The Gift of Prophecy

1946
The Spirit of Prophecy

We recommend, That the following statement be approved and sent to the believers in the advent message throughout the world: GOP 394.3

Two outstanding characteristics of Seventh-day Adventists are the teachings regarding the perpetuity of the law of God, including the Sabbath commandment, and the manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy in the church. Bible prophecy especially mentions these features as reasons for the wrath of the dragon against the remnant church. (Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 14:12.) A hundred years having passed since the beginning of this movement; we appreciate more and more the great blessing of Sabbath keeping as a memorial of God’s power in creation and redemption, and as a test of faith and loyalty. And we increasingly recognize the great value of the Spirit of prophecy which has been given to the church for counsel, reproof, admonition, encouragement and guidance. GOP 394.4

Again and again down through the centuries God has sent chosen messengers to call His people to higher levels of spiritual life, and to urge them to greater efforts for the salvation of the lost. Such visitations have been especially marked in times of crisis. GOP 394.5

“God hath set some in the church,” including prophets “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11-13. GOP 394.6

The apostle Paul seems to emphasize especially the need of these spiritual gifts in the remnant church, for he writes: “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 1:7. GOP 394.7

True messengers of God do not seek for such responsibilities. They are not self-appointed, neither are they chosen by the church. (1 Peter 1:21; Heb. 5:4.) It was during a time tension and confusion of religious thought, after the great disappointment regarding the coming of the Lord in 1844, that God chose a timid maiden of seventeen to bring to His people messages of courage and guidance. The supernatural manifestations in the visions of Ellen Harmon, her clear Biblical teachings, the rebuke of fanaticism, the power of God attending the presentation of the messages, and her practical instruction regarding such subjects as publishing the message and church organization convinced those sober pioneers that her messages were from God. And through her seventy years of service in this cause, Ellen White’s teachings, oral and written, always exalting Christ and calling the church to a deeper spiritual experience, had a tremendous influence in molding the work of the advent movement. Aside from her devotional messages and her vivid portrayal of the agelong conflict between good and evil, she gave instruction regarding the development of all departments of an ever-expanding work—methods of evangelism, the science of health and the establishment of medical institutions, a system of Christian education, the conduct of a great religious publishing business, and other lines for which she personally had no special aptitude or human preparation. And, significantly, what she has written regarding the science of healing, the principles of education, and the salesmanship of religious literature has been recognized by high authorities in medical science, education, and publishing, as scientifically correct and as advanced thinking along these lines. GOP 394.8

Some years after Mrs. White’s death a president of the General Conference epitomized the value of her writings as follows: ‘The fruit of these writings is such as to reveal that their origin is of God. They lead to the most perfect standard of morality. They discountenance every vice, and exhort to the practice of every virtue. They point out the perils through which we are to pass on our way to the kingdom. They reveal the devices of Satan. They warn us against his snares. They have protected us from fanatical and unreasonable men and movements. They have exposed hidden iniquity, and have brought to light concealed wrongs, laying bare the evil motives of the false-hearted. They have repeatedly aroused the church to greater consecration to God and to more zealous efforts for the salvation of the lost and erring.’ GOP 395.1

Since Mrs. White’s death her writings have had an ever-increasing influence in the church and also among those not of this faith. Though her pen has been laid aside and her voice stilled, the Lord yet speaks to His people through these writings and will continue to speak to the end of the journey. GOP 395.2

Although these messages were given through the manifestation of the gift of prophecy, neither Mrs. White nor the church has ever regarded them as a substitute for the Holy Scriptures; but rather as instruction, warnings, and admonitions for the guidance of the church during the perils of the last days. Concerning this matter Mrs. White said in her first published booklet: GOP 395.3

“I recommend to you, dear reader, the Word of God as the rule of your faith and practice. By that Word we are to be judged. God has, in that Word, promised to give visions in the last days, not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of His people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth.”— Christian Experience and Views (1851), p. 64. Nor did she ever lose sight of the proper relationship of her writings to the Word of God. Late in her experience the servant of the Lord in “An Open Letter” addressed to “All Who Love the Blessed Hope,” in speaking of her writings stated that: “Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.”— Review and Herald, January 26, 1903. GOP 395.4

In an official statement the pioneers of this movement, meeting in a general conference in 1855, expressed absolute confidence in the revelations through Mrs. White and also made very plain the attitude of the church on their relation to the Bible as follows: GOP 395.5

“Nor do we, as some contend, exalt these gifts or their manifestations, above the Bible; on the contrary, we test them by the Bible, making it the great rule of judgment in all things; so that whatever is not in accordance with it, in its spirit and its teachings, we unhesitatingly reject. But as we cannot believe that a fountain sends forth at the same time sweet water and bitter, or that an evil tree brings forth good fruit, so we cannot believe that that is of the enemy which tends to unite the hearts of the saints, to lead to meekness and humility and holy living, and incites to deep heart searching before God, and a confession of our wrongs.”—Report of Conference, Review and Herald, Dec. 4, 1855, p. 75. GOP 396.1

Neither Sister White nor the church has ever claimed verbal inspiration for her writings. She said: “Although I am as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in writing my views as I am in receiving them, yet the words I employ in describing what I have seen are my own, unless they be those spoken to me by an angel, which I always in close [sic] in marks of quotation.”— Review and Herald, October 8, 1867. And this devoted servant of God in a personal letter addressed to the President of the General Conference expressed her own humility and carefulness in the sacred work committed to her in the following: GOP 396.2

“I walk with trembling before God. I know not how to speak or trace with pen the large subjects of the atoning sacrifice. I know not how to present subjects in the living power in which they stand before me. I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the great plan of salvation by cheap words. I bow my soul in awe and reverence before God, and say, ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’ ”— The Spirit of Prophecy in the Advent Movement, p. 44. GOP 396.3

As indicated in the prophetic word (Rev. 12:17) the gift of prophecy as manifested in the remnant church is a special object of Satan’s attack. There have been attacks against the work of Mrs. White from the beginning until now, especially from those who have apostatized from the church. Most of the attacks have been mere puerile quibblings by those who have rejected admonitions from the Spirit of prophecy concerning their wrong course of action. That there may be honest questionings in the minds of some, we freely admit. There are even some things in the Holy Scriptures, as the apostle Peter said, that are “hard to be understood.” (2 Peter 3:16.) It would be strange indeed if there were not found among the thousands of pages that have come to us through the Spirit of prophecy some things difficult to comprehend, especially by those far removed from the circumstances under which some of the messages were given. GOP 396.4

Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” After all, it is the results of the manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy among us which constitute the test of the validity of this gift. The harmony of the writings of Mrs. White with the Holy Scriptures, the fruits of repentance and holy living manifested in the lives of those who read and follow these teachings and the example of Mrs. White’s noble life of service, are evidences of the genuineness of her messages, which for one hundred years have successfully stood every test applied by friends and foes. When she died a well-known magazine summed up her life and works in these words: GOP 396.5

“She was absolutely honest in her belief in her revelations. Her life was worthy of them. She showed no spiritual pride, and she sought no filthy lucre. She lived the life and did the work of a worthy prophetess.”— The Independent (New York), August 23, 1915. GOP 396.6

As delegates to the forty-fifth session of the General Conference at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., U.S.A., in June 1946, we are happy to express to the constituency of the advent movement throughout the world field our unbounded confidence in the gift of the Spirit of prophecy, which has been manifested among us from the beginning. GOP 397.1

We heartily commend to you, dear fellow believers, the writings which have come to us through the Spirit of prophecy, and urge a prayerful study of these Heaven-sent messages, presenting clearly the way of entrance into a life of fellowship with God and how to render acceptable service in soul winning and giving counsel regarding the conduct of the work of the church in the critical period just ahead. GOP 397.2

“Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” ¹⁶ GOP 397.3