Testimony to the Church at Battle Creek

Relative to Leading Ministers

The Lord would have Brn. Andrews, Waggoner, Smith, and White, stand united in the work of God. These have had experience in the work, and they should all share the burdens of responsibility in the cause. They may each have a particular work, for which they are best adapted, and which they love; but their attachment to one particular branch should not be indulged in, and lead them to leave the heaviest and most perplexing burdens upon my husband. If each one would take a share, and educate himself to have a general interest, as is proper, the burdens need not crush out the life of any one. PH123 86.1

There is talent among Seventh-day Adventists, if they will use it in bearing the burdens of the cause and work of God. The Lord would have these brethren mentioned closely and firmly united to hold each other up in their mutual efforts in this great work. PH123 86.2

The foregoing testimony I read before those who were assembled in the last General Conference at Battle Creek. My husband had felt deeply grieved in regard to the responsibilities laid upon him, and that Brn. Andrews, Waggoner, and Smith, did not bear the burdens that they could have borne in the cause of God, and relieve him of some of the weight of care which was wearing seriously upon his health. PH123 86.3

Brn. Waggoner and Cornell added greatly to his burdens, because of their manifest lack of judgment and the Spirit of God to unite with their efforts in seeking to settle church trials. They frequently left things in a worse condition than they found them. They were not calculated to deal with minds of every stamp. They let their own peculiar feelings control them. Both had victories to gain over self before they could labor successfully to set things in order in the churches. I was shown that neither of these brethren were calculated to build up the churches; but to sow dissension and divide, rather than to unite. PH123 87.1

The severity manifested by Brn. Waggoner and Cornell, their lack of judgment in dealing with men and women who are in fault, and the many reproofs the Lord had given upon these very points, caused my husband's fears to be aroused whenever he heard of their laboring with the churches. He felt that their labor should be in new fields, as the Lord had shown, and not among the brethren. PH123 87.2

The interest and zeal that my husband has in the work and cause of God, his earnest desire for the prosperity and advancement of the work of God, inspired him with jealousy for the cause of God. When my husband saw that Bro. Waggoner's judgment could not be relied upon to put forth the most judicious labor in churches, especially in settling church difficulties, for his labors did not give evidence of being especially directed of God, he cautioned Bro. Waggoner, and presented before him his dangers, and begged of him to refrain from directing so much labor among the churches, and entering into church trials, as he was not the best adapted to help them. PH123 88.1

Bro. Waggoner failed to see the necessity for this care and these warnings from Bro. White. He did not see his dangers, and his mistakes in laboring with the churches in the past. His feelings rose up against my husband; for he interpreted that the cautions, advice, and reproof of Bro. White, were for the purpose of restricting his liberty, and controlling his labors. Brn. Andrews and Waggoner sympathized together in reference to these things. PH123 88.2

At the General Conference last spring, I repeated that which had been shown me in Vermont, December 10, 1871, that my husband had pondered over the past trials of his life too much. They looked to him unnecessary and unjust. He thought of the little sympathy and help he had received from Brn. Waggoner and Andrews, while bearing the heavy God had laid upon him, and the course of his brethren looked so mysterious and unexplainable in his mind that his confidence was shaken in almost everybody. He dwelt upon his trials and the neglect of his brethren until their errors were magnified before him, and he viewed them in a wrong light. His feelings were at times strong, and he was unreconciled to standing in the position he had done. He dwelt upon the inconsistent course of his brethren and their errors, when he should have been talking hope, courage, and faith, to his brethren. My husband was discouraged, and disappointed in his brethren, and Satan kept his mind dwelling upon these things until they became magnified in his mind. The effect of these thoughts was to dishearten, and take away courage and hope, and greatly injure his health. He thought at times that the ways of the Lord were not equal in his bearing burdens which were crushing him, while his ministering brethren, Andrews, Waggoner, and Smith, excused themselves from taking their share of these responsibilities. PH123 88.3

The Lord reproved my husband for fretting under these things, instead of leaving all in his hands. I was shown that he had injured his health and courage by taking his case in his own hands. I saw that his brethren would be rewarded according to their works. Their neglect to move at all times in the counsel of God was a great loss to them; for their reward would be proportionate to their successful labors; and, if their errors and lack were not seen and corrected, their eternal interest was endangered. Every time, Satan gained the advantage over them. They placed themselves upon his ground, and opened their own souls to his temptations. I saw that my husband should have faith, hope, and courage, and talk faith, and hope, and courage. Then he would close a door that Satan loves to enter to harass, and annoy, and weaken his physical and mental strength. I saw that in some things my husband had misjudged the feelings and motives of his brethren. PH123 89.1

My husband received and acknowledged the testimony of reproof for him, and asked the forgiveness of his brethren for feeling as he had done. He did not and could not say that their course had been right; for God had reproved them. All present felt that my husband had done all that he could do on his part to meet the mind of the Lord. He took his position by the side of his brethren, pledging himself to do all on his part to unite his interest with them. His brethren acknowledged the testimony to them, and the Spirit of God seemed to witness to the work and union of the hearts of these laborers in his cause. PH123 90.1

After this, Bro. Waggoner commenced laboring with the church. The church at Battle Creek had been stirred by successful labor during the Conference, and they humbled their hearts before the Lord, and commenced where God had repeatedly pointed out that they should work if they would have his blessing; that is, that they should put forth individual effort for one another, and for backsliders and sinners. A wonderful spirit of freedom came into the meetings. Bro. Waggoner seemed to take the credit of this good work to his efforts. As he did this he became lifted up, and thought that he was especially led out by God to do a work for the church. Then the Spirit of the Lord left Bro. Waggoner to move in his own judgment and wisdom. He seemed to take it for granted that he had been right, and my husband wrong. He overlooked the repeated and direct private testimonies that had been given him. He thought the warnings and cautions from my husband, which were in union with the testimonies of reproof, restricted his liberty, and brought him into bondage, that my husband had grieved the Spirit of God, and that this was the reason his physical and mental powers were becoming enfeebled. PH123 91.1

Bro. Waggoner then acted out J. H. Waggoner. If the fears of his brethren had not been sufficiently aroused before, they certainly were at this time. He manifested the lack of judgment and discernment, after he thought he had been under the especial influence of the Spirit of God, to talk out his feelings of trial and the exercises of his mind for some time back, in regard to my husband's cautions and reproofs, to a family he was making efforts to help, who seemed to be weak in the principles of our faith, and who resembled the reed trembling in the wind. The minds of two at least of this family were unbalanced, and the strong wiles of spiritualism were beguiling them by it pleasing, flattering, deceptive insinuations. PH123 92.1

Bro. Waggoner exalted himself, his judgment, and the spirit and power which was then leading him. He stated his great trials over Bro. White's reproofs and warnings, but that now Bro. White was reproved by testimony, and that he was failing in health, and God was lifting him [Bro. Waggoner] up, and giving him freedom, that God had through testimony justified him, and condemned Bro. White, showing that he was right, and that Bro. White was wrong. PH123 92.2

He made statements to several in the Office that any one who had discernment could understand the purport of. It was Bro. Waggoner who gave tone to the religious excitement which was leading to fanaticism in Battle Creek. I do not feel, at the present time, like giving particulars. We were absent from Battle Creek at the time, but were felt urged by the Spirit of God to return immediately; for the enemy was at work, and the church was in danger. We commenced at once to counteract the work of confusion which had begun. The Lord helped us. Worn as my husband was, this additional anxiety did not tend to improve his health, or lessen his cares. PH123 93.1

Bro. Waggoner had heard the testimony that Brn. Andrews, White, Waggoner, and Smith, should stand together in the great work before them, and all labor to one end, to advance the interests of the cause of God. Bro. Waggoner followed his own spirit, and overlooked the testimonies of warning which had been given to him. He should have known, by the repeated testimonies that the Lord has given him, that his judgment has been greatly perverted by home influence. His course has not been free from blame, even in his family. The spirit he met at his home, he carried with him in dealing with his brethren abroad, He has frequently been severe and overbearing, and made matters more complicated than if he had never touched them. From the testimonies of warning the Lord has given Bro. Waggoner, he should have known that Battle Creek was not the place for him to labor. PH123 93.2

Brn. Waggoner and Cornell have both shown great lack of faith and good judgment in talking with others in regard to their home trials, and creating sympathy for themselves. The Lord wrought mercifully to free them both from a curse which has crippled their influence, and nearly ruined their souls. They should both have praised God for their deliverance, and not shown their weakness by talking in reference to the matter, but kept to themselves their home troubles. These brethren have distrusted God, and shown weakness in talking so much before the people in the public congregation and in families, in regard to their physical infirmities. They said much about being exhausted, and experiencing a lack of strength, and their inability to labor. They wearied the people, and wearied the angels of God with their complaints, and the more they talked, the less strength did they receive from Heaven. They should have looked away from themselves to Jesus. He is a mighty deliverer, a strong tower, unto which the righteous run, and are safe. These brethren had no heavy burdens of the cause of God upon them. They were so taken up with complaining, and in talking their unbelief, that God would not lay heavy responsibility upon them. And his grace and power were in accordance with their faith. PH123 94.1

The worn condition of my husband after the Conference, in consequence of the additional cares and responsibilities of the work connected with the General Conference, was upon him. Bro. Waggoner interpreted, as did also some others, that the worn state of my husband was because he had been wrong, and the displeasure of the Lord was upon him. This was cruelty itself. After the testimony had been given that Brn. Andrews, Smith, Waggoner, and White, should stand together, uniting their interests for the advancement of the great truths which are testing the world, Bro. Waggoner forfeited my husband's confidence by the course he pursued, and gave evidence how little he desired to carry out the design of God for this object. That my husband's confidence in Bro. Waggoner was shaken, I cannot doubt, and that he has sufficient reason, I cannot question. My husband humbled himself before his brethren, and did all on his part to strengthen union of feelings and effort. I feel sad that Bro. Waggoner, who is a strong man in Bible argument, should be so weak in many things where so much is at stake. This is not necessary. He might have strength from God, if he would obtain the victory over self. If he had followed the light, and if Bro. Cornell had followed the light, years ago, which God had given them, they might now both be mighty in word and the power of the Spirit of God, and their hearts and judgments would be sanctified, that they could deal with minds with the best results attending their labors. Self, in them, has not been crucified, and both are in great danger of making shipwreck of faith. The devil knows their special weaknesses, and he has communicated to his agents where they can be the most easily overcome, and at last gained to their cause. They are both in danger of being overcome instead of overcoming, because of a deficiency in their characters. PH123 95.1

They can both, by taking hold of faith and the grace and power of God, while they do all that they can on their part, overcome self-confidence, get the victory over their peculiar besetments, and wear a crown of glory in the kingdom of God, brilliant with stars. PH123 96.1