5. “Let us Have An Associate Secretary for Biblical Research in the Ministerial Association”, 1951
Item — Box: 1, Folder: 5, Call No.: 024004
Content Description
From the Collection:
This is a very extensive collection of well over 250 scholarly papers, the vast majority of them written by Cottrell. There are papers covering the topics of hermeneutics, exegesis, church polity, governance, and history, Daniel, Revelation, Ellen White, science, plus many others. Cottrell surely had a wide range of interests and seemingly an input on almost every subject which became current in the second half of the 20th century. Nearly all of the papers are unpublished meaning they were designed for limited circulation. Many of the papers were prepared for distribution to a church sponsored study group or committee such as the Bible Research Fellowship or the Biblical Research Institute.
Perhaps one of Cottrell’s greatest contributions to the Adventist Church was his work on the authoritative Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary series. As mentioned above he served as the associate editor of the series along with editor Francis D. Nichol. Besides editing many thousands of pages of other peoples work he wrote about 2,000 pages. The Commentary articles are not signed. Cottrell provides a list of the various authors and what books of the Bible they contributed to on the project.
A significant work of Cottrell’s which is not well known is his Eschatology of Daniel. It is at number 222 in the inventory. It was never formally published. Cottrell says the manuscript awaits a climate of openness and objectivity in the church, which is essential to a fair examination of the facts.”
Perhaps one of Cottrell’s greatest contributions to the Adventist Church was his work on the authoritative Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary series. As mentioned above he served as the associate editor of the series along with editor Francis D. Nichol. Besides editing many thousands of pages of other peoples work he wrote about 2,000 pages. The Commentary articles are not signed. Cottrell provides a list of the various authors and what books of the Bible they contributed to on the project.
A significant work of Cottrell’s which is not well known is his Eschatology of Daniel. It is at number 222 in the inventory. It was never formally published. Cottrell says the manuscript awaits a climate of openness and objectivity in the church, which is essential to a fair examination of the facts.”
Dates
- 1951
Extent
6 Pages
Language of Materials
From the Sub-Group: English
Materials Specific Details
A brief paper, to be sure, but one that has had important results. In 1950 W . H. Branson as president of the General Conference wrote a letter to church leaders around the world warning them against the Bible Research Fellowship as a renegade organization because it operated independently of the General Conference around the world. Efforts on our part to explain and clarify proved fruitless. My ultimate solution to the problem was for the General Conference itself to conduct the work of the Fellowship, and thus on behalf of the Fellowship I made the proposal in this paper which I sent to three personal friends: L. E. Froom, retired founder of the Ministerial Association, R. A. Anderson, its incumbent director, and W . E. Read, head of the Defense Literature Committee, on behalf of the Fellowship. The mills of the gods grind slowly, but the 1952 Autumn (now Annual) Council voted the Biblical Research Committee into existence, with W . B. Read as chairperson and specific directions to continue the work of the Bible Research Fellowship. In view of my simultaneous transfer from Pacific Union College to the Review and Herald Publishing Association to edit the Bible Commentary I was voted a charter member.
Creator
- From the Collection: Cottrell, Raymond F., 1911-2003 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Center for Adventist Research Manuscript Collections Repository