Introducing
the Author
To most readers a brief sketch of the writer adds interest to the material
presented. We will therefore offer a brief sketch of Edward S. Ballenger, the writer
of this pamphlet.
He was born and reared on a woodland farm in
northern Illinois, in 1864. His father was a SDA minister for over 50 years,
beginning about 1858. His brother and two sisters were workers "in the
cause." Young Edward quit a good position in the public schools to enter Battle
Creek College, where he spent four years to prepare himself for the Lord's work. He
was a member of the faculty of three of their colleges, and was closely connected with the
establishment of three of their successful sanitariums. He spent the better part of
his middle life as a worker among the SDAs. His childhood home was known by the
neighbors as the Advent Hotel, because of the many ministers who enjoyed their
hospitality.
Mr. Ballenger was a firm believer in the teachings
of the denomination, including the inspiration of Mrs.White's writings. He was
intimately associated with Mrs. White and her son "Willie" for a number of
years. His first doubts were kindled by his contact with Mrs. White, her helpers and
many of the General Conference workers. These doubts were confirmed by his study of
the earliest documents of the pioneers which came into his possession. He has been
editor of The Gathering Call for over 28 years, at a great financial loss.
We will let Mr. Ballenger present his attitude
toward his former brethren and his purpose in publishing these things:
I have no grudge against my brethren, neither am I
trying to tear down their work; on the contrary I am trying to lead them to correct their
creed and bring it into harmony with the Word of God. Our contention is not one of a
difference of interpretation; but our aim is to lead them to correct their teachings on
points where they know they are out of harmony with the Bible, and to tell the laity
"the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
Beginnings of the Seventh-day Adventist
Movement
The history of this denomination began with the Millerite movement of 1844. Wm.
Miller was an honest man; but possessed a very limited education. He became a very
earnest Christian after spending some time in infidelity, and after his conversion began
an intensive study of the Bible, specializing on time prophecy. He honestly thought
he found at least five time prophecies which terminated in 1843, which later were adjusted
to terminate in the fall of 1844. Mr. Miller was an unselfish, honest man with a
deep Christian experience. His education was too limited to quality him as a
reliable interpreter of unfulfilled prophecy.
Who Was
Mrs. E. G. White?..
Ellen Gould Harmon was born No. 26, 1827 and died
July 16, 1915. She passed through the 1844 movement as a firm believer in the
teaching of William Miller. She was married to James White, August 30, 1846.
To this union four boys were born, two of whom reached maturity, Edson J. and William
C. The chief point of interest and controversy which surrounds this remarkable
character centers on what she and her followers call "visions from the Lord" and
the source from which she received these visions.
We have no railing accusation to bring against Mrs.
White now many years dead. We would be glad to let her rest with our benediction
were it not for the unreasonable attitude her followers maintain toward her writings, and
the manner in which those in authority deal with those who decline to accept her writings
as the voice of God.
There is no sin which is dealt with more quickly
and sternly than is the sin (?) of publicly refusing to accept her writings as infallible.
Not a few of their most efficient workers have been cast out as a thing unclean for
no other wrong (?) than doubting the authority of her word, or teaching doctrines contrary
to her interpretation.
James White, Joseph Bates and Ellen G. Harmon were
the outstanding trinity of founders of the Seventh-day Adventist branch of the Miller
movement. Ellen Harmon, who became the wife of James White in 1846, began soon after
the disappointment to have visions. This gift under the direction of Elder White
gave them all but an undisputed leadership.
Fanaticism and extremes in practice and teaching
ran wild for at least a decade after the disappointment and not a few of these crude
beliefs have been cemented into the very foundation of their denominational structure.
With their many errors they have mingled some well
fortified Bible truths which they have broadcast to the world with commendable zeal.
Our purpose in publishing this document is to influence these people to separate the
chaff from the wheat that the truths which they teach may not be clouded or obscured by
the errors with which they are entangled.
Miller's Five
Prophetic Periods..
Miller had a fertile mind in selecting time
prophecies that he thought terminated in 1843. He presented at least five.
The 2300 Days..
His most important date was the 2300 days of Dan. 8:14, which he started
from 457 BC, at the time of the beginning of the 70 weeks of Dan. 9:24.
SDAs retain only the 2300 days of Miller's five periods, even though Mrs. White
mentions "periods" (plural) eleven times in Early Writings.
The Earth 6000 Years Old
in 1843..
The earth would be 6000 years old in 1843. Then the seventh 1000, or
millennium, would begin.
The 2520 Years..
"I will punish you seen times more for your sins." Lev. 26:18.
This he interpreted to mean seven prophetic years of 360 days of 2520 literal
years. This period had to begin when Manasseh was taken captive to Babylon, in 677
BC.
The 50th Jubilee..
The Jews had a special celebration every fiftieth year, called a Jubilee.
The last one they held, according to Miller, was in the fourth year of the reign of
Jehoiakim, 607 BC. The fiftieth Jubilee of Jubilees would be held in 1843.
That is 49 Jubilees had been missed, a period of 2450 years, and the coming of the
Lord would introduce this fiftieth Jubilee.
The 1335 Days..
Miller had the 1335 days of Dan. 12:12 begin in 508 AD and terminate in 1843.
In Early Writings Mrs. White no less than eleven times speaks of
"prophetic periods" (plural) as terminating in 1844, yet the denomination
retains only one of these periods -- the 2300 days.
The Review & Herald Continues
To Misrepresent
Facts
On May 5, 1959, the General Conference put out a special issue of the Review &
Herald, containing 52 pages. On the front cover of this special is a
reproduction of a beautiful painting representing Mrs. White in her youth looking upward
at a globe with a soft light emanating from the eastern part of the United States, and
going entirely around the world. Sitting by her are James White and Joseph Bates,
the latter having a tablet in his hand, indicating that he is taking down what Mrs. White
is saying in vision. Again, we say it is a very attractive illustration.
Deceiving By
A Picture..
On page 39 they have recorded an explanation of this painting.
Harry Anderson has sought, in this beautiful painting, to
capture a scene in the early history of the Advent Movement. Mrs. E. G. White thus
describes the scene she saw in her vision of the beginnings of the publishing work:
"At a meeting held in Dorchester,
Mass., November, 1848, I had been given a view of the proclamation of the sealing message,
and of the duty of the brethren to publish the light that was shining upon our pathway.
"After coming out of vision, I said
to my husband: 'I have a message for you. You must begin to print a small paper and
send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they
will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first.
From this small beginning it was shown to be like streams of light that went clear round
the world.' " -- Life Sketches of Ellen G.
White, p. 125.
It was in July, 1849, that James White
responded to this vision by starting the publication of Present Truth, which was
shortly renamed Review and Herald. From this small beginning has indeed
grown a world work, as Mrs. White forecast in vision.
In the background of this picture are
shown James White and Joseph Bates taking notes.
We wrote to the Review & Herald Publishing House asking
permission to reproduce this painting. They refused to grant our request.
The
Editor Guilty..
The most important portion of this description of the cover is
found also on page 5 from the pen of the editor. In addition to quoting that portion
referring to light going around the world, the editor also says: "James White
believed that he had present truth to present to the world." This statement is
represented as being taken from one of Mrs. White's earliest visions which was given her
at Dorchester, Mass., Nov. 1848. The vision from which this was taken has never
appeared complete in any of Mrs. White's publications. We have a complete copy of
this vision which we expect to reproduce in the next issue of the Gathering Call.
The length of it prevents our using it in this issue. That portion which relates to
seeing the lights going around the world is not in the Dorchester vision.
Joseph Bates wrote this vision while Mrs. White spoke it; and there is no
reference whatsoever to light streaming clear around the world. It is a
disgrace to any people to publish such illustrations or such statements in regard to the
Dorchester vision.
Mrs. White
was 58 Years Old When..
She First Saw Lights Going..
Around the World..
The first time that Mrs. White gave utterance to seeing lights encircling the
globe was when she was visiting Europe, in 1885 or 1886. It was first published in
the RH July 26, 1887. If Mrs. White saw this in 1848, why was it not published until
1887, nearly 40 years later? In proof of this we reproduce her first publication of
her seeing lights going clear around the world. It is found on page 379 of the old
edition of Gospel Workers, published in 1892.
In my very girlhood the Lord saw fit to open before me the glories of
heaven. I was in vision taken to heaven, and the angel said to me,
"Look!" I looked to the world as it was in dense darkness. The agony
that came over me was indescribable as I saw this darkness. Again the word came,
"Look ye!" And again I looked intensely over the world, and I began to see
jets of light like stars dotted all through this darkness; and then I saw another and
another added light, and so all through this moral darkness the starlike lights were
increasing.
In this Dorchester vision Mrs. White saw that they should begin printing the
message but she had no idea of printing the message for the world, for in that vision she
stated that they had received the "shut door," which meant that they believed
probation had closed.
Another illustration is presented in this Special on page 7. It
represents James White and his wife together with other workers bowing around a stack of
their first paper, the Present Truth, and asking God's blessing to go with it as
they mailed it out to their friends. Present Truth was an 8-page paper
which was edited by James White from July 1849 to November, 1850. The eleven issues
were bound together and had a wide circulation in the early days. Mrs. White states
that they bowed around very issue of this paper, and asked God's blessing upon it.
There was hardly a number of this paper that did not contain arguments trying to prove
that probation had closed in 1844. One number is largely given to the shut door.
Mrs. White's Topsham vision given on Sabbath, March 24, 1849, contains the
positive evidence that she believed and taught the "shut door." Those who
have copies of this Present Truth, will find the portion relating to the shut
door at the bottom of col. 1, page 22. It is this portion of the Topsham vision that
is omitted from all of Mrs. Whit's subsequent reproductions. James White, Mrs.
White, Joseph Bates, Hiram Edson and others of the pioneers wrote for the Present
Truth condemning the 1st-day Adventists and other churches for trying to save
sinners, because God had rejected all of the world excepting the Advent believers.
Mrs. White Asking God's Blessing..
On The Shut Door..
The inconsistency of these pioneers including James White and his wife bowing
down and asking God's blessing to attend the contents of this document which was saturated
with the teachings of the "shut door," and then a century later, trying to make
all people believe that Mrs. White was shown in vision that they were called to publish
and send the message clear around the world, is a shame to any people.
Were The
Pioneers Planning..
A World-Wide Work?..
The centennial of the RH begins with the publication of Present Truth,
the first periodical put out by James White in July, 1849. After he had published
six numbers he wrote:
When I commenced the "Present Truth," I did not expect to
issue more than two or three numbers.
Present Truth, p. 45.
In the first number of Present Truth he wrote:
The four Angels are holding the angry nations in check but a few days,
until the saints are sealed.
There is not anything in this that would indicate that they were planning a
world-wide work. It plainly specifies what they were trying to do. He was
writing for the benefit of the "scattered remnant," and he stated that
"what is done to spread the truth, must be done quickly." Also as quoted
above: "Angels are holding the angry nations in check but a few days"; and for
what purpose? "until the saints are sealed."
This certainly is contrary to the teachings of the denomination, and to the
testimonies of Mrs. White, that they were planning a world-wide work, and that she saw
jets of light encircling the world.
In 1859
Uriah Smith Didn't Believe..
They Were to Go Outside..
The United States..
On page 25 of this Special, Arthur W. Spalding quotes from an answer in RH from
the pen of Uriah Smith regarding the work of foreign missions:
When a correspondent inquired, "Is the Advent message to be given
outside the United States?" Uriah Smith replied, "This might not perhaps be
necessary to fulfill Revelation 10:11, since our own land is composed of people of almost
every nation." RH, Feb. 3, 1859, p. 87.
On page 12 of this Special is another illustration with the inscribed legend:
"We have nothing to fear for the future, except that we shall
forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teachings in our past history."
Their
First Missionary..
If the pioneers were instructed by Mrs. White to carry the message to all the
world, they were mighty slow about acting upon it. J. N. Andrews was the first
missionary that they sent outside of the U.S.A.; and that was in 1874, twenty-six
years after Mrs. White says she saw jets of light going clear around the world.
SDAs
Commandment Breakers..
SDAs repeatedly claim that they are the only people that represent God in this
world; and two of their strongest arguments to prove this claim are that they keep the
commandments of God, and have a prophet. But she died in 1915. Their claim to
be commandment-keepers of course refers to the keeping of the 7th-day Sabbath; but, anyone
who breaks the 9th commandment cannot be classed among command-keepers; and everyone who
teaches that the pioneers began in their early history to carry the message to the world,
is a commandment-breaker in that they are teaching that which is not true. We admit
that many ministers are honestly, but ignorantly, teaching this error; but we cannot
excuse the leaders, because they know positively that instead of laying plans to carry the
message around the world, they were teaching that probation had closed, and that their
only job was to search out the followers of Miller, and teach them the "shut
door" and the 7th-day Sabbath. The pioneers claimed for at least the first
seven years of their existence that the present truth was the "shut door" and
the 7th-day Sabbath.
It is time for SDAs to quit violating the 9th Commandment, or quit claiming to
be the chosen people of God because they keep the Ten Commandments.
The Review and Herald
Special
Editor F. D. Nichol of the RH introduces their centennial issue with a most boastful
declaration:
No more serious danger could ever
confront the church of God than for its members to drift into the belief and feeling that
Seventh-day Adventism is simply one more Protestant church in the world, peculiar,
perhaps, in certain doctrines, but essentially like all other churches. Our
difference lies, not simply in our different doctrines, but in our different origins....
This number really finds its justification in the
words of Mrs. White: "We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall
forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history." --
Life Sketches, p. 196.
Editor Nichol is a young man, and it is possible that he is not familiar with
the early history of the denomination. We are not prepared to accuse him of
deliberate deception; but his youth ought to caution him to be careful in regard to
presenting the origin of SDAism. Any church that lays claim to being the only church
thereby gives evidence to thinking Christian people that they are most sadly
deceived. In this one item, SDAs are patterning after the R.C. Church. Anyone
looking over the field, and seeing the great work that most of the Protestant churches are
carrying on all over the world, especially in the needy foreign fields, would be led to
see that God is using other churches.
How much more modest it would be for the denomination to take the position that
they are one of God's churches instead of boasting that they are the only "favorites
of God." SDAs should be the last people to make the statement that the only
thing to fear is that they would "forget the way the Lord has led us and His
teachings in our past history."
The RH would not allow an exact history of the pioneers to be put in
print. We would be glad to furnish a good lengthy article on the early history of
the denomination without comment, taken from their original documents. Furthermore
we would give them $25 a column if they will print what we furnish, as stated above.
In support of our contention, we wish to present briefly some facts regarding
denominational history.
For many years after the disappointment, the pioneers called First Day
Adventists, Laodiceans, and they taught that nobody could be saved in the Laodicean church
-- that they had to leave it and join with them in the Philadelphian church; but
for close to a century they have declared that they were the Laodicean
church. The SDA church is the only Protestant church in existence that was
established on an error or false teaching.
Elder Uriah
Smith Doubted
the Testimonies
Elder Uriah Smith was connected with the editorial staff of the RH for fifty yeas, most of
the time as editor in chief. His works on the prophecies are still considered
standard in the denomination.
In a letter written March 22, 1883, he said:
It seems to me that the Testimonies, practically, have come into that
shape, that it is not of any use to try to defend the erroneous claims that are now put
forth for them.... Bro. Littlejohn has preached on the subject here treating it
mostly from a theoretical standpoint. But that does not touch the question at issue
among us at all. I presume you noticed in the Review of March 13, Bro. Waggoner's
extinguisher of the Mormon gifts. But, if the same reasoning will not apply somewhat
to our own experience, I cannot see straight. The cases of F----, C----, and S----
S---- are stunners to me.
If all the brethren were willing to investigate this
matter candidly and broadly, I believe some consistent common ground for all to stand upon
could be found. But some, of the rule or ruin spirit, are so dogmatical and stubborn
that I suppose that any effort in that direction would only lead to a rupture of the body.
Elder Smith was editor of the R. & H. for thirty years before he discovered
that any omissions had been made from the early visions in Early Writings.
We have a letter in his own handwriting stating this fact.
The three people referred to above were all prominent workers in the Advent
cause, associated with James White and his wife; but were very immoral in their conduct;
yet Mrs. White never knew of their immorality until the women who were involved confessed
their sin. The fact that she did not know of their vileness was a
"stunner" to Elder Smith. It is a sad fact, however, that Elder Smith
after writing these things, smothered his conscience and attempted to defend the
inspiration (?) of Mrs. White.
Who Taught the
Shut Door?
The
"Shut Door" a Hot Point..
of Discussion..
The followers of William Miller approached Oct. 22, 1844 with the utmost
confidence that the Lord would come and redeem them that day. As the day approached,
they ceased their labors for the salvation of sinners, believing their work for the world
was finished. Their disappointment was keen beyond description. For weeks, if
not for months, they lived in almost daily expectation, while the world and many of the
churches laughed them to scorn. They met the jeers and jibes of the rabble with the
declaration that they had passed the day of salvation unprepared and were forever lost.
It was amid these surroundings that Ellen Harmon had her first vision.
She was only slightly passed 17 years of age. This first vision was published in a
24-page pamphlet entitled A Word to the "Little Flock" May 30,
1847. A part of this vision has been a source of keen dispute for more than 100
years. Her critics declaring that she and her followers believed and taught that
probation for all the world except the Advent believers closed on Oct. 22, 1844, and her
defenders emphatically denying this charge. We will present the facts and let the
readers judge for themselves.
Mrs.
White Defines the..
Shut Door..
The keenest controversy has centered around the question of the "shut
door." To properly understand the early documents, one must bear in mind that
this term meant the close of probation on Oct. 22, 1844 to all the world excepting the
Adventist believers. In speaking of Adventist believers and their experiences after
the disappointment, Mrs. White says:
All this confirmed them in the belief that probation had ended, or, as
they then expressed it, "the door of mercy was shut."
Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, p. 268.
This definitely defines the "shut door" to mean the close of
probation.
They constantly referred to Matt. 25:10 -- "They that were ready
went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut."
We will now introduce the testimony of Mrs. White herself:
For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold, in common with
the advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. This
position was taken before my first vision was given me. It was light given me of God
that corrected our error, and enabled us to see the true position.
Quoted by F. M. Wilcox,
The Testimony of Jesus, p. 76.
How can this be so when it was that "first vision" which taught of
"all the wicked world which God had rejected," as seen below.
Mrs.
White's First Vision, Dec. 1844,..
Taught the "Shut Door"..
Some of Mrs. White's later defenders such as F. M. Wilcox, former editor of the
R. & H., and the late A. G. Daniells, for twenty-one years president of the General
Conference, admit that the pioneers, including Mrs. White, believed the "shut
door"; but they deny that she ever taught it in vision.
That Mrs. White believed and taught the "shut door" is evident from
several of her early visions. We introduce a paragraph from her first vision which
was published in A Word to the "Little Flock" in 1847. This
paragraph is found on page 14.
The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness,
and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off
the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for
them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had
rejected. They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we
heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus coming.
Her
Topsham Vision Taught..
An
Extreme "Shut Door"..
Another damaging evidence is found in what is known as the "Topsham
Vision" given to her March 24, 1849. This was published in No. 3 of Present
Truth, August 1849. The portion which we reproduce is found on page 22:
I saw that the mysterious signs, and wonders,
and false reformations would increase, and spread. The reformations that were
shown me, were not reformations from error to truth; but from bad to worse; for those
who professed a change of heart, had only wrapped about them a religious garb, which
covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some appeared to have been really
converted, so as to deceive God's people; but if their hearts could be seen, they would
appear as black as ever. My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of
soul for sinners as used to be. I looked but could not see it; for the time of their
salvation is past.
From 1844 to 1851, Mrs. White and her followers were teaching that all the
world were rejected of God, and therefore no one except Advent believers had any chance
for salvation. They taught that the Spirit of God had been withdrawn from the
world,and hence no one could be convicted of sin. They were looking for the Lord to
come in 1851. In this year Mrs. White collected together most of her visions during
that period of seven years and published them in a booklet entitled Experience and
Views. She and her husband at the time of the publication of this booklet had
given up their former teaching regarding the "shut door." Therefore, they
left out all of the above quotations printed in italic type which showed beyond all
controversy that before eliminating these positive statements, she believed that probation
had closed. Had she published these statements complete all of her followers
would have recognized she was a false prophet because both of these testimonies were
revealed to her while in vision, and were gross mistakes. In her first vision she
saw that God had rejected the world as well as all Advent believers who gave up their
faith. That she believed that probation had closed in 1844 is proven by the
testimony of her husband, published in their first document A Word to the "Little
Flock" (p. 22).
Mrs.
White Was Reproved..
in Her First Vision For..
Giving Up The..
Shut Door..
Elder White is trying to prove to his followers that Mrs. White's visions were
not based on previous teaching or what she had learned from her associates. In
referring to her first vision he says:
However true this extract may be in relation to reveries, it is not true
in regard to the visions; for the author does not "obtain the sentiments" of her
visions "from previous teaching or study." When she received her first
vision, Dec. 1844, she and all the band in Portland, Maine, (where her parents then
resided) had given up the midnight-cry, and shut door, as being in the
past. It was then that the Lord shew her in vision, the error into which she and the
band in Portland had fallen. She then related her vision to the band, and about
sixty confessed their error, and acknowledged their 7th month experience to be the work of
God.
In this vision Mrs. White saw that God had rejected "all the wicked
world" and Elder White sates in this defense that she and the people with whom she
was associated had given up the idea that the door was shut on Oct. 22; but her first
vision showed her that she and the group in Portland had made a mistake in giving up the
"shut door"; that is: the Lord revealed to her in the first vision that the view
that she had held and given up was the truth and that she and all the band in Portland
acknowledged that they had made a mistake in giving up the "shut door" and came
back to the truth (?) and accepted afresh the teaching that probation had closed.
Bear in mind that this correction was given to her in vision. So her first
vision was given to her to confirm the teachings of the pioneers that probation closed on
Oct. 22.
The first vision was given in Dec. 1844 or the spring of 1845. The
Topsham vision was given in March 1849, at least five years after her first vision.
During this period there was a most bitter controversy over the "shut door"
between the followers of the Whites, who were called Seventh-day Adventists, and the
followers of Miller, Himes and others who were called First-day Adventists. The
later renounced the "shut door" in April, 1845 and for at least seven years the
followers of Mrs. White called them Laodiceans and rebels against God for giving up the
"shut door." The First-day Adventists were active in gospel work and were
winning many souls to Christ from all classes of people. They cited their remarkable
conversions to the Seventh-day Adventists in proof that the door was not shut. The
Seventh-day Adventists met this argument by declaring that what they called conversions
were nothing but the work of the devil. As Mrs. White put it "those who
professed a change of heart had only wrapped about them a religious garb, which covered up
the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some appeared to have been really converted, so as
to deceive God's people but if their hearts could be seen, they would appear as black as
ever."
In another place she says: -- "I saw false reformations every-
where." If she did not believe that probation was closed, what did she mean by
these statements, and if she did not believe that everyone who read these statements would
recognize that she believed and taught in vision that probation had closed, why did she
leave them out?
Mrs.
White Taught that the..
Sabbath
and Shut Door..
was
"Present Truth"..
At the time of her Topsham vision, 1849, she believed that "present
truth" was the "shut door" and the commandments. She says:
there I was shown that the commandments of God,
and the testimony of Jesus, relating to the shut door, could not be separated.
Present Truth, p. 21.
The omissions from Mrs. White's first vision should appear between the words
"below" and "soon" in the ninth line, on page 15 of the new edition of
Early Writings. The omitted portion from the Topsham vision should appear
between the expressions "from error to truth" and "My accompanying
angel" in the fourth line on page 45.
Mrs. White frequently speaks of the "shut door" in her early visions,
but our space will not permit reproducing them.
Only A
Few Months Left..
In 1850..
But now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning,
they will have to learn in a few months.
Early Writings, p. 67.
This was written in the middle of the year 1850. The pioneers, especially
Capt. Bates, were teaching that the seven times that the blood was sprinkled on the mercy
seat (Lev. 16:14) represented seven years which would be occupied by Christ making
atonement in the most holy place. This period would terminate Oct. 22, 1851, at
which time they confidently expected that Christ would return. They had been nearly
six years in arriving at their conclusions, but the Laodiceans that came in after this,
would have to learn in a "few months" what they had been six years
learning. These few months didn't leave much time for a "world-wide
campaign." These few months have stretched out to over 100 years.
Making
the First-day Adventists..
Ashamed for Giving Up the..
"Shut Door"..
In the Review and Herald of May 2, 1935 Elder W. C. White, speaking of
his mother and father says:
"The Lord showed me," she
wrote that he [Elder White] "must take the testimonies that the leading Adventists
published in '44, and republish them, and make them ashamed.
"This is my first work," wrote James White
to Leonard Hastings, July 21, 1850. "I expect to get out a paper called the Advent
Review, 16 pages, the size of Present Truth ... The cause calls for
it. I hope to get out six numbers."
Bear in mind that Mrs. White told her husband that the Lord showed her that he
should write this document, the Advent Review, containing "testimonies that
the leading Adventists published in '44" showing what they believed and then taught
for the purpose of making them "ashamed." This was the purpose of
publishing the Advent Review. The reader should not confuse the Advent
Review with the Review and Herald. It was an entirely separate
document. James White associated with him in this publication four other outstanding
leaders, Hiram Edson, David Arnold, George W. Holt, and S. W. Rhodes.
After publishing four issues of 16 pages each they saved the type of most of
these 64 pages, selecting out of them 48 pages which they bound together and issued in
1850 under the same title, "The Advent Review." The whole trend of this
compilation is to take the First-day Adventists to task for departing from the truth by
showing that formerly they believed and taught the shut door. It is saturated with
statements taken from the leading Adventist [Millerite] teachers including Miller, Himes
and others, showing that they formerly believed that probation closed in 1844, and
denouncing them for giving it up.
It is true that Wm. Miller and practically all of his followers felt that their
work for the world was completed just before Oct. 22, 1844; but they soon abandoned that
position, and began diligently working for the salvation of sinners.
Importance
of The Advent Review..
In the Mind of..
James White..
The importance of this document in the mind of James White is well illustrated
in the ads which he published recommending it. We reproduce a few:
The Advent Review, containing thrilling testimonies, written in
the Holy Spirit, by many of the leaders of the Second Advent cause, showing its Divine
origin and progress, 48 pages.
RH, Vol. 1, page 7,
November 1850.
In introducing the Advent Review, Elder James White says: --
In reviewing the past, we shall quote largely from the writings of the
leaders in the advent cause, and show that they once boldly advocated and published to the
world, the same position, relative to the fulfilment of Prophecy in the great leading
advent movements in our past experience, that we now occupy; and that when the advent host
were all united in 1844, they looked upon these movements in the same light in which we
now view them, and thus show who have "LEFT THE ORIGINAL
FAITH."
p. 1.
After the passing of the time in 1851, they still had quit a large supply of
this Advent Review on hand. Inasmuch as they had changed their views in
regard to the "shut door," Elder White printed a page and pasted it into each
unsold number in which he said: --
In regard to the letters of Bro. William Miller, we would say that they
expressed the views and feelings of the Advent brethren generally, at that time. No
one then saw the work of the third angel, and the general impression was that our work was
done. We may now see that Bro. Miller applied Dan. 12:10; Zech. 12:13; Mal. 3:18;
and Rev. 22:11, to the wrong period.
In the face of these well-known facts, how can any honest man deny that the
pioneers taught that probation closed in 1844?
Joseph
Bates a Rabid Believer..
In The "Shut Door"..
James White, Mrs. E. G. White, and Joseph Bates constitute the trinity of
founders of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. The latter was very pronounced
in his convictions and even more pronounced in expressing them. He was extremely
hard on William Miller and his followers who afterward were called the First-day
Adventists.
The
Shut Door Caused the Division,..
Not the Sabbath..
At a conference of Advent believers held at Albany, N.Y., April 29, 1845, a
committee under the chairmanship of William Miller drafted a series of resolutions which
were adopted by the body. So far as we can learn none of the leaders of the
Seventh-day Adventists were present at this conference. We quote a couple of
paragraphs from these resolutions, or address, as it was called.
Plan of Operations
In the midst of our disappointed hopes of seeing the King of Glory, and
being made like him, and still finding ourselves in a world of sin, snares, and death, the
question forces itself upon us,
What Now Is Our Work?
To us it seems clear that our first work is to make straight paths for
our feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. We are in duty bound to
give the household meat in due season, and to build ourselves up in our most holy
faith. While doing this, we are to continue, in obedience to the great commission,
to preach the gospel to every creature.
Memoirs of William Miller,
by Sylvester Bliss, p. 305.
In the RH of December 1850, is a four-page article by Capt. Bates under the title,
"Midnight Cry." This article is so saturated with the strongest kind of
denunciations against the Laodiceans for abandoning the "shut door" that the
whole article should be read to be appreciated.
After referring to their oft-repeated statement that they believed in their
past experience, he says:
When they say they believe it, they prove themselves liars; for after
the formation of the Laodicean state of church at Albany, N.Y., April 29, 1845, the
greater portion of the lecturers went out through the land advocating an open door, in
direct and immediate opposition to the work of the Midnight Cry. For that work
shut the door without the shadow of a doubt."
We continue to quote from Joseph Bates:
First-day
Adventists "Rebels"..
for Giving Up the..
Shut Door..
Here was a general acknowledgement of all the past; and yet after the
organization of the Laodicean church, April, 1845, they came out in open rebellion against
the very vital point, that gave them any title to the name of Adventists.
Consistency would have required them to have adopted their proper Scripture name;
(Rebels;) then all the honest believers would have understood them, and avoided their
treacherous dealings against the Lord, and the "strange children" they have
begotten in connection with fallen Babylon. If by any means whatever, they could
prove from all their past six years' united labor, through this land, England, or the West
Indies, that they had gained one single convert to God, then they would appear in
a hundred fold more heinous light than they now do. For, by their own published,
standing confessions, (as before stated,) the Lord Jesus, as Maser of the house, (before
described,) had shut the door and no man could open it. See Rev. 3,7; Luke13,25;
Matt. 25,10. This was the last day's work of the Midnight Cry, where the fullness of
the Gentiles came in, Rom. 11,25. Now if they have opened the door, then they have
gained the victory over the Son of God, and proved him to have uttered a falsehood.
In no other way could they get one true Gentile convert. But there need be no fear
on this case. Jesus has done this work, and he is now advocating the cause of all
true believers in the house of Israel. We know that these people are saying, and
will still insist, that they have reclaimed hundreds of backsliders, and that scores have
been converted to God, under their teaching, since the Albany Conference, April 1845.
Impossible
for Them to Get..
One Convert..
We say, that as long as they continue rebellious against their lawful
Prince, it is morally impossible for them to beget for him one peaceful subject.
Again he says in this same article:
Talk about searching out sinners, that the work of the Midnight Cry left
in outer darkness six years ago!
RH, Dec. 1850, pp. 23, 24.
In 1850 he published a tract of sixteen pages on the Sanctuary. On the
last page of this leaflet we find the following statement:
"The Present Truth," then, of this third angel's message, is,
THE SABBATH AND THE
SHUT DOOR."
The closing sentence of this leaflet reads thus:
Hence the door is shut before the Sabbath is given in the message.
Bates called the FDAs [First-day Adventists] Laodiceans, rebels, liars,
traitors, etc. And for no other reason than that they were working for the salvation
of sinners, and thus giving up the shut door.
Remember that the term "The Shut Door" always meant the close of
probation. In view of these facts what did Mrs. White mean, what only could she
mean, when she saw in vision:
It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to
the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected.
A Word to the "Little Flock"
p. 14.
The reformations that were shown me, were not reformations from error to
truth, but from bad to worse; for those who professed a change of heart, had only wrapped
about them a religious garb, which covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some
appeared to have been really converted, so as to deceive God's people; but if their hearts
could be seen, they would appear as black as ever.
Present Truth, p. 22.
Both of these quotations are omitted from Early Writings. The
first one from page 15, and the second one from page 45.
Mrs.
White's Defenders..
The older defenders of Mrs. White's inspiration denied that the pioneers,
including Mrs. White, ever believed that probation closed in 1844. Elder Geo. I.
Butler who served as president of the General Conference for eleven years writes:
Geo. I.
Butler Denies..
But we do emphatically deny that S. D. Adventists or Mrs. White believed
that any repentant sinner who would come to Christ would be refused. It is a slander
to say the contrary. We also declare, with no fear of contradiction, that during
this very period when Eld. C. and other opposers of the same ilk [allege] that she and
others believed that there was no salvation for sinners, she and they were laboring for
the conversion of sinners. Hence their statements cannot be true.
Replies to Elder Canright's Attacks
on Seventh-day Adventists, p. 100.
James
White Declared They..
Believed and Taught..
the Shut Door..
In speaking of their early experience, Elder White refers to a number of
statements regarding their belief in the "shut door" and then remarks:
In view of such testimony, it is vain for any man to
deny that it was the universal belief of Adventists,
in the autumn of 1844, that their work for the world was for ever done.
Life Incidents, p. 190.
Again he says: --
Some of this people did believe in the shut door, in common with the
Adventists generally, soon after the passing of the time. Some of us held fast this
position longer than those did who gave up their Advent experience, and drew back in the
direction of perdition. And God be thanked we did hold fast to that position till
the matter was explained by light from the heavenly sanctuary.
Ibid., p. 207.
Elder W. A.
Spicer Unreliable..
In
The Extreme..
Elder W. A. Spicer was president of the General Conference from 1922 to
1930. In 1926 he wrote a series of six articles under the title Moments with the
Old Volumes and the Pioneers in defense of Mrs. White's inspiration. At least
seven times in this series of articles he states that the pioneers, including Mrs. White,
were working for the salvation of sinners during the years from 1844 to 1851. We
introduce a few quotations from this defender: --
So far from the shut door meaning to those believers that probation
closed in 1844, the new view of the shut door and the Sabbath truth was an incentive to go
out and work for the salvation of others.
An
Unadulterated Untruth..
Repeated Eight Times..
On the contrary, the record shows that the spirit of prophecy was ever
calling the pioneers to shape their plans to carry the gospel message to sinners in every
land. And all through those years Sister White herself was out preaching the gospel
and seeking to save sinners.
RH, April 15, 1926.
And mark this, all the time, from the very beginning the spirit of
prophecy was not only setting forth an open door, but was telling these pioneers of a
great world-wide work of which they had little idea.
No less than eight times is this statement made in some form in
this series of articles. Yet there isn't a single quotation from the writings of
Mrs. White between 1844 and 1851 that even hints
at a "world-wide movement," while on the other hand there is
an abundance of evidence to the contrary. Elder Spicer couldn't turn the pages
of these early papers for a few moments without discovering some of these strong
statements against his teaching.
The Son
of The Prophet..
A Willing Supporter..
Of Deception..
The denominational leaders have been challenged repeatedly to produce a single
piece of evidence that the pioneers were working for sinners aside from the advent
believers during the seven years ending in 1851 but they never attempted to met the
challenge. Practically all of the defenders of Mrs. White's inspiration use this
argument to prove that the pioneers and Mrs. White did not believe in the "shut
door," and, of course, if they were out working for sinners in general, it would be a
very positive evidence that they did not believe the "shut door."
Elder W. C. White accused me of misrepresenting his father and mother because I
declared that they were not working for anyone except the advent believers from '44 to
'51. When proof was demanded of Elder White that this was a misrepresentation, he
stated that he did not have it at hand but as soon as he returned to the office, he would
look it up and send it to me. This was in 1926 and we urged him over and over again
to produce the evidence, but it has never been produced, and the reason is that here is no
evidence to produce. A bolder misrepresentation was never put in print than the
statement on the part of Elder Spicer that the spirit of prophecy was calling the pioneers
to a world-wide movement. In 1850 Mrs. White wrote: --
But now time is almost finished, and what we have
been years learning, they will have to learn
in a few months.
Early Writings, p. 67.
At this time they were expecting the Lord to return in the fall of 1851.
Would she be urging them to conduct a world-wide campaign when they had only a few months
to wait for the Lord's return? This shows that she was not working for the salvation
of sinners but was condemning others who were working for the salvation of sinners.
A. G.
Daniells Knew Better..
Of the defenders of Mrs. White's inspiration, no one outranks Elder A. G.
Daniells. He was president of the General Conference for 21 years, and for many
years was very closely associated with Mrs. White and her son, W. C.
When he wrote in her defense he was not doing it ignorantly, but with full knowledge of
the facts -- not simply the ones we have published, but with scores of others of
like significance.
In the Review and Herald of Nov. 25, 1926, Elder Daniells presented a
lengthy article dealing with the question of the shut door in relation to Mrs. White's
writings between the years 1844 and 1851. His article, together with an editorial by
Elder F. M. Wilcox, was published in tract form.
He introduces his article with eight general statements. We introduce the
main portion of statement 8:
But while, after the passing of the
time in 1844, they continued for a period to believe that salvation for sinners was past
and that Christ would quickly appear, there was no statement from Mrs. E. G. White to the
effect that it had been revealed to her that probation for the world had closed,
and that there was no longer salvation for the unsaved.
There is a vast difference between holding a personal
belief regarding a question, and declaring that this belief has been obtained by a direct
revelation from the Lord. To illustrate: The apostle Peter and his associates
believed that the gospel message they were to proclaim was to be confined to the Jewish
nation.... They not only believed this, but clung to it tenaciously. None of
them, however, declared that this had been revealed to them in a vision or
revelation from God.
The Shut Door, pp. 5, 6.
A
Boomerang Illustration..
His illustration would have been most fitting had he completed it. But
suppose Peter had written his first epistle before he went to the home of Cornelius, and
in it had said: "Those Jews who accepted Christ and later lost sight of Jesus fell
off the path on which we are traveling. It was just as impossible for them to be
redeemed as all the wicked Gentiles which God had rejected." And in another
chapter had written: "The reformations which Paul and his associates are reporting
among the Gentiles are not reformations from error to truth; but from bad to worse; for
those who professed a change of heart had only wrapped about them a religious garb, which
covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some of these Gentiles appeared to have
been really converted, so as to deceive us, the converted Jews; but if their hearts could
be seen, they would appear as black As ever." Then after Peter had visited
Cornelius he decided to put out a new edition of his epistle, but for fear someone might
misunderstand his divine revelation (?) he thought it best to eliminate all these
references to the Gentiles. What then would you think of Peter's inspiration and
honesty?
There is this difference between Peter and Mrs. White. Peter probably did
believe that the Gentiles could not be saved; but God kept him from expressing his false
belief in his inspired epistles; but Mrs. White wrote her false views in what she claimed
was a divine revelation. The illustration that Bro. Daniells uses is very fitting
indeed, but not as he intended it.
She
Eliminated Them Because..
They Would be Understood..
Not Misunderstood..
Elder Daniells affirms that Mrs. White eliminated the damaging statement
regarding the close of probation from her first vision because she saw that some might
misunderstand it. He also contends that to understand it to mean the close of
probation makes it "conflict with the message of which it forms a part."
Page 15. Both of these statement are entirely false. She eliminated them
because she knew the reader would understand them just as she understood them when she
wrote them. In these eliminated sentences there isn't the slightest conflict with
the rest of the message nor with any other message during that period, either from the pen
of Mrs. White or any of the pioneers.
The last work which occupied the attention of the late Elder A. G. Daniells was
the preparation of the manuscript for his book The Abiding Gift of Prophecy.
It was published in the early part of 1936. It is devoted to the defense of Mrs.
White's inspiration. In speaking of Mrs. White's first vision, he says: --
It is, however, worthy of note that this vision was not of such a nature
as to confirm them in what they already believed. Not only they, but Ellen Harmon
herself, prior to this vision, had become persuaded that the "midnight cry"
movement, through which they had passed, was a mistake.
P. 271.
Why do
They Omit "and Shut Door"..
If Not to Deceive?..
"Midnight Cry" is placed in quotation marks and taken from the
Testimony of James White regarding his wife's first vision. Why did he not also
repeat "and shut door" in this place? It is a part of Elder White's
statement.
Elder Loughborough and Elder Daniells, both omit these three words when
referring to Mrs. White's first vision. There must be a reason. Bear in mind
that this argument is introduced to lead the reader to believe that Mrs. White's first
vision was contrary to her own convictions or belief, as well as to the belief of the
group of something like sixty Adventists. In this he states the truth, but by
omitting those three words, "and shut door," he leads the reader to
believe that which is not so. Miss Harmon and the group with whom she was associated
had given up belief in the midnight cry, but at the same time they had given up their
belief in the "shut door." True, this vision did change their belief, but
it did not change them from error to truth, but from truth to error. They had come
to the conclusion that the door of mercy did not close Oct. 22, 1844 and this vision
confirmed them in the belief that the door of mercy did close in 1844.
Our standard of morals will not permit of such omissions for the purpose of
misleading the reader. If those three words had been put where they belonged in
Elder Loughborough's or Elder Daniells' quotation, their readers would have recognized
that Mrs. White taught the "shut door."
Elder J.
N. Loughborough..
Most Deceptive..
Elder J. N. Loughborough was born in 1832, and died in 1924. He began his
ministerial labors with the First-day Adventists and did not unite with the
Sabbath-keeping branch till 1852. He was not one of the original pioneers but was
considered a standard bearer till his death.
Of all the defenders of Mrs. White he was the most bold and reckless. He
was their outstanding historian, and his carefully kept diary coupled with three score
years experience with the leadership qualified him to fill such a position.
In 1892 the denomination published his Rise and Progress of Seventh-day
Adventists. This was revised and published in 1905 as The Great Second
Advent Movement. For many years the revised edition was used as a text or
reference book in their intermediate and advanced schools.
After quoting a paragraph of Mrs. White's Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4,
p. 268 in which Mrs. White states that all the Adventists believed for a time "that
probation had ended, or, as they then expressed it 'the door was shut,' "
he then adds this comment:
In this quotation Mrs. White states the position taken by the First-day
Adventists. She does not even intimate that she believed it.
The Great Second Advent
Movement, pp. 221, 222.
Even as late as the year 1848, there remained here and there an
individual who held that there was no more mercy for sinners. These, however, were
not Seventh-day Adventists.
Page 234.
No
Greater Deception..
Ever Put in Print..
As stated before, a most bitter controversy was conducted between the
Seventh-day Adventists and the First-day Adventists over the "shut door" for at
least seven years after the disappointment. The SDAs were chiding the other faction
for apostasy from the truth for no other reason than laboring for sinners, thus
abandoning the "shut door." SDAs were teaching during this period
that the "shut door" and the Sabbath constituted "present truth" for
that generation. Elder Loughborough was a minister among the First-day Adventists,
and in a personal letter to the writer [i.e., to E. S. Ballenger], he states that he never
heard of the "shut door" until 1849, and then he heard it from an SDA. Yet
knowing these facts from personal experience, he declared that SDAs never taught the
"shut door" but that FDAs were guilty of this blunder. He, as above
quoted, denies that Mrs. White ever believed or taught the "shut door"; yet he
had in his possession a letter written to him by Mrs. White August 24, 1874 in which she
said:
With my brethren and sisters, after the time passed in '44 I did believe
no more sinners would be converted. But I never had a vision that no more sinners
would be converted.
Quoted by F. M. Wilcox in
Testimony of Jesus, p. 86.
His
Deceptions Multiply..
But we have still more positive evidence of his dishonesty. In 1861 the
leaders presented an address to the conference at Battle Creek, Mich., with the view of
persuading the brethren to organize a general conference. This address was published
in the RH, June 11, 1851. We reproduce one paragraph:
If we go back to a period of from six to nine years,
we find the believers in the Third Angel's message
few in number, very much scattered, and in no place assuming to take the name of a
church. Our views of the work before us were mostly vague and indefinite, some still
retaining the idea adopted by the body of the Advent believers in 1844, with Wm. Miller at
their head, that our work for "the world" was finished, and that the message was
confined to those of the original Advent faith. So firmly was this believed that one
of our number was nearly refused the message, the individual presenting it having doubts
of the possibility of his salvation because he was not in the '44 move'.
This was signed by J. H. Waggoner, James White, J. N. Lough- borough, E. W.
Shortridge, Joseph Bates, J. B. Frisbie, M. E. Cornell, Moses Hull and John
Byington. These were all prominent leaders at that time. In reply to an
inquiry on the part of the writer [i.e., on the part of Ballenger] as to who the person
was that was "nearly refused the message," Elder Loughborough replied: "I
am the 'one' referred to in that document, 'The Conference Address.' "
And the one who thought he couldn't be saved "because he was not in the '44
move'," was none other than the outstanding leader and writer, J. N. Andrews.
After spending eight years among the First-day Adventists, part of the time as
a minister, and never hearing them preach the shut door, and then at late as 1852, being
convinced of the Sabbath, by a very prominent Seventh-day Adventist, who almost refused
him communion with them because the minister, J. N. Andrews, was so sure that the door was
shut; and after signing the above statement, Elder Loughborough so submerged his
conscience as to deny that Seventh-day Adventists ever believed or taught that probation
closed in 1844.
Still
Not Through..
And still we are not through, for we have not yet reached the climax. On
page 263 he quotes a statement from Joseph Bates regarding Mrs. White's visions taken from
A Word to the "Little Flock", p. 21:
I believe the work is of God, and is given to comfort and strengthen his
"scattered," "torn," and "peeled people" since the closing
up of our work . . . in October, 1844.
But he left out the three words "for the world" where the
three periods app[ear. Why didn't he put in those three words? Unquestionably
because he knew that the reader would see that Bates believed the door was shut in 1844.
In this Mrs. White was equally guilty, for she left out the same three words in
quoting this same statement. See Life Sketches, p. 98.
We will introduce one more "exhibit" and then rest the case of Elder
Loughborough with the jury of honest readers. He again quotes a statement from James
White taken from page 22 of A Word to the "Little Flock". It is a
defense of Mrs. White's visions.
The author does not "obtain the sentiments" of her visions
"from previous teachings or study." When she received her first vision,
December, 1844, she and all the band in Portland, Maine (where her parents then resided,)
had given up the "midnight cry" as being in the past. It was then that the
Lord showed her in vision the error into which she and the band in Portland had
fallen. She then related her vision to the band, and they acknowledged their
seventh-month experience to be the work of God.
The Great Second Advent
Movement, pp. 263, 264.
A Bold,
Deliberate Deception..
The omission of the words "for the world" was bad enough but he was
honest enough to indicate that something had been omitted. But in the last he made
no [such] notation.
In the original it reads: "had given up the midnight cry and shut door
as being in the past." Why this dishonesty? Because he knew that if he
printed those three words, "and shut door," every reader would
recognize that she taught the shut door while in vision, for the Lord showed her in vision
that it was wrong to give up the shut door. And Mrs. White herself defines the
"shut door" to mean the "close of probation."
These sins were called to the attention of Elder Loughborough at least five
years before his death, but instead of confessing his sin, he tried to justify his course.
But someone may ask: What bearing has this on Mrs. White and her
work? It has a very vital bearing, for Mrs. White instructed Elder Loughborough to
encircle the world in defense of her visions. She must have been much more ignorant
than anyone ever supposed her to be if she did not know what Loughborough was teaching in
the pulpit and in his book, knowing that he was misrepresenting the facts wherever he
went. Mrs. White encouraged him to spend his whole time in going from continent to
continent, from church to church and from camp meeting to camp meeting to exalt her as an
inspired writer. Mrs. White claimed it was a part of her duty through the Spirit of
God to reveal secret sin. Yet here was a man who was violating the ninth commandment
in almost every speech and in his book; nevertheless the prophet was sending him forth as
her personal representative deceiving the people.
Mrs.
White's Publishers..
Guilty..
After the publication of Experience and Views in 1851, and a new
edition in 1854, those who were familiar with the early visions accused the publishers of
omitting a part of Mrs. White's vision relating to the shut door. In the Publishers'
"Preface to the Second Edition," of Early Writings, after speaking of
the addition of a few dates, and two dreams this preface says:
Aside from these, no changes from the original work have been made in
the present edition, except the occasional employment of a new word, or a change in the
construction of a sentence, to better express the idea and no portion of the work has
been omitted. |