Untitled article by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 29, 1867

Report from Bro. White. No. 3.

By James White

Our last report reached to Jan. 6, forenoon meeting. Mrs. W. had written fifty-one pages of testimony for certain ones in this church, which was thought best to be read to the church, and then be deposited with the Elder of the church. So we requested the church only to assemble in the afternoon, to hear the testimony read. Those reproved were of course surprised to hear their condition described, and were thrown into great trial. Mrs. W. spoke to the brethren Tuesday and Friday evenings following with much freedom.

Sabbath morning, Jan. 11, we opened the meeting at the usual hour, and spoke to the church one hour upon the testimony to the Laodiceans. We stated,

1. That this address revealed the terrible deception and spiritual blindness of the last church just prior to the second advent. Here it is in plain language: “And because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.”

2. That those thus addressed, although they were not what they professed to be, were honest. The proof of their honesty is in the brief clause quoted above, “and knowest not.” They say that they are “rich,” &c., because they honestly think they abound in spiritual wealth, when poverty, wretchedness, and spiritual blindness is their true condition.

3. That the existence of this self-deceived condition with many who stand just before the realities of the last day, and who profess to be looking for the coming of the Just One, made it the most solemn duty of ministers to speak the truth, and to warn the church with scriptural plainness; that this was the only safe course for both minister and people; and that the church was only safe in cherishing a love, not for smooth things, but for pointed testimony.

4. We then introduced instances of great deception and spiritual blindness, which had been upon the people of God in past time, which led them to rebellion.

First, the children of Israel, who saw the plagues of Egypt and the opening before them of the Red Sea, and the drowning of the Egyptians, in the absence of Moses only forty days, fell under the direct power of the Devil, doubted the hand of God in their deliverance, and rebelled, and persuaded Aaron to make a senseless god of gold in the form of a brute, around which they danced, and to which they bowed in blind adoration, and ascribed their miraculous deliverance from slavery. What a case of religious insanity!

The Devil makes men insane when they yield to him, and they act like mad men. The sad history of the past plainly shows that God has never been able to make anything very good or great of the fallen race. Only two were found so holy as to be taken to Heaven without seeing corruption. Even Moses could not enter the Land of Promise before entering the grave; and the very few that will finally be saved, will find the ceaseless rounds of eternal ages none too long to praise God and the Lamb for eternal redemption.

How rapidly did the fire of rebellion kindle in the camp of Israel! Only forty days, and with the people who rent the air with their shouts of triumphant deliverance, the spirit of rebellion was rife. Such a revolution in the politics of nations, or in science, cannot be brought about in forty years as was accomplished in Israel in forty days. And had it not been that God was in the work, where the salvation of men and women was at stake, forty centuries would not have been long enough to make one of them believe that the golden calf had power to open and shut the Red Sea, unless it were some unfortunate, credulous novice, that will have no accounts to settle at the bar of God.

It is the power of Satan that makes men fools in spiritual things. And many in these times of peril act as though he had so far passed into dotage as to lose the art of deception, so that they are comparatively safe, and can find their way to the kingdom without the help of the Lord. In this lies their dreadful deception, which will ruin them, unless they are fully aroused and keep awake to the wiles of the Devil. He who could make men of past ages, who were not degenerated physically and mentally as the present generation is, guilty of the folly above described, has not lost the power of deception, but has had six thousand years since he repeated the first falsehood to Eve, to become skilled. See his success in the presence of that first woman as she stood in sinless purity in Eden. She could talk with God, and Christ, and angels, face to face, and her intellect was the perfection of clearness and strength. But, oh! she was overcome. And do the women of this beclouded generation, who are, as it were, but the feeble relics of the race, think they are stronger than Eve? Behold Adam, in all the strength of his manhood, with the terrible experience of Eve so recently acted before him! He rashly and basely flung himself into the arms of the Devil. Do the men of this generation think they are firmer than he was, and possess more wisdom than he had? Eve was a medium for Satan. They may be assured that this arch-deceiver has his mediums now, women not excepted.

Second, we referred to the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and two hundred and fifty princes famous in the congregation, men of renown. They declared that all the congregation were holy, every one of them, and that Moses and Aaron took too much upon themselves. This shows the very nature of that great rebellion. Moses and Aaron saw the sins of the people, and were laboring to remove them by plainly declaring them in their ears. This disturbed the rebellious trio, who soon saw two hundred and fifty of the mighty standing by their side. Could the rebellion now be cured? Convert the first great rebel against the government of God, and then you may hope to cure rebellion. The word says, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” Can you convert a witch? or a Spiritualist? Some honest souls may be led by others to dabble with Spiritualism in its mildest forms, and be rescued; but such make a narrow and wonderful escape. But the settled and determined medium, who resists the light of Heaven sent to save him, can no more be cleansed than Satan could be cleansed from the spirit of rebellion, and again be received back into Heaven to take his place at the head of the pure, angelic host.

Can even the Southern rebellion be cured? Hundreds of thousands of lives, and millions of property, have been offered up as a sacrifice, and the condition of things is no better to-day than when Abraham Lincoln first called for seventy-five thousand soldiers.

Who should be blamed? Northern copperheads, and Northern copperhead papers, such as the “New York Herald,” and “World,” and “Detroit Free Press,” may blame the government, and charge the rebellion upon the antislavery men of this country. He who reads such papers from choice is, so far, though it may be ignorantly, sipping at the deceitful cup of rebellion. It is a living disgrace for any Seventh-day Adventist to have such papers in their houses with their names upon them as willing subscribers.

How similar was the great rebellion of Korah and his fellows! (1.) The whole blame was wickedly charged upon Moses, who was the most innocent man in all the camp. (2.) That rebellion could not be cured. (3.) Those who had the least sympathy with it were in danger of sure destruction.

A separation was called for. The cry was raised, Who will be on the Lord’s side? And there was a separation. Those who did not dare to remain with Korah came and stood by Moses, and saw the earth open, and the fire from the Lord destroy and consume those who dared to risk the rebellion. But was it cured? No; there still remained some of the spirit of rebellion with those who took sides with Moses. They were not fully decided, but thought it safest to leave Korah. But when they saw the earth open, and the fire from the Lord, we should suppose, if they had one lingering doubt, those miraculous demonstrations were sufficient to remove them. But, no, the spirit of rebellion, which still clung to some, kindled into a flame, and the next morning the people came to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Ye have killed the people of the Lord.” In this, the most wicked rebels are called the Lord’s martyrs, and the most holy are declared murderers. And so incurable is rebellion, that an experience of forty years, marked all the way with demonstrations of God’s power in love to those who were right, and in wrath to those in the wrong, could not cure it, and but two of that mighty host of adults entered Canaan.

These instances of deception should be a warning to the people of God in this evil time. They well illustrate that described by the true Witness to the Laodiceans. “And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

5. We then spoke of the affectionate appeal of the dear Saviour to his people, and his sweet promise to be their counselor here, and finally seat them upon his glorious throne. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne.” What matchless love and mercy! Notice the following points:

First. Christ offers to be to the erring their counselor. In a case of law, men prize good counsel. But here is a case where life eternal is at stake, and the counsel offered is no less than that of the Prince of Life, possessing all wisdom.

Second. He stands at the door, knocking, waiting, entreating and saying, Open the door of thy heart, and let me in, that I may clean it; then thou shalt enjoy sweet communion with me. Here is a promise of no small blessing.

Third. It is those he loves that he rebukes and chastens, whether it be by the cutting testimony of the word of God, or by a corresponding testimony, pointing out their errors and spiritual blindness. Let those, then, thus reproved, rejoice, instead of being discouraged. It is the best of evidence that their salvation is possible.

Fourth. The reward offered. Language would fail to describe it. We may say it is of infinite value, and that the reward will be all over glorious, which will continue eternally. But we cannot describe it, cannot measure it, cannot weigh it. None can do better than Paul, who calls it “an eternal weight of glory.”

6. We called attention to the testimony which Mrs. W. had read, which pointed out the wrongs of certain ones in the church, which wrongs they could not see. They could not reject and denounce the testimony, as some have, but could not see how it was possible that they were as wrong as the testimony represented. We stated that they occupied the only position honest men could. That had they been ready, on hearing the testimony, to say at once, This is my condition, and I have known it for some time, we should have to regard them as hypocrites. They were wrong, and knew it, and had known it while in the wrong! We repeat it, such must be hypocrites. Honest men will be sincere in error and wrong and not know it; and when they are reproved, and their wrongs corrected, it will be directly opposed to their judgment. And if they pursue an honest course, they will come out all right.

We brought as an illustration, the cases of two of the brethren in the Battle Creek church. Some years since, these good brethren were reproved. They could not at first receive the testimony, and the result was that the majority of the church sympathized with them, because they were men of good judgment and piety. That was the darkest hour we ever saw in that church. But the above position opened clearly to us, and we stated it to them, and they saw its consistency. The result was that they, and the entire church also, came out on the right side.

But here is the cross, to waive private judgment and take the testimony coming from another. The American people are a nation of lords, and pride themselves on their right to think, speak, and act independently. But hold! Have you acknowledged that the testimony came from High Heaven? Then be careful. Yes, you have said they were of God,

First. Because the prophet of God declared that in the last days there should be visions.

Second. They are scriptural and true, because true prophets reprove and point out the sins of the people, while false prophets have ever cried peace.

Third. They are true, because they reprove sin and teach holiness. They exalt God and lead people to keep his commandments.

Fourth. While they correct the erring, and are a matter of trouble to sinners in Zion, they are a comfort to the desponding. In almost all the Eastern, Middle, and Western States, can be found persons who have been delivered from conditions of perfect despair by them. The last work of Mrs. W., before she left on the present tour, was to write a testimony to our dear Bro. H., of Indiana, who was in despair. The result was that the last we heard from him he was delivered, and freed from the snare of the Devil, and was happy in the love of God.

Fifth. They are the work of God, because of their harmony. For more than twenty years has the humble instrument stood the fiercest opposition from almost every quarter, yet has borne an unchanging testimony, regardless of friend or foe. She has been exercised the same all this time, and there is perfect harmony in all of them. They represent sin and holiness the same as twenty years since. They represented the reward of sin, and that of righteousness, the same then as now.

Internal evidence, is the very strongest proof of the truthfulness of the Sacred Scriptures. Different prophets, in different Countries, in different circumstances, and of different temperaments, wrote the Scriptures, all the way for thousands of years; yet they all represent God, holiness, and Heaven, the same. Blessed be God! His Spirit in Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Malachi, is the same as in after time, when it spoke through James, Paul, Peter, and John, making our blessed Bible a unit. So will we bless God for these testimonies, which, because of their harmony, are a unit. And,

Sixth. These brethren at Battle Creek were acquainted with Mrs. W., had seen her in vision, had heard her talk with power, had been baptized with the same Spirit, and had said that the evidence was enough. We appealed to them to put it in one scale, and their private judgment in the other, and they would find one of ponderous weight, and the other but a feather. Overwhelming evidence of the voice of God in one, and the blinded judgment of a mortal in the other. Taking this view of the subject, the humble Christian soon sees his way clearing before him.

The result of the foregoing positions in this church is most cheering. The work seems to be moving well. The testimony is fully received by every member, as will be seen by the following resolution:

Resolved, That we, the church in Wright, believe that the testimony sister White has read to us is a faithful description of our true condition, and that we receive every part of it to us, as from the Lord; and, by his grace assisting, we will obey all that it requires of us.

Mrs. W. then followed with remarks for half an hour, and spoke again in the afternoon for an hour. She spoke with great freedom, comparing earthly treasures with the value of eternal life.

Sunday, Jan. 13th, we opened the meeting, and spoke an hour upon the subject of confessions. We stated that many in error and wrongs withheld confessions, fearing they would lose influence; but if they had wronged their family, or the church, or the world, and still maintained the Christian profession, their influence was already gone, and the only way to gain lost influence was to fully and humbly, without sparing self, let the confession come, covering fully the wrongs committed. Such evidence of sincerity will give all injured parties more confidence in them than they ever before had. Thank God, that it is his plan to heal and restore those who confess. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, while he that exalteth himself shall be abased, saith Jesus.

Mrs. W. then followed for an hour, upon the same subject, with freedom.

Monday, Jan. 14th, at 10 A. M., the church only assembled, and we led a business meeting for two hours, which was not very encouraging. The truth was evidently sinking, and there were demonstrations which set a poor example to the weak and youth in the church. The condition of things was afterward clearly illustrated to us in a dream of a fishing excursion, which we expect to see fulfilled, of which we design to speak in our next report. The state of things is brightening.

Bro. Smith, you see how large a report I have written at this time with mine own hand. I would say to the Editor, the type-setter, and proof-reader, Be patient with our imperfect scribbling. And to the reader we would say, May God bless our scattered thoughts, in these reports, and make them a blessing.

JAMES WHITE.

Wright, Mich., Jan. 20, 1867.