1901, 1903, 2010 "the king is in there still"

[skyblue888]

Before the 1901 Conference actually assembled in session, there occured that meeting in the Library room of the College Building in which Sister White spoke on General Conference matters and organization, declaring that there must be "an entire new organization... that there should be a renovation without delay. To have this Conference pass on and close up as the Conferences have done, with the same manipulating, with the very same tone, and the same order--God forbid! God forbid brethren... And until this come we might just as well close up the Conference to-day as any other day...This thing has been continued for the past 15 years or more, (1901 minus 15 years takes us back to 1886), and God calls for a change."

"From the light that I have, as it was presented to me in figures. There was a narrow compass here; there within that narrow compass, is a king-like, a kingly ruling power. God means what he says and He says, 'I want a change here.' Will it be the same thing? going over and over the same ideas, the same committees--and here is the little throne--the king is in there, and these others are all secondary. God wants that those committees that have been handling things for so long should be relieved of their command and have a chance for their life and see if they can not get out of this rut that they are in--which I have no hope of their getting out of, because the Spirit of God has been working and working, and yet the king is in there still. Now the Lord wants His Spirit to come in. He wants the Holy Ghost King."

Again, notice these very words from the Lord: "The king is in there still."

"He wants the Holy Ghost King."

And today, 109 years later, God says, "The king is in there still."

At the 1901 G.C. Conference, as a result of these testimonies, reformatory steps were taken:

"No president of the General Conference was chosen; nor was any provided for. The presidency of the General Conference was eliminated to escape a centralized power, a one-man power, a kingship, a monarchy. The Constitution was framed and adopted to that end in accordance with the whole guiding thought in the Conference from the beginning in that room in the College Building."

But in 1903 the 1901 Constitution was ignored and replaced by a new one that again made room for the position of president of the General Conference. Eight years later, this testimony was sent to the church: "The self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men. If you allow this to continue, your faith will soon become extinct." Testimonies to Ministers, p.481.

As we can all see for ourselves, in 2010 the 1903 Constitution is still the order of things. It has been continued until now and that means that "the king is in there still" regardless of the fact that "God wants the Holy Ghost to be King" so that Christ may be the Head of His church which is His body, the Head of every man. (1 Cor.11:3)

sky

[aldona]

This is VERY interesting. I hope the GC personnel have an opportunity to read this.

AJ

[skyblue888]

aldona, thank you for your comment. I said the same thing on Appeal for Gospel Order. I too pray and hope that it will come to the attention of the General Conference personel. If you have not noticed yet, in What Seventh-day Adventists Believe, you can take a good look at the whole of this appeal which is followed by Some History, Experience, and Facts and God's Organization according to the principle revealed at the 1901 General Conference.

God bless,

sky

Note: In Some History, Experience, and Facts, a few posts are from Final Word and Confession regarding the presidency without saying that the info came directly from that brochure.

[skyblue888]

As to the presidencey and representations.

In 1901 the denomination was brought to the very threshold of the Christian and New Testament order. But instead of going on through the open door fully into Evangelical Christianity, in 1902, the whole order was reversed. And that it was reversed, here is the sure evidence:

In the report presented to this Conference by your president, in the section on "organization" the impression is conveyed that what you have now and here in the way of "organization" is the direct and consistent continuation of that which was begun in and by the General Conference of 1901. But by his own words, spoken in May, 1902, in explanation of what had been begun in 1901, anybody can see and know that such impression is not correct.

It will not be necessary to enter into this extendedly. All that is needed is to cite just eight lines. For in these eight lines he stated a principle that is the pivot of this whole matter, and that itself tells the whole story of then and now. As printed in the Bulletin of the European Union Conference held in London, England, in May, 1902, he who is now your president said on "organization" these words:

"As to representation, nobody can represent anybody except himself. All should be the Lord's representatives, but nobody can represent some other person, or a church. A church is 'fully represented' in a conference when all its members are present; but nobody can delegate his mind or his conscience to another. If a person is present at any meeting, he does not require somebody to speak for him." page 2.

That is the truth. It is a splendid statement of a fundamental Christian principle. And in May, 1902, that was stated by him in council as the principle of organization of 1901, and then. And that is the truth. It is the principle of 1901. And in the presence of that principle the present system of 1903 can not stand for a moment. Are you three hundred and twenty-eight delegates, now assembled and sitting here on the principle that "nobody can represent some other person or a church"? This great assembly of the people present at every session of the Conference--are these all preceding on the principle that "if a person is present at any meeting, he does not require somebody else to speak for him"? Is this Conference, or is any other conference of Seventh-day Adventists, conducted in any sense on that principle? On the open face of things the present system is the direct reversal of that principle of 1901.

Now your president, equally with all other men, has full and perfect right to change his mind and reverse his principles whenever he chooses. But when he has changed his mind and reversed his principles, then he has no right to insist that the reversal of principle is the direct and consistent continuance of the original principle. Such a course is the utter confusion of all principle. And for any person to insist on its correctness is only the demonstration that he has lost all use of the faculty of direction.

Also in that Report the impression is conveyed that the chief fault which made necessary the re-organization that was begun in 1901 was the particular size of "the circle of administration"--"the circle was too small." This is also incorrect. The size of the circle was not at all the chief feature; it was what was in the circle. The word that was given is that in that circle "a king is enthroned." Where "a king is enthroned" whether the circle contain five hundred or only five, the principle is the same.

The word then given is, "The Lord wants the Holy Ghost to be King." That is what He wants now, and always, and forever. Will you let the Lord have what He wants? Will you let the Holy Ghost be King? On the principle of 1901, as stated by him who is now your president, the Holy Ghost could easily be King. But the system of 1903 and now, of representation and delegation, carries in itself the whole principle of papal infallibility. And on that principle there is never any place nor any chance for "the Holy Ghost to be King."

That is all that I ask anywhere--simply that the Holy Ghost shall be allowed to be King. And that is not the one great issue of the Third Angel's message. For here stands the great and mighty movement of Federation of churches and religion of and for all the world, passing itself off as "the Kingdom of God." That movement of Church Federation is only the kingdom of man in the place of God. And Sunday observance is the sign and badge of it--while the Sabbath of the Lord is the sign and badge of the Kingdom of God in His own place as God.

The true Kingdom of God or the false kingdom of God--that is now the one and chief issue of the Third Angel's message.

A.T. Jones

[skyblue888]

Sky, you might want to let go of the past and fastforward to the PRESENT!

J.P.

______________

J, don't u remember the oft quoted statement to the effect that we have nothing to fear unless we forget the way the Lord has led in the past. He was leading us in 1901. He told us exactly what to do. We accepted His leading but two years later we in General Conference made of none effect His leading which called for this testimony: "The self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men. If you allow this to continue your faith will soon become extinct." T.M.481.

A revival and a reformation means to go back where we left off. To go back to the past, to 1888 and 1901~

sky

[fccool]

Well, I think it all stems from the idea that Western Democracy is the most perfect form of government...

I'm absolutely with you. No one has a right to make any decisions on my behalf, but we are tricked into allowing people to do so every day in every level of our socio-political, family, economic, and spiritual lives.

It's a lot harder for Satan to control millions of free-thinking and free-acting individuals. It's a lot easier to control the leaders who make decisions on their behalf.

On the other hand... why would we ever want to pattern the church structure after a financial corporation mixed with Catholic hierarchy? It just does not make any sense to me as to why any protestant church, considering the history of protestantism would ever want to first be a financial corporation under government, and then be a top-down religious hierarchy with one man at the top who speaks for the church.

Somehow saying that "it'll be different this time" does not cut it for me . It's like saying... well it never really worked for anyone, but it just might do fine for us.

[skyblue888]

Wow, fccool, cool! I could not have said it better!

I am just simply stunned, just the way you put it! So true! How come hardly anybody seems to notice where this is tending, that we are following in the track of a system that is antagonistic to the first principles of the Reformation, to true protestantism, to the third angel's message itself?

I hope many will read what you just wrote.

God bless,

sky

[fccool]

Sky... it all boils down to this (metaphorically):

Quote:

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [a] us, such as all the other nations have." (we want to be viewed notmal by the world. The world does not understand when you say... God is my leader, and God is my king, and God is my CEO)

6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do..."

It's natural for humans to copy each other so that they appear "normal". God specifically wants us to "not be like the world" , yet most of the people want us to be like the world... to have a distinct and branded name... to have a corporate identity ... to have leaders if form of elected officials (OT leaders were not elected)

The leaders in the Church don't need to be voted on. They naturally arise as the Gifts of the Spirit becomes obvious. You don't have to vote on whether a person sings well. Either he does, or does not... it's not subjective. Likewise, a person of good judgment is self-evident.

There's nothing wrong with nominations, because the merely recognize the existing gifts... but there's no indication that we must elect only 1 person (like a pastor) to lead the church.

Churches had many pastors, many elders, many leaders in various positions. Some were installed and recognized, some naturally arose out of need:

Quote:

The office of judge in this period of Israelite history is not easy to define. The judges were not elected, nor did they inherit their office. They were not appointed in any official way, nor were they anointed. They are referred to as charismatic leaders, because they spontaneously took leadership roles when the need arose. Thus it can be affirmed that God raised them up to deliver Israel." Hill, Andrew E. end John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991.

[skyblue888]

I toatally agree with your last post. We have wandered so far away from the primitive system.

The Scriptures you have chosen go well with Judges 9:7-15 and Judges 8:22,23 and then Judges 9:14-16, and then 1 Cor.11:3.

God bless,

sky

[skyblue888]

The 1901 working order was a return to the New Testament and Christian order of divine organization for the church which is the body of Christ. It is the kingdom of God within you, the kingdom of Christ within each believer, within every individual disciple of the Master in whom God intends that no authority shall be known but His own. (D.A.324,414) And the Sabbath is the sign and badge of this kingdom of God within you.

But the 1903 working order changed all that. It put God aside and re-established the kingdom of man in the place of God in the church. "The self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men. If you allow this to continue your faith will soon become extinct." T.M.481.

Call this order of things whatever you wish (papal even) but do not call it the kingdom of God for it is the kingdom of man in the place of God to bring men under the control of men.

This was the order of things that existed before 1901 and that is why the Lord called for a change, for an entire new organization, to begin at the foundation, and to build upon a different principle. That principle was the principle of self-government in Christ by the Holy Spirit.

True religion leads to self-control and not to the control of one another.

This is "the kingdom of God within you" which is "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Luke 17:21; Rom.14:17)

sky

[skyblue888]

Brother D, (see his post below mine) the thread, An Appeal for Gospel Order was just what it was, an appeal or a call from God for a change, for an entire new organization as anyone can read about it in the 1901 General Conference Bulletin, p.25. That call was not new. It had been heard in previous General Conference meetings but it had not been heeded. It was finally heeded in 1901 and if it had not been officially reversed at the 1903 General Conference, it would have led us away from a centralized order of things, from a monarchy that was taking the denomination on a wrong course, that is, on the track of Rome.

The leading brethren had been building upon a false foundation. Therefore, God was calling to begin at the foundation, to build upon a new principle so that He could finally finish the work and cut it short in righteousness. But the old order of things was allowed to continue and has been allowed to continue ever since. And what is this order of things? "The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice but God being removed, they would place their dependence upon human power, which without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built upon the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure." Special Testimonies, Series B, # 2, 1904.

Notice that Mrs. White wrote these words in 1904, shortly after the 1903 General Conference. Five years later she wrote, "The self-confident management of men has resulted in putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men. If you allow this to continue your faith will soon become extinct." T.M.481. (1909)

By the way David, all the statements you quoted in your post (except for one from Manuscript Releases and there is no year), are from Testimonies to Ministers and they were written in 1892 and 1893 while the 1888 message was still being proclaimed. You don't call the church Babylon when the Lord is sending a message to His professed people in demonstration of the Spirit and power of God, to bring a revival and a reformation within their ranks to enable them to give the loud cry to the world.

But we now know that this call from God was resisted between these years.

Again in 1909 she wrote, "In the false experience that has been coming in, a decided influence is at work to exalt human judgment, and to follow the control of human minds. This influence is diverting the mind from God. God forbid that any such experience should deepen and grow in our ranks as Seventh-day Adventists." Testiomonies to Ministers, p.481.

Let us not forget these words from the Lord, "'Shall I not visit for these things?' Jer.5:9. Because they failed of fulfilling God's purpose, the children of Israel were set aside, and God's call was extended to other peoples. If these too prove unfaithful, will they not in like manner be rejected?" Christ's Object Lessons, p.304.

Like the Jews of old we cherish the idea that we are the favorites of Heaven and that we are always to be exalted as the church of God. We declare that we are the last church, the "remnant church," and so firm does the foundation of our prosperity seem to us that we are prepared to defy earth and Heaven to dispossess us of our rights. But by lives of unfaithfulness we, like the Jews, are preparing for the condemnation of heaven and for separation from God.

In 1905, Mrs. White wrote, "One thing it is certain is soon to be realized, the great apostasy, which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger (putting God aside and accepting the devisings of men), will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout." Special Testimonies, Series B, # 7, p.56-57, Dec.4, 1905. *parenthesis supplied

A year later, on July 4, 1906, she wrote, "The Lord declares that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work." 2 S.M.390.

Two years later, she wrote these solemn words, "Satan is now more earnestly engaged in playing the game of life for souls than at any previous time." Review and Herald, Nov.19, 1908.

Five years later, in Oct. 16, 1913, she wrote, "Principles have been perverted. Men have been departing from the right principles... They have failed of doing the very work God had ordained should be done to preprare a people." Southern Union Worker, Nashville, Tenn. Oct. 16, 1913.

And now, 107 years after 1913, we are still wandering in this wilderness of sin and sorrow and the present order of things is that which God called us away from in 1901. There are to be no more presidents of the General Conference or Union or Local conferences. The principle of self-government in Christ by the Holy Spirit is the foundation the Lord laid in 1901, calling us away from the track of Romanism, away from a system that brings men under the control of men.

Will we continue to reject this call? Will we continue to put God aside, accepting the devisings of men?

And let us not forget that if God has been removed, how can this organization be kept by the power of God?

"Organizations, institutions, unless kept by the power of God will work under Satan's dictation; and fraud and guile will bear the semblance of zeal for truth and for the advancement of the Kingdom of God," (T.M.366) when in reality it is nothing but a zeal for the advancement of the kingdom of man in the place of God in the church..

sky

_______________________________________________

Yes we are in the omega of apostasy and we have brought into the Seventh Day Adventist church things that should not be among us. Worships styles,etc. We have been drinking of the wine of Babylon(false doctrine). We have even gone against the counsel God has given us on how to run our schools and sanitariums(hospitals). We have even gone too far as to change our logo from the 3 angels to a flickering flame. Also we have certain issues in the church like evolution. But Let me say this I am proud to be a Seventh Day Adventist and I am not ashamed of the message(the Mighty clever of truth) that God has given us(including the Sanctuary message). We must always remember what the bible says in Revelation 12:17 that "the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.(Spirit of Prophecy). Satan is making war on God's church, why? because God has given us a message that will literally hasten his soon return, a message of truth. We are special. With that said the Seventh Day Adventist Church is NOT Babylon nor can it ever be Babylon. Now alot of these "Apostates"(not trying to be rude or judge anyone) claim to believe in the Spirit of Prophecy, well let us see what sister White has to say about this issue.

Those who advocate error will say, "The Lord saith," "when the Lord hath not spoken." They testify to falsehood, and not to truth. If those who have been proclaiming the message that the church is Babylon had used the money expended in publishing and circulating this error, in building up, instead of tearing down, they would have made it evident that they were the people whom God is leading. {TM 43.1}

I testify to my brethren and sisters that the church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard. {TM 15.1}

My brother, if you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong.--TM 50

To claim that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, is to make the same claim as does Satan, who is an accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before God night and day. By this misusing of the Testimonies, souls are placed in perplexity, because they cannot understand the relation of then Testimonies to such a position as is taken by those in error; for God intended that the Testimonies should always have a setting in the framework of truth. {TM 42.1}

"My brother, I learn that you are taking the position that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, and that all that would be saved must come out of her. You are not the only man the devil has deceived in this matter. For the last forty years, one man after another has arisen, claiming that the Lord has sent him with the same message; but let me tell you, as I have told them, that this message you are proclaiming is one of the satanic delusions designed to create confusion among the churches. {TM 58.4}

Those who assert that the Seventh-day Adventist churches constitute Babylon, or any part of Babylon, might better stay at home. Let them stop and consider what is the message to be proclaimed at this time. In place of working with divine agencies to prepare a people to stand in the day of the Lord, they have taken their stand with him who is an accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before God day and night. Satanic agencies have been moved from beneath, and they have inspired men to unite in a confederacy of evil, that they may perplex, harass, and cause of the people of God great distress. The whole world is to be stirred with enmity against Seventh-day Adventists, because they will not yield homage to the papacy, by honoring Sunday, the institution of this antichristian power. It is the purpose of Satan to cause them to be blotted from the earth, in order that his supremacy of the world may not be disputed. {TM 36.2}

Again I say, The Lord hath not spoken by any messenger who calls the church that keeps the commandments of God, Babylon. True, there are tares with the wheat; but Christ said He would send His angels to first gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into the garner. I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be disorganized or broken up into independent atoms. There is not the least consistency in this; there is not the least evidence that such a thing will be. Those who shall heed this false message and try to leaven others will be deceived and prepared to receive advanced delusions, and they will come to nought. {MR311 6.3}

D

[skyblue888]

In the last 30 years I have often come across these statements, presented by different writers in a very similar fashion as our brother B just did, (see his post below mine)but these statements only tell us WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN if we had embraced and not resisted the light of precious truth when God sent it to us between 1888 and 1901! What might have been if we had believed God implicitly when He told us in clear, distinct lines that the merits of His Son were sufficient to present before Him in our behalf to receive all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace!

And WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN if we had not refused to walk in the advancing light when in 1901 God told us that He wanted a change, that He wanted an entire new organization, how He wanted us to begin at the foundation, to build upon a different principle, the principle of self-goverment in Christ by the Holy Spirit!

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN if we had accepted the Holy Spirit as king instead of a man presiding over His purchased possession! What might have been if we had accepted Him and His way instead of putting Him aside and accepting the devisings of men to bring men under the control of men!

Before the loud cry can go to the world, it must first go to the professed people of God. The principles of God's dealing with men are ever the same. Before the disciples of Christ went to the Gentiles, the Jewish people received two definite calls to accept the offer of mercy, to accept Christ as their king and to trust in His all-sufficient merits only for their full and free salvation.

The first call came to them before the crucifixion but the invitation was made light of. The second and final call came after the crucifixion at the time of Pentecost but that call which was the offer of pardon for crucifiying the Lord of Glory, and which was given in demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit, only exasperated the Jewish leaders who then turned upon the bearers of that message (there was a great persecution which ended with the stoning of Stephen) and thus in A.D.34 the Jewish nation sealed her rejection of God's mercy. Then it was that the disciples of Christ and their converts were forced to go to the Gentiles with their message.

These things happened unto them as examples and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages are come. (1 Cor.10:11)

The loud cry message to the church today is the final invitation to the professed people of God to receive the righteousness of Christ which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. His righteousness is to be imputed and imparted to us as we appropriate to ourselves the all-sufficient merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. As we do this on a daily basis, we receive the blessings of pardon and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit that we may go from grace to grace, from strength to strength, and from victory to victory.

The acceptance of this most precious message implies a change, an entire new organization. "'The Head of every man is Christ.' God, who put all things under the Saviour's feet, 'gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.' (1 Cor.11:3; Eph.1:22,23) The church is built upon Christ as its foundation; it is to obey Christ as its Head. It is not to depend upon man, or to be controlled by man. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other man shall believe and what they shall do. This claim God does not sanction.' The Saviour declares, 'All ye are brethren.' All are exposed to temptation, and are liable to error. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency." D.A.414.

"Unless He makes it his lifebusiness to behold the uplifted Saviour and to accept the merits which it is his privilege to claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eyes fixed steadily upon Jesus."

This statement was written with the 1888 message in context as found in Testimonies to Ministers, p.93 under the Subtitle, "Resisting the Light."

Then in 1901 the Lord said, "What we want is a reorganization. We want to begin at the foundation, and to build upon a different principle." E.G. White, 1901 General Conference Bulletin, p.25.

Christ was to be that foundation and the principle of that foundation is the principle of self-government in Christ by the Holy Spirit.

This matter has been thoroughly covered in details in An Appeal for Gospel Order and in other threads as well.

Therefore to be wide awake now means to receive and apply to ourselves the 1888 message of righteousness by faith in the merits of Christ and building upon the 1901 Gospel Order for the edification (building) of His church which is His body.

sky

Truth Soon to Triumph.--The end is near, stealing upon us stealthily, imperceptibly, like the noiseless approach of a thief in the night. May the Lord grant that we shall no longer sleep as do others, but that we shall watch and be sober. The truth is soon to triumph gloriously, and all who now choose to be laborers together with God, will triumph with it. The time is short; the night soon cometh when no man can work.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 135. (1909) {Ev 692.1}

Conversion as at Pentecost.--The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit.--Review and Herald, June 29, 1905. {Ev 692.2}

Thousands Yet to Step Into Light.--Many have let the gospel invitation go unheeded; they have been tested and tried; but mountainous obstacles have seemed to loom up before their faces, blocking their onward march. Through faith, perseverance, and courage, many will surmount these obstructions and walk out into the glorious light. {Ev 692.3}

Almost unconsciously barriers have been erected in the strait and narrow way; stones of stumbling have been placed in the path; these will be rolled away. The safeguards which false shepherds have thrown around

693

their flocks will become as nought; thousands will step out into the light, and work to spread the light. Heavenly intelligences will combine with the human agencies. Thus encouraged, the church will indeed arise and shine, throwing all her sanctified energies into the contest; thus the design of God is accomplished; the lost pearls are recovered. {Ev 692.4}

Prophets have discerned this grand work afar off, and have caught the inspiration of the hour, and traced the wonderful description of things yet to be. --Review and Herald, July 23, 1895. {Ev 693.1}

Many Backsliders Will Return.--When the storm of persecution really breaks upon us, the true sheep will hear the true Shepherd's voice. Self-denying efforts will be put forth to save the lost, and many who have strayed from the fold will come back to follow the great Shepherd. The people of God will draw together, and present to the enemy a united front. . . . The love of Christ, the love of our brethren, will testify to the world that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Then will the message of the third angel swell to a loud cry, and the whole earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord.--Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 401. (1900) {Ev 693.2}

Influenced by the Press.--God will soon do great things for us, if we lie humble and believing at His feet. . . .More than one thousand will soon be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first convictions to the reading of our publications.-- Review and Herald, Nov. 10, 1885. {Ev 693.3}

The Power of 1844 Repeated.--The power which stirred the people so mightily in the 1844 movement will again be revealed. The third angel's message will go forth, not in whispered tones, but with a loud voice. --Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 252. (1885)

694{Ev 693.4}

The Loud Cry.--During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere.--Review and Herald, Oct. 13, 1904. {Ev 694.1}

The Reason for the Delay

Deferred in Mercy.--The long night of gloom is trying, but the morning is deferred in mercy, because if the Master should come, so many would be found unready. God's unwillingness to have His people perish, has been the reason of so long delay.-- Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 194. (1868) {Ev 694.2}

The Work Might Have Been Done.--Had the purpose of God been carried out by His people in giving to the world the message of mercy, Christ would, ere this, have come to the earth, and the saints would have received their welcome into the city of God.-- Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 450. (1900) {Ev 694.3}

I know that if the people of God had preserved a living connection with Him, if they had obeyed His Word, they would today be in the heavenly Canaan. --General Conference Bulletin, March 30, 1903. {Ev 694.4}

Satan Has Stolen a March on Us.--If every watchman on the walls of Zion had given the trumpet a certain sound, the world might ere this have heard the message of warning. But the work is years behind. While men have slept, Satan has stolen a march upon us.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 29. (1909){Ev 694.5}

No Failure of God's Promises.--The angels of God in their messages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we hoped. But has the Word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and the threatenings of God are alike conditional. {Ev 695.1}

God had committed to His people a work to be accomplished on earth. The third angel's message was to be given, the minds of believers were to be directed to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ had entered to make atonement for His people. The Sabbath reform was to be carried forward. The breach in the law of God must be made up. The message must be proclaimed with a loud voice, that all the inhabitants of earth might receive the warning. The people of God must purify their souls through obedience to the truth, and be prepared to stand without fault before Him at His coming. {Ev 695.2}

Had Adventists, after the great disappointment in 1844, held fast their faith and followed on unitedly in the opening providence of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would have come ere this to receive His people to their reward. But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that followed the disappointment, many of the advent believers yielded their faith. . . . Thus the work was hindered, and the world was left in darkness. Had the whole Adventist body united upon the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, how widely different would have been our history! {Ev 695.3}

It was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be thus delayed. God did not design that His people, Israel, should wander forty years in the wilderness. He promised to lead them directly to the land of Canaan, and establish them there a holy, healthy, happy people. But those to whom it was first preached, went not in "because of unbelief." Their hearts were filled with murmuring, rebellion, and hatred, and He could not fulfill His covenant with them. {Ev 696.1}

For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord's professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.--Manuscript 4, 1883. {Ev 696.2}

Charge It Not to God.--We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ's sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action.--Letter 184, 1901. {Ev 696.3}

We May Hasten the Day.--By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord's return.--The Desire of Ages, p. 633. (1898) {Ev 696.4}

It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.--Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 22, 23. (1904) {Ev 696.5}

When the Message Is Finished.--It [the coming of the Lord] will not tarry past the time that the message is borne to all nations, tongues, and peoples. Shall we who claim to be students of prophecy forget that God's forbearance to the wicked is a part of the vast and merciful plan by which He is seeking to compass the salvation of souls?--Review and Herald, June 18, 1901. {Ev 697.1}