“The denomination of Christians calling themselves Seventh-day Adventist, taking the Bible as their rule of faith and practice are unanimous in their views that its teachings are contrary to the spirit and practice of war, hence they have ever been conscientiously opposed to bearing arms.” –Letter to Austin Blair, Governor of Michigan, August 3, 1864, (Signed) John Byington, J.N.
W. Amadon, General Conference Committee.However, in 1914, the warring governments in Europe pressured the Adventist leadership to allow military service for their young men.
This was the official statement issued by the church leadership in Germany:"Most honorable Lord General and Minister of War, August 4, 1914: "…While we stand on the fundamentals of the Holy Scriptures, and seek to fulfill the precepts of Christendom, keeping the Rest Day (Saturday) that God established in the beginning, by endeavoring to put aside all work on that day, still in these times of stress, we have bound ourselves together in defense of the 'Fatherland,' and under these circum-stances we will also bear arms on Saturday (Sabbath)….” (Signed) “H.F.
In some countries, entire congregations and their elders, within just one week, found themselves deprived of church membership because of their stand on the war question and the Sabbath.
For some years they had held some doctrinal differences, added to their discord due to some GC leaders mismanagement, that unfortunately led to a schism.
During the 1948 SDARM General Conference Delegation Sessions held in the Hague, Netherlands, from July 5-15, 1948, these leaders were declared rebels, and letters of authorization were given for the acting new GC president and the Secretary to take on the duty of reorganizing our work in North America.
After much discussion and disagreement, two GC committee were elected, to seek a way of coming into a solution of the matter, in the new delegation session.
The new international headquarters facility in Cedartown, Georgia, U.S.A., was purchased in 2007 and is staffed by ministers, doctors, teachers, and missionaries.
IMSSDARM adherents worship on the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) and profess belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
[2] Points of difference with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, besides conscientious objection to war, include the view that abortion and homosexuality violate God's will, a refusal to participate in political activity, the upholding of the marriage institution as sacred before God, a refusal to participate in ecumenism and labor unions, and advocacy of health principles, such as vegetarianism and natural healing, while abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.