How do we respond when we disagree with one another, especially when we feel wronged or convinced something is incorrect?
Disagreements are inevitable, and our Adventist pioneers were no strangers to them. One notable example involved the interpretation of the “king of the north” in Daniel 11:40-45.
Early Seventh-day Adventists largely identified the “king of the north” as papal Rome, believing this power paralleled the last phase of the fourth kingdom described in Daniel 2, 7, and 8.1 However, the papacy had long lost political power, and prominent Bible commentators like Adam Clarke and Thomas Newton had long argued that the “king of the north” represented Turkey.2 As geopolitical events in the Middle East seemed to support this view, Uriah Smith adopted it and began promoting Turkey as the “king of the north.”3
This created tension with James White, who urged caution in interpreting “unfulfilled prophecy.”4 When Smith repeatedly addressed the topic in the late 1870s,5 White publicly opposed him. At a Battle Creek tent meeting on Sept. 28, 1878, White delivered a 70-minute Sabbath-morning sermon to over 1,000 people, challenging Smith’s view.6 He argued that the prophetic parallels in Daniel required consistency: If the papacy represented the last power in Daniel 2, 7, and 8, it must do so in chapter 11 as well. White also summarized his sermon in the Review and Herald.7 Though he planned to publish a “continuation” of the editorial on the subject, none followed—likely due to counsel from Ellen White, who urged him to avoid stirring public disputes.
Reflecting on this episode years later, Ellen White observed that while James White’s views might have been correct, public debate on such issues was unwise. She emphasized that speculative matters, especially those not central to the faith, could lead to division and detract from the church’s mission. Instead, she counseled focusing on the “main pillars” of the Adventist message, such as the Sabbath and the commandments of God. By placing peripheral issues in the background, the church could avoid unnecessary contention and keep its efforts centered on spreading the gospel.8
In today’s world, disagreements often spill into the public sphere with little effort. Social media allows us to instantly share our opinions with thousands of people. But Ellen White’s counsel remains relevant: Are the topics we broadcast truly of “vital interest”? Do they foster unity and lead others to Jesus, or do they amplify division and distraction?
Denis Kaiser is an associate professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University.
