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GEO. O. STATES

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 13, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 37.

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GEO. O. STATES

By Geo. O. States

Lessons From Past Experiences — No. 5

GEO. O. STATES

I am positive that any one who has ever made a study of the Testimonies will bear me out in this, that they have always taken the part of the widows, orphans, and oppressed. When those in authority have made mistakes in this matter, the Testimonies have reproved them as plainly as if they had been but lay members.
Soon after moving to Battle Creek I formed the acquaintance of an orphan boy about my age whose father had been an active minister in Michigan. After the death of both father and mother the Battle Creek church got homes for him and his sisters with different families in the church. Johnny was not worse than many others of his age, but was a little wayward. The church secured a home for him in a family whose children were grown up, and Brother and Sister — were considered pillars in the church. All thought it an excellent place for the poor orphan. We were surprised in a meeting of the church to have the elder read a Testimony that Brother — was not doing right by Johnny. Brother — got up and with tears confessed that as the Lord had said he had done wrong, he had, but he could not call to mind when nor where, for he had tried to be strict and bring him up as he would his own child. He sat down a few minutes in deep thought, and then arose and said, “Brethren, I see it now; in my anxiety to bring up the child right, I have overdone the matter and been too strict.” He then related different times when he had done so.
Brethren and sisters, I believe there is a lesson for us in this case, and that is that generally the Lord is not going to take the trouble to tell us what we already know. So if we receive a Testimony, we may expect it to point out something we do not know.
About a year ago I was attending a meeting in southern California where the sanitarium work was being talked over, and Brother W. C. White read a statement from a Testimony to the Colorado ministers and sanitarium workers, remarking that while it was given for Colorado, yet the principle would apply to them in their work. I did not know there was such a Testimony, and so went to Sister White and asked her about it. She seemed surprised that I had never seen a copy, and said she would see that I had one for I needed it. On receiving it I read it carefully, and found some things reproving a certain position that I had taken some years before relating to the work in Colorado. It was a great surprise to me, for I had been positive that I was right.
It is very humiliating to the natural heart to learn that we have taken wrong positions. I tell you the Lord blessed me in confessing them, and as far as I could, in correcting them.
I can call to mind many instances where different ones have received Testimonies of reproof and have heeded the counsel, and as a result have grown in the message, while, on the other hand, for over fifty years our track has been strewn with the wrecks of those whom the Lord in mercy has reproved, but who have rejected the reproof given, and have given up the whole truth. There are lessons in these things for us at this time, and I pray that the Lord may help us all to heed them.
Cedaredge, Colo.