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That makes sense, I now see.

Trump nears huge win on delay, delay strategy The Supreme Court appears poised to hand former President Trump a win in his strategy of delaying his legal troubles, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. Why it matters: The high court seemed reluctant to fully resolve the question of presidential immunity, increasing Trump's odds of seeing just one of his four criminal cases conclude before the election. "If that happens, the public won't get the benefit of having a jury determine before election if Trump tried to steal 2020 election," election law expert Rick Hasen wrote on X. Democratic strategist David Axelrod called the likelihood of just one case wrapping up before November "the best scenario [Trump] could hope have hoped for" given the circumstances. "I heard the meeting was quite amazing, quite amazing, and the justices were on their game," Trump said today. Zoom in: A clear rejection of Trump's theory of immunity seemed the least likely outcome after today, Axios' Sam Baker writes. A majority of justices seemed ready to given former presidents some but not "absolute" immunity. The most likely outcome might be for the high court to kick the case back to lower courts, delaying the start of a trial. Between the lines: Trump's Jan. 6 case was originally set to begin in March. Usually arguments heard in late April bring decisions at the end of June or early July, although the court could act with speed given the high-profile nature of the case. "If they wait until the last day of the term, the window for getting the case tried before the election is practically closed, or close to it," former federal prosecutor Randall D. Eliason told the Washington Post. Read more

Trouble for rate cuts Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis; Chart: Axios Visuals The most troubling part of today's disappointing GDP report might be what it says about inflation, Axios Macro co-authors Neil Irwin and Courtenay Brown report. Why it matters: The possibility of an interest rate cut this year "is starting to look increasingly more out of reach" if "growth continues to slowly decelerate, but inflation strongly takes off again in the wrong direction," said Olu Sonola, Fitch's head of US economic research, in a note.

Biden's base play President Biden boards Air Force One at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y., today. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images President Biden and his campaign have turned up the heat on re-energizing the Democratic base, Axios' Alex Thompson and Hans Nichols report. Why it matters: Support for Biden among progressives, young people and people of color this year has been consistently lower than in 2020, according to polls. Biden has spent the last few weeks blasting former President Trump on abortion rights, forgiving student loans and pressing for new climate goals. Now polls suggest some Democrats are beginning to return to the president. Zoom in: The Biden administration has also made a flurry of left-leaning policy announcements that have high support among Democratic constituencies. Issued an ambitious EPA rule to ensure the majority of new vehicles sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032. Canceled another $7.4 billion in student debt, bringing his total $153 billion in canceled loans for 4.3 million borrowers. Marked Earth Day by highlighting new actions on his American Climate Corps. Between the lines: Biden has appeared with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in recent weeks. The bottom line: Biden's spring base play doesn't rule out spending the summer and fall making overtures to centrist voters. There's one major policy move that Biden is considering — a crackdown on the border with an executive order — that would indicate he's willing to forsake his party's base. Trump is also pursuing a base-first strategy to reclaim the White House, revving up his most ardent supporters by pledging to "free" convicted Jan. 6 rioters, close the southern border and drill for more oil. Go deeper

The windmill sails at Paris’ iconic Moulin Rouge have collapsed. No injuries are reported PARIS (AP) —The iconic windmill sails of the Moulin Rouge, a vibrant emblem of Paris’s bohemian lifestyle, collapsed Thursday after a show. No injuries were reported. https://apnews.com/article/paris-moulin-rouge-sails-collapse-cd1e86b1b560e95063a65ff8b17d8731?

FTC sends $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers as part of video privacy settlement NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $5.6 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement with Amazon-owned Ring, which was charged with failing to protect private video footage from outside access. https://apnews.com/article/ring-doorbell-camera-settlement-ftc-payments-658a3bae14c4744cf449932099dc4404?

With fear and hope, Haiti warily welcomes new governing council as gang-ravaged country seeks peace PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti opened a new political chapter Thursday with the installation of a transitional council tasked to pick a new prime minister and prepare for eventual presidential elections, in hopes of quelling spiraling gang violence that has killed thousands in the Caribbean country. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-ariel-lhenry-resigns-violence-gangs-government-22868c51b5f4c9ca5a8d69fcb5df376b?

Strict new EPA rules would force coal-fired power plants to capture emissions or shut down WASHINGTON (AP) — Coal-fired power plants would be forced to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a rule issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency. https://apnews.com/article/power-plants-coal-natural-gas-biden-epa-5c96ca146e7f70b47806beb4bc3713e6?

The National Enquirer was the go-to American tabloid for many years. Donald Trump helped change that NEW YORK (AP) — Catch and kill. Checkbook journalism. Secret deals. Friends helping friends. https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-enquirer-catch-kill-57f0c462af437fb07967a041b6f66022?

Here’s why Harvey Weinstein’s New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next NEW YORK (AP) — The decision by New York’s highest court to overturn the rape conviction of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has reopened a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures — an era that began in 2017 and helped launch the #MeToo movement. https://apnews.com/article/weinstein-rape-overturned-metoo-whats-happening-3610385d7e05cabebed954b6b85f579d? ps:Wow! Pretty sad!!

Baltimore port to open deeper channel, enabling some cargo ships to pass after bridge collapse BALTIMORE (AP) — Officials in Baltimore plan to open a deeper channel for commercial ships to enter and leave the city’s port starting on Thursday — a significant step toward reopening the major maritime shipping hub that has remained closed to most traffic since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last month. https://apnews.com/article/baltimore-bridge-collapse-new-channel-e7bdfc8ba58a7263679bc574550a6625? New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore BALTIMORE (AP) — The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port. https://apnews.com/article/key-bridge-collapse-channel-opened-ship-dali-e8694bd668589ad82e37b88b9ed84246?

Trump gets the upper hand at SCOTUS Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photo: Jeff Swenson/Getty Images Former President Trump seemed to come out ahead today as the Supreme Court debated whether he can be prosecuted for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, Axios court watcher Sam Baker reports. Five justices may not ultimately endorse Trump's argument that former presidents are totally immune from prosecution for actions they took while in office. But several justices were open to the idea of sending the case back to lower courts for new hearings — which would prevent the Justice Department's case from going to trial before Inauguration Day. And any delay is a win for Trump. 🎯 Catch up quick: The court's six conservatives weren't always on the same page during nearly three hours of oral arguments today in Trump's immunity case. Justice Brett Kavanaugh was adamant about a relatively expansive interpretation of presidential immunity, while Justice Amy Coney Barrett was skeptical of Trump's sweeping position. A majority seemed to loosely coalesce around a rule that would give presidents some level of immunity for their official actions but not necessarily for their personal conduct — and let lower courts take another crack at drawing that line. Go deeper. Supreme Court seems skeptical of Trump’s claim of absolute immunity but decision’s timing is unclear WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but several justices signaled reservations about the charges that could cause a lengthy delay, possibly beyond November’s election. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-prosecution-immunity-72c885c07c77970d4380206f87b2d8ca? ps:This is what I got out of it!!

Astronauts arrive to KSC as 1st crew for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — It’s not just another ride for a pair of veteran NASA astronauts who arrived to the Space Coast ahead of their flight onboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/04/25/astronauts-arrive-to-ksc-as-1st-crew-for-boeings-starliner-spacecraft/?

The Jewish Codebreakers of World War II Many unsung heroes contributed to the Allies’ victory in World War II. Some of those heroes’ work was strictly classified. Among them were Jewish codebreakers who managed to decipher enemy communication, which was crucial to winning the war. They provided crucial information to the Allies and saved countless lives. With the passage of time, we are learning more about their role in winning the war. https://aish.com/the-jewish-codebreakers-of-world-war-ii/?

80 years after D-Day, a World War II veteran is getting married near beaches where US troops landed BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Harold Terens and his fiancee Jeanne Swerlin kissed and held hands like high school sweethearts as they discussed their upcoming wedding in France, a country the World War II veteran first visited as a 20-year-old U.S. Army Air Forces corporal shortly after D-Day. https://apnews.com/article/dday-veteran-france-wedding-wwii-0b2b2ef68803b29d17f599d0af6f98d5?

(N) Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Public input wanted for water fund Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios Texans have a week to tell the state how they want it to spend the $1 billion water infrastructure fund approved by voters in November. Why it matters: People are flocking to Texas. The population is estimated to grow from about 30 million to 51 million by 2070. Meanwhile, the water supply is projected to decrease 18% by then. State of play: Proposition 6 earmarked $1 billion to create the Texas Water Fund for water loss and conservation projects, with a focus on rural communities. It's the state's largest investment in water infrastructure since 2013, but proponents say it still won't meet the enormous demand. Zoom in: Dallas-Fort Worth will be the driving force behind the water demand, per a 2023 state report. Demand in North Texas will increase by nearly 68% in the next 50 years, more than any other region in the state. How it works: The Texas Water Development Board will determine how to distribute the money. At least $250 million must be allocated to projects that create new water sources. Threat level: Texas water systems are losing at least 572,000 acre-feet of water per year because of the deteriorating infrastructure or breaks caused by shifting ground from droughts. That's enough to meet the total 2020 annual municipal needs of the cities of Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Laredo and Lubbock, per a 2022 study. What's next: Public comment closes at the end of the month. The board will finalize the fund guidelines and rules by the fall.

April 25, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering the protests roiling college campuses — as well as the foreign aid bill, soccer and the Venice Biennale. Outside Columbia University. Adam Gray for The New York Times Dueling priorities Arnold Kling, an economist, published a book a decade ago that offered a way to think about the core difference between progressives and conservatives. Progressives, Kling wrote, see the world as a struggle between the oppressor and the oppressed, and they try to help the oppressed. Conservatives see the world as a struggle between civilization and barbarism — between order and chaos — and they try to protect civilization. Like many frameworks, Kling’s is a simplification, and it’s easy to find exceptions. But his book has been influential because the framework often sheds light on political arguments. The debate over pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia and other universities has become an example. If you want to understand why university leaders are finding the situation so hard to resolve, Kling’s dichotomy is useful: The central question for colleges is whether to prioritize the preservation of order or the desire of students to denounce oppression. In today’s newsletter, I’ll lay out the cases of the dueling sides. Confronting injustice A Jewish student wearing a watermelon kippah, a symbol of Gaza. Bing Guan for The New York Times For the student protesters, the injustice in Gaza is so horrific that it takes precedence over almost anything else. The death toll in Gaza since Oct. 7 is more than 30,000, the Gaza Ministry of Health reports. Entire neighborhoods are rubble. Israel has slowed the entry of basic supplies into Gaza, and many families are hungry. (My colleagues Vivian Yee and Bilal Shbair profiled two families trying to find their children enough to eat.) The protesters view this suffering as an atrocity that demands action, much as Jim Crow laws, the Vietnam War and South African apartheid did for earlier students. In a statement yesterday, a pro-Palestinian group at Columbia cited as inspiration the anti-Vietnam War demonstrators who were killed at Kent State University in 1970. If classes must be canceled and graduation ceremonies can’t happen, all the better, the students say. The disruptions will force the world to confront what the protesters describe as a genocide. “Big picture, genocide is happening, and this is where we stand,” one Columbia graduate student told the publication Hell Gate. Many protesters specifically call for their universities to divest from companies that do business in Israel or help produce military equipment. Some students have framed the debate as being about free speech, and free-speech principles do play a role. But I don’t think they are as central as Kling’s frame. Both sides, after all, have tried to restrict speech. Supporters of Israel have doxxed pro-Palestinian students and tried to penalize slogans like “From the river to the sea.” Pro-Palestinian protesters have ripped away Israeli and U.S. flags and tried to prevent pro-Israel students from speaking. The protesters’ abiding principle is not freedom of speech. It is justice for the oppressed. Preventing chaos The “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.” Bing Guan for The New York Times For the protesters’ critics, the breakdown of order is the central problem — because a community that descends into chaos can’t function. Protesters have frequently violated colleges’ rules. They have erected tents in public places and overwhelmed those areas. Columbia has switched to hybrid classes because of the turmoil. Even worse, some protests have involved harassment and violence. The University of Michigan had to cut short an honors ceremony for students. At Vanderbilt, more than 20 protesters stormed the president’s office, injuring a security guard and shattering a window. At Columbia, videos have shown protesters threatening Jewish students with antisemitic vitriol, including a sign talking about Hamas’s “next targets.” If universities do not enforce their own rules against such behavior, the rules have no meaning, administrators fear. Other protesters, seeing their own causes as existential, could likewise halt normal life. Perhaps they would be climate activists or students outraged by China’s oppression of Uighurs — or even demonstrators with right-wing views unpopular on American campuses. If anti-abortion protesters were to take over a quad for days, would university administrators ignore their own campus rules? Jason Riley, a Wall Street Journal columnist, has compared the protesters’ tactics to those of the white residents of Arkansas who tried to use physical intimidation to prevent the enforcement of a law they didn’t like: school desegregation. President Dwight Eisenhower responded by proclaiming that “disorderly mobs” could not triumph, Riley noted. College administrators are not making such analogies. Many express sympathy for the protesters’ concerns. But some insist that society can’t function if people violate rules without consequence. “We cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view,” Minouche Shafik, Columbia’s president, wrote to the campus this week. What’s next? I recognize that not everybody will accept Kling’s framework for this debate. Pro-Palestinian students will say that Israel is the true source of disorder, while pro-Israel students will say that Hamas is the true oppressor. Still, I think the Kling dichotomy captures the dilemma that university leaders face. The protests continue, and graduation season is approaching. Those leaders will have to make difficult decisions about what values to prioritize. The latest on the protests “Go back to class,” Speaker Mike Johnson told protesters while visiting Columbia. He suggested calling in the National Guard. At the University of Texas, police officers in riot gear blocked protesters and arrested at least 20 of them. The protests at Columbia, and the school’s response, have galvanized demonstrations at universities across the U.S. Columbia’s president is fighting for her job. Some professors now oppose her, but she has the support of the school’s board. Benjamin Netanyahu called student protesters in the U.S. “antisemitic mobs.” Trump said the demonstrations were worse than the violent 2017 white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, where a woman was killed. Brandeis, a historically Jewish university outside Boston, extended its deadline for transfer applications, promising an environment “free of harassment and Jew-hatred.” Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Foreign Aid Bill President Biden signed a bill with aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, calling it “a good day for world peace.” The administration plans to send Ukraine more weapons this week. The bill includes $1 billion in humanitarian aid. “Israel must make sure all this aid reaches the Palestinians in Gaza without delay,” Biden said. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, was a linchpin in winning aid for Ukraine, pushing back against isolationists in his own party. Elections An Arizona grand jury charged Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and others over their efforts to help Donald Trump overturn his 2020 election loss. The indictment names Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial resumes this morning. This graphic shows the links between Trump and other figures in the case. Biden mocked Trump for suggesting as president that disinfectant injections might treat Covid. The bleach “all went to his hair,” Biden said. More on Politics In Shanghai. Pool photo by Mark Schiefelbein Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, is in China. Economic tensions are high. The Supreme Court sounded divided over whether to allow doctors to perform emergency abortions in states with strict bans. Today the court will hear Trump’s claim that he’s immune from prosecution over Jan. 6. Three Arizona Republicans voted with Democrats to repeal the state’s 1864 abortion ban. The bill heads to the State Senate. Building union leaders endorsed Biden. They plan to mobilize their members to support him in swing states, CNN reports. Donald Payne Jr., a six-term Democratic congressman from New Jersey known for wearing bow ties, died at 65. International In Nairobi, Kenya. Daniel Irungu/EPA, via Shutterstock Floods across Kenya have killed at least 32 people and displaced more than 40,000. The U.S. secretly shipped new long-range missiles to Ukraine. Hamas released a video showing for the first time that Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American taken hostage on Oct. 7, remains alive. Other Big Stories The Justice Department is investigating the consulting firm McKinsey over its role helping drug companies sell opioids. The Agriculture Department finalized new school meal guidelines with less salt and sugar. To combat avian flu, the Biden administration will require tests for cows that cross state lines. NPR is in turmoil: The broadcaster’s audience is shrinking, its sponsorship revenue is declining, and its leaders are struggling with political strife. Opinions Trump’s criminal trials make him seem like a victim. That could help him on Election Day, Stuart Stevens, a Republican political consultant, writes. The federal government should test people for avian flu now, before an outbreak starts, Zeynep Tufekci writes. Here’s a column by Charles Blow on the Vietnam War and the Gaza protests. A subscription to match the variety of your interests. News. Games. Recipes. Product reviews. Sports reporting. A New York Times All Access subscription covers all of it and more. Subscribe today. MORNING READS In Athens. Angelos Tzortzinis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Athens: A Saharan dust cloud has turned the city orange. Meet Cait Bailey: She’s a publicist to major celebrities, and her boyfriend is a famous chef. But she’d prefer to keep a low profile. Diet: Could calorie restriction or intermittent fasting help you live longer? Read what scientists know. Broods: Trillions of cicadas are emerging after more than a decade of feeding on tree roots. Get ready. Lives Lived: Helen Vendler’s power as a poetry critic derived from her close and impassioned readings. A fellow critic called her a “colossus.” Vendler died at 90. SPORTS In England. Team Green Photography Queens Park Ladies: An under-12 girls’ soccer team in England joined a boys’ league — and went undefeated. “They definitely underestimated us,” Edith Wragg, one of the players, said. N.F.L. Draft: Four quarterbacks are expected to go in the first round tonight. N.B.A.: The Miami Heat shocked the Boston Celtics in a 111-101 road win to even the series at 1-1. College football: Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy was reinstated, nearly 14 years after he forfeited it during a scandal. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS In Venice. Casey Kelbaugh for The New York Times The Venice Biennale, the world’s best event to discover new art, opened with a Prosecco-soaked weekend. Artists, along with critics and collectors, filled the city. The Times’s critic Jason Farago was one of them. While he loved some of the work, he didn’t love the theme, “Foreigners Everywhere,” which he felt reflects a problem in our culture. “It’s often preachy, but that’s not its biggest problem. The real problem is how it tokenizes, essentializes, minimizes and pigeonholes talented artists,” he writes. Read his review. Related: Venice is trying to limit tourism with a small fee on busy days. More on culture A scene from “Challengers.” Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures “Challengers,” from the director Luca Guadagnino, is about love and tennis. The Times spoke with its stars, including Zendaya, about the film and life in the public eye. The American Film Institute is giving Nicole Kidman a lifetime achievement award this week. See what makes her work singular. The Getty Museum agreed to return an ancient bronze head to Turkey. A long-lost Gustav Klimt painting sold for $37 million at auction. Jimmy Kimmel dunked on Trump’s billion-dollar stock bonus. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Orzo & Asparagus with Lemon, Garlic Breadcrumbs & Herbs. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Toss a 20-minute lemony orzo with asparagus and garlic bread crumbs. Navigate grief with these books. Understand the new airline refund rules. Buy a gift for a green-thumbed friend. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was topiary. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David P.S. Lauren Jackson — one of the Times journalists in London who update this newsletter while you’re sleeping — has been promoted to associate editor. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

Venice tests a 5-euro entry fee for day-trippers as the Italian city grapples with overtourism VENICE, Italy (AP) — Under the gaze of the world’s media, the fragile lagoon city of Venice launched a pilot program Thursday to charge day-trippers a 5-euro ($5.35) entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents. https://apnews.com/article/venice-daytripper-tax-tourism-canals-e0a741e5e439fb8c027387534b086380?

Primary voters take down at least 2 incumbents in Pennsylvania House HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania election results include a loss Tuesday in the Democratic primary by a Philadelphia state representative one day after prosecutors announced that they had erroneously issued a warrant mistakenly accusing him of violating a protective order. https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-election-boyle-warrant-f57c6652500b3c84dc0e462334efe5fc?

Russia vetoes a UN resolution calling for the prevention of a dangerous nuclear arms race in space UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia on Wednesday vetoed a U.N. resolution sponsored by the United States and Japan calling on all nations to prevent a dangerous nuclear arms race in outer space, calling it “a dirty spectacle” that cherry picks weapons of mass destruction from all other weapons that should also be banned. https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-arms-space-un-us-japan-russia-175d45ddb658729eff060bd8a83b8a55?

Burkina Faso’s army massacred over 200 civilians in a village raid, Human Rights Watch says DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Military forces in Burkina Faso killed 223 civilians, including babies and many children, in attacks on two villages accused of cooperating with militants, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/burkina-faso-military-killings-human-rights-watch-0297fee865e4444f149a1afdfa13479e?

Remembering Hurricane Charley: A Look Back at 2004's Unexpected Impact on North Causeway On August 14, 2004, Hurricane Charley hit North Causeway in Florida, unexpectedly moving towards the Orlando metropolitan area. Initially forecasted to bring light rain and moderate winds, the hurricane instead intensified and changed direction suddenly, surprising many residents. https://local.newsbreak.com/new-smyrna-beach-fl/3416148500854-remembering-hurricane-charley-a-look-back-at-2004s-unexpected-impact-on-north-causeway? ps:I definitely remember Charlie and the other three, all but one of them came right over my Mom's house! She had her knee's done that year so my brother and his wife stay for the first one. My wife and I came down for the second one and had to stay for the third one and my daughter came and stayed with her for the fourth one, but that one was also suppose to come over her house, but went up the west coast of Florida!!

Gustave, I will now comment on your post just above my post above. * You comment on a statement on page 224 if the book on the 27. Your comment comes from the chapter which lists how the voted belief is understood and practiced in Adventism. That is a statement of common understanding. however, it is not the only understanding in Adventism. Other understandings exist and are allowed to exist within our membership. Yes, the voted statement of belief is found in the short paragraph on page 216, does make specific mention of Ellen White. However, there is a very important issue related to the SDA understanding of the role and ministry of Ellen White. When we say she was a prophet, we are not saying it in the sense that people say it about Jean Dixon. Absolutely not. Never. That is often misunderstood. However, there are considerable differences in understanding as to what her role was as a prophet. Multiple books have been published in Adventism in recent times that attempt to give us greater clarity as to her role and ministry. A common understanding does not exist at this point in time. I shall simply sum in understanding: The Bible, in the typical Protestant use of the term, is the authorative guide to both salvation and the writings of Ellen White. Period. * In relation to your citation to some previous Baptismal vows and more: Appendix A: I have never seen that one, which appears to be a suggested set of Baptismal Vows which were never accepted. Appendix B and others that follow, seem to be official Baptismal Vows at specific times in SDA history. I use the Baptismal Vows which I beleive to be currently in effect. The ones that I have always used require a beleif in Spiritual Gifts as presented in the Bible and do not require a specific beleif about Ellen White.

Gustave: I appreciate your response. I need to better explain my comments and correct where I may have been responsible for misunderstandings. Fundamental Beliefs: This was first published as a list of 27 statements of belief. It has been expanded to 28, and may be expanded to a larger number in the future. This was not intended to be a creedal test of Fellowship, or to put it in other words, it was not intended to be a requirement for what one should believe in order to be a SDA member. Rather it was intended to be a statement related to the common beliefs that are held in the Big Tent of Adventism. Each of the stated beliefs is stated in a chapter devoted to that belief. On a page prior to each chapter there is a short formal statement that has been formally voted as a common statement of SDA belief. Again, that is not intended to be a required statement that must be held in order to be a SDA member. The published chapter that follows that formal statement is an expanded explanation of the range of how that beleif is understood and practiced within Adventism. however, those chapters often do not contain the full range of belief and practice within Adventism. As an example, the chapter on the Sabbath, in the book that I am looking at, has about 16 pages. It correctly states that we believe that the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday evening and ends at Sundown on Saturday evening. But it fails to mention that there are minority Adventists that begin and end the Sabbath at other times of the day. Adventism allows for such. NOTE: The numbering of the fundamental beliefs in the book of 27 is not exactly the same as in the book of 28. Baptismal Vows: are statements of belief that are required in order to become SDA member and to remain a SDA member. They exist in the two forms that I have listed--13 statements and 3 statements. They commonly have slight differences in wording such as: "Do you believe. . . .? & I believe. . . In the shorter set of three, reference is made to SDA fundamental beliefs. I understand that reference to refer to the set of 13. Others understand it to refer to the 28. Doctrines, Teachings, and Policies is the title of an article published in the Review on November 28, 1991, and written by Calvin B. Rock. In that article, he states that Doctrines consist of the 27 voted belief statements as I have commented on above. He calls Teachings as not being formally voted, but as having high value, and clearly states that they are not to be taken as a "Test of Fellowship," or to put it in other words, they are not a specific requirement of belief in order to be a SDA member. He then says that a Standard is a guide to the application of the Doctrine (my wording). He further comments on Policies, which guide the operation of the SDA Church at its various levels.