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The Publishing Ministry
power of God that has ever been seen. But God was not honored.
The testimonies of His Spirit were not heeded. Men did not separate
from the practices that were in decided opposition to the principles of
truth and righteousness, which should ever be maintained in the Lord’s
work.
The messages to the church of Ephesus and to the church in Sardis
have been often repeated to me by the One who gives me instruction
for His people....
We are seeing the fulfillment of these warnings. Never have scrip-
tures been more strictly fulfilled than these have been.—
Testimonies
for the Church 8:97-99
. (See also
Testimonies for the Church 8:91-93
.)
Neglect a Cause for Review and Herald Fire—Since the last
General Conference held in Battle Creek [in 1901], I have carried a
very heavy burden, because I have keenly realized the great lack in the
publishing plant there. For weeks I did not sleep past twelve o’clock.
This was before the plant was burned. Light was given me that the
spiritual blindness manifested by those connected with this institution
was caused by their neglect to do a thorough work of confession and
repentance, with contrition of soul seeking the Lord most earnestly. I
was instructed that there was so manifest a disregard of the Word of
God, given in the testimonies of His Holy Spirit, that the Lord would
turn and overturn, visiting Battle Creek with His judgments.—
Letter
[173]
37, 1903
. (See also
Testimonies for the Church 8:91-93
.)
Failure to Prepare Missionary Workers—Again and again tes-
timonies were given in regard to the principles that were coming in
to leaven the publishing house. And yet, though the messages kept
coming that men were working on principles which God could not
accept, no decided change was made. The apprentices in the office
were not given the advantages that they should have had. They were
not being prepared to go as missionaries into various places, as they
might be called. They were not being prepared to stand as God’s
representatives. The influence of the office was not what it should have
been. God declared that this institution should be a sacred place, that
angels of God were walking up and down through it. The words of
contradiction spoken in the office, and the general irritation shown,
were condemned. He designed that it should be a school where work-
ers should be trained to uphold the principles that God had ordained
should ever be maintained by His people.—
Manuscript 20, 1903
.