In Darkness- HE is our Hope.

How quickly we forget. Time and time again, we simply choose to forget. Some might deem it a safety mechanism, and they might be right to some extent. We want to forget bad things, we don't want to dwell on the horrors of our lives. We are grateful for the passing of time which eases the vividness of fresh emotional and physical wounds. We encourage the thinking of good things, and the pushing aside of the bad, and for the most part this is a recommended position. Doesn't the Bible tell us this-

Php_4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The Bible does tell us to think on things that are lovely, things of good report, virtuous things, praiseworthy things. That same verse also says this- we are to think on things that are TRUE. We are to think on things that are HONEST. We are to think on things that are JUST. We are to think on things that are PURE. And we all know that the truth isn't always lovely. The honest, isn't always lovely. The just and the pure are NOT ALWAYS LOVELY.  So do we shove aside the true, the honest, the just, the pure so we can focus on the lovely? Do we ignore the bad so that we can follow these dictates? Does loving God and our fellowman mean ignoring the painful truth? Were we given prophecies such as the seven last plagues only to ignore them because they are far from lovely?

I'll tell you what I think and either take it or leave it, we all ultimately have to make the decisions for ourselves based on the truth we hold through the Holy Spirit.  I think my Savior is truth, my Savior is honesty personified, my Savior is just and pure, my Savior is lovely, my Savior is of good report and virtuous, praiseworthy and it is HE I should think on. I should NEVER lose sight of my Savior and the salvation He offers, never. I think my Savior told me to watch and pray and when He told me that, He meant I had to watch the signs of the times He gave to me. The watching must go hand in hand with the praying because if I get caught up in watching and neglect praying, then I am no longer thinking on my Savior.  I think I must hear the truth, I must know the truth, I must study the truth always with the love of the Holy Spirit guiding me.

Should I ignore the atrocities of history, personal history and world history, prophetic history? If I'm to ignore the atrocities then why did my Savior use the scriptures - the only scriptures available to Him at the time - what we deem the Old Testament- why did He point to them for us to study and realize the truth of His existence? He pointed to all the Old Testament prophecies that predicted His path. The Old Testament completely filled with the horrors of wars, of godless people and their lives filled with sin sickness, is it all something we should forget?  Do we ignore the bad choices some of the famous patriarchs and heroes of the Old Testament because they aren't lovely? No.  We can't ignore any history, good or bad- because it is truth.  What we aren't to do, is dwell on the history to the exclusion of its relation to our Savior, to our salvation.

I want to never forget the truth, preferring blindness because it's so much more comforting to me. I do NOT want the blinders upon my eyes so that I am left to follow the multitude to eternal destruction. The path to that eternal destruction will be an easy one, a broad one, a welcoming, feel good, deceptively lovely path. The narrow path that is hard to find, that path is the one I desperately want to walk upon. I want to walk upon that path with my SAVIOR in me, with HIM as the sole source of my light, my life, my joy, my lovely thoughts. I want to know the truth, never forgetting the truth. I want to watch the prophetic signs unfold safe from the stronghold of the Holy Spirit.  I do not want to stand upon the bulwark of a crumbling, lovely, lie filled, sand built castle ignoring history, ignoring truth, ignoring prophecies of horrors to come all because my faith cannot sustain me through the darkness.

May we never give up truth, but holdfast to the hope in that truth- no matter how horrific life was, is, or will be.

All through our SAVIOR, our LORD, JESUS CHRIST, now and forever our HOPE!!!!!!!

*******

(Excerpt)

HAS ROME CHANGED?

As a result of Vatican II Council, the impression gained acceptance in the minds of the Protestant world that Rome has changed. This concept has also been voiced within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Attending the Vatican II Council as observers were M. E. Loewen of the Religious Liberty Department, R. F. Cottrell of the Review, B. B.. Beach from the Northern European Division, who has been prominent in ecumenical discussions with the World Council of Churches, and the late Arthur S. Maxwell who at the time was editor of the Signs. The latter gave voice to his Impressions in a sermon delivered at the University Church in Loma Linda.

After mentioning the new "friendliness" of the atmosphere at the Vatican, Elder Maxwell stated there was another aspect revealed in the Pope's opening speech of the final session -love. Here are his words:

It was a beautiful speech. ... Do you know what his subject was? Love. I quote one paragraph:      The council offers to the church and especially to us a panoramic view of the world. Can the church, can we, do anything but look upon it and love it? Such a contemplation was one of the chief activities of the present session. Again and above all, love - love to all men today, whoever they are, wherever they are. While other currents of thought and action proclaim other principles for building up human civilization such as power, 'wealth, science, struggle, self-interest, and the like, the church proclaims love. This council is a solemn act of love for humanity.

I thought of offering this whole speech to our president -that is to the new president if there is one. You know, that speech of the pope's could have been given at a General Conference Session. It might be better than some we've had. You know the whole thing was a picture of the church loving humanity. Now, we've got to adapt our thinking a bit. There was no condemnation here of Protestants, no suggestion of a persecution of anybody,

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but love, unfeigned love for everybody -the separated brethren and people who don't belong and all people of all faiths and religions. Very, very wonderful change and a very, very significant change.(1)

While admitting that the Roman Catholic Church "on matters of faith and doctrine has not changed," (2) Maxwell considered the Declaration on Religious Liberty by the Vatican Council "a tremendous change" in setting "itself alongside Protestants in declaring that every man has the basic human right to choose his own religion and follow the dictates of his own conscience." (3) And what conclusions did he draw from this? Read carefully what he said:

Whether the church will stay by that forever, I don't know. No, I'm not predicting the future - I couldn't say -but it does alter the situation in the Catholic Church and should alter our own attitude towards that church ... (3)

What suggestion did Elder Maxwell make? Note:

We must rethink our approach to our Roman Catholic friends. How can we reject an outstretched hand and be Christians? (4)

We have restructured our concepts of Roman Catholicism. In the second brief filed by the legal counsel for the officials of the Church in the Merikay. Silver v. PPPA case, we clearly indicated "there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint," - but all of this "has now been consigned to the historical trash heap so far as the Seventh-day Adventist Church is concerned. (5) Further we have stated that "for a period in its history, the Seventh-day Adventist Church had an aversion to Roman Catholicism and especially to the papal form of church government -an aversion shared by virtually all Protestant denominations." But now "it is not good Seventh-day Adventism to express. .. an aversion to Roman Catholicism as such.,. (6)

Can we really say with Elder Maxwell -we cannot predict the future in regard to the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore, our attitude toward Roman Catholicism should be altered as has been done by our church leadership? Do we have no light?

Is it not time to open the book - Great Controversy - and reread the chapter,

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"Aims of the Papacy"? Note the very first paragraph of the chapter:

Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. ... The time was when Protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their children to abhor popery, and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed. (7)

And can we know what the future will be?      The papal church will never relinquish her claim to infallibility. …Let the restraints now imposed by secular government be removed, and Rome be reinstated to her former power and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution. (8)

We might ask why has this new attitude toward Rome come about - not only among Protestants in general, but also In the legal pronouncements of the Seventh-day Adventist church? Again the servant of the Lord has clearly stated:

It is not without reason that the claim has been put forth in Protestant countries, that Catholicism differs less widely from Protestantism than in former times. There has been a change; but the change is not in the papacy. Catholicism indeed resembles much of the Protestantism that now exists; because Protestantism has so greatly degenerated since the days of the Reformers. (9)

When we enter upon "the track of Romanism" (10) and seek to coerce men into a mold, and control the religious experience and activities of all the members of the church, then we see very little difference between the hierarchical patterns of the Catholic church, and our own "orders of clergy." Why then should we have an aversion toward Roman Catholicism? We shouldn't - for we have become like them!

The tragedy of all of this change is that it is being brought about under the cloak of "love", and "ChristIikeness." The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christlike garments; but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today,(9) Why should we be so deceived? There are two reasons. 1)  We have stepped off the platform of truth, and have altered our basic doctrines. 2)  Our hearts are not being renewed by the Holy Spirit.

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We are devoid of the Spirit of God. (12) These are the very two essentials that would make us foolproof against the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power.

Note:

None but those who have planted their feet firmly upon the foundation of truth, and whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit of God, are proof against her [papal] influence. (13)

While blindness covers the sight of "Israel", there are voices out in what we term, "Babylon" who sense what is taking place. Eric Gurr, who on October 1, 1975, was installed as Pastor of the Jarvis Street Baptist Church In Toronto, Ontario, Canada commented in an interview relative to Billy Graham -"What worries me about his [Graham's] stance is that the ecumenical movement is being gradually taken over by Rome." The reporter, Tom Harpur, Religion editor of the Star, noted that "Gurr is convinced that the growing friendliness among the churches will end In one worldwide super-church ruled from Rome." "In spite of the current renewal in the Roman Church, [Gurr] believes that Rome is farther from the principles of the Protestant Reformation today than 400 years ago."(14)

Does this not concur with the prophecies of the book of Revelation? Will not the woman in scarlet ride again? While Rome through its Vatican II Council seemingly opened the Bible for Catholics to read and study, we who have had the light of those Scriptures are closing our Bibles, -especially those books which warn us of the coming resurgence of the Papacy - Daniel and Revelation. The seventh chapter of Daniel still states the same things it always has. Revelation 13 still sounds the warning it did when the church was first organized. The lines are drawn clear and distinct. There are only two women in the book of Revelation -one in white, and the one in scarlet. There is none in either brown, nor gray. There is no reaching over the abyss to clasp the outstretched hand of Romanism.

However, there is a picture in Revelation of a coming union of religious forces -the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet send forth their spiritual power to unite the world in one great confrontation against God. (15) Would we know what "love"

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and "Christlikeness" will be manifest? Let us read:

If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders. (16)

Is it not time to recover from the "trash heap" where our church leaders have "consigned" our "anti-Roman viewpoint", and clean off the soiled truth, and let the faith of our fathers shine forth once more in its genuine luster?

(1) A. S. Maxwell, "Impressions of Vatican II". A sermon delivered in the University Church, Lorna Linda, Calif., transcribed in Present Truth, No. 3, 1968, pp. 3-4

(2) Ibid. p. 6

(3) Ibid., p. 11

(4) Ibid., p. 13

(5) Merikay Silver v. PPPA, Second Brief of Deft (C-74-2025 CB~4) March 3, 1975 p. 4, Footnote. Legally filed as Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. PPPA;(&)

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

(6) Ibid p. 30

(7) Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 563

(8) Ibid., p. 564 

(9) Ibid., p. 571

(10) Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 362 (1962 edition)

(11) See "No 'New Organization'" , Watchman, What of the Night, November, 1973

(12) See Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 210: -"But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel; although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking." Vol. 8, p. 250 - "My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory

have departed."

(13) Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 567

(14) Tom Harpur, "Fundamentalism Thrives at Jarvis Street Baptist Church", Toronto,

Star, March 6, 1976

(15) Revelation 16:13-14

(16) Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 574

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NOTES AND COMMENTS

A Storm Breaking 

There is a storm brewing in the Adventist sky, darker and as devastating as any tornado which has swept through the land. The controversy over righteousness by faith in Australia has reached our headquarters in Washington. This not only involves Brinsmead's present emphasis but also the theologians at the Australian College. We had planned to pursue the present subject as found in this and recent past thought papers. But it is becoming evident that we must reconsider for our readers the basic historic faith of the Adventist Movement in the light of the coming storm. So while more research is being made as to our prophetic thinking as revealed in legal briefs, we will begin in the next thought paper to lay the ground work for a consideration of our historic faith, which was to make us a unique people to accomplish a special purpose that God designed that we should fulfill.

1967 Again 

"Since 1967, gold has been walking a tightrope. Since that day the U. S. has continued to press for the excommunication of gold from the monetary system. It has threatened repeatedly during the last nine years to demonetize the metal. It has taken very strong steps in this direction." Myers Finance & Energy. April 23, 1976.. p. 1. Would you know more about the significance of 1967? Be sure to obtain and read and study - The Times of the Gentiles Fulfilled -a monograph published by the Foundation.

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DJ pressing hard at 1000?

We do not know, but will report as soon as authoritative information is available. We do believe the best comment we have read to date on the article, appeared in Letters (Review, Feb. 26, 1976, p. 3) where Frank Lang of Chattanooga, Tenn., wrote - "I was disappointed in the vagueness of Elder Pierson's discussion of stocks, bonds, and denominational policy." The rest of the letter was also excellent. BUT the question is - what kind of "lively stones" are being built in the church membership today as contrasted to the 1930's?

June 1976  -  "Watchman, What of the Night? " Thought Paper.  Adventist Laymen's Foundation.  (Excerpt)

Smothered By Deception.

When I was growing up back in the sixties/seventies I distinctly remember that we were taught in school, and in church that being a Protestant meant not being a Catholic. At that time we heard very little, if anything about the Moslem faith. We did however hear about the Jewish faith- how could we not? It'd only been 30 years or so since World War II and the atrocities of the Jewish concentration camps.  Basically, my information growing up boiled down to this- a Protestant was not at Catholic, Catholics were not Bible reading people and had many weird and strange customs associated with the practice of their religion, and the Jewish religion was that also of strange customs and they didn't believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son. Lastly, I heard nothing about Moslems, nothing about Islam except maybe bits of history here and there that were irrelevant.  Today I am fifty-five years old and I'm telling you about my personal exposure to various religions at the time of my youth.

Today's children are being raised in an entirely different setting. They are exposed to religion in a different way. In schools they are taught quite a bit about the Moslem faith, they are taught Christianity encompasses many different religions and there is very little difference between Catholics and Protestant- yes, some past history on how the two faiths differed, but Catholics and Protestants today mostly just get along and accept each other fully as believers in Christ, but having different practices- Protestants are no longer defined by not being Catholic as such, in fact the term Protestant isn't as widely used as it once was- it is now mostly Christian faith, we are Christians and do not call ourselves Protestants- because we aren't really protesting anything, any longer not in connection with Catholicism. The push for ecumenism is widespread on all fronts by those holding fast to Christianity. The objective now for a lot of Christians is simply not to believe in the false teaching of Islam. The Christians now have a new, more fierce foe who doesn't believe in Christ as God's Son, the Messiah, and who actively use teachings that can be related to wanting Christians destroyed. In fact it's no secret at all, that as a faith in our era the Moslem faith has spawned so-called radicals to that faith who take the whole …destroy those who aren't in our faith teachings… very literally and are attempting to do so. Just ask Christians who have lived in the Middle East about how welcoming their faith is over there by the majority of Moslem ruled countries.

What is my point to this personal account of religion then and now? Deception. Satan uses deception and in so doing he twists truth, hides facts, destroys convictions, mixes truth with error to the point where the error no longer resembles error at all but becomes truth.

Our mainstream religions truly no longer claim Protestantism being Not Catholic as being common knowledge, common fact, common truth we live- protestants against the catholic. Today we have a different foe, a shared foe that our eyes must alight on and we must give focus to -all the while we let the ties that bind us together draw tighter rather than the great gulfs of truth keep us separated.

We've stopped noticing facts and exchanged them for what is called common decency, common ground, and belief in love for all because that is most important.

Don't get me wrong, loving God and loving our neighbors - regardless of religion or lack thereof- is straight from God's Holy Word and touted by Christ Himself as the two Commandments that hold everything together.

A love for God. A love for others. Not acceptance of lies, not a shared agreement on fallacies. Jesus did NOT do away with truth, He magnified it, and clearly taught that the MAJORITY of people would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven but would ultimately burn in a lake of fire.  And if Jesus CLEARLY taught this, then how  can we ignore what He taught in favor of Satan's deceptions in all their many and varied forms. I can LOVE others, even those who do not holdfast to truth, but what I am loving is them as individuals with the potential to know and love Christ in all truth and belong to Him even in the last breath they may take. I am not loving their deceptions, I don't have to accept their deceptions in order to love them.  Jesus loved sinners, non-Jews (of which He was), Jesus loved them as those that could be drawn to Him and His truth, God's truth, the only truth of His being the Way, the Truth, the Life. (John 14:6) 

Satan would have us ignore truth and embrace evil lies and deception as a show of our love for others, we must not be deceived. We must not let the thick coating of icing smother us as it sugar coats the truth until it no longer even resembles truth. God help us to hold fast to the truth so wondrously kept pure since Jesus walked the earth in His ministry, the truth - pure and holy- even since the world was formed and before.

All in the love of our Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever!

*******

(Excerpt)

ROMAN CATHOLICISM -- When the official summons for Luther to appear before the Diet of Worms reached Wittenburg, his friends were terrified and distressed, and entreated him not to Imperil his life. To this Luther replied: 

Christ will give me His Spirit to overcome these ministers of error. I despise them during my life; I shall triumph over them by my death. They are busy at Worms about compelling me to retract; but this shall be my retraction: I said formerly that the pope was Christ's vicar, now I assert that he is our Lord's adversary, and the devil's apostle. (l)

This forthright affirmation of truth became the prophetic foundation of Protestantism.

Not only was there a protest against the faith, practice, and system of Roman Catholicism, but there was a turning away from it - an aversion for what it stood.

In the early centuries of the Christian era, the Church looked simply for an Individual antichrist. But as the centuries passed, the corruptions in the Roman Catholic Church became more and more evident so that the cry was increasingly raised that the various prophetic symbols of Antichrist -the Little Horn, Beast, Babylon, Harlot, Man of Sin, Mystery of Iniquity -fitted Romanism just as a custom-made shoe fits the foot. (2) This conviction that prophecy was being fulfilled in Roman Catholicism gave power to the Reformation.

The turning away from this anti-Christian system, this aversion and repugnance for the corruption of the apostolic faith was to lead to a complete return to primitive faith and godliness. Step by step, the errors of Romanism were discarded. Each new advance of the reformation moved the people of God closer toward a pure

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faith. Finally the Advent Movement was raised up by God in 1844. To this Movement

God committed the final step out and away from Rome. It was to restore the Law of God to its rightful place, and to call men's attention to the dire consequences of receiving the mark of Papal authority -Sunday observance. There was to be developed in the hearts and minds of God's true children a complete aversion toward Roman Catholicism, and all that it stood for.

In our church school educational program, we prepared a Bible text book for the eighth grade, called - God's Great Plan. Several lessons were devoted to setting forth the interpretation of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation in complete harmony with the Protestant viewpoint. One lesson noted Roman Catholicism as "Satan's Masterpiece of Deception." Commenting on "God's Truth Cast Down," the author wrote for our youthful church school children:      "And his power shall be mighty," said the angel, "but not by his own power." No merely human power could do what this little horn would do. It was Satan's masterpiece of cruelty and deception, -of cruelty in destroying God's people, of deception in leading the world to believe false teachings. With fiendish satisfaction Satan has seen this little horn obey his dictates, and make the breach in God's holy law, which only the death of Jesus could restore. He has seen the little horn tear out of God's law the sacred Sabbath, the sign or seal of God's authority, and in its place establish a day of his own appointment as a mark or seal of his authority. (3)

The author of this eighth grade text book was careful to differentiate between Roman Catholics as individuals, and Roman Catholicism. In a lesson on the Beast of Revelation 13, she observed - "Although the papal church will be used by Satan to do this terrible work, we must ever remember that not all who belong to it are evildoers."(4) This we, too, must recognize. A sincere Roman Catholic is a person who believes ignorantly what the church teaches; but Roman Catholicism is the faith, practice, and system of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1945, the Southern Publishing Association published a book by one of our outstanding Bible Workers, Miss Mary E. Walsh who had been a Catholic. It was

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entitled -The Wine of Roman Babylon. Defining the whore of Revelation 17 as "the Roman Catholic Church", Sister Walsh concludes the first chapter by noting - "The examination of the 'cup' which is in the hand of the woman next demands attention ... Words cannot too strongly state the importance of every person's need of knowing exactly what is this wine in Babylon's Cup." (5) The chapters that follow discuss in detail the doctrines of Roman Catholicism -Infant Baptism, Auricular Confession, the Mass, Immaculate Conception, Immortality of the Soul, and Sunday Sacredness.

In 1942, the same publishing house had released another work by Christian Edwardson - Facts of Faith. This book was a connected compilation of all the documentary evidence possible on the work and teachings of Roman Catholicism, and some of the history of the groups that opposed its power during the period of the 1260 years -538 A. D. -1798 A. D. The author quotes Guinness as follows:      "The Rornanists themselves shame you in their clear-sighted comprehension of the issues of this question. [Who is Antichrist?] Cardinal Manning says, 'The Catholic Church is either the masterpiece of Satan or the kingdom of the Son of God.' Cardinal Newman says, 'A sacerdotal order is historically the essence of the Church of Rome; if not divinely appointed, it is doctrinally the essence of antichrist.' In both these statements the issue is clear, and it is the same. Rome herself admits, openly admits, that if she is not the very kingdom of Christ, she is that antichrist. Rome declares she is one or the other. She herself propounds and urges this solemn alternative. You shrink from it, do you? I accept it. Conscience constrains me. History compels me ... with the saints of the ages, I denounce it as the masterpiece of Satan, as the body and soul and essence of antichrist." (6)

In 1952 a Bible Conference was held in the Sligo Church in Takoma Park. One topic was - "Antichrist in History and Prophecy." It was ably presented by the late Dr. Frank H. Yost. He stated clearly that "the intent of this paper" is "to see the prophetic beast as Rome, and to concentrate intensively upon Rome in its Papal phase as the Antichrist of long centuries in history: a specifically blasphemous apostasy arising out of general apostasy." (7) The paper fulfilled the objective of the one presenting it. It was carefully documented.

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But what is our present attitude and teaching? This is a serious question. We have been warned that "the conviction is gaining ground in the world that Seventh-day Adventists are giving the trumpet an uncertain sound." (8) Let us consider the legal case of Merikay Silver v. PPPA (Pacific Press Publishing Association.) As a friend of Merikay Silver, the secretary to Lawrence Maxwell, editor of the Signs of the Times, Mrs. Lorna Tobler submitted an affidavit stating what she believed the teaching of the church to be in regard to an hierarchical structure of church government. In a sworn testimony she declared:      "I have frequently heard the term 'hierarchy' used among Adventist[s] when reference is made to the Roman Catholic system, of which I have always been taught that Adventists strongly disapprove. I have never heard the term 'hierarchy' used to describe Adventist ministers as it is done in the defendants' brief. brief ... and I find it strange and contradictory to all I have ever learned in Adventist schools and churches." (9)

Using this statement as a point of reference, the legal counsel for the church noted in a second brief dated March 3, 1975, that such concepts as stated by Sister Tobler were "teaching false doctrine." Then they admitted -"It is true that for a period in its history, the Seventh-day Adventist Church had an aversion to Roman Catholicism and especially to the papal form of church government -an aversion shared by virtually all Protestant denominations." But now note the conclusion as stated in this brief:      While, however, Adventist doctrine continues to teach that church government by one man is contrary to the Word of God, it is not good Seventh-day Adventism to express, as Mrs. Tobler has done, an aversion to Roman Catholicism as such.

The term "hierarchy" or "hierarchical" has no such adverse connotation in Seventh-day Adventist theology as Mrs. Tobler suggests. (10)

Note carefully this legal brief does not say "Roman Catholics as such", but states, "Roman Catholicism as such." Let us review the terms used and their definitions. Roman Catholicism is the faith, practice, or system of the Roman Catholic Church. Aversion is defined as "a feeling of repugnance towards something with

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a desire to avoid or turn from it." (11) Do you catch the picture? Has it awakened you? Adventism -that is official General Conference Adventism -no longer has an aversion to Roman Catholicism! What is the wine in the cup of the woman of Revelation 17? According to Mary Walsh's book, it is Infant Baptism, Auricular Confession, the Mass, Immaculate Conception, Immortality of the Soul, and Sunday Observance. And now by legal pronouncement, it is false doctrine if we have an aversion to all of this. May God have mercy upon us, and forgive us for supporting with our tithes and offerings this false theology being erected as the true faith of the remnant. It is time to wake up, and realize that what is being fed to the laity for a tranquilizing influence through our General Church Papers is not what really is, when the chips are down, and the church officials face the courts? How much longer are we going to sleep when the bridegroom is on His way to the wedding?

(1) Quoted in Great Controversy, p. 151

(2) See Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, Vol. II, p. 789 by L. E. Froom

(3) Sarah E. Peck, God's Great Plan, p. 217

(4) Ibid., p. 440

(5) Mary E. Walsh, The Wine of Roman Babylon, pp. 11, 18-19

(6) Christian Edwardson, Facts of Faith, pp. 210-211, quoting from Romanism and

the Reformation, H. Gratton Guinness, pp. 158-159

(7) Our Firm Foundation, Vol. I, "Antichrist in History and Prophecy", Frank H. Yost, p.. 632

(8) Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 86

(9) Merikay Silver v. PPPA, Tobler AE, paragraph 114, p. 39, lines 4-11

(10) Ibid., Church's Second Brief, March 3, 1975, p. 29, lines 24-25, p. 30,

lines 11-15,17-24.

(11) Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, article, "aversion", p. 61.

May 1976  -  "Watchman, What of the Night? " Thought Paper.  Adventist Laymen's Foundation.  (Excerpt)

Christ is the Head of His People- His Church.

Not typical, but unique, this is what our Savior taught.  Typically men want a leader, and that leader is the one they look to for answers. Without a leader, without a special kind of order and rank, things become chaotic and confusing. When God's word speaks to us of the Body, the Head of that Body is none other than Christ.

Col_1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

 Mat_21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Act 4:10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 

Act 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

1Co_11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 

Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Eph_4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ

The church, the people of God, the followers of Christ, have no leader other than that of Christ. 

When elders, teachers, evangelists and so on and so forth, are appointed by God, being led by Christ they will always defer to Christ's leadership not their own.

When a spirit of leadership arises the idea that the leader is the most important in that organization, becomes obvious. Among the Apostles after Jesus' death not a single one of them was chosen to be greater than another.  Some will misquote Jesus calling Peter the Rock, but Jesus Himself was- IS the Rock the church was built upon and Peter was among those Jesus called into the group of His followers.

When Paul came on the scene and began His God appointed, Jesus led ministry there were clashes with the original Apostles, so much so, God had to teach them the truth leaving nothing to mystery. God had appointed His apostles to different tasks all stemming from the head of their organization- JESUS CHRIST.  Was Peter greater than Paul, or any other of the Apostles? NO. Emphatically, NO!  And Peter himself would have said so, to do otherwise would mean to usurp the role of Jesus and that is NOT what He ever wanted to do. He only ever wanted to point to Christ as the Head of the Church, not to Himself.

Can organizations be led by a group? Yes.  But groups like to appoint a figurehead. Jesus never wanted a figurehead appointed, because once you appoint that figurehead you are giving them power of perception- power to be perceived as authority.  Back again to- can organizations be led by a group whose leader is absent, who has simply left His word as guide, a word that must be searched and studied for answers to any troublesome questions that may arise? A word that the Holy Spirit alone could reveal to that group? Can the group come to a standstill as prayer and study is followed until the revelation is given to the group- not any single appointed leader whose word holds more weight than another's?

The answer is, Yes.

Christ can truly be the leader and all can truly seek Him above any man-appointed person in a position God never intended to be taken.

Christ never wanted any single man appointed in His place, never. He had twelve Apostles, not one. He had twelve Apostles and they fought among themselves who was the greatest and they were rebuked!

If the greatest is the one least, then that greatest will never be known to be the greatest, not ever!

Organizations- yes, but one holding power and authority over others, NO.  That position of power and authority is our SAVIOR'S position now and forever!

All in His love, in His grace and mercy, through His forgiveness forever!

(Excerpt)

 A "NEW ORGANIZATION"

(The Mystery of 1888, D. K. Short Manuscript -- Part 4) -- Summarizing the reaction to the message of Righteousness by Faith in the four years following 1888, Elder A. T. Jones at the 1893 General Conference said: All the way between open and free deliberate surrender and acceptance of it, to open, deliberate, and positive rejection of it -all the way between -the compromisers have been scattered ever since; and those who have taken that compromising position are no better prepared tonight to discern what is the message of the righteousness of Christ than they were four years ago.

This compromising attitude produced some serious blind spots. Jones continued:

Some of these brethren, since the Minneapolis meeting, I have heard, myself, say "amen" to preaching, to statements that were utterly heathen, and did not know but that it was the righteousness of Christ. Some of those who stood so openly against that at that time, and voted with uplifted hand against it, and since that time I have heard say "amen" to statements that were as openly and decidedly papal as the papal church itself can state them. (1) [0 how these "brethren" must have loved A. T. Jones.]

A failure to understand, and accept without compromise the righteousness of Christ by faith, led to a verbal acknowledgment of papal and heathen concepts which were mistaken for the genuine. This is the tragic consequence of not walking in the light which heaven bestows. The sparks of our own kindling look good to us. We are much more at ease with that which is of human origin than we are with that which comes down from God out of heaven.

But the righteousness of Christ by faith is more than merely an assent to a doctrine of how men are to be saved; it is a way of life by which men are to live. The righteousness of Christ determines human relationships, religious fellowship, and church administration. Among the apostles there arose contention as to who was going to be the "head" when the kingdom of God would be set up. Jesus called them

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to Him, and set forth the very basic elements of church administration. He said:

The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But this shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (2)

Matthew in reporting the same counsel quotes Jesus declaring emphatically, "It shall not be so among you." (3) In the true church, there is one Master, or head, even Jesus Christ Himself, and of the rest -laity and clergy alike - Jesus plainly stated - "All ye are brethren." (4) Because this would have been the fruitage in the acceptance of the message of Christ's righteousness, it was ignored by some. Of this the servant of the Lord stated in 1895 -"The righteousness of Christ by faith has been ignored by some; for it is contrary to their spirit and their whole experience. Rule, rule, has been their course of action. Satan has had opportunity of representing himself." (5)

In this year -1895 -on March 8, and in September -two very important messages came from Sister White's pen. One was entitled -"All Ye Are Brethren", and the other -"Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me." Note the counsel: The Lord has not placed any one of His human agencies under the dictation and control of those who are themselves but erring mortals. He has not placed upon men the power to say, You shall do this, and you shall do that. But there is a power exercised in Battle Creek [now Washington] that God has not given, and He will judge those who assume this authority. They have somewhat the same spirit that led Uzzah to lay his hand on the ark to steady it, as though God was not able to care for His sacred symbols. Far less of man's power and authority should be exercised toward God's human agencies. Brethren, leave God to rule. (6)

No man is a proper judge of another man's duty. Man Is responsible to God; and as finite, erring men take into their hands the jurisdiction of their fellowmen, as if the Lord commissioned them to lift up, and cast down, all heaven is filled with indignation. There are strange principles being established in regard to the control of the minds and works of men, by human judges, as though these finite men were gods. (7)

These wrong principles of administration -so contrary to the righteousness of Christ -were centered in 1895 in Battle Creek, and were corrupting the whole General Con-

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ference.(8) The spirit of domination was extending downward "to the presidents of

[local] conferences."(9) What was the end result? Note carefully: When men who profess to serve God ignore His paternal character and depart from honor and righteousness in dealing with their fellowmen, Satan exults, for he has inspired them with his attributes. They are following in the track of Romanism.(9)

This is the end result whether we reject the doctrine of righteousness of Christ by faith, or whether we ignore its application to church fellowship and administration. In 1893, Jones could say without fear of refutation that men who voted negatively in regard to the message in 1888 could say "amen" to statements of doctrine that were as papal as Papal Rome could state them. The servant of the Lord In 1895 could say upon the authority of Inspiration that when men in ecclesiastical office choose to ignore the principles of the righteousness of Christ, and seek to rule their fellowmen, that this also was placing the church In "the track of Romanism."

Some very vital principles are at stake here. In the Papal concept the Cathedral - the seat of the Bishop - is the center of authority, and is thus to be considered the Church. There can be no church in the papal concept without the reigning bishop, or human authority. On the other hand, the Judeo-Christian-Protestant concept is the priesthood of all believers. Israel was to have been "a kingdom of priests. (10) The Church which Christ established was to have been "a royal priesthood" under the great High Priest in the sanctuary above. (11) When the Jewish nation failed to realize this objective, they cast men out of their synagogues, and finally committed the crime of the ages -the murder of the Son of God. When the apostolic church departed from the simple dictum that Christ through the Holy Spirit was to administer His church, the Papacy was the end result. In 1888 when Christ came near to His appointed church of that hour in the Presence of the Holy Spirit, He was rejected as the head of the church by men who wished to rule, rule, rule. This rejection of the authority of the Holy Spirit as the true vicegerent of the

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Son of God, placed the church in the track of Romanism.

Now for decade after decade this spirit of domination has so taken hold of the church, and its leadership that it has become a way of life and policy. Today, it has crystallized, and has been attested to in legal documents. In a brief filed in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles on behalf of the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, dated May 16, 1975, it stated clearly and plainly -"'Plaintiffs-petitioners are the local governing body of the world wide Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is an extremely highly organized hierarchical church built upon ascending series of representative bodies." (p. 2, lines 7-9) This position was more boldly asserted in briefs filed in the case of Merikay Silver vs. PPPA. "The church was described as having 'orders of clergy', with different levels of authority, and a first minister at the top. In his affidavit, Elder Pierson referred to himself as the 'first minister' of the Seventh-day Adventist Church." (12) A footnote in a brief dated March 3, 1975 read:

Although it is true that there was a period in the life of the Seventh-day Adventist Church when the denomination took a distinctly anti-Roman Catholic viewpoint, and the term "hierarchy" was used in a pejorative sense to refer to the papal form of church governance, that attitude on the Church's part was nothing more than a manifestation of widespread anti-popery among conservative Protestant denominations in the early part of this century and the latter part of the last, and which has now been consigned to the historical trash heap so far as the Seventh-day Adventist Church is concerned. (13)

Consider for a moment the time element as noted in this brief - "the early part of this century and the latter part of the last." Place this on our own church history -1888 -1903. What was taking place in the church at that time? Listen to what the servant of the Lord said at the 1901 General Conference Session:

I feel a special interest in the movements and decisions that shall be made at this Conference regarding things that should have been done years ago, especially ten years ago, when we were assembled in Conference, and the Spirit and power of God came into our meeting, testifying that God was ready to work for His people if they would come into working order.

The principles of heaven are to be carried out in every family, in the

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discipline of every church, in every establishment, in every institution, in every school, and in everything that shall be managed. You have no right to manage, unless you manage after God's order …

That these men should stand in a sacred place, to be the voice of God to the people as we once believed the General Conference to be, - that is past. What we want now in a reorganization. We want to begin at the foundation, and to build upon a different principle. (14)

But what happened, the reorganization of 1901 was overturned in 1903, and the Church was again on the track of Romanism. On this track we have been traveling over the years until now in legal briefs we can say that we are a hierarchy, with orders of clergy, and a "first minister." The development of the papacy was in three simple steps:   1)  The monarchial bishop developed in the early church; 2)  the Bishop of Rome assumed authority as the first among equals; and 3)  the same bishop asserted his right as the "first bishop" of the Church, or Pope. We have now arrived at the Papal form of church government with the President of the General Conference asserting in a sworn affidavit that he is "first minister" of the Church. Our Saviour said - "It shall not be so among you."

What is the picture that has emerged? We have now entered full scale into a "new" organization, discarding the counsel and admonition of the servant of the Lord. And what does this mean? Here is the divine verdict:      We cannot now step off the foundation that God has established. We cannot now enter into a new organization; for this would mean apostasy from the truth. (15)

Our apostasy is now complete; having switched over to the track of Romanism, we have crossed the Rubicon on the way to Vatican station itself. Without their consent, the laity of the Church have been transferred into a new organization, and thus unwittingly have been engulfed in the apostasy. But each member of the new organization has within his power to reestablish himself in the truth, and refuse to give his support, either financially, or otherwise to the "new" organization. On the basis of this decision, he is casting his vote as to his acceptance or

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rejection of where the hierarchy has taken him. May God have mercy on us individually as we struggle for the freedom that truth alone can give. Ye shall know the truth and truth shall make you free.

(1) A. T. Jones, General Conference Daily Bulletin, 1893, p. 244

(2) Luke 22 :24-27

Luk 22:24  And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 

Luk 22:25  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 

Luk 22:26  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 

Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. 

(3) Matt. 20 :26

Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister

(4) Matt. 23:8

Mat 23:8  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 

(5) Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 363

(6) Ibid., pp. 347-348

(7) Ibid., p. 348

(8) Ibid., p. 359

(9) Ibid., p. 362

(10) Exodus 19:6

Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 

(11) 1 Peter 2 :9-10

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 

1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 

(12) Spectrum, Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 49

(13) Ibid., pp. 49-50

(14) Ellen G. White, General Conference Bulletin, 1901, pp. 23, 25

(15) Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, bk. ii, p. 390.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

On Finances - We have not commented on the article in the Review (December 25, 1975, pp. 9-11) by Elder Pierson confirming the church's gambling in the stock market. We have waited and will continue to wait until we can obtain unquestionable verification as to what the church officials did during the hectic days of the stock market during January and February, and now March. Did they close out all of the church's involvement or not? What was the final loss, or was there a gain

April 1976  -  "Watchman, What of the Night? " Thought Paper.  Adventist Laymen's Foundation.  (Excerpt)

Signs and Spiritual Darkness.

Mat 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 

Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 

Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

Mat 16:4  A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. 

Luk 12:54  And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 

Luk 12:55  And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 

Luk 12:56  Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 

How incredibly easy it is for us to try and predict earthly signs we are given. Back before radar, before wind gauges used in specialize weather planes, back before satellites could track cloud cover and air pressure was an actual number- men did use other signs to discern what they believe would be the weather- good or bad. Desiring signs isn't unusual. People want to be able to plan their work day- especially if the work was hard labor outdoors. Some work simply cannot be undertaken in inclement weather. As we look for signs to determine the course of our day to day life, we often choose to ignore the signs already given by our Lord in His word concerning our spiritual day to day life. We want grandiose signs, magnificent spectacles to point at so people might comprehend the signs of our times. The signs were given in the Word of God and the unfolding of them time has revealed. So many of the signs are now history- never to repeat themselves and still- people wait for those very signs to take place. They are not able to discern what is right before them. They can discern the mundane, but not the eternal and choose to keep blinders on to the truth revealed.

Grasping for lies, they are going to be given the lies. Satan is ever ready to accommodate deception and he will spare no expense (monetary or otherwise) to do so. Lull the people into seeking signs that have already come to pass and they will not be ready for Christ when He returns.  They are truly hypocrites and as most hypocrites are- they are  blind to their own sad condition of hypocrisy.

Jesus wants us to comprehend all truth in HIM, not just some truth. Jesus wants us to believe in the truth revealed.  Today there are millions of people (and the number continues to grow) who choose not to believe in salvation through Jesus Christ and His Righteousness which we partake of through faith. Today there are millions of people who choose to believe they have all the truth they'll ever need and so they refuse to let the Spirit work in them. We are living in dark times, very dark times and they are only going to get darker and darker until but a few compared to the many are going to belong to Jesus Christ and be known by Him. May WE be among those KNOWN by JESUS.

All through HIS amazing love, through HIS grace, HIS mercy now and forever!

Amen.

*******

(Excerpt)

"ELLEN G. WHITE VERSUS ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE"

(The Mystery of 1888, D. K. Short Manuscript -- Part 3)

The title of this thought paper is the title given to a major section of the manuscript -The Mystery of 1888.(1) It is based upon the "Historical Foreword" and the "Appendix" to be found in the 1962 edition of Testimonies to Ministers. [ The date of this edition coincides with the publication of By Faith Alone, and antedates the publication of both Through Crisis to Victory and Movement of Destiny.]

Concerning this 1962 edition of Testimonies to Ministers, Elder Short writes:

The latest edition of Testimonies to Ministers has the most extended explanatory foreword of perhaps any E. G. White book ever published. To add to this, there is a lengthy Appendix such as none of her other books have. In all, the Historical Foreword and the Appendix have a total of 36 pages. When it is considered that the previous edition of this book published in 1944 does not have a single page of Historical Foreword or one page of even one entry in an Appendix, it would seem strange that the 1962 edition should require 36 pages of special notes.

When an analysis is made of this material, a pattern emerges that is singular and most serious. It would be extremely difficult to read all of this without getting a very pronounced concept that the writings are being both "explained" and " "interpreted." In fact, the Preface to this Third Edition printed in 1962, states specifically on page xi: "The notes will aid the reader in ascertaining correctly the intent of the author in the messages here presented." (2)

There are forty-five entries made in the Appendix, and as Elder Short observes, "the largest [single] group of references is to 1888." (3) Three of the twelve sections of the Historical Foreword also deal specifically with the 1888 General Conference Session and the Message of Righteousness by Faith, while three other sections "review certain situations in our church history which form the background for the messages of the 1890's." (4)

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Before citing specific examples where interpretive explanations are made in regard to statements of the servant of the Lord concerning the 1888 historical experience, I would call the attention of the reader to the report of "The Vault Incident" found in Andreasen's Letters to the Churches.) (5) Let it be noted that while the Trustees in this incident did not grant the request for explanatory notes to be placed in certain writings of Ellen G. White, their decision was delayed eight months, and the final action taken only after the plan had become known to Elder Andreasen who protested to the General Conference president. Every sincere seeker for truth needs to reread with clear open vision the report of this experience, and the correspondence that took place between Elder Andreasen and the President of the General Conference at that time.

Let us note carefully some of the footnotes and explanations placed in the 1962 edition of Testimonies to Ministers. On page 76, we read -"That men should keep alive the spirit which ran riot at Minneapolis* is an offense to God." At the bottom of the page is this comment -"*See Appendix." Turning to the Appendix we read:      Page 76. The spirit which ran riot at Minneapolis: The background of the 1888 General Conference held at Minneapolis, and its aftermath, is traced briefly in the Historical Foreword. This forms the basis for a better understanding of this and other statements in Testimonies to Ministers touching on the experience at Minneapolis. (6)

So we turn to the Historical Foreword, where we read:      To many, the message of righteousness by faith struck home, and there was a response of heart and soul which led to victorious experience in personal Christian living. There were others who identified themselves with certain cautious and conservative leaders from Battle Creek who saw what they thought were perils in some or the teachings presented. (7)

Now honestly can you equate a riotous spirit with "cautious and conservative" guidance of church leadership? Does "riot" = caution, and conservatism? Paraphrasing the words of Jesus to the Pharisees of His day -"Ye have made the testimony of the Spirit of none effect by your interpretation." Of this meeting the servant of the

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Lord wrote in 1896: The scenes which took place at that meeting [ in Minneapolis] made the God of heaven ashamed to call those who took part in them His brethren. All this the heavenly Watchers noticed, and it is written in the book of God's remembrance."(8)

Who are we really covering for in this rewrite of history, when we say that those who opposed the message of 1888 were "cautious and conservative," and thus could not have possibly fostered a riotous spirit? Is not the present leadership seeking to convey a similar public image to cover the behind-the-scenes activities? What is written for the consumption of the laity, and what is being done are two different things!

Consider a second example from Testimonies to Ministers, p. 468, which states:       The true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that teaches forgiveness only through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, that advocates righteousness by the faith of the Son of God, has been slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected.*

Again at the bottom of the page -"See Appendix." So we turn and read:       Page 468. Slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected: Reference is here made to the attitude which some took in resistance to the emphasis given to the message of righteousness by faith at and following the General Conference Session in 1888. See Historical Foreword for a fuller statement indicating that while some took the attitude here referred to there were many who received the message and gained a great blessing in their own personal experience.(9)

So we again turn to the Historical Foreword, where it states: (Note carefully the use of the words which denote numerical numbers.)

Unfortunately, several among the leaders of our work connected with the General Conference and our institutions at Battle Creek ranked themselves on the negative side and established in the very heart of the work of the church a hard core of resistance. Within the next few years, many of those who had placed themselves in this camp saw their mistake and made heartfelt confession. But there were some who stubbornly resisted. Some of these, connected with the business interests of the church and our institutions, made their influence felt well through the 1890' s. It was such that Ellen White in 1895 wrote as recorded on page 363: "The righteousness of Christ by faith has been ignored by some; for it is contrary to their spirit, and their whole life experience."(10)

Consider - define in your mind the possible number envisioned by the word, "several".

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Subtract from that what would equal "many of these", and you should arrive at a definition of what constitutes the "some" who opposed the message of 1888. Now honestly is the God whom we profess to serve -a God of righteousness and of true judgment, a God of mercy and understanding -going to keep His people here in a world of sin, lo, these many years because the "some" as arrived at by the arithmetic of the White Estate opposed the message given at Minneapolis?

But let us turn to the reference quoted in the Historical Foreword -p. 363- in Testimonies to Ministers. Note the setting of the chapter as a whole; it is dealing with the "spirit of domination", which is extending to the very level of the local conference.(11) It is placing the church "In the track of Romanism." But where was the influence beginning? Note: At the center of the work matters are being shaped so that every other institution is following in the same course. The General Conference is itself becoming corrupt with wrong sentiments and principles. In the working of plans, the same principles are manifest that have controlled matters at Battle Creek for quite a length of time. (12)

This likewise has been weakly footnoted -which you can check for yourself -but the fact remains that the "some" is much larger than the arithmetic conjured by the White Estate would allow. The influence of the "hard core of resistance" permeated the entire General Conference and reached down to the local conference presidents. This is the insubordination which remains to this day -which has caused us to have to remain here in this old world many more years than God wanted us to be here.

There is another very interesting concept which finds its germination in the Historical Foreword, as pointed out by Short in his, Mystery of 1888. Froom in his book, Movement of Destiny, sets forth "fourteen points attesting the fact that the denomination as a whole, and its leadership in particular, did not reject the message and provisions of Righteousness by Faith in and following 1888."(13) He lists as #1 - "No vote was taken by the delegate leadership at Minneapolis, rejecting the teaching of Righteousness by Faith." Then both Sister White and Elder A. T. Jones

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are cited in the use of the word, "some". Froom emphasizes this "no vote" idea in two other places in his book.(14) Keep in mind that the date of Froom's publication is 1971. Going back to Olson's posthumous publication, From Crisis to Victory in 1966, we find the same idea expressed - "No action whatever was taken by vote of the delegates to accept or reject it." (15)

But where did the seed for this idea originate? Short answers -"The unique thing is to discover that the seed of this idea was planted by the Ellen G. White Estate in the Historical Foreword of the book under consideration. On page xxiv of this 1962 edition, the following statement is made: 'No action was taken on the Biblical questions discussed.'" (16) But what is the truth of the matter? The truth is a vote was taken. At the 1893 General Conference Session, Elder A. T. Jones stated: (and note how he used the word, "some"):       Some of those who stood so openly against that [the message of righteousness by faith] at that time, and voted with uplifted hand against it, and since that time I have heard say "amen" to statements that were as openly and decidedly papal as the papal church itself can state them. (17)

Thus the Ellen G. White Estate has not only become guilty of seeking to interpret what the servant of the Lord has written, but they have also planted the seed for the distortion and cover-up of our history. How much longer will the laity remain in Laodicean blindness, sleeping on to eternal ruin? Is it not high time to awaken out of sleep?

(1) D.K. Short, The Mystery of 1888, pp. 59-74

(2) Ibid., Pp. 59-60

(3) Ibid., p. 60

(4) Board of Trustees, E. G. White Estate, "Historical Foreword", p. xvii, in the 1962 edition ofTestimonies to Ministers.

(5) M. L. Andreasen, Letters to the Churches, No. 4, pp. 6-14

(6) "Appendix Notes", p. 524, 1962 edition, Testimonies to Ministers

(7) "Historical Foreword", p. xxiii, 1962 edition, Testimonies to Ministers

(8) Ellen G. White, Special Testimony to the Review & Herald Office, p. 16

(9) "Appendix Notes", p. 533

(10) "Historical Foreword", p. xxv (emphasis ours)

(11) Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers p. 362

(12) Ibid., p. 359

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(13) L. E. Froom, Movement of Destiny, p. 370

(14) Ibid., Pp. 233, 373

(15) A. V. Olson, From Crisis to Victory, p. 36

(16) D. K. Short, The Mystery of 1888, p. 62. The fact that a vote was taken was first pointed out in a series of thought papers in 1970 on the subject -"What Did Elder A. T. Jones Teach?" See "Watchman, What of the Night?", July, 1970, p. 3

(17) A. T. Jones, "The Third Angel's Message -No. 11", General Conference Daily

Bulletin, 1893, p. 244 .

NOTES AND COMMENTS -- More on A. T. Jones -- Besides stating at the 1893 General Conference Session, that a vote had been taken, he also entered into a dialogue with the congregation as to what had been rejected in 1888. Here is the report:     

Now brethren, when did that message of the righteousness of Christ, begin with us as a people? [One or two in the audience: "Three or Four years ago."] Which was it, three? or four? [Congregation: "Four."] Yes, four. Where was it? [Congregation: "Minneapolis."] What then did the brethren reject at Minneapolis? [Some in the congregation: "The loud cry."] What is that message of righteousness? The Testimony has told us what it is; the loud cry - the latter rain. Then what did the brethren in that fearful position in which they stood, reject at Minneapolis? They rejected the latter rain -the loud cry of the third angel's message. (G. C. Bulletin, 1893, p. 183)

To this rejection, our present leadership will not admit; to this sin, they will not confess in corporate repentance. But now a greater tragedy has been added - a conspiracy to distort history and an attempt to interpret the Spirit of Prophecy to cover up the debacle in 1888. Thus the sin of the leadership is compounded, and the laity continue to support this prolonged insubordination.

INDIVIDUALITY IN RELIGION -- This old book by Elder A. T. Jones has been made available to the Foundation for distribution. It is a limited facsimile reprint edition (155 pp.)

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More Ecumenicalism -- Since reporting a news item appearing in the Vicksburg, Miss., Evening Post of a community service shared by the local SDA minister, a Catholic priest: and other Protestant clergy, several have sent in clippings telling of such fraternization in other areas. In the January 13, Lake Union Herald, p. 8 appeared a report of a similar community service actually held in the SDA church, participated in by the local Catholic priest. The report reads:      Those gathering together to praise the Lord in song were from the following churches: Raymond Blackford, Bethel Lutheran; Dr. William Early, Cicero Methodist; Rev. Stephen Bard, Cicero Wesleyan; Father Duane Craycraft, Sacred Heart Catholic Church; Rev. Don Paden, Cicero Christian; and Pastor Randall Murphy, Cicero SDA Church.

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Another report in the North Pacific Union Gleaner (August 18, 1975) features a project of Maranatha Flights International on Kodiak Island, Alaska. In the report is found the following:     Not all those cooperating in the project are Seventh-day Adventists. Father Sean O'Donoghue, rector of the Kodiak Catholic Church, offered the facilities of the St. Mary's Parish School for use by Maranatha. …

The fellowship is genuine. Father O'Donoghue delivers one of the early morning worship talks and prays for the success of the Adventist center. He and the Sisters of the Sacred Heart eat with the workers and seem intently interested in a religion that would motivate people to perform as Maranatha is doing. [They even framed a 30 by 40 all-purpose building for the Catholic Church there.] Father O'Donoghue is invited to participate in the opening services (of the new SDA Church). p.5

Do we no longer believe the prophecies of the Word of God? What about the "little horn" of Daniel 8? It is just one horn representing both the pagan and papal phases of that power which stood up and continues to stand up against the "Prince of princes." Would it not be well to reread "Aims of the Papacy" in Great Controversy? Seeking the salvation of sincere seekers for truth in the Catholic Church, even including priests, is different than ecumenical fellowship no matter how "genuine."

Heresy in the Sabbath School Lessons? -- Did you notice in Part 2, Lesson 1 (p. 11) Of the adult lessons for this Quarter, the teaching relative to God:- "The paradox of a triune monotheism (Trinity) is not explained in the Scriptures." Do we now believe that our God is three-in-one (triune) or do we believe that our God -the Godhead -consists of three distinct Persons? To support the concept of "triune", the quotation at the bottom of the page from the Spirit of Prophecy was altered to read: -"There are three living powers of the heavenly trio;. ..." Such a concept would tend to support the "triune" concept. However, the original source of this quotation in Special Testimonies, Series B, #7, p. 62 reads:      There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these ,three great powers -the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers cooperate with obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ."

These powers are three Persons, not just manifestations of One Person! Perhaps the typist erred, and the proof reader missed it. Did anyone see a note in the Review, or any Union paper calling attention to this error, and explaining it? We need so much to reach the maturity spoken of by Paul in Hebrews 5:14, where by reason of use our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil.

March 1976  -  "Watchman, What of the Night? " Thought Paper.  Adventist Laymen's Foundation.  (Excerpt)