quote:

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But when there is a, "I don't care; I am going right contrary to the law that God has given in his Word, I don't ask him to take my word, I don't ask him to do it,"--

Lay Sister White right to one side: lay her to one side. Don't you never quote my words again as long as you live, until you can obey the Bible. When you take the Bible and make that your food, and your meat, and your drink, and make that the elements of your character, when you can do that you will know better how to receive some counsel from God. But here is the Word, the precious Word, exalted before you today. And don't you give a rap any more what "Sister White said"-- "Sister White said this," and "Sister White said that," and "Sister White said the other thing." But say, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel," and then you do just what the Lord God of Israel does, and what he says, Christ says, "I do the works of my Father. The works that I saw him do, I do." Now the works and the sentiments and the principles that we have seen, that God has manifest in dealing with one another, the purchase of the blood of Christ - only think of it. Here we are, the purchase of the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You just think of it. It cost his life. He was crucified for us, and yet here is the very instrumentality that God would have stand next to here is the very instrumentality that God would have stand next to heaven, that God would have stand where the light of His glory can shine upon them in unmistakable rays, and they know that the light of heaven is with them. It is no emotion, but it is a living faith that is founded on a living Word and a living God, and the Saviour, who proclaimed over the sepulcher of Joseph. "I am the resurrection and the life."
(Spalding and Magan Collection, pages 167, 168)

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__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

[This message has been edited by Daryl Fawcett (edited April 23, 2001).]

MOST DELEGATES COMING TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION, WHICH WOULD OPEN THE NEXT MORNING, SENSED THAT THERE MUST BE CHANGES. ELLEN WHITE WOULD IN THE OPENING MEETING REBUKE INSTITUTIONAL LEADERS AND CALL FOR A REORGANIZATION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE. IT WAS HER BURDEN THAT THE CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE WOULD BE BASED ON BIBLE PRINCIPLES AND NOT JUST ON THE WORD OF ELLEN WHITE. IN THIS ADDRESS SHE DECLARED;

"GOD HAS TOLD ME THAT MY TESTIMONY MUST BE BORNE TO THIS CONFERENCE, AND THAT I MUST NOT TRY TO MAKE MEN BELIEVE IT. MY WORK IS TO LEAVE THE TRUTH WITH THE PEOPLE, AND THOSE WHO APPRECIATE THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN WILL ACCEPT THE TRUTH."-- MANUSCRIPT 43, 1901.

COUNSEL WOULD COME THROUGH HER AS THE MESSENGER OF THE LORD AND THIS COUNSEL SHOULD BE HEEDED, BUT WORK IN DEPTH MUST BE DONE, WORK BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES SET FORTH IN GOD'S WORD. --COMPILERS.] When you make the Bible your food, your meat, and your drink, when you make its principles the elements of your character, you will know better how to receive counsel from God. I exalt the precious Word before you today. Do not repeat what I have said, saying, "Sister White said this," and "Sister White said that." Find out what the Lord God of Israel says, and then do what He commands.--Manuscript 43, 1901. (From an address to church leaders the night before the opening of the General Conference session of 1901.) {3SM 33.1}

[This message has been edited by Linda Sutton (edited April 24, 2001).]

The need may be strong, so the answer is more complete. It is 14 pages long, be warned up front. I will break it up later, I am quickly running out of time to post, so I will post it entirely here & adjust it later.

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The highest created angel, Gabriel classes himself with prophets as their fellow servant. When people will not listen to prophets, they are directed to something of sufficient authority to command respect, if respect can be enlisted in the heart of the person or persons who would not listen to the present message of the prophet. If people will refuse the SOP, they must return to loyalty to the Bible. If they do that their blindness can be healed in time, but if not. The Bible is the only Testimony left that testifies of Jesus. It is the only work of the Holy Ghost written down to save humanity. If that is heeded there is hope, but if that too is given insubordinance, the last tools are exhausted for their staying either Christian or Adventist Christian. If Sr White did not want insubordinant people quoting her, it is because their demeanor & example would "tar & feather" present truth and create a false impression of SOP & Seventh-day Adventism in general . Let them go to the Bible which Non Seventh-day Adventist people accept as God's Authoritative Word and stand on that if their position could be defended from it. Let everyone see how r=they stood from comparing the insubordinate with the Bible. The insubordinate speak of EGW & SOP in a way that shows they do not see her & SOP as fellow servants with Gabriel, in a standing of rank before God that will shock them in the judgement. They are of this group :

2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

2 Peter 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

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Revelation 19:
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel. It was Gabriel, "His angel," whom Christ sent to open the future to the beloved John; and a blessing is pronounced on those who read and hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things written therein. Rev. 1:3. {DA 234.2}
"The Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants and prophets." While "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God," "those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." Amos 3:7; Deut. 29:29. God has given these things to us, and His blessing will attend the reverent, prayerful study of the prophetic scriptures. {DA 234.3}
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Of Gabriel the Saviour speaks in the Revelation, saying that "He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." Rev. 1:1. And to John the angel declared, "I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren the prophets." Rev. 22:9, R. V. Wonderful thought--that the angel who stands next in honor to the Son of God is the one chosen to open the purposes of God to sinful men.--DA 99. {TA 241.3}
God had a special work for him to accomplish. Satan was determined to hinder this work, and he led on his servants to destroy John. But God sent His angel and wonderfully preserved him. All who witnessed the great power of God manifested in the deliverance of John, were astonished, and many were convinced that God was with him, and that the testimony which he bore concerning Jesus was correct. Those who sought
to destroy him were afraid to again attempt to take his life, and he was permitted to suffer on for Jesus. {TA 241.4}

He was falsely accused by his enemies, and was shortly banished to a lonely island, where the Lord sent His angel to reveal to him things which were to take place upon the earth, and the state of the church down through to the end; her backslidings, and the position the church should occupy if she would please God, and finally overcome. {TA 242.1}

The angel from heaven came to John in majesty. His countenance beamed with the excellent glory of heaven. He revealed to John scenes of deep and thrilling interest concerning the church of God, and brought before him the perilous conflicts they were to endure. John saw them pass through fiery trials, and made white and tried, and, finally, victorious overcomers, gloriously saved in the kingdom of God. The countenance of the angel grew radiant with joy, and was exceeding glorious, as he showed to John the final triumph of the church of God. {TA 242.2}

John was enraptured as he beheld the final deliverance of the church, and as he was carried away with the glory of the scene, with deep reverence and awe he fell at the feet of the angel to worship him. The angel instantly raised him up, and gently reproved him, saying, See thou do it not; I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. {TA 242.3}

The angel then showed John the heavenly city with all its splendor and dazzling glory. John was enraptured and overwhelmed with the glory of the city. He did not bear in mind his former reproof from the angel, but again fell to worship before the feet of the angel, who again gave the gentle reproof, See thou do it not; for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the sayings of this book; worship God.--1SG 130, 131. {TA 242.4}

Christ, the royal messenger, came to John when on his sea-bound isle, and gave him the most wonderful revelations of Himself.--ST March 3, 1890. {TA 243.1}

The mighty Angel [of Revelation 10] who instructed John was no less a personage than Jesus Christ. Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left upon the dry land, shows the part which He is acting in the closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan. This position denotes His supreme power and authority over the whole earth. The controversy has waxed stronger and more determined from age to age, and will continue to do so, to the concluding scenes when the masterly working of the powers of darkness shall reach their height. Satan, united with evil men, will deceive the whole world and the churches who receive not the love of the truth. But the mighty Angel demands attention. He cries with a loud voice. He is to show the power and authority of His voice to those who have united with Satan to oppose the truth.--7BC 971. {TA 243.2}

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IN CLEAR TERMS THE PROPHET JOHN SPEAKS OF "THE REMNANT," OR THE LAST CHURCH, AS THOSE WHO "KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST." REVELATION 12:17. IN ANOTHER PASSAGE THE SAME WRITER GIVES A PLAIN DEFINITION OF WHAT HE MEANS BY THE "TESTIMONY OF JESUS." WHEN ON ONE OCCASION JOHN ATTEMPTED TO WORSHIP THE ANGEL WHO APPEARED TO HIM IN VISION, THE ANGEL SAID: {CET 242.3}

"SEE THOU DO IT NOT: I AM THY FELLOW SERVANT, AND OF THY BRETHREN THAT HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS: WORSHIP GOD." REVELATION 19:10. {CET 243.1}

UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES THE SAME ANGEL SAID, AS RECORDED IN ANOTHER PLACE: {CET 243.2}

"SEE THOU DO IT NOT: FOR I AM THY FELLOW SERVANT, AND OF THY BRETHREN THE PROPHETS." REVELATION 22:9. {CET 243.3}

THE THOUGHT EXPRESSED IS THE SAME IN BOTH THESE PASSAGES. IN ONE, HOWEVER, JOHN'S "BRETHREN" ARE SAID TO HAVE "THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS;" IN THE OTHER THESE "BRETHREN" ARE CALLED "THE PROPHETS." {CET 243.4}

THEREFORE IT IS THE PROPHETS WHO HAVE "THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS;" AND THE ANGEL WHO APPEARED TO JOHN IS EVIDENTLY THE SPECIAL MESSENGER WHO CONVEYS INSTRUCTION TO ALL THE PROPHETS,--DOUBTLESS THE ANGEL GABRIEL, WHO IS MENTIONED AS HAVING APPEARED TO DANIEL. SEE DANIEL 8:16; 9:21. THE SAME ANGEL FURTHER SAID TO JOHN, "THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY." REVELATION 19:10. {CET 243.5}

COMPARING THE BIBLE EXPRESSION, "THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS," WITH THE STATEMENT OF REVELATION 12:17 CONCERNING THE "REMNANT . . . WHICH KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST," WE CONCLUDE THAT PRIOR TO CHRIST'S SECOND COMING HIS TRUE CHURCH WILL BE KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS, AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. {CET 243.6}

THE RAPID FULFILLMENT OF THE PREDICTIONS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE REGARDING THE SIGNS AND EVENTS WHICH WERE TO MARK THE CLOSING SCENES OF EARTH'S HISTORY, IS A SURE EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE NOW LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS. THEREFORE A COMPANY OF CHRISTIAN PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND WHO HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST--THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY--SHOULD TODAY BE IN EXISTENCE. WHERE MAY THEY BE FOUND? {CET 243.7}
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And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev. 19:10. {FLB 295.1}

Above all other books, the Word of God must be our study, the great textbook, the basis of all education. {FLB 295.2}
The Testimonies are not to belittle the Word of God, but to exalt it and attract minds to it, that the beautiful simplicity of truth may impress all. {FLB 295.3}

I took the precious Bible and surrounded it with the several Testimonies for the Church. . . . Here, said I, the cases of nearly all are met. The sins they are to shun are pointed out. The counsel that they desire can be found here, given for other cases situated similarly to themselves. God has been pleased to give you line upon line and precept upon precept. But there are not many of you that really know what is contained in the Testimonies. You are not familiar with the Scriptures. If you had made God's Word your study, with a desire to reach the Bible standard and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the Testimonies. . . . {FLB 295.4}

The Lord designs to warn you, to reprove, to counsel, through the testimonies given, and to impress your minds with the importance of the truth of His Word. The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. Man's duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified in God's Word; yet but few of you are obedient to the light given. Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given and in His own chosen way brought them before the people to awaken and impress the mind with them, that all may be left without excuse. {FLB 295.5}

If we disregard them [the warnings in the Testimonies], what excuse can we offer?
{FLB 295.6}

Prove All Things

Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. 5:19-21. {FLB 296.1}
"In ancient times God spoke to men by the mouth of prophets and apostles. In these days He speaks to them by the testimonies of His Spirit. There was never a time when God instructed His people more earnestly than He instructs them now concerning His will and the course that He would have them pursue." {FLB 296.2}
The instruction that was given in the early days of the message is to be held as safe instruction to follow in these its closing days. {FLB 296.3}

Let the Testimonies be judged by their fruits. What is the spirit of their teaching? What has been the result of their influence? "All who desire to do so can acquaint themselves with the fruits of these visions. . . ." {FLB 296.4}

"This work is of God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan. My work . . . bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil." {FLB 296.5}

The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Prov. 29:18. Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony. He will bring in spurious visions, to mislead and mingle the false with the true, and so disgust people that they will regard everything that bears the name of visions, as a species of fanaticism; but honest souls, by contrasting false and true, will be enabled to distinguish between them. {FLB 296.6}

"When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.
{FLB 296.7}

Kingly Power. (Ed copied the whole letter - God is disgusted with men ruling men as though men were God. It's been going on for a long time. Insubordination to SOP is on of it's prominant features.- Ed Sutton's note)

(Verbatim report of remarks by Mrs. E. G. White, at a meeting held in Battle Creek College library, April 1, at the General Conference of 1901.) {SpM 162.3}

I would prefer not to speak today, but still not because I have nothing to say, because I have; I have something to say. And the state of things as has existed in our conference and the leading responsibilities are not nearly understood in their influence by themselves or by those that are taking responsibilities in the work. The work has been increasing; it has been growing; and from the light that I have had for some time, and has been expressed, has been expressed over and over again, not to all there are here, but has been expressed to individuals, and the plans that God would have all to work from, that never should one mind or two minds or three minds nor four minds, or a few minds I should say, be considered of sufficient wisdom and power to control and mark out plans and let it rest upon the minds of one or two or three in regard to this broad, broad field that we have; that we are not coming up to reach that high standard with the great and important truths that we are handling, that God expects us to reach. There are minds which must be brought into altogether more lively action than they are at the present time. And in reference to our conference, it is repeated o'er and o'er and o'er again, that it is the voice of God, and therefore everything must be referred to the Conference and have the conference voice in regard to permission or restriction or what shall be and what shall not be done in the various fields. {SpM 162.4}

Now from the light that I have, as it was presented to me in figures: There was a narrow compass here; there within that narrow is a king-like, kingly ruling power. Here the outlets are blocked. And the work all over our field demands an entirely different course of action than we have had. We have heard enough, abundance, about that "everything must go around in the regular way." When we see the regular lines are altered and purified and refined, and the God of the heavens mold is upon the regular lines, then it is our business to establish the regular lines. But when we see message after message that God has given has been accepted, but no change, just the same as it was before, then it is evident that new blood must be brought into the regular lines. The leaders of the regular lines, they must have and entire change, an entire new organization, and to have a committee that shall take in not merely half a dozen, that is to be a ruling and controlling power, but it is to have representatives of those that are placed in responsibility in our educational interests, in our Sanitariums, that are working, and the life in them, constantly at work, constantly adding, constantly giving to the field the talent that has come from it. {SpM 163.1}

And then the comparison that has been presented to me, where the fields are that have been opened; Where are the fields that have been opened here, the new fields in America? Where is it in California? Where is it here at the great heart of the work? And here are the two great centers - where is the wrestling to get new fields, whether it costs or whether it does not cost, whatever way it shall be? God has his treasures that he had given to the work. He has his treasures in the hills; he has his treasures in every place and in every country, and in all these countries, far and near, he wants to be an arousing, broadening, enlarging power. And a management which is getting confused in itself, not that anyone is wrong or means to be wrong, but the principle is wrong, and the principles have become so mixed and so fallen from what God's principles are, and the message has been coming constantly in regard to the principles, sacred, holy elevating, ennobling, in every institution, in the publishing houses, and in all the interests of the denomination, everything that concerns the handling of the work, it requires minds that are worked by the Holy Spirit of God; and unless that evidence is given, unless there is a power that shows that they are accepted by God to impart to the responsibilities that have to be handled, then there should be a renovation without any delay. To have this conference pass on and close up as the conferences have done, with the same manipulating, with the very same tone, and the same order,--God forbid! (Voices, "Amen") God forbid, brethren. (Voices, "Amen".) He wants every living soul that has a knowledge of the truth to come to their senses. He wants every living power to arouse; and we are just about the same thing as dead men. And it is time that we should arise and shine because our light has come, and the glory of the Lord has arisen upon us, and until this shall come we might just as well close up the conference today as any other day. {SpM 163.2}

But what we must have is the taking in of other minds. Where there are minds that have been at work, minds that have been at work in the same tone and in the same channel, they have become discouraged, and they have become confused. Well, now, we can not trust to such as that in such tremendous responsibilities as are going to be handled here. Why, from the light that God has given me, everything about this conference should be the most sacred. Why? Why, because it is to put ideas and plans and work upon its proper basis. And this thing has been continued and renewed for the last fifteen years of more, and God calls for a change. God wants that men of capabilities and of mind should understand there is a ladder for them to climb, round after round, and if they climb this ladder, round after round, why they will step off finally into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We want our course heavenward. And we want that all the selfishness, every thread of it, that has been woven into the pattern, that every thread of this selfishness is to be got out, and here is a work that, from the light that God has given me, it should stand, yes, a hundred per cent, higher than it stands today. {SpM 164.1}

Here are our enemies. Here are those Satanic agencies that are at work. There is a waking up on the part of every working agency. Let me tell you that the enemy is getting the victory all the time. God wants us to arouse. God wants us to take hold of this work, every human agency, and he wants us to work for time and for eternity. And treading over and over just the same ground - here are our churches, our large churches, and they ought to be turning out men, educating them and training, and disciplining, and there ought to be those that should connect with them here, bearing responsibilities that should go on into the fields to carry the message into the barren places - that have been, oh, so barren, especially the Southern field that is scarcely touched, notwithstanding the message has come from God for the last - I might say - well, I do not know how many years; it is quite a number of years. But those things have been told, and this standstill has got to come to an end. But yet every conference has woven after the same pattern. It is the very same loom that carries it, and finally, why, it will come to naught. {SpM 164.2}

Now God wants a change, and it is high time, it is high time that here was ability that should connect with the conference, with the General Conference, right here in this city; not wait until it is done, and then find, - not wait till it is all done and over with, and then gather up the forces and see what can be done. We want to know what can be done right here; we want to know what can be done right now, and what power and intellect that there is that shall be brought into this work, and that they shall unite their powers and take hold of it intelligently, and that God can work with them. {SpM 164.3}

Now this is what they want and you want, they every institution that bears a responsibility, bears a voice in the working of this cause. They have a decided interest in it, and God wants that we shall, every one, come into a position where that we shall work: that we will not lay off the burden upon two or three men, and let them carry it all. Brother Irwin will soon be where he can not work at all. He wants supporters, and he has been in this work of wrestling and discouragement until he should have a change. He should have some one come in his place, or he is going to give all out. It can not be. We must have responsible men, and we want men that shall stand just as true as the compass to the pole, and God will test these men, and unless they can show a better idea of what principle is, what sanctified and living and Christ-like principle is, then they will have to be changed and try another. {SpM 164.4}

But God is going to have a change. He wants us to know what it means to work on the principles of heaven. He wants that all of us should know what it means to stand in their lot, and stand in their place, and every soul that has had a responsibility, that they should have been workers, that they should have had these principles, that they should have had patience, just as it is reported "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." 2 Peter 1:5. Brethren, we all need these letters written and hung in the chambers of the mind, and to him that doeth these things,--if you live on this principle you will never fail; "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." {SpM 165.1}

Now God is in earnest with us, and he says he calls,--oh, I can not tell how it is. It is contemptible in the sight of God - contemptible. They pause for fear they are not going to get all that they ought to have, and it leaves a man where he can not - if he considers that as the principles of heaven, why, it leaves the man where he will never get to heaven. He can not get in there. The nobility, the generosity, the tenderness, the compassion, the love of Christ - why, they are as destituted of it as the hills of Gilboa, that had not dew nor rain - just as destitute of it, and we can not rouse them from it. Enough has been said, over and over and over again, but it did not make any difference. The light shone upon them, just the same, professedly accepting it, but they did not make any change. That is what frightens me. It frightens me because that I saw unless there was more tenderness, more compassion, more of the love of God - the Lord knew what he was talking about when he was talking to the church at Ephesus, "Ye have lost your first love," and tells them to repent speedily or he will remove the candlestick out of its place. What we want is to study all through John and see what is said about the love of God and the love that we should express, and that love has not been cultivated, and if it is not being cultivated the opposite attribute is being cultivated. Now it has not been cultivated in our institutions of publication, and when by every little sharpness that can be exercised by them, by which they think that they are going to gain a little something, they lose four-fold, yes, ten-fold in that little transaction, until the light will soon be moved out of its place. They don't know when it is for the interests of the institution, but God knoweth. Every one God knoweth, and should come right up to the help of the Lord, and to have a new creation of sentiment. Now God never will acquit us until that is there, until this is taught in our institutions, every one of them and God means what he says, "I want a change here." Will it be the same thing, going over and over the same ideas, the same committees--and here is the little throne: the king is in there, and these others are all secondary, those minds that are so much sharper because they have not been working on this narrow, conceited plane. {SpM 165.2}

I feel intensely in this matter. I do not want to talk here but I dare not hold my peace. I feel this condition. I think we should hold for the tenderness of God and break your hearts before him, and if you get where you can see these things clearly, you will see that God hates selfishness, and when we bring it into his cause, oh, it makes the crime a hundred fold greater. And when we bring that selfishness in, as though we were going to benefit the cause, we do not benefit it at all: it makes God ashamed of you. {SpM 166.1}

We are to be representatives of Jesus Christ; we are to be representatives of his character. We are so to do that we are carrying out the living principles in every line of action everywhere, in every country, everywhere, and in every place that there is anything to do with God's service. He will not accept common fire. He wants you to take sacred fire that he kindles on the divine altar, and he wants you to work, and that fire to consume all your commonness, all your intemperance, all your selfishness, all your cheap ideas, all your licentiousness, all this lust. He wants it taken away from a people that are trying to fashion a people to stand in the last great conflict, which is just before us. Self must be hid in God, and when self is hid in God, then will the Lord God appear, and not self. He will appear as the great worker, and when you think to improve upon God's plans by your narrowness, by your conceited ideas, and by your planning and grasping and thinking you are going to gain something,--and if you have not learned better than that now, you will have to learn. God wants that these committees that have been handling things for so long should be relieved of their command and have a chance for their life, and see if they can not get out of this rut that they are in,--which I have no hope of their getting out of, because the Spirit of God has been working, and working, and yet the king is there still. {SpM 166.2}

Now the Lord wants his Spirit to come in. He wants the Holy Ghost king. He wants everything of the sharpness, that it shall not be exercised toward outsiders, it shall not be exercised toward one that is trying to serve God and trying to exercise all his power to serve him, that is bringing his tithes here to sustain the ministry. He has a treasury, and that treasury is to be sustained by the tithe, and that tithe is to be a sacred tithe, and it is to be God's tithe, and that tithe is to be so liberal that it will sustain the work largely; each one to act in their capacity in such a way that the confidence of the whole people will be established in them, and that they will not be afraid, but see everything just as light as day until they are in connection with the work of God and the people. I know my husband used to work in that way. He would sit down with this man that he thought had good judgment, and with that man, and with the other man, and with another man - that was when the cause was young. He did not feel that he was capable of carrying the conference when it was very young. But he had these men, these committees, that were brought in from places all around. It was not just in Battle Creek, but it was in different places, that those that felt a responsibility for the work would go home and feel a larger responsibility for the work. To carry it on in right lines, in heaven's lines, in purity, in holiness, in uplifting, in solidity, to the glory of God, should be that which would make every one of us to be joyful and proud that God has given us the privilege to be co-workers with Jesus Christ. {SpM 166.3}

Now there is all that power that was pledged to us when we pledged ourselves to God. That power that all the provision was made in heaven, all the facilities, all the riches of the grace of God was to be imparted to every worker that was connected with the cause; and every one of these are wholly dependent upon God, and when we leave God out of the question, and leave Jesus Christ out of the question, and allow hereditary and cultivated traits of character to come, let me tell you, we are on very slippery grounds. We are making, not straight paths for our feet, but crooked paths that the lame shall be turned out of the way - and we can not afford it. It has cost too much to heaven to give us Jesus; it has cost too much to heaven for Christ to lay aside his royal robe, to lay aside his royal crown, and to step down from his high command, the Prince of Life and Glory, in order that he might make himself in humanity, and in order that he might the better combine the human with the divine, as the stepping-stone for man to step on. It was not humanity, but humanity and divinity combined, and that man could step on that stepping-stone, and that he would be on vantage ground with God, because of the perfume - because of the holy sanctified character of God imbues the life of every soul that eats of the Bread of Life and drinks of the water of salvation. And every one that eats of Christ, that takes his word and practices it, should have eternal life. It is in him, because it is in Christ, and Christ is in him. Now here is the way the matter is presented. But when there is a, "I don't care; I am going right contrary to the law that God has given in his Word, I don't ask him to take my word, I don't ask him to do it,"-- {SpM 167.1}

Lay Sister White right to one side: lay her to one side. Don't you never quote my words again as long as you live, until you can obey the Bible. When you take the Bible and make that your food, and your meat, and your drink, and make that the elements of your character, when you can do that you will know better how to receive some counsel from God. But here is the Word, the precious Word, exalted before you today. And don't you give a rap any more what "Sister White said"-- "Sister White said this," and "Sister White said that," and "Sister White said the other thing." But say, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel," and then you do just what the Lord God of Israel does, and what he says, {SpM 167.2}

Christ says, "I do the works of my Father. The works that I saw him do, I do." Now the works and the sentiments and the principles that we have seen, that God has manifest in dealing with one another, the purchase of the blood of Christ - only think of it. Here we are, the purchase of the blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You just think of it. It cost his life. He was crucified for us, and yet here is the very instrumentality that God would have stand next to heaven, that God would have stand where the light of His glory can shine upon them in unmistakable rays, and they know that the light of heaven is with them. It is no emotion, but it is a living faith that is founded on a living Word and a living God, and the Saviour, who proclaimed over the sepulcher of Joseph. "I am the resurrection and the life." {SpM 167.3}

He wants you to eat his principles: to live his principles; - but those that are there now never will appreciate it. They have had their test, they have had their trial, they have had their warnings, and now there must be a change. Give them an opportunity to go out and see what it means to wrestle in the grace of God as some of his workmen have. Let them see what it means to build up. Let them go into the waste places of earth; let them begin to see what it means to establish things out of nothing. When they do this, they will understand that God hath his servants, his church, established in the earth, composed of many members, but of one body; that in every part of the work one part must work as connected with another part, and that with another part, and with another part, and these are joined together by the golden links of heaven, and there is to be no kings here in their midst at all. There is to be no man that has the right to put his hand out and say, No, you can not go there; we won't support you if you go there. Why, what have you to do with supporting? Did they create the means? The means come from the people, and those who are destitute fields. The voice of God has told me to instruct them to go the people and to tell them their necessities, and to draw all the people to work just where they can find a place to work, to build up the work in every place they can. {SpM 168.1}

There is a work to be done. And we want to know if you have been doing the work, with your committees. Here are the committees: where are the monuments? As we look over the cities, where are the monuments? Where, I ask you, are the churches that are left to glorify God? There are the workers. I thank God that there is a work going on, and I thank God for the medical missionary work, and every soul that shall obtain that education in connection with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, God will call for you. God has a place for you. And those that are laboring for the youth in any line in our schools, in the sanitariums, and wherever they are at work, don't you put one stone in their way! The Lord has revealed that he will work with those who work. {SpM 168.2}

Ye are laborers together with God. Where are the churches? My heart ached when I was in California. There are young men traveling around and around in the churches, but where is the power, where is the power to open the fields for them, and to say, Here we are, not to stay with the people that know the truth, here is a field that knows nothing about it, and this field is to be converted and educated, as far as they will yield to the truth. But the seeds of the truth must be sown. Lift up your heads, for the fields are all ripe with the harvest. But he wanted them to look at it; and he wanted them to see; and he wants everyone of you to see it and to fill your hands full. But these who travel from place to place, and from place to place, to to look after the churches, God help you by giving you the spirit of the message, that your souls shall yearn after other souls, and you will not let go until they are converted. This is the work we want to see done, and until that spirit comes in and takes hold of every mind in every conference that they are conducting, that they are elevating the very light that should be elevated,--health reform - that they are elevating by their self-denial and self-sacrifice. {SpM 168.3}

Oh my soul, how it has hurt me to have the blocks thrown in the way in regard to myself. They will tell you that Sister White did this, or Sister White did that,--for instance, "Sister White ate cheese, and so we are all at liberty to eat cheese." Who told them that I ate cheese? I never have cheese on my table. There was one time when I was at Minneapolis, one or two times I tasted it, but that is a different thing from making it a diet, entirely a different thing. I have tasted of very bitter herbs on special occasions, but I would not make a diet of them. But there was a special occasion in Minneapolis where I could get nothing else, and there were some small bits of cheese on the table, and my brethren were there, and one of them had told me that if I would eat a little of that it would change my condition, and I did. I took a bit of that cheese, and I do not think I touched it again the second time. {SpM 169.1}

Another says, "Sister White drinks tea, and we can drink tea." Who of my brethren has made that statement? Who has ever heard it of me? I never have tea in my home or set it before anyone. Now I have not eaten any meat for years and years. {SpM 169.2}

Now for instance some one may tell you that Sister White don't eat meat. "Now I want you not to eat it, because Sister White doesn't eat it." Well, I wouldn't care a farthing for anything like that. If you haven't got a better conviction, that you won't eat meat just because Sister White don't eat it, I would not give one farthing for your health reform. But I want that every one of you shall stand on your individual dignity, in your individual consecration to God, that the soul temple shall be dedicated to God. Whosoever defileth the temple of God, him will God destroy. Now I want you to see these things, and not to make any human being your criterion. {SpM 169.3}

What you want is this: You have got a body here, wonderfully made, and you want that that body should be, oh, so carefully dealt with. I have seen, it has been represented to me, the finest machinery was in this body - and a good thing we can carry too far, like inhaling too much and swelling out. God did not make these precious organs to be swelled like a balloon. He never made them for that, and he wants every living soul to deal with this machinery as God's machinery, that they must keep in perfect order to keep the brain power all right. The brain must work, and every burden you put upon your stomach which should not be in your stomach will just becloud the brain. You go into a conference like this - you sit down and eat hearty meals and neglect to exercise, and then come into the conference meeting, and you are all sleepy; your ideas are not good for anything, and you really do not know what you are consenting to, {SpM 169.4}

Now God wants every soul here to sharpen up. He wants every soul here should have his converting power. You need not refer, not once, to Sister White; I don't ask you to do it. God has told me that my testimony must be borne straight to this conference, and I am not to try to make a soul believe; that my work is to leave the truth with human minds, and those having found the truth in the Word of God will appreciate it, and will appreciate every day the ray of light that God has given for poor lame souls, that they should not be turned out of the way, and I want you to make straight the paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way. {SpM 170.1}

Now we want that in the Conference we shall have the ability that God has given unto Dr. Kellogg - I don't suppose he is here - I don't know that he is, at any rate-

(Voice: "Yes, he is here.")

I can't see without my congregational glasses - but I want to say the Lord wants you to make the most of the capabilities that he is using in every part of the work. He does not mean the medical missionary work separated from the gospel work, nor the gospel work separated from the medical missionary work. He wants them to blend together, and he wants that this educating power of the medical missionary work shall be considered as the pioneer work, the breaking-up plow, for the breaking down of the prejudices that have existed and that nothing will break down like it; and God wants every soul to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dr. Kellogg. He has become all but desperate, and came nearly - almost losing his life because of the positions that have been taken, and everyone throwing a stone right before the car so that it should not advance. Now God wants the health and missionary work to advance. He wants God's work to be carried on. {SpM 170.2}

Really, when I came here I did not know what to do. Courteously Dr. Kellogg had asked me to come to his house and let them give me treatment a week or two before the conference, that I should be able to attend the conference. Then came up the question, Here, what about this? They will say that Dr. Kellogg has manipulated you. Let them say it if they want to; they have said it enough when there was not a particle of ground for it. But I was going to take all the difficulty out of the way: so I sent word, "Find me a place." Dr. Kellogg has kindly opened his place to me, but to remove all occasion for talk I decided that I would not go there. Now find me a place. On Friday night I was knelt in prayer, saying, "O Lord, tell me where to go and what to do." There I had been sick, and was still sick - and, why, I didn't choose to come to Battle Creek to the conference was, that I knew it would be a terrible trial for me. This is the third winter I am passing through. I passed through one in Australia, one in California, and I am passing the third here. And now you can judge that all this tells upon my system. Then the heated houses, where there was no more need for having it heated than there was in California; but they were heated, and so brought me down into a terrible condition of malaria, and I have had it here ever since Christmas, and then the very crisis came when I was at Los Angeles, and there I knew nothing - after I had been speaking on Sunday I didn't know anything more until two o'clock the next morning, when I found them all working over me - and I didn't know anything about it, or about what had been done, or anything about it; and then it was that the fullness that I had, had in my head passed through the whole channel of the body. And that brought on the bloody flux, and I have been traveling all this time up to the time I came here, with that terrible disorder, the bloody flux. I couldn't sit up at all, only lie down all the time - and yet I have not disappointed a single place but one since leaving Los Angeles. I got up, stood on my feet, and the strength of God helped me up. At Vicksburg I spoke twice, at Nashville I spoke twice, at Memphis I spoke once, and at Chicago I spoke twice and God helped me to speak, and then I came here, and I have been speaking ever since I came here. {SpM 170.3}

Now you see I was afraid of all this, and I didn't want to sacrifice my life, and so I said that I couldn't come here. I couldn't come across the plains. I was afraid. I nearly melted the tendons during the cold weather when I was traveling, because of a heated coil running right under where I was lying on the way across from Australia. So I said I couldn't come. Then they said they would have the conference in Oakland. But in the night season I was talking to you just as I am here today. I was bearing a message night after night and night after night, and then I would get up and write it out, and I would get up at 12 o'clock, and 2 o'clock, and write out the message that I had. And it was then, while I was considering these things, that there came messages from London, that they had hoped they could see me and meet me, but now they couldn't come so far, and it cost so much and I heard it would cost from five to eight thousand dollars more, and then I said, "We have got no such money to spare, and if I sacrifice my life, I will try it, anyway." {SpM 171.1}

Well, Dr. Kellogg never persuaded me at all to come here. When I spoke of the particulars, the cold weather, "Why," he said, "would it make any difference if," - the only words he spoke to me - would it make any difference if the conference could be changed to a few weeks later?" I said, "It would". Then I began to think on that plan, after he had gone. Well, we knelt down to pray, and I was asking the Lord where I should go and what I should do. I was backing out and not going. Sarah says, "You are not fit to go anywhere, you are not fit to go anywhere. {SpM 171.2}

Well, while I was praying and was sending up my petition there was, as at other times - I saw a light circling right around in the room, and a fragrance like the fragrance of flowers, and the beautiful scent of flowers, and then the voice seemed to speak gently, and said that I was to "accept the invitation of my servant, John Kellogg, and make his house my home." Then the word was, "I have appointed him as my physician. You can be an encouragement to him." That is why I am here, and that is why I am at his home. {SpM 171.3}

Now I want in every way possible, If I can, to treat Dr. Kellogg as God appointed me his physician, and I am going to do it. And I want that my brethren, that they should unite. "They say, they say, they say." You just put the "They says" right away from you. Watch, saith the Lord, to hear what He will say. You look to the Lord, and don't you look to any human power and get their mind, for they are nothing but human, they are nothing but evil; but you just look to the Lord God of Israel, and He will give you understanding, and He will give you knowledge. But you are not to lean your helpless soul on any other human being. You have got a character to form for your own individual self, and that character God has given every encouragement should be after God's order. {SpM 171.4}

Now in addition to this that I tell you, the next night - that night I slept happy, very happy. The whole family was melted and broken down. They knew nothing of what I had in my mind at all, nothing at all that I had seen, but the Spirit of God was there. They were all weeping and broken, and the blessing of God had taken hold upon us, and Sister Druillard was praising God, and we all there had an outpouring of the Spirit of God. Such things are more precious to me than the gold of Ophir. {SpM 172.1}

Now I want to say, for Christ's sake, let's unify. Let us put away - we can not reform our selves by putting our fingers on somebody else's wrongs and think that is going to cover our own. God says we must love one another. God says, "I hate your false weights and your false measures. But he tells us that he knows us, in every testimony that he has given in other cases. It is the Lord who wants us to come into the closest connection with Him. You know He told Cornelius all about where Peter was. He knew just where to look, and he told him all about these things - how he was with one who was a tanner - and here it was all worked out. The Angel of God could have told Cornelius all about this message, but no, God's church must connect together, and the law that God imparted to Peter was to be imparted to Cornelius and all his family. Now that is what God wants, and he speaks to every one of us to come to him, and while we are as weak as we are, because we are crippling over somebody else. Now let the Lord God of Israel come into our place. Give him room. Give him place, and let us begin to exercise the love of God in our hearts instead of hatred. Just as soon as you begin to build up yourself, you begin to hate others. God help us to come into right positions and I believe he is here today. If I didn't believe he was here, I would not be saying the things I have said. But I believe you can take these things home to your hearts. {SpM 172.2}

And there must be a heart work done here. Not doing nothing, but work right out on Christ's principles, and when you work on the principles of heaven you see the salvation of God revealed, and God wants you to stand ready to strike. He wants you to open the windows heavenward and close them earthward. He wants the salvation of God to be revealed. He wants the medical missionary work and the gospel combined and bound up together just as fast together that they will be inseparable. And he wants that this work shall blend, and that there should be a united whole with this people. He wants the talent that is in Dr. Kellogg; he wants the talent that is in the school; he wants that which is in every institution to be connected with the management of his work and his churches. He does not want two or three minds to set themselves as kings and the rest of them to be managed by these two or three minds. He wants that there shall be committees that are holding a part in every part of his work. And then the medical missionary work you understand will be wrought upon a higher grade than it has ever been wrought before. God wants it wrought. I have seen people ready to. "Why," some say, "why, they have had more than their proportion, more than others have had in Australia." We have had none too much, only we ought to have had ten times what we had to begin with, that we could establish something that would be an entrance, something that would be a pioneer to the work. That will take everywhere. There is no use to shut it down, it will take everywhere. There is not a place but what medical missionary work will take, and it will open the way for the gospel. Now God has not blessed us as He would have blessed us had there been an appreciation of the work that he is carrying on. I thank God that Dr. Kellogg has not sunk into despondency and infidelity. I have been afraid of it, and I have written some very straight things to him, and it may be, Dr. Kellogg (if he is here), that I have written too strong, for I felt as though I must get hold of you and hold you by the power of all the might I had. {SpM 172.3}

But I have seen the work, I have seen the work that has been carried on, and how can anybody see it and not see that God is at work? That is the mystery to me. I can not understand it. I can not explain it. That those that shall have any knowledge of the work wrought here, should be the men that should represent it, that they should stand to give character to the work, and to the higher classes, that they may be reached. And every soul of you ought to feel honored before God that he has given you instrumentalities that the higher classes may be reached, and that the wealthy classes should be reached. You should feel to thank God for the honor that He has bestowed. And I want to say that I want to take hold to the utmost of my ability. Well, I have done the very best that I could in the medical missionary line. We have helped - But I won't tell you. I won't say anything about it more, but I want to tell you we have found poverty that we have had to relieve clear up to the last moment when we left Australia. It has been poverty, poverty, poverty all the way through that we have met with everywhere. But I thank God that His blessing has accomplished it. {SpM 173.1}

And now I think that for the present time I have said enough. But God's ministers must come into altogether a different position. They must be evangelists. They must be medical missionaries. They must take hold of the work intelligently. They must press the work into far-off places - and it is of no use to think they are doing it if God has given us a work in connection with the gospel, and they drop that work and take up the gospel, then you need not expect that you are going to be filled with intensity because you have not more than one-half of the facilities that God wants you to have. {SpM 173.2}

But the Lord loves you yet. Now let us praise God for that. Now let us take hold of the work in a new way. Let us take hold of the work with heart and mind and soul. Do not pick flaws any more. If I see a lot of buzzards, and I see a lot of vultures that are watching and waiting for dead bodies,--and we don't want anything of that. We want no picking of flaws in others. Attend to No. 1, and you got all that you
can do. If you attend to No. 1, and if you purify your souls by obeying the truth, you will have something to impart. You will have a power to give to others. God help you; I beseech of him to help you, every one of you, and to help me. I want help; I want strength. {SpM 173.3}

But don't you quote Sister White. I don't want you ever to quote Sister White until you get your vantage ground where you know where you are. Quote the Bible. Talk the Bible. It is full of meat, full of fatness. Carry it right out in your life, and you will know more Bible than you know now. You will have fresh matter - O, you will have precious matter; you won't be going over and over the same ground, and you will see a world saved. You will see souls for whom Christ has died. And I ask you to put on the armor, every piece of it, and be sure that your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel. {SpM 174.1}

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Edward F Sutton

Are there any more replies to my question?

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In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

This makes me even more determined to get into the Word more and learn from that. Take a text, memorize it and think and ponder on it for days. Apply it to my life... live it.

As for your original question, Daryl, I would think that she is saying don't use her as proof UNTIL you are living the Bible first.

It's OK to read her and study her to get understanding on HOW to live the Bible...
just don't use it as our proof texts.

Prove all things from the Scriptures, cuz everyone has access to them. And try to prove things using five texts or less. That will really hone our skills

[This message has been edited by Karen (edited May 14, 2001).]

1. Till you walk the walk don't talk the talk cause you smear the work of Jesus through Sr White till you do.

2. People look at the big talk & no walk and tar & feather the SOP with the same brush they tar & feather you. Shut up till you put up ,and the proof of the putting up the world respects is the Bible. Walk the Bible's walk & till then shutup with SOP talk. How you look is what they believe about SOP. You look like a relegious hypocrit of a fool and make SOP look just as bad by your associating with it.

3. Shut the talk, walk the walk, clean up your act, listen to God, your mouth's run too much already.

Well that's not her century's style & lingo, but it puts it clear and in the face. I still think SOP says it better & does it best in full context. So many detractors wrench so many quotes and passages. To be condensed is artifical. SOP & Bible are not condenced at all times. Sometimes context is the only thing to give the whole picture. Partial pictures are the tools of the trade of the wresters of Inspiration also, that & repetition. But I get your point too.

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Edward F Sutton

[This message has been edited by Edward F Sutton (edited May 14, 2001).]

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

Although I think EGW had some good insights into spiritual things, I take the Bible and the Bible only as my guide. I don't prefer to have EGW interpret the Bible for me. From my reading of her, she would say the same thing.

There isn't anything wrong with quoting EGW, but, we should be able to back it up with scripture as well, at the same time.
This is with othwer believers in SOP.
For those not aquainted with EGW, we had better be abnle to 'prove' our position from scripture.
This is what she was so upset about.
They weren't in the book, and, were using her as a club.

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Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

I think you are hitting the nail squarely on the head.

In my opinion, we should never use the writings of EGW over the Bible, however, we can use her writings along with the Bible as long as we are sharing this with other like-minded believers.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

[This message has been edited by Daryl Fawcett (edited May 15, 2001).]

I really need to get back into the word and study it. Not realying on someone else to feed me by hand.

Like Paul said, when we are supposed to be eating solid food, we still need to be given milk, because we refuse to grow up into the word.

He has been looking in my windows again, [sigh].

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Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

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In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

It is unscriptural to compare one prophet with another and call one "milk" and one "meat". That was not the what the comparison was made to illustrate.

To Biblically stay at "Jesus loves me" far beyond the expected time of growth into deeper things, is still drinking "milk" when the needs of lost sinners cries for disciples strong to use "meat".

In like fashion to stay in Steps to Christ and go no further for far too long, is "milk". To venture into the Sanctuary &( tackle and wrestle with learning to teach it intelligently) throughout all the SOP & Bible available to you, is "meat".

If we as a people loved SOP as God wants us to, we would also cleave to Scripture deeply enough to honor Him. Scripture is the manifestation of Jesus written down, before 1844. It is the foundations to build upon. SOP is the manifestation of Jesus written down, after 1844. It is the roofing to build with and the protection from delusions inherent in these last complex, bewildering, corrupt days, when feelings, situations, and suppositions attack our people from outside and within and threaten to replace the faith once delivered to the saints.

Fight on ye that love SOP & treasure it's primal Author, it will immerse you in the Scriptures and make you stronger in them than those who cling to it not or do not have it. SOP is the secret weapon to developing strength in the Scriptures, like special supplementation is the dietary secret of strength athletes.

Eat the words of Jesus and don't be concerned what century they were penned in, just eat them, use them and grow strong in them for they are the tools of the Holy Ghost to prepare you for the Second Coming, to meet Jesus in peace (with most of your neighbors too if possible.) Despise not prophesying (from any of God's prophets). Memorize Scripture, SOP books & tracts will be in the caves the Remnant flee into, and testify against the lost who flee there as Jesus is splitting the sky at the Second Coming. The bulk of the SOP is to the train the members in the Remnant Church how to follow the Bible. In similar manner as the statutes and judgements and ordinances, was to teach how to follow Scripture.

When are we to give up SOP ? The same time we no longer need human Bibles. The Second Coming & beyond. Then prophecy is replaced with face to face, but until then what kind of admonition do you think this student will give you ? Love lifted me, love will lift you, the SOP is the love of Jesus written for you, in your own church's history, and gives you the specific help and protection needed for the times in which you live. No prophecy is of private interpetation, so take SOP without the reinterpretation of well meaning or not so well meaning folks who speak for SOP. It is better to let SOP interpret it's self and speak for it's self. I did not grow up SDA and no one ever clubbed me with SOP for any length of time.

Jesus reached me with SOP when no one else could. My memories of SOP are not dark clouded by spokes people for SOP. SOP has spoken on it's own without interference. It is not a crutch to Bible study. It is the delegated voice of Jesus, explaining Scripture, and setting the tone of study. Try finding in Scripture the hidden gems plainly set forth in SOP. Apart from SOP you would not be aware of these gems, nor the methods of understanding deeply enough and broad enough to grasp the scope of many of the gems. Our doctrines were not built upon the Bible study driven by early Advent brain power, but from the Spirit directed Bible study through explanitory visions that explained Scripture and gave aright understandings and set the tone and direction for the faith of the Remnant. Ours is a revealed faith, not a derived faith.

The danger of the surface study of this topic of this thread "lay Sr White to one side" is that folks will not examine who she was talking to or why & apply this in violation of Divine intent to everything in SOP they do not like or to far too mush of the SOP. The people EGW spoke to were influential SDA & professing SDA backsliders preaching one thing and living another. Their very use of SOP brought disrepute by association in the minds of non SDA Christians & non Christians alike. In those days the Bible was an unarguable benchmark.

Not anymore, in this world.

------------------
Edward F Sutton

[This message has been edited by Edward F Sutton (edited July 14, 2001).]

The Bible should come first and the SOP second. If the SOP contradicts the Bible, which it will not do, or it isn't really the true SOP, then what the Bible says should be taken over what the SOP says. I will say again however, that the SOP will no more contradict the Bible than the Bible will contradict itself.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

=============

Spelling corrections only.

[This message has been edited by Daryl Fawcett (edited July 16, 2001).]

There are no degrees of inspiration. Ellen White was either inspired by God, or she wasn't. The same Holy Spirit who spoke to holy men of old, who wrote the Bible, is the same Holy Spirit who spoke to EGW. To reject those writings, even by just setting them aside, is to reject the Holy Spirit.

Those inspired words are not milk, they are the harbor pilot that will guide us safely thought the treacheries of a dangerous harbor. That harbor is the final days of this earth's history. Left to navigate by ourselves we will make shipwreck of our faith.

I have often found that those who decided to take only the "Bible" have usually found something in the inspired writings that disagrees with some cherished sin, and the way to sooth their consciences is to reject the light. And yes, rejecting the writings of Ellen White is rejection of light.

I'll put some quotes in the next post.

------------------
For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
_________________________

Linda

We should read and study the Bible but not neglect the SOP as those writings were also inspired by God, and they were written for the purpose of bringing us back to the Bible.

We should, however, compare the SOP to the Bible, not the Bible to the SOP.

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

Sister White made a pretty startling statement to a group of believers.
She told them to 'lay her aside', and then she said 'never, never quote me anymore'.
I realize these are taken out of the original context, but we have been beating all around the bush about this.
We should be trying to understand a few things,
1) Why did she say it?
2) What exactly did she mean by it?[ergo, never as in ever again?]
3) What does this, or should this, say to us today?

I have had several people outside the church say they are concerned that all they hear is Ellen White this and Ellen White that.
When they attend an Evangelistic series, they hear bible, and a lot of it.
Then, when they start coming, they hear a lot of Sister White said this and Sister White said that.
What they are concerned about is that they don't hear as much bible as they used to.
Sister White said that if we had studied our bibles as we should have, there would have been no need of the Testimonies.Hard tack to take.
We were given the milk of SOP because we refused to be weaned, and eat the 'meat' of the scripture.

I have read a few of trhe sermons from the early preachers, surprising, almost no mention of SOP.
If quoted, no reference was given that I could find, except for the notes at the bottom.
I enjoy reading her books.
I get a lot out of them.
They have helped me greatly in my growth, but, they are not the end all be all of my spiritual life.
The Bible is.
She helps me understand some things that I have difficulty grasping, that is the purpose of her books, from what I understand from her own words.
Too often, we humans tend to venerate the messenger over the one that sent the message.
This is what she was addressing, they quoted her, they used her writings as the end all of their faith.
She was used as the final authority.
She didn't like it then, she wouldn't like it today if she were alive.

My $0.02, or less in todays economy.

------------------
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

Wendy

quote:

---

2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

---

What does the SOP say about itself? Should we not read and study it too as long as we don't elevate it above the Bible or replace the Bible with it?

any other SOP or Bible quotes that will help answer that question?

__________________________
In His Love, Mercy & Grace

Daryl

She never claimed that.
Many of the books we have today are a compilation of things she wrote in other instances.
There are even copies of her personal letters floating around.
While they make for good reading and we can, perhaps, take some of the admonitions she handed to heart, I don't think she should be venerated as she is in some circles.

That is why she wrote what she did, she didn't want to happen in our church what happened in others.
Look at all the other denominations, if their founder didn't say it, it must be hearisy(sp?)
They alsostarted quoting their writings instead of the bible.
This was the problem she was addressing.
Instead of saying "Thus saith the LORD", it was sister White said this and sister White says that.
She didn't want them doing that, she wanted them to stand up and shout "THUS SAITH THE LORD, thus shalt you do".
The Testimonies were given for our admonition and to help in our growth, and so they do.
But she herself called them a lesser light, their purpose? to point to the scripture, the source of light and life in this dark age.

There is nothing wrong with studying SOP, but we need to be so well versed in scripture, we can stand when the time comes, and be able to say' Thus saith the Lord', to any and all that ask.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Be always ready to give an answer, be able to say why there is the hope in you.
Be like Paul and preach Christ, let us say with him:1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
The Lamb is come, were we ready for Him?
I pray that we are.

------------------
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

This reasoning is circular. We need to "lay Sister White right to one side" and read what the Bible is really saying, without the EGW blinders on.

quote:

---

And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 2 Chronicles 20:20

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Our watchword is to be, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." [ISA. 8:20.] We have a Bible full of the most precious truth. It contains the alpha and the omega of knowledge. The Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." [2 TIM. 3:16, 17.] Take the Bible as your study-book. All can understand its instruction. {GW 309.1}

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Nothing is so precious to me as to know that Christ is my Saviour. I appreciate the truth, every jot of it, just as it has been given to me by the Holy Spirit for the last fifty years. I desire everyone to know that I stand on the same platform of truth that we have maintained for more than half a century. That is the testimony I desire to bear on the day that I am seventy-eight years of age.--Ms 142, 1905, pp. 1, 2. {4MR 44.5}

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

The great waymarks of truth, showing us our bearing in prophetic history, are to be carefully guarded, lest they be torn down and replaced with theories that would bring confusion rather than genuine light. Ms 31, 1896, p. 1. ("Testimony Concerning the Views of Prophecy Held by Brother John Bell," November 8, 1896.) {1MR 54.3}

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

When men come in who would move one pin or pillar from the foundation which God has established by His Holy Spirit, let the aged men who were pioneers in our work speak plainly, and let those who are dead speak also, by the reprinting of their articles in our periodicals. Gather up the rays of divine light that God has given as He has led His people on step by step in the way of truth. This truth will stand the test of time and trial. Ms 62, 1905, p. 6. ("A Warning against False Theories," May 24, 1905.) {1MR 55.1}

<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Satan is . . . constantly pressing in the spurious--to lead away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony.-- Letter 12, 1890. {1SM 48.3}

There will be a hatred kindled against the testimonies which is satanic. The workings of Satan will be to unsettle the faith of the churches in them, for this reason: Satan cannot have so clear a track to bring in his deceptions and bind up souls in his delusions if the warnings and reproofs and counsels of the Spirit of God are heeded.-- Letter 40, 1890. {1SM 48.4}

---

------------------
For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
_________________________

Linda

"I have been carrying a great burden for the people in Battle Creek. Last night I was laboring most earnestly in prayer. The commission was given me by the Saviour, "It is not you they have rejected, but Me, their Saviour. You have nothing to retract of the messages that you presented during the General Conference held at Oakland and during the Berrien Springs meeting. You have a work to do of the same order. You have nothing to regret in the words you have spoken and written to the leading medical missionary workers. I have for you still more decided messages to bear. Those who have made light of the messages that I have given My messenger to bear, have insulted the One who gave the messages." {13MR 320.1}

Our people need to humble their hearts, and confess their sins and be converted. They need to fear and tremble lest God's Spirit be withdrawn from them, and they be left to hardness of heart and blindness of mind because they have rejected the word God has given them. {13MR 320.2}

The messages that God has sent have been borne line upon line, precept upon precept. The Lord is still working, and He gives the admonition, "Keep the people, the flock of My pasture, from being educated by physicians or teachers who reject the warnings I have given through My messenger. My Sabbath has been transgressed, and the light that would have shone forth has been quenched." {13MR 320.3}

The SOP may not be part of human's canon of Scripture, but it is part of God's canon of Scripture. The Book with the seven seals is God complete Bible. Nothing is lacking & all SOP is there not just EGW.
******************************
We ask John what he saw and heard in the vision at Patmos, and he answers: "And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon." {20MR 197.1}

There in His open hand lay the book, the roll of the history of God's providences, the prophetic history of nations and the church. Herein was contained the divine utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers in the nations. In symbolic language was contained in that roll the influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. {20MR 197.2}

This roll was written within and without. John says: "I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon." The vision as presented to John made its impression upon his mind. The destiny of every nation was contained in that book. John was distressed at the utter inability of any human being or angelic intelligence to read the words, or even to look thereon. His soul was wrought up to such a point of agony and suspense that one of the strong angels had compassion on him, and laying his hand on him assuringly said, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." {20MR 197.3}

John continues: "I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne."

As the book was unrolled, all who looked upon it were filled with awe. There were no blanks in the book. There was space for no more writing. [Rev. 5:8-14; 6:8, quoted.] {20MR 197.4}

------------------
Edward F Sutton

quote:

---

Our High Calling
Page 6

When Ellen G. White laid aside her pen after seventy busy years of ministry, she left to us a rich legacy of ever timely instructions, inspired counsels, and earnest admonitions touching almost every phase of practical Christian experience. Our High Calling is made up of choice selections from this vast treasury as found in Ellen G. White articles that appeared week by week in the journals of the church, her public discourses, her manuscripts, and letters of counsel to individuals, many of them
Seventh-day Adventist youth.

It is clear that Mrs. White contemplated the use of these messages in the production of books, for she indicated in a statement written in 1905 that "I am endeavoring by the help of God to write letters that will be a help, not merely to those to whom they are addressed, but to many others who need them." Although written many years ago, these counsels speak to our hearts today, to encourage, instruct, and inspire us in victorious practical everyday christian living and witnessing, particularly in view of the imminence of our lord's return.
To make the reading for each day complete within the limits of a single page, it has been necessary at times to make deletions in order to bring the reading to the right length. All deletions are indicated in the usual manner. Likewise, in many instances material on a page has been drawn from more than one source. Great care has been exercised to avoid any distortion of meaning, and that which appears clearly presents the intent of the author. Proper source references for each quotation are given, whether article, pamphlet, manuscript, or book.

Our High Calling, presenting a devotional reading for each day introduced by an appropriate Bible text, has been prepared as an enrichment of the morning watch devotional plan and appears simultaneously in several languages. That this volume, comprised of messages inspired by the Spirit of God, will be treasured as other like volumes have been in the past, and will be the means of encouraging all who read to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" is our sincere wish.

THE TRUSTEES OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Selected Messages Book 3
Page 98
The Testimonies for the Church
Letters to Help Others
Anticipated Use of Letters.

I am endeavoring by the help of God to write letters that will be a help not merely to those to whom they are addressed, but to many others who need them.--Letter 79, 1905.

---

I would assume then that these other letters that are around are not letters that have been given to the EGW Estate....would I be correct in assuming this. I personally have never seen any of them.

The only EGW material I have read are materials that have been put in book form in one way or another or from a CD or from the online site. When I run across something that I might quesition..like where I might post something, etc......I will either go to that book or online to the site and search it out and see if that is what is truly written there. I cannot read the Spirit of Prophecy wondering "Is this inspired or not inspired?" Until I run across something that goes against the Bible I must read the Spirit Of Prophecy as "all inspired".

In The Blessed Hope

Avalee

[This message has been edited by Avalee (edited August 27, 2001).]

Avalee

I was thinking primarily of letters she wrote to friends and family, about day to day activities not involving the church.

I run into people from toime to time that state that everything she is to be considered inspired (theologically) and I take issue with that.
Was her shopping list inspired?
Was a letter about her children, what they were doing and how their training was progressing inspired?
No, I don't have instances of such letters, but it is to make a point.
I believe that the SOP books are inspired of God, and accept the premise that even the quotations of other authors are inspired as well, in the sense that God guided her in the choice.

I have to look, but I have a copy of an article about that in my computer somewhere, just have to fin d it.
Hope this explains what I was trying to say... probably not as I have a difficult time explaining myself.

------------------
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

[This message has been edited by Gerry Buck (edited August 27, 2001).]

In The Blessed Hope

Avalee

First, I believe in the inspired work of EGW, I believe that she had the prophetic gift from God and that He guided her in the books and periodicals she wrote.
I accept that they are given to us for instruction, but, I do not hold them at the same level of scripture. Her writings are just a hair below the canon of scripture (as she called it, the lesser light), the reason it was given in the first place, according to her own words, was because we refused to study and pray scripture as we should.

I can't speak for other churches, but, here in Tawas, we have very little quoting of EGW from the pulpit, but, we study her writings in prayer meeting and at home and in SS.
I believe her writings have a place in our lives, she was, after all, a messenger sent to us by God, with warnings, admonitions and encouragement as well.
All through her writings she has continually pointed her readers to the Book of Books, encouraging and admonishing us to get into it.

Our early church fathers were known as the 'People of THE BOOK', which book?
Desire of ages?
Maybe testimonies for the Church?
How about Great Controversy?
Or maybe one of about a hundred others?

NO!!!!

We were known as the people of the only book that mattered to others, the Bible.
Unfortunately today, we are known more as the people of Ellen G. White, that strange prophet.
I have had several people outside the church ask me about this, I have tried to show them from her own writings that she never intended this to be this way.
This, I believe, is why she made that startling statement, to lay her aside, not all together, but until we were willing to get back into the book, and make our stand on the sure word of scripture.

Our watchword is to be, "To the law and to the testimony:if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." [ISA. 8:20.] We have a Bible full of the most precious truth. It contains the alpha and the omega of knowledge. The Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." [2
TIM. 3:16, 17.] Take the Bible as your study-book. All can understand its instruction. {GW 309.1}

I only lay her aside when dealing with a non-adventist, but as they grow and are ready, I introduce them to her writings.
I find that if I use her counsel, I will quote scripture, and it is more readily accepted, I have used her writings to make a point, just as I have used the writings of other inspired writers, it seems to be the best way of studying with those outside the SDA church.
Sorry I got so long winded.

------------------
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,
Retired Professor of Theology, Andrews University

The many comments generated by the last newsletter (No. 73)
on "Ellen White: Prophet or Plagiarist?," by William Fagal, have
made me forcefully aware of the fact that Ellen White is perhaps more
controversial today than she has ever been in the past. Frankly, I
did not anticipate to receive so many negative comments from
Adventists who express their reservations about the prophetic
leadership of Ellen White.

What I find distressing is the method used by some to
discredit the writings and ministry of Ellen White. Simply stated the
method consists in appealing to some alleged mistakes to prove that
Ellen White was in error in everything she wrote or did. Incidentally
this is the method Dr. Robert Morey used this afternoon, September 6,
2001, in a debate on the Sabbath sponsored by a popular Christian
Radio Station (WTRU) in Winston-Salem, NC. I was invited to discuss
with him for two hours whether or not the Sabbath is still relevant
for Christians today. He began by attacking the Sabbath as the
creation of Ellen White-a mentally disturbed woman who was a false
prophet because of her statements on "amalgamation."

Rest assured that I responded immediately by exposing the
falsity of Dr. Morey's allegations. I told him that he was grossly
mistaken on two counts. First, because the Sabbath is a divine
creation and second, because a mentally disturbed woman could hardly
a guided the Adventist Church in its formative years and help her
become a global movement with 12 million members, who enjoy the best
educational, medical, and evangelistic programs any church has to
offer.

The strategy of attacking Ellen White on the basis of some
alleged mistakes she made, is faulty, because it ignores the
manyfold contributions that Ellen White has made to the educational,
medical, theological, evangelistic aspects of our Adventist message
and mission. The truth of the matter is that our Adventist church
would not be today a global movement with 12 million members, had it
not been for the enlightened leadership Ellen White gave to the
church during its formative years.

Few years ago four of us Adventist scholars had a fruitful
dialogue with delegates of the Church of God Seventh day, with its
headquarters in Denver, Colorado. At the end of a session on the
role of Ellen White in the Adventist church, one delegate of the
Church of God Seventh day said: "I wish that our Church of God had
had the prophetic leadership of someone like Ellen White. We would
not have experienced so many splits over the years."

To discredit the enduring contributions Ellen White has made
to the message and mission of our Adventist church , by focusing on
few alleged mistakes, it is like striking out at a beautiful forest
because few of its trees are ugly. It is unfortunate that some fail
to look at the larger picture of the contributions of Ellen White,
because they find fault with some of her statements. For example,
several subscribers to our newsletter wrote that they cannot accept
Ellen White because of her statements about "amalgamation."

Whether or not Ellen White's statements about the
amalgamation between humans and animals, are correct or incorrect, it
is not for me to decide. No one knows what happen before the Flood.
All what Scripture tells is that "the wickedness of man was great in
the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually" (Gen 6:5).

In my view the issue is not whether or not Ellen White's
statements about amalgamation or about anything else are accurate,
but whether such isolated statements can be legitimately used to
discredit her all her writings and contributions to the Adventist
church. This method reminds me of those who ask to have their
addresses immediately removed from the ENDTIME ISSUES subscription
list, when I express a view which is unacceptable to them. The least
that can be said about these people is that they are shortsighted.
They automatically reject anything or anyone who disagrees with them
in a particular area.

Do Inspired Writers Make Mistakes?

The method used to discredit Ellen White has been repeatedly
used by critics to discredit the Bible. They point to the alleged
mistakes and contradictions found in the Bible. This strategy is
based on the popular assumption that people inspired by God never
made a mistake, because they were constantly supervised by the Holy
Spirit in everything they said or wrote. This popular assumption is
faulty because it ignore the mysterious blending of the human and
divine elements present in inspired writers. A careful reading of
Scripture confronts us with the presence of the human element.

To illustrate this point, let us consider Paul's counsel
found in 1 Corinthians 7:8: "To the unmarried and the widow I say
that it is well for them to remain single as I do." There is no
question that Paul's terse advice contradicts God's explicit
statement: "It is not good that the man should be alone" (Gen 2:18).
If God Himself stated at creation that living alone without a marital
partner "is not good," what business did Paul have to encourage
people to remain single like himself? Would it not have been wiser
for Paul to keep his personal opinion to himself?

Undoubtedly Paul did not foresee the problems his personal
advice would cause during the course of Christian history. Many have
appealed to Paul's personal opinion found in the Bible, to exalt
celibacy as a superior life calling than that of a married life. One
of the many questions I plan to ask Paul on resurrection day, is
this: "Paul, why didn't you keep your personal opinion about
remaining single to yourself? Didn't you realize how many people
would appeal to your personal advice in order to promote priestly
celibacy-a practice that runs contrary to God's original design for
human beings? How do you reconcile your advice to remain single with
your own injunction that a church leader should be the husband of one
wife? (1 Tim 3:2)" I look forward to hear how Paul will answer these
and other important questions raised by his writings.

Frankly, I wish that the Holy Spirit had restrained Paul from
expressing his personal views and also guided him to write with
greater clarity on such important issues as the relationship between
law and grace. Countless scholars have tried to reconcile the
apparent contradictions between Paul's negation of the law (Rom 3:28)
on one hand and affirmation of the law (1 Cor 7:19) on the other
hand. Much of the existing confusion could have been avoided if the
Holy Spirit had controlled Paul's mind and literary style, to ensure
that the apostle would define relationship between law and grace with
clarity and simplicity for the lay person to understand.

It is evident that this is not the way God chooses to
operate. He does not suppress the individual freedom, even when
writing about eternal truths. What this means is that we do not
reject Paul's writings and discredit his ministry because some of the
things he wrote are unacceptable. We must recognize the fact that
Paul had the right to express his own opinions and that God did not
deem it necessary to prevent him from doing so. His contributions to
the mission and message of the Christian church are not diminished by
the few things we may find unacceptable or contradictory.

The Need for a Balanced Interpretation of Ellen White

The same principle applies to the writings of Ellen White.
She had the right to express her own views, especially when
dialoguing or writing to friends. The problem arises when we assume
that all the 100,000 plus pages she wrote, whether as personal
letters or formal writings, are the product of divine supervision and
consequently normative for defining beliefs and practices.

During the over twenty years of his ministry, Paul must have
written hundreds of letters to the churches he established. Of them
only 13 have been preserved and have become part of the New
Testament. By contrast, in the case of Ellen White, practically
everything she ever wrote, whether private letters to friends or
formal writings for the church, have been preserved. In fact all her
writings are readily available on a CD-ROM and are used without any
consideration to the time and circumstances in which they were
written.

Our church failure to develop a balanced and realistic use
and application of Ellen White writings, could be a reason for a
growing resentment toward her writings and influence. We are facing
today a paradoxical situation. Some Adventists, especially in some
European countries, do not want to hear any reference to Ellen
White's writings in sermons or articles. By contrast, other
Adventists have gone to the other extreme and have "canonized" Ellen
White into a "saint" like the Catholic have done with Mary. They
appeal to any statement Ellen White ever made, even in her private
correspondence, to promote their own agenda.

The solution to this divisive situation is the development of
a balanced understanding and use of Ellen White's writings. The same
applies to the Bible. This requires the use of common sense.
Unfortunately, common sense is becoming increasingly uncommon. Thus,
we need to pray daily for the Holy Spirit to grant us a larger
measure of common sense to rightly divide the words of truth. It is
my firm conviction that Ellen White still speaks to our spiritual
needs today. To discredit her writings and prophetic leadership, can
only leave us poorer, both as individuals and as a church. On the
other hand, a balanced use of her writings can enrich our understanding and experience of biblical truths.

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Examine me, O LORD, and prove me: try my reins and my heart. Ps.26:2
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in men.Ps.118:8