Untitled article by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 19, 1867

TESTIMONIES 12 AND 13.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

WHEN Testimony No. 12 reached Bro. Van Horn and myself at Bowersville, we agreed that its importance and timeliness called for a response. But a “multitude of business” prevented our giving it a second and more careful reading while together, and before I had fulfilled my intention I was unexpectedly favored with the reading of No. 13. Never did I realize as now that truth of Inspiration: “Where there is no vision the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Had we always kept our minds and hearts fully imbued with the pure, holy principles inculcated in God’s law, we would never need his chastisement and the corrections of his Spirit’s testimonies; but our hearts often become darkened and our minds blinded by the deceptions of the enemy working through our own unsanctified dispositions, and then we should perish did not the Lord in mercy point out our errors and lead us in the way we should go. “He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Oh! how good the Lord is, who is high and lifted up, and terrible in his majesty, to have a continual kindly care for us who are but dust. I do bless the Lord who does not leave us in our errors to go on our own ways in darkness to destruction.

The warnings and instruction to the young in No. 12 are very impressive, and when I think how often such exhortations have been given, and how near the time of trouble is, I tremble for those who may pass them by without making an earnest, persevering effort to profit by them. But they are not applicable to the young alone; I feel reproved by them, and am sure that all may study them to their good. The relation between certain things in this No. and in No. 11, with the explanations given were a relief to my mind, and I think to others also.

In regard to No. 13, I feel greatly humbled, and desire to humble myself with all of God’s people who are endeavoring to seek meekness before the day of the Lord’s anger comes. I have always deeply sympathized with Sr. White on account of the great burden added to her by her husband’s affliction, but I confess that my sympathies were withdrawn from Bro. White, to some extent. Though, as I remarked to a friend who complained of his trials, all of our trials and afflictions would not compare with what Bro. White passed through in a single month or week, I did not continue to feel that earnest sympathy which such deep afflictions called for. Co-inciding with the judgment of others, I fully believed that Bro. and Sr. White were wrong in going out as they did in Dec. 1866. I am now thankful for the privilege of knowing and confessing that I was wrong and they were right.

It was remarked in the Conference of 1866, that no affliction could have rested more heavily upon the church at large than the prostration of Bro. White; and I think all assented to it. That being so, may we

not all rejoice together that the Lord has turned their captivity and restored him to his place in the work?

I rejoice over what has been done, and at the prospect before us of a general revival of this good work. Many things have seemed mysterious to me, and had it not been for my firm confidence in the message; and that it was the work of God, and his hand was in it, and his word pledged for its success, I should have sometimes been discouraged. I now deeply deplore my own weakness and selfishness by which Satan is enabled to pervert my judgment and sympathies. I greatly desire to overcome. I pray that I may be able to fully carry out our resolution on humiliation; and fervently hope the Lord will never withdraw the testimony of his Spirit from his afflicted remnant people. My life is devoted to the third angel’s message; it has been my delight for years, and I feel like girding on the armor anew, that salvation may be mine when Jesus comes. The Lord is coming! Amen.

J. H. WAGGONER.

Clyde, O., Nov. 6, 1867.