into line and harmonize with it. It was too
good.” He left Allegheny unconvinced. “Still pondering these things in my
heart,” he wrote, “I went East to attend Dr. Cullis’s training school, and
finding it unsuitable for me, I went on to Providence, where I acted with the
Y.M.C.A. in a revival; thence to Bridgeport, Conn., where I attended the
Mission revival services. From that I purposed to return to Boston again, but
there was no opening except toward Pittsburgh.”
We
are left wondering if he was confused by Russell’s explanation or if he found
it “too good to be true.” Which ever was so, he left Allegheny unconvinced and
sought out Charles Cullis in Boston and enrolled in his Faith Training College.
Cullis, a graduate of the University of Vermont and a Holiness-oriented
Episcopalian, was a homeopathic physician in Boston. He advocated Faith Cures
and founded among other agencies the Faith Training College (1876) to advocate
his views. Adamson enrolled but terminated his studies, finding the college “unsuitable.”
He doesn’t explain if he had a doctrinal difference or if he found he was not
an apt scholar.
He
was introduced to Watch Tower readers in the same issue as the two men
mentioned above, but only by the initials “J.B.A.” A brief letter of greeting
from him and some introductory words by Russell form the basis of most of what
we know of him. Russell introduced him as a “very dear saint” and “brother in
Christ” and explained that Adamson had decided to “give up all that he has of
time, reputation and ability … for the Crown of Life.” Adamson’s
self-introduction to Watch Tower readers is worth reproducing in full:
Beloved: It is fitting that new recruits should cheer,
if nothing else presents that they can do. It is well that overcomers should
continue to use the “word of their testimony.” In true life of faith there must
be habitual obedience to the revealed will of God. The just shall live by
faith. To the one that lives by every word that proceedeth out of they mouth of
God, [sic] it should not appear strange that God should present objects of
faith one by one, and not all at once; neither should we stumble if our faith
meets with higher truths than those first presented. Faith, like muscular
organs, is strengthened by use – the whole gymnasium is open to the athlete; he
would spurn the gentle and easy exercises of the invalids. But how often we
rebel when this principle is used in the acts of faith: It is trying to the man
who has arrived at the justified plane to be told about the entire consecration
demanded of the “overcomer.” For a week I have been instructed in the things of
the Kingdom especially referring to the presence of Christ doing the separating
work preparatory to the marriage. And most joyfully do I receive these
teachings.
With shame I record that for three days I rejected
these truths, almost wishing they were not scriptural and the very truth of
God, instead of joyfully welcoming them with grateful heart. Following closely
came another trial of faith and measure of my obedience and consecration, when
I as one of God’s stewards, was urged to do the work of a steward and deal
out these truths exactly in the measure of my ability to proclaim them.
This meant for me the preaching service; the proclamation of truths so
unwelcome to many up and down the land everywhere and always.
I ask pardon of the blessed Master – Christ Jesus,
that I ever hesitated to accept His place in true humility, and the
obedience of faith. I bring not a parade of the Christianizing and civilizing
elements to elevate and liberalize the world, and thus make it fit for a coming
Messiah; but we proclaim: “The times of restitution spoken of by all the holy
prophets since the world began” – the glorious manifestation of the sons of
God, so near.
Glorious body of Christ, take courage. “Now I beseech
you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Sprit,
that ye strive together with me in prays go God for me; that I may be delivered
from them that do not believe in Judea (the nominal church), and my
service that I have for Jerusalem the Baide [Bride] may be accepted of all the
saints.”
This
is more than an expression of newly found faith; we see something of his
personality in this. He is verbose, as if many words enforce his thoughts.
Though he would become an effective colporteur, he was not an effective preacher.
He tells us that he once believed it a Christian duty to improve the world, to
make it a fit place to which Christ could return. This was a common belief and
the belief that stood behind social improvement schemes. We can’t psychoanalyze
the dead, at least not successfully. But we come away from his letter wondering
about his stability. Angst over new understanding is foreign to the authors’
nature, and we are – perhaps – unsympathetic as a result. We see in this letter
an immense pride of self.
Adamson
explained that he had “always” been religiously inclined because he had “godly
parents,” but “I failed to get as clear an idea of consecration as I wished. I
never believed in lukewarm or disobedient Christians, but I had no wise, loving
saints to confer with in my early religious experience. Few or none thought of
the Bible as the only rule; therefore, I was sometimes cast down and
discouraged. I never could join a church, or enter the ministry, though I had
tempting offers of the necessary funds. .. Yet, I always worked heartily in all
churches, Y.M.C.A., or other revival work.”
We
have the benefit of hindsight. We know what outcomes were for Adamson, so we
can see elements from his letters Russell and Watch Tower readers could
not. Odd, ungrammatical phrasing characterizes some of them. In this one he
says he never “believed in lukewarm or disobedient Christians.” He meant that
he rejected their behavior, not that he didn’t believe they existed. He wrote
as he spoke. He tells us he considered a career in the ministry but found no
church satisfactory enough to seek membership. He was a frustrated preacher,
and within his Watch Tower ministry often included street preaching, though not
always successfully because of the flawed grammar. He confused people, not an
uncommon outcome when a speaker makes his audience mentally translate his
words. Adamson impresses one as vague. His letters leave an indistinct trail He
uses a common vocabulary, but one is occasionally left wondering if he meant
exactly the same thing as did everyone else. His description of his first
meeting with Russell falls into this category. At first it appears plain and
straight forward, but on analysis it becomes imprecise.
He
left Boston for Providence, Rhode Island, where he “acted with the Y.M.C.A. in
a revival.” Again, his statement lacks specifics. He doesn’t say if he merely
handed out tracts or if he picked up litter, or explain in anyway what “acting
with” the YMCA meant. From there he made his way to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to
attend “the Mission revival services.” He “proposed to return to Boston again,
but there was no opening except toward Pittsburgh.” Again, the lack of
specifics is maddening. What, exactly, does he mean by the phrase “no opening
except toward Pittsburgh”? That he had no more money than a fare to Pittsburgh?
That makes no sense because Boston is far closer to Bridgeport than is
Pittsburgh. Business took him toward Pittsburgh? Who knows? The man is
frustratingly vague. Nevertheless, six months after he’d visited Russell
(December 1880 or January 1881) he returned for another conference. In his
verbose, confusing way he reported the results of his second conference with
Russell:
With shame I record that for three days I rejected
these truths, almost wishing they were not scriptural and the very truth of
God, instead of joyfully welcoming them with grateful heart. Following closely
came another trial of faith and measure of my obedience and consecration, when
I, as one of God’s stewards, was urged to do the work of a steward and deal out
these truths exactly in the measure of my ability to proclaim them. This meant
for me the preaching service; the proclamation of truths so unwelcome to many
up and down the land everywhere and always.
I ask pardon from the blessed Master – Christ Jesus,
that I ever hesitated to accept His place in true humility, and the obedience
of faith. I bring, not a parade of the Christianizing and civilizing elements
to elevate and liberalize the world, and thus make it fit for a coming Messiah;
but we proclaim: “The times of restitution spoken of by all the holy prophets
since the world began”— the glorious manifestation of the sons of God, now so
near. Glorious body of Christ, take courage. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for
the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive
together with me in prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them
that do not believe in Judea (the nominal church), and my service that I have
for Jerusalem the Bride) may be accepted of all the saints.” Rom. 15:30, 31.
Russell’s
account differs in minor detail. Adamson says about six months elapsed between
his first meeting with Russell and his second. Russell says it was nearly a
year. We have no sure way to harmonize their accounts. Russell was impressed by
Adamson’s earnestness, telling Watch Tower readers:
It gives me pleasure to thus introduce to the readers
of the watch tower one whom we
have recently come to know as a very dear saint – a brother in Christ. We first
became acquainted about one year ago and his interest has been growing in the
precious truths advocated in the tower.
Again visiting this city, we have had very pleasant and profitable interchanges
on the all important themes – the presence, the “high calling” and the “narrow
way” of entire consecration by which it may be reached.
Our brother has concluded as ... to give all that he
has of time, reputation and ability for the Pearl of great price, the “Crown of
life,” – immortality and joint-heirship. He leaves a profitable and increasing
business ....
As
vague as Adamson was as a speaker, he was an adept colporteur and reported
success in personal evangelism. He played a significant part in the circulation
of Food for Thinking Christians. Russell reported that, “Brother Adamson
is now in Illinois and Iowa distributing pamphlets from city to city, and
preaching as he goes. An extract from a letter in another column, shows that he
is enjoying the work. The Lord give him grace for every time of need – though
showing him how great things he must suffer for the truth’s sake.” We
do not know what Adamson suffered, but we suppose it was partly financial. He
abandoned his business interests and was dependent on the goodwill of his
hearers.
In He reported work among Methodists late in [congtinue]
After
some weeks of silence, Adamson wrote to Russell, reporting his progress. Detailed
reports from Watch Tower evangelists are rare, and, though his letters reflect
his personality, they give us clear insight into methods. Adamson traveled from
camp meeting to camp meeting, circulating Food for Thinking Christians
and meeting sharp opposition:
After several months engaged in distributing and
preaching the Gospel, you will doubtless be glad to hear from me again. I have
had good opportunities for observing how this Gospel of the grace of God is
received by the different classes in and out of the nominal churches. Only
those who go forth into the world, with the real Gospel of gladness, can have a
full idea of the joy and rejoicing of God's true people, when presented with
these truths. And only such can realize how bitter is the opposition of many of
the clergy (Scribes) and false religionists (Pharisees) who abound in the
churches now, as they did in the Jewish.
I worked in nearly all the large towns of twenty
states, being present also at nearly all the leading Camp Meetings,
Conferences, and Assemblies of the year: distributing thousands of books, and
addressing many people. At Camp Meetings it was impossible to give away books
with much discrimination, but after the season for such gatherings ended, I
found time and place for seasonable words about our hope, joy, heirship, and
the restitution of the world at "the manifestation of the sons of
God." I soon began to realize what a blessed work I was engaged in, and
the glorious privilege of being a mouthpiece for the Lord.
The true people of God who are really making good
their promises of entire consecration of all to the Lord, received me with
every sign of gratitude and love, and praise to God for this message of grace
and love, expressing surprise that the "Food" had reached
them, and gratitude to God for "meat in due season." Limited in time,
I devoted it principally to those who seemed to "have an ear to hear"
– the truth hungry, passing by those who seemed to think themselves rich and
increased in goods and needing nothing; thus following the example of our
Forerunner--convinced that now, as then, no man can come into the light except
the Father draw him by his Word and Spirit of truth. There is no inducement of
a worldly character to lead one of the world-conforming, Babylon people into
the narrow way and race for glory. On the contrary, this teaching is
most repulsive to the larger portion of the nominal church, and those who
deliver them are continually subject to contempt, reproach, and dishonor. Those
who for years have been carrying the honors of the world with the name of
Christ in self-indulgence, feel outraged by the teaching that glory, honor, and
immortality will only be given to those who take up their cross, deny self, and
follow their Leader in a life separate from the world.
Most bitter in their opposition are the clergy who
doubtless feel their craft endangered--some of whom obtained the books from
their people when I was gone and burned them. This was especially true among
the sect calling themselves "Second Adventists," strange as it may
seem. They greatly fear, that which they cannot gainsay.
I now gladly recur to the effect of the truths we
hold, upon the dear sainted people of God who only are the church – yet for the
present much mixed up in Babylon except to God's clear vision. These were glad
to get out of her, and hailed the message and the result, as a deliverance from
sin. Many infidels and worldly people got to hear the message also, and often
spoke of God's plan in the ages, as something reasonable, and as demonstrating
his Wisdom, Justice, and Love.
Being a willing instrument in God's hand, subject to
any use I can be fitted to, I now try a preaching tour, and expect to meet many
of the brethren and labor together with them. Again desiring your prayers, I
remain your brother and fellow worker in Christ Jesus.
Indiscriminately handing out tracts at camp meetings
produced little result. We see that from this letter. Yet, for some years it
remained Watch Tower practice to dispense tracts at church doors, most of which
went unread. Adamson was more effective in personal conversation. He doesn’t
say which of the Second Adventist camp meetings he attended, but knowing does
not matter. They were especially opposed to the Watch Tower message. Some would
have seen it as a continuation of Barbour’s work, though by 1883, Barbour had
moved onto other doctrine. Adventists did not see kinship between Watch Tower
adherents and themselves. In his last paragraph, Adamson proposed a ‘preaching
tour.’ He was an indifferent, discursive speaker. Apparently he meant to visit
other believers, working with them.
In May
1882, Russell reported that “Bro. Adamson is holding some very successful, and
we trust profitable meetings in Mercer County, Pa.”
