General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3

THE USE AND THE ABUSE OF THE TESTIMONIES

L. A. HOOPESDAVID PAULSON

“As the end draws near, and the work of giving the last warning to the world extends, it becomes more important for those who accept present truth to have a clear understanding of the nature and influence of the Testimonies, which God in his providence has linked with the work of the third angel’s message from its very rise.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:654. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.1

Mark that this quotation does not raise the question of the importance of believing the Testimonies, but of understanding their nature and influence. Those who have made a deep and prayerful study of the Testimonies, have certainly realized in a most practical manner the words of the psalmist, “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Psalm 119:99. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.2

Hundreds of young men and women among us might have their former teachers for their present pupils had they appreciated the living rays of light which have, through this channel, permeated into the darkest recesses of almost every branch of human knowledge. It has always been God’s purpose that his people should especially be made to “lie down in green pastures.” This is just as true in scientific knowledge and in methods of presenting and making a practical application of the same, as in the purely spiritual truths. The Bible is the fountain head of all truth, and any tree of knowledge whose taproot does not strike into its principles, will vanish away; for “every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.” GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.3

It is the work of the Testimonies not to enunciate new principles of truth, but to point out and bring to the God’s eternal truth. Right here is where so much misunderstanding has arisen in reference to the Testimonies, as to whether they were to be placed on an equality with the Bible, in place of the Bible, or as an addition to the Bible. As a matter of fact the scope of the Testimonies fills none of these. The Lord has pointed out the exact position that they occupy, and no one need to stumble over it. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.4

“The written Testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed.”—Idem, Vol. 2, p. 605. In short, the Testimonies are to take the truths in God’s word and hold them up before the mind in such a manner that as lasting an impression shall be made as was left upon our minds when perhaps our home burned down, or when we were an eye-witness of some frightful accident; or, in the words of the quotation, to “impress vividly.” GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.5

“Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given.” Idem, Vol. 2, p. 605. In such a principle of truth as is stated in the words, “Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,” the casual reader perceives little; but when God shifts his great telescope, the Testimonies, to this verse, and adjusts the focus, we see how this text applies to habits of daily life, even to such simple things as clothing, diet, and exercise. In a drop of water that may hang on the point of a cambric needle, the ordinary eye discovers nothing, yet let the scientist put it under his microscope, and if it has been properly inoculated, it will reveal myriads of animal forms that are perfectly developed. Some would say, “Oh, the microscope added all that,” and would perhaps argue for hours to prove that what they now see could not possibly have been in the water before; and apparently they may have the best of the argument. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.6

In like manner I have frequently heard of many of our brethren spending a great deal of time arguing that certain things they see in the Testimonies could not possibly be in the Bible, for identically the same reason that others could not, with their naked eye, see the animal forms in the drop of water. Again, “The Testimonies are not to belittle the word of God, but to exalt it, and attract minds to it, that the beautiful simplicity of truth may impress all.” Idem, Vol. 2, p. 606. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.7

Then if the Testimonies are read in the proper spirit, the Bible will seem more exalted, the mind attracted to it as though it were a magnet; and where the truths expressed in the Bible seem hazy, the Testimonies bring them out in clear lines. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.8

We often hear people say, “Don’t do so and so, because it is condemned by the Testimonies.” Bear in mind that this is not what makes it wrong; the particular thing is wrong in itself, and the Testimonies in love and tenderness only point out the fact. For instance, if I point out to a stranger who passes my door that the bridge over the creek below my house is unsafe for him to cross, my telling him that is not what makes the bridge unsafe; I am only pointing out that fact to him. Thousands of people have been driven away from the Testimonies, and the Bible too, for that matter, because those who used them did not recognize that the things which they condemned were destructive in their very nature. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.9

There is no one who mingles much with our people but whose heart must be made to ache continually by the misquotations, to say nothing of misinterpretations, frequently made by well-meaning people who themselves try hard to believe the thought that their perverted quotation seems to convey, and insist that others must do the same because “it is in the Testimonies.” GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.10

Only recently a very prominent man who, with his wife, had just embraced the truth, came to me in great distress of mind, stating that his wife was completely discouraged and confused because during the day one of our sisters had visited her, and had told her of a most unreasonable thing that she said the Testimonies taught, and assured her she must believe it in order to be in harmony with this people. I was glad that I was able to deny that such an inconsistent thing could be found in any statement of God’s revealed will. Only the day of God will fully show the harm that has come from garbling and misquoting the Testimonies. In order for any one to absolutely avoid doing this, the proper plan to adopt is to have a book in which may be written the substance of what is likely to be used again, with the accompanying reference, classified under separate heads. Any one who perseveringly follows this plan will find in a few years that he has accumulated, and has ready access to, the very choicest gems in the Testimonies. GCB April 1, 1899, page 38.11

To illustrate what I mean, I will turn at random to several pages of a book (Index Rerum) in which I thus began eight years ago to classify statements from the Spirit of Prophecy. Under subject of “Testimonies,” I have written, as suggestive of the full quotation, “Should not be be criticized or flippantly spoken of,” Vol. 4, p. 443. Under subject of “Feeling and Emotions,” “Satan can give feelings and impressions, therefore not safe guide.” Signs of the Times, No. 19, 1884. Under subject of “Christ to us,” “Takes our ungrammatical prayers, presents them graceful and perfect to the Father.” Review and Herald, No. 9, 1893. Under the subject of “Surrendering and Trusting,” “If we could see the end from the beginning, would of ourselves choose to be led through the experience we pass through now.” The Desire of Ages, 225. Under subject of “Promises,” “Not to be rashly claimed by those who violate laws of nature and disregard prudence; this is presumption.” Vol. 4, p. 45. GCB April 1, 1899, page 39.1

Under each of these heads, and hundreds of others similar, there naturally accumulates, in the course of a few years, scores of grand and beautiful thoughts; and while perhaps the idea of an entire paragraph is condensed into the brief space of a line on a book, yet the accompanying reference enables one instantly to turn to the original source and refresh his mind with the full thought as well as the context. Testimonies for the Church 4:440, points out the case of one of whom it was said that he possessed so little spirituality he could not understand the value of the Testimonies nor their real object. May heaven save us as workers from falling into such a condition. The men and women in our ranks to-day who are keeping step with the message, and giving the trumpet a certain sound, are those whose volumes of the Testimonies are well worn, and the margins of whose Bibles are liberally sprinkled with references to the Testimonies where they have shed glorious light on the opposite text. The worker who, as soon as the wrapper is taken from the Review, earnestly and prayerfully reads the first-page article, is the one who, upon the Sabbath day in the church, in the evening effort in the tent, or to a congregation of drunkards and harlots in the mission, is preaching a living gospel from the Bible. GCB April 1, 1899, page 39.2

DAVID PAULSON. GCB April 1, 1899, page 39.3