The Very Short Lived 1893 Revival
in
the SDA Church
"I was
shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All
who saw the light of the first and second angels' messages and rejected that
light were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy
Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who
afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion,
thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them."
{1BIO 260.8}
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It was on June 12,
1893, that Ellen White wrote a rebuke to Stanton and Caldwell for calling the
church Babylon. She said at that time
the church was keeping the commandments, heeding the Laodicean message, and was
experiencing a refreshing from the Spirit of the Lord. The church was
experiencing a revival. The following article by Ellen White (scroll down for
full article) is most interesting for it reveals just how short lived that
revival was, the explicit reasons why. The all important question is: Do these
“reasons” for a lack of spiritual light and revival exist in the professing
church today?
Much inappropriate use of Ellen White’s statements to Stanton
and Caldwell has been proliferating for 96 years since her death. SDA ministers
compiled the book Testimonies to
Ministers, which incorporates many of Ellen White’s statements to Stanton
and Caldwell, that the church which keeps the commandments of God is not
Babylon, seemingly to get the laity
to believe that no matter what the church leaders do, the church is still
blessed of God and remains the noble ship that will carry the people of God
safely into port.
Most professing Seventh-day Adventists don’t begin to take all the
weight of evidence and the example of God’s first chosen people (Israel) into
consideration. They believe that statements made to and about the church in
1893, apply forever—even when the church is no longer keeping the commandments
of God, heeding the Laodicean message, and definitely not receiving a
refreshing of the Spirit from God. The church has instructed Russian parents to
send their children to school on Sabbath for decades now and it still refers to
itself as the commandment-keeping people of God. The church formed a new
movement, new organization, that removed God (1SM 204-205) and pillar
doctrines, but it still thinks of itself as the noble ship which arrives safely
into port heaven. What a deception!
But even far worse, is the blindness of the leaders and laity to
the woeful evidence that the church leadership has committed unpardonable sin
by conspiring with Babylon’s associations, councils/counsels, girdings and
confederacies/conspiracies per Isaiah 8:9-12. The same blindness cannot discern
that when the Jews, God’s first chosen
people conspired with His enemies, He told Jeremiah not to even pray for them
and asked what His beloved (bride) had to do in His house (church) Jer.
11:9-15. This connotes the same unpardonable sin as does Isaiah 8:9-12, wherein
the only option is being “broken in pieces,” – NOT RECONCILIATION, NOT REVIVAL,
NOT THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The same blindness makes them oblivious to the following
statement by Ellen White, which defines straying from the Midnight Cry light
which called us out of Babylon. Ellen White clearly states that it is
unpardonable sin to stray from that light after hearing and understanding it.
It is clear straying from the Midnight Cry light to return to any liaison with
Babylon’s associations and confederacies, which the church has done since the
early 1960’s. The only escape from the unpardonable sin penalty for this
“straying,” is to come out of the new movement, new organization, which
masquerades as the professing SDA church as soon as one learns of this
unpardonable sin apostasy for which we are to sigh and cry for
the abominations IN THE CHURCH, as a CONDITION to
being sealed.
“Who are
standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse
wrongs among the professed people of God, and murmur in their hearts, if not
openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand
against them, and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! These,
unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have
the burden of the work, and holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, will never
receive the mark of God's sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of all the wicked,
represented by the five men bearing slaughter weapons. Mark this point with
care: Those who receive the pure mark of
truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark
by the man in linen, are those "that sigh and cry for
all the abominations that are done" in
the church. Their love for purity and the honor and
glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness
of sin, that they are represented as being in an agony, even sighing and
crying. Read Ezekiel, chapter nine.”{RH, September 23, 1873 par. 5}
Most SDA’s are
so spiritually blind that they don’t know of any unpardonable sin abominations
in the church! They believe there are only personal faults, defects and
enfeeblements such as we all have. That is not what Ellen White and God define
as abominations. Ellen White said that the church will experience a literal
fulfillment of Ezekiel 9, beginning at His Sanctuary, HIS CHURCH, (5T 211). One
has to inquire as to why God would BEGIN a slaughter of men, maidens and little
children at His church, the people who were privileged with great light? That
would not be for any minor offense or defect! We’re talking major abominations.
The only major abominations God’s Word and Ellen White mention are violations
of the Midnight Cry by association, counsel/council and confederacy/conspiracy
WITH GOD’S ENEMIES. Jer. 11:9-15 and Isaiah 37:31, 32. You might not think that
is a serious offense, but God and the Holy Spirit does define such acts as
unpardonable after one has know the truth concerning these serious issues.
"While
praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be
rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the
Advent people in the world, but could not find them--when a voice said to me,
'Look again, and look a little higher.' At this I raised my eyes and saw a
straight and narrow path cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent
people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path.
They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which
an angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so
they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was
just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew
weary, and they said the City was a great way of, and they expected to have
entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious
right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent
band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind them,
and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind
them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got
their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in
the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible
for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all
the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the
path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, which
gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming....
By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and
perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a
glorious Star containing Jesus' new name." E.G. White, Word to the Little Flock, p. 14.
"I was
shown in vision, and I
still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All who saw the light of the first and
second angels' messages and rejected that light were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received
the Holy Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and
who afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion,
thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them."
{1BIO 260.8}
Some, like
Ulicia Unruh, an SDA ministers wife, think I am
misinterpreting and contradicting Ellen White’s statements to Stanton and
Caldwell on the church being/becoming Babylon. But when all the weight of
evidence (which she and most SDA’s refuse to consider) is brought together and
interpreted so that nothing contradicts, it is the leaders and those who defend
them who are interpreting so that everything contradicts. Let’s consider one of
her favourite E.G. White statements:
“When men arise, claiming to have a
message from God, but instead of warring against principalities and powers, and
the rulers of the darkness of this world, they form a hollow square, and turn
the weapons of warfare against
the church militant, be afraid of them. They do not bear the divine credentials.
God has not given them any such burden of labor. They
would tear down that which God would restore by the Laodicean message. He
wounds only that He may heal, not cause to perish. The Lord lays upon no man a
message that will discourage and dishearten the church. He reproves, He
rebukes, He chastens; but it is only that He may restore and approve at last.
How glad my heart was made by the report from the General Conference that many
hearts were softened and subdued, that many made humble confessions, and
cleared away from the door of the heart the rubbish that was keeping the
Saviour out. How glad I was to know that many welcomed Jesus in as an abiding
guest. How is it that these pamphlets denouncing the Seventh-day Adventist Church
as Babylon were scattered abroad everywhere, at the very time when that church was receiving the
outpouring of the Spirit of God? How is it that men can be so deceived as to imagine that the
loud cry consists in calling the people of God out from the fellowship of a church that is enjoying a season of
refreshing? Oh, may
these deceived souls come into the current, and receive the blessing, and be
endued with power from on high.” {TM 22.2}
The above
statement is used to incorrectly suggest that no matter what the church does,
God rebukes and chastens only that He may at last heal, restore and approve.
First of all, a new movement, new organization that removes God does not
qualify as a church, for Ellen White says in The Upward Look, 315, that only Christ’s presence constitutes a
church. In sighing and crying for all the abominations of a new movement that
has removed God and pillar doctrines, substituting antichrist doctrines and
intellectual theories of men, we are not forming a hollow square and turning
our weapons of warfare against the church militant, but rather a new movement,
new organization we were never to join. Nor will God regard such apostasy as
something He will restore and approve of at last, for what has occurred in the
construct of that new movement involves unpardonable sin.
Does the
following statement say that God heals, restores and approves of the organized,
professing church at last?
"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning
to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing
work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the
midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour
of his Judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].
The angel
represented in prophecy as delivering this message,
symbolizes a class of faithful
men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings
of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message was not to be committed to
the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to preserve their
connection with God, and had REFUSED THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN therefore they WERE
NOT of the number described by the apostle Paul: 'But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children
of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night
nor of darkness' [1 Thess. 5:4, 5].
The watchmen
upon the walls of Zion should be the first to catch the tidings of the
Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim him near, the first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. But
they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep
in their sins. Jesus saw HIS CHURCH, like the barren fig-tree, covered
with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful
observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility,
penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to
God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were
manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A BACKSLIDING CHURCH closed
their eyes to the signs of the times. God did nor forsake them, or suffer his
faithfulness to fail but they departed from him, and
SEPARATED THEMSELVES from his love. As they REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS, his promises were
NOT FULFILLED to them." E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, pp. 199-200 [The 1884 edition of The Great Controversy,
199, 200].
Most SDA’s are
so blinded that they can no longer reason concepts as simple as:
· If something as serious as Ezekiel 9
begins at His Sanctuary, His church, it must involve unpardonable sin offenses,
not mere defects, faults and/or enfeeblements.
· What God’s Word
and the Spirit of Prophecy define as unpardonable—albeit not using that exact
word.
· A church militant is one with wheat and
tares coexisting until the harvest. Tares are not open sinning apostates,
because God and Ellen White say that open sin is to be separated from the
church. So the new movement that has removed pillar doctrines and God, is not a church, and its sin is open, unpardonable sin
apostasy.
· When God instructs Jeremiah not to pray
for an offense by His people, it must mean the offense was/is unpardonable.
· When Ellen White says that she SAW that
straying from the Midnight Cry light made it IMPOSSIBLE to get back on the
pathway to heaven, she connoted UNPARDONABLE SIN.
· The fact that the only way to avoid
corporate responsibility for the unpardonable sin abominations of the new
movement, new organization, calling itself the SDA church, is to separate from
it just as Jesus and His disciples separated from the apostate Jewish church.
· That the wounds of unpardonable sin
cannot be repaired/healed by the Laodicean message.
God rebukes and chastens that He may at last heal, restore, and approve, but
some sins are unpardonable. SDA leaders will NEVER AGAIN SHOW their people
their sins (5T 211), let alone define unpardonable sin to them. Do you know how
serious this is?!
· The reason that SDA leaders will NEVER
AGAIN show the House of Jacob its sins (5T 211) is because the leaders are the
ring-leaders in the apostasy. They formed the new movement, new organization
(1SM 204-205). They replaced pillar doctrines with antichrist teachings of man.
They brought the church into liaison with Babylon’s associations, counsel/councils
and confederacies/conspiracies.
· The main reason for separation from
apostate churches over the ages was to avoid corporate responsibility for their
apostasy and to avoid being influenced by their corruptions.
· God says it is impossible to unite with
the corrupt and become/remain pure.
· God says it is impossible for the wheat
to mature amongst open sin corruption—abominations.
· All who received the Ezekiel 9 seal in
its first literal fulfillment, from A.D. 34-70, were sealed by the disciples of
Christ after they left the apostate Jewish church, and that not one person was
sealed at or by the apostate Jewish Temple.
· The noble ship, a faithful remnant of
SDA’s, the SS Zion (Philadelphia), Isaiah 62:1-5, goes into port heaven.
· Ellen White says that Laodicea is the
foolish virgin state of the church. Foolish virgins are not saved.
· God says that the final SDA remnant will
go forth out of JERUSALEM, Isa. 37:31, 32. That remnant is true Zion, which is
married, Isa. 62:1-5.
·
Ellen
White’s statement that SDA’s as an END-TIME COUNTERPART to the Jews, would
commit unpardonable sin to the point that we should not pray for them, to wit:
COUNTERPART: "The Lord commanded
one of his ancient servants, 'Pray not thou for this
people [Jer. 7:16 and 11:14], neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither
make intercession to me for I will not hear thee.' The prophet thus describes
the sins which had called forth this fearful denunciation: 'The prophets
prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means and my people love
to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof?' 'From the least of them
even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to
covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth
falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly,
saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.' The apostles declare that this
state of things will find its COUNTERPART in the last days. Many have a form of
godliness, but in their daily life deny the power thereof. They have ceased to
be convicted of their sins or alarmed at their state. They say in their hearts,
'The church is flourishing. Peace and spiritual prosperity are within her
borders.' The words of the prophet may well apply to these self-deceivers,
'They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their
abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon
them." E. G. White, Second
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 11-07-82.
The Midnight
Cry gave power to the second angel’s message:
Chapter XXIV. - The Second
Angel's Message.
The churches would not receive the light of the first angel's message, and
as they rejected the light from heaven they fell from the favor of God. They
trusted in their own strength, and placed themselves by their opposition to the
first message where they could not see the light of the second angel's message.
But the beloved of God, who were oppressed, answered to the message, Babylon is
fallen, and left the fallen churches. {1SG 140.1}
Near the close of the second angel's message, I saw a great light from
heaven shining upon the people of God. The rays of this light seemed bright as
the sun. And I heard the voices of angels crying, Behold the Bridegroom cometh,
go ye out to meet him! {1SG 140.2}
The midnight cry was given to give power to
the second angel's message. Angels were sent from heaven to wake up the discouraged
saints, and prepare them for the great work before
141
them. The most
talented men were not the first to receive this message. Angels were sent to
the humble, devoted ones, and constrained them to raise the cry, Behold the
Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Those entrusted with the cry made
haste, and in the power of the Holy Spirit spread the cry, and aroused their
discouraged brethren. This cry did not stand in the wisdom and learning of men,
but in the power of God, and his saints who heard the cry could not resist it.
The most spiritual received this message first, and those who had formerly led
in the work were the last to receive and help swell the cry, Behold the
Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. {1SG 140.3}
In
every part of the land, light was given upon the second angel's message, and
the cry was melting down thousands. It went from city to city, and from village
to village, until the waiting people of God were fully aroused. Many would not
permit this message to enter the churches, and a large company who had the
living testimony within them left the fallen churches. A mighty work was
accomplished by the midnight cry. The message was heart-searching, and led the
believers to seek a living experience for themselves. They knew that they could
not lean upon one another. {1SG 141.1}
The saints anxiously waited for their Lord with fasting, watching and
almost constant prayer.
142
Even some sinners looked forward to the time
with terror, while the great mass seemed to be stirred against this message,
and manifested the spirit of Satan. They mocked and scoffed, and everywhere was
heard, No man knoweth the day and the hour. Evil angels exulted around them,
urging them on to harden their hearts, and to reject every ray of light from
heaven, that they might fasten them in the snare. Many professed to be looking
for their Lord, who had neither part nor lot in the matter. The glory of God
they had witnessed, the humility and deep devotion of the waiting ones, and the
overwhelming weight of evidence, caused them to profess to receive the truth.
But they were not converted. They were not ready. A spirit of solemn and
earnest prayer was everywhere felt by the saints. A holy solemnity was resting
upon them. Angels with the deepest interest had watched the result, and were
elevating those who received the heavenly message, and were drawing them from
earthly things to obtain large supplies from salvation's fountain. God's people
were then accepted with him. Jesus looked upon them with pleasure. His image
was reflected in them. They had made a full sacrifice, an entire consecration,
and expected to be changed to immortality. But they were destined to be again
sadly disappointed. The time to which they looked, expecting deliverance,
passed. They were still upon the earth,
143
and the effects
of the curse never seemed more visible. They had placed their affections on
heaven, and in sweet anticipation, had tasted immortal deliverance; but their
hopes were not realized. {1SG 141.2}
The fear that had rested upon many of the people did not at once
disappear. They did not immediately triumph over the disappointed ones. But as
no visible wrath of God was felt by them, they recovered from the fear they had
felt, and commenced their ridicule, their mocking, and scoffing. The people of
God were again proved, and tested. The world laughed, and mocked, and
reproached them; and those who had believed without a doubt that Jesus would
then come and raise the dead, and change the living saints, and take the
kingdom, and possess it forever, felt like the disciples of Christ.-- They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they
have laid him. {1SG 143.1}
Now Ellen White’s article on the 1893 Revival
Chap.
17 - Safeguarding the New Experience
The Contest Following the Revival
{In 1893 there was a marked revival in our
institutions at our Battle Creek headquarters, with large evidence of the work
of the Spirit of God. Much of the blessing was lost in events which followed in
quick succession. In this experience and the counsel given in connection with
it may be found lessons which are of value today.--COMPILERS.} {1SM 129.1}
After the outpouring of the Spirit of God
in Battle Creek it was proved in the college that a
time of great spiritual light is also a time of corresponding spiritual
darkness. Satan and his legions of satanic agencies are on the ground,
pressing their powers upon every soul to make of none effect the showers of
grace that have come from heaven to revive and quicken the dormant energies
into decided action to impart that which God has imparted. Had
all the many souls, then enlightened, gone to work at once to impart to others
that which God had given to them for that very purpose, more light would have
been given, more power bestowed. God does not give light merely for one person
but that he may diffuse light, and God be glorified.
Its influence is felt. {1SM 129.2}
In every age seasons of spiritual revival
and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit have been followed by spiritual
130
darkness
and prevailing corruptions. Taking into account that which God has done
in opportunities and privileges and blessings in Battle Creek, the
church has not made honorable progress in doing her work, and God's blessing
will not rest upon the church in advancing still more light until they use the
light as God has directed in His Word. The light that would shine in clear and
distinct rays will grow dim amid the moral darkness. The aggressive power of
the truth of God is dependent upon the cooperation of the human agent with God
in piety, in zeal, in unselfish efforts to get the light of truth before
others.--Manuscript 45, 1893. {1SM 129.3}
Peril of Confusing the Spirit's Work
with
Fanaticism
There have been things written to me in
regard to the movings of the Spirit of God at the last conference {1893}, and
at the college, which clearly indicate that because these
blessings were not lived up to, minds have been confused, and that which
was light from heaven has been called excitement. I have been
made sad to have this matter viewed in this light. We must be very careful not
to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in pronouncing the ministration of His Holy
Spirit a species of fanaticism. How shall we understand the workings of the
Spirit of God if it was not revealed in clear and unmistakable lines, not only
in Battle Creek but in many places? {1SM 130.1}
I am not surprised that anyone should be
confused at the after result. But in my experience of the past forty-nine years
I have seen much of these things, and I have known that God has wrought in a
marked manner; and let no one venture to say this is not the Spirit of God. It
is just that which we are authorized to believe and pray for, for God is more
willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him than parents are to give
good gifts unto their children. But the Holy Spirit is
not for the human agent to work; it is to work and use the human agent. That
God did abundantly bless the students in the school and the church,
I have not one doubt; but a period of great light and the outpouring
131
of
the Spirit is quite generally followed by a time of great darkness.
Why? Because the enemy works with all his deceiving energies to
make of none effect the deep movings of the Spirit of
God on the human subject. {1SM 130.2}
When the students at
the school went into their match games and football playing, when they became
absorbed in the amusement question, Satan saw it a good
time to step in and make of none effect the Holy
Spirit of God in molding and using the human subject.
Had the teachers to a man done their duty, had they realized their
accountability, had they stood in moral independence before God, had they used
the ability which God had given them according to the sanctification of the
spirit through the love of the truth, they would have had spiritual strength
and divine enlightenment to press on and on and upward on the ladder of
progress reaching heavenward. The fact is evident that they did not
appreciate or walk in the light or follow the Light of the world.{1SM 131.1}
It
is an easy matter to idle away, talk and play away, the Holy Spirit's
influence. To walk in the light is to keep moving onward
in the direction of light. If the one blessed becomes negligent and inattentive
and does not watch unto prayer, if he does not lift the cross and bear the yoke
of Christ, if his love of amusements and strivings for the mastery absorb his
power or ability, then God is not made the first and best and last in
everything, and Satan comes in to act his part in playing the game of life for
his soul. He can play much more earnestly than they can play, and make
deep-laid plots for the ruin of the soul. . . . {1SM 131.2}
The results after the working of the
Spirit of God in Battle Creek are not because of fanaticism, but because those
who were blessed did not show forth the praises of Him who called them out of
darkness into His marvelous light; and when the earth is lightened with the
glory of God, some will not know what it is, and from whence it came, because
they misapplied and misinterpreted the Spirit shed upon them. God is a
jealous God of His own glory. He will not honor those who dishonor Him. Some
persons living in the light ought to have instructed these
132
souls
young in experience to walk in the light after they had received the light. I
wish I had time to write more fully, but I fear I have not.--Letter 58, 1893.
{1SM 131.3}
Easy Ways to Lose the Blessing
Some things have been urged upon my mind
with great force of late, and I feel constrained by the Spirit of God to write
in reference to them. [ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF BATTLE
CREEK COLLEGE.] Has the Lord graciously opened to you the windows of
heaven and poured you out a blessing? Oh! Then, that was the very time to
educate the teachers and students how to retain the precious favor of God by
working in accordance with increased light, and send its precious rays to
others. Has Heaven's light been given? And for what purpose has it been given?
That the light should shine forth in practical works of righteousness. When
those so abundantly blessed shall be seen with deeper and more fervent piety,
having a sense that they have been bought with the precious blood of the Lamb of
God, and are clothed with the garments of His salvation, will they not
represent Christ? {1SM 132.1}
Have not the playing of games, and
rewards, and the using of the boxing glove been educating and training
after Satan's direction to lead to the possession of his attributes?
What if they could see Jesus, the Man of Calvary looking upon
them in sorrow, as was represented to me. Things are certainly receiving a
wrong mold, and are counteracting the work of the divine power which has been
graciously bestowed. The work of every true Christian is to
represent Christ, to reflect light, to elevate the standard of morals, and by
words and influence consecrated to God, to compel the careless and reckless to
think of God and eternity. The world would gladly drop eternity out of their
reckoning, but they cannot succeed so long as there are those who represent
Christ in their practical life.{1SM 132.2}
Note by Ron: Are our
students still involved in the playing of games and rewards—thus being educated
and trained after Satan’s direction to lead to the possession of his
attributes? End note.
Every believer forms a link in the golden
chain connecting the soul to Jesus Christ, and is the channel of communication
of that light to those who are in darkness. Let
133
one
lose his connection with Christ, and Satan seizes the opportunity to lead him
to dishonor Christ by words, by spirit, by action, and thus Christ's character
is misinterpreted. I ask you, my brother, if the religion of
Jesus Christ is not by the excess of the amusements misunderstood. When the
Lord gave to Battle Creek the riches of His grace, were there those in
responsibility who could have directed these souls as to how to improve upon
the endowment given, in doing good, useful work that would give a change from
their studies, other than the excitement and emotions caused by their games? This kind of pastime is not improving mind or
spirit or manners for the preparation for the scenes of trial that they must
soon enter. The superficial piety that passes for religion will be consumed
when tried in the furnace. {1SM 132.3}
The Lord would have the teachers consider
the contagion of their own example. They need to pray much more and consider
that the convictions which flow out from a well-ordered life and a godly
conversation, from a living, decided Christianity, are the preparation of the
garden of the heart for the seeds of truth to be planted for a fruitful
harvest, and for the Sun of Righteousness when He comes with healing in His
beams. Let your righteousness so shine before men, "that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).
"Ye are," said Christ to His disciples, "the salt of the earth:
but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall
it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but
to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men" (Matt. 5:13). The
church illuminates the world, not by their profession of godliness, but by
their manifestation of the transforming, sanctifying power of the truth on life
and character. . . . {1SM 133.1}
The time is altogether too full of tokens of the coming conflict
to be educating the youth in fun and games.--Letter 46, 1893.
{1SM 133.2}
Danger of Light Becoming Darkness
The Lord has
condescended to give you an outpouring of His Holy Spirit. At the camp
meetings, and in our
134
various
institutions, a great blessing has been showered upon you.
You have been visited by the heavenly messengers of light and truth and power,
and it should not be thought a strange thing that God should thus bless you. How
does Christ subdue His chosen people to Himself?--It is by the power of His
Holy Spirit; for the Holy Spirit, through the Scriptures, speaks to the mind,
and impresses truth upon the hearts of men. Before His
crucifixion, Christ promised that the Comforter should be sent to His disciples.
He said: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment. . . . When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he
will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto
you" (John 16:7, 8, 13-15). {1SM 133.3}
This promise of Christ
has been made little enough of, and because of a dearth of the Spirit of God,
the spirituality of the law and its eternal obligations have not been
comprehended. Those who have professed to love Christ,
have not comprehended the relation which exists between them and God, and it is
still but dimly outlined to their understanding. They but vaguely comprehend
the amazing grace of God in giving His only-begotten Son for the salvation of
the world. They do not understand how far reaching are the claims of the holy
law, how intimately the precepts of the law are to be brought into practical
life. They do not realize what a great privilege and necessity are prayer,
repentance, and the doing of the words of Christ. It is the office of the Holy
Spirit to reveal to the mind the character of the consecration that God will
accept. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the soul is enlightened, and the
character is renewed, sanctified, and uplifted. {1SM 134.1}
Through the deep movings
of the Spirit of God, I have had opened before me the character of the work of
the visitation of the Spirit of God. I have had opened before me
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the danger in which
souls would be placed who had been thus visited; for afterward,
they would have to meet fiercer assaults of the enemy, who would press upon
them his temptations to make of none effect the workings of the Spirit of God,
and cause that the momentous truths presented and witnessed by the Holy Spirit,
should not purify and sanctify those who had received the light of heaven, and
thus cause that Christ should not be glorified in them. {1SM
134.2}
The period of great
spiritual light, if that light is not
sacredly cherished and acted upon, will be turned into a time of corresponding
spiritual darkness. The impression
made by the Spirit of God, if men do not cherish the sacred impression, and
occupy holy ground, will fade from the mind. Those who would advance in
spiritual knowledge must stand by the very fount of God, and drink again and
again from the wells of salvation so graciously opened unto them. They must
never leave the source of refreshment; but with hearts swelling with gratitude
and love at the display of the goodness and compassion of God, they must be
continually partakers of the living water. {1SM 135.1}
Oh, how much this means to every soul--"I
am the light of the world"; "I am the bread of life: he that cometh
to me shall never hunger {for anything more satisfying}; and he that believeth
on me shall never thirst" (John 8:12, 6:35). To come to this condition
means that you have found the Source of light and love, and have learned when
and how you may be replenished, and may
make use of the promises of God by continually applying them to your souls.
{1SM 135.2}
"But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not" (John
6:36). This has been literally fulfilled in the cases of many; for the
Lord gave them a deeper insight into truth, into His character of mercy and
compassion and love; and yet after being thus enlightened, they have turned
from Him in unbelief. They saw the deep movings
of the Spirit of God; but when the insidious temptations of Satan came in, as
they always will come after a season of revival, they did not resist unto
blood, striving against sin; and those who might have stood on vantage
136
ground,
had they made a right use of the precious enlightenment that they had, were
overcome by the enemy. They should have
reflected the light that God gave to them upon the souls of others; they should
have worked and acted in harmony with the sacred revealings
of the Holy Spirit; and in not doing so, they suffered loss.
{1SM 135.3}
Spiritual
Victory Lost to the Passions for Games
Among the students the spirit of fun and
frolic was indulged. They became so interested in playing games that the Lord
was crowded out of their minds; and Jesus stood among you in the playground,
saying, O that thou hadst known, "even thou, at
least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!" (Luke
19:42). "Ye also have seen me, and believe not" (John 6:36).
Yes; Christ revealed Himself to you, and deep impressions were made as the Holy
Spirit moved upon your hearts; but
you pursued a course by which you lost these sacred impressions, and failed to
maintain the victory. "All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out" (John 6:37). You began to
come to Christ, but you did not abide in Christ. You forsook Him, and the
realization you had had of the great favors and
blessings He had given you, was lost from your heart. The question of
amusement occupied so large a place in your minds, that after the solemn
visitation of the Spirit of God, you entered into its discussion with such
great zeal that all barriers were broken down; and through your passion for
games, you neglected to heed the word of Christ: "Watch ye and
pray, lest ye enter into temptation" (Mark 14:38). The place that should have been occupied by Jesus was usurped by
your passion for games. You chose your amusements instead of the
comfort of the Holy Spirit. You did not follow the example of Jesus, who said,
"I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me" (John 6:38). {1SM 136.1}
The minds of many are so bewildered with
their own human desires and inclinations, and they have been so in the habit of
indulging them, that they cannot comprehend
137
the
true sense of the Scriptures. Many suppose that in following Christ they will
be obliged to be gloomy and disconsolate, because they are required to deny
themselves the pleasures and follies that the world indulge in. The
living Christian will be filled with cheerfulness and peace, because he lives
as seeing Him who is invisible; and those who seek Christ in His true character
have within them the elements of everlasting life, because they are partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world
through lust. Jesus said, "This is the Father's will which hath sent me,
that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it
up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every
one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I
will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:39, 40). {1SM 136.2}
The Child of God a Laborer
With God
All spiritual life is derived from Jesus
Christ. "As many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). But what is the sure result of becoming a child of God? The result is
that we become laborers together with God. There
is a great work to be done for your own soul's salvation, and to qualify you to
win others from unbelief to a life sustained by faith in Christ Jesus: "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me {with a casual faith?--No, with
an abiding faith that works by love and purifies the soul} hath everlasting
life. I am that bread of life. . . . I am the living bread which came
down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he
shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. . . . Except ye eat
the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso
eateth my flesh, and drinketh
my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. . . . It is the Spirit that quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are
some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they
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were
that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I
unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my
Father" (John 6:47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 63-65). {1SM 137.1}
When Jesus spoke these words, He spoke
them with authority, assurance, and power. At times He manifested
Himself in such a way that the deep movings of His
Spirit were sensibly realized. But many who saw and heard and participated in
the blessings of the hour, went their way, and soon forgot the light He had
given them. {1SM 138.1}
The treasures of eternity have been
committed to the keeping of Jesus Christ, to give to whomsoever He will; but how sad it is that so many quickly lose
sight of the precious grace that is proffered unto them through faith in Him.
He will impart the heavenly treasures to
those who will believe in Him, look to Him, and abide in Him. He thought it
not robbery to be equal with God, and He knows no restraint
nor control in bestowing the heavenly treasures upon whom He will. He
does not exalt and honor the great ones of the world, who are flattered and
applauded; but He calls upon His chosen, peculiar people who love and serve
Him, to come unto Him and ask, and He will give them the bread of life, and
endow them with the water of life, which shall be in them as a well of water
springing up unto everlasting life. {1SM 138.2}
Jesus brought to our world the accumulated
treasures of God, and all who believe upon Him are adopted as His heirs. He
declares that great shall be the reward of them who suffer for His name's sake,
It is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him" (1 Cor. 2:9).--The Review and Herald, Jan. 30, 1894. {1SM 138.3}
Was the Blessing Cherished?
In order to increase our spiritual endowment,
it is necessary to walk in the light. In view of the event of Christ's soon
coming, we must be vigilantly working to prepare our own souls, to keep our own
lamps trimmed and burning,
139
and
to urge upon others the necessity of getting ready for the coming of the
Bridegroom. Watching and working must go together; faith and works must be united, or our characters will not be
symmetrical and well-balanced, perfect in Christ Jesus. {1SM 138.4}
Should we give our lives up to prayerful
meditation, our lights would grow dim, for light is given to us that we may
impart it to others, and
the more we impart light, the brighter our own light will become.
If there is any one thing in the world in which we may manifest
enthusiasm, it may be manifested in seeking the salvation of the souls for whom
Christ died. Work of this kind will not cause us to neglect personal piety. The
exhortation is given for us to be "not slothful in business; fervent in
spirit; serving the Lord" (Rom. 12:11). {1SM 139.1}
To have an eye single
to the glory of God means to have singleness of purpose, to show forth the
work that has been wrought in your heart, that subdues your will to the
will of God, and brings into captivity every thought to the glory of God.
The world has been looking upon you to see what would be the afterinfluence of the work of revival that came to the
college, the sanitarium, the office of publication,
and to the members of the church in Battle Creek. What testimony have you borne
in your daily life and character? {1SM 139.2}
God expected you all to do your best,
not to please, amuse, and glorify yourselves, but to honor Him in all your
ways, returning unto Him according to the light and privileges that He had
given you through the endowment of His grace. He expected you to testify
before heavenly
intelligences, and to be living witnesses to the world, of the
power of the grace of Christ. The Lord tested you, to see if you would treat
His rich blessing as a cheap, light matter, or regard it as a rich treasure to
be handled with reverent awe. If all had treated the
gift of God in this manner--for the work was of God--then, according to the
measure of each one's responsibility, the grace given would have been doubled,
as were the talents of him who traded diligently with his lord's money.
140
{1SM 139.3}
A Blessing Turned Into a Curse
God has been testing the fidelity of His
people, proving them to see what use they would make of His intrusted
precious blessing. This blessing came from our Intercessor and Advocate in the
heavenly courts; but Satan was ready to enter any avenue that was open for him,
in order that he might turn the light and blessing into darkness and cursing.
{1SM 140.1}
How may the blessing
be turned into a curse? By persuading the human agent not to cherish the light, or not to reveal to the world that it has been
effective in transforming the character. Imbued with the Holy Spirit, the human
agent consecrates himself to cooperate with divine agencies.
He bears the yoke of Christ, lifts his burdens, and works in
Christ's line to gain precious victories. He
walks in the light as Christ is in the light. The scripture is fulfilled to
him, "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the
Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit
of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18). {1SM 140.2}
Another year has now passed into eternity
with its burden of record; and the light which shone from heaven upon you was
to prepare you to arise and shine, to show forth the praises of God to the
world as His commandment-keeping people. You were to be living witnesses;
but if no special endeavor of a high and holy
character bears testimony before the world, if no higher effort has been made
than that which is seen in the popular churches of the day, then the name of
God has not been honored, and His truth has not been
magnified before the world, by presenting divine credentials in the people who
have received great light. If they have had no greater appreciation of
the manifest power of God than to eat and drink, and rise up to play, as did
ancient Israel, then how can the Lord trust His people with rich and gracious
manifestations? If they act directly contrary in almost every respect to the
known will of God, and are found in carelessness, in levity, in selfishness, in
ambition and pride, corrupting their way before the Lord,
141
how
can He give them another outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
{1SM 140.3}
Note by Ron: How
foolish an endeavor it is to pray for the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit upon the church when the church is doing after the manner of
the world and while the church is acting as if there are no conditions to
receiving such an outpouring. And even more foolish, to pray for the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit upon a new movement, new organization, that has removed God
and pillar doctrines, and substituting them with antichrist intellectual
theories of man. These acts have caused such great darkness that the professing
SDA church is oblivious to having committed such. End note.
God has the richest blessing for His
people; but He cannot bestow it until they know how to treat the precious gift
in showing forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into
His marvelous light. "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:1, 2). A portion of the joy which was set before
Christ, was the joy of seeing His truth armed with the omnipotent power of the
Holy Spirit, impressing His image upon the life and character of His followers. {1SM
141.1}
Divine intelligences
cooperate with human agencies as they seek to magnify the law and make it honorable. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul. It is in the converted soul that the world
sees a living testimony. Then shall the Lord of heaven have room to
work? Shall He find a place in the hearts of those who claim to believe the
truth? Shall His pure, disinterested benevolence meet with a response from the
human agent? Shall
the world see a display of the glory of Christ in the characters of those who
profess to be His disciples? Shall Christ be favored and glorified in
seeing His own sympathy and love pouring forth in streams of goodness and truth
from His human agents? In implanting His gospel in the heart, He is
pouring out the resources of heaven for the blessing of the world. "We are
labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's
building" (1 Cor. 3:9). {1SM 141.2}
What has the rich blessing of God done for
those who were humble and contrite in heart to receive it? Has the blessing
been cherished? Have the receivers been showing forth the praises of Him who
has called them out of darkness into His marvelous
light? There are some who are already questioning the work that was so good,
and that
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should
have been most highly appreciated. They
are looking upon it as a certain species of fanaticism.
{1SM 141.3}
Be Exceedingly Careful
It would be surprising if there were not
some, who, not being well-balanced in mind, have spoken and acted indiscreetly; for whenever and wherever the Lord works in giving a genuine blessing, a counterfeit is
also revealed, in order to make of none effect the true work of God.
Therefore we need to be exceedingly careful, and walk humbly
before God, that we may have spiritual eyesalve that we may distinguish the
working of the Holy Spirit of God from the working of that spirit that would
bring in wild license and fanaticism. "By their fruits
ye shall know them" (Matt. 7:20). Those who are really beholding Christ
will be changed into His image, even by the Spirit of the Lord, and will grow
up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit of God will inspire men with
love and purity; and refinement will be manifest in their characters.
{1SM 142.1}
But because some have misappropriated the
rich blessing of heaven, shall others deny that Jesus, the Saviour of the
world, has passed through our churches, and that to bless? Let not doubt and
unbelief question this; for in so doing, you are treading on dangerous ground. God
has given the Holy Spirit to those who have opened the door of their hearts to
receive the heavenly gift. But let them not yield to the temptation
afterward to believe that they have been deceived. Let them not say,
"Because I feel darkness, and am oppressed with doubt, and never saw
Satan's power so manifest as now, therefore I was mistaken." I warn you to
be careful. Sow not one expression of doubt. God has wrought for you, bringing
sound doctrines of truth into actual contact with the heart. Blessing
was given you, that it might produce fruit in sound practices and upright
character. {1SM 142.2}
The
Sin of Rejecting Evidence
The sin for which Christ reproved Chorazin and Bethsaida was the sin of rejecting evidence that would have
143
convinced
them of the truth, had they yielded to its power. The sin of the
scribes and Pharisees was the sin of placing the heavenly work which had been
wrought before them in the darkness of unbelief, so that the evidence which should have led them into a
settled faith was questioned, and the sacred things which should have been
cherished were regarded as of no value. I fear that the people
have permitted the enemy to work along these very lines, so that the good which
emanated from God, the rich blessing which He has given, have come to be
regarded by some as fanaticism. {1SM 142.3}
If this attitude is preserved, then when
the Lord shall again let His light shine upon the people, they will turn from the
heavenly illumination, saying, "I felt the same in 1893, and some in whom
I have had confidence, said that the work was fanaticism." Will not those
who have received the rich grace of God, and who take the position that the
working of the Holy Spirit was fanaticism, be ready to denounce the operations
of the Spirit of God in the future, and the heart thus be
proof against the solicitations of the still, small voice? The love of Jesus
may be presented to those who thus barricade themselves against it, and
exercise no constraining power upon them. The riches of the grace of heaven may
be bestowed and yet rejected, instead of being cherished and gratefully
recognized. With the heart men did believe unto righteousness,
and for a time confession was made unto salvation; but,
sad to relate, the receiver did not cooperate with heavenly intelligences, and
cherish the light by working the works of righteousness.--The
Review and Herald, Feb. 6, 1894. {1SM 143.2}