Untitled article by John Norton Loughborough

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 25, 1908

Early Experiences in the Publishing Work — No. 6

By John Norton Loughborough

SOME persons may suppose that the pioneers in this cause received the light on all points of the third angel’s message at one time; but this thought will be at once dispelled when we read from the pen of Sister White the following statement:—

“When we began to present the light on the Sabbath question [in the autumn of 1846], we had no clearly defined idea of the third angel’s message of Rev. 14: 9-12. The burden of our testimony as we came before the people was, that the great second advent movement was of God, that the first and second messages had gone forth, and that the third was to be given. We saw that the third message closed with the words, ‘Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.’ And we as clearly saw as we now see that these prophetic words suggested a Sabbath reform; but as to what the worship of the beast mentioned in the message was, or what the image and the mark of the beast were, we had no definite position.

“God by his Holy Spirit let light shine forth upon his servants, and the subject gradually opened to their minds. It required much study and anxious care to search it out, link after link. By care, anxiety, and incessant labor has the work moved on until the great truths of our message, a clear, connected, perfect whole, have been given to the world.”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. I, pages 78, 79.

Still further we read of some, that they “little realize what it has cost those who, with prayers and tears, through trial and opposition, have sought for it [light] as for hid treasures. Every new link in the chain of truth was to them as precious as tried gold. These links are now united in a perfect whole. Truths have been dug out of the rubbish of superstition and error, by earnest prayer for light and knowledge, and have been presented to the people as precious pearls of priceless value.”—“Gospel Workers,” page 137.

Again we read: “Frequently, when brought into strait places, the entire night has been spent in earnest, agonizing prayer, with tears, for help from God, and for light to shine upon his Word. When the light has come, and the clouds have been driven back, what joy and grateful happiness have rested upon the anxious, earnest seekers! our gratitude to God was as complete as had been our earnest, hungering cry for light. Some nights we could not sleep, because our hearts were overflowing with love and gratitude.”—Ibid., page 206.

As an illustration of this, and that which led to another step in the publishing work, let us see how our people were led to the light respecting the sealing work mentioned in Revelation 7. On Feb. 22, 1848, a riot broke out in Paris, France, which spread to different petty States and principalities, until there were thirty-six involved in the struggle. In the month of March of the same year, spirit rappings began in the Fox and Fish families, in Hydesville, Wayne Co., N. Y. The First-day Adventists, who were continually bent on setting times for the Lord to come, said, “This is to lead up to the ‘battle of Armageddon.’ The spirit rappings are the spirits of devils that are to gather the nations to that great battle.”

Now think of the little company of Sabbath-keepers, not a hundred of them, all told, and they of the very poor of this world, who were teaching the Sabbath truth, and claiming that the third angel’s message was to be heralded to the world before the Lord should come. And consider that these time-setters were continually reproaching them, and saying, “You are too late with your message. The battle of Armageddon is coming on now. You had better give up your message and join us.”

Thus humbled, these souls sought God earnestly for light, and he did not disappoint them. Their minds, in that time, and under that severe pressure of opposition, were led to the seventh and fourteenth chapters of Revelation, and to the ninth chapter of Ezekiel. They clearly saw a sealing work, and that the seventh-day Sabbath was the great truth, which by the Spirit of God was to be written on the hearts of his children, and thus a people be prepared to stand ready for the coming of the Master.

What an additional and mighty proof was this to them, that they were right in claiming that the Sabbath truth was to be proclaimed to the world before the end should come. And, even while the confusion on the continent of Europe was increasing, and their opponents were making light of them and their efforts, it was their faith that somehow this turmoil would be checked, and the sealing message would accomplish its work.

Thus matters went on until Nov. 18, 1848. Then, as Brother and Sister White, Elder Bates, and a few others were assembled in the home of Brother Otis Nichols, at Dorchester, Mass., to study how they could publish the message to the world, the Lord was pleased to give Sister White a vision in which she saw that the Sabbath is the seal of God’s law; and the command was given to publish that truth to the world. Of the publishing that followed that meeting we will speak in our next article.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.