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Ellen White: Woman of Vision

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Meeting The Holy Flesh Fanaticism

Another disruptive element that Ellen White met at the 1901 conference, and this time before all the ministers of the cause, was the “holy flesh” fanaticism, which centered in Indiana. This came on Wednesday evening, April 17. WV 393.5

Under the guise of a great revival and the outpouring of the latter rain, the “holy flesh” movement swept through the Indiana Conference. Late in 1899 the president, Elder R. S. Donnell, became a strong advocate of the movement and was joined by most of the ministers in Indiana. In arranging for the camp meeting of 1900 he planned great things. He was unwilling that the two visiting General Conference brethren, Elders S. N. Haskell and A. J. Breed, be given much opportunity to reach the people. He warned his workers that these men had not passed through Christ's Garden of Gethsemane experience, and the ministers should not allow themselves to be influenced by them. WV 393.6

As the conference president stood speaking one evening, he held his arms outstretched toward the congregation, and later reported that he had felt great power coursing down his arms and passing through his fingers out to the people. WV 394.1

Elder Haskell reported that there was indeed a power, a strange power, in this new message. The people were bewildered. None wished to miss the experience of the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Translation faith seemed desirable. The teaching was a mixture of truth, error, excitement, and noise. WV 394.2

This was not Ellen White's first introduction to this strange teaching. She responded to Haskell: WV 394.3

Last January the Lord showed me that erroneous theories and methods would be brought into our camp meetings, and that the history of the past would be repeated. I felt greatly distressed. I was instructed to say that at these demonstrations demons in the form of men are present, working with all the ingenuity that Satan can employ to make the truth disgusting to sensible people; that the enemy was trying to arrange matters so that the camp meetings, which have been the means of bringing the truth of the third angel's message before multitudes, should lose their force and influence (Letter 132, 1900 [2 SM, p. 37]). WV 394.4

The workers’ meeting at 5:30 on Wednesday morning, April 17, was not only solemn but exciting. Mrs. White chose at that point in the session to meet the “holy flesh” fanaticism. She did so by reading a carefully prepared manuscript statement. Before the meeting closed, she told the audience that to meet this fanaticism was one of the reasons she had left Australia and returned to the United States. The situation with which she was dealing had been revealed to her in Australia in January 1900, “before I left Cooranbong.” And she declared, “If this had not been presented to me, I should not have been here today. But I am here, in obedience to the word of the Lord, and I thank Him that He has given me strength beyond my expectations to speak to the people” ( WV 394.5

The General Conference Bulletin, 1901, 426). She said, in part: WV 394.6

Instruction has been given me in regard to the late experience of brethren in Indiana and the teaching they have given to the churches. Through this experience and teaching the enemy has been working to lead souls astray. WV 394.7

The teaching given in regard to what is termed “holy flesh” is an error. All may now obtain holy hearts, but it is not correct to claim in this life to have holy flesh. The apostle Paul declares, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18). To those who have tried so hard to obtain by faith so-called holy flesh, I would say, You cannot obtain it. Not a soul of you has holy flesh now. No human being on earth has holy flesh. It is an impossibility. If those who speak so freely of perfection in the flesh could see things in the true light, they would recoil with horror from their presumptuous ideas.... WV 394.8

The manner in which the meetings in Indiana have been carried on, with noise and confusion, does not commend them to thoughtful, intelligent minds. There is nothing in these demonstrations which will convince the world that we have the truth. Mere noise and shouting are no evidence of sanctification (The General Conference Bulletin, 419-420; Selected Messages, 2:31-35]). WV 395.1

Ellen White stood before the congregation for an hour, first reading from the manuscript she had prepared for the occasion, then bearing impromptu testimony, which was also reported in the Bulletin. WV 395.2

The next day at the early morning workers’ meeting, Elder Donnell rose and asked whether he might make a statement. It appears in the General Conference Bulletin under the title “Confession of Elder R. S. Donnell.” He spoke in measured words: WV 395.3

I feel unworthy to stand before this large assembly of my brethren this morning. Very early in life I was taught to reverence and to love the Word of God; and when reading in it how God used to talk to His people, correcting their wrongs, and guiding them in all their ways, when a mere boy I used to say: “Why don't we have a prophet? Why doesn't God talk to us now as He used to do?” WV 395.4

When I found this people, I was more than glad to know that there was a prophet among them, and from the first I have been a firm believer in, and a warm advocate of, the Testimonies and the Spirit of Prophecy. It has been suggested to me at times in the past, that the test on this point of faith comes when the testimony comes directly to us. WV 395.5

As nearly all of you know, in the testimony of yesterday morning, the test came to me. But, brethren, I can thank God this morning that my faith in the Spirit of Prophecy remains unshaken. God has spoken. He says I was wrong, and I answer, God is right, and I am wrong.... WV 395.6

I am very, very sorry that I have done that which would mar the cause of God and lead anyone in the wrong way. I have asked God to forgive me, and I know that He has done it. As delegates and representatives of the cause of God in the earth, I now ask you to forgive me my sins, and I ask your prayers for strength and wisdom to walk aright in the future. It is my determination, by the help of God, to join glad hands with you in the kingdom of God (The General Conference Bulletin, 422). WV 395.7

With this confession the holy flesh fanaticism was broken. WV 396.1