Manuscript Releases, vol. 12 [Nos. 921-999]

MR No. 973—Need for Unity Among Spiritual Shepherds

A vision the Lord gave me at Sutton, Vermont, September, 1850. I saw the loveliness of Jesus and the love that the angels have for one another. Said the angel, Can ye not behold their love? Follow it. Just so God's people must love one another. Rather let blame fall on thyself than on a brother. I was then pointed back to western New York and saw that Brother Bates did not give the message.—“Sell that ye have and give alms”—in its clear light. It caused some to follow for the loaves and fishes, and now they are ready to be purged out. Falsehoods have been in their mouths. I saw that Brother Bates's holding up “sell that ye have” in a wrong light had caused those who had been coveting others’ property to take lenity from it and to rejoice and triumph, and had also caused those who had property to hold on to it. Those who had been coveting were zealous to attend conference with their families, not to glorify God but for the loaves and the fishes. They had better have remained at home and worked with their hands to supply the wants of their families and to have something to give to sustain the cause of truth. 12MR 246.1

I saw that Brother Bates erred again in praying for the sick before unbelievers. I saw if any among us were sick and called for the elders of the church to pray over them, we should follow the example of Jesus. He went into an inner chamber, and we should go into a room by ourselves separate entirely from unbelievers, and then the atmosphere would not be polluted by them. By faith we could take hold on God and draw down the blessing. I saw that God's cause was dishonored and reproached in western New York at the general conference by praying for the sick in the midst of unbelievers. I also saw that Brother Bates erred in attending the washing of saints’ feet and the communion among unbelievers. It only caused reproach to come on the cause of God. I saw that the example of Jesus should be followed. He took His disciples away alone, separate from the wicked, and first washed their feet, and then gave them to eat of the broken bread to represent His broken body and gave them to drink of the juice of the vine to represent His spilled blood. 12MR 247.1

I saw that Brother Bates and all the shepherds should be careful in these things, and move understandingly, and follow the example of Jesus in these things. I saw that a Judas might be among us from time to time, that would appear to be with us, but they would eat and drink to their own damnation, but God would make them manifest quickly, and they would be purged out from among Israel. I saw that the above named errors of Brother Bates and others more dangerous brought confusion and had destroyed James's confidence in Brother Bates; I saw that James at first had godly jealousy for the truth, then other jealousy crept in until he was jealous of most every move Brother Bates would make. These wrongs I saw must be taken out of the way. 12MR 247.2

Then I saw Brother Bates. Said the angel, Be not quick to receive error, nor too slow to receive the truth. I saw that the women of Revelation 18:4 meant the churches and that we were bid to “come out of her” that we be not defiled, partake of her sins, and receive of her plagues. I saw that Brother Bates had not applied Revelation 18:4 correctly, and his error had caused confusion. 12MR 248.1

Then I saw that after Jesus leaves the sanctuary the plagues will be poured out. Said the angel, It is the wrath of God and the Lamb that causes the destruction or death of the wicked. I saw that at the voice of God the saints will be mighty and terrible as an army with banners, but they will not then execute the judgment written. But after they are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye [1 Corinthians 15:52], and are caught up with the sleeping saints [1 Thessalonians 4:17], and receive their harps, crowns, etc., and enter the city, Jesus and the saints sit in judgment, the books are opened, the book of life and the book of death. 12MR 248.2

The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints, and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books were compared with the statute book—the Bible—and according to that they were judged. The saints in unison with Jesus passed their judgment upon the wicked dead. “Behold ye,” said the angel, “the saints sit in unison with Jesus and mete out to each of the wicked according to the deeds done in the body [2 Corinthians 5:10. 2 Corinthians 5:10], and it is set off against their names what they must receive at the execution of the judgment.” This I saw was the work of the saints with Jesus through the 1,000 years. 12MR 248.3

At the end of the 1,000 years Jesus, with the holy angels and all the saints, leaves the city, and while He is descending with them the wicked dead are raised, and then the very men that pierced Him [Revelation 1:7] will see Him afar off in all His glory, and all the holy angels and the saints with Him. They will see the prints of the nails in His hands and in His feet, and where they thrust the spear into His side, and they will wail because of Him. I saw that the prints of the nails and of the spear were His glory. 12MR 249.1

Then it is that Jesus stands upon the Mount of Olives and the Mount parts asunder and becomes a plain, and the city comes down from God out of heaven and settles on the plain. Then Satan imbues the wicked that have been raised, with his spirit and he flatters them that the army in the city is small and that his army is large and that they can overcome them and take the city. 12MR 249.2

While Satan is rallying his army the saints are in the city beholding the beauty and glory of the paradise of God. Jesus was at their head leading them. All at once the lovely Jesus was gone from our company, but soon we heard His lovely voice saying, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [Matthew 25:34.] We gathered about Jesus and just as He closed the gates of the city the curse from God was pronounced upon the wicked. The gates are shut. Then the saints use their wings and fly to the top of the wall of the city. Jesus is also with them. His crown looked brilliant and glorious. It was a crown within a crown, seven in number. 12MR 249.3

The crowns of the saints were of the purest gold, and were decked with stars, and shone like the sun, as they moved all together to the top of the city. Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express image of Jesus. Then the wicked saw what they had lost. And fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. Then was the execution of the judgment. The wicked received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them through the 1,000 years. The same fire from God that consumed the wicked purified the whole earth. The mountains melted with fervent heat, the atmosphere also, and all the stubble was consumed. Then our inheritance opened before us glorious and beautiful. Then we inherited the whole earth made new. We shouted with a loud voice, Glory Alleluia. 12MR 250.1

Then I saw that God had not given to Brother Bates the gift of discernment; but his gift was to talk the Word. None had a gift like his. He could talk to a small company when there were no more than two present, as well as to a large company. This gift is greatly needed in the church. I saw that he had prepared the way in many places for the Lord to speak through visions. The angel then pointed to Brother Bates and said, Be careful how thou treadest, lest the flock be torn. Draw near to God. Thou hast been in danger. Can ye not see it? That must be healed every whit. This people must be humble. 12MR 250.2

I begged of Jesus to forbid that there should be any discord among the shepherds, for then the flock would be scattered as sheep without a shepherd. I prayed Jesus to encircle them now in His lovely arms. I saw that the disunion between the shepherds had affected the flock. Then I saw that in the scattering time when paper after paper was dying, Brother Bates wrote for them until the last, and now in the gathering time when precious souls that have been hid beneath the rubbish and have not had the privilege of hearing the truth, need light from different ones, his testimony has been withheld. I saw that if ever the saints could be benefited by comforting words and the truth made clear in the paper, it is now in the gathering. God wanted the papers to cease in the scattering time, but now the truth should be sung, preached, prayed, and published. Then I saw we must drink deep, deep from the water of the fountain. Said the angel, Ye must reflect the lovely image of Jesus more and more. I saw that we were almost home, to rest in the city 1,000 years. Said the angel, “Ye must love one another as Jesus hath loved you.” 12MR 250.3

I saw that Brother Bates's heart must be open, ready to yield up a dear point when the clear light shines. I saw that we must be more like Jesus. Everything in heaven is in perfect order, and the events of the judgment will come in perfect order. Then I saw James and Brother Bates. Said the angel, “Press together, press together, press together, press together, ye shepherds, lest the sheep be scattered. Love one another as I have loved you. Swim, swim, swim, plunge deep, deep, deep in the ocean of God's love. Come into a nearness with God.” I saw that we must overcome perfectly and get the victory over the powers of darkness. 12MR 251.1

I saw that Brother Bates with the other shepherds should consult those in whom they have reason to have confidence, and who have been in all the messages, and are firm in all the present truth, and have not wavered upon it, before they receive and advocate any new point of importance which they think the Bible sustains. Then I saw that all the shepherds would be perfectly united and the church would feel that union and the shepherds would be strong; and each one would know just what work the other was doing, and thereby they could hold up each other's hands, and the church would be benefited, and then there would be but little danger of any of the shepherds receiving dangerous error with which to divide the precious flock.—Manuscript 14, 1850. (Copied from Hiram Edson's manuscript. Original copy in Advent Source Collection. Compares with Present Truth, 86-87. See Early Writings, 52-54.) 12MR 251.2

White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

March 31, 1983.