Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 8 (1893)

Lt 57, 1893

Stanton, Brother

Napier, New Zealand

March 22, 1893

This letter is published in entirety in TM 58-62. +^Note

Dear Brother Stanton,

I address to you a few lines. I am not in harmony with the position that you have taken, for I have been shown by the Lord that just such positions will be taken by those who are in error. Paul has given us a warning to this effect, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” [1 Timothy 4:1.] 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 1

My brother, I learn that you are taking the position that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, and that all that would be saved must come out of her. You are not the only man whom the enemy has deceived in this matter. For the last forty years, one man after another has arisen, claiming that the Lord has sent him with the same message; but let me tell you, as I have told them, that this message you are proclaiming is one of the Satanic delusions designed to create confusion among the churches. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 2

My brother, you are certainly off the track. The first message [the second angel’s message] was to go to Babylon (the churches) proclaiming her downfall, and calling the people to come out of her. This same message is to be proclaimed the second time. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” [Revelation 18:1-5.] 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 3

My brother, if you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong. God has not given you any such message to bear. Satan will use every mind to which he can obtain access, inspiring them to get up some false theory, or go off on some wrong tangent, that he may create a false excitement, and thus divert souls from the true issue for this time. I presume that some may be deceived by your message, because they are full of curiosity and desire something new and strange. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 4

It makes me feel sad indeed that you should be deceived in any way by suggestions of the enemy, for I know the theory you are advocating is not truth. In advancing the ideas you do, you will do great injury to yourself and to others. Do not seek to misinterpret, and twist, and pervert the testimonies to substantiate any such message of error. Many have passed over this ground, and have done great harm. As others have started up full of zeal to proclaim this message, again and again, I have been shown that it was not the truth. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 5

I understand that you are also proclaiming that we should not pay tithe. My brother, take “off thy shoes from off thy feet” for the place whereon you are standing is holy ground. [Exodus 3:5.] The Lord has spoken in regard to paying tithes. He has said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 3:10.] But while He pronounces a blessing upon those who bring in their tithes, He pronounces a curse upon those who withhold them. Very recently I have had direct light from the Lord upon this question, that many Seventh-day Adventists were robbing God in tithes and in offerings, and it was plainly revealed to me that Malachi has stated the case as it really is. Then how dare any man even think in his heart that a suggestion to withhold tithes and offerings is from the Lord? Where, my brother, have you stepped out of the path? Oh, get your feet back in the straight path again. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 6

We are near the end, but if you or any other man shall be seduced by the enemy, and led on to set the time of Christ’s coming, you will be doing the same evil work which has wrought the ruin of souls of those who have done it in the past. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 7

If you are wearing the yoke of Christ, if you are lifting His burden, you will see that there is plenty to do in the same lines wherein His chosen servants are laboring—in preaching Christ and Him crucified. But any one who shall start up to proclaim a message announcing the hour, day, or year of Christ’s appearing has taken up a yoke and is proclaiming a message that the Lord has never given him. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 8

God has a church upon the earth who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading not stray, offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people. The truth is a sanctifying power; but the church militant is not yet the church triumphant. There are tares among the wheat. “Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?” was the question asked by the servants. But the Master said, “Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.” [Matthew 13:28, 29.] The gospel net draws not only good fish, but bad ones as well, and the Lord only knows who are His. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 9

It is our individual duty to walk humbly with God. We are not to seek any strange, new message. We are not to think that the chosen ones of God who are trying to walk in the light, compose Babylon. The fallen denominational churches are Babylon. Babylon has been fostering poisonous doctrines, the wine of error. This wine of error is made up of false doctrines, such as the natural immortality of the soul, the eternal torment of the wicked, the denial of the pre-existence of Christ prior to His birth in Bethlehem, [and] the advocating and exalting of the first day of the week above God’s holy, sanctified day. These and kindred errors are presented to the world by the various churches, and thus the Scriptures are fulfilled that say, “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” [Revelation 18:3.] It is a wrath which is created by false doctrines, and when kings and presidents drink this wine of the wrath of her fornication, they are stirred with anger against all who will not come into harmony with these false and satanic heresies that exalt the false sabbath, and lead men to trample under foot God’s memorial. 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 10

Fallen angels upon the earth form confederacies with evil men. In this age antichrist will appear as the true Christ, and then the law of God will be fully made void in the nations of our world. Rebellion against God’s holy law will be fully ripe. But the true leader of all this rebellion is Satan clothed as an angel of light. Men will be deceived and will exalt him to the place of God, and deify him. But Omnipotence will interpose, and to the apostate churches that unite in the exaltation of Satan, the sentence will go forth, “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord who judgeth her.” [Verse 8.] 8LtMs, Lt 57, 1893, par. 11