Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Two Groups Contrasted

He immediately places in contrast with these the Sabbathkeeping group of Adventists: EGWC 198.1

“Another class heeded the many exhortations of Christ and his apostles, applicable to their position, with its trials, dangers and duties—Watch—Be ye therefore patient—Cast not away therefore your confidence—For ye have need of patience—Hold fast.—They waited, watched, and prayed till light came, and they, by faith in the word, saw the open door of the heavenly sanctuary, and Jesus there pleading his precious blood before the ark of the most holy place. EGWC 198.2

“But what was that ark? It was the ark of God’s testimony, the ten commandments. Reader, please follow these trusting, waiting ones as they, by faith, enter the heavenly sanctuary. They take you into the holy place, and show you ‘the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread,’ and other articles of furniture. Then they lead you into the most holy, where stands Jesus, clad in priestly garments, before the mercy-seat which is upon, and but the cover of, the ark containing the law of God. They lift the cover and bid you look into the sacred ark, and there you behold the ten commandments, a copy of which God gave to Moses. Yes, dear reader, there, safe from the wrath of man and the rage of demons, beside his own holiness were the ten precepts of God’s holy law. EGWC 198.3

“The waiting, watching, praying ones embraced the fourth precept of that law, and with fresh courage took their onward course to the golden gates of the city of God, cheered by the closing benediction of the Son of God: ‘Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.’ Thus they came out of the position of the shut door on the side of loyalty to the God of high Heaven, the tree of life, and the eternal city of the redeemed. The reader will not fail to see the difference between this and getting out of the shut door on the side of perdition. God pity the apostate.”—Ibid. EGWC 198.4