Manuscripts and Memories of Minneapolis

“BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS, SO SHALL YE PROSPER.”

By F. E. Belden.

(Chicago, Ill.)

A few days ago I read for the first time that part of Testimony No. 33 which speaks of an “unwarranted distinction” which some have made between reproof given as the result of revelation by vision or dream, and reproof given as the result of having received information by word or letter from individuals, as when certain members “of the house of Chloe” wrote Paul concerning the condition of the Corinthian church, on the authority of which his first epistle was written to that church.

Being one of those who have made that “unwarranted distinction” ever since the Minneapolis General Conference, without careful consideration of the question in all its bearings, and my influence having extended beyond reach by letter, I take this opportunity of acknowledging my error, basing my action on the following reasons:- MMM 291.1

1. The Scriptures, all of which I believe to be inspired of God, originated under both of the foregoing conditions-direct and indirect revelation, or rather, by divine direction through the agency of both angels and men, the Spirit of God moving the prophets to give needed reproof and instruction regardless of the means by which the necessity for it was brought to their attention. MMM 291.2

2. The Lord has not permitted the words of any of his prophets to “fall to the ground” by allowing them to reprove on the strength of a false report. God being a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” tale-bearers have often received the rebuke which they thought to inflict upon others. His prophets have ever been moved to speak according to the facts,-the motives,-usually hidden to the ones at fault, else no revelation would be necessary. The true Christian, having the Master’s cause at heart, will do all in his power to avert a threatening danger, by humbly pointing out what he considers to be wrong. A Pharisaical professor, having his own or some other personal interest in view, will do all in his power to maintain his position, often mistaking his prejudice for principle, and blindly hewing right and left; for principle must of course be defended! Nothing is more natural than that such a person should, when reproved, declare that he is right, nevertheless. But although the ones at fault may not change their course, the church is enlightened, warned, and false principles-prejudices-kept out, even at the loss of those who have been considered leading members. Hence prophecy is a purifier of the church. This I have always believed as far as revelation by vision and dreams is concerned. But if all scripture otherwise given is fallible, who knows where to stop cutting out? Every person would retain only that which suited his ideas,-derived from human sources, yet set up as the tribunal before which the word of God is made to pass for inspection. All creeds originated thus, modeled after the principle of the papacy, and every individual judging by his opinion as infallible, thereby makes of himself a pope. Hence an open Bible is ours, and the whole Bible, regardless of whether written pursuant to visions, dreams, or other means by which “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” To say that this passage ought to read, “All Scripture given of God,”-meaning that some of the Bible did not come from him,-would be to charge the Creator with giving us a guide-book of truth and error mixed, which would be the greatest injustice imaginable. since we are to be judged by his word only. MMM 291.3

3. The history of the manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy among Seventh-day Adventists during the last forty years, reveals no exception to the foregoing Scriptural example, but finds the Testimonies of to-day, as surely as the visions of some years ago, pointing ever to Christ and his holy word, like the infallible needle to the magnetic pole. The atmosphere of earth is not always so clear that the heavenly constellations may be discerned, but through forty years of foggy weather, occasional celestial glimpses and the passing of prophetic promontories have demonstrated the needle true to the pole. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” and cannot be trusted. When the prophetic needle is proved to be unreliable, let it be discarded, and man’s ideas followed as often as the heavens are curtained with theological and political error. Till then a look at the compass pronounces every seaman bewildered who is at variance with it. MMM 291.4

I have observed that whoever partially rejects the Testimonies discards what he needs most, and that every person who wholly rejects them, eventually doubts the Scriptures also, and loses his spiritual life and his hold on God, though he may still hold on to the church. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” I have also noticed that every person who heeds the Testimonies by coming back to the Bible principles from which he has wandered, reveals their Christ like influence in his daily life. MMM 291.5

We do not know our own hearts half so well as we know the hearts of others, simply because we do not study ours half so much as we study others. The Bible and the Testimonies light up the hidden labyrinths like a torch in the catacombs, revealing all sorts of creatures and inscriptions, prominent among which in most human sepulchers is sensitive pride, indomitable will, and Pharisaical reasoning. Some of us have been too busy doing the Lord’s work to stop and consider what he had to say about it; and I doubt not that the great, majority of the lost will be earth’s busy ones-workers for self and false religions. But into every sincere though blinded mind God will flash his light, though, like Paul, we for a time ignorantly persecute the Master. MMM 291.6

The fact is, I accidentally picked up a copy of Testimony No. 33 in the Chicago Mission (though having one unread in my own library), and noticing a leaf turned down at page 210, read a little under the heading referred to, and finding it both new and self-convicting, continued to read as one might listen to others talking about himself until convinced that they are correct in their statements. But when I realized that it was the Lord’s voice speaking to me, as I did realize before finishing pages 182 to 226, I saw how serious evils may come from neglect of truth,-as serious as from rejection of truth,-unless by some means we are awakened to our need before too late. I am still reading. MMM 291.7