Early Fanaticism to be Repeated
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these is to bring confusion of mind and discouragement and lack of
faith to God’s people....
Whenever I have been called to meet fanaticism in its varied forms,
I have received clear, positive, and definite instruction to lift my voice
against its influence. With some the evil has revealed itself in the form
of man-made tests for ascertaining a knowledge of the will of God; and
I was shown that this was a delusion which became an infatuation, and
that it is contrary to the will of the Lord. If we follow such methods,
we shall be found aiding the enemy’s plans. In times past certain
among the believers had great faith in the setting of signs by which
to decide their duty. Some had such confidence in these signs that
men went so far as to exchange wives, thus bringing adultery into the
church.
I have been shown that deceptions like those we were called to
meet in the early experiences of the message would be repeated, and
that we shall have to meet them again in the closing days of the work.
At this time we are required to bring all our powers under the control
of God, exercising our faculties in accordance with the light He has
[29]
given. Read the fourth and fifth chapters of Matthew. Study
Matthew
4:8-10
; also
Chapter 5:13
. Meditate upon the sacred work that was
carried forward by Christ. It is thus that the principles of the Word of
God are to be brought into our labors.—
Letter 36, 1911
.
Maintaining Propriety In Deportment
After the passing of the time in 1844, fanaticism came into the
ranks of Adventists. God gave messages of warning to stay the in-
coming evil. There was too great familiarity between some men and
women. I presented to them the holy standard of truth that we should
reach, and the purity of deportment that we should maintain, in order
to meet the approval of God and be without spot or wrinkle or any
such thing. Most solemn denunciations from God were given to men
and women whose thoughts were running in an impure channel, while
they claimed to be especially favored of God; but the message God
gave was despised and rejected....
We are not out of danger even now. Every soul who engages to
give to the world the message of warning will be sorely tempted to
pursue such a course in life as will deny his faith.