Shepherd's Rod
The official organizational name was adopted in 1942 as The Davidian Seventh-day Adventists but its message was still referred to as "The Shepherd’s Rod" by both members and critics.
Christianity • Protestantism The Shepherd's Rod traces its roots to Victor Houteff, a Seventh-day Adventist Church sabbath school teacher in good standing in a southern California congregation.
These leaders dismissed his interpretations of scripture as "fanciful.” Victor Houteff was viewed by his followers as an inspired messenger of God that was sent to the Seventh-day Adventist church and was regarded as having the gift of prophecy.
Houteff personally handed thirty-three copies of his manuscript to church leaders at the General Conference held from May 29 to June 12, 1930, in San Francisco, California.
He completed his book by adding 83 pages and had 5,000 copies of The Shepherd's Rod printed in November 1930, which he then distributed to various Adventist ministers, workers, and laymen.
[9] He told his followers: "in case some one's name is taken off the church books for carrying on the message, do not be discouraged in any way but press onward as though nothing happened.
[13] Reports also spread that Houteff himself was brutally assaulted upon attempting to enter a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angeles, California.
[14][15] Finding no other recourse after the Seventh-day Adventist Church rebuffed Houteff's claims and demands for reformation, Rod believers organized the Universal Publishing Association (UPA) in 1934 in Los Angeles, California.
Unknown to Houteff, the highest ecclesiastical body of the church met that same day in Washington, D.C., declared his teaching to be heresy and appointed a committee to prepare a document refuting his arguments for general circulation.
[20] After feeling that he was treated unjustly at his hearing, Houteff started to form an association for the purpose of promoting revival and reformation among Seventh-day Adventists.
The events of the first few years of the Davidian movement provide, to a degree, some insight into the reasons that the controversy continues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church today.
Davidians point out that, in their view, the leadership were underhanded in convening a meeting in Washington, D.C. behind Houteff's back before the Committee's decision was made.
In the August 15, 1934 issue, Houteff wrote, Being deprived of all denominational advantages such as sanitariums, health food factories, printing presses, etc., perhaps it may be necessary for a rural location for the establishment of a combined unit to assist in carrying the message to the church until the "siege against it" shall be successfully culminated in a glorious victory when "the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."
[26] One of Houteff's primary complaints was that the mainstream Seventh-day Adventist Church's institutions were compromising their message and mission by seeking approval and accreditation of the applicable medical and educational boards.
It is believed that Benjamin Roden accepted these teachings in 1946,[40] and together with his wife, Lois, tried to share the message with others within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
To help accomplish this, the Association began to sell Mount Carmel Center property [43] and purchased half a dozen new automobiles.
Florence Houteff published a prediction that the forty-two month period told of in Revelation 11:3–6 would begin in November 1955 and terminate on April 22, 1959.
[49][50] On April 9, 1959, a group of Branch Davidians sent a protest letter to the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists clarifying their opposition to Mrs. Houteff's predictions and their rationale for doing so.
Florence Houteff and the Executive Council published an open challenge to the Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership shortly before the termination of the 42 months on April 22, 1959.
Florence Houteff announced her intention to disband the Davidian organization, with the assets to be sold off and the proceeds disbursed among her Executive Council.
[53] Most of the Mount Carmel Center property ended up in the hands of the EE Ranch, but the Branch Davidians retained a core 77 acres (310,000 m2) around the administrative building.
Micah 7:14 The Shepherd's Rod literature can be read and/or ordered by visiting the external links listed at the bottom of this page.
Davidians claim the same fundamental beliefs as their Adventist counterparts and that the divergence of views begins with the interpretation of additional subjects of prophecy.
However, due to differing interpretations of prophetic subjects from the mainstream Seventh-day Adventist Church, Davidians add fifteen fundamental beliefs.
Ordained ministers are qualified to officially teach and represent the Davidian movement as well as perform ceremonies such as baptisms, funerals and weddings.
These sermons were given after believers in both "the Spirit of Prophecy" (Ellen G. White), and Davidian messages were disfellowshipped and chose to have private worship rather than begin a new church denomination.
These publications included questions and answers, recipes for healthful living, spiritual encouragement and admonition, letters from the field of their work in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and many other practical Christian-living topics.
[58] Davidian representatives were implicated by certain Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders in setting a fire that resulted in four deaths in San Francisco, California, at the time of the General Conference Session in 1936.
"[91] The memo also includes a form letter that is to be given to any individual identified with the Davidian movement requesting that they cease and desist from coming onto church property immediately.
[93] Eight of Victor Houteff's prophetic charts were featured in an art exhibit entitled "At the Eleventh Hour" at Cabinet in Brooklyn, New York, in 2009.
