Replies to Elder Canright’s Attacks on Seventh-day Adventists

MRS WHITE AND HER WORK

CONNECTED with the Seventh-day Adventist movement from the beginning there has been one by whom this people believe that God has been pleased to reveal many things through vision. There has been no effort to conceal this work, but, on the contrary, the books setting it forth have gone everywhere in the front rank with other books. They have been openly advertised for sale to all purchasers, and all have been publicly invited to examine the matter for themselves. RCASDA 74.2

The fact that a woman, a public and prominent laborer in this cause, has visions, is considered a splendid point of attack by the enemies of this work, and the mad-dog cry is immediately started—“Jezebel.” “sorcery,” “Swedenborgianism,” “Shakerism,” “Mormonism,” etc. Eld. Canright, having now determined to tear down the cause he has labored for years to build up, starts out on the same line of policy, joins this unworthy crowd, and commences his attacks upon Mrs. White. RCASDA 74.3

What reason have these people for making her the object of so much venom and vilification?—None whatever. Personally she has never done them an injury, nor given them any cause of complaint. She has adhered steadily to the work to which she believes the Lord has called her, laboring to clear her soul from every shadow of unfaithfulness, by earnestly warning against every sin, and exhorting all to the work of thorough repentance and the practice of every Christian virtue; and not once since the commencement of her work, has she deigned to step down into the arena to dabble with the floods of misrepresentation that have been poured out after her, nor to enter into personal controversy with any of her defamers. For the sake of truth and justice, however, others have seen fit from time to time to pay a little attention to these things, as on the present occasion. RCASDA 74.4

The first attempt made is to represent us as holding the visions in a manner to supersede the Bible. Thus Eld. C. says:— RCASDA 75.1

“Mrs. E. G. White, wife of the late Eld. White, leader of the Seventh-day Adventists, claims to be divinely inspired as were the prophets of the Bible. This claim is accepted by the whole denomination. They defend her inspiration as earnestly as they do that of the Bible.” “Among themselves they quote her as we do Paul.” “Thus they have another Bible, just the same as the Mormons do.” And Mr. Morton says: “If the apostles contradict her ‘visions’ and ‘Testimonies,’ so much the worse for the apostles!” RCASDA 75.2

All these utterances are designed to convey the impression that we place the visions of sister White on a level with, or even above, the Bible; and that, as Mr. Morton says, if the writings of the apostles did not agree with her views, we would discard the declarations of the apostles, and receive her testimonies in preference thereto. We indignantly repel all such insinuations. These things have been reiterated long enough. Let a single line from any of our published works be produced, if it can be found, sustaining any such view. If it cannot be found, will they cease the calumniation? This, surely, is a reasonable challenge. RCASDA 75.3

Is it necessary that we state our position again? We stand on the great Protestant platform that “the Bible and the Bible alone” is our rule of faith and practice. We believe that God by his grace and his providence has given existence to the book we call “the Bible” as a revelation of his will to man; that holy men wrote it, as God spoke to them face to face, or moved upon them by the Holy Spirit, or revealed truths to them in visions or dreams, or by the influence of his Spirit called up to unerring remembrance experiences through which they had passed; that thereby we have a volume composed of the Old and New Testaments, which God calls his “two witnesses” (Revelation 11:3); that this volume is complete in itself, and is to have nothing taken from it nor added to it; and that this is set forth as the standard and test of all moral teaching, all spiritual exercises, and all revelation purporting to be either human or divine. The skeptic would call this a very fanatical view of the Scriptures; but so we hold, nevertheless. RCASDA 75.4

But these Scriptures make provision for the operation of the Holy Spirit, not only in ordinary, but in extraordinary methods in the church to the end of time. These latter are explicitly enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. They have been expressly “set in the church.” 1 Corinthians 12:28. Prophecies of their especial revival in the last days, are numerous. See Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Revelation 12:17; etc. Among these is expressly mentioned the gift of “prophecy” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 10; 13:2); and in Joel’s prophecy of the operation of the Spirit in the last days, “prophesying, seeing visions, and dreaming dreams” are particularly mentioned, showing that the gift of prophecy is to be manifested through vision. But what was given in this way would not constitute another Bible nor an addition to the Bible. The gifts were in general operation in the days of the apostles. But when Paul said that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” there is no evidence that he referred to the work of the four daughters of Philip, the evangelist, “which did prophesy” (Acts 21:9), nor of Philip when and angel of the Lord spoke to him, and instructed him to go toward the south, where he met the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26), nor of Cornelius when he was instructed in vision by an angel to send for Peter (Acts 10:3), nor of those who came down from Jerusalem. Acts 21:11. Nor has “the abundance of the revelations” with which Paul was favored (2 Corinthians 12:7), been incorporated into the book known as “the volume of inspiration.” They probably related more to the local duties and necessities of those times. But in all these instances, as well as those mentioned above, God was imparting instruction to his people by his Holy Spirit; though it was not designed to enter into that volume which he was preparing for the world as a general revelation of his will. RCASDA 76.1

In saying this, we detract in no jot or tittle from the sacredness or importance of the gift of prophecy in the church, nor of our obligation to be instructed thereby. When a manifestation is given, and, being tested by the Scriptures, is found in the circumstances of its giving, its nature, and its tendency to be a genuine operation of the Spirit, we would submit to any candid person to say how it should be regarded. It comes to us as a divine message; it is “a ray of light from the throne”; it is instruction by the Holy Spirit; and to resist it, knowingly, is to resist the Spirit, as did the Jews to whom Stephen said; “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye.” Acts 7:51. RCASDA 76.2

The manifestation of the gift of prophecy, ordinarily, according to the cases referred to, involves a vision; and a vision involves the agency of angels, as “He saw in vision... an angel of God coming in to him.” etc. Acts 10:3. The one in vision talks with the angel, and receives instruction from him. So Paul, in vision, was caught up into the third heaven, into paradise, evidently into the presence of God, and heard words not possible to be expressed in human speech (2 Corinthians 12:1-4, Margin); and when a person under such circumstances receives a message from the Lord to be imparted to men, could he, or she, say anything less than that it was a message from the Lord, and whatever treatment they accorded to it, it was to the Lord and not to her? In so saying she does not “vault herself right into the place of God himself,” as is “slanderously reported.” Romans 3:8; Advocate, Oct. 8, 1887. If, to illustrate, the President of the United States should send a message by a courier to the collector of customs at New York, and the courier should tell the collector that it was a message form the President, and that as he treated it, so he would be treating the President, would he thereby “vault himself right into” the presidential chair? Nonsense! RCASDA 77.1

And the angelic agency may be the same that was employed in the visions of Daniel and John. John says: “And I fell at his had charge of the gift of prophecy, or was the one particularly concerned in the manifestation of that gift; and that, as he was the one then present with John, he would be the one present with those who had in exercise the gift of prophecy. This angle can easily be identified with the one through whom Daniel received communications. RCASDA 77.2

And the operation of the gift of prophecy, the “seeing visions,” according to the prophecy of the last days, may be in circumstance and manner, almost if not quite identical with those of the visions given in the times of both Daniel and John. At any rate, the condition of sister White in vision corresponds exactly with that of Daniel and John, as they have themselves described it. See Daniel 8:27; 10:8-17; Revelation 1:17. RCASDA 78.1

But now Eld. Canright comes forth in the role of a medical examiner, and pronounces all sister White’s visions the result of catalepsy, hysteria, and ecstasy! On the same grounds we may decide that Daniel and John had some wonderful cataleptic fits; for the conditions are the same. Does he know that in this cavil he is following in the footsteps of skeptics who bring the same objection against the visions and the revelations of the Scriptures themselves, that is, that they are the result of diseased bodies and disordered imaginations? But such is the fact, as noticed by Dr. Geikie. Let us see how we could ever have a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy on this hypothesis. “I will pour out my Spirit,” says the Lord, “upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” The time arrives, the Spirit is poured our, and some daughter in Israel begins to have visions. Of course the truth has its enemies, and especially every manifestation of the Spirit meets with violent opposition. And as the conditions of one in vision become manifest-suspension of all external senses, no strength, no breath, unconsciousness to all earthly scenes, as seen in all true visions according to the Scripture narratives-they cry our, “Oh! no vision! no fulfillment of prophecy! cataleptic fit!” RCASDA 78.2

We shall not attempt to follow our new doctor into all the profundity of this medical science, but may be allowed to refer to a fact or two which are within the comprehension of common people. Webster quotes Dunglison as his best authority on medical question; and under “catalepsy” he says: “(Med.) A sudden suspension of the action of the senses and of volition, the body and limbs preserving the position given them, while the action of the heart and lungs continues.—Dunglison.” But in the case of sister White, the body and limbs do not preserve the position given them, do not retain a fixed position, but she makes such calm and graceful gestures as the nature of the scene before her suggests; and the action of the lungs does not continue. So there cannot be much catalepsy here. Under “hysteria” he says: “(Med.) A species of neurosis or nervous affection, generally occurring in paroxysms, the principal characteristics of which consist in alternate fits of laughing and crying, with a sensation as if a ball... proceeded through the stomach, chest, and neck, producing a sense of strangulation, It is sometimes attended with convulsions, and is variable as to the time of attacking a person. Dunglison.” Wonderfully like sister White when in vision, isn’t it, as those can testify who have witnessed it! It is enough to give a man catalepsy, hysteria, and everything else, to hear such things applied to her, Such a wonderful case of catalepsy ought to engage the attention of the medical fraternity throughout the United States. RCASDA 78.3

We cannot dwell longer upon this part of the subject. In his closing article in the Advocate, he devotes a portion of the space to “Mrs. White’s Mistakes;” and in a few words respecting these, the reader may be interested. RCASDA 79.1

1. The old shut-door hobgoblin is again thrust forward. As the first mistake, it is charged upon her that she saw in vision that there was no more salvation for sinners after 1844. This we deny in toto. See explanations on another page and in different numbers of the REVIEW, and other works, especially in “Early Writings.” RCASDA 79.2

2. She represents that there will be slaves when Jesus comes; but there are now no slaves. Hence there is here a great mistake. Is any one able to predict to a certainty that there will be no slaves when Christ appears? Not only is the vision involved in this matter, but Revelation 6:14-17, as well. That speaks of “free men” and “bondmen” together, when the great day of wrath comes. Revelation 18:13 also speaks of slaves as a part of the merchandise of great Babylon, at the time of her destruction. We know that political and social chaos is before this nation, and who can tell to what lengths the bad traits of men will then carry them? It is altogether too soon to predicate a failure on this point. RCASDA 79.3

3. “Nations angry” thirty-eight years ago. He thinks “it takes them a long time to get fighting mad.” The anger of the nations began with the great revolution of 1848. They have been “fighting mad” much of the time since; but the winds have been held. Revelation 7:1. RCASDA 79.4

4,5 and 6. “Some looking too far off for the coming of the Lord.” “Time for Jesus to be in the most holy place nearly finished.” “A few months only [left] in 1849.” See all these fully explained in “Answers to Objections to the Visions.” RCASDA 80.1

7. “She broke the Sabbath for eleven years.” All she saw upon the subject was, that the Sabbath commenced at “even.” Astronomical and nautical science was allowed to fix “even” at 6 o’clock, till a further examination showed that the Bible will admit of no other definition of “even’ for the commencement of the day but sunset. This shows the danger of letting “science” govern Biblical questions. RCASDA 80.2

8. Immediate destruction predicted to men who have left them. The mistake the objector makes here is in supposing that she refers to their “destruction”; whereas she refers only to their going so far from the truth as to preclude their return. And no believer will deny this. RCASDA 80.3

9. Under this head mention is made of “the rebellion,” “slavery,” “conduct of the war,” “interference of England,” “fall of our nation,” and the “seeming impossibility for slavery to be done away.” It seemed impossible,” she says, for the war to be conducted successfully, and for slavery to be done away. This does not say that either of these things would not be, but speaks only of the outlook at a certain time. Much of that vision relates to the future. And when the “time of trouble such a never was since there was a nation” comes when Michael stands up, that is, when the Kingdom of Christ begins (Daniel 12:1), who can predict what changes will occur? It is too soon yet to decide that question. RCASDA 80.4

These are all the points which he thinks worth while to bring before the readers of the Advocate; but he promises a forth-coming book, by which we presume he designs to sweep away clean everything which his articles have left. It will receive due attention, if thought worthy of it, when it appears. U. S. RCASDA 80.5