Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The true-crime series Waco, now available on Netflix, gives viewers an inside look at the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas.. The Branch Davidians fell from public view after the disastrous raid of their compound, but they still have a presence in Texasand around the world. 1 (published in 1930) and The Shepherds Rod Vol. Victor Houteff broke away to start the Davidian movement at Mount Carmel, and after he died, in 1955, the movement splintered again, creating the Branch Davidians, headed by Ben and then Lois Roden. Roden traveled to Israel and established a small community of followers there prior to his death in 1978. On Feb. 28, 1993, federal law enforcement agents came face-to-face with the Branch Davidians, a controversial group whose followers described themselves as "students of the Bible," outside the Mount Carmel compound, where about 130 of them lived. They would take semiautomatic weapons, buy extra parts, turn them into automatic weapons and sell them at a considerable profit. Although amenities include a swimming pool and TV satellite dish, there is no indoor plumbing. (Cyrus is the only non-Jew to whom the title messiah, or "anointed one," is given in Scripture.) As former member Poia explained to the Tribune-Herald, "That was part of the teaching. David Koresh (/ k r /; born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 - April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. On April 19, 1993, the FBI moved for a final siege of the compound using large weaponry such as .50 caliber (12.7mm) rifles and armored Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV) to combat the heavily armed Branch Davidians. I observed their willingness to surrender their basic human needs, personal safety, and that of their children. Both groups have disputed the relevance of the other's spiritual authority based on the proceedings which followed Victor Houteff's death. As well as claiming to be the final prophet of the Branch Davidians and taking over as the sect's leader in the 1980s, Koresh (born Vernon Howell) was reportedly a millionaire. [41] Doyle died in June 2022.[42]. "[4] Meanwhile, Lois continued to operate the Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventist Association from Mt. Christians must keep the feast days of Old Testament Israel, including Passover, Pentecost, the Day of Atonement (although no sacrifices are made), and the Feast of Tabernacles. [7] Koresh's leadership of his group ended at the climax of the Waco siege of 1993, a 51-day standoff between members of the sect and federal agents, when New Mount Carmel was destroyed in a fire. "I got the impression he had everything that he wanted, needed, when he wanted them," former member Poia said of the leader, and that definitely seemed to be the case. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. After Lois died, George assumed the right to the Presidency. [27][28] Four ATF agents (Steve Willis, Robert Williams, Todd McKeehan, and Conway Charles LeBleu) were killed and another 16 agents were wounded during the raid. He was formally married to Judy Schneider, but in the community Koresh impregnated Judy and she bore a child with him. This corresponded with ideas circulating from the Feminist Movement in the 1970s and the growing egalitarian teachings of many Adventist sects. (See also millennialism.). Howells followers were all acquitted, and Howells case was declared a mistrial. was you're supposed to separate yourself from the world," Bunds said. Eight men, including Howell, exchanged gunfire with Roden on November 3, 1987, before being arrested and charged with attempted murder. One former member estimated that he gave Koresh between $30,000 to $40,000 over a period of years, and in exchange, he only received room, board, and necessary items. However, he never did get along with Lois's son George Roden. Roden, on the other hand, was given a six-month jail term27 for filing a legal brief in which he threatened to call AIDS upon the justices of the Texas State Supreme Court.28, When Roden began serving his sentence in January of 1988, Koresh and his disciples were handed a long-awaited opportunity to take over the Branch Davidian compound, the site of their bloody 1993 clash with the law. Rick Ross, a cult deprogrammer from Phoenix, said Koresh effectively "raided" the life savings of the members in order to keep the cult in operation. From its inception in 1930, the Davidians/Shepherd's Rod group believed that it was living in a time when Biblical prophecies of the Last Judgment were coming to pass as a prelude to Christ's Second Coming. [28][35] Of the 85 Branch Davidians in the compound when the final siege began, 76 died on April 19 in various ways, from falling rubble to suffocating effects of the fire, or by gunshot from fellow Branch Davidians. Carmel and was led by a man named Benjamin Roden, who claimed that his arrival at Mt. The Branch Davidians who fell under Koresh's sway included people from the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K. Group member Doyle, an Australian, says Koresh's followers were drawn to him because . Florence Houteff and the other leaders predicted the imminent establishment of Gods Kingdom on April 22, 1959. For full functionality please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. According to Koresh, God is not a triune being (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), but is a foursome (Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter). All of their money went to Koresh. Koresh maintained that he and the other men were there only to take a photograph of a body that Roden illegally exhumed. Because several of Koreshs spiritual wives were teenagers, the community was accused of child abuse by a former member and an anticult activist. an excessive preoccupation with prophecy. Answer (1 of 3): I don't normally subscribe to conspiracy theories but I just can't call this one.I think the highway to Hell began with Koresh establishing himself as the new messiah with a group of demoralized people. WACO, Texas A financial riddle lurks behind the events at the besieged Branch Davidian compound: How did an obscure religious sect manage to feed, clothe, house and heavily arm dozens of devotees, with no obvious sources of income? On April 19, 1993, The Davidian Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church underwent a judgment of God and lost its apostate leadership and it's headquarters to an attack by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). He preached Armageddon and preparation for an assault by dark forces, the pre. They resettled on a 941-acre farm located nine miles east of Waco near Elk, which they called New Mount Carmel. Nearly 25 years ago, the Branch Davidians were thrust into the spotlight amid the now infamous Waco siege, a 51-day standoff with federal officials that left 76 dead. Houteff had complete authority, viewed by his followers as the only person who could reveal Biblical secrets about the end of time. Among his teachings, Houteff stated that he would not die, but would lead his people to old Jerusalem and therefore to the heavenly Canaan. [32] The children had been physically and sexually abused before the raid.[33]. Koresh is "very much into money," he said. . Howell wanted to father a child with her, who, according to his understanding, would be the Chosen One. 2. [29] Almost six hours after the ceasefire, Michael Schroeder was shot dead by ATF agents who alleged he fired a pistol at agents as he attempted to re-enter the compound with Woodrow Kendrick and Norman Allison. Branch Davidians. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. With tension rising between them this would be the start of years of feuding. Ancient Aliens and the Bible: What the Popular Television Series Says about Extraterrestrials in Scripture, Famous for Jesus: A Review of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022), Famosos por Jess: Resea de Celebridades por Jess: Cmo los personajes, las plataformas y los beneficios estn perjudicando a la Iglesia por Katelyn Beaty (Brazos Press, 2022). 1929/30 Victor Houteff is disfellowshipped from a Seventh-day Adventist church in Los Angeles. Branch Davidians still exist today. The agents were attempting to arrest leader David Koresh and raid the group's 77-acre complex . Twenty-five years ago this week, federal and Texas state law officers laid siege to the Waco, TX Branch Davidian compound, where they believed cult members had been stockpiling weapons and children were being sexually abused. extreme child abuse (e.g. He had engaged in an affair with Lois Roden while he was in his early 20s and she was in her late 60s. We had to give everything.". After Houteff's death in 1955, his wife Florence took control of the Davidian organization. Waco: Where Did All of David Koresh's Money Come From? The beginning of the end for Houteffs group occurred when Florence made an official call for the faithful to gather at Mt. Updates? A source close to the cult told the Tribune-Herald that Koresh drove a Corvette and had $30,000 worth of musical equipment. In August 1999 the U.S. government admitted that federal agents had indeed fired flammable material into or near the Branch Davidian compound prior to the massive fire. The following doctrines came from Koresh: Obviously, the Branch Davidians have departed radically from the essential doctrines of the Christian faith. According to a 1993 article printed in the Waco Tribune-Herald, former cult members claimed that Koresh demanded control of his followers' property and paychecks. Howell moved quickly to assert his spiritual authority, and one of his first acts was the adoption of a new name, David Koresh. In 2021, the Branch Davidians were one of the subjects on Season 1, episode 7 of Vice Media's Dark Side of the 90s entitled "A Tale of Two Cults", the other being Heaven's Gate. The Branch Davidians began as an. [36] As of July 2007, all Branch Davidians had been released from prison. Some cult members, including a Harvard-trained lawyer, are employed. Whenever adults came out, the FBI tactical team known as the Hostage Rescue Team punished the remaining Branch Davidians in various ways: cutting off the electricity; crushing and removing their vehicles with tanks; blasting high-decibel sounds at them (FBI 1993a; Tabor 1994). Hours later, none of the Davidians had emerged from the compound, but agents . I had Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's parent's house in Dallas in 1993. (Indeed.) But a man who lived with the Davidians for two months in 1991 reported that Koresh didn't solicit contributions. The name of this group is an allusion to the anointed 'Branch' (mentioned in Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). At the time of the events in question, Americans were strongly supportive of . Statement by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 3/2/93, p. 1, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, Statement by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 3/2/93, Statement by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 3/2/93, p. 2, Statement by ex-member David Bunds, interview 3/5/93, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, p. 13, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, p. 16, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, p. 11, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, p. 11-12, Statement by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 3/2/93, p. 4, Statement by ex-member Marc Breault, 5/27/91, p. 18-19. The FBI attempted to use tear gas to flush out the Branch Davidians. She had aligned herself with Vernon Howell, a young, charismatic Bible teacher who had first arrived at Mount Carmel in 1981. Koresh and seven of his followers were subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder because Roden claimed that Koresh and the others were trying to kill him. According to Florence, April 22 would mark the end of the 1,260 days mentioned in Revelation chapter 1111 as well as the beginning of the judgments listed in Ezekiel chapter 9.12 The day was also suppose to witness Gods clearing out of all the Jews and Arabs from Palestine,13 the ushering in of the Davidic kingdom,14 and possibly the second coming of Christ.15. He pretty quickly found out there's a lot of money to be made at gun shows, and he and other people started going to gun shows. In 1981, David Koresh joins the Branch Davidians, making his home the seventy-seven acre Mount Carmel compound. Branch Davidian, member of an offshoot group of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church that made headlines on February 28, 1993, when its Mount Carmel headquarters near Waco, Texas, was raided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); four federal agents were killed in the assault. The Davidians ended up staying in Mt. But her prediction of the demise of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which according to her shouldve occurred 42 months after Houttes death (1959) failed to materialize. When Roden died in 1978, members were torn between allegiance to his wife, Lois, and his son, George. The Branch Davidians (or the General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventists) were an apocalyptic new religious movement founded in 1955 by Benjamin Roden. Another splinter group, led by Charlie Pace, also left, and settled in Alabama. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Corrections? He called his members to a purer life and promised that Christ would return soon after the members reached a state of moral maturity. Did David Koresh's musical retaliation during the siege actually happen? Houteff had founded the Davidians, a small Adventist reform movement, in 1929. Today, both Davidians and Branch Davidians exist in scattered communities in the United States and around the world. [30][34] Some Branch Davidian survivors maintain that the fires were started either accidentally or deliberately by the assault. Steven Emil Schneider (16 October 1949 - 19 April 1993), or Steve Schneider, was an American Branch Davidian commonly called a "lieutenant" to David Koresh, the leader of the new religious movement. AP Photo/Ron Heflin February 28, 2023 . Branch Davidian, member of an offshoot group of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Church that made headlines on February 28, 1993, when its Mount Carmel headquarters near Waco, Texas, was raided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); four federal agents were killed in the assault. (Irwin. She also often spoke to media outlets about the femininity of the Holy Spirit, hoping to spread her teachings to a wider audience. David Koresh. 1942 The Shepherds Rod Seventh-day Adventist group becomes the Davidian Seventh-day Adventist Association. Nine Davidians escaped the fire, and the group still hasn't completely dissolved. during the standoff with Branch Davidians, while maintaining its stance that it did not start the fire. Soon afterwards, Florence issues a prophecy marking April 22, 1959 as the end.. How Did The Branch Davidians Make Money. Pace, while regarding Koresh as appointed by God, says that Koresh twisted the Bible's teachings by fathering more than a dozen children with members' wives. Following a series of violent shootouts between Roden's and Koresh's group, the New Mount Carmel compound was eventually taken over by the "Koreshians". Carmel, Texas in order to set up what was suppose to be only a temporary gathering place for the 144,000, their ultimate destination being Palestine, where they believed they would not only direct the final work of the gospel prior to the second coming of Christ, but also assist in establishing the new Davidic kingdom.6, Although the Shepherds Rod tried for many years to remain affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventists, Houteff in 1942 decided to make a clean break from the mainline denomination by officially forming the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists Association complete with membership certificates and ministerial credits.7 The name Davidian came from Houteffs belief that he was the antitypical David8 (When something in Scripture is referred to as a type, that means it is a foreshadow of something in the future. Traditionally, the Lamb is identified with Jesus, but Koresh distinguished between them, suggesting that the Lambs role was to loose the seven seals and to interpret the scroll mentioned in Revelation 5:2, thereby bringing forth the endtime revelation of Christ. Their objective was to serve a search warrant for illegal firearms and explosives, and arrest the cults leader, David Koresh, on weapons charges. This is a clear example of a widespread collective cognitive dissonance phenomenon. Howell's arrival at Mount Carmel in 1981 was well received by nearly everyone at the Davidian commune. Koreshs interpretation of the Bible rested largely on identifying himself with the Lamb mentioned in Revelation 5. The reason: his followers were required to turn over all of their assets. [6] Also in 1987, Koresh and some of his followers went to Mt. Although number four above cannot technically be considered a doctrine, it is an important aspect of the mindset of Branch Davidian members. Beginning in 1979, Roden began publishing Shekinah, a short-lived journal on womens place in religion. FBI agents told FRONTLINE that any Branch Davidians who wanted to leave the compound had to undergo an "exit interview" with Koresh, who would remind the wayward follower that to abandon him. That's the weird thing. Cannel headquarters.10 In 1955 Houteff died and the mantle of prophetic leadership fell to his wife Florence. Here's a look at the religious group and what's happened since the siege. Another couple claimed they gave Koresh between $250,000 to $500,000 while in the cult. After the failure of Florence's prophecy of apocalyptic events on or near April 22, 1959, she dissolved the Davidian Association in 1962 and sold all but 77.86 acres of the New Mount Carmel property. [38], There are several groups that claim descent from the Branch Davidians today. The most visible asset of the Branch Davidians is the 77-acre compound, valued on the McLennan County tax rolls at $122,000. ATF agents were looking . David Koresh's musical retaliation during the siege, Koresh demanded control of his followers' property and paychecks. Under her leadership, the community sold their property near Lake Waco for residential development and resettled in 1957. The Davidian commune soon began to experience internal strife due to the rivalry between Koresh and Roden. It was founded in 1935 near Waco, Texas, by Victor Houteff as a breakaway group from the Seventh-Day Adventists. The bulk of these claims were dismissed because they were insufficient as a matter of law or because the plaintiffs could advance no material evidence in support of them. "He was poor obviously. Because of this, Houteffs sudden death at Hillcrest Hospital, caused by heart failure, came as a huge shock to the Davidians. Although well received by nearly everyone at the Davidian commune, Koresh did not get along with George Roden, some saying that conflict between the two started as early as 198324 (the year Koresh first claimed to be inspired of God).25. [30] Around noon, three fires broke out simultaneously in different parts of the building. Lois Roden assumed leadership of the Branch Davidians following her husbands death. Six Branch Davidians also died from gunshot wounds sustained during the firefight. Carmel Texas between April 16 and April 22. On February 28, 1993 at approximately 9:30 a.m., 100 lawmen from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms division of the United States Treasury Department descended on a religious compound owned and operated by the Branch Davidian cult 10 miles east of Waco, Texas. Howell, who acquired the position of spiritual leader from Roden, asserted it by changing his name to David Koresh, suggesting that he had ties to the biblical King David and Cyrus the Great (Koresh is the Hebrew version of the name Cyrus). Branch Davidians fired as many as 200 rounds at the agents in response; the FBI maintained agents did not return fire. He presented his views in a book, The Shepherd's Rod: The 144,000 A Call for Reformation. By the late 1960s Houteffs original group had, in effect, ceased to exist. Branch Davidian doctrines fall into three basic categories: first, those which seem to be a result of the cult's Seventh-day Adventist roots (these came through Houteff); second, those originating with the Rodens; third, those that came through David Koresh (by either "divine revelation" or misinterpretation of the Bible). 1935 Houteff leads 12 of his followers to Mt. The Branch Davidians as a group started long before Koresh got involved. Dont donate until you walk around the property. (Revelation 5:1-14)", "ATF's basis for the assault on Waco is shot full of holes - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms fatal attack on the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas", "Agents prepared for worst before Waco raid", "Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas/Child Abuse", "Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas: The Aftermath of the April 19 Fire", "Six Branch Davidians Due for Release 13 Years After Waco Inferno", "Near Waco, a New Fight Over an Old Compound", "Two Decades Later, Some Branch Davidians Still Believe", Clive Doyle, leader of Branch Davidian survivors, dies at 81, "United States Department of the Treasury: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (Tape #126 Transcription)", The General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, The Universal Publishing Association-Shepherd's Rod, Armageddon in Waco: Critical Perspectives on the Branch Davidian Conflict, The Davidian Massacre: Disturbing Questions About Waco That Must Be Answered, Why Waco? In 1993, a 51-day standoff between the. At the conclusion of the shootout, four ATF agents were dead and twenty agents were wounded, five Branch Davidians were dead and four Branch Davidians were wounded, including David Koresh. The Seventh-day Adventist Church issued warnings about the Branch Davidian sect's views to its members on a regular basis. Houteff then went on to found the Davidian Seventh Day Adventist Church (an offshoot which is also known as the Shepherd's Rod). Florence believed that she was a prophet. All females in the commune belong to Koresh, including all married women (this was a 1989 revelation). Branch Davidians, Religious sect that believes in the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Although Howell's group claimed that it was trying to obtain evidence of Roden's illegal activities, its members did not take a camera with them. While they were still formally members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Branch Davidian leaders demanded a reform of the church and when their demand was met with opposition (by both the Seventh-day Adventists and the Davidians), they decided to leave that denomination and at the same time, they widely distanced themselves from the Davidians. By Robert Reinhold, Published: March 15, 1993, Affidavit of Davy Aguilera, Special Agent with the U.S Treasury Department, BATF, Austin, Texas, sworn before Dennis G. Green, United States Magistrate Judge Western District of Texas Waco on the February 25, 1993. David Koresh), Vernon Howell (hereafter referred to as David Koresh) arrived at the Branch Davidian compound in 1981 after being disfellowshipped from a Tyler, Texas Seventh-day Adventist church. Carmel, Texas. The answer: weapons. So why exactly were members so willing to give up everything to get so little in return? While previous leaders of the Davidians, such as Houteff, had been pacifists, Koresh began stockpiling weapons and ammunition to defend the faithful. [30] His wife said he was merely returning from work and had not participated in the day's earlier altercation. In 1929, Victor Houteff, a Bulgarian immigrant and a Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath School teacher from southern California, claimed that he had a new message for the entire Adventist church. The agency reports and hearings sought to place blame for the deaths, and several agents were disciplined for improper actions. Because Roden owed thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes on Mount Carmel, Howell and his followers were able to raise the funds and reclaim the property. A new mini-series from . Carmel Center. The Branch Davidians were established some 20 years later, and a much more radical departure from Seventh-Day Adventism born from disappointment at the failure of earlier prophecies to materialize. The reason: his. [43], There is documented evidence (FBI negotiation transcripts between Kathryn Shroeder and Steve Schneider with interjections from Koresh himself) that David Koresh and his followers did not call themselves Branch Davidians. Chronological Chart of Branch Davidian History. Author of. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Waco: Where Did All of David Koresh's Money Come From? For example, the sacrificial systems of the Old Testament served as a type for the sacrificial death of Christ [the antitype].). Since 1961, the group has never borrowed money against the property. . A small group of Branch Davidians live and worship at Mount Carmel today, called The Branch, The Lord Our Righteousness. Former Davidian David Bunds said when he first met Koresh in the summer of 1981, he thought Koresh seemed "lost." "He was kind of a drifter," Bunds told ABC News. It ended on April 19, after some 80 members of the group, including their leader David Koresh, died when the Mount Carmel complex was burned to the ground following an attempted entrance by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents. During the standoff, one of his followers publicly announced that he wanted them to thereafter be identified by the name "Koreshians". About 300 assault rifles and pistols were found in the charred remains of the Branch Davidian compound hours after the structure burned to the ground in 1993, a Texas Ranger testified Thursday. In 1993, the world was glued to their TVs, watching the 51-day siege of a Waco, Texas-based Christian sect called the Branch Davidians by state and federal law enforcement. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. In David Hardy's, This is Not an Assault, he stresses, "Once the military trainers pointed out that the ATF would have to pay, the ATF suddenly claimed that the Davidianswho in fact eschewed hard liquor, tobacco, cow's milk and junk foodwere a 'dangerous extremist organization' believed to be producing methamphetamine." (This . In a briefing Saturday, a federal agent said investigators found that the people who joined Koresh gave up their personal goods and homes. Houteff died in 1955 and was succeeded by his wife, Florence. [11] This practice later served as the basis for allegations that Koresh was committing child abuse, which contributed to the siege by the ATF. alice wonnacott; which way is up cast piano teacher; dragon ball song piano; what does yardie mean in slang; balwyn high school number of students; monthly rental homes in palm desert, ca; exhibit a ending; The Branch Davidians wanted to use guns to raise money initially. The year 2018 marked the 25th anniversary of the Waco siege. 2/28/93 Lawmen and Branch Davidians engage in a 45-minute gun battle. "One of the things about being a Branch-Davidian . The Branch Davidians did not cease to exist after the trauma of the destruction of the Mount Carmel Center. On April 22 nothing happens and Houteffs group begins to disintegrate. In 1929, a Seventh-Day Adventist named Victor Houteff split from the church to create his own version of Adventism, taking their name, The Shepherd's Rod, from the title of a book he had published explaining his disagreements with the church. Authorities suspected the Branch Davidians possessed illegal firearms, and on February 28, 1993, the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms raided the compound, beginning the fifty-one day Branch Davidian Siege. That Koresh thought that the endtime was imminent is suggested in his commentary on Revelation: So the question remainsWhat are the seven seals? how did the branch davidians make money. Following Houteff's death in 1955, his wife Florence usurped the leadership believing herself to be a prophet. (He sure did.) About The Author toughadmin. nfl player performance bonus 2021; ballet chicago summer intensive; any advice and suggestions will be greatly appreciated As well as claiming to be the final prophet of the Branch Davidians and taking over as the sect's leader in the 1980s, Koresh (born Vernon Howell) was reportedly a millionaire. But on April 19, 1993, agents moved to take decisivesome say extreme or unwarrantedaction in an attempt to lure Koresh and his followers out: They began launching a tear-gas assault. Houteff, a Bulgarian immigrant and a Seventh-day Adventist, wrote a series of tracts entitled the "Shepherd's Rod", which called for the reform of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.