There is a strain of spiritualism coming in among our people, and it will undermine the faith of those who give place to it, leading them to give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Errors will be presented in a pleasing and flattering manner. The enemy desires to divert the minds of our brethren and sisters from the work of preparing a people to stand in these last days.
I am instructed to warn our brethren and sisters not to discuss the nature of our God. Many of the curious who attempted to open the ark of the testament, to see what was inside, were punished for their presumption. We are not to say that the Lord God of heaven is in a leaf, or in a tree; for He is not there. He sitteth upon His throne in the heavens. . .
I am instructed to say that there is nothing in the Word of God to substantiate your spiritualistic theories. Will you not renounce these theories at once and forever? Upon them your mind has been dwelling for a long time, but they have had no sanctifying, refining ennobling influence upon your life. The Lord has not use for these theories, and He would not have His people vindicate or propagate them.
The Father, the omniscient One, created the world through Christ Jesus. Christ is the light of the world, the way to eternal life. He, the anointed One, God gave to make an atonement for the sins of the world. You need to understand that unless you believe in that atonement, and know that you are bought with the price of the blood of the only begotten Son of God, you will assuredly be bound up with the wicked one. If you continue to cherish the theories that you have been cherishing, you will be left to become the sport of Satan's temptations. He is playing the game of life for your soul. Remain for a little longer linked up with him, and be assured that you will lose your soul. . . .
You have followed the enemy step by step, striving to look into mysteries too high and holy for your comprehension. Then in your teaching the Holy One has been brought down to man's scientific, spiritualistic ideas. You have been walking in crooked paths. You have lost the moral image of God. But there is hope for you. You may still turn your feet into the right path. . . .
Whatever your associates may say concerning this book, I take the position now and forever that it is a snare. No union will be formed by our people as a whole upon the theories that you have begun to present in that book. You may regard this forever decided. As a people we shall stand firm on the platform that has withstood test and trial. We shall hold to the sure pillars of our faith. The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only foundation. They have made us what we are.
These new, fanciful theories are fascinating and misleading. They endanger the eternal interests of the soul. The Scriptures do not sustain them. Clothed with the Christian armor, shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, we shall stand firm against these misleading theories. You may turn and wrest the word of God to your own destruction, but I entreat you not to do this. . .
Ever since I was seventeen years old, I have had to fight this battle against false theories, in defense of the truth. The history of our past experience is indelibly fixed in my mind and I am determined that no theories of the order that you have been accepting shall come into our ranks. . . . --Letter 253, 1903, pp. 4-11, 13. (To J. H. Kellogg, November 20, 1903.) 4MR pp. 57-60
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Those who seek to remove the old landmarks are not holding fast; they are not remembering how they have received and heard. Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift without an anchor. Ye Shall Receive Power p. 235
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VOLUME 8 WAS PUBLISHED TO MEET A CRISIS--THE GREATEST CRISIS WHICH THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH HAS EVER FACED. THE URGENCY OF THE MATTER IS EVIDENCED IN THAT THE BOOK CAME FROM THE PRESS IN MARCH, 1904, FIFTEEN MONTHS AFTER VOLUME 7 WAS PUBLISHED. . .
NEAR THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, CERTAIN OF THE WORKERS OF THE DENOMINATION, AND ESPECIALLY THE LEADER IN THE MEDICAL MISSIONARY INTERESTS, ESPOUSED CERTAIN TEACHINGS CONCERNING THE PERSONALITY OF GOD WHICH WERE QUITE OUT OF HARMONY WITH THE CLEAR TEACHINGS OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE POSITIONS OF THE CHURCH. . .
THESE PANTHEISTIC VIEWS ENVISIONED GOD NOT AS A GREAT PERSONAL BEING RULING THE UNIVERSE, BUT RATHER AS A POWER, A FORCE, SEEN AND FELT IN NATURE AND PERVADING THE VERY ATMOSPHERE. CONFUSING THE POWER OF GOD WITH HIS PERSONALITY. . .
THROUGH THE WINTER OF 1902-03 THE MOVEMENT GAINED MOMENTUM. THEN THE PROBLEM BECAME ACUTE WITH THE PUBLICATION OF A BOOK ON PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE WRITTEN IN POPULAR STYLE, IN WHICH THE LEADING PHYSICIAN OF THE DENOMINATION SET FORTH THESE VIEWS IN A SUBTLE WAY. . .
A FEW MONTHS LATER, IN THE AUTUMN OF 1903, MRS. WHITE WAS INSTRUCTED IN VISION TO MEET PROMPTLY AND SQUARELY THE PANTHEISTIC DOCTRINES AND TO POINT OUT THE DANGERS OF THE ACCOMPANYING SPECULATIVE AND SPIRITISTIC TEACHINGS...
THROUGH THE WINTER OF 1902-03 THE MOVEMENT GAINED MOMENTUM. THEN THE PROBLEM BECAME ACUTE WITH THE PUBLICATION OF A BOOK ON PHYSIOLOGY AND HYGIENE WRITTEN IN POPULAR STYLE, IN WHICH THE LEADING PHYSICIAN OF THE DENOMINATION SET FORTH THESE VIEWS IN A SUBTLE WAY. . .
A FEW MONTHS LATER, IN THE AUTUMN OF 1903, MRS. WHITE WAS INSTRUCTED IN VISION TO MEET PROMPTLY AND SQUARELY THE PANTHEISTIC DOCTRINES AND TO POINT OUT THE DANGERS OF THE ACCOMPANYING SPECULATIVE AND SPIRITISTIC TEACHINGS...
THE CRISIS WAS MET, AND THE CHURCH WAS SAVED. NO HUMAN POWER ALONE COULD HAVE PRESERVED THE CHURCH IN THIS CRISIS. Preface in Testimonies for the Church Vol. 8 pp. 5-7
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"Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature." Selected Messages Book 1 p.197
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"Living Temple contains the alpha of these theories. I knew that the omega would follow in a little while; and I trembled for our people. I knew that I must warn our brethren and sisters not to enter into controversy over the presence and personality of God. The statements made in Living Temple in regard to this point are incorrect." Selected Messages Book 1 p. 203
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"The world is full of speculation and false theories regarding the nature and character of God. The enemy of our souls is earnestly at work to introduce among the Lord's people pleasing speculation, and incorrect views regarding the personality of God . . . .
I have seen the results of these fanciful views of God, in apostasy, spiritualism, freelovism. The free love tendencies of these teachings were so concealed that it was difficult to present them in their real character. . . ." Manuscript Releases Vol. 8 p. 304
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"The spiritualistic theories regarding the personality of God, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy." SpTB02 p. 54
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