The Church: Its Organization, Order and Discipline

The Situation After the Seventh Month 1844

Elder James White said of the situation in the autumn of 1844, and following: “After the time passed, there was great confusion, and the majority were strongly opposed to any organization, holding that it was inconsistent with the perfect liberty of the gospel! Mrs. White was always opposed to every form of fanaticism, and early announced that some form of organization was necessary to prevent and correct confusion. Few at the present time can appreciate the firmness which was then required to maintain her position against the prevailing anarchy.”-Note in “Supplement to Experience and Views,” page 12. COOD 88.4

The prophet Isaiah exhorts us to “look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” Isaiah 51:1. We call attention to the ideas held by the people from whom the majority came who first accepted the third angel’s message, to show the difficulties that had to be overcome in order to save our ranks from confusion, and to establish a people in true gospel order. COOD 89.1