534
Evangelism
strong drink. There is an inspiration, but not of God. The mental
faculties are perverted. Let every soul make God his trust and obtain
an experience that is wholesome and healthy.—
Manuscript 41, 1900
.
In the Fire or in the Water—There is a class of people who
are always ready to go off on some tangent, who want to catch up
something strange and wonderful and new; but God desires us all to
move calmly, considerately, choosing our words in harmony with the
solid truth for this time. The truth should be presented to the mind as
free as possible from that which is emotional, while still bearing the
intensity and solemnity befitting its character. We must guard against
encouraging extremists, those who would be either in the fire or in the
water.
I beseech you to weed out of your teachings every extravagant
expression, everything that unbalanced minds and those who are in-
experienced will catch up and which will lead them to make wild,
immature movements. It is necessary for you to cultivate caution
in every statement, lest you start some on a wrong track, and make
confusion that will require much sorrowful labor to set in order, thus
diverting the strength of the laborers into lines which God does not
design shall be entered. One manifestation of fanaticism among us will
[612]
close many doors against the soundest principles of truth.—
Undated
Manuscript 111
.
Sacred Truth Dishonored by Excitement—We need to be
thoughtful and still, and to contemplate the truths of revelation. Ex-
citement is not favorable to growth in grace, to true purity and sanctifi-
cation of the Spirit.
God wants us to deal with sacred truth. This alone will convince
the gainsayer. Calm, sensible labor must be put forth....
God calls upon His people to walk with sobriety and holy consis-
tency. They should be very careful not to misrepresent and dishonor
the holy doctrines of truth by strange performances, by confusion and
tumult. By this unbelievers are led to think that Seventh-day Adven-
tists are a set of fanatics. Thus prejudice is created that prevents souls
from receiving the message for this time. When believers speak the
truth as it is in Jesus, they reveal a holy, sensible calm, not a storm of
confusion.—
Manuscript 76a, 1901
.
False Teachers Misplace Prophecy—In our day as in Christ’s
day, there may be a misreading and misinterpreting of the Scriptures.