Testimony for the Church — No. 6

Fanaticism in Wisconsin

I saw that the Lord especially directed my husband west last Fall instead of going east as he at first decided. At Wisconsin there was a wrong to be corrected. The work of Satan was taking effect and would destroy souls if not rebuked. The Lord saw fit to choose one who had had experience in the past, and had witnessed fanaticism, and the working of Satan's power. Those who received this instrument of God's choosing were corrected, and souls were rescued from the snare Satan had prepared for them. T06 30.1

I was shown that this device of Satan would not have taken so readily in Wisconsin if minds and hearts had been in union with the work of God, and united with his people. I saw that the spirit of jealousy and suspicion still existed in the minds of some in Wisconsin, it is the seed sown by the Messenger party that has not been entirely rooted out. And while they have professed to receive the third angel's message, their former feelings and prejudices have not been given up. Their faith is adulterated and they are prepared for Satan's deception. Those who drank in the Messenger spirit must make clean work, and have every particle of it rooted out, and receive the spirit of the third angel's message, or it will cleave to them like the leprosy, and it will become easy for them to draw off from their brethren in present truth. It will be easy for them to think that they can go an independent company alone to heaven, and easy for them to fall into Satan's snare. He is very unwilling to let go his hold in Wisconsin. He has other deceptions prepared for those who are not united with the body. I saw that individuals who had been so enshrouded in darkness and deception that Satan had not only controlled the mind, but the body, would have to take a most humble place in the church of God. He will not commit the care of his flock to unwise shepherds, who would mistake and feed them poison instead of wholesome, healthy food. God will have men care for the flock who can feed them with clean provender, thoroughly winnowed. O, what a blot have these fanatical movements brought upon the cause of God! What a reproach! And those who held so fast this spirit of dark fanaticism, notwithstanding the plain evidences that Satan's hand was in it, are not to be relied upon, or their judgment to be of any weight. God sent his servants to Bro. and sister Steward. They despised correction, and chose their own course. Bro. S. was jealous and stubborn, and his future course must be with great humility, for he has proved himself unworthy the confidence of God's people. His heart is not right with God, neither has it been for a long time. T06 30.2

I saw that Satan's object has been to lead persons in Wisconsin into gross fanaticism. He has controlled their minds and led them to act in accordance with the deception they were under. When his object was accomplished, and they had run the length of the course Satan has marked out for them, he is willing that they should acknowledge that wrong, and now he will try to push them to an opposite extreme, to deny the gifts and operations of God's Spirit. Satan took advantage of Bro. and sister Steward's lack of union with the body. They desired to take an independent course, and to lead instead of yielding to be led. Bro. S. has a jealous disposition, which, together with his independence, has kept him on one side; for he could not with this spirit be a true yokefellow with his ministering brethren. And sister S. lacked experience, is of jealous disposition, yet possessing much firmness, and has not been sound in the faith. She has not been united with the body. Her heart has risen up against the gifts of the church. There was a lack of meekness and humility in her articles sent to the Review for publication. T06 32.1

Everything seemed prepared for the work of Satan. He led them on to lay aside reason and judgment, and be governed by impression. The Lord requires his people to use their reason, and not lay it aside for impressions. His work will be intelligible to all his children. His teachings will be such as will commend itself to the understanding of intelligent minds. It is calculated to elevate the mind. God's power is not manifested upon every occasion. Man's necessity is God's opportunity. T06 32.2

I was shown companies in confusion, exercised by a wrong spirit, all making loud prayers together, some crying one thing and some another; and it was impossible to tell what was piped and what was harped. “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Satan stepped in and controlled matters as he pleased. Reason and health were sacrificed to this delusion. T06 33.1

God does not require his people to imitate Baal's prophets, to afflict their bodies and cry out and shout, and throw themselves in almost every attitude, having no regard for order, until their strength fails through sheer exhaustion. Religion does not consist in making a noise, yet when the soul is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, sweet, heart-felt praise to God glorifies him. Some have professed to have great faith in God, and have special gifts and special answers to their prayers, although the evidence was lacking. They mistook presumption for faith. The prayer of faith is never lost; but to claim that it will be always answered in the very way, and for the particular thing we have expected, is presumption. T06 33.2

When the servants of God visited Mauston and Marquette, this delusion was sifted. Evidence was given that this work was spurious. But this spirit of fanaticism was stubborn, and would not yield to light there given. O that they had been corrected by God's servants whom he had sent! Then and there God wished them to acknowledge that they had been led by a wrong spirit. Then there would have been virtue in the confession of their wrongs. Then they would have been saved any further following out of Satan's plans, and would have made no further progress in this dreadful delusion. But they would not be convinced. T06 33.3

Bro. S. had sufficient light to take his stand against that fanatical work; but he would not decide from the weight of evidence. His stubborn spirit refused to yield to the light brought him by the servants of God, for he had regarded them with suspicion, and watched them with a jealous eye. T06 34.1

I saw that the greater the light the people reject, the greater will be the power of deception and darkness which will come upon them. The rejection of truth leaves men captives, and the subjects of Satan's deceptions. After the conferences at Mauston and Marquette, the subjects of this delusion were left to still greater darkness, to enter deeper into this strong delusion and bring a stain upon the cause of God which would not soon be wiped away. A fearful responsibility is resting upon Bro. S. He professed to be a shepherd, and suffered the devourer to enter the flock, and he looked on while the sheep were torn and devoured. God's frown is upon him. He has not watched for souls as one who must give account. T06 34.2

I was pointed back and saw that God had not blessed his labors for some time past. His hand has not been with him to prosper and build up the people of God, and convert souls to the truth. His heart is not right with God. He has not possessed the spirit of the third angel's message. He shut himself away from the union and sympathy of God's people before this delusion arose, and this is one reason why he was left in such darkness. God does not leave his faithful, consecrated servants in darkness as to the character of such a fanatical spirit, to raise no cry to warn the people. When the servants of God brought the light, and raised their voices against this delusion, he knew not the voice of the true Shepherd speaking through them, but his jealousy and stubbornness led him to regard it as the voice of a stranger. Shepherds of the flock, above all others, should understand the voice of the Chief Shepherd. God wants his people to be a holy and powerful people. When the spirit of holiness and perfect love abound in the heart, working in those who profess the name of Christ, it will be like a refining fire, consuming the dross and scattering the darkness. Whatever is of the spirit of Satan, takes the attitude of defense, and quickly works out its own destruction. But truth will triumph. T06 35.1

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I was shown the course of G. W. H. and S. W. R. Although reproved, they have not corrected their wrongs. The people of God have been affected by their wrong course especially in the State of New York. Their influence has been injurious to the cause of God. For the last ten years they have been often presented before me in vision, and their wrongs shown me, which I have written to them. But they were careful to conceal from their brethren the fact that they had been reproved fearing it would have a tendency to destroy their influence. Those who were affected by their wrong course should have been benefited by the reproofs which they received. I should have placed the messages in the hands of judicious brethren in the church, that if necessary all might understand the instruction the Lord people. But if I related the messages given me for these brethren to anyone but themselves, they have censured me in the most unsparing manner, which has caused me so much suffering of mind that I have been led to conceal what the Lord has given me in regard to the wrongs of individuals. T06 36.1

It was pride of heart which led these brethren to manifest so much fear lest others should know that they had been corrected. If they had humbly confessed their wrongs to the church, they would have acted out the faith they professed in the visions, and the church would have been strengthened to receive correction, and confess their faults. These teachers stood in the way of the flock. They set them a poor example, and the church has looked to them, and when reproved have inquired, “Why have not these ministers been reproved, when we are acting out their teachings?” A door has been opened for Satan to tempt them as to the truthfulness of the visions. T06 36.2

The brethren have been deceived and wronged. They considered that we were in union with these teachers, and have followed their instructions when they were all wrong. I have written to these ministers in anguish of spirit as I have seen the cause of God wounded by their injudicious course. How anxiously have I watched the result of the messages. But they laid them aside, and the brethren were not permitted to know anything about them, therefore could not be benefitted by the instructions the Lord saw fit to give. T06 37.1

My labor has been most discouraging, as I have seen that there has not been accomplished that which God designed. Often I have inquired in distress, Of what account is all my labor? These brethren took this position: We believe the visions, but Sister White, in writing them, put in her words, and we will believe that portion we think is of God, and heed not the other. This course they have pursued, and have not corrected their lives. They have professed to believe the visions, and have acted contrary to them. Their example and influence have raised doubts in the minds of others. It would have been better for the cause of present truth had they both opposed the gifts. Then the people would not have been deceived and would not have stumbled over these blind teachers. We have hoped and prayed that they might get right, and exert a good influence upon the flock; but hope has died, and we cannot, dare not, hold our peace longer. We have wronged the church of God that we have not spoken out before. T06 37.2

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