Ellen G. White: The Later Elmshaven Years: 1905-1915 (vol. 6)

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The Ralph Mackin Visit

Much of Thursday, November 12, was spent in an interview with a Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Mackin, who felt they had had a special experience of being favored by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. They eagerly sought Ellen White's confirmation of the genuineness of their experience. The interview was reported by Clarence Crisler (see Selected Messages 3:363-378). It takes on importance to the church today because of the Mackin claim to have the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy, and of being able to cast out devils. In the discussion Mackin asserted that receiving the Spirit today will have “the same physiological effect” as it did on the disciples at Pentecost (Manuscript 115, 1908 [The Review and Herald, August 17, 1972]). “If we are in a delusion,” Mackin said, “we are honestly there. But if this is from the Spirit of God, we want to follow it.”— Ibid. In a letter to Elder Haskell, president of the California Conference, Ellen White wrote some two weeks later, November 26, 1908: 6BIO 171.7

Two weeks ago today, while I was writing, my son W. C. White came into my room and stated that there were two persons below who wished to speak with me. I went downstairs into our sitting room, and there met a man and his wife who claim to follow the Word of God and to believe the Testimonies. They have had an unusual experience during the past two or three years. They seemed to be honest-hearted people. 6BIO 172.1

I listened while they related some of their experiences, and then I told them something of the work we had to do, in meeting and opposing fanaticism, soon after the passing of the time when we expected to see our Lord. During those trying days, some of our most precious believers were led into fanaticism. I said further that before the end, we would see strange manifestations by those who professed to be led by the Holy Spirit. There are those who will treat, as something of great importance, these peculiar manifestations which are not of God, but which are calculated to divert the minds of many away from the teachings of the Word. 6BIO 172.2

In this stage of our history, we must be very careful to guard against everything that savors of fanaticism and disorder. We must guard against all peculiar exercises that would be likely to stir up the minds of unbelievers, and lead them to think that, as a people, we are led by impulse, and delight in noise and confusion accompanied by eccentricities of action. 6BIO 172.3

In the last days the enemy of present truth will bring in manifestations that are not in harmony with the workings of the Spirit, but are calculated to lead astray those who stand ready to take up with something new and strange. 6BIO 172.4

I told this brother and his wife that the experience through which I passed in my youth, shortly after the passing of the time in 1844, had led me to be very, very cautious about accepting anything similar to that which we then met and rebuked in the name of the Lord. 6BIO 172.5

No greater harm could be done to the work of God at this time than for us to allow a spirit of fanaticism to come into our churches, accompanied by strange workings which are incorrectly supposed to be operations of the Spirit of God. 6BIO 172.6

As this brother and his wife outlined their experiences, which they claim have come to them as the result of receiving the Holy Ghost with apostolic power, it seemed to be a facsimile of that which we were called to meet and correct in our early experience. 6BIO 173.1

Toward the close of our interview, Brother Mackin proposed that we unite in prayer, with the thought that possibly while in prayer his wife would be exercised as they had described to me, and that then I might be able to discern whether this was of the Lord or not. To this I could not consent, because I have been instructed that when one offers to exhibit these peculiar manifestations, this is a decided evidence that it is not the work of God. 6BIO 173.2

We must not permit these experiences to lead us to feel discouraged. Such experiences will come to us from time to time. Let us give no place to strange exercisings, which really take the mind away from the deep movings of the Holy Spirit. God's work is ever characterized by calmness and dignity. We cannot afford to sanction anything that would bring in confusion, and weaken our zeal in regard to the great work that God has given us to do in the world to prepare for the second coming of Christ.—Letter 338, 1908. 6BIO 173.3

On the day of the interview Ellen White had sounded cautions, but refrained from giving positive word one way or the other. Late in the interview Mackin proposed that they would continually pray to the Lord, asking Him to give Ellen White light in regard to their experience. Leaving his address, he said, “If you have anything for us after this, we shall be glad to receive it.” (Manuscript 115, 1908 [The Review and Herald, August 17, 1972]). 6BIO 173.4

The interview drew to a close at about noon. Ellen White shook hands with her callers and declared: “I want the Spirit of the Lord to be with you, and you, and me. We are to be just like God's little children.”— Ibid. On leaving Elmshaven, the Mackins reported to friends and sympathizers that they had had an interview with Sister White and had something good to report. 6BIO 173.5

Then on December 11, a vision was given to Ellen White that clearly defined the Mackin experience. As promised, she communicated with them, stating: 6BIO 174.1

Recently, in visions of the night, there were opened before me some matters that I must communicate to you. I have been shown that you are making some sad mistakes. In your study of the Scriptures and of the Testimonies, you have come to wrong conclusions. The Lord's work would be greatly misunderstood if you should continue to labor as you have begun.... You are deceiving yourselves and deceiving others. 6BIO 174.2

You have even supposed that power is given you to cast out devils. Through your influence over the human mind, men and women are led to believe that they are possessed of devils, and that the Lord has appointed you as His agents for casting out these evil spirits. 6BIO 174.3

As she neared the close of her message to the Mackins, she declared: 6BIO 174.4

My brother and sister, I have a message for you: You are starting on a false supposition. There is too much self woven into your exhibitions.... Satan will come into these exhibitions. It is high time you called a halt.... I do not want you to be found on a false track. You are certainly there now, and I beg of you, for your souls’ sake, to imperil no longer the cause of the truth for these last days.—Letter 358a, 1908. 6BIO 174.5

Because the Mackins were visiting some of the churches in California, Ellen White addressed a message of warning to all church members to be on guard, and to give no encouragement to such demonstrations. This was published in the Pacific Union Recorder, December 31, 1908. The Mackins quickly dropped out of sight, but the counsels and warnings given in connection with this experience have served the church well. 6BIO 174.6