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The Spirit of Prophecy in the Advent Movement

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One Woman’s Experience In Accepting The Message

One of the oft-used paragraphs of the Spirit of prophecy is this one, originally quoted from the General Conference Bulletin of 1893. Mrs. White was then in Australia. She wrote: SPIAM 121.1

“In secret places they are weeping and praying that they may see light in the Scriptures, and the Lord of heaven has commissioned His angels to cooperate with human agencies in carrying forward His vast design, that all who desire life may behold the glory of God. SPIAM 121.2

“We are to follow where God’s providence opens the way; and as we advance, we shall find that heaven has moved before us, enlarging the field for labor far beyond the proportion of our means and ability to supply.... The field is the world, and the light of truth is to go to all the dark places of the earth in a much shorter time than many think possible.”—Page 294. SPIAM 121.3

It is a picture that has cheered us on in searching out souls these forty years and more. SPIAM 121.4

At a large camp meeting in Australia, in 1931, I read this extract from the Spirit of prophecy. After the meeting a lady came to me, saying: SPIAM 121.5

“That is what brought me into this truth—that message from Sister White about the praying ones. I was at the West Maitland meeting in 1893, and heard her tell it. And it convicted me of this truth then and there.” SPIAM 121.6

Then she told me her experience. She had belonged to one of the great churches. But her soul was unfed. She longed to understand the Bible. SPIAM 121.7

“I betook myself to prayer, there in Maitland,” she told me. “I prayed God to help me to find the truth. In my desire of soul I, many times, wept as I prayed. I wanted help. I tried going to various meetings, but did not find what I sought.” SPIAM 121.8

She learned just at this time that a Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting was being held in West Maitland. She decided to go. “I will take my Bible and a notebook,“ she thought, “and if they do not speak by the Book, I will not go again.” SPIAM 121.9

But the preaching was “by the Book.” Mrs. White spoke that Sabbath morning. “I felt the truth speaking to my heart,” said our sister. “In the noon interval I looked up the texts in my Bible. At the testimony meeting in the afternoon I testified to the goodness of God in leading me, and said I wanted to know more. SPIAM 122.1

“Then Mrs. White called a meeting of new believers and those seeking help. I went. Then she told us the very thing you have read here from that writing of 1893. She said that recently she had come down by train from Queensland. As the train was passing through Maitland, she told us, she was awakened from sleep by a voice that said, ‘Look out the window!’ Three times the call was repeated. She looked out and saw angels hovering over Maitland, and was shown that there were people there weeping and praying that they might see light in the Scriptures.” SPIAM 122.2

Our sister told me that all the time, as Mrs. White was speaking these things, the conviction of this truth was laying hold of her heart. For she well knew that at the very time when Mrs. White had passed through Maitland, she herself was one of those praying and weeping ones. SPIAM 122.3

“Then Mrs. White told us,” she said, “that she had seen some of our faces in the view given her of the praying ones in Maitland. But there were more still who were seeking light, and these were to be sought out.” SPIAM 122.4

The lady told me again how the conviction of the surety of this truth seized upon her heart as she listened. SPIAM 122.5

“That was exactly my experience right here in Maitland,” she said to herself. “At the very time Mrs. White looked out of the train window and was shown people praying with tears for help, I was there praying. I know this is the truth of God.” SPIAM 122.6

And all these years our sister had been held true, the preciousness of the blessed hope dearer now than ever to her heart. It was an interesting recital to me, as showing the background of that testimony by the Spirit of prophecy that has cheered us on in service ever since the days of 1893, when the description appeared in the General Conference Bulletin. SPIAM 122.7