William Ambrose Spicer

William Ambrose Spicer (December 19, 1865 – October 17, 1952) was a Seventh-day Adventist minister and president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

He was born December 19, 1865, in Freeborn, Minnesota, in the United States in a Seventh Day Baptist home. Spicer worked for the church in the United States, England and India, where Spicer College is named after him. He served as Secretary of the General Conference during the presidency of A. G. Daniells and Daniells served as the Secretary during Spicer's years as president. The two men led the Adventist Church for the first 30 years of the 20th century.

1887–1903

Spicer's responsibilities with the church during this time included assisting Stephen Haskell as his secretary. This led 22-year-old Spicer to England. There he gained experience as an editor of The Present Truth and in assisting with evangelistic campaigns. In 1892, he returned to the United States and served as Secretary of the recently established (1889) Foreign Missions Board. This began decades of Spicer's leadership in the SDA Church's mission development.

In 1898, Spicer worked in India as editor of the Oriental Watchman.

Secretary of the General Conference, 1903–1922

As Secretary to the General Conference, Spicer assisted President Daniells in shaping the church's response to issues. Daniell's crises were met often in collaboration with Spicer: the reorganization of the church accomplished at the 1901 and 1903 General Conference sessions; the denominational dispute between Daniells and Kellogg; racial issues arising; etc.