The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

These Messages a Great Blessing

I wish that it might be truthfully said that all present accepted these powerful messages. A number, indeed, of those who had been in confusion were led back into the light. A few maintained their opposing positions, but they soon took their stand so decidedly against the church that they had no further influence in spreading their teachings. AGP 339.3

These plain, positive messages regarding the specious errors taught in “The Living Temple” errors which a number of our brethren had more or less fully accepted—were a great blessing. They brought both unity and separation,—unity among those who accepted the counsel given, and separation on the part of a few who still maintained their position, even though it meant a repudiation of the gift so closely related to the church. AGP 339.4

This narrative would not be complete without relating briefly why these messages came just when they did at the peak of the crisis. The timeliness of their arrival was so impressive that I wrote a letter to Mrs. White, telling her that they had come just in time to give us the light we needed. In answer to this letter, she wrote me under date of November 1, 1903, explaining why the documents were hastened to me at the particular time they were sent. Her own words follow: AGP 339.5

“Shortly before I sent the testimonies that you said arrived just in time, I had read an incident about a ship in a fog meeting an iceberg. For several nights I slept but little. I seemed to be bowed down as a cart beneath sheaves. One night a scene was clearly presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, ‘Iceberg just ahead!’ There, towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg. An authoritative voice cried out, ‘Meet it!’ There was not a moment’s hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder upon the deck. The passengers were violently shaken by the force of the collision, but no lives were lost. The vessel was injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern like a living creature. Then she moved forward on her way.

“Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. I had heard the words, like a living voice from our Captain, ‘Meet it!’ I knew what my duty was, and that there was not a moment to lose. The time for decided action had come. I must without delay obey the command, ‘Meet it!’ AGP 340.1

“This is why you received the testimonies when you did. That night I was up at one o’clock, writing as fast as my hand could pass over the paper.

“We have all stood at our posts like faithful sentinels, working early and late to send to the council instruction that we thought would help you.” E. G. White Letter 238, 1903.