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rank and root out the precious seeds of truth. Error must first be rooted
up, then the soil is prepared for the good seed to spring up and bear
fruit to the glory of God.
The only remedy for the East is thorough discipline and organiza-
tion. 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. Nothing
can be done for this class until their fanatical views are corrected.
Some who were in the 1854 movement have brought along with them
erroneous views, such as the nonresurrection of the wicked, and the
future age, and they are seeking to unite these views and their past
experience with the message of the third angel. They cannot do this;
there is no concord between Christ and Belial. The nonresurrection of
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the wicked and their peculiar views of the age to come are gross errors
which Satan has worked in among the last-day heresies to serve his
own purpose to ruin souls. These errors can have no harmony with the
message of heavenly origin.
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. The fruits of all this have not been good. “Ye shall
know them by their fruits.” Fanaticism and noise have been considered
special evidences of faith. Some are not satisfied with a meeting unless
they have a powerful 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.
Brother Lunt of Portland, Maine, has suffered much in his feelings.
He has felt that the spirit which often ruled in their meetings was
not in harmony with the message of the third angel. He has had an