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carry them out themselves. They have had repeated testimonies which
they have utterly disregarded. The course of such is not consistent.”
“I saw that many have taken advantage of what God has shown in
regard to the sins and wrongs of others. They have taken the extreme
meaning of what has been shown in vision, and then have pressed it
until it has a tendency to weaken the faith of many in what God has
shown, and also to discourage and dishearten the church.
Danger in Criticizing the “Testimonies”
In a recent dream I was brought before an assembly of people,
some of whom were making efforts to remove the impression of a
most solemn testimony of warning that I had given them. They said:
“We believe Sister White’s testimonies; but when she tells us things
that she has not directly seen in vision in the particular case under
consideration, her words are of no more account to us than the words
of any other person.” The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I arose
and rebuked them in the name of the Lord.
Now if those to whom these solemn warnings are addressed say,
“It is only Sister White’s individual opinion, I shall still follow my own
judgment,” and if they continue to do the very things they were warned
not to do, they show that they despise the counsel of God, and the result
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is just what the Spirit of God has shown me it would be—injury to the
cause of God and ruin to themselves. Some who wish to strengthen
their own position will bring forward from the Testimonies statements
which they think will support their views, and will put the strongest
possible construction upon them; but that which questions their course
of action, or which does not coincide with their views, they pronounce
Sister White’s opinion, denying its heavenly origin and placing it on a
level with their own judgment.
And now, brethren, I entreat you not to interpose between me and
the people, and turn away the light which God would have come to
them. Do not by your criticisms take out all the force, all the point
and power, from the Testimonies. Do not feel that you can dissect
them to suit your own ideas, claiming that God has given you ability to
discern what is light from heaven and what is the expression of mere
human wisdom. If the Testimonies speak not according to the word
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Testimonies for the Church 5:669, 670