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Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:28
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John, the last survivor of the twelve apostles of Jesus, was a
prophet. In the closing book of the Bible, he tells of the visions
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that were given him while he was in banishment on the isle of Patmos.
In recording these visions he declares them to be “the revelation of
Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants
things which must shortly come to pass;” and he says that Christ “Sent
and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare record
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all
things that he saw.”
Revelation 1:1, 2
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Disappearance During the Great Apostasy
The scriptures foretell a great apostasy, which even in the days of
the apostles had begun to manifest itself among certain false brethren
in the church, and which finally was to develop into a “falling away,”
and the revelation of “that man of sin, ... the son of perdition,” of
whom Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7
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In fulfillment of these predictions, it is a matter of historical record
that following the death of the last of the apostles of Jesus, some
members of the Christian church began to depart from the simplicity
of the truth as taught by Christ; and gradually these church members
were led to unite with the world in heathen practices.
As the years passed by, and the church increased in numbers and
in popularity, there were many who became less and still less strict in
their obedience to Bible teaching, until finally, in the fifth and sixth
centuries after Christ, the greater number of those who claimed to be
Christians were in reality not living in harmony with the teachings of
Christ. For many centuries thereafter an apostate form of Christianity
held sway. The truth was suppressed and lost sight of, and ignorance
prevailed.
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These centuries of apostasy are correctly designated in history the
“Dark Ages.” During this time attempts were made to alter or to set
aside many of the fundamental teachings of the Bible. Under these
circumstances, it is not surprising that, in such a time, as likewise