{"product_id":"john-byington","title":"John Byington: First General Conference President  Circuit-Riding Preacher  and Radical Reformer.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eProbably the image most Adventists have of Elder John Byington is based on the only photograph they’ve ever seen  which portrays the aged patriarch as a silver-haired  balding  bearded  wrinkled  scowling preacher in a black frock coat and white shirt buttoned tightly around his neck.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut John Byington  the first president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists  was so much more.  A loving family man and successful farmer and businessman  Elder Byington was also a social radical.  More than just a token abolitionist  new evidence presented in this biography indicates that he actively assisted fugitive slaves along the famous Underground Railroad. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFar from being an administrator only  to a significant degree  Elder Byington remained a circuit-riding revivalist preacher throughout his life. Every year  he set out to cheer the discouraged  reconcile differences  urge repentance  and build faith and unity by holding revival  testimony  and prayer meetings.  By preaching short homilies about heaven  grace  prayer  conversion  and perseverance  Elder Byington helped the early Adventist Church grow stronger congregations and a tightly unified  rapidly growing denomination. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis intriguing biography reveals a man who followed traditional models of leadership  yet did not shy away from the important issues of his day. His passion for encouraging the members and his commitment to ministry helped him make enormous contributions to the mission and development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacific Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41316686331955,"sku":"9780816362004","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0103\/8902\/8915\/files\/john_byington_brian_strayer_i_cover.jpg?v=1774920590","url":"https:\/\/clovisabc.com\/products\/john-byington","provider":"ClovisABC.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}