Exposing Adventism - Former Adventist F. E. Belden, producer of "Christ in Song"

Here is interesting info about F.E. Belden and how he tested the authenticity of his aunt Ellen's "inspiration". Look for the sub-title of "Dr. Kellogg and A. T. Jones Accused of Trying to Get Possession of the Tabernacle"

http://www.ex-sda.com/e_s_ballenger.htm

More about Belden from the White Estate:

http://www.egwtext.whiteestate.org/heritage/2001/hymn-2.html

"In 1895 he published Gospel Song Sheaf; in 1900, Christ in Song and books of patriotic music. For a time he served as a superintendent at the Review and Herald Publishing Association. About 1910 he began to write songs for evangelist Billy Sunday, which were included in his book Songs for the King’s Business.

Unfortunately, a misunderstanding arose between him and Adventist leaders concerning royalties for his books. The matter was never satisfactorily settled. After his death on December 2, 1945, all his papers and manuscripts were deposited at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary."

About Billy Sunday:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sunday

"Billy Sunday was a conservative evangelical who accepted fundamentalist doctrines. He affirmed and preached the inerrancy of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, a literal devil and hell, and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. At the turn of the 20th century, most Protestant church members, regardless of denomination, gave assent to these doctrines (except, perhaps, for the imminent return of Christ). Sunday refused to hold meetings in cities where he was not welcomed by the vast majority of the Protestant churches and their clergy. (Dissenting clergymen found it politic to limit their objections to Sunday's theology while he was adding new members to their congregations.)[40]

Nevertheless, Sunday was not a separationist as were most orthodox Protestants of his era. He went out of his way to avoid criticizing the Roman Catholic Church and even met with Cardinal Gibbons during his 1916 Baltimore campaign. Also, cards filled out by "trail hitters" were faithfully returned to the church or denomination that the writers had indicated as their choice—including Catholic and Unitarian.[41]

Although Sunday was ordained by the Presbyterian Church in 1903, his ministry was nondenominational, and he was not a strict Calvinist. He preached that individuals were, at least in part, responsible for their own salvation. “Trail hitters” were given a four-page tract that stated, “if you have done your part (i.e. believe that Christ died in your place, and receive Him as your Saviour and Master) God has done HIS part and imparted to you His own nature.”[42]"

This is fascinating. Belden was a really big name in Adventist hymnology.

Additional confirmation from the Oakwood College website -

http://www.oakwood.edu/ocgoldmine/sdoc/sureword/question.htm

"Ellen White also spoke in general terms, as in these words: "We have a hell to shun and a heaven to win."[Ref 7] And she also spoke in direct, personal terms, as in a letter to her nephew Franklin E. Belden, whom she feared was going in the wrong direction.

Belden, the son of her sister Sarah, held a responsible position in the denomination's first publishing enterprise in Battle Creek. He wrote more lyrics and tunes for gospel songs than probably any other Adventist composer. At the ministerial pre-session preceding the General Conference at Minneapolis in 1888, he was selected secretary of the pre-session. He was, in short, a prominent leader in the church. Ellen White urged him not to be one of "Noah's carpenters."[Ref 8] What a graphic metaphor! Those carpenters built a ship that could have saved them. They were inside the ark before the Flood, hammering away at the struts and joists. But when the water came they stood outside the ark, hammering -in vain- on the door to be admitted.

But sadly, Belden did not heed the warning. This latter-day "sweet singer of Israel," as he was sometimes called, separated from the church around 1907 because a number of grievances were not resolved to his satisfaction. In the autumn of 1945 Belden was living in Cleveland, Ohio. A young Adventist minister named Kenneth H. Wood, and an older preacher named Carlyle B. Haynes, called on him to talk about his soul. But he remained as ever the recalcitrant curmudgeon.

When the ministers were about to leave, they asked Belden if they might at least offer a word of prayer. He retorted, "Not as long as you believe in that woman." They departed without prayer and with very heavy hearts."

So what Monica Vowless wrote is not just hearsay. This is an absolutely fascinating story!

For those Seventh-day Adventist who feel real smug about Ellen White's "gift", I would enourage them to catch their breath and do a little unbiased research on why famous SDA songwriter F.E. Belden, nephew of Ellen White and son of Sarah Belden, Ellen's sister, finally joined the swelling ranks of former Adventists in Ellen White's day.

F.E. Belden, being a nephew to Ellen, was so close to her that he saw her day-to-day behavior, as well as the "front" that she presented to others. As time went on, he became more and more concerned about some of her incredible claims. He decide to devise a "truth test" for his aunt Ellen. Ellen White failed the "test", and denounced Dr. Kellog and A.T Jones falsely, claiming God had shown her in vision that they were trying to get possession of the Tabernacle in Battle Creek.

==== F.E. Belden Links ====
http://www.sfcentral.org/ministries/music/gracenotes/gn579.htm (hymn "Tis Love That Makes Us Happy - page plays midi version in the background)
http://www.sfcentral.org/ministries/music/gracenotes/gn652.htm (touching and beautiful hymn "Love at Home" - page plays midi version in the background)
http://www.egwtext.whiteestate.org/heritage/2001/hymn-2.html (comments from the White Estate)
http://www.ex-sda.com/e_s_ballenger.htm (see section "Dr. Kellogg and A. T. Jones Accused of Trying to Get Possession of the Tabernacle")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sunday (about Billy Sunday, the evangelist referenced by the White Estate article)
http://www.oakwood.edu/ocgoldmine/sdoc/sureword/question.htm (see section "A Personal Matter