The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

Ms 3, 1854

February 12, 1854, Brookfield, New York 1EGWLM 408.1

Testimony for Churches in New York State. 1EGWLM 408.2

Portions of this manuscript are published in Ellen G. White, Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, pp. 247-249; idem, Selected Messages, book 3, pp. 257, 273-275; idem, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, pp. 230, 231; vol. 7, p. 368-370; vol. 9, pp. 321-323. See Ms 1, 1854 (Feb. 12), for a parallel account.

Reproof for adultery and neglect of children in Caughdenoy and Roosevelt, New York. 1EGWLM 408.3

The Lord gave us labor of spirit last First day, and while we were engaged in earnest prayer I was taken off in vision and saw the state of some of the professed Israel of God. I saw the situation of many at our meeting in Oswego [New York].¹ I saw that they were standing in the way of the work of God, especially those at Caughdenoy [New York]. I saw that God's frown² was upon them, also upon some in Roosevelt [New York]. 1EGWLM 408.4

Said the angel, “The axe has not been laid at the root of the tree.” Those who have indulged in the wicked passions of the heart have been fellowshipped. If God had made Brother Ross [Alexander Ross]³ an overseer of the flock, he would have seen the evil and corruption among the people. The axe has not been laid at the root of the tree. God has not altered nor changed. He is a jealous God, and will not look upon sin now with any more allowance than He did among ancient Israel. Sin is sin. Sins have not been held forth in their sinfulness, but it has been made to appear as though sins have been lightly regarded by God. 1EGWLM 408.5

I saw that the seventh commandment has been violated by some who are now held in fellowship by the church. This has brought God's frown upon them. This sin is awful in these last days, but the church has brought God's frown and curse upon it by regarding the sin so lightly. I saw it was an enormous sin, and there have not been as vigilant efforts made as there should have been to satisfy the displeasure of God and remove His frown by taking a strict, thorough course with the offender. It has had an awful, corrupting influence upon the young. They see how lightly the sin of breaking the seventh commandment is regarded, and the one who commits this horrid sin thinks that all he has to do is to confess that he was wrong and is sorry, and he is then to have all the privileges of the house of God and be held in embrace or fellowship of the church. 1EGWLM 408.6

They have thought it was not so great a sin, but have lightly esteemed the breaking [of] the seventh commandment. This has been sufficient to remove the ark of God from the camp,⁴ if there were no other sins to cause the ark to be taken away and weaken Israel. 1EGWLM 409.1

Those who break the seventh commandment should be suspended from the church and not have its fellowship or the privileges of the house of God.⁵ 1EGWLM 409.2

Said the angel, “This is not a sin of ignorance. It is a knowing sin and will receive the awful visitation of God, whether he who commits it be old or young.” 1EGWLM 409.3

Never was this sin regarded by God as being so exceedingly sinful as at the present time. Why? Because God is purifying unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. It is at the very time when God is purifying this peculiar people unto Himself that [unsanctified] individuals step in among us. Notwithstanding the straight truths they have heard, the terrors of the Word of God set before them, and all the blazing truth for these last days calculated to arouse Israel—they sin with a high hand, give way to all the loose passions of the carnal heart, gratify their animal propensities, disgrace the cause of God, and then confess they have sinned and are sorry! And the church receives them and says “Amen” to their prayers and exhortations, which are a stink in the nostrils of God and cause His wrath to come upon the camp. He will not dwell in their assemblies. Those who move on thus heedlessly, plastering over these sins, will be left to their own ways, to be filled with their own doings. 1EGWLM 409.4

Those who anciently committed these sins were taken without the camp and stoned to death. Temporal and eternal death was their doom; and because the penalty of stoning to death is abolished, this sin is indulged in beyond measure, and is thought to be a small offense. 1EGWLM 409.5

I saw three men. One of them was not a Sabbathkeeper but was opposed to the law of God. I saw that he was one who had a false spirit and exercised spiritual magnetism⁶ and called it the Spirit of God. The other man seemed to me to be with him or in his company and somewhat united with him, and he partook of the same spirit, but he was a professed Sabbathkeeper. I saw that the truth of God had not purified his heart or he would not possess a false spirit and be using this false spirit, calling it the power of God. 1EGWLM 409.6

The men above mentioned I have never seen except in vision, except the third man, who I saw was Brother Thompson.⁷ He was exercised with the same evil spirit or spiritual magnetism and, like the other two, would impart it to others or affect others with it. I saw that Brother Thompson had formerly been affected with spiritualism⁸ and never had had it eradicated from him. The third angel's message had not purified the man, and he would have to have a great work done for him or he could never enter heaven. 1EGWLM 410.1

I was then pointed to a company. It seemed to be a family, with others present. I saw them bowed. Two of these men were present. I was particularly pointed by the angel who accompanies me while in vision, to Brother Thompson. I saw him walking the room and then raising his arms and putting them down like a person making mesmeric passes, and the one he was near commenced to sink away beneath the power which he felt and which was called the power of God. I was pointed to others and saw them wilting beneath the same power. I saw that the family there had but just tasted of the third angel's message. A good work had just been wrought for them in bringing them to God and His truth, and although they felt the power of spiritual magnetism that night and its effects since, God would not lay the sin⁹ to their charge, for they were innocent, being inexperienced. I saw that they had much to learn, and if they were humble God would lead them along and teach them His will and the present truth and what they must be in order to be saved and reign with Christ in glory. 1EGWLM 410.2

I saw how this spirit or power will leave the individual, after the power has passed off. Instead of their having more strength from God than they had before they felt this power, and more grace to overcome every wrong word or action, instead of being spiritually minded and having their minds fixed upon heaven and heavenly things, it was the reverse of this. Those who have been exercised by this false spirit have a depressed, sunken, empty, void, unsatisfied, stupid¹⁰ feeling. They will feel a lack of the grace of God, be in danger of speaking impatiently and from the impulse of the moment, feel that they have lost all their religion, though they hardly know how. 1EGWLM 411.1

I saw that when the blessing of God rested upon any one, it will not cause him to lose the use of his arms so that he cannot control them, or cause the arms to shake, jerk, etc. 1EGWLM 411.2

[Page in original handwritten manuscript missing.] 1EGWLM 411.3

Truths that we have been years learning, those who now embrace the third angel's message will have to learn in a few months.¹¹ We had to search and wait the opening of truth and receive a ray of light here and a ray there, and labor and beg for God to reveal truth to us. But now the truth is plain; its rays are brought together. The blazing light of truth can now be seen at once, and when it is presented as it should be it is brought to bear upon the heart at once. There is no need of milk for any soul, after he is convinced of truth. As soon as the conviction of truth is yielded to and the heart is willing to let the truth have its effect, it will begin to work like leaven. It will purify and purge away the passions of a natural heart. 1EGWLM 411.4

It is a disgrace for those who have been in the truth for years to talk of feeding souls who have been months in the truth, upon milk. It shows that they know but little of the leadings of the Spirit of God and realize not the time that we are living in. Those who embrace the truth now will have to step fast. And there will have to be a breaking of heart before the Lord, a rending of the heart and not the garments.¹² A thorough work will have to go on in the hearts of those who have been thus at fault, and those who healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly¹³ will have to humble themselves greatly before God. It may be His wrath will be turned away from Israel and He will march through their midst again in power. 1EGWLM 412.1

Said the angel, “Fearful is the work of the third angel; awful is his mission. He is to select the wheat from the tares and bind or seal the wheat for the heavenly garner.” 1EGWLM 412.2

I was pointed to Brother Ross. Said the angel, “Ye have not been a co-worker with the third angel. Ye have not separated the vile from the precious.” 1EGWLM 412.3

Then I saw that death had reigned in your midst. I was shown the one that died,¹⁴ that she died without a perfect readiness. Life was held before her and she had not a triumphant victory. The hearts of many who prayed for her to be raised up were not right with God. Some appeared to lose their strength or be exercised. It was not the Spirit of God. Many shouted, but it was no time for shouting. A soul was going into the grave unapprised of it, but she will be saved. Others will have to bear the sin of her not being a triumphant overcomer.¹⁵ She was not accountable for it. Whenever an impatient word was spoken, or whenever there was any impatience or fretfulness manifested, it was the duty of those she was with to tell her her critical situation, and the danger of manifesting anything like unreconciliation, impatience, etc. It was their duty to show her that she must be reconciled to the will of God and prepare for her last change, and that if she was not reconciled to God's will she was not prepared to be raised up or to die. 1EGWLM 412.4

The next thing that was shown me was the great sin of parents neglecting their children. I saw that they would have an awful account to give in Caughdenoy. They had fostered and cherished the evil tempers of their children until God's frown was upon them and their children. They have forgotten that which is written in the Holy Word, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son,” and the children are left to come up instead of being brought up or trained up. The poor little children are thought not to know or understand a correction at eight, nine, or ten months old. They begin to show stubbornness very young, and it is cherished and nourished by their parents until these evil passions grow with their growth, and strengthen with their strength. 1EGWLM 412.5

The house of God is desecrated and the Sabbath violated by Sabbath believers’ children. They run about the house, play, talk, and manifest their evil tempers in the very meetings where the saints have met together to glorify God and to worship Him in the beauty of holiness. The place that should be holy, where a holy stillness should reign, and where there should be perfect order, neatness, and humility, is made to be a perfect Babylon and a place where confusion, disorder, and untidiness reign. This is enough to shut out God from our assemblies and cause His wrath to be kindled, that He will not be pleased to go out with the armies of Israel to battle against our enemies. 1EGWLM 413.1

God would not give the victory in the Oswego meeting.¹⁶ The enemies of our faith triumphed. God was displeased. His anger is kindled that His house should be made like Babylon. 1EGWLM 413.2

Parents, I saw, stood in the place of God to their children and they will have to render an awful account whether they have been faithful to the little few that were committed to their trust. 1EGWLM 413.3

I saw that you were rearing children to be cut down by the destroying angel¹⁷ unless you speedily turn square about and be faithful to your children. Think you God can cover or hide iniquity and preserve children whom He hates? No, never. God hates unruly children¹⁸ who manifest passion, evil tempers, etc. He cannot save them in the time of trouble. They will be eternally lost.¹⁹ Parents, negligent, unfaithful parents, their blood will be upon you, and can you expect to be saved in the day of God's fierce anger with the blood of your children upon you,—children who might have been saved had you acted as faithful parents should? God said of Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him,” and He gave him the name of being the father of the faithful. 1EGWLM 413.4

Parents, it is your duty to have your children under perfect subjection, having all their passions and evil tempers perfectly subdued. I saw that if they were carried to the house of God, they should be made to know where they are, that they are not at home but where God meets with His people. They should be kept quiet, from all play and running about, then God will deign to meet with His people. 1EGWLM 413.5

The truth, I saw, had had but little effect. When it was talked, there seemed to be no power to stir up the depth of the soul. A deathlike stupor has hung upon the professed people of God, and the reason is that the ark is not with them, for its holy commandments have been violated, and God has taken it away in His anger. 1EGWLM 414.1

Parents, correct your children. Commence while they are young, when impressions can be made early and their evil temper subdued before it takes deep root and is strengthened with their strength. Correct your children in love. Do not correct them in passion or let them have their way until even you yourself are angry and then punish them. Correct your children, and then after you have done your duty, carry them to God and ask God to help you. Tell Him you have done your part, and then plead with Him to do His part, that you cannot do. Beg of Him to temper their dispositions, to make them mild and gentle by His Holy Spirit. God will hear you pray. He will love to answer your prayers. But He despises your prayers while you neglect your duty to your children and then pray Him to do the work for them. God corrects us when we go astray from Him, and you are bound to correct your children when they disobey you and show passion and an evil temper.²⁰ 1EGWLM 414.2

Above everything, take care of your children upon the Sabbath. Do not let them violate it, for you may just as well violate it yourself as to let your children do it. When you suffer your children to play upon the Sabbath, God looks upon you as a commandment breaker. You transgress His Sabbath.²¹ 1EGWLM 414.3

Your children should be made to mind you. Your word should be their law. Parents, take hold of this work, for the destroying angel is soon to pass around and slay utterly both old and young—men, women, and little children. He will spare only those upon whom is the mark. Oh, do not be weighed in the balances and found wanting! 1EGWLM 414.4

I then saw a lack of cleanliness among Sabbathkeepers and some at Caughdenoy. I saw that God was purifying unto Himself a peculiar people. He will have a clean and a holy people, a people in whom He can delight. I saw that the camp must be cleansed, or God would pass by and see the uncleanness of Israel and would not go forth with their armies to battle. He would turn from them in displeasure, and our enemies would triumph over us and we be left weak, in shame and disgrace.²² 1EGWLM 414.5

I saw that God would not acknowledge an untidy, unclean person as a Christian. His frown was upon such. Our souls, bodies, and spirits are to be presented blameless by Jesus to His Father, and unless we are clean in person, and pure, we cannot be presented blameless to God. 1EGWLM 414.6

I saw that the houses of the saints should be kept tidy and neat, free from dirt and filth and all uncleanness. I saw that the house of God had been desecrated by the carelessness of parents with their children and by the untidiness and uncleanness there. I saw that these things should meet with an open rebuke, and if there was not an immediate change in some that profess the truth in these things they should be put out of the camp. 1EGWLM 415.1

I then saw the corruptions of these last days. Even some of those who profess the truth are corrupt and the same sins exist now that existed before the destruction of the old world by a flood. The world is almost ripe now for destruction, as it was then. I saw that when they were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, the flood came and took them all away. 1EGWLM 415.2

I saw that the hearts of the young are now filled with the thought of getting married. Some of them become disobedient to their parents, become wanton, and marry without the counsel of their parents or the church of God. Not having God in all their thoughts, not inquiring whether it is according to His will or pleasure or not, they do not marry to glorify God but to gratify their loose passions and their depraved lusts. Such sins as these brought the flood upon the old world, and destroyed those sinners who would not bear God in their thoughts. Awful sins of these last days are to bring the unmingled fury of God upon the world. 1EGWLM 415.3

I then saw that the appetite must be denied, that rich food should not be prepared, and that which is spent upon the appetite should be put into the treasury of God.²³ It would tell there and those that denied themselves would lay up a reward in heaven. I saw that God was purifying His people. 1EGWLM 415.4

Pride and idols must be laid aside. I saw that rich food was destroying the health of bodies, was ruining constitutions, destroying minds, and was a great waste of means. 1EGWLM 415.5

I saw that many were sickly among the remnant, who have made themselves so by indulging their appetites. If we wish good health, we must take special care of the health that God has given us, deny the unhealthy appetite, eat less fine food, eat coarse food free from grease. Then as you sit at the table to eat you can from the heart ask God's blessing upon the food and can derive strength from coarse, wholesome food. God will be pleased to graciously bless it and it will be a benefit to the receiver. 1EGWLM 415.6

I saw that we should pray as Solomon did—“Feed me with food convenient for me,” (Prov. 30:8)—and as we make the prayer, act it out. Get food that is plain and that is essential to health, free from grease. Such food will be convenient for us. 1EGWLM 415.7

There are some Sabbathkeepers who make a god of their bellies. They waste their means in obtaining rich food. Such, I saw, if saved at all will know what pinching want is unless they deny their appetites and eat to the glory of God. There are but few who eat to the glory of God. How can those who have cake and piecrust filled with grease ask God's blessing upon it and then eat with an eye single to God's glory? We are commanded to do all to the glory of God. We must eat and drink to His glory. 1EGWLM 416.1

I then saw that Brother Ross had not taken the right ground concerning the little affairs of his brethren. [Original page torn, last five lines unreadable.] 1EGWLM 416.2