44
A New Life (Revival and Beyond)
False “Tongues” Identified in 1864
A spirit of fanaticism has ruled a certain class of Sabbathkeepers
there; they have sipped but lightly at the fountain of truth and are
unacquainted with the spirit of the message of the third angel....
Some of these persons have exercises which they call gifts and say
that the Lord has placed them in the church. They have an unmeaning
gibberish which they call the unknown tongue, which is unknown not
only by man but by the Lord and all heaven. Such gifts are manufac-
tured by men and women, aided by the great deceiver. Fanaticism,
false excitement, false talking in tongues, and noisy exercises have
been considered gifts which God has placed in the church. Some have
been deceived here....
Fanaticism and noise have been considered special evidences of
faith. Some are not satisfied with a meeting unless they have a powerful
[49]
and happy time. They work for this and get up an excitement of feeling.
But the influence of such meetings is not beneficial. When the
happy flight of feeling is gone, they sink lower than before the meeting
because their happiness did not come from the right source. The
most profitable meetings for spiritual advancement are those which
are characterized with solemnity and deep searching of heart; each
seeking to know himself, and earnestly, and in deep humility, seeking
to learn of Christ....
There are wandering stars professing to be ministers sent of God
who are preaching the Sabbath from place to place, but who have truth
mixed up with error and are throwing out their mass of discordant
views to the people. Satan has pushed them in to disgust intelligent
and sensible unbelievers. Some of these have much to say upon the
gifts and are often especially exercised. They give themselves up to
wild, excitable feelings and make unintelligible sounds which they call
the gift of tongues, and a certain class seem to be charmed with these
strange manifestations. a strange spirit rules with this class, which
would bear down and run over anyone who would reprove them. God’s
Spirit is not in the work and does not attend such workmen. They have
another spirit. [
Testimonies for the Church 1:411-414
.]
The world will not be converted by the gift of tongues, or by the
working of miracles, but by preaching Christ crucified. [
Testimonies
to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 424
.]