I've been reading a little book published in 1924. Though written over a century ago, its message resonates even more powerfully today than when it first appeared.
On October 22, 1924, the Ministerial Advisory Council of the Seventh-day Adventist Church convened in Des Moines, Iowa. The date was deliberate. By gathering on the eightieth anniversary of the Great Disappointment, church leaders were consciously linking their work to the pivotal event that birthed the Seventh-day Adventist movement.
The Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, remains a defining moment in Adventist history—the day when believers worldwide gathered with eyes fixed on the eastern horizon, awaiting Christ's return with multitudes of angels. Inspired by ministers like William Miller, they understood the prophecy of Daniel 8:14— "For two thousand three
hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed" —as pointing to the Second Advent. Their profound disappointment came when Jesus did not return to earth that day.
In the aftermath, many believers drifted back into spiritual complacency—a danger we still face today as we await Jesus' return. Like the five unprepared virgins in Christ's parable, their lamps ran dry, and their lights went dark. But those who kept their flames burning discovered that October 22, 1844, marked a different event than expected: the
beginning of Jesus' atoning ministry in the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary as our High Priest.
Jesus' high priestly ministry is foundational to the doctrine of justification by faith—or righteousness by faith—which stands as the core message of the Gospel and the golden thread weaving through all of Scripture.
Recognizing an urgent need to clarify and emphasize this doctrine, the Ministerial Advisory Council assembled to take action on October 22, 1924. They commissioned former General Conference President Arthur G. Daniells to compile Ellen G. White's writings on righteousness by faith.
Daniells, assisted by others, researched Ellen White's inspired writings from 1887 to 1912—a period when she received greater clarity on the Bible's teaching of righteousness by faith. These writings were compiled with contextual commentary from Daniells, who also contributed a chapter on the biblical foundation of righteousness by
faith. The result was published as Christ Our Righteousness.
Over fifteen years ago, a pastor I served alongside as an elder gave me this book. I barely read past the first few pages. Like many gifted books, it found its way to a shelf to gather dust. Then, a few months ago, I encountered that same pastor at a meeting.
Afterward, he pulled that little book from his pocket and earnestly appealed to all of us: Read it. And if you've read it before, read it again.
Since then, I've been reading Christ Our Righteousness a few pages at a time. As I write this on October 22, 2025—181 years after the Great Disappointment and 101 years after that pivotal council meeting—these words got my attention today:
"Christ crucified—talk it, pray it, sing it, and it will break and win hearts. Set, formal phrases, the presentation of merely argumentative subjects, is productive of little good. The melting love of God in the hearts of the workers will be recognized by those for whom they labor. Souls are thirsting for the water of life. Do not allow them to go from you empty. Reveal the love of Christ to them. Lead them to Jesus, and He will give them the bread of life and the water of salvation."
—The Review and Herald, June 2, 1903 (Christ Our Righteousness, p. 94)
Now go back and reread that above passage…again and again.
Whatever other topics compete for your attention—temporal or spiritual—Christ crucified is the subject we are counseled to dwell upon most. Christ crucified puts everything else in proper perspective: our status, our relationships, our possessions, our priorities.
"Christ crucified—talk it, pray it, sing it, and it will break and win hearts."
This is just one nugget of gold you'll discover in Christ Our Righteousness. You might already have it on your bookshelf. You can order a paperback through the Adventist Book Center, read it free on your smart device using the EGW Writings app (available on Google Play and the Apple App Store), or access it online at:
https://egwwritings.org/read?panels=p983.2.
If you're looing for a book to supplement your Bible study, put this one at the top of your list. You'll be glad you did.