A Gift From Jesus

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        DAYBREAK SERIES DAYBREAK, a new series of Adult         Developed by the Sabbath School Sabbath School lessons will begin       Department of the General Con- with the first quarter of 1975.         ference, DAYBREAK provides for
                                    a broad, balanced, and connected The DAYBREAK series objective           study of the themes proclaimed is summarized in the following          by the three symbolic angels of inspired statement from page 196        Revelation 14. In each quarter dur- of Evangelism: "The theme of            ing the series, the lessons will cover greatest importance is the third        an area of study suggested in these angel's message, embracing the          messages. These important lessons messages of the first and second        will help each Sabbath School angels. All should understand the       member gain a better under- truths contained in these messages      standing of God's plan for prepar- and demonstrate them in the daily       ing His people for the DAYBREAK life, for this is essential to salva-   of eternity. tion. We shall have to study earnestly, prayfully, in order to       DAYBREAK Adult Sabbath School understand these grand truths;          lessons are also available on cas- and our power to learn and com-         sette. Contact your Adventist Book prehend will be taxed to the            Center for complete information. utmost."

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      A DIALOGUE     In the following passage is a record of God's communicat-
           Part 1 ing with Adam and Eve. What means did He use to com-
                    municate with them?

                        "So God created man in his own image, in the image of
                    God created he him; male and female created he them. And
                    God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
                    multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have
                    dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
                    air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
                    Gen. 1:27, 28.
                         Notice that "the blessing for the animals [v. 22] was pro-
                   'nounced regarding them, 'God blessed them, saying,' whereas
                     the blessing for the human race was expressed 'unto them.' As
                     intelligent beings [created in God's image] they were able to
                    listen to God and to receive communications. This verse con-
                     tains the first revelation of God to man. . . .
                        "Subdue it. This revelation also contains instruction con-
                     cerning man's duty and destiny, to rule over the earthly crea-
                    tion works, a commission expressed almost in the same words
                    as those of the divine council recorded in v. 26. The only
                     difference is the additional phrase, 'subdue it,' granting man
                    the right to utilize for his necessities the vast resources of the
                    earth."—SDA Bible Commentary, on Gen. 1:28.
                     On what other occasion did God speak directly to man?
                   Gen. 2:15-17.

                      This was a conversation. The first man and woman talked
                   to the Lord and listened to Him speak. Communion was open
                   and unhindered.                     •
                      "So long as they remained loyal to the divine law, their
                   capacity to know, to enjoy, and to love would continually
                   increase. They would be constantly gaining new treasures of
                   knowledge, discovering fresh springs of happiness, and obtain-
                   ing clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the immeasurable,
                   unfailing love of God."—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 51.
THINK IT THROUGH     Is it possible today for a Christian to dialogue with God?
                   How?
                       "The holy pair were not only children under the fatherly
                   care of God but students receiving instruction from the all-wise
                   Creator. They were visited by angels, and were granted com-
                   munion with their Maker, with no obscuring veil between. . . .
                   The laws and operations of nature, which have engaged men's
                   study for six thousand years, were opened to their minds by
                   the infinite Framer and Upholder of all."—Patriarchs and Proph-
                   ets, pages 50, 51.
 FURTHER STUDY        Education, pages 20-22. 8

        Part 2     What barrier now exists between man and God?
    A BARRIER
                   "But your iniquities have separated between you and your
                 God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will
                 not hear." Isa. 59:2.
                   "Your iniquities have become separators betwixt you and
                 your God." Rotherham, The Emphasized Old Testament.

                   Since the fall, how has God communicated with man?
                 Heb. 1:1.

                      "At sundry times. Gr. polumeras, 'in many portions,' in
                 many ways.' The full light from the throne of God did not burst
                 upon men in one great flash of glory. Rather, it came slowly,
                 little by little, as men could comprehend it.
                      "In divers manners. Gr. polutropos, 'in various ways.' God
                 spoke through the prophets by spoken and written message, by
                 parable, and by means of visual aids. Whatever means were
                 employed, it was God who spoke."—SDA Bible Commentary,
                 on Heb. 1:1.
                      If we accept the view that the Bible has been given to us
                 by the true and living God, then we must believe His declara-
                 tions in the Bible concerning the revelation of His character
                 given through His Son, Jesus Christ. God has spoken to the
                 human race in various ways and at different times since the
                 fall of man. Inspiration has been a principal medium.
                      It was God Himself who spoke. Notice the words in He-
                 brews 1:1. "God . . . spake." The writer emphasizes the
                 fact that it was God who spoke through the prophets. The
                 book may bear the name of Isaiah, Amos, Daniel, or John,
                 but God is the source of their messages.  THINK IT THROUGH       Are you aware of barriers in your life that prevent a daily
                 dialogue with God? How can these "separators" be removed?

                    "Had Adam and Eve never disobeyed their Creator, had
                 they remained in the path of perfect rectitude, they could have
                 known and understood God. But when they listened to the
                 voice of the tempter, and sinned against God, the light of the
                 garments of heavenly innocence departed from them; and in
                 parting with the garments of innocence, they drew about them
                 the dark robes of ignorance of God. The clear and perfect light
                 that had hitherto surrounded them had lightened everything
                 they approached; but deprived of that heavenly light, the pos-
                 terity of Adam could no longer trace the character of God in
                 His created works."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible
                 Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 1084.

          Part 3      What means of communication of God with man is given
  VARIOUS MEDIA    in Psalm 19?

                      "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
                   sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and
                   night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor
                   language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone
                   out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the
                   world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun." Ps.
                   19:1-4.
                       See also Rom. 1:20.
                       "Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly,
                   those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumen-
                   tality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written
                   law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in
                   nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their
                   works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their
                   hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God."—The
                   Desire of Ages, page 638.
                      "Through nature and revelation, through His providence,
                   and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us."—Steps
                   to Christ, page 93. (Emphasis supplied.) Thus there are at
                   least four ways in which God speaks to us today individually.
                      Sometimes God has used more direct ways of communicat-
                   ing with people.
                      Through whom did God warn Lot? Gen. 19:1-3, 12, 13. See
                   also Heb. 1:14.
                      From time to time members of the human family have enter-
                   tained angels (Heb. 13:2) and communed with them as they
                   brought some message from heaven to the inhabitants of earth.
                   Christ and two angels appeared in person to Abraham. Gen.
                   18:1, 2, 22, 33; Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 138, 139. Com-
                   pare Judges 6:11, 12; 13:3, 8, 9; Luke 1:11, 19, 26, 27.
                     What means did God use to warn Pharaoh of coming
                   famine? Gen. 41:1-7.

                      God at times communicated through dreams to persons who
                   were not prophets, giving some specific information or warn-
                   ing. See Gen. 40:5; Dan. 2:1; 4:4, 5; Matt. 2:13, 14. These
                   divinely given dreams did not make the one who dreamed
                   them a prophet.  THINK IT THROUGH         Did you ever know of an instance where a dream had reli-
                   gious significance? How can you be sure of the source of such
                   dreams?

 FURTHER STUDY       Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 600-604. 10

       Part 4  What means did God provide by which He might reveal His
THE URIM AND will to ancient Israel through the high priest?
    THUMMIM    "And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel
                in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth
                in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord con-
                tinually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment
                the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's
                heart, when he goeth in before the Lord: and Aaron shall
                bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart
                before the Lord continually." Ex. 28:29, 30.
                     See also Lev. 8:8.
                     In Unger's Bible Dictionary the following note appears on
                page 1128: "These [the Urim and Thummim] formed the me-
                dium through which the high priest ascertained the will of
                Jehovah in regard to any important matter affecting the theoc-
                racy (Num. 27:21). Even such early writers as Josephus, Philo,
                and the Rabbins are unable to furnish any precise information
                as to what the Urim and Thummin really were. On every side
                we meet with confessions of ignorance."
                     But Ellen White wrote: "At the right and left of the breast-
                plate were two large stones of great brilliancy. These were
                known as the Urim and Thummim. By them the will of God
                was made knoWn through the high priest. When questions
                were brought for decision before the Lord, a halo of light encir-
                cling the precious stone at the right was a token of the divine
                consent or approval, while a cloud shadowing the stone at
                the left was an evidence of denial or disapprobation."—Patri-
                archs and Prophets, page 351.
                      Dr. Unger remarks, however, that "in Urim, Hebrew scholars,
                with hardly an exception, have seen the plural of ur (light or
                fire). . . . The literal English equivalent would of course be
                 'lights.' "—Unger's Bible Dictionary, page 1128.

          Part 5      To whom is the prophet's message directed?
  THE PROPHETIC
                      "He that prophesieth edifieth the church." 1 Cor. 14:4.
       CHANNEL
                       "First of all, what is prophecy? Don't be too quick to an-
                   swer that prophecy is simply 'foretelling the future before it
                   happens.' For while this is certainly an important phase of
                   prophecy, it is not the only phase. The word 'prophecy' comes
                   from two Greek parts: pro means 'forth' or `before;' phemi
                   means 'to speak'—that is, in advance—or, 'to speak forth'—
                   that is, to announce something in front of other people. Proph-
                   ecy, therefore, is the speaking forth of the revealed mind of
                   God whether this utterance pertains to the present or to the
                   future."—Henry Herbert Ehrenstein, Eternity, August, 1966.
                       While the prophet's main function is to serve the church
                   as the Lord's spokesman, his work is not limited to the chil-
                   dren of God. Jonah and Daniel, for example, were God's
                   prophets, but they spoke portions of their messages to the
                   Gentile world.
                       "Prophecy is the revelation of the will of God by a man or
                   woman who is God's chosen spokesman. The prophet stands
                   first before God to discern His will, and then stands before
                   men to declare that divine will."—Henry H. Ehrenstein, Eternity,
                   August, 1966.
                     By what means did God commonly impart His messages to
                   prophets? Num. 12:6; Hosea 12:10.

                      "The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the
                   minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and
                   visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was
                   thus revealed have themselves embodied the thought in human
                   language."—The Great Controversy, Introduction, page v.

                        "God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the
                   world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy Spirit,
                   qualified men and enabled them to do this work. He guided
                   the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write.
                   The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels, yet it is, none-
                   theless, from Heaven. The testimony is conveyed through the
                   imperfect expression of human language, yet it is the testi-
                   mony of God."—The Great Controversy, Introduction, pages vi,
                   v11.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Great Controversy, Introduction, pages v-v11. 12

       Part 6   What does the prophet Joel say about prophetic guidance  MODERN GUIDANCE in the last days?
                   "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out
                my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters
                shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your
                young men shall see visions." "The sun shall be turned into
                darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the
                terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:28, 31.
                   "In immediate connection with the scenes of the great day
                of God, the Lord by the prophet Joel has promised a special
                manifestation of His Spirit. Joel 2:28. This prophecy received
                a partial fulfillment in the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day
                of Pentecost; but it will reach its full accomplishment in the
                manifestation of divine grace which will attend the closing
                work of the gospel."—The Great Controversy, Introduction,
                page ix.
                   What is one important characteristic of the people of God
                in the last days? Rev. 12:17; 19:10.
                   "The expression 'spirit of prophecy' refers specifically to
                the 'manifestation of the Spirit' in the form of a special gift
                of the Holy Spirit that inspires the recipient and enables him
                to speak authoritatively as a representative of God (1 Cor. 12:
                7-10) when 'moved by the Holy Ghost' to do so (2 Peter 1:21).
                The context of the expression in Rev. 19:10 defines 'the testi-
                mony of Jesus' and 'the spirit of prophecy' in this sense. In
                view of the fact that the 'remnant' of ch. 12:17 specifically
                refers to the church after the close of the 1260 prophetic days
                of vs. 6 and 14, that is, after 1798 . . . , ch. 12:17 stands as
                a clear prediction of the special manifestation of the 'spirit,'
                or 'gift,' of prophecy in the church in our day. Seventh-day
                Adventists believe the ministry of Ellen G. White meets the
                specifications of Rev. 12:17 in a unique way."—SDA Bible
                Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 876.
                  What did Paul say was given to the Corinthian believers
                by Jesus Christ? 1 Cor. 1:4-7.

"The prophet is a person supernaturally called and qualified as a spokesman for God. . . . The prophet was in a special sense God's official representative to His people on earth. . . . The prophet was chiefly a teacher of righ- teousness, spirituality, and ethical conduct, a moral reformer bearing messages of instruc- tion, counsel, admonition, warning, whose work often included the prediction of future events. . . .
"A prophet first received instruction from the Lord and then conveyed it to the people. These 2 aspects of the prophet's work were reflected in the names by which prophets were known in OT times: seer (chozeh or ro'eh ) and prophet (nabi'). The title of seer was more common in the earlier period of Hebrew his- tory (1 Sa 9:9). The •term used more frequently in the OT was nabi', 'prophet,' which desig- nated him as God's spokesman. As a 'seer' the prophet discerned God's will, and as 'prophet' he conveyed it to others."—SDA Bible Dic- tionary, page 879.

                    "The call to place all on the altar of service comes to each
                 one. We are not all asked to serve as Elisha served, nor are
                 we all bidden to sell everything we have; but God asks us to
                 give His service the first place in our lives, to allow no day to
                 pass without doing something to advance His work in the
                 earth."—Prophets and Kings, page 221.

 FURTHER STUDY     Prophets and Kings, pages 217-220. 16

       Part 2   What was God's message to Jeremiah when called to the
   JEREMIAH'S prophetic office?
  COMMISSION    "Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before
                I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou
                camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained
                thee a prophet unto the nations. . . . Then the Lord put
                forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said
                unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." Jer.
                1:4, 5, 9.
                   Credentials are those things that give "title to credit or
                confidence." What was it about Jeremiah that warranted the
                confidence of the people of Judah? Jeremiah's "vocation was
                his, not by human choice, but by virtue of a direct commission
                from God. The deep sense of the divine call was the driving
                force of his ministry and his support and stay in moments of
                discouragement against the hostility of his people."—SDA Bible
                Commentary, on Jer. 1:4.
                   To whom does the Lord often turn to do His work? 1 Cor.
                 1:26-31.
                   Ellen White humbly wrote concerning her call in her youth
                to serve as God's messenger to His people: "My Saviour
                declared me to be His messenger. 'Your work,' He instructed
                me, 'is to bear . . . the message to the erring ones, to carry
                the word before unbelievers, and with pen and voice to reprove
                from the Word actions that are not right."—Selected Messages,
                Bk. 1, p. 32.
                   In an ancient school the students had a three-years course.
                In the first year they were called the wise men; in the second
                they were called the philosophers, those who wished to be
                wise men; in the third year they were called the disciples,
                learners.
                   It is from among humble men and women who are willing
                to receive divine instruction that God calls His messengers to
                serve His church. Is today any different from Jeremiah's time?

           Part 3 Who is the earliest prophet mentioned in the Bible?
 THE GIFT IN THE  "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of
 OLD TESTAMENT these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of
                 his saints, to execute judgment upon all." Jude 14, 15 (first
                 part).
                    "Enoch was the first prophet among mankind. He foretold
                 by prophecy the second coming of Christ to our world, and his
                 work at that time. . . . His prophecy is not found in the writ-
                 ings of the Old Testament. We may never find any books
                 which relate to the works of Enoch, but Jude, a prophet of
                 God, mentions the work of Enoch."—Ellen G. White Comments,
                 SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 1088.
                   What is said concerning the word of the Lord in the days of
                 Samuel? 1 Sam. 3:1.
                    The Revised Standard Version reads: "And the word of the
                 Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision."
                 Yet there is the record of a solemn message delivered to Eli
                 from the "Lord the God of Israel," through a "man of God."
                 1 Sam. 2:27-36.
                   What gift did God entrust to Daniel? Dan. 1:17 (last part).
                    "While Daniel clung to his God with unwavering trust, the
                 Spirit of prophetic power came upon him. While he was
                 instructed of man in the duties of court life, he was taught of
                 God to read the mysteries of future ages and to present to
                 coming generations, through figures and similitudes, the won-
                 derful things that would come to pass in the last days."—The
                 Sanctified Life, page 24.
                    Were those prophets inspired whose writings were not in-
                 cluded in the Old Testament canon? 1 Chron. 29:29; 2 Chron.
                 9:29.
                     "During the ages while the Scriptures of both the Old and
                 the New Testament were being given, the Holy Spirit did not
                 cease to communicate light to individual minds, apart from
                 the revelations to be embodied in the Sacred Canon. . . . Men-
                 tion is made [in the Bible] of prophets in different ages, of
                 whose utterances nothing is recorded. In like manner, after
                 the close of the canon of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit was
                 still to continue its work, to enlighten, warn, and comfort the
                 children of God."—The Great Controversy, Introduction, page
                 vi11.  THINK IT THROUGH       Why are Ellen G. White's writings not a part of the canon
                 of Scripture?

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 84-86. 18

         Part 4 Who was the greatest spokesman for God?    THE GIFT IN THE
                "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in    NEW TESTAMENT time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last
                days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir
                of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Heb. 1:1, 2.
                   See also John 6:14.
                    Christ referred to Himself as a prophet. Matt. 13:53-57. He
                fulfilled the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. The multitude
                who were fed by the loaves and fishes recognized in the mir-
                acle-working Christ the Messiah-Prophet that "should come."
                Matt. 11:3. Like all prophets before and since, He spake for
                God and on His behalf. Indeed, He spoke as God, the supreme
                revelation of divinity. And note that in Jesus' messages the
                predictive element was prominent. See Matthew 24; Mark 13;
                Luke 21.
                    "Who, but Jesus Christ by His Spirit and divine power,
                guided the pens of the sacred historians that to the world
                might be presented the precious record of the sayings and
                works of Jesus Christ?"—Ellen G. White, Manuscript 1, 1892.

                  In whom was the prophetic gift exercised in early New
                Testament times? Luke 2:25-38. See also Luke 1:67-79.

                   Paul indicated that the gift of prophecy would remain in the
                 Christian church till the close of time. Eph. 4:11-13.

                   How did Paul receive divine revelations? 2 Cor. 12:1-4.

                     "The apostle Paul early in his Christian experience was
                 given special opportunities to learn the will of God concerning
                 the followers of Jesus. He was 'caught up to the third heaven,'
                 'into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not
                 lawful for a man to utter.' He himself acknowledged that many
                 'visions and revelations' had been given him 'of the Lord.' His
                 understanding of the . principles of gospel truth was equal to
                 that of 'the very chiefest apostles.' . . .
                     "The impression that he received when in vision was ever
                 with him, enabling him to give a correct representation of
                 Christian character. By word of mouth and by letter he bore a
                 message that ever since has brought help and strength to the
                  church of God."—The Acts of the Apostles, pages 469, 470.

FURTHER STUDY      Patriarchs and Prophets, page 480; The Desire of Ages,
                 page 98.
                                                                             19

         Part 5    Did Elijah's call to the prophetic office remove his human-
  THE PROPHETS' ity from him?
      HUMANITY     "Elias [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions as we
                 are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it
                 rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six
                 months." James 5:17.

                    Prophets are human beings, and God only is infallible. God
                 calls the prophet to reveal the divine message. The instruction
                 received exerts a positive influence on his own life, but he is
                 not deprived of thinking ordinary thoughts or of conversing on
                 topics of everyday interest. He may make mistakes as did
                 Peter (see Gal. 2:11-14), or complain to God as did Jeremiah
                 (see Jer. 12:1; 15:15-18), but this does not invalidate the divine
                 message he bears for God. In her day Ellen White lived an
                 exemplary life, but she said concerning herself: "In regard to
                 infallibility, I never claimed it; God alone is infallible."—Se-
                 lected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 37.
                    Desirous of learning God's will for Judah, of whom did
                 Hilkiah the priest and his associates seek counsel? 2 Kings
                 22:12-14.

                     Commenting on this text, *Joseph Priestly remarks: " 'It
                 pleased God to distinguish several women with the spirit of
                 prophecy, as well as other great attainments, to shew that, in
                 his sight, and especially in things of a spiritual nature, there
                  is no essential pre-eminence in the male sex.'—Notes on All the
                  Books of Scripture, vol. 2, p. 40." (Quoted by W. E. Read in
                  The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Church, page 110.)
                      When Ellen White [then Ellen Harmon] was just a young
                 woman of seventeen—soon after her first vision—she wrote:
                     "As God has shown me in holy vision the travels of the
                 Advent people to the Holy City . . . , it may be my duty to
                 give you a short sketch of what God has revealed to me. . . .
                 I have tried to bring back a good report and a few grapes from
                 the heavenly Canaan, for which many would stone me, as the
                 congregation bade stone Caleb and Joshua for their report.
                 (Num. 14:10.) But I declare to you, my brethren and sisters in
                 the Lord, it is a goodly land, and we are well able to go up and
                 possess it."—Early Writings, pages 13, 14. (Written in April,
                 1846.)

 FURTHER STUDY     Prophets and Kings, pages 167-170. 20

        Part 6   How were the prophets and messengers of the Lord often
 THE PROPHETS treated?   CRUELLY TREATED    "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because
                 ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres
                 of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our
                 fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the
                 blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto your-
                 selves, that ye are the children of them which killed the
                 prophets." Matt. 23:29-31.

                    See also Acts 7:52.
                    Often the prophet was called upon to deliver unpleasant
                 messages of reproof or correction. At times he met a spirit of
                 retaliation and revenge. Early in her experience Ellen White
                 was confronted with an adverse reception of a message of
                 reproof. When instructed as to her duty she was told: " 'The
                 loss is not yours, but mine. God sees not as man sees. He lays
                 out the work that He would have done, and you do not know
                 which will prosper, this or that.' "—Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 11.

                  How did Ahab respond to the solemn prophetic message
                 God gave to him through Micaiah? 2 Chron. 18:17, 25, 26.

                   What was one of Jeremiah's experiences as God's messen-
                 ger to rebellious Judah? Jer. 37:11-17; 38:6.

                    Was Ellen White's pathway always a pleasant one? She
                 wrote concerning her task: "From the beginning of my work, I
                 have been pursued by hatred, reproach, and falsehood. Base
                 imputations and slanderous reports have been greedily gath-
                 ered up and widely circulated by the rebellious, the formalist,
                 and the fanatic. . . .
                    "This warfare has been kept up for nearly forty years, but
                 I have not felt at liberty even to notice their vile speeches, re-
                 proaches, and insinuations. . .
                    "Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, He who was equal with God,
                 was in the world thirty-three years, and yet there were but few
                 who acknowledged His divine character. [See John 15:18-201
                  And can I, who am so weak, so unworthy, a frail creature of
                 humanity, expect greater success than was enjoyed by the
                  Saviour of the world?"—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, pp. 69, 70.

FURTHER STUDY       Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 657-659.
                                                                                21

               "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out
             of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved."
             Hosea 12:13.

               From a study of the life and work of Bible

  of         imparting light in sermons or written messages,
             these inspired men spelled out by their holy lives-



 the
             and example the high destiny of the church in
             godly living and witnessing. Elijah and Elisha
             were reformers and educators. Jeremiah, Nathan,

work         shepherd of God's exiled flock.
               "All the instruction we need to guide us in this
             life and to prepare us for the life to come has
             been given us through the gift of prophecy. No
             phase of life has been overlooked. The messages
             which the Spirit 'moved' the prophets to write
             provide a basis for our every decision. However,
             the principles have not been stated theoretically
             and catalogued so we may use the Scriptures like
             a dictionary or encyclopedia without having read
             the whole book and made its ideas our own. Most
             of the principles have been illustrated in life situa-
             tions. It is left with us to study the situations and
             the way God dealt with human beings, to dis-
             cover the principles involved, and to apply them
             to our life in comparable situations....
                "No matter what question or problem faces
             us, God has communicated enough knowledge
             of His will to guide our understanding and de-
             cision if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us."—
             T. H. Jemison, Christian Beliefs, page 55.

                            corrects ventist Church, declared that the spirit of prophecy has been the se- cret of success in the denom- ination's various departments and organizations.




                             inspires   "The gift of prophecy has guided, counseled, warned, and inspired. The secret of our effi- cient organization and the ex- tension of our work around the world, as well as our clear position on




                              warns great fundamental principles, can all be traced to this divinely inspired counsel. . . I deeply appreciate this gift."

                            counsels 1. A Predictor, Amos 3:7 2. A Varied Work, Hosea
 12:13 3. An Educator, 2 Kings




                            ,Droves
6:1-3 4. A Reprover of Sin, Jer.
 1:17, 18 S. Relation to Prior
 Prophets, Zech. 1:4     r 6. Revival Message,
 Amos 4:12

          Part 1      What does God reveal to His prophets?
    A PREDICTOR
                      "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his
                   secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

                       "Surely the Lord God will do nothing] in reference to the
                   punishment, correction, or blessing of his people—
                      "But he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.]
                   They are in strict correspondence with him, and he shows
                   them things to come. Such secrets of God are revealed to
                   them, that they may inform the people; that, by repentance
                   and conversion, they may avoid the evil, and, by walking closely
                   with God, secure the continuance of his favour."—Clarke's
                   Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 677.
                      The prophets of God often announced to the sinful people of
                   Israel and Judah God's "secrets" as threatenings of wrath and
                   promises of blessing. These were all conditional prophecies or
                   predictions, and the predictive work of the prophets was largely
                   of this character. The prophet, however, is more than a fore-
                   caster. He speaks for God as His representative and opens
                   up the "secret" intentions and purposes of the divine mind.
                      Numerous predictions were made by the Bible prophets
                   meeting fulfillment in local events, e.g., Jeremiah's forecast
                   of the death of Hananiah (Jer. 38:12-17) and Simeon's predic-
                   tion concerning the work Jesus would do and the sorrow that
                   would pierce Mary's heart. Luke 2:34, 35. Predictions were
                   also made that met fulfillment in sweeping events of secular
                   and church history. Some illustrations of these are found in
                   Daniel 2 and 7; Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21. The predictions
                   of Ellen White were of both kinds. See Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp.
                   97-103; The Great Controversy, pages 464, 644.

                       On every package sent out by a certain printer in a large
                   city of the eastern United States is an impressive trademark.
                   It is simply a circle within which is his name and the words "I
                   never disappoint." Every promise the Lord ever made might
                   well bear that mark.



 FURTHER STUDY       The Desire of Ages, page 234. 24

        Part 2     What was Moses' work as Israel's prophet?    A VARIED WORK       "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
                 and by a prophet was he preserved." Hosea 12:13.
                    Moses made few predictions regarding the future, but he
                 was "a prophet," used of God to lead Israel and to protect
                 them from Satan's deceptions and from their enemies. Not all
                 who were called to the prophetic office did the same type of
                 work. John the Baptist performed no miracles, but he was sent
                 to prepare the way of the Lord. Jesus declared that John was
                 a prophet and that "there hath not risen a greater than John
                 the Baptist." Matt. 11:9, 11. Samuel's work was largely one
                 of spiritual guidance.
                   What was the first great truth revealed in Moses' writings?
                 Gen. 1:1.
                    "The preparation of the written word began in the time of
                 Moses. Inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired
                 book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen
                 hundred years—from Moses, the historian of creation and the
                 law, to John, the recorder of the most sublime truths of the
                 gospel."—The Great Controversy, Introduction, page v.
                   From what source did Moses receive the various statutes
                 and precepts given to the children of Israel? Deut. 4:1, 2, 5.
                     "Moses was commanded to write, as God should bid him,
                 judgments and laws giving minute instruction as to what was
                 required. These directions relating to the duty of the people to
                 God, to one another, and to the stranger were only the princi-
                 ples of the Ten Commandments amplified and given in a spe-
                 cific manner, that none need err."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
                 page 364.
                     In Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 608 Ellen White describes the
                 nature of the Lord's instruction through her for Israel today.
                 "It is to come down to the minutiae of life, keeping the feeble
                 faith from dying, and pressing home upon believers the neces-
                 sity of shining as lights in the world."

          Part 3  What Old Testament incident reveals the prophet as an
    AN EDUCATOR educator, living and working with his students?
                   "And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now,
                 the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us
                 go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a
                 beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.
                 And he answered, Go ye. And one said, Be content, I pray
                 thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go."
                 2 Kings 6:1-3.

                     "The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel to
                  serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to pro-
                  vide for the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to
                  promote the future prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with
                  men qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and coun-
                  selors."—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 593.
                     The basic testimony on Christian education and church
                 schools among Seventh-day Adventists appeared in 1872.
                 Ellen White's counsel on education throughout her life may be
                  summarized as follows:
                     Build schools where youth can be taught the Bible. Train
                 the hand and the head as well as the heart. Give them a
                 well-balanced training. Teach them how to live for this world
                 and to prepare for the next. And let this good work be ex-
                 tended to all the world.
                     In the book Education Ellen White wrote: "To restore in
                 man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfec-
                 tion in which he was created, to promote the development of
                 body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation
                 might be realized—this was to be the work of redemption. This
                 is the object of education, the great object of life."—Education,
                 pages 15, 16.

                   What was often the result of the messages of Jeremiah?
                 Jer. 29:19; 32:33.

                     Jeremiah's experience is illustrative of the experience of
                 other prophets. They acted as guides and teachers of the
                 people in doctrine and right living, though often their work
                 was frowned upon by the careless and the guilty. The proph-
                 et's voice was God's call to higher, holier living.

 FURTHER STUDY     Education, pages 45-50. 26

       Part 4     What is a difficult yet most important feature of the proph- A REPROVER OF SIN et's work as illustrated in Jeremiah's commission?
                  "Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak
                unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their
                faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have
                made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and
                brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of
                Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof,
                and against the people of the land." Jer. 1:17, 18.

                   Ellen White was conscious that her work as God's messen-
                ger included the role of a moral reformer: "I have not come to
                cry peace; you can hear this voice wherever you go. There are
                those who will be glad to lull you to sleep in your carnal se-
                curity; but I have a different work. My message is to alarm
                you, to bid you reform your lives, and cease your rebellion
                against the God of the universe. Take the Word of God, and
                see if you are in harmony with it. Is your character such as
                will bear the search of the heavenly investigation? Remember,
                Jesus says: 'Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
                enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
                of my Father which is in heaven.' "—Ellen G. White, Review
                and Herald, June 22, 1911. See Testimonies, Vol. 4, pp. 12, 13.

                  What are the thoughts that God thinks "toward" His peo-
                ple? Jer. 29:11-14.

                  Judah, because of her sin, was to go into captivity. But the
                Lord would bring the people back again—first to Himself and
                second to their Judean homes. Thus the prophet's messages
                would be first a reproof for sin and forecast of judgment and
                second a harbinger of deliverance.

                  Are the prophetic messages of rebuke an omen of rejection
                or a call to accept God's love? Rev. 3:19.

                   "The experience of Israel, . . . as recorded in the one
                hundred fifth and one hundred sixth psalms, contains lessons
                of warning that the people of God in these last days especially
                need to study. I urge that these chapters be read at least
                once every week."—Testimonies to Ministers, pages 98, 99.

           Part 5   "Why did Zechariah endorse and reemphasize the messages
     RELATION TO of "former prophets"?
 PRIOR PROPHETS     "Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets
                 have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now
                 from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did
                 not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord." Zech. 1:4.

                     Read Zech. 1:3-6; 7:7-14. Compare 1 Cor. 14:37.
                     The prophetic writings show a remarkable agreement, each
                 of the prophets being under the control of the Spirit of God.
                 In Bible times contemporary prophets studied what "the former
                 prophets" had written. Dan. 9:2. In the Ellen White writings
                 the messages of the Bible prophets were exalted and magni-
                 fied so that the beauty of truth stood out. This is a distinct
                 mark of a genuine messenger of God.
                     "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."—Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 606.
                    Stephen Haskell, early Bible teacher and administrator of
                 the church, wrote concerning this aspect of the prophet's work:
                     "What are some of the unmistakable fruits by which a true
                 prophet may be recognized? The testimony of every true
                 prophet will agree with the testimony of the prophets of God
                 before him, and it may be a further development of the same
                 truth uttered by them . . . 'as silver tried in a furnace of
                 earth, purified seven times.' "

                    "If you lose confidence in the testimonies you will drift away
                 from Bible truth."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 98.
                    "The testimonies of His Spirit call your attention to the
                 Scriptures, point out your defects of character, and rebuke
                 your sins; therefore you do not heed them. And to justify
                 your carnal, ease-loving course you begin to doubt whether
                 the testimonies are from God. If you would obey their teach-
                 ings you would be assured of their divine origin. Remember,
                 your unbelief does not affect their truthfulness. If they are from
                 God they will stand."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 234.

 FURTHER STUDY      Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, "The Spirituality of
                 the Law," pages 55, 56. 28

       Part 6   What message may be considered as summing up the over-  REVIVAL MESSAGE all objective of the messages of the prophets?
                   "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, 0 Israel: and because
                I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, 0 Israel."
                Amos 4:12.

                   "Prepare to meet thy God" was the consuming burden of
                Amos to his backslidden people. It is the message of the
                prophets through all time including the last days. The first
                Testimony pamphlet published in 1855 closed with an article
                entitled, "Prepare to Meet the Lord."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp.
                123-126. In the last article in the ninth volume of the Testi-
                monies, published forty-four years later, in 1909, the same pen
                urges:
                   "My brother, my sister, I urge you to prepare for the coming
                of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Day by day cast the love of
                the world out of your hearts. Understand by experience what
                it means to have fellowship with Christ. Prepare for the judg-
                ment, that when Christ shall come, to be admired in all them
                that believe, you may be among those who will meet Him in
                peace."—Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 285.
                    The messages of Elijah the prophet to apostate Israel, of
                John the Baptist to the Jews in Christ's time, and of Seventh-
                day Adventists to the world today are alike. The call to prepare
                to meet God is sounding now. Are we giving this message
                effectively? Personally?

                   " 'Prepare to meet thy God' (Amos 4:12), is the warning to
                be given to the world. It is a warning to us individually. We are
                called upon to lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth
                so easily beset us. There is a work for you, my brother, to do,
                to yoke up with Christ. Make sure that your building is on the
                rock. Do not risk eternity on a probability. You may not live
                to participate in the perilous scenes on which we are now
                entering. The life of no one of us is assured for any given
                time. Should you not watch every moment? . . .
                   "Are my sins pardoned through faith in Christ? Have I been
                born again? Am I complying with the invitation, 'Come unto
                me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
                rest' (Matt. 11:28)?"—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, pp. 116, 117.

                                                             October 20-26

God spoke to the prophet through visions. No one rule can be laid down concerning the manner in which the visions were given or the way in which the light was conveyed to the prophet. The words of Hebrews 1:1—"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets"—take on special significance.
The SDA Bible Dictionary defines the prophetic "vision" as follows: "A super- natural means by which God communicates His will to His servants the prophets (Is 1:1, etc)       A vision may come in waking moments (Dan 10:7; Acts 9:3, 7), by day (Acts 10:3) or night (Gen 46:2), or it may come as a dream (Num 12:6). The Bible makes no sharp distinction between visions and dreams, except pos- sibly that dreams come during hours of slumber. In vision the prophet becomes oblivious of his natural surroundings and the Spirit of God so controls the sensory areas of his brain that the prophet seems literally to see, hear, and feel what is presented to him in vision. A vision may contain instruction for God's people, or reveal facts about the future that will enable God's people to  live more intelligently in the present. In vision the prophet sometimes seems to  be transported over considerable distances (see Eze 3:12-15; 8:3; 40:2; cf. 2 Cor 12:2-4)."—Art. "Vision," pages 1134, 1135.
 Throughout Ellen White's long ministry of seventy years (1845-1915) revela-  tions came to her in visions of the day and visions of the night. The light thus  communicated to her by God she embodied in her addresses, numerous periodi-  cal articles, hundreds of personal, written testimonies, and in her many pub-  lished books—at the present time about sixty in English.

                     "The multitude of dreams arise from the common things of
                 life, with which the Spirit of God has nothing to do. There are
                 also false dreams, as well as false visions, which are inspired
                 by the spirit of Satan. But dreams from the Lord are classed
                 in the word of God with visions and are as truly the fruits of
                 the spirit of prophecy as visions. Such dreams, taking into the
                 account the persons who have them and the circumstances
                 under which they are given, contain their own proofs of their
                 genuineness."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 569, 570.
 FURTHER STUDY     Early Writings, pages 13, 14. 32

       Part 2  What changes did Daniel note in himself in connection with
 VISIONS AND one of his visions?
    PHYSICAL   "And I Daniel alone saw the vision. . . . And there re-
  PHENOMENA mained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in
                me into corruption, and I retained no strength." "As for me,
                straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is
                there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched
                me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened
                me." Dan. 10:7, 8, 17, 18.

                  How is the experience of another prophet described? Num.
                24:2-4.
                   "Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open. Literally,
                'falling down and his eyes uncovered.' The words 'into a
                trance' are supplied. The meaning seems to be that he fell
                down on his face on the ground, but that his eyes remained
                open. . . . Compare the experience of Saul (1 Sam. 19:23, 24),
                of Ezekiel (Eze. 1:28), of Daniel (Dan. 8:17, 18; 10:8-19), of
                John (Rev. 1:17). . . . It is certainly true that in whatever
                position his body may have been, whether prostrate or upright,
                his natural senses were held inoperative and his sensory per-
                ception was controlled by the Spirit of God."—SDA Bible Com-
                mentary, on Num. 24:4.
                  What does Paul say about his experience while in one of
                his visions? 2 Cor. 12:1-4.

                   "In his visions Paul saw many things not lawful for a man to
                utter. But many other things which he saw in the heavenly
                courts were woven into his teachings. The truth flashed from
                his lips as a sharp, two-edged sword. The impressions made
                upon his mind by the Holy Spirit were strong and vivid, and
                they were presented to the people in a way that no one else
                could present them. Paul spoke in the demonstration of the
                Spirit and with power."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible
                Commentary, Vol. 6, pp. 1106, 1107.

                    "The apostle Paul was highly honored of God, being taken
                in holy vision to the third heaven, where he looked upon
                scenes whose glories might not be revealed to mortals. Yet
                all this did not lead him to boastfulness or self-confidence."
                —Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 6,
                p. 1107.

          Part 3       Many persons witnessed Ellen White in vision. G. I. But-
  ELLEN WHITE'S    ler, president of the General Conference while Ellen White was
                   in mid-life, in a series of articles for the Review and Herald
    EXPERIENCE
                   reported physical phenomena paralleling the experience of
      IN VISION    Daniel.
                       "They [the visions] generally, but not always, occur in the
                   midst of earnest seasons of religious interest while the Spirit
                   of God is specially present. . . . The time Mrs. White is in
                   this condition has varied from fifteen minutes to one hundred
                   and eighty. During this time the heart and pulse continue to
                   beat, the eyes are always wide open, and seem to be gazing
                   at some far-distant object, and are never fixed on any person
                   or thing in the room. They are always directed upward. They
                   exhibit a pleasant expression. There is no ghastly look or any
                   resemblance of fainting. . . .
                       "While she is in vision, her breathing entirely ceases. No
                   breath ever escapes her nostrils or lips when in this condition.
                   This has been proved by many witnesses, among them physi-
                   cians of skill, and themselves unbelievers in the visions, on
                   some occasions being appointed by a public congregation for
                   the purpose. . . . When she goes into this condition, there is
                   no appearance of swooning or faintness, her face retains its
                   natural color, and the blood circulates as usual. Often she
                   loses her strength temporarily and reclines or sits; but at other
                   times she stands up. She moves her arms gracefully, and often
                   her face is lighted up with radiance as though the glory of
                   Heaven rested upon her. She is utterly unconscious of every
                   thing going on around her, while she is in vision, having no
                   knowledge whatever of what is said and done in her presence."
                   —Review and Herald, June 9, 1874.
                       Neither in the Bible nor in the writings of Ellen White do we
                   find the physical phenomena cited as a test. It was an evi-
                   dence—one among many. To those who were eyewitnesses of
                   Mrs. White in vision, the experience was unforgettable and
                   inspired faith and built confidence in the gift. In the earlier
                   years of.her experience the visions were frequently given pub-
                   licly. In the later years (1884-1915) the visions were usually
                   given privately at night.

 FURTHER STUDY       Early Writings, pages 17, 18. 34

                   Often while the prophet slept, and his mind was free from
                what went on about him, God revealed truth to him in a
                prophetic dream or vision of the night. "It does not seem pos-
                sible to draw any very precise distinction between the pro-
                phetic 'dream' and the prophetic 'vision.' In the case of . . .
                Daniel (Dan. vii, 1), they seem to melt into each other."—
                M'Clintock and Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological,
                and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 8, art. "Prophet," p. 646.
                  What other prophet received visions during the night? Acts
                16:9. See also Gen. 46:2-4.
                   Ellen White was favored by God with approximately 2,000
                revelations in dreams and visions, by day and by night, over a
                period of seventy years.

                     " 'It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in
                the Testimonies.' Satan knows how to make his attacks. He
                works upon minds to excite jealousy and dissatisfaction toward
                those at the head of the work. The gifts are next questioned;
                then, of course, they have but little weight, and instruction
                given through vision is disregarded.' Next follows skepticism
                in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our posi-
                tion, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the down-
                ward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were
                once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the
                deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts
                till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes in-
                curable and ends in destruction.' By giving place to doubts
                and unbelief in regard to the work of God, and by cherishing
                 feelings of distrust and cruel jealousies, they are preparing
                 themselves for complete deception.' "—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p.
                 672.

            Part 5  By what means did God reveal to Ezekiel truths concerning
   REALITY OF THE the restored temple?
 PROPHETIC DREAM    "In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Is-
                  rael." "And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with
                  thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart
                  upon all that I shall shew thee." Ezek. 40:2, 4.

                     "In both dream and vision what carried religious significance
                  was the fact that the presentation did not come through the
                  ordinary sense channels, or as a product of the mind's con-
                  scious activity. On this account it was accepted as a revela-
                  tion from God. . . . The result is sometimes presented as if it
                  had come to the prophet in a manner analogous to sense ex-
                  perience,—the prophet sees, hears, questions, replies."—
                  James Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, art. "Vision," Vol. 4,
                  p. 871. (Emphasis supplied.)

                    In what form were messages given to Zechariah? Zech. 1:
                  8-10; 4:1-7. To John the revelator? Rev. 1:10-20. See Rev. 12.

                    To what point was Ezekiel on one occasion seemingly con-
                  veyed in vision? Ezek. 8:1-12.

                     Frequently in Ellen White's experience she seemed to be
                  taken to some distant place where she saw and heard what was
                  occurring. While in Moss, Norway, in 1887, she seemed to be
                  at the Saint Helena Sanitarium in California and witnessed
                  what took place as the patients settled their accounts.
                     In Counsels on Health, pages 412, 413, she describes a
                  seeming visit to the Battle Creek Sanitarium where she saw
                  how the work was done and heard the conversation of the
                  helpers.
                     On the night of April 16, 1906, she seemed to be on an
                  eminence and viewed the great San Francisco earthquake that
                  occurred two days later. Read her vivid description in Testi-
                  monies, Vol. 9, pp. 92, 93.

                     "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and
                  there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, de-
                  claring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the
                  things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand,
                  and I will do all my pleasure." Isa. 46:9, 10.

  FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 58, 59. 36

        Part 6    Ellen White sometimes saw historical scenes in vision. In   HOW LIGHT CAME her introduction to the book The Great Controversy she makes
               allusion to the manner in which the light therein revealed    TO ELLEN WHITE came to her:
                    "Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the scenes of
                the long-continued conflict between good and evil have been
                opened to the writer of these pages. From time to time I have
                been permitted to behold the working, in different ages, of the
                great controversy between Christ, the Prince of life, the Author
                of our salvation, and Satan, the prince of evil, the author of
                sin, the first transgressor of God's holy law."—The Great Con-
                troversy, Introduction, page x. See also page xi.
                     As she wrote of her views of the second coming of Christ,
                she declared: "Scenes of such thrilling, solemn interest passed
                before me as no language is adequate to describe. It was all
                a living reality to me."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 76.
                     In Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 41, 42, Ellen White describes the
                view God gave to her of the final conflict between Christ and
                Satan:
                     "In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army
                was led by banners bearing the world's insignia; the other was
                led by the bloodstained banner of Prince Immanuel. Standard
                after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after
                 company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after
                 tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the command-
                 ment-keeping people of God. . . .
                     "At last the victory was gained. The army following the
                 banner with the inscription, 'The commandments of God, and
                 the faith of Jesus,' was gloriously triumphant. The soldiers of
                 Christ were close beside the gates of the city, and with joy
                 the city received her King. The kingdom of peace and joy and
                 everlasting righteousness was established."—Testimonies, Vol.
                 8, pp. 41, 42. See also Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 28, 29.

                   "The question is asked, How does Sister White know in
                regard to the matters of which she speaks so decidedly, as if
                she had authority to say these things? I speak thus because
                they flash upon my mind when in perplexity like lightning out
                of a dark cloud in the fury of a storm. . . . At such times I
                cannot refrain from saying the things that flash into my mind,
                not because I have had a new vision, but because that which
                was presented to me perhaps years in the past has been re-
                called to my mind forcibly."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 37.

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,   tration of how God spoke through the and heard behind me a great voice, as         spirit of prophecy in establishing our of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and          doctrines upon the Bible: Omega, the first and the last: and, What         "We are to be established in the faith, thou seest, write in a book, and send it      in the light of the truth given us in our unto the seven churches." Rev. 1:10, 11       early experience. At that time one error (first part).                                 after another pressed in upon us; minis-
                                          ters and doctors brought in new doc-
                                          trines. We would search the Scriptures    Through the vision the prophet's mind      with much prayer, and the Holy Spirit  was enlightened. When not in vision but      would bring the truth to our minds. Some- still aided by the Spirit of God, he pre-     times whole nights would be devoted to sented to others orally or in writing what    searching the Scriptures, and earnestly he saw and heard. This he did in the          asking God for guidance. Companies of best language at his command. On differ-      devoted men and women assembled for ent occasions he employed different           this purpose. The power of God would words in describing the same vision.          come upon me, and I was enabled    "The Bible is written by inspired men,     clearly to define what is truth and what but it is not God's mode of thought and       is error. expression. It is that of humanity. God,         "As the points of our faith were thus as a writer, is not represented. Men will     established, our feet were placed upon often say such an expression is not like      a solid foundation. We accepted the God. But God has not put Himself in           truth point by point, under the demon- words, in logic, in rhetoric, on trial in     stration of the Holy Spirit. I would be the Bible. The writers of the Bible were      taken off in vision, and explanations God's penmen, not His pen. Look at the        would be given me. I was given illus- different writers.                            trations of heavenly things, and of the
"It is not the words of the Bible that    sanctuary, so that we were placed where are inspired, but the men that were in-       light was shining on us in clear, distinct spired. Inspiration acts not on the man's     rays."—Gospel Workers, page 302. words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts.
                                          LESSON OUTLINE But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is dif- fused. The divine mind and will is com-       1. Oral and Written Testimonies, bined with the human mind and will;                 Jer. 1:17 thus the utterances of the man are the        2. Literary Assistants, Jer. 36:4, 17, 18 word of God."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 21.                                     3. Divine Messages in Human Lan-    Ellen White's experience in receiving            guage, Ezek. 40:4 and delivering God's messages was par- allel with the prophets of God in past        4. Validity of Prophet's Messages, ages. Hers was not a singular, bizarre,             1 Cor. 1:11 or one-time phenomenon setting her            5. The Prophet as a Reprover, 2 Sam. apart as odd and peculiar. She was an-              12:1, 7 other prophet through whom God gave His messages.                                 6. A Messenger From God, 2 Peter    The following passage gives an illus-            1:20, 21

        Part 1  What command came to the youthful prophet Jeremiah re  ORAL AND WRITTEN garding the message God would impart to him?
  TESTIMONIES   "Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speal
                 unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their
                 faces, lest I confound thee before them." Jer. 1:17.
                    See also Ezek. 11:25.
                    The prophet is charged by God to deliver to the people the
                 messages which he has received. The prophet must bear a
                 careful and undiluted testimony of all that God has revealed
                 to him.
                   What was one means by which the prophets delivered the
                 prophetic message to the people? Jer. 26:2, 4 (first part). See
                 Zech. 1:3; 1 Kings 11:29-40.
                   Through the spoken word the prophet conveyed the mes-
                 sage of the Lord in a discourse before a company of people
                 and also in personal testimony by private interviews.
                   What were prophets at times bidden to do with the mes•
                 sages they received? Isa. 30:8; Jer. 36:2; Rev. 21:5.
                   Concerning her experience, Ellen White has written:
                   "Early in my public labors I was bidden by the Lord,
                 'Write, write the things that are revealed to you.' "—Ellen G.
                 White, Review and Herald, June 14, 1906.
                   How was a message often conveyed to an individual or
                 church? Col. 4:16; 2 Thess. 3:14, 17. Compare 2 Chron. 21:
                 12-15.
                     The messages entrusted to Ellen White were written out by
                 her and often conveyed by letters (often called "testimonies").
                 Literally thousands of such communications were mailed
                 from her home through the years. Of this she says:
                     "In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I
                 am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me."
                 — Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 67. See also Selected Messages, Bk. 1,
                 p. 33.
                    Concerning the work of communicating God's love, she
                 urged: "Talk it, pray it, sing it, fill the world with the message
                 of His truth, and keep pressing on into the regions beyond.'
                 — Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 30.  THINK IT THROUGH       How would our world work have been affected if Ellen G.
                 White had not delivered faithfully the Lord's instruction re-
                 garding medical evangelism and educational work? What
                 form or shape would the church witness have taken?

 FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 654-657. 40

       Part 2   "Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Bar-
    LITERARY uch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the
              Lord, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book."
  ASSISTANTS
                  "And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou
                write all these words at his mouth? Then Baruch answered
                them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth,
                and I wrote them with ink in the book." Jer. 36:4, 17, 18.
                    See also Rom. 16:22.
                    Baruch wrote out Jeremiah's message. It is probable that
                some of Paul's epistles were dictated. Ellen White's procedure
                was to write out her messages in longhand. These handwrit-
                ten manuscripts were sometimes given to a secretary to
                put into finished form. During her lifetime she wrote about
                100,000 pages or 25,000,000 words. A large number of these
                manuscripts are on file in the White Estate offices at the Gen-
                eral Conference.
                    Ellen White described her writing in these words: "As the
                work grew, others assisted me in the preparation of matter for
                publication. After my husband's death, faithful helpers joined
                me, who labored untiringly in the work of copying the testi-
                monies and preparing articles for publication."—Selected
                Messages, Bk. 1, p. 50.
                    "D. E. Robinson, for many years a literary assistant [at Elms-
                haven], said in 1933:
                    "'In all good conscience I can testify that never was I pre-
                sumptuous enough to venture to add any ideas of my own or
                to do other than follow with most scrupulous care the thoughts
                of the author.' "—Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White—Messenger
                to the Remnant, page 60.
                    "It was ever a source of regret to Mrs. White that her
                schooling had been very brief [only three years of formal
                education], and her knowledge of the technical rules of writ-
                ing was therefore limited. W. C. White [her son] says he
                 clearly remembers the earlier years of her work in Battle Creek,
                 when James White, on coming home from the Review and
                 Herald office, would be asked to listen to what Mrs. White had
                 written, and to help her in preparing it technically for publica-
                 tion. Then, as she read to him, he would comment on the mat-
                 ter, rejoicing in the power of the message, and would point out
                 weaknesses in composition and faulty grammar."—Arthur L.
                 White, Ellen G. White—Messenger to the Remnant, page 6.

             Part 3 What instructions were given to Ezekiel in connection with
 DIVINE MESSAGES his vision of the temple?
         IN HUMAN   "And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine
        LANGUAGE eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all
                    that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew
                    them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou
                    seest to the house of Israel." Ezek. 40:4.

                       "The man" whom Ezekiel saw •in his vision instructed the
                    prophet to set his heart upon all that God would show him
                    that he might accurately "declare" to "the house of Israel" all
                    that he saw. The revelation of truth was the Lord's. The
                    language of the prophet describing the vision was the language
                    of man.
                       Who is the source of the messages of the Bible? 2 Tim.
                    3:16 (first part).

                         "The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by
                    human hands; and in the varied style of its different books it
                    presents the characteristics of the several writers. The truths
                     revealed are all 'given by inspiration of God' (2 Tim. 3:16); yet
                     they are expressed in the words of men. . . .
                         "The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself, and
                    were written by His own hand. They are of divine, and not of
                    human composition. But the Bible, with its God-given truths
                    expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the
                    divine and the human."—The Great Controversy, Introduction,
                    pages v, vi.
                         Describing her own experience, Ellen White has written:
                    "Although I am as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in
                    writing my views as I am in receiving them, yet the words I
                    employ in describing what I have seen are my own, unless they
                    be those spoken to me by an angel, which I always enclose in
                    marks of quotation."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 37.
                         How did Ellen White at one time refer to the special aid of
                    God's Spirit as she wrote of what was shown to her? "While
                    I am writing out important matter, He is beside me helping me,
                    . . . and when I am puzzled for a fit word with which to express
                    my thought, He brings it clearly and distinctly to my mind."—
                    Ellen G. White, Letter 127, 1902.
                         At the General Conference session of 1883 an action was
                    taken which sets forth this concept of inspiration:
                         "We believe the light given by God to His servants is by
                    the enlightenment of the mind, thus imparting the thoughts, and
                    not (except in rare cases) the very words in which the ideas
                    should be expressed."—Review and Herald, Nov. 27, 1883.

    FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 660-663. 42

       Part 4   What prompted the apostle Paul to write his first epistle to
  VALIDITY OF the church at Corinth?
   PROPHET'S     "For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren,
   MESSAGES by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are con-
                tentions among you." 1 Cor. 1:11.

                    "How was it with the apostle Paul? The news he received
                through the household of Chloe concerning the condition of
                the church at Corinth was what caused him to write his first
                epistle to that church. Private letters had come to him stating
                the facts as they existed, and in his answer he laid down gen-
                eral principles which if heeded would correct the existing
                evils. . . .
                    "Because the Lord had not given him a new revelation for
                that special time, those who were really seeking light did not
                cast his message aside as only a common letter. No, indeed.
                The Lord had shown him the difficulties and dangers which
                would arise in the churches, that when they should develop,
                he might know just how to treat them. . . .
                    "Should he not take notice of the reports concerning their
                state of anarchy and division? Most assuredly; and the reproof
                he sent them was written just as much under the inspiration
                of the Spirit of God as were any of his epistles."—Testimonies,
                Vol. 5, pp. 65, 66.
                    Was every message from Ellen White the result of a specific
                vision? "Some have taken the position that the warnings, cau-
                tions, and reproofs given by the Lord through His servant, un-
                less they come through special vision for each individual case,
                should have no more weight than counsels and warnings from
                other sources. . . . If, however, in response to some question,
                 statement, or appeal from churches or individuals, a testimony
                 is written presenting the light which God has given concern-
                 ing them, the fact that it has been called forth in this manner
                 in nowise detracts from its validity or importance."—Testimo-
                nies, Vol. 5, pp. 683, 684.

                  "I have no special wisdom in myself; I am only an instru-
                ment in the Lord's hands to do the work He has set for me to
                do. The instructions that I have given by pen or voice have
                been an expression of the light that God has given me."—
                Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 691.

          Part 5  In what way was God's message of rebuke delivered to
    THE PROPHET King David?
  AS A REPROVER
                   "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto
                 him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the
                 one rich, and the other poor." "And Nathan said to David,
                 Thou art the man." 2 Sam. 12:1, 7.

                    God through Nathan rebuked David for his adulterous and
                 murderous course in the case of Bathsheba and Uriah. 2 Sam.
                 12:1-7. John the Baptist rebuked Herod for taking Herodias,
                 his brother Philip's wife. Matt. 14:3-12. A man of God also
                 rebuked Jeroboam, king of Israel, for his idolatrous practices.
                 1 Kings 13:1-6. These testimonies of the prophets recorded in
                 the Scriptures "are written for our admonition, upon whom the
                 ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11.
                    Similarly, personal testimonies were written by Ellen G.
                 White. These have been included in the nine volumes of the
                 Testimonies. Ellen White explained that "since the warning
                 and instruction given in testimony for individual cases applied
                 with equal force to many others who had not been specially
                 pointed out in this manner, it seemed to be my duty to publish
                 the personal testimonies for the benefit of the church. . . .
                    "'In rebuking the wrongs of one, He designs to correct
                 many.' "—Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 658, 659.

                   What rebuke did Peter administer to a deceived believer?
                 Acts 8:18-24.

                     "I was . . . directed to bring out general principles, in
                 speaking and in writing, and at the same time specify the dan-
                 gers, errors, and sins of some individuals, that all might be
                 warned, reproved, and counseled. I saw that all should search
                 their own hearts and lives closely to see if they had not made
                 the same mistakes for which others were corrected and if
                 the warnings given for others did not apply to their own cases.
                 If so, they should feel that the counsel and reproofs were
                 given especially for them and should make as practical an
                 application of them as though they were especially addressed
                 to themselves."—Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 687.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 666-668. 44

      Part 6     Upon what divine power was the prophet dependent?
A MESSENGER
   FROM GOD       "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of
               any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old
               time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they
               were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:20, 21.


                  With what solemn words were the prophets at times en-
               joined to be faithful in delivering God's messages? Jer. 26:2;
               Ezek. 2:5-7.


                   When the people of God in any age walk contrary to the
               guidance of His chosen representatives, they offend God.
               See 1 Sam. 8:1-10.
                  Wrote Ellen White: "I saw the state of some who stood on
               present truth, but disregarded the visions—the way God had
               chosen to teach in some cases, those who erred from Bible
               truth. I saw that in striking against the visions they did not
               strike against the worm—the feeble instrument that God spake
               through—but against the Holy Ghost. I saw it was a small
               thing to speak against the instrument, but it was dangerous to
               slight the words of God. I saw if they were in error and God
               chose to show them their errors through visions, and they dis-
               regarded the teachings of God through visions, they would be
               left to take their own way, and run in the way of error, and
               think they were right, until they would find it out too late."—
               Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 40.

                   "Through His Holy Spirit the voice of God has come to us
               continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of
               the believers in the Spirit of prophecy. . . . Time and trial
               have not made void the instruction given, but through years of
               suffering and self-sacrifice have established the truth of the
               testimony given. The instruction that was given in the early
               days of the message is to be held as safe instruction to follow
               in these its closing days."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 41.

         1. The Prophet and God, Deut. 13:1-3
         2. Forecast and Fulfillment, Deut. 18:22 LESSON
         3. The Humanity of Christ, 1 John 4:1, 2 OUTLINE      4. "By Their Fruits," Matt. 7:15-20
         5. Testing Ellen G. White
         6. Beware of False Prophets, 1 John 4:1

         Part 1   What is one means by which a false prophet can be de
   THE PROPHET tected?
       AND GOD    "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer
                 dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign o
                 the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, say
                 ing, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not knowr
                 and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the word
                 of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams." Deut. 13:1-3.

                    Did Ellen White's work call people to God or away fror
                 God? Her oral and written messages exalted God, His com
                 mandments, and His Word, the Bible.
                    "The law of God is the one unerring rule by which a
                 opinions, doctrines, and theories are to be tested. Says the
                 prophet: 'If they speak not according to this word, it is becaus,
                 there is no light in them.' "—The Great Controversy, page 452
                 See also The Great Controversy, pages 461-491.
                    On the last page of her first book, Christian Experience an(
                 Views, published in 1851, she wrote: "I recommend to you
                 dear reader, the Word of God as the rule of your faith an(
                 practice."—Early Writings, page 78. See also The Great Con
                 troversy, pages 593-602.
                    "Even the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart is to bo
                 tested by the Word of God. The Spirit which inspired tho
                 Scriptures, always leads to the Scriptures."—Selected Mes
                 sages, Bk. 1, p. 43.
                   By what standard or test do some oppose the truth? 1 Tim
                 6:20.
                    "When a man feels so very wise that he dares to dissec
                 God's Word, his wisdom is, with God, counted foolishness
                 When he knows more, he will feel that he has everything to
                 learn. And his very first lesson is to become teachable."—
                 Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 42.
                   What blessing is promised to the meek of the earth? Ps
                 25:9.

                    "Those who have most to say against the testimonies are
                 generally those who have not read them, just as those who
                 boast of their disbelief of the Bible are those who have litho
                 knowledge of its teachings. They know that it condemns them
                 and their rejection of it gives them a feeling of security in thei
                 sinful course."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, pp. 45, 46.

 FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 671-674. 48

       Part 2     What is another test of a prophet's work?
FORECAST AND
 FULFILLMENT       "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the
                thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which
                the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it pre-
                sumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deut. 18:22.

                    The proof of a prophet's credentials lies, in part, in the ful-
                fillment of his predictions. See 1 Sam. 9:6; Lam. 3:37.
                    Although Ellen White's work was not basically that of a
                forecaster of future events, yet in some instances she pre-
                dicted conditions and events whose fulfillments give evidence
                of her prophetic gift. For example, in 1904 she wrote: "The
                time is fast coming when the controlling power of the labor
                unions will be very oppressive."—Country Living, page 9. In
                1906 she wrote thus of calamities: "I am bidden to declare
                the message that cities full of transgression, and sinful in the
                extreme, will be destroyed by earthquakes, by fire, by flood."
                — Evangelism, page 27.
                    In other instances the predictive nature of her statements is
                not so evident, but she stated insights into the society of her
                day that have become increasingly descriptive of present-day
                society: (1) Decadence—Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 13; (2) Anarchy
                — Education, page 228; (3) Urban problems—Testimonies, Vol.
                7, p. 82; (4) Youth dissipation—Temperance, page 274.

                  In applying the test of fulfilled predictions, what must be
                taken into consideration? Jer. 18:9, 10.

                   The fulfillment of certain prophecies may be dependent on
                the attitude of individuals or nations concerned, whether this
                condition is stated in the prophecies or not. Certain condi-
                tions arose, for example, in leading the children of Israel
                promptly into the Promised Land which led the Lord to alter
                His purpose.
                   Ellen White wrote thus to Seventh-day Adventists concern-
                ing the conditional nature of God's promises: "The angels of
                God in their messages to men represent time as very short.
                Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time
                has continued longer than we expected in the early days of
                this message. Our Saviour did not appear as soon as we
                hoped. But has the word of the Lord failed? Never! It should
                be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are
                alike conditional."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 67. (Empha-
                sis supplied.)

FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 675-678.
                                                                                49

          Part 3  What does John state as another mark of a true prophet'
  THE HUMANITY
                  "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirit
      OF CHRIST whether they are of God: because many false prophets an
                 gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God
                 Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the
                 flesh is of God." 1 John 4:1, 2.

                     The Bible writings come to focus in the incarnate Christ
                 Ellen White's central theme in her writings was also the God-
                 Man Jesus Christ, whom she proclaims as indwelling Saviour
                 and supreme Lord.
                     In her book The Desire of Ages we see evidences of the
                 honor in which she held the Lord Jesus Christ. In another
                 book she wrote, "The crucified Messiah is the central point of
                 all Christianity."—Counsels to Teachers, pages 23, 24.
                     In the following forceful paragraph Ellen White writes of the
                 incarnate Christ:
                     "In contemplating the incarnation of Christ in humanity, we
                 stand baffled before an unfathomable mystery, that the human
                 mind cannot comprehend. The more we reflect upon it, the
                 more amazing does it appear. How wide is the contrast be-
                 tween the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethle-
                 hem's manger! How can we span the distance between the
                 mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of
                 worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily,
                 was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher
                 than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and
                 glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and hu-
                 manity were mysteriously combined, and man and God be-
                 came one. It is in this union that we find the hope of our
                 fallen race. Looking upon Christ in humanity, we look upon
                 God, and see in Him the brightness of His glory, the express
                 image of His person."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible
                 Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 1130.

                    "Jesus Christ is everything to us,—the first, the last, the
                 best in everything. Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His character,
                 colors everything; it is the warp and woof, the very texture of
                 our entire being. . . . Christ is a living Saviour. Continuing
                 to look unto Jesus, we reflect His image to all around us."—
                 Messages to Young People, page 161.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 679-682. 50

         Part 4  What reasonable test should be applied to anyone profess-  "BY THEIR FRUITS" ing to exercise the prophetic gift?

                  "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
                clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall
                know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns,
                or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth
                good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. . . .
                Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
                and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know
                them." Matt. 7:15-20.

                    The fruit of a prophet's work is to be found (1) in his own
                personal life and experience, (2) in the lives of those who give
                heed to his messages and are influenced by them, and (3) in
                the character of the work and institutions which he' attempts to
                establish.
                    Some of the fruit of Ellen White's life has been to open up
                the Scriptures to the understanding of those who read her
                books, to attract the reader to Jesus, and to advance the work
                of God in the world by counsel that resulted in the establish-
                ment of: (1) church organization; (2) educational work in all
                levels; (3) medical institutions; (4) publishing houses; and (5)
                worldwide extension of church work.
                    F. M. Wilcox, a past editor of the Review and Herald and
                an associate of Ellen White, said in a sermon at a General
                Conference session, June 7, 1946: "Her life and Christian ex-
                perience conformed to the pure, simple, dignified principles of
                the gospel of Christ. She exemplified in her own life, as does
                every true prophet, the principles of truth she taught to others.
                . . .
                     "The work of Mrs. White should not be judged by some
                 detail, by the turn of a phrase or sentence, or by some seem-
                 ing contradiction in her writings. It should be judged by the
                 spirit which has characterized her work through the years, by
                 the fruit it has borne in connection with the great religious
                 movement with which it was associated, and in the develop-
                 ment of which it bore a prominent part and exerted a molding
                 influence."

FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 683-685.
                                                                              51

           Part 5  What invitation did Ellen White give to investigators who
         TESTING sought to examine the fruitage of her prophetic visions?
  ELLEN G. WHITE
                     "Let the Testimonies be judged by their fruits. What is the
                  spirit of their teaching? What has been the result of their influ-
                  ence? 'All who desire to do so can acquaint themselves with
                  the fruits of these visions.' . . .
                     "'God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs
                 and strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of
                  God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan.
                 My work . . . bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the
                 enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testi-
                 monies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil.' "—Testimonies,
                  Vol. 5, p. 671.
                     Back in 1889, when Ellen White learned that certain men at
                 the Battle Creek College were criticizing the Bible, she wrote:
                     "When men venture to criticize the Word of God, they ven-
                 ture on sacred, holy ground, and had better fear and tremble
                 and hide their wisdom as foolishness. God sets no man to
                 pronounce judgment on His Word, selecting some things as
                 inspired and discrediting others as uninspired. The testimonies
                 have been treated in the same way; but God is not in this."—
                 Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 23.
                     Ellen White wrote of her experience as God's messenger
                 thus:
                     "As the Lord has manifested Himself through the spirit of
                 prophecy, 'past, present, and future have passed before me. I
                 have been shown faces that I had never seen, and years after-
                 ward I knew them when I saw them. I have been aroused
                 from my sleep with a vivid sense of subjects previously pre-
                 sented to my mind; and I have written, at midnight, letters that
                 have gone across the continent and, arriving at a crisis, have
                 saved great disaster to the cause of God. This has been my
                 work for many years. A power has impelled me to reprove
                 and rebuke wrongs that I had not thought of. Is this work of
                 the last thirty-six years from above or from beneath?' "—Tes-
                 timonies, Vol. 5, p. 671.

                    "Christ warned His disciples: . . . 'A good tree cannot
                 bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good
                 fruit.' . . . Here is a test, and all can apply it if they will.
                 Those who really desire to know the truth will find sufficient
                 evidence for belief."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 671, 672.


 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 687-689. 52

        Part 6     What warning does John sound to guard the church from   BEWARE OF FALSE    deception?
    PROPHETS       "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
                 whether they are of God: because many false prophets are
                 gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1.
                    See also Matt. 7:15.
                    Four times in Matthew 24 Jesus pinpointed deception as a
                 principal sign of His second advent. "And many false prophets
                 shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matt. 24:11.
                    Ellen White in 1905 reiterated this warning through the
                 pages of our church paper: "There will be those who will claim
                 to have visions. When God gives you clear evidence that the
                 vision is from Him, you may accept it, but do not accept it on
                 any other evidence; for people are going to be led more and
                 more astray."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, p. 72.
                   How are we to test 'those who claim divine enlightenment?
                     "There will be false dreams and false visions, which have
                 some truth, but lead away from the original faith. The Lord has
                 given men a rule by which to detect them: 'To the law and to
                 the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
                 because there is no light in them' (Isa. 8:20). If they belittle
                 the law of God, if they pay no heed to His will as revealed in
                 the testimonies of His Spirit, they are deceivers. They are
                 controlled by impulse and impressions, which they believe to
                 be from the Holy Spirit, and consider more reliable than the
                 Inspired Word. They claim that every thought and feeling is an
                 impression of the Spirit; and when they are reasoned with out
                 of the Scriptures, they declare that they have something more
                 reliable. But while they think that they are led by the Spirit of
                 God, they are in reality following an imagination wrought upon
                 by Satan."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, pp. 98, 99.
                     See also Revival and Beyond by Ellen G. White, and Se-
                 lected Messages, Bk. 2, pp. 61-118.
                     Ellen White wrote: "The track of truth lies close beside the
                 track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds
                  which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore,
                  are not quick to discern the difference between truth and er-
                  ror."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 202.
                   What does Paul admonish Christians to do? 1 Thess. 5:
                 20, 21.   THINK IT THROUGH      Have I ever had occasion to use the "yardsticks" suggested
                 in this lesson? Have I personally applied them to the life
                 and teachings of Ellen White?

FURTHER STUDY       Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 690, 691.
                                                                               53

  FURTHER STUDY     The Acts of the Apostles, pages 534-536. 56

        Part 2     What did the prophets often designate to be the source of
A "THUS SAITH    the messages they bore?
    THE LORD"       "The word of the Lord that came unto .Hosea, the son of
                 Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
                 kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash,
                 king of Israel." Hosea 1:1.
                    See also Hag. 1:3, 7, 13.
                    The Bible prophets have declared that the word they gave
                 the people came from God. They often introduced the divine
                 communication through them by a phrase such as "the word of
                 the Lord came unto me, saying." Some of the variants of this
                 expression are listed below:
                    "Thus saith the Lord." 2 Sam. 7:8.
                    "As God hath said." 2 Cor. 6:16.
                    "And God spake." Gen. 8:15.
                    "The Holy Ghost saith." Heb. 3:7.
                    "I the Lord have said." Ezek. 21:17.
                    "The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake." Acts 1:16.
                   What is the Word of the Lord said to be? Ps. 119:105.
                     It is Christ Himself who speaks in the Word, and He is
                 represented in the Scriptures as "the Light." John the Baptist
                 "was sent to bear witness of that Light." John 1:7, 8. Jesus
                 said, "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may
                 be the children of light." John 12:36.
                     The Bible is also a light. When light from Christ reaches
                 the world through the prism of His Word, we see the colors of
                 the rainbow and light and beauty appear. The prophets take
                 the light of God and break it up into its rainbow parts—proph-
                 ecy, proverbs of wisdom, doctrine, admonition, counsel, re-
                 buke, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness. But in
                 all of these the Light Himself, Jesus Christ, is revealed. See
                 John 1:4, 5, 9. "This is the word of the Lord," the prophets
                 proclaim.  THINK IT THROUGH      "Thus saith the Lord—" Does the expression sound pontifi-
                 cal? Why does He speak to us at all—to us who are sinners?
                    "We can trace the line of the world's great teachers as far
                 back as human records extend; but the Light was before them.
                 As the moon and the stars of the solar system shine by the
                 reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true,
                 do the world's great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of
                 Righteousness. Every gem of thought, every flash of the in-
                 tellect, is from the Light of the world. . . . 'He that followeth
                 Me,' said Jesus, 'shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
                 light of life.' "—The Desire of Ages, pages 464, 465.    FURTHER STUDY        Steps to Christ, "A Knowledge of God," pages 87-90.
                                                                               57

          Part 3    What circumstances led King Ahab of Israel to inquire of MICAIAH, THE INVUL- the prophet Micaiah concerning a proposed military expedi-
                 tion? 2 Chron. 18:1-8.   NERABLE PROPHET
                     "The prophet of the Lord did not prophesy good concerning
                 Ahab because there was nothing good to prophesy. He de-
                 livered messages to Ahab as they were given to him by God.
                 Ahab hated Micaiah because he hated the truth and despised
                 the Lord. Truth is truth, whether it is appreciated or not. What
                 the prophet of the Lord said, would come to pass, whether
                 Ahab desired it or not."—SDA Bible Commentary, on 2 Chron.
                 18:7.
                   How did Ahab's officer attempt to influence Micaiah in his
                 message to the king? 2 Chron. 18:12.

                   What did Micaiah resolve to do regardless of circum-
                 stances? 2 Chron. 18:13, 16, 27.

                    Micaiah, the true prophet of the Lord, who could not be in-
                 fluenced, was sent to prison. King Ahab, in spite of the fore-
                 cast of disaster, went into battle and was slain. 2 Chron. 18:
                 33, 34. Jehoshaphat barely escaped with his life. 2 Chron.
                 18:31; 19:1.
                    Suppose that the prophets of God would succumb to
                 bribes, to threats, to flattery—what would happen to the word
                 of the Lord which they were commissioned to deliver? And if
                 the word of the Lord could be polluted with men's notions and
                 theories, how could the church come to know God's will?
                    The prophet Micaiah was typical of all the true prophets.
                 He was courageous and unyielding in the conduct of the Lord's
                 business, refusing to deliver a message of "peace and safety"
                 when the Lord warned of war and calamity. See 1 Thess. 5:3.
                    Ahab heaped to himself the false prophets (teachers). He
                 had "itching ears" and wanted to hear only that which was
                 pleasant, but his obstinate self-will proved disastrous.

                     "Many, very many, are questioning the verity and truth of
                 the Scriptures. Human reasoning and the imaginings of the
                 human heart are undermining the inspiration of the Word of
                 God, and that which should be received as granted, is sur-
                 rounded with a cloud of mysticism. Nothing stands out in clear
                 and distinct lines, upon rock bottom. This is one of the
                 marked signs of the last days."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1,
                 p. 15.

 FURTHER STUDY     Prophets and Kings, pages 195, 196. 58

       Part 4     As Jeremiah delivered an important prophetic message to
 ACCUSATIONS    the leaders of Judah, of what did they accuse him?
                  "Then spoke Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan
                the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jere-
                miah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent
                thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there." Jer. 43:2.
                   Who was said to have originated the counsel Jeremiah de-
                clared to be from the Lord? Jer. 43:3.
                    In an endeavor to dismiss God's clear instruction which did
                not appeal to them as reasonable or safe counsel, the charge
                was now made by the princes that Jeremiah's message had
                actually originated with his literary assistant, Baruch, and not
                with the Lord.
                    As Jehoiakim of old burned the recorded words of the
                prophet Jeremiah in the "fire on the hearth," so in defiance
                of the message some have at times destroyed the testimonies
                of Ellen White. Of this she wrote: "The spirit of opposition to
                reproof, that led to the persecution and imprisonment of Jere-
                miah, exists today. Many refuse to heed repeated warnings,
                preferring rather to listen to false teachers who flatter their
                vanity and overlook their evil-doing."—Prophets and Kings,
                page 437.
                    Who have been credited with writing certain Ellen White
                messages? At times it was suggested that Mrs. White's literary
                assistants, rather than the Lord, were responsible for certain
                messages of counsel that were sent out.
                    " 'There are those who say, "Someone manipulates her
                writings." I acknowledge the charge. It is One who is mighty
                in counsel, One who presents before me the condition of
                things.' "—Ellen G. White, Letter 52, 1906.
                    The inspired counsels were not altered as they passed from
                the handwritten drafts to the printed page. Mrs. White had
                no "ghost" writers.  THINK IT THROUGH      If you were a prophet of God with a "thus saith the Lord"
                for the people, how could you (and why would you) settle for
                a substitute message of purely human origin? Could you
                live with yourself while practicing such deception? And how
                long would you expect to retain God's favor under such cir-
                cumstances?
                   "If God's people will not study these messages that are sent
                to them from time to time, they are guilty of rejecting light. . . .
                   "Heed the instruction; follow the light. The Lord 'has a con-
                troversy with His people because in the past they have not
                heeded His instruction and followed His guidance."—Ellen G.
                White, Letter 292, 1907.    FURTHER STUDY       Prophets and Kings, pages 432-439.
                                                                                 59

          Part 5     What did Balak request Balaam to do, and with what re-
   GOD'S POWER     sults? Num. 22:1-7; 23:5-11.
   OVER BALAAM
                       "Balaam was once a good man and a prophet of God; but
                   he had apostatized, and had given himself up to covetousness;
                   yet he still professed to be a servant of the Most High. He was
                   not ignorant of God's work in behalf of Israel; and when the
                   messengers announced their errand, he well knew that it was
                   his duty to refuse the rewards of Balak and to dismiss the am-
                   bassadors. . . . But his pride was flattered by the words of his
                   ambassadors, 'He whom thou blessest is blessed, and he
                   whom thou cursest is cursed.' The bribe of costly gifts and
                   prospective exaltation excited his covetousness. He greedily
                   accepted the offered treasures, and then, while professing
                   strict obedience to the will of God, he tried to comply with the
                   desires of Balak."—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 439.

                     What did Balaam state about the source of his message?
                   Num. 22:38.

                     On what was this explanation based? Verse 20.

                       "As he [Balaam] professed to be God's prophet, . . . all he
                   should say would be supposed to be uttered by divine author-
                   ity. Hence he was not to be permitted to speak as he chose,
                   but must deliver the message which God should give him. 'The
                   word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do,' was the
                   divine command."—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 441.

                      When the king remonstrated with Balaam for not cursing
                   Israel, what was Balaam's answer? Num. 23:12, 25, 26; 24:
                   10-13.

                      "The ingenuity of men has been exercised for ages to mea-
                   sure the Word of God by their finite minds and limited compre-
                   hension. If the Lord, the Author of the living oracles, would
                   throw back the curtain and reveal His wisdom and His glory
                   before them, they would shrink into nothingness and exclaim
                   as did Isaiah, 'I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the
                   midst of a people of unclean lips' (Isa. 6:5)."—Selected Mes-
                   sages, Bk. 1, p. 18.
                                                     •  THINK IT THROUGH        The God of truth is in control of the processes of revelation.
                   He will not permit any perverse man to frustrate His Word or
                   any sincere purposeful man to be deceived. See John 7:17.

 FURTHER STUDY       Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 439-441. 60

         Part 6     To whom did Ellen White give credit for the messages found   INTEGRITY OF THE  in her books? SPIRIT OF PROPHECY      "Sister White is not the originator of these books. They con-
       WRITINGS tain the instruction that during her lifework God has been giv-
                ing her. They contain the precious, comforting light that God
                has graciously given His servant to be given to the world."—
                Colporteur Ministry, page 125.
                   Specifically, how did God speak through His servant?
                   Articles in church papers: "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."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 67.
                   The letter testimonies: "You might say that this communica-
                tion was only a letter. Yes, it was a letter, but prompted by
                the Spirit of God,' to bring before your minds things that had
                been shown me. In these letters which I write, in the testi-
                monies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has
                presented to me."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 67.
                   Interviews: This morning I attended a meeting where a
                select few were called together to consider some questions that
                were presented to them by a letter soliciting consideration and
                advice on these subjects. Of some of these subjects I could
                speak, because at sundry times and in divers places many
                things have been presented to me."—The Southern Work,
                page 72.
                   Ellen White at one time answered the charge that she had
                been influenced in the content of her writing. She wrote:
                    "Some are ready to inquire: Who told Sister White these
                things? They have even put the question to me: Did anyone
                tell you these things? I could answer them: Yes; yes, the
                angel of God has spoken to me."—Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 314.
                    While discussing the editorial policy of the Signs of the
                Times, a church paper, Ellen White prefaced her counsels by
                 saying, "Permit me to express my mind, and yet not my mind,
                 but the word of the Lord."—Counsels to Writers and Editors,
                 page 112.  THINK IT THROUGH      What are the reasons that you would give for defending
                 the integrity of Ellen White's writings?
                    "What reserve power has the Lord with which to reach
                 those who have cast aside His warnings and reproofs, and
                 have accredited the testimonies of the Spirit of God to no
                 higher source than human wisdom? In the judgment what can
                 you who have done this offer to God as an excuse."—Testi-
                 monies to Ministers, pages 465, 466.

FURTHER STUDY       Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 62-66.
                                                                               61

                     "The truth is constantly unfolding and presenting new fea-
                 tures to different minds. All who dig in the mines of truth, will
                 constantly discover rich and precious gems. We are anxious
                 that all who claim to believe the truth now open before us, and
                 especially those who take the responsibility of teaching the
                 truth to others, should have a clearer conception themselves of
                 the all-important significance of the themes of the Bible."—
                 Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 404.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 299-301. 64

        Part 2     What word did Peter use to describe the workings of divine  SPIRIT•MOVED MEN    inspiration?


                   "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
                 but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy
                 Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21.


                    "The Spirit of God 'moved' the prophets. This is a word of
                 wonderful significance. Literally, it means to be 'borne along,'
                 'carried along,' impelled' or 'driven.' Weymouth uses 'im-
                 pelled,' and in Acts 27:15, 17 we read of the ship in which
                 the apostle Paul sailed as being 'driven' by the storm. This is
                 the same word."—W. E. Read, The Bible, the Spirit of Proph-
                 ecy, and the Church, page 17.

                   What was the Spirit's function in John's vision? Rev. 1:10.


                    John says that he "was in the Spirit," that is, the prophet
                 received the Spirit of God and was under His influence when
                 the visions of Revelation were given to him. See The Sanctified
                 Life, page 75.
                    The possession of the spirit of prophecy by a prophet was
                 dependent upon God's gift and the prophet's reception of the
                 communication by the Spirit of God. John was "in the Spirit
                 on the Lord's day." Rev. 1:10. Ellen White wrote, "I am as
                 dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in writing my views as
                 I am in receiving them."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 37.

                    "From the earliest times, prophets had been recognized as
                 teachers divinely appointed. In the highest sense the prophet
                 was one who spoke by direct inspiration, communicating to the
                 people the messages he had received from God. But the
                 name was given also to those who, though not so directly in-
                 spired, were divinely called to instruct the people in the works
                 and ways of God. For the training of such a class of teachers,
                 Samuel, by the Lord's direction, established the schools of
                 the prophets."—Education, page 46.

                                                                              65

           Part 3   Did God communicate to Ezekiel the exact words of His
 IMPERFECTION OF message?
   HUMAN SPEECH    "And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine
                 eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all
                 that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them
                 unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest
                 to the house of Israel." Ezek. 40:4.

                    See also Ezek. 11:24, 25.
                    "It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the
                 men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man's
                 words or his expressions but on the man himself, who, under
                 the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But
                 the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The
                 divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined
                 with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man
                 are the word of God."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 21.

                   Was the book of Revelation dictated word for word to the
                 apostle John? Rev. 1:11.

                    John's vision of Revelation might have been written in
                 language different from the original phraseology and still have
                 conveyed to the reader the inspired ideas. The prophet must
                 communicate God's message in the language at his command,
                 which in any event was not capable of doing perfect justice to
                 the representations he saw.
                     "The Bible, perfect as it is in its simplicity, does not answer
                 to the great ideas of God; for infinite ideas cannot be perfectly
                 embodied in finite vehicles of thought. Instead of the expres-
                 sions of the Bible being exaggerated, as many people suppose,
                 the strong expressions break down before the magnificence of
                 the thought, though the penman selected the most expressive
                 language."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 22.

                     "I walk with trembling before God. I know not how to speak
                 or trace with pen the large subject of the atoning sacrifice. I
                 know not how to present subjects in the living power in which
                 they stand before me. I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the
                 great plan of salvation by cheap words. I bow my soul in awe
                 and reverence before God, and say, Who is sufficient for these
                 things?"—Testimonies to Ministers, page 167.

 FURTHER STUDY      Selected Messages, Bk. 1, pp. 19-23. 66

        Part 4  What kind of prophets are God's messengers frequently
   HOLINESS A described as being?
 PREREQUISITE
                  "As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which
                have been since the world began." Luke 1:70.

                  "That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken
                before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us
                the apostles of the Lord and Saviour." 2 Peter 3:2.

                    Holiness of life was essential to the prophetic office. The
                prophet might be struggling against personal prejudice like
                Jonah, or fall into sin like David, or sin like Moses on the
                borders of the Promised Land, but God could and did accept
                the confession and repentance of these men. However, He
                could not and did not continue to accept an apostate like Ba-
                laam, who sold his allegiance to God for money and the fa-
                vor of the world.
                    The life record of Ellen White, while not free from frailties,
                was distinguished for its Christlike consistency and integrity.
                She was a Christian woman who had faith in Jesus and lived
                by that faith. The prophets of God had themselves to be what
                they expected the people under their labors to become. To
                teach holiness meant to live holiness. 'Higher than the high-
                est human thought can reach is God's ideal for His children.
                Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached."—Educa-
                 tion, page 18.
                    This is in harmony with God's command, "Be ye holy; for I
                 am holy." 1 Peter 1:16.

                  What kind of people should Christians be? 1 Peter 2:9.
                Compare Deut. 7:6.

                   "True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. This is
                the condition of true Christian living. Christ asks for an unre-
                served consecration, for undivided service. He demands the
                heart, the mind, the soul, the strength. Self is not to be cher-
                ished. He who lives to himself is not a Christian."—Christ's
                Object Lessons, pages 48, 49.

          Part 5   Of whom do the Scriptures testify?
   AUTHORITY OF    "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
 THE SCRIPTURES life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39.
                     "As you read the Bible, you will see the matchless charms
                 of Jesus. You will fall in love with the Man of Calvary. . . .
                 You may drink of the waters of salvation. . . . Then your lips
                 will speak thanksgiving to God."—Life Sketches, page 293.
                   In His earthly life, to what authority did Christ appeal?
                 Luke 4:4, 8, 10. See also Matt. 26:31; Deut. 8:3; Zech. 13:7.
                    "Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture. 'It is writ-
                 ten,' He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare
                 was the word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a
                 sign of His divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles,
                 a firm reliance upon a 'Thus saith the Lord,' was a sign that
                 could not be controverted. So long as Christ held to this posi-
                 tion, the tempter could gain no advantage."—The Desire of
                 Ages, page 120.
                     "We are to receive God's word as supreme authority. We
                 must accept its truths for ourselves. And we can appreciate
                 these truths only as we search them out by personal study."
                 —Testimonies, Vol. 6, p. 402.
                    What is said of the enduring nature of the Word of Deity?
                 Isa. 40:8; Matt. 24:35; Ps. 119:89.
                    "This Holy Book has withstood the assaults of Satan, who
                 has united with evil men to make everything of divine charac-
                 ter shrouded in clouds and darkness. But the Lord has pre-
                 served this Holy Book by His own miraculous power in its
                 present shape—a chart or guidebook to the human family to
                 show them the way to heaven."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1,
                 p. 15.
                   What unique power is found in the Word of God? 1 Peter
                 1:23-25; 2:2.

 FURTHER STUDY      The Great Controversy, pages 596-598. 68

       Part 6     What noble example in Bible study was set by the Bereans?
HOW TO STUDY      "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
   THE BIBLE    they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
                searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
                Acts 17: I 1 .
                   Study with prayer. "Never should the Bible be studied with-
                out prayer. Before opening its pages we should ask for the
                enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, and it will be given."—Steps
                to Christ, page 91.
                   Approach with humility. "We should . . . engage in the
                study of the Bible with . . . a prayerful dependence upon
                God and a sincere desire to learn His will. We must come
                with a humble and teachable spirit to obtain knowledge from
                the great I AM. Otherwise, evil angels will so blind our minds
                and harden our hearts that we shall not be impressed by the
                truth."—The Great Controversy, page 599.
                  What important principle stated with respect to the book of
                Revelation can be applied to the whole Bible? Rev. 22:18, 19.
                   Respect all the Scripture. "When men, compassed with hu-
                man infirmities, affected in a greater or less degree by sur-
                rounding influences, and having hereditary and cultivated
                tendencies which are far from making them wise or heavenly-
                minded, undertake to arraign the word of God, and to pass
                judgment upon what is divine and what is human, they are
                working without the counsel of God. . . . Skepticism has been
                aroused in many minds by the theories presented as to the
                nature of inspiration. Finite beings, with their narrow, short-
                sighted views, feel themselves competent to criticize the Scrip-
                tures, saying: 'This passage is needful, and that passage is not
                needful, and is not inspired.' "—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 709.
                   Take Bible as it reads. "The language of the Bible should
                be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a sym-
                bol or figure is employed. Christ has given the promise: 'If any
                man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.' John 7:17.
                If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if there were no
                false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work
                would be accomplished that would make angels glad and that
                would bring into the fold of Christ thousands who are now
                wandering in error."—The Great Controversy, page 599.
                  Why cannot the "natural man" understand the Scriptures?
                1 Cor. 2:12-14.

FURTHER STUDY      The Great Controversy, pages 599-602.
                                                                             69

          Part 1  Of what would Paul not have the Corinthian believers to
   BLESSINGS OF be ignorant?
 SPIRITUAL GIFTS  "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have
                 you ignorant." 1 Cor. 12:1.

                      See also Eph. 4:11.
                      The church should understand the place and operation of
                 "spiritual gifts." We talk much about the fruit of the Spirit,
                 little about the gifts. The gifts beautify the church and make
                 it noble in character, united in purpose, strong in witness—
                 ready for translation to heaven. In one sense the gifts of the
                 Holy Spirit are the tree from which the fruit of the Spirit
                 emerges. The labors and efforts of gifted pastors, teachers,
                 evangelists, and the spirit of prophecy operating in the ministry
                 of Ellen White have resulted in the fruitage of changed and
                 godly lives. The books Steps to Christ and The Desire of Ages
                 have borne a great witness.
                      James White wrote in his preface to Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 3, p.
                 29: "The object of the gifts, as stated by Paul, was 'for the
                 perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
                 edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of
                 the faith.' These were Heaven's appointed means to secure
                 the unity of the church. Christ prayed that His people might
                 be one, as He was one with His Father. Read John xv11. Paul
                 exhorted the Corinthians in the name of Christ to be perfectly
                 joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.
                 Read 1 Cor. i, 10; Rom. xv, 5; Phil. ii, 1, 2; 1 Pet. iii, 8; v, 5.
                 The gifts were given to secure this state of unity."
                   Enumerate the principal gifts of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 12:
                 28, 8-10. See also Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4:8-16.
                     "Finally we see that the out-pouring of the Spirit, the gift of
                 prophecy and dreams and visions of the Lord, are to be suf-
                 ficiently remarkable to constitute signs of the Second Advent,
                 and that they are classed with the signs in the sun and moon;
                 with 'wonders in the heavens and in the earth.' To the sceptic
                 and worldly-wise this sentiment will probably seem heretical;
                 but when compared with Joel ii, 28-32; Acts ii, 14-22, it will
                 be seen to be truth. Heaven and earth will pass away, but
                 God's word will stand."—James White, Review and Herald,
                 April 21, 1851.

 FURTHER STUDY      The Great Controversy, Introduction, pages vii-ix. 72

       Part 2     What gift did Paul say the Corinthian believers were  ENDURING NATURE    especially to desire?
 OF THE GIFTS     "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather
                that ye may prophesy." 1 Cor. 14:1.

                    In Volume 1 of the Testimonies Ellen White wrote concern-
                ing the duty of the church to prize the gifts and not to surren-
                der their faith in them because of "disappointed ones."
                    "Some, I was shown, could receive the published visions,
                judging of the tree by its fruits. Others are like doubting
                Thomas; they cannot believe the published Testimonies, nor
                receive evidence through the testimony of others; but must see
                and have the evidence for themselves. Such must not be set
                aside, but long patience and brotherly love should be exer-
                cised toward them until they find their position and become
                established for or against. If they fight against the visions,
                . . . the church may know that they are not right. God's peo-
                ple should not cringe and yield, and give up their liberty to
                such disaffected ones. God has placed the gifts in the church
                that the church may be benefited by them; and when professed
                believers in the truth oppose these gifts, and fight against the
                visions, souls are in danger through their influence, and it is
                 time then to labor with them, that the weak may not be led
                astray by their influence."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 328, 329.

                  Where were spiritual gifts to be manifest? 1 Cor. 12:28.

                   For over a century General Conference sessions have voted
                confidence in the gift of prophecy given to Ellen White.
                   The following statements, made by delegates in official ses-
                sion of the General Conference in 1867 and 1958 are typical:
                   "Resolved, That we express our continued faith in the per-
                petuity of Spiritual gifts during the gospel dispensation, and
                our gratitude to God that he has intimately connected the spirit
                of prophecy with the proclamation of the third angel's mes-
                sage."—Review and Herald, May 28, 1867.
                    "As delegates to the world session of the General Confer-
                ence of Seventh-day Adventists, we reaffirm our belief and
                full confidence in this prophetic gift, as manifested through
                Ellen G. White."—Review and Herald, June 25, 1958.

                  Ellen White wrote, "Whether or not my life is spared, my
                writings will constantly speak, and their work will go forward
                as long as time shall last."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 55.

        Part 3   What is God's stated purpose in bestowing spiritual gifts    PURPOSE OF THE in the church?  GIFT OF PROPHECY    "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
                 some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the
                 perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
                 edifying of the body of Christ." Eph. 4:11, 12.

                    See also 1 Cor. 12:7; 14:22.

                   How long were the gifts to remain in the church? Are they
                 needed today? Eph. 4:13, 14.

                   What prayer did Jesus pray for His followers? John 17:21.

                     "God is leading a people out from the world upon the ex-
                 alted platform of eternal truth, the commandments of God and
                 the faith of Jesus. He will discipline and fit up His people.
                 They will not be at variance, one believing one thing, and an-
                 other having faith and views entirely opposite, each moving
                 independently of the body. Through the diversity of the gifts
                 and governments that He has placed in the church, they will
                 all come to the unity of the faith."—Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 446.
                     Uriah Smith, first secretary of the General Conference and
                 longtime editor of the Review and Herald, testified concerning
                 the influence of the spirit of prophecy:
                     "Their fruit [of the writings of Ellen White] is such as to
                 show that the source from which they spring, is the opposite
                 of evil.
                     "They tend to the purest morality. They discountenance
                 every vice, and exhort to the practice of every virtue. They
                 point out the perils through which we are to pass to the king-
                 dom. They reveal the devices of Satan. They warn us against
                 his snares. They have nipped in the bud, scheme after scheme
                 of fanaticism which the enemy has tried to foist into our midst.
                 They have exposed hidden iniquity, brought to light concealed
                 wrongs, and laid bare the evil motives of the false-hearted."—
                 Review and Herald, June 12, 1866, page 9.

                   What prayer did David offer concerning God's Word? Ps.
                 119:22, 24, 36, 111.

                    "Thank God for the bright pictures which He has presented
                 to us. Let us group together the blessed assurances of His
                 love, that we may look upon them continually."—Steps to
                 Christ, page 118.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 236-238. 74

         Part 4 How does the True Witness deal with the Laodicean church,
 ACTIVE AMONG and what counsel does He offer?    THE LAODICEANS   "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;
                These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
                beginning of the creation of God." "I counsel thee to buy of
                me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
                raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of
                thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with
                eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke
                and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Rev. 3:14,
                18, 19.

                    All the benefits of Christ's atonement are offered freely to
                the Laodiceans. To make us feel our need of Christ and His
                gift of salvation there is a chastening process. This is accom-
                plished by the messages of reproof and correction given to us
                in His inspired messages.
                   Ellen White declared: "The Lord has seen fit to counsel
                Elder [Uriah] Smith, to give him words of reproof because he
                had erred; but is this an evidence that God has forsaken him?
                —No. 'As many as I love I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
                therefore, and repent' (Rev. 3:19). The Lord reproves wrongs
                in His people, but is this an evidence that He has rejected
                them?—No. There are errors in the church, and the Lord points
                them out by His own ordained agencies, not always through
                the testimonies."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, p. 81.

                  Instead of an indication of God's rejection, of what is the
                chastening of the Lord a certain evidence? Heb. 12:6, 7.

                  What excellent results does this chastening produce?
                Verse 11.

                    "The message to the Laodiceans is applicable to Seventh-
                day Adventists who have had great light and have not walked
                in the light. It is those who have made great profession, but
                have not kept in step with their Leader, that will be spewed out
                of His mouth unless they repent."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2,
                p. 66.
                    "The counsel of the True Witness is full of encouragement
                and comfort. The clourches may yet obtain the gold of truth,
                faith, and love, and be rich in heavenly treasure."—The Faith
                I Live By, page 306.

          Part 5     What important Bible principle did Peter's vision of Acts 10
   APPLIES BIBLE   remind him?
     PRINCIPLES      "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I per-
                   ceive that God is no respecter of persons." Acts 10:34.
                       Read Acts 10:1-35. See 2 Chron. 19:7.
                       The vision God gave to Peter on the housetop corrected
                    him as a Jew in his prejudicial attitude toward the Gentiles. In
                    Peter's case the problem was race prejudice—an attitude
                    condemned by the Scriptures (Deut. 10:17) and the example of
                   Jesus (Matt. 15:21-29). Yet the apostle learned the lesson
                   slowly. See Gal. 2:11-14. But the vision helped him to grasp
                    the Bible principle.
                       The visions of Ellen White correct those who err from Bible
                   principles. At the close of her first book, Christian Experience
                   and Views of Mrs. E. G. White (1851), she presented the matter
                   like this:
                       "I recommend to you, dear reader, the Word of God as the
                   rule of your faith and practice. By that Word we are to be
                   judged. God has, in that Word, promised to give visions in the
                   'last days'; not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of
                   His people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth. Thus
                   God dealt with Peter when He was about to send him to preach
                   to the Gentiles. (Acts 10.)"—Early Writings, page 78. (Empha-
                   sis supplied.)
                       How does Ellen White indicate the relationship of her mes-
                   sages to the Bible? "Little heed is given to the Bible, and the
                   Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the
                   greater light."—Colporteur Ministry, page 125.
                       The operation of the Holy Spirit in the writings of Ellen
                   White was intended to exalt the Scripture testimony, not to
                   supersede it. The following extract from a testimony published
                   in 1876 shows this:
                       "Brother J would confuse the mind by seeking to make it
                   appear that the light God has given through the Testimonies is
                   an addition to the word of God, but in this he presents the
                   matter in a false light. God has seen fit in this manner to bring
                   the minds of His people to His word, to give them a clearer
                   understanding of it."—Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 246. THINK IT THROUGH         A mother will tie a string around her forgetful child's fin-
                   ger. What has God done by His Spirit to help the church to-
                   day not to forget Bible principles?
                      "We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall
                   forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past
                   history."—Life Sketches, page 196.
 FURTHER STUDY        Patriarchs and Prophets, first five pages of "Introduction"
                   by Uriah Smith. 76

       Part 6     What claim did John the Baptist make?
  THE LORD'S
  MESSENGER       "And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he
                saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered,
                No." "He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
                Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias."
                John 1:21, 23.


                   John the Baptist made no claim to greatness. But Jesus
                called him a prophet "and more than a prophet." Matt. 11:9.
                   What claim did Ellen White make for herself and her work?
                "I have had no claims to make, only that / am instructed that I
                am the Lord's messenger; that He called me in my youth to
                be His messenger, to receive His word, and to give a clear
                and decided message in the name of the Lord Jesus."—
                Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 32.
                    Why did Ellen White refrain from claiming to be a prophet?
                In a public address delivered Oct. 2, 1904, in Battle Creek,
                Michigan, she stated that she did "not claim to be a proph-
                etess."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 35. Explaining this
                later, she wrote: "My work includes much more than this name
                signifies. I regard myself as a messenger, entrusted by the Lord
                with messages for His people. . . . My commission embraces
                the work of a prophet, but it does not end there."—Page 36.
                    What work did God "especially" assign to Ellen White?
                    "The work which the Lord has laid out before me especially
                is to urge young and old, learned and unlearned, to search the
                Scriptures for themselves; . . . to assure all that the clear
                knowledge of the Bible outdoes all other knowledge in making
                man what God designed he should be."—Testimonies, Vol. 5,
                p. 686.

FURTHER STUDY      Patriarchs and Prophets, second five pages of "Introduction"
                by Uriah Smith.
                                                                             77

          Part 1 Identify the foundation of God's work in the world.
   THE SPIRIT IN
                 "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as
    THE CHURCH a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and an-
                 other buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he
                 buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than
                 that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:10, 11.

                     "To those who believe, Christ is a sure foundation. Upon
                 this living stone, Jews and Gentiles alike may build. It is broad
                 enough for all and strong enough to sustain the weight and
                 burden of the whole world."—The Acts of the Apostles, page
                 175.

                   How did Christ begin to lay the foundation of His church?
                 John 1:36-51.

                   "With the calling of John and Andrew and Simon, of Philip
                 and Nathanael, began the foundation of the Christian church."
                 —The Desire of Ages, page 141.

                   Whom did Jesus appoint as His successor in this world?
                 John 14:16-18.

                    "The Holy Spirit is Christ's representative, but divested of
                 the personality of humanity, and independent thereof."—The
                 Desire of Ages, page 669.
                    "The Comforter is called 'the Spirit of truth.' His work is to
                 define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as
                 the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There
                 is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or com-
                 fort can be found in falsehood. . . . Through the Scriptures the
                 Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the
                 heart."—The Desire of Ages, page 671.

                   How long was the Spirit to abide with the church? John
                 14:16.

                    "Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church,
                 and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples.
                    "We should pray as earnestly for the descent of the Holy
                 Spirit as the disciples prayed on the day of Pentecost. If they
                 needed it at that time, we need it more today."—The Faith I
                 Live By, page 53.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 8, pp. 19-23. 80

      Part 2   What endowments were promised to the Christian church   ENDOWMENTS OF through the Spirit?
  THE SPIRIT   "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
                profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of
                wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
                Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts
                of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of mira-
                cles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
                another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation
                of tongues. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame
                Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." 1 Cor.
                12:7-11.
                   The Holy Spirit was the highest gift that Christ could solicit
                from the Father for the benefit of His people. But the Spirit of
                God, Himself a Gift, became a Giver of gifts. 1 Cor. 12:1, 7.
                   Uriah Smith, in the last page of his introduction to the book
                Patriarchs and Prophets, wrote: "These gifts are said to be
                'set in the church,' and if a gift is bestowed upon even one
                member of the church, it may be said that that gift is 'in the
                church: "
                   What assurance of His continuing presence did Christ give
                to His disciples? Matt. 28:20, last part.

                   Jesus' promise, "Lo, I am with you alway," is fulfilled
                through the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Master said of
                His representative, the Spirit of God, "He dwelleth with you,
                and shall be in you." John 14:17. Wrote John, "Hereby we
                know that he [Christ] abideth in us, by the Spirit which he
                hath given us." 1 John 3:24.
                   The Spirit of God, said Jesus, would "abide with you for
                ever." John 14:16. The gifts of the Spirit are to be with the
                church until the end of time—always functioning in harmony
                with the "truth as it is in Jesus," our Lord and Leader.

                     "God often uses the simplest means to accomplish the great-
                 est results. It is His plan that every part of His work shall de-
                 pend on every other part, as a wheel within a wheel, all acting
                 in harmony. The humblest worker, moved by the Holy Spirit,
                 will touch invisible chords, whose vibrations will ring to the
                 ends of the earth, and make melody through eternal ages."—
                 The Desire of Ages, pages 822, 823.

FURTHER STUDY       Christ's Object Lessons, "Talents," pages 327, 328.
                                                                               81

         Part 3      By what symbol did Christ represent the church to John?
  THE CHURCH IN
      PROPHECY       "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman
                  clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon
                  her head a crown of twelve stars." Rev. 12:1.

                     Read Rev. 12:2-5.
                    (1.) The woman clothed with the sun represents the true
                  church. See Jer. 6:2; Eph. 5:25.
                     (2) The "man child" who will rule the world with a rod of
                  iron is Jesus Christ. See Ps. 2:7-9.
                    (3) The great red dragon is symbolic of Satan in a primary
                  sense and, secondarily, of pagan Rome. See Rev. 12:9; The
                  Great Controversy, page 438.
                    (4) The remnant of the woman's seed stands for the last true
                  church of Christ. See Rev. 12:17.
                      Unsuccessful in his attacks upon the "man child" of the
                  woman, Satan next attacked the church. Persecution broke out
                  against the infant church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 9:1, 2), later
                  over much of the pagan Romin Empire, still later throughout
                  papal Europe (for nearly 1,260 years—Rev. 12:6, 14). It was a
                  time of great trial for the faithful few who followed the truth of
                  God and rejected the quasi-Christian doctrine of the estab-
                  lished church.
                      By the end of the eighteenth century, however, the flood tide
                  of persecution ceased. The time was now ripe for the fulfill-
                  ment of the last part of the symbolic prophecy concerning the
                  tried and tested church of the last days—the remnant.

                     "The same spirit of hatred and opposition to the truth has
                  inspired the enemies of God in every age, and the same vigi-
                  lance and fidelity have been required in His servants. The
                  words of Christ to the first disciples are applicable to His fol-
                  lowers to the close of time: 'What I say unto you I say unto all,
                  Watch.' Mark 13:37."—The Great Controversy, pages 56, 57.



 FURTHER STUDY      The Acts of the Apostles, pages 11-13. 82

       Part 4  What action did Satan take against the woman and her
 THE REMNANT children?
      CHURCH   "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
                make war with the remnant of her seed." Rev. 12:17 (first
                part).
                    The noun "remnant" is from the Greek, loipoi, "remaining
                ones," from the verb, leipo, "to leave," "to leave behind," and
                does not here represent a few scattered believers but a group
                led forth from mystical Babylon as a remnant was led out of
                literal Babylon at the end of the exile. See SDA Bible Commen-
                tary, Vol. 7, pp. 812-815.
                    The "remnant" are as much the object of Satan's attacks at
                the close of the gospel dispensation as Christ and the apostles
                were at the time the Christian church was established. Warfare
                against God's people has never ceased. Rather it has intensi-
                fied through the centuries and will soon reach its climax.
                    Speaking of the near future in the context of Revelation 12:
                17, Ellen White wrote:
                    "The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, per-
                suade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of
                divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments.
                Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for
                 truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order
                 to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a
                law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which
                 has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In
                 the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet's
                 words: 'The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
                 make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the com-
                 mandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.'
                Revelation 12:17."—The Great Controversy, page 592.
                   In view of the coming destruction of the world's civiliza-
                tion, what experience does Peter say believers should have?
                2 Peter 3:11.

           Part 5     What marks of identity are provided to distinguish the
  IDENTIFICATION    remnant church?
 OF THE REMNANT
                      "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
                    make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the com-
                    mandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.'
                    "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 12:
                    17; 19:10 (last part).

                        Most translators of these verses render it "testimony of
                    Jesus" or "to Jesus."
                        "The term [testimony of Jesus] in the original Greek is in
                    the genitive case, generally the equivalent of the English con-
                    struction with of, most commonly indicating possession. Hence
                    it can be understood as Jesus' testimony—the testimony that
                    Christ Himself bears today when He manifests Himself in a
                    special way through those who have the gift of prophecy. . . .
                        "It is not testimony to Jesus or concerning Jesus, but the
                    testimony of Him."—W. E. Read, The Bible, the Spirit of
                    Prophecy, and the Church, pages 107, 108.
                       What did the angel declare that John's brethren the proph.
                    ets possessed? Rev. 19:10; 22:9.

                      What further marks of identity does the remnant church
                    possess? Rev. 14:12.

                      The gift of prophecy is to appear in a Christian church
                    which has the "faith of Jesus" and that church keeps "the
                    commandments of God" (including the Sabbath). These two
                    characteristics—faith and obedience—identify the remnant
                    church of the prophecy.

                       "The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will
                    teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will
                    speak His mysteries to us personally. . . . Those who decide
                    to do nothing in any line that will displease God, will know,
                    after presenting their case before Him, just what course to pur-
                    sue. And they will receive not only wisdom, but strength.
                    Power for obedience, for service, will be imparted to them, as
                    Christ has promised."—The Desire of Ages, page 668.

 FURTHER STUDY        Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 446-448. 84

       Part 6      In what Christian movement of these latter days have the gift
  THE CHURCH    of prophecy and the other marks of prophetic identity been
                observed? As students of Bible prophecy, Seventh-day Ad-
       TODAY    ventists see in the historical movement to which they belong a
                fulfillment of the specifications of the prophecy. While other
                born-again Christians, honest in heart, are potentially members
                of the remnant church, we hold, without a sense of bigotry, to
                the solemn truth that the Seventh-day Adventist movement it-
                self represents the remnant of Revelation 12:17.
                  What message of truth has been entrusted to the remnant
                people? Rev. 14:6-12. Compare Matt. 24:14.
                    "Christ is coming the second time, with power unto salva-
                tion. To prepare human beings for this event, He has sent the
                first, second, and third angels' messages. These angels repre-
                sent those who receive the truth, and with power open the gos-
                pel to the world."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Com-
                mentary, Vol. 7, pp. 978, 979.
                    The people who give this three-fold message constitute the
                "remnant" of the long and worthy line of God's chosen people
                who have "survived the fierce onslaughts of the dragon down
                through history, most particularly the darkness, persecution,
                and error of the 'time, and times, and half a time,' or 1260
                'days' of vs 6, 14. It is God's last 'remnant' by virtue of the
                fact that it is the appointed herald of His final appeal to the
                world to accept the gracious gift of salvation (ch. 14:6-12)."—
                SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 815.
                  What did Jesus promise concerning the triumph of the
                church He established? Matt. 16:18 (last part). Compare Joel
                2:32.
                   "I warn the Seventh-day Adventist Church to be careful how
                you receive every new notion and those who claim to have
                great light. The character of their work seems to be to accuse
                and to tear down. Let the believers heed the voice of the
                angel who said to the church, 'Press together.' In unity is yoyr
                strength. Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. God hath
                a church, and Christ hath declared, 'The gates of hell shall
                not prevail against it.' The messengers the Lord sends bear
                the divine credentials."—Ellen G. White, The Remnant Church,
                page 46 (first printing, p. 53).  THINK IT THROUGH     Is it possible to be numbered among the believers in .God's
                remnant church and to advocate the truth without false pride?
                with great and humble joy?
                    In these days of uncertainty, what is the result of knowing
                 for sure "the present truth"? See 2 Peter 1:12.
FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies to Ministers, pages 132-135.
                                                                              85

 FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 8-10. 88

        Part 2   At a conference held in the home of Otis Nichols at Dor-
VISION OF THE chester, Massachusetts, in November, 1848, the pioneers
               sought God for special guidance. Heaven seemed near, and  PUBLISHING WORK to Ellen White was given a vision full of light. At first there was
                only a tiny moving light. But it circled the globe and became
                bigger all the time. After the vision she said to her husband:
                    "'I have a message for you. You must begin to print a lit-
                tle paper and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first;
                but as the people read, they will send you means with which
                to print, and it will be a success from the first. From this
                small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of
                light that went clear round the world.' "—Life Sketches, page
                125.
                    Thus through the guiding light of prophecy Present Truth,
                our first denominational periodical, was born. Scores of peo-
                ple accepted the third angel's message in the months that fol-
                lowed. This initial printing endeavor brought "good tidings"
                and "peace" and "salvation" to those who read it. Today 50
                publishing houses issue literature in nearly 200 languages,
                valued at approximately $50,000,000 a year—"streams of light"
                going "clear round the world"!
                    "One cannot dip deeply into the story of the Seventh-day
                Adventist publishing work without knowing that here, indeed, is
                the vanguard of the church. In Christ-centered publishing
                houses the odor of printer's ink is transformed into the incense
                of heaven; the rumble of presses swells into the thunder of
                truth; the shuffle of paper makes way for the rustle of angel
                wings."—M. Carol Hetzell, The Undaunted, Introduction.

                   "God will soon do great things for us if we lie humble and
                believing at His feet. . . . More than one thousand will soon
                be converted in one day, most of whom will trace their first
                convictions to the reading of our publications."—Colporteur
                Ministry, page 151.

          Part 3      What experiences in the New Testament church demon-
   ESTABLISHING    strated the value of church order and organization? Acts 6.
  CHURCH ORDER        See also Acts 15:6-32.

                       What a blessing clearly defined organization was to the early
                   Christian church. The "remnant church" experienced similar
                   incidents as discordant elements worked against unity. Ellen
                   White wrote of this in 1851, encouraging the development of
                   gospel order to protect the little flock of believers.
                       "I saw that this door at which the enemy comes in to per-
                   plex and trouble the flock can be shut. I inquired of the angel
                   how it could be closed. He said, 'The church must flee to
                   God's Word and become established upon gospel order, which
                   has been overlooked and neglected.' This is indispensably
                   necessary in order to bring the church into the unity of the
                   faith."—Early Writings, page 100.
                       As early as 1853 James White wrote in favor of "order and
                   strict discipline in the church of Christ." Others supported the
                   suggestion to organize in the interests of the growing church.
                   In 1861 the first local conference was organized in Michigan
                   with Joseph Bates as president. The General Conference fol-
                   lowed in 1863. Today the church is established on every con-
                   tinent and major island. If it had not been for the development
                   of organization, we could not today carry on a widespread mis-
                   sion program.

                     What experience came to the apostle Paul that led him to
                   carry the gospel to Europe? Acts 16:9, 10.

                      "Advance!" "Advance!" "Enter new territories" has been
                   the watchword among God's servants in apostolic and subse-
                   quent times. It was through a vision that Paul was led to
                   carry the gospel to Europe. Likewise our first overseas worker,
                   John N. Andrews, entered Europe in response to a prophetic
                   vision given the Lord's messenger. In a night vision, "One of
                   dignity and authority" was heard by Ellen White to speak:
                   "'The whole world,' He said, 'is God's great vineyard.' "—
                   Testimonies, Vol. 7, p. 34.

 FURTHER STUDY        Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 239, 650-653.

       Part 4     In the days of Hezekiah what remarkable instance of divine
    GUIDANCE    guidance and protection occurred?



                   Then "Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son
                of Amoz, prayed and . . . the Lord saved Hezekiah and the
                inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the
                king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided
                them on every side." 2 Chron. 32:20, 22.


                    Compare Isa. 37:1, 2, 6, 7, 33-37.
                    As Hezekiah, the God-fearing king, and the prophet Isaiah
                sought the deliverance of Judah from threatened annihilation at
                the hand of the boastful king of Assyria, "the Lord sent an
                angel, which cut off all the mighty men" (2 Chron. 32:21), and
                the king of Assyria was compelled to abandon the expedition.
                Jerusalem was "guided . . . on every side."
                    And God has guided His remnant people "on every side"
                through the spirit of prophecy. The following illustrations make
                this clear:
                    1. Initial counsels on healthful living in 1863 resulted in the
                establishment of a medical institution in 1866 at Battle Creek,
                Michigan. Here the sick might find physical and spiritual heal-
                ing and "learn how to take care of themselves and thus pre-
                vent sickness."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 494. This was the be-
                ginning of a large sanitarium and hospital work which has
                since spread over the globe.
                    2. The reorganization of the General Conference in 1901
                occurred at a time when the work was being hampered by
                centralization of authority. Today Seventh-day Adventists have
                 developed a structure of church organization that provides for
                 decision making in the field where the decision is needed.
                    The church was confronted with a reorganization plan along
                 non-sectarian lines and following pantheistic teaching as advo-
                 cated by one of our best known leaders. But the servant of
                 the Lord gave specific counsel against it. "Who has authority
                 to begin such a movement?" she asked. "We have our Bibles.
                 We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working
                 of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compro-
                 mise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony
                 with this truth?"—Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 205. See also
                 page 204.

                                                                                91

         Part 5      In addition to leading the nation of Israel, what other work
 MESSAGES THAT    is Moses said to have done?
     PRESERVED      "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
                  and by a prophet was he preserved." Hosea 12:13.

                      God miraculously delivered Israel, degraded in slavery and
                  largely in ignorance and apostasy, by the hand of Moses and
                  led them to the borders of the Promised Land.
                     "By a prophet was he preserved." To ensure the best of
                  spiritual and physical health God gave to His people just laws,
                  intended to make of them an exhibit before all the world of
                  the benefits to be derived from a cheerful adherence to right
                  principles. But time and again they rebelled, and time and
                  again the prophetic voice of Moses was heard warning them
                  of the tragedies that would follow disobedience and assuring
                  them of the favor and blessings of God if they followed the
                  divine instruction. Their preservation and survival as a nation
                  depended on this. See Ps. 106; 1 Cor. 10:1-11.
                     A review of the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
                  discloses how by the hand of a prophet we have been "pre-
                  served" by the divine instruction and protected from Satan's
                  many attacks.
                     Protection from fanaticism. One of the first burdens laid
                  upon the youthful Ellen Harmon in the early days was to erect
                  a wall about the church and protect it from fanatics who taught
                  extreme views such as holy flesh and instantaneous sanctifi-
                  cation.
                     In Life Sketches, pages 83-89, we read of attempts made by
                  some to set specific times for the Lord to come. These danger-
                  ous views were squarely met by Ellen White. She was shown
                  by the Lord that these dates would pass by. See also Testi-
                  monies, Vol. 1, p. 72.

                     "The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our
                  only true foundation. They have made us what we are. The
                  lapse of time has not lessened their value. It is the constant
                  effort of the enemy to remove these truths from their setting,
                  and to put in their place spurious theories. He will bring in
                  everything that he possibly can to carry out his deceptive de-
                  signs. But the Lord will raise up men of keen perception, who
                  will give these truths their proper place in the plan of God."—
                  Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 201. 92

         Part 6     What result follows the operation of spiritual gifts in the  IN TIMES OF CRISIS   church?

                     "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,
                  and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight
                  of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
                  deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into
                  him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." Eph. 4:
                  14, 15.

                      Paul pictured the church with a membership stable in all its
                  positions, not "tossed to and fro" by "every wind of doctrine"
                  introduced "by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness."
                      Five "Sabbath conferences" were held in 1848 by the early
                  Sabbath-keeping Adventists to seek out the truths of the Bible.
                      "At these conferences, . . . the several points of truth
                  were formed into one united belief. It was here that the foun-
                  dations of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine were laid. And here
                  again, God used the Spirit of prophecy to protect and lead
                  His people, through giving one or two visions at each of the
                  conferences. These visions, however, did not constitute a sub-
                  stitute for Bible study. . . .
                      "Writing shortly after the time of the Sabbath conferences,
                  Ellen White stated: 'We had to search and wait the opening of
                  truth, receiving a ray of light here and a ray there, laboring and
                   pleading for God to reveal truth to us. But now the truth is
                   plain; its rays are brought together. The blazing light of truth
                   when it is presented as it should be can be now seen and
                   brought to bear upon the heart.'—E. G. White MS 3, 1854. (Feb.
                   12, 1854.)"—Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White—Messenger to the
                   Remnant, pages 38, 39.

                    At a time of crisis in the experience of Israel, through what
                  means did the Lord bring about deliverance? 2 Chron. 20:
                  14-20. See Judges 4:1-7, 14.

                     "Although there are• evils existing in the church, and will be
                  until the end of the world, the church in these last days is to be
                  the light of the world that is polluted and demoralized by sin.
                  The church, enfeebled and defective, needing to be reproved,
                  warned, and counseled, is the only object upon earth upon
                  which Christ bestows His supreme regard."—Testimonies to
                  Ministers, page 49.

FURTHER STUDY        Testimonies to Ministers, pages 24-26.
                                                                                 93

 FURTHER STUDY        The Great Controversy, pages 624, 625, 636-638. 96

        Part 2    What astounding development did the apostle Paul pre-
  IN RELIGION  dict would take place in the religious world?
                  "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall
                not come, except there come a falling away first, and that
                man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth
                and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
                worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
                shewing himself that he is God." 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.
                    See also Rev. 13:3, 4, 8, 9, 14-18.
                    The prophecy of the great apostasy was fulfilled. However,
                there came a diminishing of its power, called in prophecy "a
                deadly wound." When the "wound" heals, the power of the
                apostasy will return and surpass its former oppression.
                    "God's word has given warning of the impending danger;
                let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what
                the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to
                escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doc-
                trines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the
                churches, and in the hearts of men. . . . We shall soon see
                and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Who-
                ever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur
                reproach and persecution."—The Great Controversy, page 581.
                  What somber experience lies ahead for all of God's faith-
                ful people? Rev. 3:10.
                   "Just before us is the 'hour of temptation, which shall come
                upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.' Rev-
                elation 3:10. All whose faith is not firmly established upon the
                word of God will be deceived and overcome."—The Great
                Controversy, page 560. See Testimonies, Vol. 9, pp. 11, 43. •

           Part 3  What is the root of all evil?
 IN THE ECONOMIC   "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare
           WORLD and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men it
                 destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of
                 all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred frorr
                 the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.'
                 1 Tim. 6:9, 10.

                     See also 1 John 2:15-17.
                     "The Bible condemns no man for being rich, if he has
                 acquired his riches honestly. Not money, but the love at
                 money, is the root of all evil. It is God who gives men power
                 to get wealth; and in the hands of him who acts as God's
                 steward, using his means unselfishly, wealth is a blessing, both
                 to its possessor and to the world."—The Ministry of Healing.
                 page 212.
                     Will business operations ever return to normal? "There are
                 not many, even among educators and statesmen, who compre-
                 hend the causes that underlie the present state of society. . . .
                 They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a
                 more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teach-
                 ing of God's word, they would find a solution of the problems
                 that perplex them."—Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 13. (Emphasis sup-
                 plied.)
                    What is Paul's warning against confederacy with unbeliev-
                  ers? 2 Cor. 6:14-18. See Isa. 8:11-13.
                     Gigantic monopolies. "The work of the people of God is to
                 prepare for the events of the future, which will soon come upon
                 them with blinding force. In the world gigantic monopolies will
                 be formed. Men will bind themselves together in unions that
                 will wrap them in the folds of the enemy. A few men will com-
                 bine to grasp all the means to be obtained in certain lines of
                 business. Trades unions will be formed, and those who refuse
                 to join these unions will be marked men."—Selected Messages,
                 Bk. 2, p. 142. See also Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 42.
                     This prediction concerns business combinations to monopo-
                 lize wealth as well as trade unions. Oppression, cruelty, and
                 avarice are offensive to God whether practiced by industry or
                 labor. God's people are to be free from all involvement with
                 the selfish control of wealth and from dishonest, violent efforts
                 to acquire it.

        Part 4   What counsel was given to the mother of Samson before the
   IN SCIENCE birth of her child?
                  "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and
                said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not:
                but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son." "But he said unto
                me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now
                drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean
                thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the
                womb to the day of his death." Judges 13:3, 7.

                    See also verses 13, 14.
                    Ellen White points to prenatal influence as the reason for
                the dietary prohibitions laid upon the wife of Manoah.
                    "The effect of prenatal influences is by many parents looked
                upon as a matter of little moment; but heaven does not so re-
                gard it. The message sent by an angel of God, and twice
                given in the most solemn manner, shows it to be deserving of
                our most careful thought."—The Ministry of Healing, page 372.
                    Ellen White earnestly counseled through the years the im-
                portance of the mother's influence on the unborn child. But
                not until recently has science confirmed the reality of prenatal
                influence.
                  What results followed the temperate dietary practices of
                Daniel and his friends? Dan. 1:5, 8-15, 20.
                   Closely linked with the physical, mental, and moral welfare
                of any people are their habits of eating and drinking. Of the
                nearly two thousand pages comprising the five spirit of proph-
                ecy books devoted to health, a large proportion is devoted to
                diet.
                   "There are but few as yet who are aroused sufficiently to
                understand how much their habits of diet have to do with
                their health, their characters, their usefulness in this world,
                and their eternal destiny."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 488, 489.

                   "The Spirit of God cannot come to our help, and assist us
                in perfecting Christian characters, while we are indulging our
                appetites to the injury of health, and while the pride of life
                controls."—Counsels on Diet and Foods, page 57.

            Part 5   In Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the angel, what did
  IN PREPARATION Satan do? What did the change of raiment signify? What
                   promise was made to Joshua, the high priest? Zech. 3:1-7.
      TO MEET GOD
                      "Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with
                  peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing
                  up of the great day of atonement. The remnant church will be
                  brought into great trial and distress. Those who keep the
                  commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire
                  of the dragon and his hosts. . . .
                      "Satan urges before God his accusations against them, de-
                  claring that they have by their sins forfeited the divine pro-
                  tection, and claiming the right to destroy them as transgres-
                  sors."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 472, 473.
                     "All that have put on the robe of Christ's righteousness will
                  stand before Him as chosen and faithful and true. Satan has
                  no power to pluck them out of the hand of Christ."—Testimo-
                  nies, Vol. 5, p. 471.
                    What question asked by Jesus suggests a condition that will
                  exist in earth's last days? Luke 18:8. See Matt. 24:12.

                      "I was shown the people of God, and saw them mightily
                  shaken. Some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, were
                  pleading with God. . . .
                      "Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing
                  and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They
                  were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them
                  in like a thick cloud. . . .
                      "I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was
                  shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called
                  forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans.
                  This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and
                  will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight
                  truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will
                  rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's
                  people."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 179-181.

                     "Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be
                  placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will
                  never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-
                  loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the fore-
                  head of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All
                  who receive the seal must be without spot before God—can-
                  didates for heaven."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 216.

  FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, Vol. 5, pp. 467-476. 100

       Part 6     What work will be accomplished before Christ comes?    A WORLD WORK       "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
  COMPLETED     the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the
                end come."—Matt. 24:14.
                   Compare Matt. 28:18-20.
                   In the vision of January 3, 1875, Ellen White was shown
                many lights illuminating a world shrouded in darkness. She
                was led in 1892 to declare: " 'The missionary work in Australia
                and New Zealand is yet in its infancy, but the same work must
                be accomplished in Australia, New Zealand, in Africa, India,
                China, and the islands of the sea, as has been accomplished
                in the home field.' "—Life Sketches, page 338.
                    In 1892 we had not yet opened our first mission station in
                Africa. It was yet a year before colporteurs were to enter
                India and a full decade before missionaries were dispatched to
                China. As for the islands of the sea, we had just made the
                smallest beginning.
                  Who will finish the work of the gospel? Romans 9:28.
                   "I saw that the quick work that God was doing on the earth
                would soon be cut short in righteousness and that the messen-
                gers must speed swiftly on their way to search out the scat-
                tered flock."—Early Writings, page 50.
                   The prophetic assurance of triumph gives courage to the
                believers. Note the following prophetic assurances:
                   (1) The Lord will bring us through triumphantly. "There is
                no need to doubt, to be fearful that the work will not succeed.
                God is at the head of the work. . . . Let us have faith that
                God is going to carry the noble ship which bears the people of
                God safely into port."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, p. 390.
                   (2) God will continue with them even to the end. "I am
                encouraged and blessed as I realize that the God of Israel is
                still guiding His people, and that He will continue to be with
                them, even to the end."—Selected Messages, Bk. 2, p. 406.
                (From a message by Ellen White to the General Conference in
                session, 1913.)

                   "There is a great work to be done, and every effort possible
                .must be made to reveal Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour,
                 Christ as the Sin Bearer, Christ as the bright and morning
                 Star; and the Lord will give us favor before the world until our
                 work is done."—Testimonies, Vol. 6, pp. 20, 21.

       Part 2    "Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets,
   ACCEPT OR Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth
              things, prophesy deceits." Isa. 30:10.
      REJECT
                  See also Ezek. 33:30-33.
                   "There are some in these last days who will cry: 'Speak
                unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.' But this is not my
                work. God has set me as a reprover of His people; and just
                so surely as He has laid upon me the heavy burden, He will
                make those to whom this message is given responsible for the
                manner in which they treat it."—Testimonies, Vol. 4, pp. 231,
                232.
                  What was Ahab's attitude toward the true prophet of God?
                1 Kings 22:8.
                   To what may an attitude of resistance lead? Acts 7:52, 59.
                    — It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in
                the Testimonies.' Satan knows how to make his attacks. He
                works upon minds to excite jealousy and dissatisfaction toward
                those at the head of the work. The gifts are next questioned;
                then, of course, they have but little weight, and instruction
                given through vision is disregarded.' 'Next follows skepticism
                in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our posi-
                tion, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the down-
                ward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were
                once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the
                deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his ef-
                forts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes
                incurable and ends in destruction.' "—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p.
                672.
                   What was David's attitude toward the message that came
                to him from the prophet Nathan? 2 Sam. 12:7-9, 13, 14.

                   At a general gathering of workers in Europe in 1885, Ellen
                White's interpreter was D. T. Bourdeau, a leading minister. He
                wrote for the Review and Herald of Nov. 10, 1885, as follows:
                   "Not only does this gift reprove sin without dissimulation
                and partiality, as did Nathan when he said to David, 'Thou art
                the man;' but it deals in words of encouragement to help those
                reproved to overcome, and to inspire hope, faith, and courage
                to the desponding. It not only probes the wound, but it also
                pours in the oil, binds the wound, and hastens the process of
                restoration. It brings the receiver to the Bible."

         Part 3   As Paul recounted his experience before King Agrippa, UNDERSTANDING THE what did he declare had been his personal relationship to
                the vision God gave him?  INSPIRED MESSAGES
                  "Whereupon, 0 King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto
                the heavenly vision." Acts 26:19.
                   The apostle practiced the truth he believed. So should we
                be obedient to what we know that has been revealed to us.
                  How does the honest seeker understand revealed truth?
                1 Cor. 2:12, 13.
                   Just as the student is admonished to view the Bible as a
                whole, comparing scripture with scripture, so he should gain
                the full picture of all the prophetic counsels of Ellen White
                available on a given point, putting statement with statement.
                "The testimonies themselves will be the key that will explain
                the messages given, as scripture is explained by scripture."
                —Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 42.
                   The thoughts on any teaching that is controversial should
                remain in solution and not crystalize until all the available
                counsels on the subject are before us.
                  What need sometimes arises among those who have
                known God's message before? .Heb. 5:12. Compare 2 Peter
                1:1-12.
                    The Christian must progress in his knowledge of truth. He
                should steadily advance in an understanding of Bible princi-
                ples. It is his privilege to enjoy a growing and dynamic, not a
                static, experience. The writings of the prophets offer basic
                principles to guide the life toward the goal of Christian per-
                fection.
                    When we study the spirit of prophecy, we must consider the
                time, place, and circumstances of the giving of the Lord's
                message. Mrs. White wrote of the publication and use of her
                writings: 'Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; noth-
                ing is cast aside; but time and place must be considered."—
                Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 57.
                    Israel was instructed that their garments should carry a
                fringe of blue to designate them as God's people. Num. 15:38.
                Dedication to God may be shown today in modest attire, but
                the principle is applied in a manner different from its applica-
                tion with Israel. Each Christian is to study prayerfully how to
                apply principles to the specific issue at hand.  THINK IT THROUGH      What perplexing issues now confront me personally that
                the writings of Ellen White may help me resolve?
                   Examine the three-volume Comprehensive Index to the
                Writings of Ellen G. White. Here you will be led to helpful
                statements that will throw light on your problems. 106

        Part 4  Against what misuses of the writings of Ellen White are we
MISUSE OF THE warned?
  TESTIMONIES   1. Used to force an issue. 'They profess to believe the tes-
                timony borne, and some do harm by making them an iron
                rule for those who have had no experience in reference to
                them."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 369.
                   2. Used as proof for unbelievers. "Some have taken an
                injudicious course; when they have talked their faith to un-
                believers, and the proof has been asked for, they have read
                a vision, instead of going to the Bible for proof. . . . The vi-
                sions can have no weight with those who have never seen them
                and know nothing of their spirit. They should not be referred
                to in such cases."—Testimonies, Vol. 1, pp. 119, 120.
                   3. Brief excerpts used out of context. "There are those who
                pick out from the Word of God, and also from the Testimonies,
                detached paragraphs or sentences that may be interpreted to
                suit their ideas, and they dwell upon these."—Selected Mes-
                sages, Bk. 1, p. 179.
                   The prophetic writings are up-to-date. "I have been shown
                that the principles that were given us in the early days of the
                message are as important and should be regarded just as con-
                scientiously today as they were then."—Testimonies, Vol. 9,
                p. 158.
                    Messages leave a possibility of doubt. "If you refuse to be-
                lieve until every shadow of uncertainty and every possibility of
                doubt is removed, you will never believe. The doubt that de-
                mands perfect knowledge will never yield to faith. Faith rests
                upon evidence, not demonstration."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 69.
                    The principles set forth in the messages are universal in
                their application. Ellen White's messages are for the world
                 church. Consider her eleven years of service in Europe and
                 Australia and the many pages of messages dealing with the
                international scope of the work of the church. She was not "a
                 provincial seer" but God's messenger to the international
                 church of Seventh-day Adventists.  THINK IT THROUGH      The spirit of prophecy counsels are not outmoded or out of
                place today. If Ellen White is "old hat," how about the Bible
                written eighteen centuries before the "Testimonies"?
                   "Through His Holy Spirit the voice of God has come to us
                continually in warning and instruction, to confirm the faith of
                the believers in the Spirit of prophecy. . . . Time and trial
                have not made void the instruction given. . . . The instruction
                that was given in the early days of the message is to be held
                as safe instruction to follow in these its closing days."—
                Selected Messages, Bk. 1, p. 41. (Written in 1907.)
                                                                            107

        Part 5   In Paul's appeal to Agrippa, what pertinent question did
       A VITAL he ask?
     QUESTION    "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that
                thou believest." Acts 26:27.

                   Compare 2 Kings 17:13, 14; Luke 24:25.
                   "My brethren, beware of the evil heart of unbelief. The
                word of God is plain and close in its restrictions; it interferes
                with your selfish indulgence; therefore you do not obey it. . . .
                And to justify your carnal, ease-loving course you begin to
                doubt whether the testimonies are from God. If you would
                obey their teachings, you would be assured of their divine ori-
                gin."—Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 234.

                  When there is no prophetic vision, what dire consequences
                result? Prov. 29:18. Compare 1 Sam. 3:1.

                   The Hebrew word here translated "vision" always means
                prophetic vision.
                   "Satan is . . . constantly pressing in the spurious—to lead
                away from the truth. The very last deception of Satan will be
                to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God.
                'Where there is no vision, the people perish' (Prov. 29:18).
                Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through dif-
                ferent agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant
                people in the true testimony."—Selected Messages, Bk. 1,
                p. 48.
                  What solemn question does Peter ask? 2 Peter 3:10, 11.

                   D. E. Rebok, for years a spiritual leader among us, writes:
                "Thinking through this solemn instruction given by the apostle,
                I have come to the conclusion that the warning is for me per-
                sonally, and the appeal is to me as to what kind of person I am
                going to be from today on. It is not my business primarily to
                think about you and your condition—the kind of person you
                ought to be. That is your problem. My problem is, What kind
                of person ought I to be? If each of us will answer that question
                for himself, I feel confident that we shall be ready for this
                great event that is described in such graphic terms.",—Believe
                His Prophets, page 278.

        Part 6   With what words did Jehoshaphat encourage the people as
THE BELIEVER'S they followed the Lord's direction given through the prophet?
      PROMISE     "And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into
                the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat
                stood and said, Hear me, 0 Judah, and ye inhabitants of
                Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be estab-
                lished; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." 2 Chron.
                20:20.
                    "Believe his prophets, and you will succeed" is the RSV
                rendering. Here is God's formula for "success" in the Chris-
                tian life.
                    At a time of crisis in our work, Ellen White declared: "Some
                will yield their faith, and will deny the truth of the messages,
                pointing to them as falsehoods.
                    "Some will hold them up to ridicule, working against the
                light that God has been giving for years, and some who are
                weak in the faith will thus be led astray.
                    "But others will be greatly helped by the messages. Though
                not personally addressed, they will be corrected, and will be
                led to shun the evils specified. . . . The Spirit of the Lord
                will be in the instruction, and doubts existing in many minds
                will be swept away. . . . Light will dawn upon the understand-
                ing, and the Spirit will make an impression on minds, as Bible
                 truth is clearly and simply presented in the messages . . .
                God has been sending His people."—Selected Messages, Bk.
                 1, pp. 41, 42.

     Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult
  Lessons for the first quarter of 1975 will be helped by the following out-
  line in studying the first two lessons. The title of the series is "God Is
  Like This—" which is a study of the revelation of God as provided by
  the life and teachings of Jesus.
     First lesson: "God Is Like This—Jesus Reflected Him." Memory verse,
  John 1:18. Outline as follows: (1) Jesus Revealed the Father, John 14:9.
  (2) His Deeds Prompted by His Father, John 5:19. (3) His Words
  Prompted by His Father, John 12:49. (4) Jesus Did His Father's Will,
  John 6:38. (5) Jesus Relied on the Scriptures, Matt. 4:4, 7, 10. (6) The
  Meaning of Jesus' Life, John 14:10.
      Second lesson: "God Is Like This—He Cares About People." Memory
  verse, Luke 19:10. Outline as follows: (1) The Lost Coin, Luke 15:8.
  (2) The Lost Sheep, Luke 15:3, 4. (3) The Good Shepherd, John 10:14,
  15, 17. (4) The Lost Son, Luke 15:11-13. (5) Other Sheep, John 10:16.
  (6) Father Gave Son to Die for Man, John 3:16.

                    My Pledge    As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I pledge myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my Sabbath School lesson each day of the week.




                         (signed)

                                                                  111

 Division Totals     212,774,305     896      95,316 154,178'   (Figures as of 2nd quarter 19731
                                                                                 A. C. W. A.
                                                           Gambia               Adventist College
                                                                                 of West Africa

                                                                      Upper
                                               Sierra Leone 1         Volta
                                                                          --rDahomey
                                                                          Toga
                                                           Liberia   Ivory    1 \ ^ NIGERIAN UNION
                                                                                         /
                                                                     Coast Ghana 16. Nigeria
                                  WEST AFRICAN UNION

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