Key participants were Alonzo T. Jones and Ellet J. Waggoner, who presented a message on justification supported by Ellen G. White, but resisted by leaders such as G. I. Butler, Uriah Smith and others.
As they studied the Scriptures concerning end time prophecy, the sanctuary types and their fulfillment, and the perpetuity of the law of God, they saw the necessity for organization as a means for proclaiming these truths to the world.
After its formation the doctrines of Salvation and righteousness by faith were understood and accepted but stayed in the background, mostly because these truths were familiar to most churches, so bringing out of these and other specific theological points awaited later focus and discussion.
But ministers and laity alike mistook this growth for the true end and purpose of the Advent movement — a spiritual preparation for the return of Christ.
[5] So at the 1888 General Conference Session in Minneapolis, the presentation of the message of Christ as the only source of righteousness by two young preachers was going to create conflict with some members including church leaders.
All the work involved in developing and extending the denomination seemed to force attention upon what the individual could accomplish, opening the door to self-reliance in spiritual matters.
Some prominent writers and speakers, such as Uriah Smith, long-time editor of the Church's chief publication, still held on to them [7] Uriah Smith (1832–1903), long-time editor of the Review and Herald (now Adventist Review), the official organ of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, had expounded this position in his discourse on the Book of Revelation first published in 1865.
Commenting on Revelation 1:4, Smith set forth a straight Arian position by claiming that the language of the verse was "applicable only to God the Father," and was "never applied to Christ.
Waggoner devoted two chapters in his attempt to prove that the Trinitarian view was false because it inferred that Christ, being God, could not have died on the cross of Calvary, and thus full atonement for sin could not have been made.
Waggoner was selected as a delegate from California to attend the 1886 General Conference session held that year at Battle Creek, Michigan.
When he arrived he found that church leaders such as Butler strongly opposed his emphasis on Christ as the sole source of righteousness, especially in light of Waggoner's teaching on the law in Galatians.
Butler prepared a small booklet titled "The Law in the Book of Galatians" that was handed out to all the delegates at that conference, countering Waggoner's position.
This position the Adventists had almost entirely abandoned during the 1860s and 1870s; the 'schoolmaster' was reinterpreted to mean the ceremonial and sacrificial laws of Moses which pointed forward to the Messiah.
"[14] Ellen White initially saw the conflict as a small diversionary topic but quickly realized the danger and that it was counter-productive to the real issue of the fulfillment of Adventist message of Christ's return and moved to resolve the uncomfortable situation.
Thus we find these two main points of contention facing the delegates at Minneapolis: justification is by faith not by works, and the semi-Arian view of the Godhead and its effect on the doctrine of the atonement.
"[15] Preconceived opinions and strong prejudice were firmly entrenched due to the previous two years' contentions between Waggoner and Butler, and Jones and Smith.
It was during the Bible Institute that A.T. Jones delivered his evidence supporting the idea that the Alemanni were one of the ten horns of prophecy that succeeded the crumbling Roman Empire.
"[16] Such strong lines were drawn regarding this subject that during the ensuing weeks of the conference when men would pass each other in the halls, they inquired of each other whether they were "Huns" or "Alemanni."
They saw, they felt the divine influence of the Spirit of God and all witnessed to the gracious words that proceeded from His mouth [Ellen White, Manuscript 24, 1888.]."
Ellen White soon discovered, however, that other forces were deliberately at work planning to disrupt and confuse the mission and message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Ellen White was convinced that God had "raised up" for this moment these two young ministers, E. J. Waggoner and A. T. Jones, to give a message to the delegates at the conference.
He spoke sincerely and earnestly expressing the fear that Waggoner's view, if adopted, would direct attention away from the Adventist position of explicit obedience to all the commandments of God.
"The uplifted Saviour is to appear in His efficacious work as the Lamb slain, sitting upon the throne, to dispense the priceless covenant blessings, the benefits He died to purchase for every soul who should believe on Him.
Waggoner centered his logical proof on the fact that Christ possesses "all the fullness of the Godhead" being "by nature the very substance of God, and having life in Himself, He is properly called Jehovah, the self-existent One.
It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God.
"[27] Far from promoting antinomian sentiments, Waggoner's message presented Christ in all His glory as the Saviour of all mankind, it brought balance between Justification and Sanctification.
Due to the conflict, Jones and Waggoner's presentations were coolly received or outrightly rejected by many of the leaders of the denomination, notwithstanding Ellen Whites words that it was the "old light",[29] something that she had been preaching for decades.
Waggoner wrote extensively on the subject of Christ and His righteousness, developing the stenographic notes made by his wife during the 1888 conference into a book with that title.
These chapters (series of articles) are the first writings of Waggoner on the subject written in the early part of 1889 just weeks after the 1888 general conference session.
Other authors, such as Morris Venden, Hans LaRondelle, Desmond Ford and others, sort to emphasise it by promoting the classic Protestant positions on justification by faith.