Minneapolis - 1888: The “Forgotten” Issue

Chapter 3—The Case Of Rufus A. Underwood

The experience of Ohio Conference President Rufus A. Underwood presents an interesting subject for a study in comparison and contrast vis-a-vis that of Franklin E. Belden. 1888FI 27.3

Both men could—and did—exhibit traits of pettiness, headstrong attitudes, and vindictiveness. And both had major confrontations in head-to-head controversy with the church’s prophet, and received strong testimonies from her. 1888FI 27.4

Both loved their church; but in disgust (and probably in same disillusionment) Belden finally left it, while Underwood remained a member and a leader to the day of his death. Both, at least initially, appear to have accepted the prophetic gift of Ellen White; but Belden seems finally to have turned his back upon it, while Underwood acceded to her counsels, remaining loyal to then to the end of his days. 1888FI 27.5

The testimonies to Underwood were every bit as strong—in some instances, perhaps even stronger—than those Ellen White wrote to her nephew. And one cannot help but wonder why Underwood opposed her in 1888 (and for a number of months following Minneapolis), though ultimately he did manifest a complete turnabout and loyally accepted her appeals. 1888FI 28.1

Who was this man anyway? 1888FI 28.2

Rufus A. Underwood was born February 18, 1850, in Wayne, Ohio. His father became a convert to Adventism in 1864 about the time of the close of the Civil War, under the preaching of J. H. Waggoner, father of Dr. E. J. Waggoner. Rufus, five years later, at the age of 19, himself was brought into the church through the aegis of a series of Review and Herald articles written by Uriah Smith. In 1873 he was elected Missionary Director of District 3 (several northeastern counties) in Ohio, and in 1877 he entered regular ministerial work at the age of 27. He was ordained to the gospel ministry May 5, 1879, at the age of 29, by D. M. Canright, among others, and was successful in evangelism for several years before he was elected president of the Ohio Conference in 1882. 1888FI 28.3

From 1889 to 1893 he served as “superintendent” for three different General Conference “Districts” (roughly equivalent to a union conference today). And from 1893 until retirement in 1920 he was president, respectively, of the Wisconsin and Pennsylvania Conferences, the Northern Union Conference, the West Pennsylvania Conference, and the Central Union Conference. 1888FI 28.4

A biographer has noted that he was a strong advocate of the tithing system, having had much to do with its adoption in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Because of his administrative and financial acumen, he was often called to lead fields where institutional debt was a particularly pressing problem. He lived another 12 years following his retirement from the ministry in 1920 at the age of 70. ¹ 1888FI 29.1

Why did Underwood reject the prophetic leadership of Ellen White at Minneapolis, and for a period immediately thereafter? The data extant seems to suggest perhaps three possible reasons: 1888FI 29.2

1. Anger at Reproof and Rebuke?—The contents of some of the letters Ellen White wrote Underwood make the ears of a modern reader, looking over his shoulder, fairly tingle even today. For she seldom minced words, usually coming directly to the point. Her reproof and rebuke generally appear to fall into two categories: concern with the man’s personality and character defects, and complaints about administrative errors as conference president in Ohio. 1888FI 29.3

a. Personality and Character Defects. On January 10, 1887, nearly two years before Minneapolis, Mrs. White wrote to Underwood ² concerning a “sharp, domineering attitude” which she characterized by such words as “tyranny,” “hard dealing,” and “sharp dictation,” as far as his subordinate workers in office and field were concerned. 1888FI 29.4

She zeroed in on his demonstrated need to be “patient, kind, and respectful” in dealings with fellow workers and church laity, adding that he needed “kindness, courtesy, meekness, and the lowliness of Christ.” He was urged to avoid “harshness and severity” in his treatment of others. ³ 1888FI 29.5

More seriously, ultimately, was Underwood’s marked lack of spirituality, a point to which Ellen White would return again and again in this and other letters. 1888FI 30.1

b. Administrative Errors. As conference president, Underwood had discouraged and alienated a number of his fellow workers because of his heavy-handed administrative style. 1888FI 30.2

He would hire men for positions of leadership in his field (whom Mrs. White bluntly told the leader were a hindrance to the cause of God), and then stubbornly continue to support them in office rather than discipline them when their mistakes were pointed out by the Lord’s messenger. ⁴ 1888FI 30.3

On one occasion the president had bulldozed through his executive committee an action to create a sanitarium at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, when there were more urgent and pressing needs in his field for the limited financial resources available (a new church building in Cleveland, for example). He persuaded one layman to refuse to give to a mission project in Europe upon Ellen White’s direct solicitation, instead asking him to give the money to the sanitarium project. Then, after the project had foundered financially, he tried to get the General Conference to take over the program and fund it. Ellen White called the whole venture a mistake from the start. ⁵ 1888FI 30.4

2. A Desire to Keep Her in Her Place?—Was Rufus Underwood’s resistance to accepting and implementing Ellen White’s counsel at Minneapolis a subconscious (or, even worse, a conscious) desire to “keep her in her place” on a relatively “safe” issue (the colporteur prerequisite for ministerial labor)? 1888FI 30.5

Did he reason that this issue was not really a major matter, and that a vote against her, and in favor of the notion, would in reality be only as a “slap on the wrist,” yet serve to signal his (and others’) displeasure at the support Mrs. White was giving Jones and Waggoner and withholding from the “established” leadership from General Conference President Butler on down the line? It is difficult to know, for sure. 1888FI 31.1

3. A Male Chauvinist at Heart?—And, finally, did he, perhaps, resent a woman trying to tell him what to do—maybe a throwback to childhood days when he may have resented his mother telling him both what to do and how to do it? Again, motivation is a tricky thing for one human being to determine in another; perhaps this is why Ellen White has warned us off this ground. But it seers safe to recognize that such attitudes were probably extant in that day, held by others, if not by Underwood. 1888FI 31.2