Beware of Any Time Setting
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setting, June 21, 1851. Preserve carefully.” I opened it, and this is what
I found. It reads:
“A copy of a vision the Lord gave Sister White, June 21, 1851, at
Camden, N.Y. The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that
it must not be hung on time; for time will never be a test again. I saw
that some were getting a false excitement, arising from preaching time,
that the third angel’s message can stand on its own foundation, and
that it needs not time to strengthen it, and that it will go with mighty
power, and do its work, and will be cut short in righteousness.
“I saw some were making everything bend to this next fall; that is,
making their calculations, and disposing of their property in reference
to that time. I saw that this was wrong for this reason: instead of going
to God daily, and earnestly desiring to know their present duty, they
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looked ahead, and made their calculations as though they knew that
the work would end this fall, without inquiring their duty of God daily.
E. G. White.
“Copied at Milton, June 29, 1851, A. A. G.”
This was the document I came upon last Monday in searching over
my writings, and here is another which was written in regard to a man
who was setting time in 1884, and sending broadcast his arguments
to prove his theories. The report of what he was doing was brought
to me at the Jackson [Michigan] camp meeting, and I told the people
they need not take heed to this man’s theory; for the event he predicted
would not take place. The times and the seasons God has put in His
own power. And why has not God given us this knowledge?—Because
we would not make a right use of it if He did. A condition of things
would result from this knowledge among our people that would greatly
retard the work of God in preparing a people to stand in the great day
that is to come. We are not to live upon time excitement. We are not to
be engrossed with speculations in regard to the times and the seasons
which God has not revealed. Jesus has told His disciples to “watch,”
but not for a definite time. His followers are to be in the position of
those who are listening for the orders of their Captain; they are to
watch, wait, pray, and work, as they approach the time for the coming
of the Lord; but no one will be able to predict just when that time will
come; for “of that day and hour knoweth no man.” You will not be