PRECIOUS JEWELS, A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST FAMILY SAGA

DAWintsmith · Wed May 11, 2011 8:39 pm

Thank you, BookTalk, for allowing me to present my book here!

amazon.com/Precious-Jewels-Seventh-Day- ... amp;sr=8-2

"I would rather kill my daughters than have them brought up Adventist!"

So says Jtun Holt after Edson White thundered down the Mississippi River on his steamboat, Morning Star, on a mission to win Southern blacks to the Seventh-Day Adventist religion.

The most unlikely convert south of the Mason-Dixon line is Jtun's wife, Carolina Pearl Holt, the beautiful daughter of Mississippi planters. Jtun is a newspaper writer for the Yazoo Sentinel, a paper that seethes with racist writing. Jtun and Pearl have recently lost their infant daughter, Una Pearl, to a mysterious illness which has now afflicted their new baby.

Terrified that she is about to lose baby Ruby, Pearl takes her servant's advice to let the Seventh-Day Adventist doctor from the Morning Star treat her child. The Adventists heal Ruby with a combination of hydrotherapy, diet and prayer, and the young mother embraces the Adventist lifestyle.

So begins the saga of Pearl and Jtun Holt, and their daughters, Ruby and Grace. Pearl and Jtun divorce. Then they reconcile, only to split up again…and again. Ruby and Grace grow up, torn by their parents' drama, while committed to their mother's beliefs. The girls become schoolteachers who fall in love with Yankee schoolteacher brothers who dislike each other, and the legacy of complicated love and scandal continues. Precious Jewels is a down-to-earth, honest portray of a family who are real, flawed human beings. Their lives are far from easy, yet they hold themselves to a higher standard and cling to their faith in Jesus through it all.

Robert Tulip · Fri May 13, 2011 6:24 pm

Thanks Debra Anne, it looks like an interesting book. I see you have posted it in the non-fiction section, but your summary reads like it is a fictional novel. Booktalk member Tat Tvam Asi grew up as an Adventist, and might be interested to read it. What are your views on Adventism?

Chris OConnor · Sun May 15, 2011 11:28 pm

I was thinking the same thing, Robert. This appears to be a novel.

tat tvam asi · Mon May 16, 2011 12:08 pm

A brief history and evolution of the church is helpful when approaching a proselytizing book effort such as posted at the top of the thread:

...needless to say it gives some perspective about these proselytizing efforts that were aimed at going down into the south to convert ignorant and unsuspecting minority's over to the SDA cult.


	Quote: So says Jtun Holt after Edson White thundered down the Mississippi River on his steamboat, Morning Star, on a mission to win Southern blacks to the Seventh-Day Adventist religion.

I grew up hearing stories of conversions like this and the name of the boat does ring a bell. Probaby because it one of the Whites doing the proselytizig mission (see videos to know what led into the White family going out like this in the first place.)There were similar efforts in the West Indies where this flavor of fundamentalism took a firm root over the years. The SDA cult proselytizers come along offering insight into an absolute truth that separates one from the rest of society, making one an elect member of the chosen few with special knowledge etc., etc., etc. Unfortunately that has an appeal to the poor and or ignorant especially in the third world and the proselytizers know that all too well.

It's pretty embarrassing for me to have ever been a member of such evident error and nonsensical doctrine, but I was born into it by several generations - WTF? I didn't have a sporting chance to figure out what's what until I was well into my teens. But at least I did make it to that point, which, by the looks of things, the author in question here has not yet discovered in life...


	Quote: Precious Jewels is a down-to-earth, honest portray of a family who are real, flawed human beings. Their lives are far from easy, yet they hold themselves to a higher standard and cling to their faith in Jesus through it all.

DAWintsmith · Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:27 am


	Robert Tulip wrote: Thanks Debra Anne, it looks like an interesting book. I see you have posted it in the non-fiction section, but your summary reads like it is a fictional novel. Booktalk member Tat Tvam Asi grew up as an Adventist, and might be interested to read it. What are your views on Adventism?

Agreed, it does read like fiction, but it is the true story of several generations of my family, backed up by research that places the stories I heard as a child into the context of history. The more I delved into the research, the more intrigued I became by my quarreling great-grandparents, Pearl and Jtun Holt and the racist society that produced them -- and which made Pearl's decision to take up Adventism so controversial that it destroyed her marriage (multiple times!). Her decision changed the destiny of the family for subsequent generations, who also made harsh choices because of the religion while, at the same time, following their hearts.

As to my views on Adventism, here is the short version: Adventism is bound up in my family history, part of my roots, and therefore a part of me. The weakest point of Adventism in my opinion is that they are pressured individually and as a denomination to appear superior morally and ethically to other people. While this is a worthy goal, I view it as a weakness because there is a tendency to deny their humanity. My book was not published by the Adventists mainly for that reason. The Adventist publisher said that if they published it, they would want to "remove the sleaze." In my opinion, to remove the so-called sleaze would be to remove the humanity which makes this book so powerful. It is not a book about saints. It is the story of controversial, stubborn, quarreling and beautiful people who made great sacrifices to hold to a high standard -- but who didn't always measure up.

Now I suppose I should make a point about the strongest point of Adventism. That would take a long time as there are many -- personally, I think the strongest point of Adventism is their home made bread! Seriously, home made, whole wheat bread sounds basic and minor, yet it is the stuff of life. The smell of an Adventist kitchen is the smell of home and memories and teachings, the smell carries memories of childhood and church potlucks. Their diet and health practices were peculiar in my great-grandparent's day, but they are no longer alone today because the health teachings they pioneered stood the test of time.

DAWintsmith · Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:46 am

Afternote: I am new to this interface, but discovered that I cannot reply to personal messages because I have not yet accumulated 10 posts. If you have sent me a personal message and have not receive a reply, this is the reason I haven't responded. Once I've gained 10 posts and don't have this excuse, there may be other reasons for not receiving a reply from me, but they will differ depending on the message!

DAWintsmith · Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:58 pm

In response to tat tvam: Read the book. It may still make you angry because I have chosen to tell my ancestors' story in a way that doesn't question their beliefs or the choices they made. But still, read the book before you draw a conclusion of what it's about.

tat tvam asi wrote:

A brief history and evolution of the church is helpful when approaching a proselytizing book effort such as posted at the top of the thread:

...needless to say it gives some perspective about these proselytizing efforts that were aimed at going down into the south to convert ignorant and unsuspecting minority's over to the SDA cult.


	Quote: So says Jtun Holt after Edson White thundered down the Mississippi River on his steamboat, Morning Star, on a mission to win Southern blacks to the Seventh-Day Adventist religion.

I grew up hearing stories of conversions like this and the name of the boat does ring a bell. Probaby because it one of the Whites doing the proselytizig mission (see videos to know what led into the White family going out like this in the first place.)There were similar efforts in the West Indies where this flavor of fundamentalism took a firm root over the years. The SDA cult proselytizers come along offering insight into an absolute truth that separates one from the rest of society, making one an elect member of the chosen few with special knowledge etc., etc., etc. Unfortunately that has an appeal to the poor and or ignorant especially in the third world and the proselytizers know that all too well.

It's pretty embarrassing for me to have ever been a member of such evident error and nonsensical doctrine, but I was born into it by several generations - WTF? I didn't have a sporting chance to figure out what's what until I was well into my teens. But at least I did make it to that point, which, by the looks of things, the author in question here has not yet discovered in life...


	Quote: Precious Jewels is a down-to-earth, honest portray of a family who are real, flawed human beings. Their lives are far from easy, yet they hold themselves to a higher standard and cling to their faith in Jesus through it all.

tat tvam asi · Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:51 pm

You'll have to pardon me for being so fast to jump in and refute adventism. I'm sure you understand that with relatives dating back into a marriage in William Millers family, we go all the way back past the beginning of Adventism to the previous Millerism and great disappointments of 1843 and twice in 1844. I'm deeper into this cult than even you, so please understand my critism as not coming from someone "other" or anything like that.

Book aside, have you studied Ellen G. White's false prophecies which I breifly summarized in the link? Her health message - parts of it accurate and parts of it not - Is largely the result of plagerizing material she read about in her day. A vast majority of work was plagerized and it's detailed quite well in "White Washed: uncovering the myths of Ellen G. White." This higher standard you refer to and which you say that your ancestors struggled to attain, is largely fantasy. They struggled to attain a standard set by an extremely delusional frontal lobe epileptic who spoke derogatory of "the world" and nearly everything in it. So did my family. So did I. I'm rather ashamed of it now. This cult is currently in decline and it's probably for the better. It just doesn't make sense to pass these ridiculous and proven false doctrines onto new generations of children.

But best of luck to you in any case with your book sales. It is about family and heritage which whatever the case I can appreciate. I am very proud of my family heritage as pioneering the Florida Keys and settling the land, boat building, fishing, and just enjoying nature in general. I just set the SDA dimension of that heritage aside. And perhaps I'll write book someday about my own heritage, however the process of weeding out the cultic doctrine of Seventh Day Adventism out of our family would probably be the main line of focus in my case. You've actually inspired some interesting ideas and I do thank you for that.

DAWintsmith · Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:05 pm

I don't recall White Washed, but I read The White Lie, the Fannie Bolton papers, among other materials back in the eighties when they were first released. If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Ratzlaff, who is mentioned in one of your youtube videos is the son of a family who were neighbors of my family in the old farming community where the Precious Jewels story ends. Most of the people in my immediate circle left Adventism in the eighties, but whatever our belief systems are now, we all agree on one thing -- that the people in my book believed, mind, body and soul in the Adventist way. Whether they were mistaken or whether they were correct in every single thing they taught us, they left us an amazing legacy of stories, memories, and, yes, a higher standard. Is a higher standard unique to Adventism? Nope. Is the way they interpreted a higher standard unique to Adventism? Pretty much, yup.

Good luck in writing about your own heritage with religion censored from the story! Perhaps it will work for your family. My family story would be incomprehensible without it.

I've enjoyed talking with you, but really -- before we chat further….READ THE BOOK!

tat tvam asi · Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:23 pm

I'll have to see what you've written. So then this is not actually an SDA proselytizing effort? By the tone of your last post it sounds like you've moved on. My family story must include Adventism as well, which was the sole cause for much of the exclusionary world attitudes that passed down. It's good to hear that you guys were able to move on.

DAWintsmith · Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:51 am

reply to tat tvam asi: No proselytizing. It is, however, NOT an exposé, so don't expect any anti-Adventist verbiage. My ancestors made difficult choices and harsh sacrifices for their beliefs, and I respect their integrity and the strength of their allegiance to their beliefs. My only agenda for writing the book is to tell their story.


	tat tvam asi wrote: I'll have to see what you've written. So then this is not actually an SDA proselytizing effort? By the tone of your last post it sounds like you've moved on. My family story must include Adventism as well, which was the sole cause for much of the exclusionary world attitudes that passed down. It's good to hear that you guys were able to move on.

tat tvam asi · Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:03 am

That's cool, and having said that you may find more people at BT interested in reading about it. I'm sure you understand that the Adventist name immediately labels something as crack pot right away in most peoples thinking. Like Moronism, or Mormonism rather, Jehovah's Witness, and other Christ cult organizations of similar social standing. That may hurt book sales in general, but you'll just have to see how it unfolds. Good luck with it though in any case.

DAWintsmith · Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:41 pm

Ironically, the only people I know who regard Adventists as crackpots are former Adventists! My friend, the Methodist maestro and his Buddhist wife, admire them for their orchestra. My Jewish friends frequent the local SDA food market and restaurants, glad for a source of kosher food that doesn't require a two-hour drive, appreciate the SDA artist who created the tapestries that are displayed in the synagogue, and find it comforting that there are people in the Christian community who get the sundown-to-sundown concept.

By the way, are you aware that you are doing the same thing that you fault the Adventists for doing? You've changed your belief system, but you still condemn people who believe differently than you. Have you really moved on?

tat tvam asi · Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:39 pm

That's odd, every non-Adventist I speak to generally regards SDA's on the same crack pot level as Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, or any other Christ cult organization. That's why they don't join Adventism, although they may like some SDA people despite the crack pot indoctrination. Having some SDA friends in no changes the fact that it's a crack pot religion overall. :wink:

You're obviously are highly offended that I've outed SDA's here and your responses make that more than evident. If you care to proceed further, I'll go ahead and contast exactly where I am now as opposed to where I was when I followed SDA beliefs:

A) As an SDA following closely along with our belief system, I saw the world as the devils domain, a literal evil being who is running the whole of the secular sciences and the vast majority of all religion including the majority of Christianity. The only true faith in the world, as I was taught and believed, was the SDA faith, which, would produce the 144,000 remnant of Israel as per revelation.

B) Now, I don't believe that the biblical mythology is literal at all and so I don't believe that any such evil deity as Lucifer, the Devil, or Satan even exists to begin with. The sciences are not some elaborate hoax of the Devil's aimed at steering people away from God and I don't believe for one second that there are any chosen few or elect of God from within Christianity which Revelation is refering to as the 144,000 remnant of Israel. I don't believe in the concept of one true religion which trumps all others which are false. What can be proven beyond reasonable doubt as false, obviously includes the SDA doctrinal beliefs just as much as any other religion founded by a complete nut job. Whether we're talking about Ellen White, or Charles Taze Russell, or earlier to Joseph Smith we're dealing with very sick individuals suffering from mental problems who gathered together a following of people mindless enough to buy into their own personal delusions.

So no, I'm actually not doing what I was doing as an SDA. There's nothing wrong with realizing and acknowledging that there are incorrect beliefs in this world, but there is something wrong with asserting that your own false beliefs are in fact absolutely true and everyone else's false beliefs are false. :wink:

Unfortunately my family - and then later your family - were suckered into these cultish religious fallacies. It's pretty embarrasing really, but it's our history. Yours and mine both. What can we do about it? My only answer has been to make sure that the delusion goes no further. I can do what my ancestors could not manage to accomplish, which is to cut this delusional fantasy coming out of EG White's frontal lobe epileptic mind off from effecting and corrupting the minds of any more children in this family. And that, in a nutshell, is salvation in and of itself. Salvation from the grasp of his ignorant flavor of young earth creationism built up from a foundation of sand...

Vishnu · Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:16 am

While I can ramble on about as long as Tat about Adventism, I will jump in just to say this much, during my time as both a baptist and later as a pentecostal, I was always taught Adventism was a "cult" every bit as much as Mormons. However, Adventists were few and far between in my "hometown" area, whereas DAW sounds like she is from a community where Adventists are a significant part, so that may account for the difference in experience there as far as how Adventists are viewed. Perhaps in Adventist heavy communities, the non-Adventists make less of a distinction than non-Adventists in an area with little to no exposure to Adventism.
I live about a half an hour south from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, and about an hour away from the Wildwood Sanitarium run by Adventists in Wildwood, GA. Both of these communities thrive on Adventism, and there are a number of Adventist Book Centers, health food stores, alternative healing centers, and vegan restaurants, etc. in these areas. I imagine non-Adventists have a far more tolerant view of Adventism in those areas, for that very reason, because they are so exposed to it already.

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