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286
Early Writings
the Advent Christian Church, a small body, and the Seventh-day
Adventists
.
Only a few among the Adventists maintained their confidence
in the fulfillment of prophecy in 1844, but those who did stepped
forward into the third angel’s message with its Seventh-day Sabbath.
Of the experience at that critical period Ellen White later wrote:
“Had Adventists, after the Great Disappointment in 1844, held
fast their faith, and followed on unitedly in the opening providence
of God, receiving the message of the third angel and in the power
of the Holy Spirit proclaiming it to the world, they would have seen
the salvation of God, the Lord would have wrought mightily with
their efforts, the work would have been completed, and Christ would
have come ere this to receive his people to their reward
.
“But in the period of doubt and uncertainty that followed the
Disappointment, many of the Advent believers yielded their faith.
Dissensions and divisions came in. The majority opposed with voice
and pen the few who, following in the providence of God, received
the Sabbath reform and began to proclaim the third angel’s message.
Many who should have devoted their time and talents to the one pur-
pose of sounding warning to the world, were absorbed in opposing
the Sabbath truth, and in turn, the labor of its advocates was neces-
sarily spent in answering these opponents and defending the truth.
Thus the work was hindered, and the world was left in darkness.
Had the whole Adventist body united upon the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus, how widely different would have been
our history!”—
Selected Messages 1:68
.
Pages 42-45:
Open and Shut Door
.—As Mrs. White discussed
the great Advent movement and the Disappointment of October 22,
1844, in
The Great Controversy
and referred to the positions taken
immediately after the disappointment, she makes mention of the
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inevitable conclusion that was held for a short time that “the door
of mercy was shut.” But as she states, “clearer light came with the
investigation of the sanctuary question.” See “Historical Prologue” in
this volume and
The Great Controversy, 429
, and the entire chapter
“In the Holy of Holies,” pages 423-432
.
Concerning her own personal relationship to this matter, she
wrote in 1874 that she “never had a vision that no more sinners
would be converted.” Nor did she ever teach this view. “It was the