In the Spirit's Power - William W. Prescott

Gilbert M. Valentine in his biography of
Prescott The Shaping of Adventism, noted that
after Minneapolis, Prescott, in his own words,
came to see the church doctrines as “simply the
gospel of Christ rightly understood” which “grow
out of a belief in Jesus Christ as a living personal
Saviour.” This led him to change his method of
teaching church beliefs. Instead of striving “to
prove the doctrines,” he “started in the simplest
way presenting Christ.” At the camp meeting at
Armadale (a suburb of Melbourne), several
Americans gave discourses, “but it was Prescott
who dominated the meetings. ... According to those
present, it was the Christ-centered content of his
sermons that pulled in the crowds in everincreasing
numbers.” Valentine observed that “Australia in
the 1890’s was still largely untouched by the
Gospel message of 1888. Prescott’s message stirred
not only the minds but the hearts of the people.”
Valentine recorded the impressions of W. C.
White and A. G. Daniells, Australian Conference
president. White reported that Prescott’s “theme
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