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Heavenly Visions- 5

THE TEACHINGS OF TRUE PROPHETS.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

THE prophet Isaiah, in speaking of the situation of affairs existing in the last days, says:  "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.  And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. . . .  And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?  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.8:16-20.

In this scripture attention is called to a people engaged in restoring the seal to God's law - a people who are waiting upon the Lord, engaged in his service.  They are looking for him; that is, they are looking for his coming.  This, too, in a time when spirits, professing to be spirits of the dead, are asking the people to seek to them.  Some heed their call, and seek to the dead for knowledge; but the Lord invites his people to seek to him.  That is virtually saying that if they seek to him, he will give them special instruction.  They need not seek to the dead, who can give them no information; for "neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun;" and "the dead know not anything."  Eccl.9:5,6.  In this scripture a rule is given by which all such communications are to be tested - "if they speak not according to the word, it is because there is no light in them."  All communications from the Lord will speak in harmony with his law and his word.

Applying this rule to the writings of Mrs. White, I would say that during the last forty-seven years I have carefully read her Testimonies, comparing them with the law of God and the testimony of the Bible, and I find the most perfect harmony between the two.  Her instructions do not come to give any new revelation to take the place of the Scripture, but rather to show us where and how, in these times, people are liable to be led astray, to be led from the Word.

The position that the Testimonies of Sister White occupy can be best told in what she herself has written respecting them:-

The word of God is sufficient to enlighten the most beclouded mind, and may be understood by those who have any desire to understand it.  But notwithstanding all this, some who profess to make the word of God their study are found living in direct opposition to its plainest teachings.  Then, to leave men and women without excuse, God gives plain an pointed Testimonies, bringing them back to the Word that they have neglected to follow.

The word of God abounds in general principles for the formation of correct habits of living, and the Testimonies, general and personal, have been calculated to call their attention more especially to these principles. . .

You are not familiar with the Scriptures.  If you had made God's word your study, with a desire to reach the Bible standard and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the Testimonies. . . .

The Lord desires to warn you, to reprove, to counsel, through the Testimonies given, and to impress your minds with the importance of the truth of his word.  The written Testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. . . . .  Additional truth is not brought out, but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given, and in his own chosen way brought them before the people, to awaken and impress the mind with them, that all may be left without excuse . . .

The Testimonies are not to belittle the word of God, but to exalt it, and to attract minds to it, that the beautiful simplicity of truth may impress all. . . .If the people who now profess to be God's peculiar treasure would obey his requirements, as specified in his word, special Testimonies would not be given to awaken them to their duty, and impress upon them their sinfulness, and their fearful danger in neglecting to obey the word of God. -"Testimony for the Church." No. 33, pages 191-195

 

BE VIGILANT.

            I HAVE done at length with dreaming!

                        Henceforth, O thou soul of mine,

            Thou must gird on sword and gauntlet,

                        Waging warfare most divine.

 

            Life is struggle, conflict, victory;

                        Wherefore hast thou slumbered on,

            With thy forces all unmarshaled,

                        With thy weapon all undrawn?

 

            Oh, how many a glorious record

                        Had the angels of thee kept,

            Hadst thou done instead of doubted,

                        Hadst thou warred instead of wept.

 

            But, my soul, look not behind thee;

                        There is strength for thee at last.

            Let the brave toil of the present

                        Overarch the crumbling past. Selected. RH Oct.3, 1899

 

THE TRUE AND THE FALSE PROPHETS.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

In his word the Lord has given explicit rules by which true prophets may be known.  We have already learned that all true prophets will speak in harmony with the law of God, and the testimony of his word.  By looking at the testimony of the apostle John, we find two more rules.  One of these describes the teachings of true prophets, the other the character of the false.  He says: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are 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: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."  1John 4:1-3.

Note carefully the foregoing scripture.  It does not say that whosoever confesseth that Jesus Christ "did come in the flesh," but "is COME in the flesh;"  that is, that he now comes, by his Spirit, and dwells in us, in response to our faith.  This, in fact, is the central truth of the gospel, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Eph.3:17; Col.1:27.

The practical theme found in all the writings of Sister White is the necessity of Christ as an indwelling Saviour if we would make any advancement in the heavenly way.  Her writings teach the necessity of Christ first, last, and all the time.  As an illustration of this fact, attention is called to her book, "Steps to Christ," of which more than one hundred thousand copies have been sold in the English language, to say nothing of the thousands of copies sold in the other eighteen languages in which it is now printed.  A Presbyterian minister, having read that book, ordered over three hundred copies for his church members and friends, and said,  "This book was written by some one who is well acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ."

John gives us a rule for detecting false prophets.  This we might designate in our notation as rule three.  Speaking of the false prophets, the apostle says: "They are of the world:  therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."  1 John 4:5.  This shows that the teaching of the false prophets will pander to the carnal heart, instead of exalting the self-denying and cross-bearing way.  False prophets will teach "smooth things," instead of exalting the "Holy One of Israel."  Isa.30:10,11.  Any one who reads even a few pages of the writings of Sister White can see that they are in the line of self-denial and cross-bearing, not of a nature to please a worldly, carnal heart.

In tracing the subject still further, we will take, as a fourth rule, the words of the apostle James: "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience."  James 5:10.  When we read of the experiences of those ancient prophets, we learn that one of the greatest of their trials was to see Israel reject, or go contrary to, the plain testimonies borne to them.  A brief study of those times will show at once the character of both true and false prophets.  "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Harken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord."  Jer.23:16.

There is nothing in the writings of Sister White to make the reader vain; but, as expressed by another, "I have received great spiritual benefit times without number from the Testimonies.  Indeed, I never read them without feeling reproved for my lack of faith in God, lack of devotion, and lack of earnestness in saving souls."  Surely, then, the effect of Sister White's Testimonies is vastly different from that of the teaching of false prophets, as described in Jeremiah.

The prophet tells us also how false prophets will teach:  "They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you." Jer.23:17.

As to the nature of Sister White's teachings in her Testimonies, I will quote the following words from a careful reader: "I have read all her Testimonies through and through, most of them many times, and I have never been able to find one immoral sentence in the whole of them, or anything that is not strictly pure and Christian; nothing that leads any one from the Bible or from Christ; but there I find the most earnest appeals to obey God, to love Jesus, to believe the Scriptures, and to search them constantly.  Such nearness to God, such earnest devotion, such solemn appeals to live a holy life, can only be prompted by the Spirit of God." RH Oct. 10, 1899.

ACTIONS OF THE TRUE AND THE FALSE PROPHETS COMPARED.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

WHEN considering the character of the Lord's prophets in ancient times, the trait of faithfulness in reproving sins, even when surrounded with a vastly superior number of false prophets, is particularly  noticeable.  Their testimony is not withheld from those high in authority; even kings were not exempt from reproof, as is seen in the case of Elijah before Ahab.

Because of Israel's departure from the true worship of God, the Lord brought famine upon the land.  In response to Elijah's petition, rain from the space of three years and six months had been withheld.  Then the Lord said to Elijah,  "Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.  And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab."  "And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim."  1 Kings 18:1,2,17,18.

Here we see that this true prophet was regarded as the one who had brought this trouble on the kingdom.  Because he sought to correct the flagrant transgressions of Israel, and to arouse within them a sense of their sinfulness, they called him the troubler of Israel.  In this account is seen the faithfulness of the prophet in reproving sins - in telling even that king his wrongs, although for so doing the king might order him to be slain.

Again: in the twenty-first chapter, when through the conniving of Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, Naboth had been slain, and Ahab had gone down to take possession of his vineyard, "The word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord,  Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.  And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?  And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord."  1 Kings 21:17-20.  Here we see the king regarded the prophet of God as his enemy, when in truth he was his best friend.  Elijah was only seeking the king's good by kindly, yet faithfully, and at the risk of his own life, pointing out his errors.

In like manner those reproved through the Lord's testimony given by Sister White have sometimes regarded her as their enemy because she plainly told them of their faults and dangers.  In the words of a careful observer of her Testimonies from the first, we read, "In the matter of plain and faithful dealing, without fear or favor, I desire to bear witness that there has been no lack.  If base and evil motives were the controlling power in this work, flattering words would fill the place of searching testimonies and faithful reproofs.  Plainness of speech, faithful reproofs for wrong, words of compassion and encouragement for the trembling souls who feel their needs of the Saviour, and for the erring who seek in humility to put away their faults, - these are the things that have entered largely into her labors.  The Testimony of Sister White, reproving wrongs in the case of many persons whom she had seen in vision has been borne with great faithfulness, and with the most excellent effect."*

A striking instance of the course of the true and the false prophets is recorded in the twenty-second chapter of 1 Kings.  Ahab, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, were about to engage in a warfare against the king of Syria.  In response to the king of Judah's request that they inquire of the Lord, Ahab had four hundred false prophets brought in.  Their testimony was full of flattery, boasting as if the victory were already gained.  In response to Jehoshaphat's inquiry whether there was another prophet, Ahab said, "There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

When Micaiah came in, he faithfully, yet kindly, told the king the fate of himself and his army, although knowing well he subjected his own life to the wrath of the king, and indeed the king gave immediate command to an officer concerning him:  "Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.  And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me.  And he said, Harken, O people, every one of you." 1 Kings 22:27,28.

Often has the writer heard Sister White advise persons as to what they would do, and they would protest that they never would do it.  She would say,  "If you do it not, the Lord has not spoken by me."  Notwithstanding their protest, they did do, at last, the thing they had solemnly declared they would never do.

"GOD so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  This gracious promise is not yea and nay; but if we comply with the conditions, it is, in Christ, "Yes, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."  The love that God has manifested to us through his Son is the love he would have us manifest to others. A. L. HOLLENBECK. RH. Oct. 17, 1899.

"THY WILL NOT MINE."

If we could die

            Whene'er the sad heart craved release,

            Or the grieved spirit begged surcease

            Of agony;

If we could die

            When weary of our earthly home,

            Many would unassoilzied come,

                        Dear Lord, to thee.

How oft the cry:

            "Lord take this life that thou didst give!

            Too sad am I, too weak, to live;

            Lord, let me die!

I ask but this:

            Simply within the grave to lie;

            To hear no sound, to make no cry;

                                    This would be bliss."

In after-time,

            When life's fires burn with milder glow,

            We humbly say:  "Tis better so;

            Thy will, not mine.

Dear Lord, is best.

            I joy in this life thou didst give;

            How glad, how glad am I to live:

                        My days are blest.

"It has been given

            That I should strengthen one to stand;

            To uplift one with helpful hand

            From darkened way.

I thank thee, Lord

            Thou didst not grant my wilful cry,

            But gave me peace.  How blest am I

                        In this, my life!" Virginia F. Noble.

 

TRUE PROPHECIES ARE FULFILLED.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

THERE is a statement made by Moses relative to the true and to the false prophets, found in the eighteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, which, in our consideration of rules for discerning true prophets, may be designated as rule number five.  He says:  "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?  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 presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."  Verses 21,22.

The same thing is found also in the following scriptures: "Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?"  Lam.3:37.  Of the prophet Samuel it was said, "All that he saith cometh surely to pass."  1 Sam.9:6.  "When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him."  Jer.28:9.  Our Saviour said of his predictions, "I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.  Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he."  John 13:18,19.  These scriptures, and others of a similar nature, might be quoted to show that when the time comes for an event to take place which has been mentioned by a true prophet the very thing predicted is there; and such fulfilment is one of the strong proofs that he is a true prophet of God.

It is now forty-seven years since the writer first saw Mrs. E. G. White in prophetic vision.  During these years many prophetic statements have been made by her relative to things that would take place.  Some of these predictions relate to events already fulfilled, and some are in process of fulfilment, while others are still future.  As to those relating to past or present events, I know not of a single instance of failure.

Before noticing some of the predictions made during the forty-seven years, it may be well to note some that were made previously, which were in print in 1852.

Before me lies a book published by Joseph Bates, in January, 1849, entitled, "A Seal of the Living God."  In the book is an account of a vision given to Sister White in the house of Otis Nichols, Dorchester, Mass., on the evening of Nov. 18, 1848.  At that time there was a condition of war, rioting, and confusion, which began on the 22d of February of that year, in the city of Paris, France, and had spread to over thirty of the principalities, states, and governments of Europe.  Modern Spiritualism began its "rappings" at Hydesville, N.Y., about the same time that the stir among the nations began.  The First-day Adventists claimed that this stir among the nations was the rally to the battle of the great day of the Lord, that the "rapping spirits" were the spirits of devils going forth to gather the nations, as predicted in Rev.16:14, and that the Lord was immediately coming.

At that time the few who had begun to observe the seventh-day Sabbath  had  just discovered,  from the seventh chapter  of  the book of  Revelation,  a "sealing message," which must go forth  to prepare  a people to stand in the great day of the  Lord.   These said,  "The  last  great battle can not come yet;  for here is  a sealing  work  to prepare a people to stand in  that  great  day.  Brother  and Sister White and Brother Bates were the three public laborers  who  were  then  teaching the  Sabbath  truth  and  the "sealing  message." They,  with the few who had already  accepted the message, were among the very poor of this world.

On the evening already mentioned, these laborers and other brethren met at Brother Nichol's home, to pray for the Lord to guide them in publishing the "sealing message" to the world.  As they prayed, Sister White was taken off in vision.  While in the vision, she said of the Sabbath truth: "It is the seal!  That truth arises, and is on the increase, stronger and STRONGER.  It is coming up!  It arises, commencing from the rising of the sun.  Like the sun, at first cold, it grows warmer and sends its rays.  The angels are holding the four winds.  It is God that restrains the powers.  The angels have not let go; for the saints are not all sealed.  When Michael stands up, this trouble will be all over the earth.  They [the winds of war, etc] are just ready to blow.  There is a check put on because the saints are not sealed.  Yea, publish the things thou hast seen and heard, and the blessing of God will attend."

At the time that vision was given, it did really look as if all the nations would soon be in a "whirlwind" of war.  Of the situation, United States Senator Choate said, "It has seemed to me as if the prerogatives of crowns, and the rights of men, and the hoarded resentments of a thousand years, were about to unsheathe the sword for a conflict in which blood shall flow, as in apocalyptic vision `to the bridles of the horses.'"

In a few months the nations were all quiet again; but this change came on so unexpectedly that Horace Greeley, in speaking of it in the New York Tribune, said, "It was a great wonder to politicians what started all that turmoil of the nations, but a greater wonder still what stopped it all so suddenly."

After coming out of the vision already spoken of, Sister White said to her husband, "I saw that you must begin to print a paper, small at first; but as you send it out to the people, they will read it, and will send you money with which to print it.  It will be a success from the very first.  From that small beginning it [the publishing work] was shown to me as streams of light that went around the entire world." RH Oct. 31, 1899.

KEEP ON PRAYING.

            Keep on praying -

                        God's love and power

                        In darkest hour

                        Of deep despair

                        Respond to prayer.

 

            Keep on praying -

                        Be not afraid

                        To seek his aid

                        Who knows, indeed,

                        Thine every need.

 

            Keep on praying -

                        In thy distress

                        He waits to bless;

                        To him reveal

                        All thou dost feel.

 

            Keep on praying -

                        He'll answer thee;

                        And it may be

                        His love will bring

                        Some better thing.

 

            Keep on praying -

                        E'en though in death,

                        With parting breath,

                        He will forgive,

                        And bid thee live.

 

            Keep on praying -

                        His heart divine

                        Will enter thine,

                        And lead the way

                        To blissful day. -Roger H. Lyon.

FULFILMENT OF TRUE PROPHECIES.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

WHEN, in ancient times, the Lord revealed to the people the nothingness of their idols and the untruthfulness of their false prophets, he sent through his prophets these words:  "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.  Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen; let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.  Show us the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods [that is, know that ye have divine power to open the future to us]: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together."  Isa.41:21-23.

It is apparent from this text that the power to predict future events, and the fulfilment or failure of such prediction, was a rule strictly applied "aforetime" in deciding who were true prophets of God, and who were the false prophets inspired only by the "lying spirit" (1Kings 22:22) of Satan.  This being a good rule for those in olden times, why not as good for the "latter days," when false prophets are to arise to deceive if possible "the very elect"?  We will therefore apply the test to predictions made by Sister White concerning modern Spiritualism, in the years 1849-50.

That of the former date reads:  "I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York and other places was the power of Satan, and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb so as to lull the deceived to more security, and to draw the minds of God's people, if possible, to those things, and cause them to doubt the teachings and power of the Holy Ghost."

At the time of this vision there was only the "rapping" manifestation.  Questions were asked, and the answer of "yes" or "no" was given by either two or three "raps."  The greater part of the people regarded the  "rappings," as they were called, "trickery," or "sleight of hand performance."  At that time the idea was not even suggested that "spirit rappings" would assume to be a religious organization, as it has since done, with its titles  of  Rev.----,  pastor  of the First  Spiritualist  church of----, etc., etc.

In the vision of Aug. 24, 1850, we read:  "I was shown that by the rapping and mesmerism, these modern magicians would yet account for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that many would believe that all the mighty works of the Son of God when on the earth were accomplished by the same power."

It is since that vision was given in 1850 that Spiritualists have taught, both in their oral instructions and in their printed books and papers (what they did not teach previously to that date), that all the miracles of Christ were wrought by the power of mesmerism; and that he was only a "well-developed medium," etc.

Another statement is given, taken from supplement to "Experiences and Views, "page 3, first printed in 1853:  "I saw the rapping delusion - what progress it was making, and that if it were possible, it would deceive the very elect.  Satan will have power to bring before us the appearance of forms purporting to be our relatives or friends now sleeping in Jesus.  It will be made to appear as if these friends were present, the words that they uttered while here, with which we were familiar, will be spoken, and the same tone of voice that they had while living will fall upon the ear.  All this is to deceive the saints, and ensnare them into the belief of this delusion."

At the time this vision was given, the mode of communicating with the spirits was by calling over the letters of the alphabet, and spelling out the communication, and by a "rap" the spirit designated the letter wanted.  No one had, at that date, heard of a case of what has been so much talked of during the last thirty years - the "materializing of spirits;" that is, the spirit assuming a bodily form, shaking hands with people, and talking with them in tones that they claim to recognize as the exact tone of voice of a dead relative or friend.

It was about the years 1857-58 - four years after Sister White had put in print that the spirits would assume the forms of dead friends - that mediums claimed to see their friends, and to hear them speak.  It was when the writer was holding a series of meetings in Assyria, Mich., in March, 1858, that he first met a medium who claimed that she had actually seen her dead friends.

While the Scriptures were being quoted, showing that the dead are unconscious, and that the "rapping spirits" are spirits of devils instead of spirits of the dead, a great power from Satan came upon this medium, who arose in the audience, and in a stentorian tone said: "I don't care anything about your Bible texts that `the dead know not anything,’ and that the spirits are `the spirits of devils; 'I know what I have SEEN.  I HAVE SEEN MY GRANDMOTHER, and TALKED with her.  I know just how my grandmother looked: she had a wart on her cheek.  I know how she walked, too: she wore a pair of old slippers down at the heel, and `skuffed' them on the floor when she walked.  The first I heard of her coming was the `skuffing' of the slippers.  I looked up, and there was grandmother.  I talked with her for half an hour.  Don't you think I knew her voice?  You need not talk this scripture to me.  I KNOW I have seen my grandmother."  Mesmerized by the spirit of Satan, no doubt she saw the "resemblance" of her grandmother.

In the light of this rule for testing prophets, what can we say of the predictions made through Sister White concerning Spiritualism?  She stated, when it was not here, what would be done.  The things predicted came.  That is according to the Bible proof of divine inspiration in the vision. RH Nov 7, 1899

                        Now the mysteries of life

                                    Gather round me;

                        Now its problems are unsolved

                                    And confound me;

                        Now I am but like a child;

                                    And the mountain way is wild,

                        But what time I am afraid,

                                    I will trust.

 

                        God, whose mighty love is strong

                                    For me ever,

                        Christ, with pity, watching still

                                    My endeavor,

                        I am very much afraid,

                                    Hasten, therefore, to my aid;

                        Strengthen, quiet, succor me,

                                    Trusting thee.             --Marianne Farmingham.

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