THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL 5
=
of God were again proved and tested. The world laughed and mocked,
and reproached them, and those who had believed without a doubt that
Jesus would ere then have come to raise the dead and change the living
saints and take the kingdom and possess it forever, felt as did the Dis-
ciples at the resurrection of Christ.” Page 103.
This shows clearly that they believed the second angel's message
was then fully given and the final separation belween the world and the
Adventist believers had fully come. There was left no future work for
the second message.
“But again a cloud settled upon the waiting ones and I saw them
turn their weary eyes downward; I inquired the cause of this change.
Said my accompanying angel, ‘they ere again disappointed in their ex-
pectations.” Jesus cannot come to this earth. They must endure greater
trials for His sake” Page 107. “Those who rejected and opposed the
light of the first angel’s message lost the light of the second, and could
not be benefited with the light and glory which attended the message.
‘Behold, the bridegroom cometh.” Jesus turned from them with a frown
for they had slighted and rejected Flim. Then the bad angels lead Fie
people out from among the unclean lest they be defiled” Page 112 On
page 114 of “Early Writings,” she further says: “I was shown what
did take place in heaven at the close of the prophetic period in eighteen
hundred and forty-four. As Jesus ended His ministration in the Holy
Place, and ‘closed the door’ of that apartment, a yreat darkness seitlcd
upon those who had heard and rejected the message of His conung,
and they lost sight of Him. Jesus then clothed Himself with precious
garments.”
It is useless for further comment to prove that Mrs, White believed
fully that probation had closed with the first message and that the next
step was to call out of Babylon all who were the true children of God
under the second message. This was also done and completed as stated
by her. And the world was rejected by Christ and the work for sinners
was completed. Any explanation that is attempted by those who got
out the book in later years to explain away this fact is unworthy of
even consideration, for the case is too plain for such work to have any
part with those who wish facts instead of falsehood.
THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE AND ITS PURPOSE AS
IEIVED BY MRS. WHITE AND HER IM-
MEDIATE ASSOCIATES.
“As the ministration of Jesus closed in the holy place, and passed
into the holiest, and stood before the ark as containing the law of God
He sent another mighty angel with a third message to the world. This
message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by
showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before
them.”
“Said the angel, they will be brought into close combat with the
beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain stead-
fast. Although their lives are at stake they must hold fast the truth.”
“The third angel closed his message thus: ‘Here is he paticr.ce of the
saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus.’
“Now as he repeated these words he pointed to the heavenly sanc-
tuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the
most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final
intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those
who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonemert is made
for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous iwing. 1: mcludes
all who died trusting in Christ, but who, not having received the ligh:
upon God's commandments, had sinned ignorantly, who had trans-
gressed His precepts.” “After Jesus opened the door of the most holy,
the light of the Sabbath day was seen, and the people of Goc were
tested, as the children of Israel were tested anciently, to see if they
would keep God's law. 1 saw the third angel pointing upward, chowing
the disappointed ones the way to the holiest of the heavenly sanctuary.
As they by faith entered the most holy, they find Jesus, and hope and
joy springs up a new. [I saw them looking back reviewing the past,
from the proclamation of the second advent of Jesus, dewn through
their experiences to the passing of the time in 1844. Tlcy see their
disappointment explained, and joy will certainly again anmunate them.
The third angel has lighted up the past, the present, and future, and
they know, indeed, that God has led them by His mysterious providence.”
Page 117. There are some very important points to note 1a this quota-
tion. First, it is all written in the present tense, having its application to
the experience in which they were then living. Second, it is plainly
stated that the third message is a fest to the righteous ani not a mes-
sage to the world. Third, it is to prove the disappointed ores before
their entrance into the kingdom. And fourth, there is not an intimation
that the third angel is to have its fulfillment beyond that immediate
time. And was applicable only to those who were then living, and
who had been separated from Babylon by the second message. The
testimony that will follow shows this to be the correct understanding of
Mrs. White's view, then held of the third angel. Fifth, it should be
remembered that their light claimed on the sabbath had come Just
after their disappointment. Joseph Bates was one of the first to re-
ceive it and as will be later shown it was simply a further test to the
disappointed one as he and others claimed. Tt was not held by any as a
message to go to the world at large. These points should he well
noticed by the reader. The whole story is one connected story of that
time and in fact when this point is well understood, then the reader
will see that the whole book of the Early Writings had nothing in it
but what pertained to the time and experience then existing, This 1s
further proven by; what Mrs. White says of William Miller and his
rejection of the third message. She says, “My attention was then called
to William Miller. He looked distressed and bowed with anxicty for
his people,” “His company who had been united and loving in 1844
was losing their love, opposing one another, and falling into a  backslid-
den state. God suffered him to fall under the power of Satan, under
the domination of death I saw that William Miller erred as he was
soon to enter the heavenly Canaan.” She says he made the same mis-
take as did Moses,
Now there is but just one construction to be placed on this language
and that is that she expected that Miller would live ll the Lord came
if he had not sinned. All know better according to all natural con-
ditions in this life. This again shows that she was laboring under
a mistake in her interpretation of scripture. She had no idea of time
lasting as it has. This is apparent to all who wish truth. Page 119-120.
FIRM PLATFORM.
She gives an illustration of the messages by
“I was shown three steps, the first, sec-
ond, and third angels message.” “Said my accompanying angel,” “woe
to him that moves a block or stirs a pin of these messages.” “Those
who rejected the first message could not be benefited by the second.
neither were they benefited by the midnight cry, and by rejecting the
two former messages they have so darkened their understanding that
they cannot see the light of the third angel's mzssage” “Therefore
they have no knowledge into the most holy place, hence cannot be
benefited by the intercession of Jesus there. Like the Jews who of-
fered up their useless sacrifices they offered up their uscless prayers to
the apartment which Jesus had left.” (Italics are ours.)
On pages 121-123.
“a firm platform.” She says
Anvone can see by reading the above that the firm platform was
written to meet the circumstances as viewed by her at the time then
existing. Dut the application is still made by her followers to this
time, seventy vears later. To all such we would recommenl that they
get a clearer understanding of the mind of the writzr of the book.
Under the heading “The Shaking,” on page 131, another view is
given which had its application at that time to meet the conditions then
existing. This is also quoted by her followers as applicable to this
time, when the writer had no idea that such a peopie us now live would
ever be living on the earth to be shaken. On page 135 she again teaches
that since 1844 probation closed to all christendom and the world.
We read: “I saw that since Jesus left the noly place of the
heavenly sanctuary and entered within the vail, the churches have been
filling up with every unclean and hateful bird. TI saw gieat iniquity and
vileness in the churches, yet their members professed lo be christians.”
Their profession, their prayers. and their exhortations, are an abomina-
iton in the sight of God.” “Said the angel, God wi!l not smell in their
assemblies. Selfishness. fraud and deceit are practiced by them with-
out reprovings of conscience.”
We now say if Mrs, White did not believe titat probation closed
when this time passed in 1844, pray tell us what she did believe? Re-
member we are not condemning her for believing that, though It
was not correct. That is no more than most all people do—namely to
believe a wrong thing some time in their life. But for the people now
to try to explain her writings away and say she did not believe it, that
is sin. We deny the charge where they claim she was working for
sinners from 1844 to 1850. There is not a syllable in her writings to
show that she ever done such a thing, but her labors were to unite
those whom she called “saints,” “People of God,” and so on. She re-
proved and condemned every one who did not accept of her views. un-
less it be William Miller. And she says “he fell under the power of
satan,” but God overlooked that and laid the charge to those who in-
fluenced him. Facts are hard things to meet when oven one-half the
testimony is brought out. And on this point of the close of probation
we say much more still remains that could be brought out in Ler writ-
ings. But sufficient, we deem, is now presented to lead the seeker for
truth to acknowledge that she did believe probation had closed in 1844.
We therefore repeat that the book “Early Writings” has ne applica-
tion in our day. But if you wish to know what the Advent believers be-
lieved who were associated with Mrs. White, say from 1843 to 1830
read it.
JAMES WHITE, HUSBAND OF MRS. WHITE.
In a tract entitled “A Word To the Little Flock,” published in 1846,
by Mr. White, I read: “The following is a srophecy which I believe
has been fulfilling since October 1844.” “Judgment is turned back-
ward, and justice standeth afar off. Tor truth is fallen in thc streets,
and equity cannot. enter.” “Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth
from evil maketh himself a prey: “and the Lord saw it, and it dis-
pleased him that there was no judgment,” “and le saw there was neo
man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.” Isah, 50:14-15-16.
The word “Intercessor” is quoted in italics showing that he refer-
red to the close of probation in 1844. On page eight he further says:
“that Jesus rose up, and shut the door, and came to ihe ancient of (days,
to receive his Kingdom, at the 7th month, 1844,” “J fully believe
In speaking further on Rev. 14:6-12, he says: ‘All classes of sec-
ond advent believers agree, that the angel brought to view in the sixth
and seventh verses of this chapter, represent the advent message,
to the church and World.” “If this is true, then cl! five of the angels
brousht to view in this chapter, represent five distinct messages, prior
to the advent, or we are left without a rule to interpret this chapter”
“The work nf the second angel was to show the advent host that Rrhy-
lor Yad fallen and as a Ir =e portion of them d'd not learn thie fact,
unti! the power of the Midnight Cry waked them ip, fust in tive te