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Alonzo Trevier Jones (1850-1923)

[NB: this information is posted here for your interest and research. I do not necessarily subscribe to all that he writes - the same statement can be said of some other postings on this site]

Click for information on GG Rupert and AF Ballenger, associates of Jones

The importance of Alonzo Trevier Jones to the Church of God

In my book In Search of ... the Origin of Nations (published 2003), I refer to Alonzo Jones and his books, as I also did in the original manuscript written in 1982. Also, in my paper Greenberry G Rupert. Man of God, I state the following:

"It is important to realise that Rupert lived at a time that Seventh-day Adventist scholar Alonzo T Jones and others wrote about the Biblical origin of nations (ie research into the nations of Genesis 10).  

This is one of the most over-looked chapters in the entire Bible. Bible scholars from previous times, going back centuries, have had a fascination with it, but gradually with the rise of humanism and the anti-literal interpretation of scripture, interest in this chapter as the basis for the origin of nations has receded to become an almost taboo subject. 

In the eighteenth century Sir William Jones and J Bryant wrote on the subject with the interest in this chapter of God’s Word peaked late last century with academics such as Rawlinson famous for his Origin of Nations (1878); and Sayce in such books as Races of the Old Testament (1891; 1925), who showed an intense interest in the subject. Famous Seventh-day Adventist scholar, Alonzo T Jones authored two works on the subject, The Peopling of the Earth (1887) and The Empires of the Bible (vol 1) (1904). He was obviously inspired by contemporary writers; in turn others this century were inspired by his writings" (p.4)

 Richard Nickels in his The Remnant of Israel wrote:

"Disagreement between Rupert and Seventh-Day Adventists was reported in the Remnant of November 1915.  Adventist Elder J.H. Morrison at College View, Nebraska, wrote a booklet titled “A Straight Talk to Old Brethren,” which denounced the teachings of Elders Jones and Rupert.  Rupert retorted, “I hold that William Miller and all Seventh-Day Adventists were led in false and unscriptural teaching on prophecy.

... Elder Alonzo T. Jones, who preached with Rupert at College View and Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1914, and died in 1923."

In 1911 Elder A.T. Jones associates with the Church of God! He attending the camp meeting at Missouri: “one of the highlights was the presence of Elder A.T. Jones.” (History of the Church of God (Seventh Day) by John Kiesz, p.75). AT Jones is mentioned again as an associate or member of the Church of God in 1914 (p.77).

According to http://www.aplib.org/Gallery.htm:

Alonzo T. Jones 1850-1923
At age 20, A. T. Jones began three years of service in the Army. Interestingly enough, he spent much of his time pouring over large historical works, SDA publications, and the Bible. He was baptized when he left the Army, and began preaching on the West Coast. In May, 1885, he became editor of the Signs of the Times, and was later joined by E. J. Waggoner.

In 1888, these two men stirred the General Conference session in Minneapolis with their preaching on righteousness by faith. For several years thereafter, they preached on that subject from coast to coast. Ellen White accompanied them on many occasions. She saw in Jones’ presentations of "the precious subject of faith and the righteousness of Christ...a flood of light" (EGW 1888 Materials, p. 291).
Jones was on the General Conference Committee in 1897 and editor-in-chief of the Review and Herald from 1897 to 1901.In 1889, with J. O. Corliss, he spoke against a bill in the U.S. Congress on Sunday observance; the bill was defeated. Thereafter he was a prominent speaker for religious freedom, serving as editor of the forerunner of the Liberty magazine.

After being president of the California Conference (1901-1903), he joined Dr. J. H. Kellogg’s staff against the counsel of E. G. White, a move which after a series of unfortunate misunderstandings and unwise choices, led to his separation from denominational employment and loss of church membership.

Jones remained a Sabbath observer and loyal to most of the other doctrines of the church. He is remembered especially for his part in bringing into prominence the doctrine of justification by faith.

[NB: While Jones kept to many basic SDA doctrines, he actually associated with the Church of God (seventh day) and rejected certain SDA beliefs]

From http://www.gleaneronline.org/101/7/29046.html: