1888 - another look

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    1888 - Another Look

    The Adventists Only portion of the Firm Foundation Series given byShauna Manfredine at the Spring Retreat 2004 in Terra Bella,

    California

    The 1888 General Conference session has become a famous icon among Seventh-day

    Adventists. The fact that something important happened there is quite clear. But what

    actually was presented? Most Seventh-day Adventists have come to believe that the

    Conference session in Minneapolis in 1888 was about Righteousness by Faith. But why

    should this be such a big deal? After all, the concept of Righteousness by Faith was

    accepted by Martin Luther and many other reformers during the Dark Ages!

    Logically then, 1888 has held little interest to many S.D.A.'s. So, 1888 has long lain

    unexplored. Why should we look into something if it is about so obvious a subject?

    Actually, according to many of the eye witnesses who were actually present at this famous

    conference, a whole lot happened in 1888. So much so in fact that it has been

    characterized as "epochal" and "crucial." Perhaps then, its time we took another look at

    S.D.A. General Conference session held in 1888...

    Ellen G. White has become a controvesial figure in the Seventh-day Adventist church.

    Whatever your views may be about her, for this study, we will be using Ellen G. White as

    a credible witness. Having attended the infamous 1888 conference, Mrs. White had a great

    deal to say about what took place there. Through her observations and comments, as well

    as through the writings of others, we may reconstruct the events and messages presented at

    this conference session and through them take another look at this pivotal moment in

    Seventh-day Adventist church history.

    I. What Mrs. White said happened in 1888:

    You (the S.D.A. conference leadership) may continue to reject Christ in the person of His

    messengers. When men do this, the words of the apostle will find an application in their

    case, as in the time of the Jews: He came to His own, and His own received Him not

    We are less excusable than were the Jews; for we have before us the example of rejection

    of Christ and His apostles, and we have been warned not to fall after the same example ofunbelief. Throughout the history of the church in all ages, and especially in that of the

    Seventh-day Adventists, we have examples of those who have refused the light God sent

    them by His chosen agents My brethren, the Lord is not pleased to have us settle down in

    unbelief, and question and quibble over matters of truth as you have done. (1888

    Materials, 399-400)

    There was to be SPECIAL LIGHT for Gods people as they neared the closing scenes of

    this earths history.ANOTHER ANGEL (the fourth angel of Revelation 18) was to come

    from heaven with A MESSAGE, and the whole earth was to be lightened with hisglory.(Manuscript Releases, Vol 13, p 334)

    To summarize then, Mrs. White states that the Fourth Angel's Message was to be the final

    message shared just prior to Christ's return.

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    This message, as we will soon see, was presented by Jones and Waggoner at the 1888

    conference. In reference to the "light" which was presented in 1888, Mrs. White says that

    the S.D.A. leadership at that time "refused the light God sent them."

    This is a serious allegation. What happened? What was presented? What was refused?

    Perhaps now, it is clear that the 1888 issue bears notice and further study. Let us continue...

    The dazzling angel of Revelation 18 is described as bringing more light. So much light, in

    fact, that it will "lighten the whole earth with the glory of God." Never before, including

    the messages of the former three angels, has the Bible described a teaching as so filled with

    holy light.

    But, wait a minute, one may say, where do we get the idea that light is associated with a

    message or a teaching? According to the Bible, the light of God is His Truth. The fourth

    angel of Revelation 18 is brighter because he carries MORE LIGHTMORE TRUTH.

    But all will not love Gods wonderful light/truth, for light is uncomfortable to darkness.

    "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved

    darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth

    evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved." (John

    3:19-20)

    What added light does the fourth angel bring when he unites his voice with the threeangels messages (which Biblically precede him)?

    From the three angels messages Seventh-day Adventists learned to:

    Keep the commandments Keep the Seventh-day Sabbath

    The Mark of the Beast was Sunday-keeping

    The fourth angels Message ADDITIONALLY teaches us to:

    Keep the commandments AND the statutes (the whole Torah is the Law)

    Keep the Seventh-day Sabbath AND the seven annual Sabbaths

    The Mark of the Beast is Sunday-keeping AND the keeping of any of the false holy days

    which the beast has set up as holy (and are from paganism)

    This information is clearly presented, Scripturally and historically, in the book, The

    Testimony of the Moon. If there is any question in your mind regarding this broaderdefinition of the Law of God, or the additional light of the fourth angel, this book is an

    excellent place to begin a study of these concepts. (Actually, this document on 1888 is

    meant to serve as an addendum for Seventh-day Adventists who HAVE already read the

    book.

    According to the Bible, what is the call of the fourth angel, which bears so much light?

    And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye

    be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4)

    Okay, so far we know that Ellen G. White, as an eyewitness, wrote that the S.D.A.leadership had rejected God's light as presented in 1888. In addition, we are beginning to

    see that there is a connection to the message of the fourth angel.

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    But, let's take smaller steps rather than such big leaps. We will progress step-by-step

    through this "rejected" message and the related events of this 1888 conference. Let's begin

    with general S.D.A. church history on this subject:

    What is generally known about the famous 1888 Conference:

    There was a General Conference Session in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1888. Ellet Waggoner and Alonzo Jones presented a special message that was controversial

    In the work, Grace on Trial, 1888 Was called the Epochal Conference in Adventism.

    "What made the 1888 conference epochal and crucial? It was both the character of the

    special message presented there and the strange manner of its reception. The message was

    profoundly unique, the most glorious since the midnight cry of 1844; and its

    reception the most emphatic and determined resistance of the gospel ever known

    within the Advent Movement." (Grace on Trial, p 103)

    Ask Yourself:

    What have I been told about 1888?

    Does the issue of Righteousness by Faith sound profoundly unique knowing that

    Righteousness by Faith was discovered in the time of Luther?

    Was the message of Righteousness by Faith resisted?

    More about what Ellen G. White, as an eye-witness, had to say about 1888:

    Here is the secret of the movements made to opposed the men whom God sent with a

    message of blessing for His people. These men have been hated, the message was despised,

    as verily as Christ Himself was hated at His first advent (1888 Materials, p.1525)

    Things new and old were brought before us Truths were revealed that the people were

    scarcely able to comprehend and appropriate Light flashed from the oracles of God in

    relation to the LAW AND THE GOSPEL which seemed to souls who were hungry for

    truth, as light too precious to be received. (Review and Herald, July 23, 1889)

    NOTE: How does the Bible define the Gospel? It is the first angels reminder to Fear God

    and give glory to Him (See Revelation 14:6-7) Fearing God and giving Him glory is

    keeping His law (See Deut. 6:2, Deut. 17:19, Eccl. 12:13) Thus, we see that the message of

    1888 was an uplifting of Gods whole Law.

    The real issue was Waggoners interpretation of the law in the book of Galatians and

    Romans Traditionally Seventh-day Adventists had always taught that the law

    which Paul spoke about in the book of Galatians was actually the ceremonial law

    (and that it passed away at the death of Christ) Elder Waggoner, however had

    studied the book of Galatians very carefully and had come to the conclusion (which

    he presented in the Signs of the Times), that this law which Paul speaks about,

    actually (was)the MORAL LAW (and was NOT nailed to the cross) (The

    Return of the Fourth Angel, p 2)

    (Mrs. White:) Said my guide, There is much light yet to shine forth from the law of God

    and the gospel of righteousness. The message, understood in its true character, andproclaimed in the Spirit, will lighten the earth with its glory. (Manuscript Releases, Vol. 2,

    58)

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    But the Adventist leadership did not meet this message graciously. The 1888 Conference

    became a rather ugly scene, and naturally, Ellen White desired to leave. But, in Mrs.

    White's own words, the angel of the Lord restrained her, asking her instead to stand by the

    besieged Jones and Waggoner and defend Gods message.

    When I purposed to leave Minneapolis, the Angel of the Lord stood by me, and said, Not

    so, God has a work for you to do in this place It is not you they are despising, but the

    messengers and the message I sent to My people.(Letter B-2a, 1892)

    I shall never, I think, be called upon to stand under the direction of the Holy Spirit as I

    stood at Minneapolis But in the rooms was heard ridicule, criticism, jeering, laughter.

    The manifestations of the Holy Spirit were attributed to fanaticism. (Letter, May 31, 1896).

    More about what Ellen G. White had to say about 1888:

    They (the Adventist leadership who opposed the Message of Jones and Waggoner) will be

    asked in the judgment, Who required this at your hand, to rise up against the message,

    and the messengers I sent to My people with light? Why have you lifted up your souls

    against God? When evidence was piled upon evidence, you did not humble your hearts

    before God, and repent of your rejection to the message of mercy I sent to you (Letter,

    Jan 9, 1893)

    I saw that Jones and Waggoner had their counterparts in Joshua and Caleb as the children

    of Israel stoned the spies with literal stones of sarcasm and ridicule I saw that you (the

    Adventist leadership present at this conference) willfully rejected what you know to be

    truth, just because it was too humiliating to your dignity. I saw some of you in your tentsmincing and making all manner of fun of these two brethren (Jones and Waggoner). I also

    saw that if you had accepted their message, we would have been in the kingdom in two

    years from that date (1888), but now we have to go back into the wilderness (General

    Conference Bulletin, May 7th)NOTE: The message presented in 1888 was the LAST

    message. Had it been accepted, it would have fulfilled the prophecy of the being the Gospel

    message and would have been carried on the wings of Pentecost to the whole world. The

    end would have come in just two short years! But, Adventism, has repeated the history of

    the Jews. Rather than receiving Gods last truth gladly, the leadership chose to lose its

    light for a time. We have been wandering in the wilderness. But, now the light is beginning

    to shine from the fourth angel again. Thus we can be certain that we are again

    approaching the boundaries of heavenly Canaan.

    Satan was determined to keep his hold on the land of Canaan, and when it was made the

    habitation of the children of Israel, and the law of God was made the law of the land, he

    hated Israel with a cruel and malignant hatred and plotted their destruction. Through the

    agency of evil spirits strange gods were introduced; and because of transgression, the

    chosen people were finally scattered from the Land of Promise. This history Satan is

    striving to repeat in our day. God is leading His people out from the abominations of the

    world, that they may keep His law; and because of this, the rage of the accuser of our

    brethren; knows no bounds. The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath,

    because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:10-12) The antitypical

    land of promise is just before us, and Satan is determined to destroy the people of God andcut them off from their inheritance. The admonition, Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into

    temptation (Mark 14:38) was never more needed than now. (Patriarchs and Proph. p 688)

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    What was Heavens response to this rejection of heavenly light?

    All heaven is filled with amazement that (when this loving message is presented to men)

    they are so indifferent, so cold, and unmoved The Lord has sent a message to arouse His

    people to repent, and DO THEIR FIRST WORK. (Review and Herald, Dec. 23, 1890)

    The Seventh-day Adventist leadership actually PUT OUT the light of the fourth angel in

    1888!

    The whole of Revelation 18 will be fulfilled in the glorious closing of this work. It hasnt

    yet been fulfilled, andthe light of the fourth angels message began to shine in that

    strange and impressive way at Minneapolis. The only reasonable conclusion is that thelight was PUT OUT by human instrumentalities. (Letter 106)

    An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this TRUTH, lay at the

    foundation of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the LORDS MESSAGE

    THROUGH BRETHREN WAGGONER AND JONES The light that was to lighten the

    whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren kept away

    from the world. (1888 Materials, p 1575)

    The Official Seventh-day Adventist Statement about what happened in 1888 is verydifferent from Ellen Whites View. Here is what the S.D.A. Church leaders told the

    Adventist people about the 1888 conference:

    The 1888 message was merely the same doctrine that Luther, Wesley, and others had

    been teaching Our leading men in general gladly accepted the message: the rank and

    file of Seventh-day Adventist workers and laity accepted the presentations (of Jones andWaggoner) at Minneapolis and were blessed The 1888 Conference stands out as a

    glorious victory!

    Brothers and sisters, considering that we SHUT OUT the light of the Fourth Angel at this

    conference, I ask you to think about it Yes, 1888 was a victory but a victory for

    whom? Certainly not the cause of God!

    Part of the confusion over the 1888 issue has been the result of two different angels

    speaking. The third angel's message was shared in 1888, as we will soon verify. But the

    fourth angel's message was also shared. The Message of Justification by Faith is the 3rd

    Angels Message But Sister White, said it was the FOURTH angels message that wasPUT OUTThus we may safely conclude that we have been given a bit of a smoke screen

    in being told that 1888 was about Righteousness by Faith.

    Several have written to me (Mrs. White), inquiring ifthe message of justification by faith

    (as was presented in 1888) is the Third Angels Message, and I have answered, It is the

    Third Angels Message in verity.(Review and Herald, April 1, 1890)

    When Jones and Waggoner presented the Fourth Angels Message in 1888, they were

    hated and persecuted by the Adventist leadership. Mrs. White found this hard to

    understand, and asked:

    Why do you cherish such bitterness against Elder A.T. Jones and Elder Waggoner?

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    It is for the same reason Cain hated Abel. Cain refused to heed the instruction of God, and

    because Abel followed His will, Cain killed him. (Letter 51-A, 1895)

    Mrs. White goes on to state that the Spirit of God was insulted in 1888!

    I can never forget the experience which we had at Minneapolis, or the things which werethere revealed to me in regard to the spirit that controlled men (in Adventist leadership)

    They moved at the meeting by another spirit, and they knew not that God had sent these

    young men to bear a special message to them which they treated with contempt I know

    that the Spirit of God was insulted. (Letter S-24, 1892)

    The Fourth Angels Message as presented in 1888, will be heard again. This time, it

    will swell in the Loud Cry and finish the Gospel work. In 1888, in the General

    Conference held at Minneapolis, Minn., the angel of Revelation 18 came down to do

    his work (this is the fourth angel), and was ridiculed, criticized, and rejected, and

    when the message he brings will AGAIN SWELL INTO A LOUD CRY, it will

    AGAIN be ridiculed and spoken against and rejected by the majority. (Are Seventh-

    day Adventists Doing Gods Will, by Elder W.L. Brisbin, p 10)

    What is the Fourth Angels Message that was rejected in 1888?

    "And after these things, I saw another angel (the fourth angel) come down from

    heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory (His

    message is:) Babylon is fallen come out of her, my people that ye be not partakers

    of her sins. (Revelation 18:1-4)

    If we are not to partake of the sins of Babylon, the angel, by strong implication, is directing

    us to Gods holy Law (just as Mrs. White said this message did in 1888) For without the

    Law, we cannot know what sins to come out of, or even what sin is!

    For by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)

    I had not known sin, but by the law (Romans 7:7)

    If we would receive the light of the glorious angel that shall lighten the earth with hisglory, let us see to it that our hearts are cleansed, emptied of self, and turned toward

    heaven, that they may be ready for the latter rain. (Signs of the Times, 8/1/1892)

    We begin to realize even more about how important the Fourth Angels Message is when

    we see that it is connected with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain!

    Today the heralds of the cross are preparing the way for the second advent of Christ

    And as they continue to let their light shine, as did those who were baptized with the Spirit

    on the day of Pentecost, they receive more and still more of the Spirits power. Thus, the

    earth is to be lightened with the glory of God. (Gods Amazing Grace, p 190)

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    Those who reject the Fourth Angels Message will be giving the response of the lukewarm

    Laodiceans!In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of

    God, THEY (our Adventist brothers and sistersespecially the leadership) will see only

    something which, in their blindness, they think dangerous. Something that will arouse their

    fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it Because they persistently said, I am

    rich (I have all the truth I need) and increased with goods, and have need of nothing!(Maranatha, p 219)

    Most commonly this Laodicean statement comes in the following forms:

    Is this a salavational issue?This question implies the person only desires the minimum amount of truth to get into

    heavenGive me the shortest possible list of requirements.

    I already have all the light I need to be saved. This is the opposite of what Gods

    true people will be like when it comes to their pursuit of truth:

    And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart

    Then the Lord will give an outpouring of His Spirit as on the day of Pentecost. (Lift Him

    Up, p 221)

    There is to be a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon

    those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord In the manifestation they will

    see only something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist

    it Because they persistently said, I am rich and have need of nothing. (Review and

    Herald, 12-23-1890)

    Actuallythe Latter Rain is a Two-Part Gift- First Comes the Rain of Doctrine, THEN

    comes the Power of heaven to carry the message. The power ONLY comes to those who

    accept the Message first!

    "My DOCTRINE shall drop as the rain, my SPEECH shall distil as the dew, as the

    small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass." (Deuteronomy

    32:3)

    There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are

    living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in

    the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize themanifestations of the Holy Spirit in the Latter Rain. (Clearly it isnt talking about healing

    the sick and raising the deadfor these are obvious manifestations that all can recognize)

    It (the final message) may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or

    receive it. (The Faith I Live By, p 333)

    God does not favor His people if they are satisfied with their present enlightenment.

    (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p 708)

    Although we have in trust the grandest and most important truth ever presented to the

    world, we are only babies, as far as understanding truth in all its bearings is concerned.

    (Counsels to Workers, p 29)

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    We must not for a moment think there is no more light, no more truth, to be given us and

    compose ourselves with the thought, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need

    of nothing. (Gospel Worker, p 310)

    While we must hold fast to the truths which we have already received, we must not look

    with suspicion upon any new light that God may send. (Gospel Worker, p 310)

    The New Light at the End of Time will be Old Light

    If Gods people will become new bottles, He will fill them with the new wine (the 1888

    message). God will give additional light, OLD TRUTHS WILL BE RECOVERED, and

    replaced within the framework of truth (Review and HeraldExtra, Dec. 23, 1890)

    The question has been asked me, Do you think that the Lord has any more light for us as a

    people? I answer that HE HAS LIGHT THAT IS NEW TO US, and yet it is PRECIOUS

    OLD LIGHT that is to shine forth from the Word of truth. We have only the glimmerings of

    the rays of light that is yet to come to us. (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p 401)

    Great truths that have lain unheeded and unseen since the Day of Pentecost, are to shine

    from Gods Word in their native purity. (Review and Herald, Aug, 17, 1897)

    We had better be very careful how we handle truth. For actually, rejecting Scriptural Light

    is Rejecting Christ!

    Gods servants have no tame testimony to bear at this time He who rejects the light

    rejects Christ. (Letter, May 31, 1896 to O.A. Olsen)

    How long will you hate and despise the messengers of Gods righteousness (Jones and

    Waggoner)?... If you reject Christs delegated messengers, you reject Christ! (Testimonies

    to Ministers, p 96-97)

    All the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ, represented

    by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them (in 1888), they would have treated Him in

    a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ. (Special Testimonies, Series A,

    No. 6, p 20)

    Mrs. White scathingly denounced the work of the S.D.A. leadership in rejecting the 4th

    angels message as satanic. She said that its rejection resulted in slumping the churchdeeply into the Laodicean condition.

    They began this satanic work at Minneapolis... Yet these men have been holding positions

    of trust, and have been molding the work after their own similitude, as far as they possibly

    could. (Testimonies to Ministers, p 80)

    Since the time of the Minneapolis meeting, I have seen the state of the Laodicean church as

    never before Like the Jews, many have closed their eyes to the light, and in walking

    apart from Christ, feel need of nothing, as there was when He was upon the earth. (Review

    and Herald, Aug. 26, 1890)

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    Many Seventh-day Adventists continue to reject the message of the Fourth Angel. They

    believe that God's Law is only the 10 Commandments and deny the statutes. Or they teach

    that the annual holy days are not part of the statutes. This teaching is largely based on the

    idea that Mrs. White didn't instruct us to keep the feasts. Many say, she didn't do it, so I

    shouldn't. But actually, this is a fallacy. Sister White ACCEPTED the Light of the Fourth

    Angeleven though the general Conference rejected it. And, as we will see in a fewminutes, Mrs. White's acceptance of this message is the reason she was "exiled" to

    Australia!

    Here's what Mrs. White said about how she took the added Sabbath truth:

    The light upon the fourth commandment (which in 1888 was presented as the annual

    Sabbathsgiven in the statutes), which was new and unpopular and generally rejected by

    our Adventist brethren and sisters, WE HAD ACCEPTED. (Manuscripts 76)

    Because the Conference rejected the fourth angel, and Ellen White was outspoken in

    proclaiming this rejection a sin, she was in effect exiled to Australiato shut her up!

    Because of her strong stand against the church in favor of the message of Jones and

    Waggoner, the Conference leadership began to doubt that Ellen was right. They sent

    her to Australia to weaken her message and influence. (The Return of the Fourth

    Angel, p5)

    Ellen White was a gracious lady, and never said very much about the forces behind her

    being sent to Australia, but the following quotation from her speaks volumes:

    I have not, I think, revealed the entire workings that led me here to Australia The Lordwas NOT IN OUR LEAVING AMERICA There was so great A WILLLINGNESS TO

    HAVE USLEAVE, that the LORD PERMITTED this thing to take place Our separation

    from Battle Creek was to LET MEN HAVE THEIR OWN WAY, which thought superior to

    the way of the Lord (1888 Materials, 1622-1623)

    The message of the Fourth Angel was rejected in 1888 because of an unwillingness to

    give up preconceived ideas.

    An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the

    foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lords

    message through Brethren Waggoner and Jones. Satan succeeded in shutting away fromour people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to

    impart to them. The enmity prevented them from obtained the efficiency which might have

    been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of

    Pentecost. The LIGHT THAT IS TO LIGHTEN THE WHOLE EARTH WITH ITS GLORY

    WAS RESISTED, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept

    away from the world. (1888 Materials, p 1575)

    Well, in 1888, the Fourth Angel's Message went over like a ton of bricks. But what about

    now? Mercifully God is sending this brilliant message again. How will MOST Seventh-

    day Adventists respond when the Fourth Angel speaks his wondrous message once again?

    Mrs. White had a great deal to say about this. In fact, she told that the angel who "lightensthe earth with the glory of God" (a term used only to desribe the fourth angel of Revelation

    18) would be seen as a dangerous message by the majority. Once again it will be rejected.

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    But this is far less surprising now that we know what really happened in 1888.

    In the manifestation of that power WHICH LIGHTENS THE EARTH THE GLORY OF

    GOD, THEY (the SDA church leadership) will see only something, which in their

    blindness, they think dangerous. Something will arouse their fears, and they will brace

    themselves to resist it. (Maranatha, p 219)

    The light which will lighten the earth with glory WILL be called a false light by those

    who refuse to walk in its advancing glory (more lightmore truth) (Review and Herald,

    May, 1890)

    I was shown that if Gods people wait for the refreshing to come upon them and remove

    their wrongs and correct their errors; if they depend upon that to cleanse them from

    filthiness of the flesh and spirit they will be found wanting The refreshing power of

    God comes only on those who have prepared themselves for it by perfecting holiness in

    the fear of God (which is Spirit-empowered obedience to His whole Holy Law).

    (Testimonies, Vol. 1, 619)

    Full cleansing and obedience is what the fourth angels message is all about. This is why

    this message must be understood and fully decoded with the use of Scripture. It is

    ESSENTIAL LIGHT AND PART OF THE SEALING MESSAGE!

    All who do not join the angels who are sent from heaven with a message to fill the whole

    earth with its glory, will be passed by. The work will go forward to victory without them,

    and they will have no part in its triumph. (Review and Herald, Extra, Dec, 23, 1890)

    To conclude this study, I must add that I am a Seventh-day Adventist. I love my church. Ilove the wonderful truth in it. Our church has long known the messages of the three angels

    from Revelation. We have understood the decoded meaning. It is tremendous light. But it

    is not the last light. The final message is given when the voices of the first three angels are

    joined by the fourth angel. Together, a whole message will be given that will cut the final

    ties between true Christians and Babylonian paganism. This message will not be a popular

    one. Darkness finds light painful. And many, even in churches today, are living in

    darkness.

    What will you do, dear Reader? Will you study this subject? Will you learn for yourself the

    powerful message of the fourth angel? If so, you will not have the luxury of asking pastors

    or religious leaders whether these teachings are true. For while many of them are trueChristians, many more are part of the same mindset that "Shut out" the fourth Angel's light

    in 1888. Thus, if you would know the truth, you must rely only on a "thus-saith-the-Lord."

    Study the Fourth Angel's Message. It is vital. It is life-changing.

    To aid you in this study, you may of course use the Word of God alone. From it, I have

    learned the Fourth Angel's powerful message. You may opt to take advantage of my Bible

    study on the subject. It is available in book form as The Testimony of the Moon. I only

    caution you with this, if you choose to begin your study by reading The Testimony of the

    Moon, I do believe you will be benefitted, but only if you continue to study this subject.

    No man or woman should be your ultimate source of authority. Go to the Word, friend.

    Know the truth that is there. Prayerfully study. And when God responds by shining Hisglorious light upon your path, receive it with joy and walk in it always.