Spiritual Gifts
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creeds be received, they shut out the gifts. The second angel’s message
brought the Adventists from the creed-bound churches, where they
could be reached by the gifts, be united and prepared for the coming
of the Lord.
4. When we consider the great apostasy of the church, the cor-
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ruption of her pure doctrines, and her sojourn of 1260 years in the
wilderness, we are not surprised that we do not find on the pages of
her sad history any clearer records of the manifestation of spiritual
gifts. We would here call attention to a work compiled by Eld. M.
E. Cornell, entitled “Miraculous Powers,” in which may be found
testimonies from not only the eminently pious, but from many of the
learned, and from some of the most reliable historians, fairly represent-
ing the faith of the church upon the subject of spiritual gifts. We do
not rely upon the testimony of men as proof of our position; but after
being established in the doctrine of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts
from the plain testimony of God’s word, it is a matter of unspeakable
joy to find that on this vital doctrine our faith is in harmony with the
good, the humble, and the prudent, ever since Christ said to his first
ministers, “These signs shall follow them that believe.”
Infinite wisdom has doubtless withheld them to a great extent lest
Satan take advantage of the ignorance and weakness of the people of
God, and push them over into fanaticism. Many who have supposed
that they were favored with manifestations of the spirit of God, have
regarded themselves as being quite out of danger. They soon became
lifted up with pride in spiritual things, and were Satan’s easy prey.
If it was necessary that Paul should have a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan, to buffet him, lest he become exalted through the
abundance of revelations with which he was favored, it is a reasonable
conclusion that all who seek to walk with God, and share all the
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spiritual blessings of the Christian age, are also in danger of exaltation
and the wiles of the devil. If he can push one such to extremes and
fanaticism, he disgraces the vital part of Christianity, and gains a
greater victory than in holding a hundred souls in cold formality. The
history of Luther, the Wesleys, and others, who by the power of a living
faith led the church from the dark shades of error and formality to a
clearer light, proves the necessity of the mind’s being well balanced
with caution. And he who sees no need of caution here is not far from
some delusive snare of Satan. But in walking softly and humbly before