Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

“Testimony No. 12”

While Ellen White's message to the session was appreciated, and parts have often been quoted, neither church leaders nor Bulletin editors attached words of special comment. Not so with an eighteen-page document titled “Testimony No. 12,” which was read on two occasions to those assembled. 4BIO 64.1

Olsen read the message at the first hour of the Friday-morning institute session, February 3. He designated it as “a testimony received from Sister White for this conference.” The notice describes it as “a solemn, searching appeal to the ministry to set about the work of cleansing and purification with terrible earnestness.” The response is also noted: 4BIO 64.2

The reading was followed by testimonies from quite a number who confessed failures with brokenness of heart and accepted the testimony as personal to them, and laid hold of the promises in it, as well as the corrections. The Spirit of the Lord brought a spirit of deep earnestness and solemnity into the meeting.—The General Conference Bulletin, 1893, 115. 4BIO 64.3

Ellen White opened her message by relating an incident that had just taken place. One who was attending the Australian Conference session had related to her his perplexity and discouragement in finding in the Review and Herald articles by two leading brethren, A. T. Jones and Uriah Smith, one in disagreement with the other. She described the effect: 4BIO 64.4

He saw in the Review the articles of Brother A. T. Jones in regard to the image of the beast, and then the one from Elder Smith presenting the opposite view. He was perplexed and troubled. He had received much light and comfort in reading articles from Brethren Jones and Waggoner; but here was one of the old laborers, one who had written many of our standard books, and whom we had believed to be taught of God, who seemed to be in conflict with Brother Jones. 4BIO 64.5

What could all this mean? Was Brother Jones in the wrong? Was Brother Smith in error? Which was right? He became confused. When the important laborers in the cause of God take opposite positions in the same paper, whom can we depend on? 4BIO 64.6

Who can we believe has the true position? 4BIO 65.1

She pointed the troubled inquirer to the Bible, and urged that he be not confused by the differences of opinion he had observed. And she admonished church leaders and ministers that “the zeal that leads to this kind of work is not inspired of God.” She gave counsel on dealing with such situations: 4BIO 65.2