Information on the Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement
Gerhard Pfandl, BRI
I. Origin
In many parts of the world field today Adventists are confronted by an organization calling itself the Seventh-day
Adventist Reform Movement. Sometimes this group is designated as the “German Reform Movement” because it
originated in Germany. Frequently, this organization is quite hostile, although some of its members have not
severed all their emotional ties with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
From the beginning, Seventh-day Adventists in Europe experienced a number of difficulties, especially in the realm
of Sabbath observance and military service. Children were required by law to attend school on Sabbath, and the
work-week ended on Saturday afternoon. Adventist young men who complied with the required military service
frequently went to prison for their refusal to work and fulfill their duty on Sabbath.
At the beginning of World War I, when the government placed additional pressure on our leaders, church leaders in
Germany buckled and instructed church members to fulfill their military duties on Sabbath as other soldiers do on
Sunday.
This position on combatant service, as well as doing duty on Sabbath, stood clearly in opposition to the traditional
position taken by Adventists in the past. When the German members were confronted with this new position, many
began to protest vigorously. Particularly in the city of Bremen the opposition became very vocal against the church’
s leadership. This situation caused the leadership to react with further actions and they disfellowshipped the
protesters.
The disfellowshipped members then began an open war against the Adventist Church, a war which became very
bitter at times. In 1919, before the disfellowshipped members had determined what stand the General Conference
had officially taken on the matter of military service, they published 10,000 copies of a pamphlet describing the
Adventist Church as the great apostate woman. In the document they attempted to prove from the writings of Ellen
White that the words “Babylon is fallen” applied to Seventh-day Adventists, in spite of her clear statements to the
contrary. “When anyone arises, either among us or outside of us, who is burdened with a message which declares
that the people of God are numbered with Babylon, and claims that the loud cry is a call to come out of her, you
may know that he is not bearing the message of truth. Receive him not, nor bid him Godspeed; for God has not
spoken by him, neither has He given a message to him, but he has run before he was sent” (TM 41).
Apparently the early Reformers were ignorant of this statement. In 1919 the disfellowshipped members organized
themselves into a church body under the name “International Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists.” Later
when they found statements in the Spirit of Prophecy referring to a reform movement, they saw themselves as a
fulfillment of these prophecies and changed their name to “Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement.”
In 1920, Elder Daniells, the General Conference President, traveled to Germany for talks with the German
leadership and the leaders of the Reform Movement. Although Elder Daniells made it clear that the German
leadership had made a mistake, his attempts to heal the breach between the two sides failed. Because the General
Conference did not immediately disband the division and disfellowship the leaders as a punishment for their sins,
the Reformers asserted that the General Conference became responsible for their mistakes.
Since the 1920 meeting, several attempts at reunion have been made, but they all have failed due to the unbending
spirit of the Reform leaders who believe that Adventists must accept their views in order to be right with God.
II. Divergent Doctrines
Reformers believe that God called their movement into existence and that it was prophesied to come. Two events
are cited as proof:
(1) In 1888, at the General Conference in Minneapolis, the church, they claim, rejected the message of
Righteousness by Faith as proclaimed by Waggoner and Jones. God, therefore, raised up the Reform Movement
to proclaim this message in clarity.
(2) The leadership, they say, overthrew the commandments of God in 1914 when it encouraged members to serve
in the army and fulfill their duty on Sabbath. The Reformers opposed this move, hence they have the right to exist
as a separate movement.
Several of their teachings cannot be supported by either Scripture or the Ellen G. White’s writings:
Liberty of Conscience – The Reform Movement insists that the church must spell out and hold up strict and specific
standards for the people to follow. In many cases the members themselves expect the church to specify every
detail of how they are to act in any given situation, e.g., military service. Little room is given to an individual’s
conscience.
Military Service – Reform Adventists believe that no true believer could ever join the military, even in medical work.
Seventh-day Adventists hold that church members may serve as noncombatants in the military.
Vegetarianism – They have made the question of vegetarianism a test of fellowship, despite the clear statement
from Ellen White, “We are not to make the use of flesh food a test of fellowship” (9T 159).
144,000 – They accept this figure as a literal number. Hence only 144,000 will be redeemed through the preaching
of the three angel’s messages in the period extending from 1844 to the end of time. This provides a reason for
their small number.
Closed Communion – Reform Adventists hold that since Christ held the Last Supper alone with his disciples, the
Communion service is reserved only for members in good and regular standing.
Divorce and Remarriage – The stand taken by the Reform Movement on this subject is that no matter what has
taken place in a marital breakup, there is no possibility even for the innocent party to be restored to church
membership if he or she remarries.
The Remnant – It is taught that there are three entities in Revelation 12:17, the woman, the seed, and the remnant.
The woman is seen as a symbol for the Protestant churches, the seed is the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and
the remnant refers to the Reform Movement.
The Laodicean Message – The warning addressed to Laodicea is believed to apply to the SDA General
Conference leadership and indicates the rejection of the Adventist Church. In an attempt to find a biblical
foundation for this view, they note that the message is addressed to “the angel of the church,” which they assume
is the church’s leadership.
7/03
Copyright © Biblical Research Institute General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®
Gerhard Pfandl, BRI
I. Origin
In many parts of the world field today Adventists are confronted by an organization calling itself the Seventh-day
Adventist Reform Movement. Sometimes this group is designated as the “German Reform Movement” because it
originated in Germany. Frequently, this organization is quite hostile, although some of its members have not
severed all their emotional ties with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
From the beginning, Seventh-day Adventists in Europe experienced a number of difficulties, especially in the realm
of Sabbath observance and military service. Children were required by law to attend school on Sabbath, and the
work-week ended on Saturday afternoon. Adventist young men who complied with the required military service
frequently went to prison for their refusal to work and fulfill their duty on Sabbath.
At the beginning of World War I, when the government placed additional pressure on our leaders, church leaders in
Germany buckled and instructed church members to fulfill their military duties on Sabbath as other soldiers do on
Sunday.
This position on combatant service, as well as doing duty on Sabbath, stood clearly in opposition to the traditional
position taken by Adventists in the past. When the German members were confronted with this new position, many
began to protest vigorously. Particularly in the city of Bremen the opposition became very vocal against the church’
s leadership. This situation caused the leadership to react with further actions and they disfellowshipped the
protesters.
The disfellowshipped members then began an open war against the Adventist Church, a war which became very
bitter at times. In 1919, before the disfellowshipped members had determined what stand the General Conference
had officially taken on the matter of military service, they published 10,000 copies of a pamphlet describing the
Adventist Church as the great apostate woman. In the document they attempted to prove from the writings of Ellen
White that the words “Babylon is fallen” applied to Seventh-day Adventists, in spite of her clear statements to the
contrary. “When anyone arises, either among us or outside of us, who is burdened with a message which declares
that the people of God are numbered with Babylon, and claims that the loud cry is a call to come out of her, you
may know that he is not bearing the message of truth. Receive him not, nor bid him Godspeed; for God has not
spoken by him, neither has He given a message to him, but he has run before he was sent” (TM 41).
Apparently the early Reformers were ignorant of this statement. In 1919 the disfellowshipped members organized
themselves into a church body under the name “International Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists.” Later
when they found statements in the Spirit of Prophecy referring to a reform movement, they saw themselves as a
fulfillment of these prophecies and changed their name to “Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement.”
In 1920, Elder Daniells, the General Conference President, traveled to Germany for talks with the German
leadership and the leaders of the Reform Movement. Although Elder Daniells made it clear that the German
leadership had made a mistake, his attempts to heal the breach between the two sides failed. Because the General
Conference did not immediately disband the division and disfellowship the leaders as a punishment for their sins,
the Reformers asserted that the General Conference became responsible for their mistakes.
Since the 1920 meeting, several attempts at reunion have been made, but they all have failed due to the unbending
spirit of the Reform leaders who believe that Adventists must accept their views in order to be right with God.
II. Divergent Doctrines
Reformers believe that God called their movement into existence and that it was prophesied to come. Two events
are cited as proof:
(1) In 1888, at the General Conference in Minneapolis, the church, they claim, rejected the message of
Righteousness by Faith as proclaimed by Waggoner and Jones. God, therefore, raised up the Reform Movement
to proclaim this message in clarity.
(2) The leadership, they say, overthrew the commandments of God in 1914 when it encouraged members to serve
in the army and fulfill their duty on Sabbath. The Reformers opposed this move, hence they have the right to exist
as a separate movement.
Several of their teachings cannot be supported by either Scripture or the Ellen G. White’s writings:
Liberty of Conscience – The Reform Movement insists that the church must spell out and hold up strict and specific
standards for the people to follow. In many cases the members themselves expect the church to specify every
detail of how they are to act in any given situation, e.g., military service. Little room is given to an individual’s
conscience.
Military Service – Reform Adventists believe that no true believer could ever join the military, even in medical work.
Seventh-day Adventists hold that church members may serve as noncombatants in the military.
Vegetarianism – They have made the question of vegetarianism a test of fellowship, despite the clear statement
from Ellen White, “We are not to make the use of flesh food a test of fellowship” (9T 159).
144,000 – They accept this figure as a literal number. Hence only 144,000 will be redeemed through the preaching
of the three angel’s messages in the period extending from 1844 to the end of time. This provides a reason for
their small number.
Closed Communion – Reform Adventists hold that since Christ held the Last Supper alone with his disciples, the
Communion service is reserved only for members in good and regular standing.
Divorce and Remarriage – The stand taken by the Reform Movement on this subject is that no matter what has
taken place in a marital breakup, there is no possibility even for the innocent party to be restored to church
membership if he or she remarries.
The Remnant – It is taught that there are three entities in Revelation 12:17, the woman, the seed, and the remnant.
The woman is seen as a symbol for the Protestant churches, the seed is the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and
the remnant refers to the Reform Movement.
The Laodicean Message – The warning addressed to Laodicea is believed to apply to the SDA General
Conference leadership and indicates the rejection of the Adventist Church. In an attempt to find a biblical
foundation for this view, they note that the message is addressed to “the angel of the church,” which they assume
is the church’s leadership.
7/03
Copyright © Biblical Research Institute General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®
Broken Adventist Ministry
When the shaking comes, by the introduction of false theories, these surface readers,
anchored nowhere, are like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their
feelings of bitterness.--TM 112 (1897). {LDE 177.1}
The Church May Appear as About to Fall
The shaking of God blows away multitudes like dry leaves.--4T 89 (1876). {LDE 180.1}
Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only
floors of rich wheat.--5T 81 (1882). {LDE 180.2}
Soon God’s people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now
appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. . . . {LDE 180.3}
When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then
should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand
in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the
Lord when champions are few--this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from
the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.--5T
136 (1882). {LDE 180.4}
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in
Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal,
but nevertheless it must take place.--2SM 380 (1886). {LDE 180.5}
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s
message, but have [BEGIN P.181] not been sanctified through obedience to the truth,
abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.--GC 608 (1911). {LDE 180.6}
Unsanctified Ministers/Ministries Will Be Weeded Out
The great issue so near at hand [enforcement of Sunday laws] will weed out those whom
God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the
latter rain.--3SM 385 (1886). {LDE 179.2}
Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the
hellish torch of Satan. . . . {LDE 179.3}
Some will go out from among us who will bear the ark no longer. But these can not make
walls to obstruct the truth; for it will go onward and upward to the end.--TM 409, 411
(1898). {LDE 179.4}
Ministers and doctors may depart from the faith, as the Word declares they will, and as the
messages that God has given His servant declare they will.--7MR 192 (1906). {LDE 179.5}
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