General Conference Daily Bulletin
February 20, 1899
Extracts From Testimonies
“The conviction is gaining ground that Seventh-day Adventists are giving the trumpet an uncertain sound; that they are following in the path of worldlings.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 1
“The proclamation of the third angel's message—the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus—is the burden of our work.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 2
“The mustard-seed has grown to a great tree.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 3
“There must be a well-balanced, symmetrical development of the work in all its parts.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 4
“What is the secret of our prosperity?—We have moved under the order of the Captain of our salvation. God has blessed our united efforts. The truth has spread and flourished. Institutions have multiplied. The mustard-seed has grown to a great tree. The system of organization has proved a grand success.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 5
“An army in battle would become confused and weakened unless all worked in concord.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 6
“If soldiers should act out their own impulsive ideas, without reference to each other's position and work, they could not do the work of an organized body. So the soldiers of Christ must act in harmony.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 7
“They must not stand apart. A spirit to act independently and alone must not be cherished. If they do this, the Lord's people, in the place of being in perfect harmony, of one mind, one purpose, and consecrated to one grand object, will find their efforts fruitless, their time and capabilities wasted. Union is strength. A few converted souls acting in harmony, acting for one grand purpose, under one head, will achieve victories at every encounter.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 8
“I am very sorrowful when I see things that I can not indorse, and I feel pained over the matter. I begin to be afraid. Some have entertained ideas, and without waiting to bring these before a council of brethren, have agitated strange theories. They have brought before some of the people, ideas in regard to organization that ought never to have had expression. I supposed that the question of organization was settled forever with those who believed the Testimonies. Now if they believe these matters, why do they work contrary to them? GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 9
Satan's angels are wise to do evil, and they will create that which some will claim to be advanced light, and will proclaim as new and wonderful things; while in some respects the message is truth, yet it will be mingled with men's inventions, and will teach for doctrine the commandments of men. If there ever was a time when we should watch and pray in real earnest, it is now. There may be supposable things that appear as good things, and yet they need to be carefully considered with much prayer; for they are specious devices of the enemy, to lead souls in a path which lies so close to the path of truth that it will be scarcely distinguishable from the path which leads to holiness and heaven. But the eye of faith may discern that it is diverging from the right path, though almost imperceptibly. At first it may be thought positively right, but after a little while it is seen to be widely divergent from the path of safety,—from the path that leads to holiness and heaven. My brethren, I warn you to make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 10
“We sought the Lord with earnest prayer, that we might understand his will, and light was given by his Spirit, that there must be order and thorough discipline in the church, that organization was essential. System and order are manifest in all the works of God throughout the universe. Order is the law of heaven, and it should be the law of God's people on the earth.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 11
“Let none entertain the thought, however, that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study, and many prayers for wisdom that we know God has answered, to erect this structure. It has been built up by his direction, through much sacrifice and conflict. Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to attempt to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 12
“In the name of the Lord, I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled. At God's command, ‘Go forward,’ we advanced when the difficulties to be surmounted made the advance seem impossible. We know how much it has cost to work out God's plans in the past, which has made us as a people what we are. Then let every one be exceedingly careful not to unsettle minds in regard to those things that God has ordained for our prosperity and success.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 13
“You must never, never seek to lift one pin, remove one landmark, that the Lord has given to his people as truth.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 14
“There is to be no change in the features of our work. It is to stand as clear and distinct as prophecy has made it. We are to enter into no confederacy with the world, supposing that by so doing we could do more work.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 15
“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history. We are now a strong people, if we will put our trust in the Lord; for we are handling the mighty truths of the word of God. We have everything to be thankful for. If we walk in the light as it shines upon us from the living oracles of God, we shall have large responsibilities, corresponding to the great light given us of God. We have many duties to perform, because we have been made the depositaries of sacred truth to be given to the world in all its beauty and glory. We are debtors to God to use every advantage he has entrusted to us to beautify the truth of holiness of character, and to send the message of warning and of comfort, of hope and of love, to those who are in the darkness of error and sin.” GCDB February 20, 1899, par. 16