Manuscript Releases, vol. 17 [Nos. 1236-1300]

MR No. 1267—Evil Counsels Followed at the Review and Herald and the General Conference

(Written October 12, 1895, at Granville, NSW.)

The reproofs that have been coming to the men who have walked away from God into false paths have not been for anything that has come suddenly. There has been a working of the great deceiver upon human minds, after human methods that God has not sanctioned. Men controlled by the Holy Spirit, familiar with the principles of the law of God, could not engage in it if they had been looking to God and trusting in God. But men, human men, have had a settled determination to carry out their own devisings as if the Lord had authorized them to do this work. Men were working upon principles that God has condemned, which God will not accept, but in the great day of God He will say, “Who has required this work at your hands?” 17MR 177.1

The natural traits of the human heart are always warring against the Spirit. The old man, not dead, will revive and have power to do mischief that will sink souls in ruin. Man has been building up the things he once destroyed. He has permitted himself to increase and Christ to decrease. He exalts his planning and devising as very wise, and Christ is left out of his counsel. 17MR 177.2

These men have had light; they have had the warnings and messages from God sent to them. I have often been aroused at twelve and one o'clock at night and have felt charged by the Spirit of God to write to you, but you have received other counsel, of men, and ignored the counsel of God, else things would have never come to this. Evil counsels have been exalted and honored. Why have you done this? Much money has been used in the erecting of buildings to make an appearance of prosperity, “to give character to the work,” it is said, and to give the impression that the men managing this institution were superior business men. You have voiced their decisions; you have wanted them to be according to their representations; and Christ has decreased, and the men counterworking away from God's plans have increased. 17MR 177.3

I could not entrust the light God has given me to the publishing house at Battle Creek. I would not dare to do this. As for your book committee, under the present administration, with the men who now preside, I would not entrust to them for publication in books the light given me of God, until that publishing house has men of consecrated ability and wisdom. As for the voice of the General Conference, there is no voice from God through that body that is reliable. 17MR 178.1

There is nothing to be depended upon. Everything is diverted into selfish channels. The Conference taking the publishing interest from Review and Herald Publishing Association does not relieve the situation at all, for the very same methods, the very same selfish plans, the very same ideas and devising remain. Enough robbery and dishonesty in deal have been practiced without now spreading to the General Conference this leprosy of cunning and double dealing and turning away men from their rights. I have now no words of sufficient force to describe the situation that has been steadily carried forward, notwithstanding all the warnings, all the messages given of God. When the word of the Lord is respected more highly than the words of men who have given evidence that they have no living connection with God, then the Lord's will and my will [will] be done. 17MR 178.2

Oh, how my heart aches, that spiritual wickedness should prevail in high places! The working of minds under the inspiration of Satan has come to a high pass. The men have been listening to the suggestions of Satan, and they know not from what source their wisdom came. They know not that that wisdom was from beneath, and would stop at nothing until they saw that all control was in the power of a set of men who were taking the place of God. The principle has been at work either to control or to crush all that cannot be controlled. There has been a spirit of deep, deep heart opposition to the truth of the gospel. Oh, to what obstinacy can the heart of man be brought! I stood nearly three years in Battle Creek. The power of God was revealed. Evidence was piled upon evidence, and on different occasions I hoped for a thorough work to be done.—Manuscript 57, 1895. 17MR 179.1

Ellen G. White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

July 9, 1987.

Entire Manuscript.