Heavenly Visions 13

JOHN NORTON LOUGHBOROUGH

HEALED BY AN ANGEL By O. MONTGOMERY

Ellen White was a profound believer in divine healing. She wrote much on the subject and gave most valuable instruction regarding prayer for the sick. She herself was healed many times as she has related in "Life Sketches" and other writings. Some of these experiences of healing were most remarkable. One such experience that is not published in any of her books came to Mrs. White in the old Tabernacle in Battle Creek, Michigan, in the presence of a large congregation. This was a wonderful experience, as told by an eyewitness who was permitted to see the light of the angel that brought healing to the Lord's messenger. We shall let Edith Donaldson Brownsberger tell the story in her own language, as written to W. C. White:

"All who were in that congregation saw the work of healing that was done by the angel of the Lord, but as far as I know there were only four who saw the light of the angel. Those four were James White, Mary Kelsey White, Ella King Sanders, and I. What we saw then we could not forget.

"I know that your father saw it, because when I came home that night after the meeting Elder White said to me, `Did you see the angel?' When I replied in the affirmative, he took my hand and said, `Child, thank the Lord that He opened your eyes. He did it for some purpose.'

"I was then boarding with Brother and Sister Robert Sawyer, where your father and mother and you and your wife were boarding.

"Mary also talked with me. I do not remember any words that she spoke, but my impression is that she saw about the same as I.

"Your mother had just returned from some extended trip. She came home in the early part of the week, and she had an appointment to speak the next Sunday night in the Tabernacle. The Lord had made known to her that some matter which had been shown her in vision concerning the condition of the Battle Creek church and the sanitarium were to be made known to the people.

"But she had come home sick. She had a severe cold, was very weak, and she was so hoarse that she could not speak above a whisper. Every morning and every night the burden of your father's prayer was that she might be healed and given strength to speak or that the burden of the meeting might be taken from her. I expected the prayer to be answered by the lifting of the burden.

"When Sunday night came your father said, `Ellen, shall I call off the appointment? She answered, `No, the burden rests heavy upon me.' Then he carried her out to the carriage in his arms and took her to the Tabernacle. She scarcely had strength to walk as he assisted her to her seat on the rostrum. After the opening exercises she arose and, leaning upon the desk, began to speak.

"Her voice was only a whisper. Ella and I were sitting directly in front, but I could not hear her words.

"A few months before this I had traveled in company with Sister White from my Oregon home to Battle Creek. On the way we had stopped over for several weeks in Oakland, California, and also in Colorado. I had often slept in the room with Sister White and early every morning I would be awakened by her voice in prayer. I could see her kneeling by her bedside, her eyes open and looking upward, her hands clasped and moving one over the other in the manner familiar to those who have seen her in prayer.

"She prayed aloud, and after all these years these words ring in my ears, `He is the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.' `He is high and lifted up, and the train of His glory fills the temple.' She was beholding her Saviour.

"If I had known then what I know now, if I had appreciated the precious privilege that was mine, I would have listened more intently to those prayers. But I was a child; the atmosphere was peaceful and heavenly, and I fell asleep to be awakened later by her voice telling me it was time to get up.

"Then when I saw dear Mother White almost too weak to stand alone and unable to speak above a whisper and knew that for days she had been praying for healing and help from her heavenly Father, I could not understand why the Lord did not hear prayer and give strength to carry the heavy burden He had laid upon her.

"I felt rebellious. I wanted to take her home and put her to bed and care for her as I used to care for my own mother. I could not understand how a God of love could require of His servant such hard and impossible things. I felt that I did not love such an unjust God, and I did not want to serve Him.

"While these thoughts were passing through my mind, a shock like an electric shock passed through me and I trembled all over. Then I saw a light of dazzling brightness. This light was as much brighter than an electric light as an electric light is brighter than our tallow candles that we used to have for lights.

"I saw no shape or form. The light came from what seemed to me to be an opening in the roof of the building. My eyes were drawn to it just as it appeared to enter the building. The light moved over my head directly to Sister White. It enveloped her and then everything on the rostrum was hidden by the light. I was blinded and could see nothing for some moments.

"When I could see again, the light had vanished and Sister White stood erect at the edge of the rostrum. She was holding her Bible outstretched in one hand and her voice was pealing out like a bell.

"Her first words were, `God has sent His angel and strengthened me.'

"Then I knew that the angel of the Lord had healed her. Then I understood that the Lord had not only required her to walk by faith right up to the edge of the precipice, but also to step off by faith, trusting in His strength.

"I do not remember much that was said that night. I could not understand it. I was bewildered. I had just come from the Methodist Church, and I thought that the Adventist people were a consecrated Christian people. The warning that God sent to Battle Creek church, and especially to the sanitarium and Doctor Kellogg, was confusing to my mind at that time. Later I could understand it.

"When Sister White came home that night she was well; there was no trace of her severe illness left and none was manifested later. The next day she was well and strong.

"Many times I have thought of your father's words, `Thank the Lord, child, that He opened your eyes! He did it for a purpose.' I was a faithless, `doubting Thomas,' and the Lord had mercy on me. While I was thinking those wicked, rebellious thoughts and doubting His love and justice, He proved to me that He `is true and faithful concerning His promises.' "[Signed] EDITH D. BROWNSBERGER." Review and Herald, September 30, 1943.



THE "HOLY FLESH" DOCTRINE

[A fanatical teaching termed by its advocates "The doctrine of Holy Flesh" was started in 1900 in Indiana, carrying away the conference president and various workers. Claiming that when Christ passed through the agony of Gethsemane He obtained holy flesh such as Adam possessed before his fall, this theory alleged that those who follow the Saviour must also acquire the same state of physical sinlessness as an essential preparation for translation. Eyewitness accounts report that in their services the fanatics worked up a high pitch of excitement by use of musical instruments such as organs, flutes, fiddles, tambourines, horns, and even a big bass drum. They sought a physical demonstration and shouted and prayed and sang until someone in the congregation would fall, prostrate and unconscious from his seat. One or two men, walking up and down the aisle for the purpose, would drag the fallen person up on the rostrum. Then about a dozen individuals would gather around the prostrate body, some singing, some shouting, and some praying, all at the same time. When the subject revived, he was counted among those who had passed through the Gethsemane experience, had obtained holy flesh, and had translation faith. Thereafter, it was asserted, he could not sin and would never die. Elders S. N. Haskel, and A. J. Breed, two of our leading denominational ministers, were sent to the camp meeting held at Munice, Indiana, from September 13 to 23, 1900, to meet this fanaticism. These developments were revealed to Mrs. White while she was in Australia in January, 1900, and she bore testimony of warning and reproof against it, as seen in the two following messages. -COMPILERS.]

A REPETITION OF EARLY FANATICISM

[A statement read by Mrs. E. G. White before the ministers at the General Conference, April 17, 1901]

Instruction has been given me in regard to the late experience of brethren in Indiana and the teaching they have years past. In your religious meetings there have been exercises similar to those I have witnessed in connection with those movements in the past.

In the period of disappointment after the passing of the time in 1844, fanaticism in various forms arose. Some held that the resurrection of the righteous dead had already taken place. I was sent to bear a message to those believing this, as I am now bearing a message to you. They declared that they were perfected, that body, soul, and spirit were holy. They made demonstrations similar to those you have made, and confused their own minds and the minds of others by their wonderful suppositions. Yet these persons were our beloved brethren, and we were longing to help them. I went into their meetings. There was much excitement, with noise and confusion. One could not tell what was piped or what was harped. Some appeared to be in vision, and fell to the floor. Others were jumping, dancing, and shouting. They declared that as their flesh was purified they were ready for translation. This they repeated again and again. I bore my testimony in the name of the Lord, placing His rebuke upon these manifestations.

Some who had engaged in these movements were brought to their right mind, and saw their delusion. Some had been excellent, honest people, but they thought that sanctified flesh could not sin, and thus they had been taken in Satan's trap. They had carried their strong ideas so far that they became a reproach to the precious cause of God. These sorely repented, and some were afterward among our most reliable men and women. But there were others who ever after walked in sadness. We could not at any time make them feel that they were worthy to work for the Master, whose precious cause they had so greatly dishonored.

As the result of fanatical movements such as I have described, persons in no way responsible for them have in some cases lost their reason. They could not harmonize the scenes of excitement and tumult with their own past precious experience; they were pressed beyond measure to receive the message of error; it was represented to them that unless they did this they would be lost; and as the result their mind was unbalanced, and some became insane. These things bring a reproach upon the cause of truth, and hinder the proclamation of the last message of mercy to the world.

SHOUTING NO EVIDENCE OF SANCTIFICATION

The manner in which the meetings in Indiana have been carried on, with noise and confusion, does not commend them to thoughtful, intelligent minds. There is nothing in these demonstrations which will convince the world that we have the truth. Mere noise and shouting are no evidence of sanctification, or of the descent of the Holy Spirit. Your wild demonstrations create only disgust in the minds of unbelievers. The fewer of such demonstrations there are, the better it will be for the actors and for the people in general.

Fanaticism, once started and left unchecked, is as hard to quench as a fire which has obtained hold of a building. Those who have entered into and sustained this fanaticism might far better be engaged in secular labor: for by their inconsistent course of action they are dishonoring the Lord and imperiling His people. Many such movements will arise at this time, when the Lord's work should stand elevated, pure, unadulterated with superstition and fables. We need to be on our guard to maintain a close connection with Christ, that we be not deceived by Satan's devices.

The Lord desires to have in his service order and discipline, not excitement and confusion. We are not now able to describe with accuracy the scenes to be enacted in our world in the future; but this we do know, that this is a time when we must watch unto prayer, for the great day of the Lord is at hand. Satan is rallying his forces. We need to be thoughtful and still, and to contemplate the truths of revelation. Excitement is not favorable to growth in grace, to true purity and sanctification of the spirit.

God wants us to deal with sacred truth. This alone will convince the gainsayer. Calm, sensible labor must be put forth, to convince souls of their condition, to show them the character building which must be carried on if a beautiful structure is raised for the Lord. Minds that are awakened must be patiently instructed if they rightly understand and duly appreciate the truths of the Word.

God calls upon His people to walk with sobriety and holy consistency. They should be very careful not to misrepresent and dishonor the holy doctrines of truth by strange performances, by confusion and tumult. By this, unbelievers are led to think that Seventh-day Adventists are a set of fanatics. Thus prejudice is created that prevents souls from receiving the message for this time. When believers speak the truth as it is in Jesus, they reveal a holy, sensible calm, not a storm of confusion - General Conference Bulletin. April 23, 1901.

WORSHIP WITH A BEDLAM OF NOISE

It is impossible to estimate too largely the work that the Lord will accomplish through His proposed vessels in carrying out His mind and purpose. The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making a none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit's working.

When the camp meeting is ended, the good which ought to have been done and which might have been done by the presentation of sacred truth is not accomplished. Those participating in the supposed revival receive impressions which lead them adrift. They cannot tell what they formerly knew regarding Bible principles.

No encouragement should be given to this kind of worship. The same kind of influence came in after the passing of the time in 1844. The same kind of representations were made. Men became excited, and were worked by a power thought to be the power of God. . . .

HISTORY OF THE PAST TO BE REPEATED

I will not go into all the painful history; it is too much. But last January the Lord showed me that erroneous theories and methods would be brought into our camp meetings, and that the history of the past would be repeated. I felt greatly distressed. I was instructed to say that at these demonstrations demons in the form of men are present, working with all the ingenuity that Satan can employ to make the truth disgusting to sensible people; that the enemy was trying to arrange matters so that the camp meetings, which have been the means of bringing the truth of the third angel's message before multitudes, should lose their force and influence.

The third angel's message is to be given in straight lines. It is to be kept free from every thread of the cheap, miserable inventions of men's theories, prepared by the father of lies, and disguised as was the brilliant serpent used by Satan as a medium of deceiving our first parents. Thus Satan tries to put his stamp upon the work God would have stand forth in purity.

The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with such a confusion of noise and multitude of sounds as passed before me last January. Satan works amid the din and confusion of such music, which, properly conducted, would be a praise and glory to God. He makes its effect like the poison sting of the serpent.

Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted. God calls upon His people, who have the light before them in the Word and in the Testimonies, to read and consider, and to take heed. Clear and definite instruction has been given in order that all may understand. But the itching desire to originate something new results in strange doctrines, and largely destroys the influence of those who would be a power for good if they held firm the beginning of their confidence in the truth the Lord had given them.

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip [margin: "run out as leaking vessels"]. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?" (Heb.2:1-3). "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (Heb.3:12-14).

            Brother and Sister Haskell, we must put on every piece of the armor, and having done all, stand firm. We are set as a defense for the gospel, and we must compose a part of the Lord's grand army for aggressive warfare. By the Lord's faithful ambassadors the truth must be presented in clear-cut lines. Much of that which today is called testing truth is twaddle which leads to a resistance of the Holy Spirit. . .

Defective Presentation Regarding the Holy Spirit

Much is being said regarding the impartation of the Holy Spirit, and by some this is being so interpreted that it is an injury to the churches. Eternal life is the receiving of the living elements in the Scriptures and doing the will of God. This is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. To those who do this, life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel, for God's Word is verity and truth, spirit and life. It is the privilege of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour to feed on the Word of God. The Holy Spirit's influence renders that Word, the Bible, an immortal truth, which to the prayerful searcher gives spiritual sinew and muscle.

"Search the scriptures," Christ declared, "for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39). Those who dig beneath the surface discover the hidden gems of truth. The Holy Spirit is present with the earnest searcher. Its illumination shines upon the Word, stamping the truth upon the mind with a new, fresh importance. The searcher is filled with a sense of peace and joy never before felt. The preciousness of truth is realized as never before. A new, heavenly light shines upon the Word, illuminating it as though every letter were tinged with gold. God Himself has spoken to the mind and heart, making the Word spirit and life.

Defective Presentation Regarding the Holy Spirit page 0130 paragraph 1            Every true searcher of the Word lifts his heart to God, imploring the aid of the Spirit. And he soon discovers that which carries him above all the fictitious statements of the would-be teacher, whose weak, tottering theories are not sustained by the Word of the living God. These theories were invented by men who had not learned the first great lesson, that God's Spirit and life are in His Word. If they had received in the heart the eternal element contained in the Word of God, they would see how tame and expressionless are all efforts to get something new to create a sensation. They need to learn the very first principles of the Word of God; they would then have the word of life for the people, who will soon distinguish the chaff from the wheat, for Jesus left His promise with His disciples. - Letter 132, 1900.   SM II, pg. 31-39.

F-4 - THE SUN            Sun., Mar. 20, 1983

DEFENDS ORIGINALITY OF WHITE PROPHECY

In her Feb. 5 Sun story "Adventists keep Faith, despite advent of doubt," staff writer Roberta Green observes that the charges of "plagiarism" against Ellen White, who, with her husband, James White started the 1844 religious awakening that led to the creation of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, "questions the very foundation of the church's teachings."

This could be true, - if the charges were true - which of course, they are not. Christ himself had a doubting Thomas as well as a traitor among his 12 disciples. So why should a whole church of almost 4 million members fall apart just because one out of the 4 million lost his way?

DEFENDS ORIGINALITY OF WHITE PROPHECY page 0130 paragraph 4            Our Lord predicted the coming of unstable believers among his followers who have "no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away."

Walter Rae was the defrocked minister who lost his "roots" and went astray when tempted by a hunger for publicity to write a book, which was so sensational that a reporter he had asked to come to his house for an interview put his picture on the front page.

I shall quote from the published interview, which is supposed to show "examples of similar writings" that Rae calls "plagiarism."

These "examples" are the basis for his "plagiarism" charges, and they are so far out that the L.A. Times reporter must have been having an exceptionally dull day in order to fall for it(L.A.Times,Oct.23,1980).

He takes as his examples:

"The eagle of the Alps is sometimes beaten down by the tempest into the narrow defiles of the mountains" (This poetic description is somewhat similar to that of another writer - strictly back-ground material. What it has to do with "the church's teachings nobody knows)

Another example: "Satan has a large confederacy. . . .Christ calls them the synagogue of Satan. . ." (Taken from the Bible.)

Still another "example": "The greatest want of the world is men who will not be bought or sold" This "example" had been printed earlier in the official SDA Church paper. Editor: Mr. White, Ellen White's husband.

These, plus two more similar "examples" - that's all the proof this so-called "scholar" gives in this unbelievable interview. If Shakespeare were alive today to face the small cult that to this day accuse him of plagiarism, he probably would call it, "Much ado about nothing."

Even legitimate authors seek interviews for publicity purposes when they launch a new book. This is OK if truthful. But no reporter should allow himself to be "used" to malign millions of fine people in order to get a "scoop." Unfortunately, as the executive editor of the Boston Globe said in a speech before the convention of newspaper editors in Washington, D.C., "Many reporters are neither accurate nor fair," and urged them to improve upon their methods.

The unfortunate interview between Walter Rae and reporter John Dart of the Times opened up a Pandora's box of evil reports that have slandered one of the greatest women this country ever fostered.

Thanks to her "genius," as Dr. Clive McCay of Cornel University called her, and "her revolutionary theories a century ago" as famous newscaster Paul Harvey spoke of her, over 5,000 schools, churches, hospitals and health institutes around the world she was responsible for creating, including the Loma Linda Medical Center and Medical School, the White Memorial Hospital in L.A. and the Glendale Medical Center - all this and much more was created by this great woman, a modern-day prophetess whose remarkably accurate predictions were copyrighted by the U.S. government years before they were fulfilled (50 copyrighted books).

H.C. RUST

Loma Linda

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Heavenly Visions 13

JOHN NORTON LOUGHBOROUGH

HEALED BY AN ANGEL By O. MONTGOMERY

THE "HOLY FLESH" DOCTRINE

A REPETITION OF EARLY FANATICISM

SHOUTING NO EVIDENCE OF SANCTIFICATION

WORSHIP WITH A BEDLAM OF NOISE

HISTORY OF THE PAST TO BE REPEATED

DEFENDS ORIGINALITY OF WHITE PROPHECY

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