Messenger of the Lord

Pre-1870 Attitudes Toward Gifts of the Spirit

From its inception in 1850 the Review and Herald, ⁶ the church paper, has served as the denomination’s mirror of contemporary thought. Often the role of Ellen White was discussed in its pages, either in response to readers’ questions or in rejoinder to opponents of “gifts” in the church. MOL 427.4

Especially significant is the early affirmation of Joseph Bates. In 1849 he wrote: “More than two years are now past since I proved them [the visions] true. Therefore I profess myself a firm believer in her visions so far as I have witnessed, and I have seen her have many. In every instance they have been in accordance with God’s Word: setting the promises of God, and the closing scenes around us in harmonious, Scriptural order, leaving the hearers the privilege of searching the Scriptures for the proof, and also in rebuking sins of omission and commission, without partiality to friend or foe, always causing the hearts of the righteous to rejoice, and the wicked to tremble: exactly the reverse of what God taught Ezekiel was false visions.” ⁷ MOL 427.5

In the April 21, 1851, Review, James White wrote a clear and forceful presentation of why the church should expect the “gifts of the Spirit” as set forth in Ephesians 4:11-14 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. He closed his article with the question: “Can we believe that the saints are to pass the perils of the last days, the time of trouble such as never was, unaided by the power of the Spirit?” ⁸ MOL 427.6