The Review and Herald
September 6, 1906
Correct Views Concerning the Testimonies
A Reply to an Inquirer
(Concluded.)
The statement which you quote from “Testimony,” No. 31, that “in these letters which I wrote, in the Testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me. I do not write one article in the paper, expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision—the precious rays of light shining from the throne,” is correct. It is true concerning the articles in our papers and in the many volumes of my books. I have been instructed in accordance with the Word in the precepts of the law of God. I have been instructed in selecting from the lessons of Christ. Are not the positions taken in my writings in harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ? If not, point it out to me. RH September 6, 1906, par. 1
To some of the questions you have asked, I am not to answer Yes or No. I must not make statements that can be misconstrued. I see and feel the peril of those who I have been instructed were endangering their souls at times by listening to deceptive representations regarding the messages that God has given me. Through many twistings and turnings and false reasonings on what I have written, they seek to vindicate their personal unbelief. I am sorry for my brethren who have been walking in the mist of suspicion and skepticism and false reasoning. I know that some of them would be blessed by messages of counsel if the clouds obscuring their spiritual vision could be driven back, and they could see aright. But they do not see clearly. Therefore I dare not communicate with them. RH September 6, 1906, par. 2
When the Spirit of God clears away the mysticism, there will be found just as complete comfort and faith and hope in the messages that I have been instructed to give as were found in them in years past. RH September 6, 1906, par. 3
Truth will surely bear away the victory. One who gave His life to ransom man from the delusions of Satan is not asleep, but watching. When his sheep turn away from following the voice of a stranger whose sheep they are not, they will rejoice in the life of Christ. The envious Pharisees misinterpreted the acts and words of Christ, which, if properly received, would have been beneficial to their spiritual understanding. Instead of admiring his goodness, they charged him, in the presence of his disciples, with impiety—“Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?” Instead of addressing our blessed Saviour himself, whose answer would at once have convicted them of their malice, they talked with the disciples, and made their charges where, as a leaven of evil, they would do great harm. If Christ had been an impious man he would have lost his hold upon the hearts of his believing followers. But because of their confidence in Christ, the disciples would not give ear to the insinuations of his wicked accusers. RH September 6, 1906, par. 4
Desiring to bring censure upon the disciples, these wicked accusers went again and again to Christ with the question, Why do thy disciples that which is not lawful? And when they judged our Lord to have transgressed, they spoke not to himself, but to his disciples, to plant the seeds of unbelief in the hearts of his followers. Thus they worked to bring in doubt and dissension. Every method was tried to bring doubt into the hearts of the little flock, that it might cause them to watch for something that would check the good and gracious work of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Work of this same character will be brought to bear upon true believers today. The Lord Jesus reads the heart; he discerns the intents and purposes of the thoughts of all men concerning himself and his believing disciples. He answers their thoughts concerning the fault-finding ones. “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” The insolent Pharisees had an exalted idea of their own piety and holiness, while they were ready to pass censure on the lives of others. RH September 6, 1906, par. 5
On one occasion those who were guilty of many secret sins, brought to Christ a woman who had been taken in sin. They thought that he would pronounce judgment against her, and then they could accuse him of taking judgment into his own hands. While they were presenting the case, Christ was busy writing on the sand. He said nothing, and when they pressed him for a decision, he was in no hurry to pronounce judgment. One after another came near to him to see what he was writing, and there in the sand they saw the record of their own sins. Then Christ said to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” But not a stone was cast, and they went away, leaving the woman with him. He said to her, “Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” She said, “No man, Lord.” Christ answered, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” RH September 6, 1906, par. 6
The Lord Jesus beheld the whole plot and the arrogance of the ones who had arranged it, who were worthy of condemnation and punishment, and when they saw that he knew their lives, they left and went out, having failed in their desire to bring about the condemnation of Christ. RH September 6, 1906, par. 7
Let no one complain. True religion is free from the exaltation of self. If we have not a sense of our interest, heart and mind and soul, in our Saviour, if we have not the grace and the intelligent Bible knowledge to apply to ourselves his merits and disposition of character, through the merits of the atonement, we shall obtain no ease, on assurance. RH September 6, 1906, par. 8
Bear in mind that it is none but God that can hold an argument with Satan. The sentiments of the enemy are to be met with a plain “Thus saith the Lord.” Human infirmity, I am instructed, will not be able to resist the devil. Always keep aloof from secret science. If the mind is once open to this evil, Satan has the mastery. Flee from this unequal conflict. Let it ever be our individual care to keep clear of Satan's mysterious devisings. He will ever be making efforts to give power to secret science by which to overcome us, and then follows the sin of secret disobedience. RH September 6, 1906, par. 9
The law of the Lord is to be written on the heart. If it is not, we never obey it in truth. I am having deeply impressed upon my mind the history of the children of Israel while the awful presence of God was before them, as recorded in Exodus 19:16. “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.” RH September 6, 1906, par. 10
This was the all-important occasion when God and angels came from heaven to the armies of Israel. Here was the law spoken in awful solemnity. The Lord God manifested himself to his people who were delivered out of Egyptian bondage. But this very people, while waiting before the mount for Moses to return, were tempted to doubt, by the suggestion of some that perplexities were arising, and notwithstanding the most solemn impressions that had been recently made upon their minds, they now by their attitude of questioning and doubt, invited the tempter to come in as an honored guest. Growing doubt soon led to a demand for a substitute for Moses. RH September 6, 1906, par. 11
Only a few days before, the presence of the Lord was manifest in such power that they were terribly afraid and asked that Moses might hear the words of God, and then speak the same to them. But now they wanted something present that they could depend upon. RH September 6, 1906, par. 12
They might, at this time, have been learning precious lessons, which the Lord was ready to give them, if they had trusted fully in him. But the result of their murmurings and unbelief was that Aaron made them a golden calf to represent God. He proclaimed this idol to be God, and a great deal of enthusiasm was created over this false god. If instead of doing this, he had called to mind the wonderful deliverance which God had wrought for them, and every mind had been drawn upon to express gratitude to God for all his rich mercies in delivering his people from Egyptian bondage, they might have been placed on vantage-ground, to glorify the Lord God who had wrought such wonderful deliverance from degradation and slavery. RH September 6, 1906, par. 13
Mrs. E. G. White