Vol. 28, No. 5 Straight and Narrow May 2019

The Biblical Gift of Prophecy

In the last two issues of Old Paths, we have discussed the ecumenical movement, the unity of the spirit, and spiritual gifts. This current study is the fourth and last in this se-ries. Before proceeding let us just briefly re-view a few points about the first three parts of this series.

The ecumenical movementThe ecumenical movement is based upon

the belief that there is one common God worshiped by all Christians. Since they all serve the same God, there is no reason to

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worship and work apart. All the other doc-trines can be laid to the side. You may not realize that the Adventist corporate struc-ture has become very ecumenically minded, but this is not a recent develop-ment. Since 1926, just eleven years after the death of Adventist prophet Ellen White, the General Conference developed a working policy that included the follow-ing:

We recognize those agencies that lift up Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for evangelization of the world, and we hold in high esteem Christian men and women in other communions who are en-gaged in winning souls to Christ. (Point 1 of policy No. 075 in the General Confer-ence Working Policy: https://www.adven-tist.org/en/information/official-statements/documents/article/go/-/rela-tionships-with-other-christian-churches-and-religious-organizations)

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It is not simply evangelical Christianity or even corporate Adventism that is affected by the ecumenical concept. Today misguided, though perhaps very honest, brethren seek to draw together all the believers in the truth about God, as taught by the Adventist pio-neers, though they hold very different views on other areas of Christology and/or soteriol-ogy.

The unity of the spiritThe second part of the series was on the

unity of the spirit. In this study we learned that the Bible teaches that doctrine must be established before the exhortation of that doctrine. There is one faith, not many, and the Spirit brings us into unity. We saw that the unity of the Spirit is the Spirit’s unity and that the Spirit is the Spirit of truth and guides one into truth and is the author of the book of truth. We saw:

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We are often exhorted, “Be ye all of one mind,” which means the same as “En-deavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.” (Ellen White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, p. 68.4)

Christ calls for unity. But He does not call for us to unify on wrong practices. The God of heaven draws a sharp contrast be-tween pure, elevating, ennobling truth and false, misleading doctrines. He calls sin and impenitence by the right name. He does not gloss over wrongdoing with a coat of untempered mortar. I urge our brethren to unify upon a true, scriptural basis.—Manuscript 10, 1905. (Ellen White, Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 175.1)

Spiritual giftsThe third part of the series looked at an

overview of spiritual gifts. The Bible has three main lists of spiritual gifts. The first list, found in 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28 con-

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tains: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, dis-cernment (to judge or decide), tongues (lan-guages), interpretation of tongues, apostles, prophets, teachers, helps (forms of assis-tance), and governments (forms of leader-ship). The second list is found in Romans 12:6–8: prophecy, ministry, teaching, and ex-hortation (to encourage, to appeal). The third list is in Ephesians 4:11: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers.

While all of these gifts are vital to the church, we saw one gift especially empha-sized among the remnant people—the gift of prophecy.

Introduction to prophetsVery simply, what or who is a prophet? Let

us first notice two definitions from biblical dictionaries:

(Heb. nabi’; Gk. prophētēs), prophet (Heb. nabi’; Gk. prophētēs), a person who

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serves as a channel of communication be-tween the human and divine worlds. (The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised and Updated)

. . . a prophet was a spokesman for God; he spake in God’s name and by his author-ity (Ex. 7:1). He is the mouth by which God speaks to men (Jer. 1:9; Isa. 51:16), and hence what the prophet says is not of man but of God (2 Pet. 1:20, 21; comp. Heb. 3:7; Acts 4:25; 28:25) (Easton Bible Dictio-nary)

The Hebrew word for prophet is transliter-ated nabi. Nabi is from a root that means “to bubble forth, as from a fountain,” hence “to utter” (Ibid.).

The Greek word for prophet is προφήτης (prophētēs). Prophētēs is from a compound word from πρό (pro), meaning before, and φημί (phēmi), meaning to declare or say be-fore.

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Thus, a prophet’s primary function is to serve as God’s representative or ambassador by communicating God’s word to his people, at times giving them warning of future events.

The ancient name for prophets was seer.

Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer. (1 Samuel 9:9)

These holy people were called seers be-cause they had seen in a vision or in a dream God’s will for others and/or events which were to come to pass.

A crucial characteristic of a prophet was a call from God. Attempting to prophesy with-out such a commission was false prophecy, which was from the deceit of their heart:

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Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. (Jeremiah 14:14)[1]

A true prophet never spoke their own words or on their own authority. They were not to share personal opinions but, instead, the message God himself gave them.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpreta-tion. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:20, 21)

God told Moses, “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say” (Exodus 4:12). When speaking of Christ, Moses said, “I will raise them up a

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Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall com-mand him” (Deuteronomy 18:18).

Notice also the examples of Jeremiah and Ezekiel:

Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. (Jeremiah 1:9)

And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebel-lious. (Ezekiel 2:7)[2]

The prophetic office was not restricted to men.

Adventist should well know that the while God has in some ways given men and women different responsibilities, the office of prophetic guidance is one in which both men

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and women are called, though usually it is men. Some very notable women, however, were also called. In Exodus 15:20, Miriam is called a “prophetess,” as is Deborah in Judges 4:4.[3] In the New Testament we read about four daughters of Philip the evangelist:

And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Cae-sarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. (Acts 21:8, 9)[4]

The prophetic office was also demonstrated in the life and work of Ellen G. White.

How the word cameThere were three main ways God communi-

cates with prophets. At times God would speak with an audible voice, such as when he called the child Samuel to his work (1 Samuel 3:1–6).

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God would oftentimes communicate through visions and dreams.

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vi-sion, and will speak unto him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6; see also Isaiah 1:1; Ezekiel 8:1, etc.)

While we will see later that prophecy is a gift to be desired, the prophetic was given by God to the person. It appears it was not something, at least in the Old Testament, that was sought by the person; instead, God sent his word to the prophet. Notice what we are told concerning the call of Elijah:

To Elijah was entrusted the mission of delivering to Ahab Heaven’s message of judgment. He did not seek to be the Lord’s messenger; the word of the Lord came to him. (Ellen White, Prophets and Kings, p. 120.2)[5]

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God’s mouthpiecesWhile the prophets were to be a channel of

communication from God, his mouthpiece, as it were; not all who would claim to be prophets were to be trusted as God’s mouth-piece, even if they prophesied of a sign and wonder and the prophecy came true. The great test of Isaiah 8:20 must also be applied: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is be-cause there is no light in them.” True prophets had to direct people to the true God, as he had revealed himself through the prior prophets.

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of

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dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:1–3)

Here we see that God set a strict standard of judgment concerning prophets. The words signs and wonders in Deuteronomy 13:2 mean miracle.[6] Miracles, however, were not the test of the prophet. This is an impor-tant point for the remnant people of God to remember because in the last days, accord-ing to Revelation 13:13; 16:14, the forces of evil will be working miracles, even calling fire down from heaven!

Prophets’ words should come to pass.The words from a true prophet come to

pass.

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spo-

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ken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22)

During the time of King Zedekiah, a false prophet by the name of Hananiah lived. He prophesied that the yoke of the king of Baby-lon would be broken and that even Jeconiah, who had been taken captive, would be re-turned from Babylon, but Jeremiah correctly predicted that Hananiah’s prophecy would fail and that soon he would be dead. Jeremiah’s words were exactly fulfilled (Jeremiah 28:1–17).

In the days of Ahab and of Jehoshaphat many false prophets encouraged the kings to join in battle against Ramoth in Gilead, pre-dicting a great victory, but a true prophet of the LORD, Micaiah, warned them not to go and that failure was sure. Though Je-hoshaphat knew better, he went to war with Ahab that fateful day. Ahab died that day and, except God had been merciful, Je-hoshaphat would have died, too, as he nar-

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rowly escaped with his life, as the armies of Judah and Israel suffered a great loss that day.

This story helps to illustrate how vital a true prophet could be and had deadly it is to follow a false prophet. No wonder God set a lethal penalty for speaking falsely in his name!

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. (Deuteronomy 18:20)

Before one claims to be a prophet and pro-fesses to give messages from God, one had better be sure that it is God speaking to him or her, for God takes this very seriously!

Prophets were God’s voice in other mat-ters.

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Prophets did not just predict the future but were God’s voice to make known his holiness;[7] to reveal the covenant obligations;[8] and to denounce injustice,[9] idolatry,[10] and empty ritualism.[11] As well, they were to call God’s covenant people to repentance and faithfulness.[12]

Such a work was serious and not without dangers. Being a prophet could be danger-ous. See 2 Chronicles 36:16; Luke 11:51; 2 Chronicles 24:20–22; Matthew 14:3, 10; Acts 7:52.

Prophets in the New TestamentThe first great prophet in the New Testa-

ment was John the Baptist. “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76). Jesus said that John was even more than a prophet (Matthew 11:9) and that none was greater than John (v. 11).

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Of course, the greatest prophet ever was Je-sus (Matthew 13:57). We may not usually think of Jesus as a prophet, but he certainly spoke for God.

On the day of Pentecost, God gave of his Spirit in a special manner that was a fore-taste of more to come:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (Acts 2:17, 18)

Here, Peter was quoting from Joel 2.

Later we read of Paul, Peter, John, and oth-ers who had the gift of prophecy as well.

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Prophetic ministry in the early churchProphetic ministry in the early church was

widespread and diverse. In Acts 11 we read that a band of prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch:

And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signi-fied by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. (Acts 11:27, 28)

As we see there were prophets active in the church at Jerusalem and also in Antioch (Acts 13:1), Tyre: (Acts 21:3, 4), and Caesarea, where the four daughters of Philip prophe-sied (Acts 21:8, 9).

Prophecy, one of the gifts of the Spirit de-signed for edifying the body of Christ, was also utilized in several churches: Rome (Ro-mans 12:6), Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:7–11;

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14:1–40), Ephesus: (Ephesians 2:20; 4:11), and Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:19–22).

The gift of prophecy to continueGod gave gifts to his church, and, as we

noted in a previous study, these gifts were for the edification of the church and would be needed in all ages. This certainly includes the gift of prophecy. Paul speaks about this in Ephesians 4:11–13:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the per-fecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

These gifts, including the gift of prophecy, were given to bring God’s peo-ple to perfection. This final perfection will

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be seen among the 144,000, and, because of this, we see a special emphasis on prophecy in the book of Revelation.[13]

Gift of prophecyPaul writes, “Follow after charity, and de-

sire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” While we may desire the gift of prophecy, not are called to this office.

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthi-ans 12:29–31)

We are also told:

God dispenses His gifts as it pleases Him. He bestows one gift upon one, and another gift upon another, but all for the good of the whole body. (Ellen White,

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Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Stu-dents, p. 314.3)

So, while God bestows the prophetic gift on some, for the good of the body he gives other gifts to other believers.

The primary purpose of prophecy is given by Paul:

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that proph-esieth edifieth the church. (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4)

Prophecy is a means God uses to bring con-viction to sinners:

But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face

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he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. (1 Corinthians 14:24, 25)

Paul envisioned those who prophesy as teachers:

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. (1 Corinthians 14:31)

Luke describes situations in which prophecy serves to provide divine direction for ministry:

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid

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their hands on them, they sent them away. (Acts 13:1–3)

Prophecy was also used to issue warnings to God’s people. God used the prophet Agabus to warn Paul against traveling to Jerusalem.

And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to

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Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be per-suaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. (Acts 21:4, 10–14)

In the New Testament, those claiming to be prophets must be subject to the final author-ity of God’s prior prophets. “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Corinthians 14:32). Paul even said that if his prophetic gift was not recognized, then this showed that the one not so recognizing it was certainly not a prophet:

Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowl-edge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does

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not recognize this, he is not recognized. (1 Corinthians 14:36–38 ESV)

Prophets to be testedProphecy is a great and wonderful gift to

the church, but, just as there are false apos-tles and teachers, there are false prophets, people who claim to speak for God or who claim to have communications with God when they do not. Perhaps they are dishonest or they may honestly be deceived, thinking that God is communicating with them when God is not so doing.

Christians, therefore, are not to gullibly em-brace all who claim to have the prophetic gift. As noted in 1 Corinthians 14:32, “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” One of the first tests, and the greatest test, of a professed prophet is whether that person’s life and teachings can be measured positively against the life and teachings of prior prophets.

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John says that believers are to test the prophets:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: be-cause many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Je-sus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (1 John 4:1, 2)

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whoso-ever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth

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him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 7–11)

In his first epistle John says that one impor-tant test is the professed prophet’s teachings on the nature of Christ in the incarnation. Did Jesus really take our humanity, with our sin-ful nature upon his sinless nature?

In his second epistle John agains mentions the incarnation but also adds the doctrine of the Father and Son. The teaching of the trini-tarian doctrine certainly does not come up to the standard here mentioned, for it denies that God is the literal father of Jesus and that Jesus is his literal son.[14]

The book of Revelation mentions John’s at-tempt to worship an angel twice:

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God:

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for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. (Revelation 22:9)

The angel says that he is of the brethren of John, and they are the prophets. The prophets have the testimony of Jesus Christ. All true prophecy is from Jesus and bears wit-ness to Jesus Christ. Prophetic revelation is rooted in the gospel of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and its ultimate aim, or primary focus, is also to bear witness to the person of the incarnate Son of God. Prophecy, therefore, is fundamentally Christ-centered. Certainly we should heed the in-junction of Paul:

Despise not prophesyings. (1 Thessaloni-ans 5:20)

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Two interesting casesThere are two interesting cases of people

claiming to have the prophetic gift within Ad-ventism that are worth consideration.

The first case is that of Anna Rice Phillips. Anna lived from 1865–1926. While residing in Battle Creek, she was led to believe that her impressions and dreams were the intimations of the Spirit of God. W. W. Prescott supported her claims, and A. T. Jones especially was convinced. A. T. Jones presented Anna Phillips’s testimonies as a genuine manifesta-tion of the Spirit of prophecy, reading from her and also from Ellen White and then ask-ing the congregation to tell which was which, trying to show they were both from the same inspiration. Ellen White, however, wrote to both Jones and Prescott, informing them that Anna was mistaken. To Jones, she wrote:

I have received letters from some in America stating that you have endorsed

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Anna Philips’ [sic] revelations, and that you read them to the people, giving the people the impression that you are reading from the testimonies of Sister White, and afterwards they learn that it is an entirely different matter. I want you to consider this carefully; for the Lord has given me light to the effect that the attention of the people is not to be called to Anna Philips [sic]. God has spoken His words through testimonies, and the late claims that Elder Rice is making so much of are not to be presented to the people, for these claims are not true. I am sorry you have done this. (Ellen White, Lt37–1894.12)

Did you suppose that God had commis-sioned you to take the burden of present-ing the visions of Anna Phillips, reading them in public, and uniting them with the testimonies the Lord has been pleased to give me? No, the Lord has not laid upon

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you this burden. He has not given you this work to do. (Ellen White, Lt103–1894.1)

Arthur White, in his biography of his grand-mother, gives the result of this letter to Jones:

W. M. Adams, who was a student of Bat-tle Creek College in 1894, has recounted his experience. He heard Elder Jones preaching in the Battle Creek Tabernacle. He intermingled some of the messages of Anna Phillips with those he read from the testimonies, and asked the congregation whether they did not hear the same voice in each. The people were left in confusion.

The next morning Adams was at the post office in the Review and Herald building, writing a postcard home. Jones came in and asked for his mail. He was handed a long envelope with Ellen White’s name in the return address. He dropped on the bench, tore the envelope open, and began

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to read. Adams reports that as Jones read, tears came to his eyes and dropped on the sheets.

Soon A. O. Tait came in, and Jones ad-dressed him: “Oscar, come here. Sit down. You heard me preach that sermon yester-day?”

“Yes,” replied Elder Tait

“Well, read this,” Jones said, as he handed him the testimony he had just re-ceived from Ellen White. After Tait had had time to read, Elder Jones asked, “Who told Sister White a month ago that I was going to preach that sermon about Anna Phillips as a prophetess?”

“Ah, you know, Alonzo,” Tait answered in his calm yet firm way.

“Yes, I do know. God knew what I was going to do, and He impressed Sister White a month before I preached the ser-

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mon to send the testimony that I am wrong. Look at that date.”

It was a thoughtful week for the brusque and ever-ready A. T. Jones. Adams re-ported that the next Sabbath he again preached in the tabernacle and that he read portions of the testimony he received Sunday morning. He said, “I am wrong, and I confess it. Now I am right.”—The Re-view and Herald, July 7, 1949. (Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Australian Years, pp. 128.5–129.5)

Arthur White gives us some further history on the matter:

Elder W. W. Prescott also became a sup-porter of Anna Phillips, but a few hours be-fore he was to address the students at Walla Walla College, intending to intro-duce some of her messages, he was handed a copy of a letter from Sister White dealing with the matter. It was the first to

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come to his attention, and he dropped his plans. S. N. Haskell, president of the Cali-fornia Conference, happened to be at Walla Walla at the time. He exclaimed as he wrote of the incident to Ellen White: “I have heard about testimonies coming just in season, but I never experienced such providence before.”—S. N. Haskell to EGW, March 31, 1894.

Ellen White was very careful in her ap-proach to both Miss Phillips and the two prominent ministers who gave her support. “Sister Phillips is not to be condemned and denounced” (Letter 4, 1893), she coun-seled, pointing out that others close to her were largely responsible by giving her en-couragement. Ellen White was concerned for Jones and Prescott, fearing that people would take advantage of the fact that they had been misled. She found it hard to un-derstand why neither of these men, along with Rice, had communicated with her be-

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fore supporting Anna Phillips. Of this she wrote:

“I have expected that some account of these matters would be sent to me, and that counsel would be asked, and thus the way would be opened for me to let the light from my past experience shine forth. But nothing has come to me, and now I have my commission to speak concerning these things. I am so sorry that brethren in whom our people have confidence should appear in any way to endorse these things that claim to be from God, when no real ground for faith has been given. It is a ter-rible mistake to present before the people that which we have not had unmistakable evidence is the revelation of God.—Ibid.”

As warnings became known to leaders in America, acknowledgments of being mis-taken were made, and tensions over the Anna Phillips work and writings subsided. On June 1, 1894, Ellen White wrote:

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“I have been much interested to under-stand more fully the true condition of Anna Phillips. I feel sorry for her. I feel sorry that our brethren have done her so great an injury as they have, by encouraging her in the work she has been doing. I feel sorry that Brother Rice has not followed the counsel of God. I have nothing but tender feelings toward her.

“I am indeed sorry both for Brother Prescott and Brother Jones. I have felt very anxious in regard to them both, but espe-cially in regard to Brother Jones, who is so ardent in his faith and does not manifest the caution he should in his statements by pen or voice. I did pray that these dear brethren would be so completely hid in Christ Jesus that they would not make one misstep.”

Heartfelt confession having been made, she could say:

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“I have more confidence in them today than I have had in the past, and fully be-lieve that God will be their helper, their comfort, and their hope. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth those who love and fear Him.”

She wrote assuringly, and sounded a warning to those who would be critical:

“I have the most tender feelings toward our brethren who have made this mistake, and I would say that those who depreciate the ones who have accepted reproof will be permitted to pass through trials which will make manifest their own individual weakness and defects of character.

“Brethren Jones and Prescott are the Lord’s chosen messengers, beloved of God. They have cooperated with God in the work for this time. While I cannot endorse their mistakes, I am in sympathy and union with them in their general work. The Lord sees that they need to walk in meekness

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and lowliness of mind before Him, and to learn lessons which will make them more careful in every word they utter and in ev-ery step they take.

“These brethren are God’s ambassadors. They have been quick to catch the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and have responded by imparting the heavenly light to others.—Letter 27, 1894.”

A prominent worker in Battle Creek made this observation on the effectiveness of Ellen White’s messages of warning:

“It was your testimony to Elder A. T. Jones which saved us from this terrible calamity. Nothing else could have accomplished that end. I tremble when I think how near the whole denomination came to being sold out bodily to the devil.—W. H. Littlejohn to EGW, March 25, 1894.”

When the word from Ellen White con-cerning her work came to Anna Phillips’

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attention, she heartily accepted the mes-sage and repudiated her claims. She be-came a trusted Bible instructor, and died after years of faithful service. (Ibid., pp. 129.6–131.5)

It was the testimony of Jesus, through Ellen White, that saved Jones, Prescott, the church at large, and even Anna herself from decep-tion. Carefully reread how God used tender yet firm words to help them. Sister White confidently stated God’s love for Jones and Prescott, calling them “the Lord’s chosen messengers, beloved of God.” Ellen White also wrote about her feelings for Anna Phillips: “I feel sorry for her. I feel sorry that our brethren have done her so great an injury as they have, by encouraging her in the work she has been doing” (Ellen White, The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1240).

Anna Phillips, to her credit, accepted the message of God’s established prophet and was subject to the prophet, as Paul noted in

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1 Corinthians 14:32, and she became a trusted worker for the Lord, giving years of faithful service.

Another interesting case is that of Margaret Rowen. Her claim to the prophetic office hap-pened after Ellen White died.

Margaret W. Rowen claimed to receive visions, and formed an alternative short-lived church, the Reformed Seventh-day Adventist Church (not to be confused with the much more significant Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement).

Rowen became an Adventist in 1912. She claimed to receive her first vision on June 22, 1916 which she shared with mem-bers of a prayer group at her South Side Los Angeles Church, gaining a small fol-lowing. Several church leaders, especially Dr. Bert E. Fullmer, supported her. A peri-odical The Reform Advocate and Prayer Band Appeal was printed. The Southern

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California Conference investigated the claims, but was originally inconclusive. She authored A Stirring Message for the Time (Pasadena, California: The Grant Press, 1918). In 1918, A. G. Daniells re-ported the investigators had concluded her visions were not of heavenly origin. The following year Rowen, Fullmer, a physi-cian, and at least two other ministers were disfellowshipped.

In 1920, a false document was planted by Fullmer (under Rowen’s directive) in the Ellen G. White Estate files in White’s home. Dated 1911 and supposedly written by White, it announced Rowen as a suc-ceeding prophetess. At its peak, the move-ment had around 1000 followers. Rowen gave several false predictions. Fullmer au-thored Bearing Witness (Los Angeles: The Reform Press, 1923). In 1925, Fullmer ad-mitted the fraudulent letter. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

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Prophecy_in_the_Seventh-day_Adventist_Church)

Rowen predicted Jesus would return on February 6, 1925. According to Herbert Dou-glass, “this failed prediction caused many fol-lowers to wonder, but many accepted her ex-planation—that she had misunderstood how long it would take Jesus to travel from heaven to earth” (Herbert Douglass, Messenger of the Lord, p. 534; accessed at https://m.eg-wwritings.org/en/book/656.4792#4797)

In the March 1926 issue of the Bearing Wit-ness, Fullmer presented his conclusion that Rowen was a fraud. This did not settle well with the false prophet because the next year she conspired unsuccessfully to murder Fullmer. Rowen served a one-year sentence in the San Quentin State Prison in California. This was the final straw to break the camel’s back of the Rowen movement. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_in_the_Sev-enth-day_Adventist_Church.)

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Phillips and Rowen are certainly not the only people who have falsely claimed the gift of prophecy within Adventism. During Ellen White’s life, there were Anna Garmire and Fanny Bolten, among others. In more recent years there have been claims from Jeanine Sautron, Ernie Knoll, Daisy Escalante, and David Koresh, among others. Looking at Phillips and Rowen, we see two very different cases. In the former we have a person who was deceived and yet honest in that decep-tion. When clearly confronted with the Spirit of God, Phillips surrendered her misunder-standings to the Spirit of truth. Rowen, on the other hand, only went farther from the Lord, as time progressed. She was not willing to be subject to the prophets, which, in effect, was not allowing herself to be subject to God.

The Bible teaches that the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation, at least, until the church has ripened to perfection just before the sec-ond coming.[15] This is the gift of prophecy,

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as well. Interestingly, in Revelation 16:5 the angel of the waters says that those receiving the plagues are worthy because they have “shed the blood of saints and prophets.” This is certainly an indication that prophets are living at the time just before the close of pro-bation. Does this mean that there will be prophets with a broad role like Ellen White again? Inspiration does not say how many or what degree of a role these servants will have, but it seems doubtful that we will see a prophet with the type of role as Ellen White.

Since we can expect to see this gift arise, we should not be surprised to see false mani-festations of it being counterfeited by Satan. It would be well, therefore, to consider the following counsels:

I have been shown many who will claim to be especially taught of God, and will at-tempt to lead others, and from mistaken ideas of duty they will undertake a work that God has never laid upon them. Confu-

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sion will be the result. Let everyone seek God most earnestly for himself that he may individually understand His will. (Letter 54, 1893.) (Ellen White, Selected Mes-sages, bk. 2, p. 72.1)

There will be those who will claim to have visions. When God gives you clear ev-idence that the vision is from Him, you may accept it, but do not accept it on any other evidence; for people are going to be led more and more astray in foreign coun-tries and in America.—(Ellen White, The Review and Herald, May 25, 1905; see also Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 72.2)

Did Ellen White claim to be a prophet-ess?

One final point that has caused some to question Ellen White’s role as a prophet will now be considered. On Sabbath, October 1, 1904, while preaching in the Battle Creek Tabernacle to an audience estimated at 2,500

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to 3,000 people and on the next day, Sunday, while speaking to about 2,000 people, Ellen White made remarks to the effect that she had never claimed to be a prophet.

I have had no claims to make, only that I am instructed that I am the Lord’s messen-ger; that He called me in my youth to be His messenger, to receive His word, and to give a clear and decided message in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Early in my youth I was asked several times, Are you a prophet? I have ever re-sponded, I am the Lord’s messenger. I know that many have called me a prophet, but I have made no claim to this title. My Saviour declared me to be His messenger. “Your work,” He instructed me, “is to bear My word. Strange things will arise, and in your youth I set you apart to bear the mes-sage to the erring ones, to carry the word before unbelievers, and with pen and voice to reprove from the Word actions that are

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not right. Exhort from the Word. I will make My Word open to you. It shall not be as a strange language. In the true elo-quence of simplicity, with voice and pen, the messages that I give shall be heard from one who has never learned in the schools. My Spirit and My power shall be with you.

“Be not afraid of man, for My shield shall protect you. It is not you that speaketh: it is the Lord that giveth the messages of warning and reproof. Never deviate from the truth under any circum-stances. Give the light I shall give you. The messages for these last days shall be writ-ten in books, and shall stand immortalized, to testify against those who have once re-joiced in the light, but who have been led to give it up because of the seductive influ-ences of evil.”

Why have I not claimed to be a prophet?—Because in these days many who boldly

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claim that they are prophets are a re-proach to the cause of Christ; and because my work includes much more than the word “prophet” signifies. (Ellen White, Se-lected Messages, bk. 1, p. 32.1–32.4)

So, while Ellen White never claimed the ti-tle of prophet, she never denied the role of a prophet, and, in fact, she said her work in-cluded much more.

Allen Stump[1]. According Jeremiah 17:9, that heart is “. . .

deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

[2]. Many Old Testament books begin with a state-ment of the prophet being sent with the words of God. For example: “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea” (Hosea 1:2). “The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1). “The word of the LORD that came to Micah . . .” (Micah 1:1). “Thus saith the LORD . . .” (Amos 1:3).

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[3]. We also find Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), and Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3) in the Old Testament.

[4]. In the New Testament we also see Anna (Luke 2:36).

[5]. Sometimes God would speak through the Urim and the Thummim, two stones in the high priest’s breastplate. “At the right and left of the breastplate were set two larger stones, which shone with great brilliancy. When difficult mat-ters were brought to the judges, which they could not decide, they were referred to the priests, and they inquired of God, who answered them. If He favored, and if He would grant them success, a halo of light and glory especially rested upon the precious stone at the right. If he disapproved, a vapor or cloud seemed to set-tle upon the precious stone at the left hand. When they inquired of God in regard to going to battle, the precious stone at the right, when cir-cled with light, said, Go, and prosper. The stone at the left, when shadowed with a cloud, said, Thou shalt not go; thou shalt not prosper” (Ellen White, The Story of Redemption, p. 183.2). Nei-ther the Bible nor Ellen White tell us which

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stone signified approval and which disapproval. However, the Hebrew word for Urim means flame or light, thus it may have been the stone of approval, while the Thummim would be the stone of disapproval. We know that Saul sought direction from the Urim (1 Samuel 28:6), though God did not use the Urim or Thummim to direct him. It is highly probable that many times early in his career that when David in-quired of the LORD he did it through the Urim and Thummim.

[6]. See Numbers 14:22; Deuteronomy 11:3; Exo-dus 7:9, and Deuteronomy 29:3.

[7]. Isaiah 6:1–5[8]. Jeremiah 31[9]. Such as Nathan to David: 2 Samuel 12:7[10]. Elijah at Mt. Carmel, 1 Kings 18[11]. See Hosea 8:5.[12]. Such as John the Baptist John 3:1–3[13]. See Revelation 12:17; 19:10; 16:4–6.[14]. The argument might be made that John did

not say literal father and literal son. No, he did not. Why, then, should we have to make this dis-tinction? It is because others try to introduce

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the concept of a symbolic relationship, which is not mentioned in the text. The relationship men-tioned in the text should be accepted for exactly what it says, unless there is a clearly stated rea-son why it should not be so stated.

[15]. See 1 Corinthians 1:6–8; Ephesians 4:11–13; 2 Timothy 4:7; 1 Corinthians 13:8–12.

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A Work of Reformby Allen Stump

Introduction: The following article utilizes concepts presented in the chapter “A Work of Reform,” pages 451–460 of the book The Great Controversy. This study is NOT in-tended to be a paraphrase of the chapter or in any way to take the place of it. The chapter in The Great Controversy focuses on the Sab-bath truth. It sets forth many spiritual princi-ples of truth and applies them to the Sabbath, and the lessons it teaches on the Sabbath are precious. The principles used are broad, how-ever, and can be applied to truths other than the Sabbath, including the truth about God and Christ.

The principles Ellen White presented in “A Work of Reform” are used in the following ar-ticle on the truth about God. In many cases, we present the principles using different words. In other cases, sentences and even

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whole paragraphs are used as written by Ellen White in The Great Controversy be-cause she stated the principles without specifically applying them to the Sabbath.

One of the common objections to the truth about God is that people say that they cannot see how the issue makes any difference or how it is important. We believe that the fol-lowing article will help to answer these con-cerns.

Allen StumpThe work of reform on the downtrodden

commandments of God is to be accomplished in the last days. While most of the professed Christian world accepts the greater part of the decalogue, there is confusion and even rebellion against the fourth commandment, which tells us to honor the seventh-day Sab-bath. This defiance against God’s law, how-ever, is not limited to the fourth command-ment. It is also manifested against the first commandment. The great prophecy of

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Ezekiel 8 shows the need for reform on the fourth commandment because the ministers of God’s professed people have their backs to the sanctuary, facing the sun and worshiping the sun. In addition, the prophecy also shows the women of Jerusalem weeping for Tam-muz, the false Christ of the Trinity.

That the prophecy of Ezekiel 8 applies in these last days is shown clearly by its rela-tionship to Ezekiel 9, where the seal of God is being placed upon the foreheads of only those who sigh and cry for the abominations of Ezekiel 8. “And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezekiel 9:4). This is further clarified by God’s last-day prophet who, when giving the setting of Ezekiel 9, writes:

Jesus is about to leave the mercy seat of the heavenly sanctuary to put on garments

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of vengeance and pour out His wrath in judgments upon those who have not re-sponded to the light God has given them. (Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 207.4)

Thus, the obligation of the all the command-ments, including the fourth and the first, ex-tends past the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ to the time when his ser-vants should preach to all nations the mes-sage of glad tidings.

The Lord, through Ezekiel, tells us that Sa-tan was once, “the anointed cherub that cov-ereth,” and God set him so. He “wast upon the holy mountain of God,” and he “walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” He “wast perfect in” his “ways from the day that” he “wast created, till iniquity was found in” him (Ezekiel 28:14, 15). And Isaiah reveals to us what Satan’s real ambition was, when he quotes Satan as saying: “I will as-cend into heaven, I will exalt my throne

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above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13, 14).

Isaiah refers us “to the law and to the testi-mony” (Isaiah 8:20). While conflicting doc-trines and theories abound, the law of God is the one unerring rule by which all opinions, doctrines, and theories are to be tested. Says the prophet: “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Ibid.).

Again, the command is given: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). It is not the wicked world but those whom the Lord designates as “my people” who are to be reproved for their transgressions. Isaiah declares further: “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did

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righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God” (Isaiah 58:2). Here is brought to view a class who think themselves righteous and who appear to manifest great interest in the service of God, but the stern and solemn rebuke of the searcher of hearts proves them to be trampling upon the divine precepts. They claim to know God but are ignorant that it is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 17:3).

The prophet, John, tells us that “it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many an-tichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18). John further defines the teaching of antichrist: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowled-geth the Son hath the Father also” (1 John

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2:22, 23; brackets in original). John also writes, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 9, 10). The truth about God and Christ was trodden down by the papal power, but the time has come for the doctrine of the Father and Son to be restored. Antichrist is to be brought down by the remnant preaching the truth about God and by exposing the false errors about the doctrine of the Trinity.

Adam and Eve knew their Creator. They knew that God created all things by his Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2). They were taught by angels that when God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gene-sis 1:26), that it was the Father speaking to his Son (Ellen White, The Story of Redemp-

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tion, page 20). Adam and Eve’s descendants would learn that the counsel of peace had been between the two of them—the Father and the Son (Zechariah 6:13), and, while God humbles himself to serve mankind, man is to have the greatest reverence for God. “Holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9). The “seraphim,” the heavenly temple’s “shining guardians, veil their faces in adoration . . . (Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p. 414.2).

From Eden to the present, the knowledge of God’s law, including the first commandment, has been preserved in the earth, including the knowledge of Jesus Christ being the Son of God. Though the “man of sin” succeeded in trampling underfoot the truth about God at the Councils of Nicea AD 325 and Con-stantinople AD 381; yet, even in the period of papal supremacy, there were hidden in secret places, faithful souls who honored God and his son. Though most of the reformers ac-

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cepted the doctrine of the Trinity, there were some who rejected this monstrous doctrine of Satan and, like Michael Servetus, were burned at the stake. Servetus’s last words were, “Jesus, Son of the Eternal God, have mercy on me.”

The history of truth is clear. There have been some in every generation to maintain the truth about God. Though often in the midst of reproach and persecution, a con-stant testimony has been borne to the truth about God. Especially does prophecy speak about the three kingdoms that were uprooted by the little horn of Daniel 7: the Heruli, Os-trogoths, and Vandals. These nations per-ished because their people rejected the doc-trine of the Trinity.

These truths, as presented in the Bible, are the heart of what Revelation 14:6 calls “the everlasting gospel.” These truths will distin-guish the church of Christ at the time of his appearing. The result of the threefold mes-

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sage being accepted is announced: “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, [all ten of them] and the faith of Jesus.” This message is the last to be given before the coming of the Lord. Immediately following its proclamation, the Son of man is seen by the prophet coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth.

Those who received the light concerning the sanctuary understood that there was a need for a priest to be their mediator in the heavenly sanctuary. Only one could fulfill this requirement, Jesus the Son of God. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timo-thy 2:5). With joy and wonder, believers in this truth found the Bible as a new book to them, as they saw the beauty and harmony of the system of truth that opened to their un-derstanding. They desired that the light which appeared to them so precious might be imparted to all Christians, and they could not

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but believe that it would be joyfully accepted, but truths that would place them at variance with the world were not welcome to many who claimed to be followers of Christ. Obedi-ence to the first commandment required they reject the doctrine considered the most or-thodox teaching in scripture, a sacrifice from which the majority drew back.

As the claims of the first commandment were presented, many reasoned from the worldling’s standpoint. They said: We have always believed the Trinity; our fathers be-lieved it, and many good and pious men have died happy while believing it. If they were right, so are we. The rejection of the Trinity would throw us out of harmony with the world, and we would have no influence over them. We would be called a cult, rejected as Christian! What can a little company keeping the first commandment hope to accomplish against all the world who believe the pagan/papal Trinity? These people forgot that Jesus

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said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fa-ther’s good pleasure to give you the king-dom” (Luke 12:32). Yet this little flock was despised and rejected and it was by similar arguments that the Jews endeavored to jus-tify their rejection of Christ. Their fathers had been accepted of God in presenting the sacrificial offerings, and why could not the children find salvation in pursuing the same course? In the time of Luther, papists rea-soned that true Christians had died in the Catholic faith (whose central doctrine is the Trinity) and, therefore, that religion was suf-ficient for salvation. Such reasoning proves to be an effectual barrier to all advancement in religious faith or practice.

Many urged that the Trinity had been an es-tablished doctrine and a widespread custom of the church for many centuries. Against this argument it was shown that the truth about God was more ancient and widespread, even as old as the world and before all creation

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and bearing the sanction both of angels and of God.

When God gave the greatest commandment he said, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:4, 5). Well may this truth demand our reverence. It was ordained by no human authority and rests upon no human traditions. It is the truth about the Ancient of Days and taught by his eternal word.

As the attention of the people is called to the subject of God and his only begotten Son, popular ministers pervert the word of God, placing such interpretations upon its testi-mony as would best hush inquiring minds. They try to redefine only begotten to mean unique and even use fake Catholic manuscripts that altered the Greek text to suit their purposes, and those who do not search the Scriptures for themselves are con-

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tent to accept conclusions that are in accor-dance with their desires. By argument, sophistry, the traditions of the Fathers, and the authority of the church many endeavor to overthrow the truth. Its advocates are driven to their Bibles to defend the validity of the first commandment. Humble men, like James White, J. N. Andrews, and Joseph Bates, armed with the word of truth alone, with-stood the attacks of men of learning, who, with surprise and anger, found their eloquent sophistry powerless against the simple, straightforward reasoning of men who were and are versed in the Scriptures rather than in the subtleties of the schools.

In the absence of biblical testimony in their favor, many of the popular ministers with un-wearying persistence urge: Why do not our great men understand this Godhead or divin-ity question? Few believe as you do. Almost all accept the Trinity. It cannot be that you are right and that all the men of learning in

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the world are wrong. They forget how the same reasoning had been employed against Christ and his apostles. They forget that Je-sus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13, 14).

To refute the trinitarian arguments it is needful only to cite the teachings of the Scriptures and the history of the Lord’s deal-ings with his people in all ages. God works through those who hear and obey his voice, those who will, if need be, speak unpalatable truths, and those who do not fear to reprove popular sins. The reason why God does not more often choose men of learning and high position to lead out in reform movements is that they trust to their creeds, theories, and theological systems and feel no need to be

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taught of God. Only those who have a per-sonal connection with the source of wisdom are able to understand or explain the Scrip-tures. Men who have little of the learning of the schools are sometimes called to declare the truth, not because they are unlearned, but because they are not too self-sufficient to be taught of God. They learn in the school of Christ, and their humility and obedience make them great. In committing to them a knowledge of his truth, God confers upon them an honor, in comparison with which earthly honor and human greatness sink into insignificance.

The majority of Adventists after the 1844 disappointment rejected the truths concern-ing the sanctuary and the law of God, includ-ing the seventh-day Sabbath and that Jesus is the literal Son of God. Even today we see modern-day Seventh-day Adventists renounc-ing their faith in the advent movement claim-ing that J. N. Andrews, Joseph Bates, James

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White, and even Ellen White were wrong, re-nouncing them to the point of even calling them as a group theological crackpots! One of the leading Adventist theologians and teachers stated, “Most of the founders of Sev-enth-day Adventism would not be able to join the church today if they had to subscribe to the denomination’s Fundamental Beliefs” (George Knight, Ministry Magazine, October 1993). These rejectors of truth have adopted unsound and conflicting views of God, at times teaching tritheism and at other times teaching the classical doctrine of the Trinity.[1]

When the Thessalonian church received er-roneous views concerning the coming of Christ, the apostle Paul counseled them to test their hopes and anticipations carefully by the word of God. He cited prophecies reveal-ing the events to take place before Christ should come, and showed that they had no ground to expect him in their day. “Let no

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man deceive you by any means” (2 Thessalo-nians 2:3) are his words of warning. Should they indulge expectations that were not sanc-tioned by the Scriptures, they would be led to a mistaken course of action. Disappointment would expose them to the derision of unbe-lievers. They would be in danger of yielding to discouragement and would be tempted to doubt the truths essential for their salvation. The apostle’s admonition to the Thessaloni-ans contains an important lesson for those who live in the last days, for the rest of the verse says: “For that day shall not come, ex-cept there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” We must know whom the man of sin is and what is his chief or central doctrine.

The preaching of the everlasting gospel of Revelation 14 was ordained by God. The key text states: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso-ever believeth in him should not perish, but

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have everlasting life” (John 3:16) would be so clear that any child could grasp the basic meaning, but its depths are so great that the redeemed will study it for eternity. Because most would reject the clear word of God for fables produced from seminaries controlled by the spirit of Satan, all would seem like peace and safety. Thus the Laodiceans will be led to rest in a false security, and many will not be undeceived until it is too late.

The history of ancient Israel is a striking il-lustration of the past experience of the Ad-ventist body. God led his people in the advent movement, even as he led the children of Is-rael from Egypt. In the great disappointment their faith was tested, as was that of the He-brews at the Red Sea. Had they trusted to the guiding hand that had been with them in their past experience, they would have seen the salvation of God. If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844 had received the third angel’s message and proclaimed it in

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the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood of light would have been shed upon the world. Years ago the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned, the closing work completed, and Christ would have come for the redemption of his people.

It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty years in the wilderness. God de-sired to lead his people directly to the land of Canaan and establish them there, a holy, happy people, but “they could not enter in be-cause of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19). Because of their backsliding and apostasy, they per-ished in the desert, and others were raised up to enter the Promised Land. In like man-ner, it is not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be so long delayed and that his people should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow, but unbelief has separated them from God. They have refused to do the work which he has appointed them,

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and others must be raised up to proclaim the message. In mercy to the world, Jesus gives sinners another opportunity to hear the warn-ing and find in him a shelter before the wrath of God shall be poured out.

Now, as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. “Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:20). As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the Scrip-tures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards, and with a malicious spirit they as-sail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth. It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages. Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic. Multi-

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tudes who are too unbelieving to accept the sure word of prophecy will receive with un-questioning credulity an accusation against those who dare to reprove fashionable sins. This spirit will increase more and more. And the Bible plainly teaches that a time is ap-proaching when the laws of the state will so conflict with the law of God that whosoever would obey all the divine precepts must brave reproach and punishment as an evil-doer. You see, some truths must be tested, but how can you test what is in the mind of a person? Only by their actions can they be judged or proved. There is no direct test to prove that one believes the truth about God, but the Sabbath, which has the seal of God, is a truth that can be tested by obedience, and God is going to allow the last great test to be great. “But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” or as other translations say, “shall stand firm and take action” (Daniel 11:32).

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In view of this, what is the duty of the mes-senger of truth? Shall he conclude that the truth ought not to be presented, since often its only effect is to arouse men to evade or to resist its claims? No, he has no more reason for withholding the testimony of God’s word because it excites opposition than had earlier reformers. The confession of faith made by saints and martyrs was recorded for the ben-efit of succeeding generations. Those living examples of holiness and steadfast integrity have come down to inspire courage in those who are now called to stand as witnesses for God. They received grace and truth, not for themselves alone, but that, through them, the knowledge of God might enlighten the earth. Has God given light to his servants in this generation? If so, they should let it shine forth to the world.

Anciently the Lord declared to one who spoke in his name: “The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hear-

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ken unto me.” Nevertheless he said: “Thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear” (Ezekiel 3:7; 2:7). To the servant of God at this time is the command addressed: “Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1).

As far as the opportunities extend, every-one who has received the light of truth is un-der the same solemn and fearful responsibil-ity as was the prophet of Israel, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: “Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from

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it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 33:7–9).

The great obstacle both to the acceptance and to the promulgation of truth is the fact that it involves inconvenience and reproach. This is the only argument against the truth which its advocates have never been able to refute. But this does not deter the true fol-lowers of Christ. These do not wait for truth to become popular. Being convinced of their duty, they deliberately accept the cross, with the apostle Paul counting that “our light af-fliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” and with one of old “esteem-ing the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt” (2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 11:26).

Whatever may be their profession, it is only those who are world servers at heart that act from policy rather than principle in religious

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things. We should choose the right be-cause it is right, and leave the conse-quences with God. To men of principle, faith, and daring, the world is indebted for its great reforms. By such men the work of re-form for this time must be carried forward. Thus saith the Lord:

Hearken unto Me, ye that know right-eousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear ye not the reproach of men, nei-ther be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but My righteousness shall be forever, and My sal-vation from generation to generation. (Isa-iah 51:7, 8). ?

[1]. Tritheism teaches there are three separate beings who are each God and their oneness is that of purpose and character but not of sub-stance. The classical doctrine teaches that God is one substance with three persons or as the Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology

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states, “. . . three individual centers of intelli-gence and action” (p. 150).

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2019 WV Camp Meeting June 11–15

Talk of the wondrous love that he has manifested toward fallen man. Dwell upon the theme of salvation. (Ellen White, The Review and Herald, August 7, 1888, par. 14)

The West Virginia camp meeting is soon to come, and, while this is not the last call, we do not want you to miss this great event. The theme is “Dimensions of Salvation.”

In the contemplation of this great theme of salvation we see Christ’s work. Not only the promised gift of the Spirit, but also the nature and character of this sacrifice and intervention are subjects which should cre-ate in our hearts elevated, sacred, high ideas of the law of God, which holds its claims upon every human agency. The vio-lation of that law in the small act of eating

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of the forbidden fruit, brought upon man and upon the earth the consequence of dis-obedience to the holy law of God. The na-ture of the intervention should ever make man afraid to do the smallest action in dis-obedience to God’s requirement. (Ellen White, Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 234.1)

Further, we are told that there is still much to understand:

Although great and talented authors have made known wonderful truths, and have presented increased light to the peo-ple, still in our day we shall find new ideas, and ample fields in which to work, for the theme of salvation is inexhaustible. The work has gone forward from century to century, setting forth the life and charac-ter of Christ, and the love of God as mani-fested in the atoning sacrifice. The theme of redemption will employ the minds of the redeemed through all eternity. There will be new and rich developments made mani-

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fest in the plan of salvation throughout eternal ages. (Ibid., p. 403.2)

Plenty of camping space is available at Smyrna, and we have showers and toilet fa-cilities, as well. A fellowship meal will be pro-vided on Sabbath afternoon. While open fires are not allowed in the camping area, camp stoves are permitted.

Please bring your Bible and all the temporal things you will need. We have a limited sup-ply of sleeping bags and camping supplies for those who lack them and cannot acquire them. If you need some of these things, please contact us early to reserve them.

Almost each year we have from five to fif-teen people who come early to help us set up camp and to experience an extra weekend of spiritual blessing. If you would like to come and help, please let us know, and we will do all we can to make your stay as nice as possi-ble.

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For more information please call (304) 732–

9204 or email at a1844preacher@icloud.com.

Allen Stump

Tentative Camp Meeting Schedule

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Youth’s Corner — Among the Big Nambus

People(Part 2 of Chapter 16 of Cannibals and

Head-Hunters of the South Seas by Charles H. Watson, published in 1926 by the Review and Herald Publishing Association.)

In recent months Mr. C. H. Parker, the fear-less pioneer missionary to the Big Nambus savages of Malekula, but who for some years had been absent from the group, has again visited the Malekulan tribes. For a time he found it difficult to approach them on terms of warmth, for they seemed suspicious and distant. But after repeated efforts he was able to write of a changed attitude on the part of the people, and his heart was cheered by the cordiality of both chief and people. They were all very talkative, and he was able to get close to their hearts once more.

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The new chief, Malun Vanovau, permitted him to meet his old-time friend, Nikambat, the old cannibal leader who was king of the tribe at the time of Mr. Parker’s first visit to them in 1915.

And what a meeting was that! As the old savage again met his friend, he threw his arms around him and affectionately em-braced him. His extreme friendliness be-trayed itself in a number of ways, and at last, as Mr. Parker was preparing to leave, both Nikambat and Malun Vanovau brought each a yam of the special sort that is grown by them for use in connection with worship of their ancestors. This was a special token of friendship, and as he turned to leave them they both pressed him to visit them fre-quently.

Mr. Parker’s journeys along the coasts of Malekula and into the territory of the Bush-men are always full of interest, never failing to reveal the daring with which our mission-

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aries carry on their work for these cannibal races.

At one place where he had been received with friendliness some years before, he and Mr. Nicholson called a short time ago, but found the men grouped in a suspicious way from the beach far back into the jungle. Each had his rifle tightly clasped and ready for in-stant action. Their fierce and threatening gestures and their attitude of murderous readiness clearly revealed the savagery of their mood, but nothing daunted, unarmed and unprotected, these intrepid men walked unhesitatingly toward them.

In the face of such heroism the spirit of sav-agery wavered in the hearts of those wild warriors, and in response to Mr. Parker’s friendly words of greeting a shout of welcome went up from the would-be murderers. With evident gladness they were led into the town, and when leaving were earnestly invited to come again.

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A matter of much importance arose when a young Matanavat man stole a girl from our Tonmiel Mission. Our Tonmiel people went to Matanavat and endeavored to bring back the girl. The Matanavat people, however, refused to give her up, and prepared for war.

Mr. Parker and Mr. Nicholson, learning of the difficulty, hastened to the Matanavat vil-lage, and tried to reason with the man who had stolen the girl. He refused to hear them, declaring that he would never give the girl up. He wished to fight. Indeed, the whole vil-lage was in a fighting mood, and came with muskets on the cock and ready for shooting.

The missionaries made every effort to influ-ence the chief, but he met all their entreaties with the unvarying plea, “I have no power.” They well knew that the affair was being closely watched by the fierce Bushmen of the inland tribes, and much hung upon the way that the matter would he settled. If the girl was returned to the mission, two towns

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would then and there decide for the worship, believing the gospel to he stronger than the musket. Should the savages keep the girl, they would conclude that the gospel was powerless to help them, and consequently they would remain in their savage hea-thenism.

With so much depending upon the issue of this matter, the missionaries earnestly be-sought God for such help as would make de-liverance so manifest that no question of the gospel’s power would remain in the minds of the heathen.

Time passed, and still the natives who had stolen the girl remained defiant and threaten-ing. Our Tonmiel natives, though feeling keenly this defiant and insulting attitude on the part of their enemies, were restrained as by some unseen power from shooting. This was surely the work of God, for no other power could stay the wrath of a Malekulan.

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Naturally enough, the experience was dis-couraging to the mission people, but through it all they remained firm and steady, loyally refusing to be led into any course that would betray them into any transgression of God’s law. The Bushmen, however, became still more active. They tried to waylay our people at Tonmiel while they were going and return-ing from their church, which is about a quar-ter of a mile distant in the old village. In this they failed. When our people returned for the evening service, they found all the school slates, pencils, and Picture Rolls taken from the church. Going along the road a little way, they found these broken and torn to pieces. Later, some parts of the Picture Rolls were found in their gardens. The sail of the boat was cut in pieces and taken.

Of course all this had a very disquieting ef-fect upon our people. Added to this, the Bush-men threatened that they would kill both peo-

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ple and missionary, and burn the town to the ground.

Just at this time Mr. Parker, with Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Smith, who had been visiting Atchin, arrived at Tonmiel. It was dark as they neared the place. Mr. and Mrs. Smith went ashore at once to plan to have their goods taken up to the house. On Mr. Smith’s return he told the news of what the Bushmen had done, and that the people were very much wrought up over it. While he and Mr. Parker were talking, they heard high words on the beach, then the report of a gun. They knew that it was not an enemy, as it was the chief talking. He was really talking for Mr. Parker’s benefit. It was to the effect that he did not want the missionary and his wife; that he did not want their things landed; that they were to stay on the boat. Some of his men took Mrs. Smith aside and told her that the chief was merely talking. When he had fin-ished, he would be all right again.

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This proved to be true. The next morning when Mr. Parker spoke to him, he was glad that the missionaries had returned, and was willing to do anything for them. He admitted that his talk was for Mr. Parker, as he was feeling resentful about the girl whom the Matanavat people had stolen from the mis-sion, and because they had not been able to get her back. Now the Bushmen had broken the school slates and pencils, and had torn up the Picture Rolls, besides making their threats. But he said, “It is all finished now. I want the missionary.”

They now looked trustingly to Mr. and Mrs. Smith for help, and prayed that it might speedily be given.

Just at this time the matter reached the ears of the British Commissioner at his dis-tant headquarters, and realizing that impor-tant results would follow this seemingly small affair, he sent a government party over to Malekula for the purpose of making an inves-

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tigation. In face of this manifestation of inter-est on the part of the government, the defi-ance of the savages yielded, and the girl was quickly restored to the mission.

All through her trying experience she had remained true to her Christian principles, and had consistently resisted all attempts to involve her in heathen rites and in the wor-ship of devils. On being returned to the mis-sion, she said, “I was like a tree that was try-ing to grow, but was being strangled by a thick vine entwining it; but now that the gov-ernment has declared me free, it is as if some one has cut the vine, and I am able to grow again.”

This was a great victory for the gospel. For almost a year the girl had been held in captiv-ity, and during all that time the mission na-tives had been held steadily from resorting to old tribal methods of settling such a matter. In the days before they had come under the influence of the missionary, war would have

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waged from the time the girl had been stolen, many lives would have been lost, and much cannibal feasting would have been indulged in. But through the change that the gospel had wrought in these erstwhile savages, not a shot had been fired, and not a single deed of violence had been done by them because of this affair, and this, too, in face of the most insulting and provoking defiance of their rights.

Not long ago the full import of this victory was revealed, when a large gathering of tribal representatives convened for the pur-pose of proclaiming peace with those who un-til recently were at war.

Missionary Smith was unable to attend this meeting. Having injured his leg, he was not equal to walking the long distance to the meeting place. With earnest prayer that God would there work on the hearts of the sav-ages for the advancement of His cause among them, Mr. Smith sent his natives to

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meet the fierce inland warriors, and then in his own disabled condition awaited their re-turn. What would be their influence in that important council? What would be its results to mission work? Would peace result, or would the old hatreds and feuds revive, and war instead of peace settle on the land? These and a hundred other questions crowded the mind of the crippled missionary as he waited.

But at last the Tonmiel men returned to tell, not only that there was to be no more fight-ing, but that the tribes that had been at war and that had been so strenuously opposing the work of God, now desired to connect with the mission.

In humble thankfulness the missionary prayed for the presence of the Holy Spirit to come in fullest measure, that this enlarged opportunity might not pass unimproved. In all the uttermost of their need the savages of Malekula were coming to God, and he was

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the only missionary among them. “Nothing,” said he, “is more certain than that this is the time to make a supreme effort for these can-nibal savages, and, God helping me, I will not fail Him at such a time.

“It is wonderful how God has overruled in thus finishing the fighting that for four years has kept this people in great fear. For years they have lived in dread of the surrounding Bushmen, who take life by wholesale mea-sures. Now there is a definite understanding that the fighting is finished. For this I do sin-cerely praise the Lord.

“I believe the very Bushmen who have been so busy in this cannibal killing and feasting will soon be seeking to find life instead of to take it. Until now our work has been much circumscribed, but we expect soon to enter doors of opportunity which have remained locked. Through the Tonmiel people we hope to reach all the surrounding Malekula tribes. O that we might wrest Malekula from the

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power of Satan, and present its people, now the most wretched cannibals, faultless before the presence of Christ!”

Mr. and Mrs. Smith were soon to discover that such a movement on the part of the sav-ages toward Christianity would be strongly opposed by those in whose hearts cannibal devilism was more deeply intrenched. While the influence of the gospel had made a de-cided gain, the opposition to the worship be-came more determined.

In course of time Mr. and Mrs. Smith moved from Tonmiel to Malua Bay. At this station their lives were often in great danger. On one occasion upwards of one hundred men surrounded the mission station with the very decided intention of wiping out the whole mission family and destroying every vestige of the mission.

These men came down from the Big Nam-bus people, having been incensed by what

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they thought was the attitude of some of our natives. In their heathenism they do not stop to reason, but quickly, and very often ground-lessly, become angered.

Trouble sprang up when the Big Nambus tribe of which Tinambat is chief, shot and in-jured the father of the man who gave us the land for our mission. This man had just cleared land preparatory to joining the mis-sion village when the shooting occurred.

The spirit of revenge was immediately stirred, and ten other tribes were hired to fight against Tinambat, he in his turn hiring still others. In a very brief space of time he found himself completely surrounded by his enemies, and under necessity of warring for his life.

Making an open boast that he would “finish up” the mission and the missionaries and take their house for his own, he directed his power against the mission.

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This of course threw the mission village into a condition of armed watchfulness, and the Malua Bay people guarded their town night and day. All worship was now con-ducted in daylight, and every precaution was taken to prevent Tinambat’s warriors from at-tacking the mission by stealth.

In the midst of this trouble the missionaries wrote: “We have no fears. We are of good courage in the Lord. It is apparent that Satan through these savage fellows is making a supreme effort to check the work of God, but we rejoice at the manifest spread of gospel influence among the wild cannibal tribes. Tinambat may now seek our lives and our property, but at the close of this trouble there will be a much larger number of the people on the Lord’s side. We must not take our eyes off our Leader during this struggle.”

All this time the Tonmiel people were dis-playing a rare devotion to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Though separated from them by some

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distance, they were continually on the watch and ready to render assistance whenever needed. Their love for the Smiths very unex-pectedly revealed itself on one occasion, and because of the character of the happening it was the more encouraging to the missionar-ies.

One Sabbath morning just before meeting time, Mr. Smith observed Joe, the Am-brymese teacher, accompanied by a large number of Tonmiel men, very cautiously ap-proaching the mission home at Malua Bay. Wondering at the visit and the manner of the men, Mr. Smith called to them, asking them why they had put their canoes in the water so early in the morning. They responded with shouts of joy, and hastily explained that in the dark hours of the morning they had heard very distinctly a volley of musketry, and all were positive that the shooting had taken place at Malua Bay. Fearing that the mission had been attacked, they had come with all

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haste, and were overjoyed to find the mis-sionaries alive and unmolested. They greatly feared that the worst had happened.

It is seldom that a native mistakes the di-rection of sound, but on this occasion they were happily deceived. The thing that they feared was a momentary possibility; and the fact that these fierce warriors, so recently changed by the power of the gospel, had been weeping and wailing over the supposed death of their beloved missionaries, brought closer to the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Smith the realization that benighted though these cannibal savages are, they have hearts that, when once touched by the power of the gospel, feel deeply and very tenderly for those whom God has sent to bring them light and peace through the gospel.

One very pleasing feature of the work for the Malua Bay cannibals is the fearlessness of those who have recently been, as it were, the target for the enemy. One man in another

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part of the island, who has decided to accept Christianity and has been influencing others to do the same, has literally stood before the loaded musket in his missionary endeavors. More than once his life has been threatened, but he has been wonderfully protected.

A chief who gave the command to shoot two of our men, died himself the next day. Proba-bly the Lord permitted this in order that oth-ers may fear to do as he did. Many of the peo-ple look upon his death as a stroke from God, as he was resisting the work of the Lord. The native brother and the Ambrymese teacher who was with him, when asked if they were afraid when the muskets were pointed at them and it seemed that their earthly career had ended, replied, “No, no, we not afraid.”

Now we are told that the leading chief from that district is coming to the mission, and that he has already begun to get a house ready. Thus advancement is made, notwith-standing the opposition of the adversary.

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We now have three native teachers on west Malekula, occupying the territory where our late beloved comrade, Norman Wiles, pio-neered the work. At Matanavat, where he and his wife first settled on Malekula and there endured much in order that the work of God should begin and the reign of unbridled sav-agery cease, the natives are again hearing the gospel preached, and very encouraging are both the results and the prospects of fu-ture growth.

At Malua Bay, not far from where our brave Brother Wiles built the house in which he died so tragically among the Big Nambus cannibals, Mr. and Mrs. Smith are carrying on a work that is bringing the people of the Bush villages from their highland homes down to the mission near the sea beach. And very promising indeed is the outlook from this point of entrance to the untamed and un-entered regions of the interior. To be contin-ued

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The CassowaryIf you crossed an emu, an ostrich, and a di-

nosaur you might be close to the cassowary bird. The cassowary is the third largest flight-less bird and is considered the most danger-ous bird in the world. Cassowaries are tall, up to six feet, and weigh up to 130 pounds for females and 100 pounds for males. There are three varieties of cassowaries—the northern, the southern, and the dwarf. They are all shy birds that are found in the deep forest.

Cassowaries’ bodies are jet black in color but their heads are brightly colored with a keratinous skin-covered casque on their heads that grows with age. The casque can be up to seven inches in height.

The cassowary runs through the forests in which they live with lowered heads, and the casque may help deflect foliage. The casque

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may also protect the head by deflecting fall-ing fruit.

It also has been speculated that the casques play a role in either sound recep-tion or acoustic communication. This is re-lated to a discovery that at least the dwarf cassowary and southern cassowary pro-duce very-low frequency sounds, which may aid in communication in dense rain-forest. The “boom” vocalisation that cas-sowaries produce is the lowest-frequency bird call known and is at the lower limit of human hearing. A cooling function for the very similar casques of guineafowl has been proposed. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary#cite_note-HuffPost_04-2019-4; accessed on May 5, 2019)

A notable feature of the cassowary is its dagger-like talons. The cassowary has three long sharp talons on each foot, which are up to five inches long and are sharp as razors. When a cassowary attacks, it raises these

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talons to about waist height on a human and they kick powerfully enough to disembowel a person. On Friday, April 12th of this year, a man was killed by a cassowary on his prop-erty near the city of Alachua, Florida. The man raised these exotic birds for sale. It ap-pears he fell and then was attacked by the cassowary.

The southern cassowary

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Cassowaries live in the humid rainforests of New Guinea and nearby smaller islands and in Queensland, Australia. Cassowaries eat mostly fruit but are omnivores and will eat flowers, fungi, snails, insects, frogs, birds, fish, rats, mice, and even carrion. Cas-sowaries will stay near a tree while it is drop-ping fruit to defend it from other cassowaries until the fruit is gone. They eat their food whole, including items as large as bananas and apples.

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Cassowary talons

Cassowary birds can jump up to seven feet into the air, and they are excellent swimmers.

The cassowary’s breeding season starts in May and continues to June. The nest is pre-pared by the male. The females lay three to eight large bright green or pale green-blue eggs in each clutch. The female is now done with her part. The male will be the one who

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sits upon the eggs for fifty to fifty-two days, incubating them. He will then be responsible for feeding the chicks the next nine months. The lifespan for cassowaries is forty to fifty years.

Cassowaries tend to be solitary birds. The males will tolerate other males within limits, but the females will not tolerate other fe-males. Cassowaries which live in captivity must “be kept in separate enclosures because of their solitary and aggressive nature. Terri-toriality is one of their most important char-acteristics” (Ibid.).

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Northern cassowary

While there are many interesting things to learn about the cassowary, their isolationist lifestyle is not one for Christians to exem-plify. God made man a social creature, de-signed to have fellowship and to be around other humans. The Bible says that “the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” (Exodus 33:11), and Jesus called his disciples “friends” (John

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15:14). Proverbs 17:17 says “a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adver-sity.”

Dwarf cassowary

David wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1)! He knew something of this from his famous friendship with Jonathan, whom “he loved . . . as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:3) and whose love he de-

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scribed as “wonderful, passing the love of women” (2 Samuel 1:26).

While we are to make no friendship with angry men or with the world (Proverbs 22:24; James 4:4), we are to befriend God’s people and by so doing, we gain the social contact that God designed for men to have.

While God has created humans to be social, they are not to put the trust of their salvation in humans but only in God. Micah 7:5 says: “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confi-dence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” Job, sadly, did not receive encouragement from his three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Like Isaiah, let us say, “Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4). ?

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Delicious Vegetable Soup1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, cut in half1 lb. frozen mixed vegetables1 lb. frozen broccoli2 cans kidney beans1 large onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 T basil1 T minced onion3 “Not-beef Bouillon Cubes” or “Garden Veg-gie Bouillon Cubes,” manufactured by Ed-ward & SonsAdd enough water to cover the contents.

Bring the soup to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for twenty-five min-utes.

Thanks to Tammy Trent for sharing!

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Publisher InformationOld Paths is a free monthly newsletter/study-paper published monthly by Smyrna Gospel Ministries, 750 Smyrna Road, Welch WV 24801-9606. U.S.A. It is sent free upon re-quest. The paper is dedicated to the propaga-tion and restoration of the principles of truth that God gave to the early Seventh-day Ad-ventist pioneers. Duplication is not only per-mitted, but strongly encouraged. This issue, with other gospel literature we publish, can be found at our web site. The url is: http://www.smyrna.org. Phone: (304) 732-9204. Fax: (304) 732-7322.

Editor: ...................................... Allen Stump

Associate Editor: ...................... Onycha Holt

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