Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 20 (1905)

Ms 70a, 1905

Remarks of Mrs. E. G. White to the Delegates of the Thirty-sixth session of the General Conference

Takoma Park, Washington, D.C.

May 30, 1905, 11 A.M.

Previously unpublished.

I was requested to read a few pages that have been written. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 1

I desire that all should understand matters in the right light. The messages given at the Conference in 1901 and since that time, that our Sanitariums should not be linked up with the Medical Missionary association at Battle Creek, were plain enough to be understood by all our medical workers. Had our physicians, whom God has greatly honored by giving them light and encouragement, listened to the counsels and warnings that have been given them, they would have saved themselves and our people generally from many perplexities and temptations. The Lord designed that these men should be his physicians—light-bearers to the world—but they have misappropriated the words of warning, and the enemy has been permitted to work a strange work among those who should have stood as standard bearers of the truth. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 2

The book “The Living Temple” contains specious, deceptive sentiments regarding the personality of God and of Christ. The Lord opened before me the true meaning of these sentiments, showing men that, unless they were steadfastly repudiated, they would deceive, if possible, the very elect. Precious truths and beautiful sentiments were woven in with dangerous errors. The precious representations of God that have been given me are so misconstrued as to appear to uphold and sustain falsehood originated by the great apostate. Sentiments that belong to the revealing's of God are mingled with specious, deceptive theories of satanic agencies. In the controversy over these theories, it has been asserted that I believed and taught the same things that I have been instructed to condemn in the book “The Living Temple.” This I positively deny. In the name of Jesus Christ on Nazareth I say that this is not so. Truths are being used to serve the purpose of upholding theories that I have repeatedly condemned. There are those who persist in taking precious representations given me of God, and weaving them in sentiments that God never designed should be presented to his people. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 3

You bear that in mind. They take the sentiments of error, and then they remove the beautiful things which the Lord has presented to me to clothe the truth, and to make the truth attractive. They have taken those, and planted them right in the midst of their errors, as if to strengthen their position by this course. Now they have stolen the beautiful light of heaven to carry out their false sentiments, and I cannot but deny it. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 4

Weaving these sentiments that God never designed should be presented to his people into a connection which they present. I protest against this use of my writings; and I am forced to speak to this conference, saying, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” [Galatians 6:7.] 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 5

He who misplaces and misapplies the precious things of God is sinning against heaven. I had hoped that these matters would be straightened out at this Conference. I had hoped that, after the many decided warnings that have been sent to our medical workers at Battle Creek, they would take a stand for the right and for truth, and remove the stumbling-blocks out of the way. But another opportunity has passed by unimproved; and I cannot, and will not, keep silent. The truth of God is imperiled. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 6

The students who have gone to Battle Creek to obtain an education in medical missionary lines are in danger of receiving specious errors. In the name of the Lord, I say to our people, Let you children receive instruction in medical missionary lines from those who are true and loyal to the faith of the truth which the Lord has been laying out before us for nearly a half a century, or I might say quite a half a century. Those who are true and loyal to the faith which has been delivered to the people of God under the ministration of the Holy Spirit: It stands in truth and righteousness. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 7

Amidst the perils of these last days this truth is to shine forth as a lamp that burneth. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 8

When Dr. Kellogg receives the messages of warning given during the past twenty years; when he is sincerely converted; when he acts as a consistent, level-headed Christian worker; when his energies are devoted to carrying forward medical missionary work in right lines; when he bears a testimony that has in it no signs of double meaning or of misconstruction of the light God has given, then we may have confidence that he is seeking to follow the light; but until then we have no right, any of us, to regard him as a safe leader or teacher in the interpretation of the scriptures. He will confuse minds, and will mingle specious, scientific errors with the instruction that he gives. It is not right to allow the seductive influence to be breathed by men and women who are training to be Christian missionaries, for thus they will be deceived and led away from the truths that Christ gave to John to give to the churches. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 9

It has been presented to me, that, in view of Dr. Kellogg's course of action at the Berrien Springs meeting, and at Oakland, we are not to treat him as a man led and instructed and taught of God, who should be invited to attend our general meetings as a teacher and leader. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 10

Now this subject has been kept before me for more than twenty years. My husband has been dead twenty years, and before he died, things came in. Dr. Kellogg came into my room; I was occupying one of the large rooms at the office as my home. I had two or three rooms there, and he got a great light; and he sat down and told what his light was: it is just the same theories or errors, the same sophistries, that he is presenting, and did present in “Living Temple.” I said, “Dr. Kellogg, I have met that.” I met it when I first started out to travel. I met it in the North; I met it in New Hampshire. I saw the curse of its influence in Massachusetts, and the testimonies that were given to me were right to the point that we were not to have anything of this kind to be taught in our churches. And I talked with him. I gave the history—I have not time to give it to you here. I gave him the history of how that was treated by the Spirit of God, and how we as a people must escape the sophistries and delusions. And it was ministers that were deceiving the people with these sophistries. I will not tell you what they led to—it may have to come; but I will not tell you now what they led to; but I will tell you what this sophistry leads to: It leads to the nonentity of Christ, to the nonentity of God, his personality, and brings in,—what shall I call it?—a sort of manufactured theory of God and Christ. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 11

Now, we are to repudiate that in the name of the Lord. And I talked with him. “Why,” said I, “do you know where that leads?” I was instructed, and they took the instructions down just as they were given, as they came from the lips while I was in vision—they took it right down. And said I, “Read the dangers of these things.” I had to command people, and I had to tell them about the matter—only I was—well I was young, quite young—before I was married. These things I laid out before him, and what the outcome is. I laid that out before him. He seemed to be dazed—dazed. Said I, “Don't you ever attempt in this institution to ever teach that theory, or to bring out any of these sophistries before the people. Don't you ever attempt it.” Said I, “Let us pray.” We knelt down, and we pleaded with God, and the Spirit of God came into the room, and I talked with him and labored with him on that point. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 12

Now it is no use to go into the history; but I have had that history to meet,—the very same sentiments all the way through my experience. One after another would come up with their wonderful, wonderful theories. Snook and Brinkerhoff came up with their sentiments, and we tried to convince them it was wrong. But they said, “We are going to take it before the people.” One of them said he would talk a half an hour, my husband a half an hour, and I to talk a half an hour. That was at Pilot Grove (Iowa). And we talked this matter over, and we had a complete victory. These men came to Battle Creek, and everything they could pervert they perverted. And so they told all around that Elder White came into the pitched tent there with his arm right around a woman, and led her the whole length of the tent and seated her there. He told that, and they spread it all around, that Elder White was not a safe man. Well, my husband in his speech, said he, “I own to doing that very thing. I put my arm around a woman, and led her the whole length of the tent to the front seat and gave her an easy seat; and it was my good old mother, in whose lap I have sat, and whose arms encircled me in my babyhood.” Now there was a laugh at such sophistry as that. It was truth, don't you see? It was truth. But there are just such things as that. The truth is taken and so mixed up and mixed up with the carnality of man that it seems that it would deceive, if possible, the very elect. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 13

We took every point away from these men. After we had got home from the meeting there came up an awful thunderstorm. We were in Brother Nicola's house, where we made it our home—Father Nicola, that we are all well acquainted with—his labors in Battle Creek and other places—there was our home. And while we were sitting there, this awful thunderstorms came; and soon—the next morning it was—these men came; said they, “I have come with a flag of truce.” But they wanted to know first what you are going to do. “We want to know if you are going to trust us, and send us into the field again; if you are, we would come along.” We told them we had nothing to do with that at all. We told them if they had anything to say in the line of confession to say it, and we would respect what they said. We respect your flag of truce, and we want you to work on a high and elevated platform. Then they began to confess and confess themselves all out, and said, “We want it published in the paper.” That is what they ordered to be done. And we published it; but it was not but a few months, or a short time, before they were all adrift again. It was not in the heart. I will tell you what frightened them: While they were at Brother Adams's, just a short way from Brother Nicola's, there was that awful thunderstorm came, and awful lightning, and the men were so scared. The lightning struck the very spot where they had been; and they ran into the house and jumped into the bed. And one got on one side, and the other crawled over him onto the other side, and there they groaned and prayed and confessed right there. But what about that thunderbolt? It came on the very spot where they had taken their feet off of, and that scared them. It plowed a hole right in the ground. If there are any of that family of Adams and Nicolas, they know all about it, and about what took place. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 14

(Elders D. T. Shireman and R. M. Kilgore said they were there at the time, and remembered about the circumstances just related.) 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 15

We have only told you a little page of the history. We had history after history of the same thing; and I want to say that everybody and anybody would take that history but one man, and that is Dr. Kellogg. If he gets his mind made up and set, there is no power of influence apparently that will turn him from the position that he takes. That is the most discouraging feature in his case. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 16

Now, the only way that I can stand correct before this people and before this body is to take the history that I have written to guard and to encourage him all the way back, and to show how God has been speaking to him to keep him from the very position now that he is going into the most terrible position, that will indeed prove to the loss of his soul unless he shall be interrupted in the course. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 17

But the strangest part of it is that his associates, the physicians right around him seem to act as though they were paralyzed as though they did not know enough to tell him, “You are on the wrong track.” They are afraid to do it. And I want to tell you in the name of the Lord, if we do not stand up to the standard God has given us, everyone will be in that position. Fastened amid the delusions of these last days are the associates, plastering things all over, just as though he was saint, when the works have been going on, and they have known it, but they would not put their hand upon it. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 18

I hope the “woe unto you lawyers!” [Luke 11:52] will not come upon anyone that has professedly unbelief of the truth; for if these lawyers will permit the things to be woven in that will undermine in any way the truths of God's people in the medical missionary work or in the ministry, just as surely will God take them in hand. It is a perilous work. We may go to lawyers entirely outside of our people—there are lawyers that are straightforward—and put the whole thing right into their hands; but do you think we want to do that? Do you think we want to expose a great bundle of forgeries and one thing and another that have taken place. No; we do not want to do it. We do not want to do it. We want that the thing should be healed, if possible. But let every man that has mind and brains see where he is going. That is what we want. We do not want Dr. Kellogg to destroy himself; nor we do not want any of those that are associated with him, because he has been an unbalanced man for a long time upon these subjects,—and we do not want that they should help him down to the last step in his ruin. I have told him the truth, and I have written page after page, and page after page, warning, entreating, and imploring him. But he came to the position where he said he would surrender, and sent a letter at Melrose. I took it to Brother Nicola. Said I, “Brother Nicola, what shall I do with this? Here Dr. Kellogg said he would surrender; but he has not written a single scratch what he will surrender. I do not know what he surrenders.” He said, “I have surrendered.” He made a confession before the students, and before the nurses I think it was, in the gymnasium hall, and he told them that he has been wrong, etc. But he kept right on in the same course. He did not change. I wanted to know how he was changed. Some say he is an entirely changed man. I would like to have them tell me where. The light that God has given me, it is no such thing. It is a false testimony; and in the name of the Lord, I want, if you can save the man, to save him. But do not justify him in the course of underhand grasping that has been carried on for years, that this should have to appear before the world. We do not want it to appear; but we want that everyone should come to the position that they will stand by the truth, that they will advocate the truth, and stand as men of war. The light that was given me was that the battle would come to the point where it seemed as though that the devil would have the victory, and then God would work and sway it back. Then it would come again, and it was three times I think that the battle came in that way, and we had to press and press against an influence that was satanic in its tendency. And it is time for me to call things by their right names. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 19

When they have come to me and plead with me, and entreated me—mothers—“Can't you do something for me, Sister White? Can't you do something to break this spell that is upon my children?” “Why,” said they, “our children say, ‘I did believe Sister White's testimony, and it made me very happy because I thought we had such an assurance; but of late my confidence is all unsettled. It is a word spoken here, and a word spoken there, and it is uprooting my confidence and what shall I do?’” 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 20

There is a case at College View. He would not come out to the meetings, and he is a man grown, and has children; but he says, “I have lost all hope of my soul. Oh,” said he, “I did have hope; I did have courage, but they have taken it all away from me when they tore away the foundation of the testimonies. It was point by point, and point by point; and now I am adrift, and I feel that I am a lost soul.” 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 21

But I will not hold you here any longer; but there is enough of this that we might understand, and I am terrified for our people, to think that they act like blind men, as though they could not call wrong, wrong, and righteousness, righteousness. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 22

But I have had an experience in these things ever since I was sixteen years old. Then I said, Why is it laid upon me, why is it laid upon me, that I have got to get right up before these congregations, and point out the sins? Well, the men said, that lived in the place, “I can tell you, Sister White: If one of us should present one of those things before these men and those women that are bringing in these love-sick sentimentalism and that line of error, just as soon as we did, we would find our place in jail. They have got lawyers, and they would go right to the lawyers, and they would try it, and they would shut us up in prison, some of us; but they would find out how the things went, and let us out.” 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 23

Now these things have been acted over, and when I tell them, “It is just what I have seen, just what I understand,” they could scarcely believe it, that it could be acted over again; but it is right in our midst. It was right in “Living Temple,” to be accepted. But now I will not say any more. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 24

For Christ's sake, put on the armor and stand, having on the whole armor. What do you mean? What did he mean?—Why, here they were to meet principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places; therefore they were to put on the whole armor of God, and having done all, to stand. We want somebody that has done all. We want men that will work as though they had not their eyes blind; we want them to arise like men; and we must have in every part of our work honesty and fidelity, and we will have it. God grant that we shall have it, that there shall not be a particle of work that shall be touched that will bring in dishonesty and fraud and all these things. Brethren, we need to be alarmed. May God help us that we may come to the right position is my prayer. 20LtMs, Ms 70a, 1905, par. 25