Adventists' early belief in "begotten" of the Father

Posted Jan 11, 2012 by Harmina Tierney in General

an interesting article in R&H from 1883 on the Godhead that was sent to me and I'm forwarding on ......

"You are mistaken in supposing that S. D. Adventists teach that Christ was ever created. They believe, on the contrary, that he was "begotten" of the Father, and that he can properly be called God and worshiped as such. They believe, also, that the worlds, and everything which is, was created by Christ in conjunction with the Father. They believe, however, that somewhere in the eternal ages of the past there was a point at which Christ came into existence. They think that it is necessary that God should have antedated Christ in his being, in order that Christ could have been begotten of him, and sustain to him the relation of son. They hold to the distinct personality of the Father and Son, rejecting as absurd that feature of Trinitarianism which insists that God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three persons, and yet but one person. S. D. Adventists hold that God and Christ are one in the sense that Christ prayed that his disciples might be one; i. e., one in spirit, purpose, and labor. See "Fundamental Principles of S. D. Adventists," published at this Office."

Review & Herald,  April 17, 1883

Here is a link to the R&H article of April 17, 1883 . The answer is given on page 10, under question 96. Click on the link and you will be able to print it out once it has opened up.