The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Notes on Appendix A

The questioning, doubting ignorance of those who were not eyewitnesses was seen in Brother Loughborough’s own lifetime. One such example provided the impetus for him to write what is here given as the Appendix. We sense it a privilege and duty to be able to include his response in this edition, this being the first time it has been published. We were made aware of its existence by a reference to it in L. E. Froom’s booklet Finding the Lost Prophetic Witnesses. We quote Froom’s description of the history of the manuscript which forms Appendix A: GSAM 9.4

Another valuable accession was a large typewritten manuscript pecked out by J. N. Loughborough on an old Blick telegraph typewriter, all in capitals. It was his answer, prepared in 1918 shortly before his death, to the charges of lies, distortion, and inaccuracy hurled by certain critics a short time before against his earlier books concerning the beginnings of the Advent Movement. When offered for publication to one of our publishing houses, it was obviously not of sufficient general interest to warrant issuance. It was accordingly returned to the author. GSAM 10.1

In his advancing years Elder Loughborough gave it to H. A. Washburn, then professor of history at Pacific Union College, who valued it and preserved it. One day the professor’s cottage burned to the ground, and with it went his fine library. The few books he had left were on his desk at the college. Among them was this manuscript, entitled “Some Experiences.” At the close of my first series of lectures on the Millerite Movement, which I had been asked to give at the opening of the Advanced Bible School held that year at Pacific Union College, Professor Washburn brought the manuscript and placed it in my hands with the observation, “Now I understand why this manuscript should be one of the few things preserved from my entire library by being on my desk in the college. God wanted it kept for this use. Put it in the Advent Source Collection.”—pp. 48, 49 GSAM 10.2