Neal Wilson – ‘Mentor,’ ‘Man of Vision,’ and ‘Daddy’ – Remembered

[Stan]

Source

Neal Wilson – ‘Mentor,’ ‘Man of Vision,’ and ‘Daddy’ – Remembered at World Headquarters Service

BY MARK A. KELLNER, News Editor, Adventist Review

Hundreds attend memorial for former world church leader

eal Clayton Wilson, an 11-year president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, was remembered at a January 19, 2011 memorial service as one whose “magnificent obsession” was “the blessed hope of Jesus’ return for His children.”

FAMILY TRIBUTE: Dr. Shirley Wilson Anderson, left, a professor at Walla Walla University, and Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson, right, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, speak at a January 19, 2011, memorial service for their father, former G.C. president Neal C. Wilson, who passed away December 14, 2010. [Photos: Ansel Oliver/ANN]

Wilson, who served as G.C. president from 1979 to 1990 and was instrumental in the expansion of Adventist World Radio, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and of the church in the former Soviet Union, died Dec. 14, 2010, at the age of 90, following a long illness. His wife, Elinor, survives as do two sisters, a brother, a son, a daughter, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

“He was a man of great talent and ability,” said Francis Wernick, a retired world church general vice president. “When he was first elected Columbia Union president he said, ‘You’ll always know where I stand.’ He gave us strong leadership.”

Wernick was one of 14 Adventist leaders or Wilson family members who paid tribute to Neal Wilson in front of a live congregation of more than 500 at the world headquarters. Hope Church Channel, one of the Hope Channel networks, carried the service, which could also be viewed on the Internet.

“This is not a time when we give death an opportunity to reign over us,” declared Charles D. Bradford, who followed Wilson as a president of the North American Division. “Neal Wilson has conquered all through his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

Throughout the two-and a half hour event, speaker after speaker noted Neal Wilson’s dedication to the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, one that dominated his decades of service to the movement. As the child of missionaries, a missionary himself, and as a conference, union, division, and world church leader, Wilson’s focus on the proclamation of the Three Angels’ Messages – the texts in the 14th chapter of Revelation which presage Jesus’ return – was paramount.

His many examples of leadership were also a popular theme.

He “stood as a tower of righteousness in a desert of despair and he brought hope to our hearts,” said C.D. Brooks, whom Wilson called to be a union conference evangelist. Brooks said Wilson was loved in the African-American community for his stand against racism and for reconciliation within the Adventist movement.

BIBLICAL HOPE: Pastor C.D. Brooks, former Columbia Union evangelist under then-union president Neal C. Wilson, offers words of comfort and hope during memorial service.

Neal Wilson “was extremely supportive of his division presidents,” said Jan Paulsen, a former Trans-European Division president and later a General Conference president. “He supported them and let them get on with their business,” Paulsen added, noting his admiration for “the openness with which [Wilson] tried to relate to people. I thank God for the example he gave me.”

Wilson “didn’t just encourage evangelism,” said Robert S. Folkenberg, Sr., who followed him as G.C. president, “he did it.” Folkenberg recalled Wilson’s willingness to go to Panama and present an evangelistic series, while serving as achurch administrator . He also noted that Wilson had worked, while the former Soviet Union was still constituted, to unite the disparate Adventist branches that formed in the wake of the 1917 Revolution, making possible the establishment of a publishing house and seminary there.

“God used this man in a remarkable, remarkable way,” Folkenberg added.

Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor to Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, said he and his wife would remember Wilson’s “dignity, kindness and loving care of others,” calling these “hallmarks of a life well-lived.”

Retired Adventist Review editor William Johnsson, who joined Wilson as part of the group of six Adventists who scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in 1988, said Wilson “was one of the outstanding leaders of this church. His mind was like an encyclopedia.”

TRIBUTE: Pastor Charles E. Bradford, a former North American Division president, offered words of tribute to his colleague.

The many tributes to Neal Wilson the administrator and leader were complimented by moving tributes to Neal Wilson the family man, father and grandfather. The Wilson grandchildren, who were able to be present, each read a scripture passage; daughter Shirley Wilson Anderson, a professor at Walla Walla University, recalled many attributes of her father, including his trust in God, trust of people and his athleticism and encouragement to her and her son.

“Our parents were wonderful parents, and we were blessed to grow up in a Christian home,” said Pastor Ted N.C. Wilson, Neal’s son and current General Conference president. Noting the strong faith he and his father shared in the Biblical teaching about the resurrection of the righteous at the Second Coming of Jesus, Wilson said confidently, “I will see my father again.”

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[Gerr]

I wonder what Mary Kay is thinking.

[skyblue888]

What do u mean Gerry?

[Jeannieb43]

I wonder what Mary Kay is thinking.

I totally agree.

Merikay McLeod was a guest in my home during the time when that infamous lawsuit was taking place [McLeod vs. Pacific Press for employment discrimination]. She reluctantly but steadfastly filed the lawsuit on behalf of all the women employees out in the printshop, as well as herself [a book editor]. The Press lost the case, and was required to pay back pay to all the women employees (who had been working at a lower pay scale than the men on the same jobs).

Neal Wilson made a big tactical and theological error when he, as a witness on the witness stand in this case, testified that the SDA church's hierarchy was like that of the Catholic church, and because of that, he [Wilson] was similar to the Pope, and he had the ultimate authority for the whole denomination. He then testified something to the effect that the case should be dismissed because a church has the right to pay whatever pay scale it chooses [e.g., like the nuns who work for peanuts].

He totally misrepresented the organizational structure of the SDA church -- which is representational and democratic [small D], NOT hierarchical.

He lost all credibility with a large segment of the membership after that.

[Gordon1]

Good reporting. Let the facts speak for themselves.

[abelisle]

I wonder what Desmond Ford is thinking?

[doug yowell]

I wonder what Desmond Ford is thinking?

"Let the dead bury the dead?"

[Jeannieb43]

I wonder what Desmond Ford is thinking?

Unfortunately, the Glacier View conference of 1980 is another low period in the administration of Neal Wilson.

[Gerr]

Sorry, Doug. I couldn't resist to comment. Seems like when the man was alive, no one could remember the good things that he did because of his faux pas. Now that he is dead, it's the other way around. To me that reeks of hypocrisy.

[Gordon1]

Gerry, there is a grave problem with honesty in the Church. Leaders are petted and flattered and feared. Political correctness holds sway and the truth cannot enter. There is no overcoming with such an attitude, no hope of perfection. For this reason EGW warned against praising of men. Bad for the giver and the receiver.

[skyblue888]

I totally agree.

Merikay McLeod was a guest in my home during the time when that infamous lawsuit was taking place [McLeod vs. Pacific Press for employment discrimination]. She reluctantly but steadfastly filed the lawsuit on behalf of all the women employees out in the printshop' date=' as well as herself [a book editor']. The Press lost the case, and was required to pay back pay to all the women employees (who had been working at a lower pay scale than the men on the same jobs).

Neal Wilson made a big tactical and theological error when he, as a witness on the witness stand in this case, testified that the SDA church's hierarchy was like that of the Catholic church, and because of that, he [Wilson] was similar to the Pope, and he had the ultimate authority for the whole denomination. He then testified something to the effect that the case should be dismissed because a church has the right to pay whatever pay scale it chooses [e.g., like the nuns who work for peanuts].

He totally misrepresented the organizational structure of the SDA church -- which is representational and democratic [small D], NOT hierarchical.

He lost all credibility with a large segment of the membership after that.

Connie

______________________

Connie, I beg you pardon but far from misrepresenting the organizational structure of the SDA church, Wilson gave a correct description of the organizational structure of the SDA church. Had not Mrs. White warned that we were following in the track of Rome? (T.M.363) By the way, and not many people seem to realize this, the structure of the SDA organization, as officially stated in the Review and Herald at the turn of the 20th century is that of Moses and the Mosaic Order but that can only be to the exclusion of Christ and the Christian Order which was officially rejected at the 1903 General Conference. This has already been clearly shown.

And "representation" or "delegation" is of men's devisings, in case you didn't know. It is papal. In matters of faith and conscience no man can represent another. "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God." Rom.14:22.

In the second century the Early Church adopted the Mosaic Order and that led to the first beast of Rev.13, to the papal hierarchical organization. The adoption of the Mosaic Order by the SDA church has had the same effect. We have been following in the track of Rome. No hierarchy in the SDA organizational structure? Since when? It is nothing but hierarchy. Speaking of our church, Mrs. White wrote, "A backsliding church always narrows the distance between itself and the papacy."

The true church of Christ is not a democracy either. In a democracy the majority rule. There is no such thing in the Church of Christ where only truth and love rule, not the vote of the majority. Voting is of men's constitutions. In 1909 the Lord said that we had put Him aside and accepted the devisings of men: voting, resolutions, policy book, by-laws, delegations (representations), church manual, creed, etc etc (T.M.481)

The US constitution is not a democracy either. It is a Republic. It would seem that the Americans have lost their bearings since they don't seem to know what the difference is anymore.

The Lord declared that we too have lost our bearings. (T.M.397)

So in March of 1975, our SDA Pacific Press Publishing Association was in a lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commisssion of the Federal Government. The case was tried in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California in San Francisco.

In a sworn affidavit from our SDA General Conference President, Near C. Wilson, he stated; quote,

"Although it is true that there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Advenstist church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint, and the term 'hierarchy' was used in a pejorative sense to refer to the papal form of church governance, that attitude on the church's part was nothing more than a manifestation of widespread antipopery among conservative protestant denominations in the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, and which has now been consigned to the historical trash heap so far as the Seventh-day Adventist church is concerned." Reply Brief for the Defendant, p.4, case #C-74-2025 CBR. March 30, 1975.

We have the same form of church governance.

sky

[skyblue888]

For many years there has been a trend from our professed SDA leadership to give up this aversion to Roman Catholicism and the Sabbath, of course, has been lightly regarded. See 1 S.M. 205. So the way is being prepared to begin to cast away God's true Sabbath for sunday as the Lord's day! If you think this is saying too much, please read the following prophecy:

"The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued my Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." Review and Herald, Vol.1, p.405.9

So "We have far more to fear from within than from without." 1 S.M.122.

"Do not forget that the most dangerous snares which Satan has prepared for the church, will come through its own members who do not love God supremely and their neighbour as themselves." Testimonies, Vol.5, p.477.

Sobering, isn't it?

sky

[skyblue888]

It has been said that when our General Conference and its professed SDA leadership openly reject God's Sabbath and accept sunday as the sabbath, and they urge sunday worship upon our people, then the banner of Rome will stand in the holy place, and the abomination of desolation will have occured.

sky

[Gordon1]

Who said this skyblue?

The Roman standard of Cestius was several furlongs outside the holy city, as a warning sign to flee. It was not in the temple, not an overt apostasy, but only a defilement of the holy ground.

It was a sign for believers in Christ, a portent of disaster to come. They had time to prepare.

Silver Springs going Sunday is game over. Nothing subtle, no warning message. So the banner of Rome - the abomination - must precede this if it's to serve any purpose as it did in 66AD, four years before Titus sacked Jerusalem.

"Not one Christian perished".

[Gordon1]

Bump skyblue. Was this your own thought or have you a source?

[Guest]

For many years there has been a trend from our professed SDA leadership to give up this aversion to Roman Catholicism and the Sabbath, of course, has been lightly regarded. See 1 S.M. 205. So the way is being prepared to begin to cast away God's true Sabbath for sunday as the Lord's day! If you think this is saying too much, please read the following prophecy:

"The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued my Nehemiah. They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week." Review and Herald, Vol.1, p.405.9

So "We have far more to fear from within than from without." 1 S.M.122.

"Do not forget that the most dangerous snares which Satan has prepared for the church, will come through its own members who do not love God supremely and their neighbour as themselves." Testimonies, Vol.5, p.477.

Sobering, isn't it?

sky

Pretty sobering.