Charismatic Experiences In Early Seventh-day Adventist History

Chapter 2—The Meetings Stopped

It is understandable, then, that when reports of events at Healdsburg came to conference leaders, some of them went to Healdsburg. They looked into the matter, met with Daniels, and decided that the meetings should be discontinued. This brought the whole situation to a crisis. Daniels agreed to follow the counsel of his brethren, but a large part of the church was left very unhappy. CEESDAH 29.12

When Ellen White, in Europe, learned of the manner in which the meetings had been cut short, she wrote to conference leaders: CEESDAH 29.13

“In regard to Elder [E.P.] Daniels, he is finite; he is not infallible. But there is such a disposition to judge others. They do not keep in view that God works by whom He will. Christ is to be seen as officiating through the delegated servant. The great evil is that the mind becomes narrowed and loses sight of the chief Worker; it gets on the instrument and decides the people cannot be advantaged unless the manners and the habits of the worker meet their own pattern exactly. They regard the speaker as a man, merely, not a messenger whom God may use to deliver a message or do a certain work.

“God has chosen man to do a certain work. His mental capacities may be weak, but then the evidence is more apparent that God works. His speech may not be eloquent, but that is no evidence that he has not a message from God. His knowledge may be limited, but in many cases God can work with his wisdom through such an agent, and the power be seen of God, more than through one possessing natural and acquired abilities and who knows it and has confidence in himself, in his judgment, in his knowledge, in his manner of address.”—Letter 76, 1886.

Then Ellen White explained: CEESDAH 29.14

“But E. P. Daniels is an acceptable speaker and as I have been shown a man of not the deepest judgment, one who needed a counselor; but he is a man who could come close to the hearts of the people and one who possesses sympathy and personal efforts that would penetrate the barriers built up about the soul that resisted the influence of the truth. God works in and through frail instruments, and He is not discerned.”—Ibid.

At another time, writing of the revival to one of the leaders in California, Ellen White expressed the wish that many similar revivals would break out: CEESDAH 29.15

“Just such a work as I hope has been done in Healdsburg, will be done in every church in our land, and through ways and means that we do not look for. Let this work go forward everywhere. Let sins be confessed. Let iniquities be revealed. Let it extend far and near. This work will be done.”—Letter 10, 1885.

Concerning such revivals she wrote rather surprising words—words that we may well ponder: CEESDAH 29.16

“Men may pronounce against it because it does not come in their exact line. Fanaticism will also come in as it always has done when God works. The net will gather in its meshes both bad and good, but who will dare to cast the whole thing overboard, because all are not of the right kind of fish. I feel deeply over this matter. I do not doubt but that Elder Daniels has erred in some things, but has his error been of that character that it makes him unworthy of a place among God’s people?”—Ibid. (Italics supplied.)

As Ellen White looked back on the experience at Healdsburg, on several occasions she wrote relative to it and the final outcome. In so doing she has given us some counsels and clues that should be helpful in the days to come. In an undated letter written to church leaders in California early in 1886, she said: CEESDAH 30.1

“I wish to say some things in reference to the revival at Healdsburg. I wish to say I am not in harmony with your treatment of this matter. That there were fanatical ones who pressed into that work I would not deny. But if you move in the future as you have done in this matter, you may be assured of one thing, you will condemn the work of the latter rain when it shall come. For you will see at that time far greater evidences of fanaticism.

“I believe the work at Healdsburg to be genuine. I believe there were the deep movings of the Spirit of God. I believe unconsecrated, unconverted ones urged themselves to the front. The enemy always works through those of unbalanced minds and imperfect characters. I do not believe that Elder [E.P.] Daniels moved wisely in all things, and it would be a new chapter in the experience of workers if there was not a mistake made in some things....

“When an effort shall be made in the work of God, Satan will be on the ground to urge himself to notice, but shall it be the work of ministers to stretch out the hand and say, This must go no farther, for it is not the work of God? ...

“I wish you could see what a delicate, dangerous matter it is to meddle with the work of God unless you have light from heaven to guide you in your decisions....

“I fear you have grieved the Spirit of God. The fruits were good in the work at Healdsburg, but the spurious was brought in as well as the genuine. Then it needed men of discernment, of calm, well-balanced minds, to come in when there was peril and indiscretion, to have a molding influence upon the work. You could have done this.”—Letter 76, 1886. (Italics supplied.)

At about this same time she wrote to friends in Healdsburg and again reviewed the experience of revival that was cut short. This statement sums up much of what she wrote to various individuals concerning the matter and gives a good résumé: CEESDAH 30.2

“In regard to the revival meetings at Healdsburg, it surely bears fruit of being the work of God, but in every such revival Satan gains advantages by coming in through unconsecrated persons who have had little or no experience in a life of piety and godliness. These elements will press to the front and on such occasions will be the most forward, the most zealous and enthusiastic.

“The very ones who could not be trusted with any important religious interest would take any burden, shoulder any responsibility, as though they were men and women who had earned a reputation through a life of self-denial, of self-sacrifice and devotion, that they were capable of deciding important questions and leading the church.

“To put confidence in these would be like committing big vessels into the hands of children to manage on the high seas. Such persons need the transforming grace of Christ daily in order to bear fruit to the glory of God. ‘Learn of me,’ says Christ, ‘for I am meek and lowly of heart.’ Such persons have never learned this lesson. If they would wear Christ’s yoke and lift Christ’s burdens then they would understand better how they might help and bless others.

“Now I suppose these individuals were the very ones who were the most officious in the meetings in Healdsburg. From what I have been shown I would suppose that they were of that number that composed the private meetings, where only those who were ‘wholly the Lord’s’ met. I know what I am talking about, for these matters have been laid open before me several times; and yet I would say to my brethren and sisters in Healdsburg, I believe the Spirit of God has done a work for you.

“Hold fast everything that is good. Have no spirit of Phariseeism; have no loftiness and self-confidence. The lower you lie at the foot of the cross, the more distinct and the more precious will be your views of Christ our Redeemer. The one grace that is so much wanted with everyone who professes to be a follower of Christ is meekness, humility, humbleness of mind. One view of Jesus sends self-importance to the winds....

“I have a deep interest for the church in Healdsburg. Their prosperity depends upon the right hold that they have of Jesus. The presence of personal home piety will tell upon their own character, upon the character of their children, and upon their behavior toward the animals which they use.”—Letter 9, 1886.

Having reviewed this experience we might well join Ellen White in her observation that it is CEESDAH 30.3

“a delicate, dangerous matter ... to meddle with the work of God.” And we are reminded of Ellen White’s words: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 196. CEESDAH 30.4