FALSE REVIVALS AND A REMARKABLE VISION
By George I. Butler
ADVENT EXPERIENCE—NO. 11.
FALSE REVIVALS AND A REMARKABLE VISION.
Having thoroughly canvassed the position held by the early believers in reference to the “shut door,” we have demonstrated beyond all question, by documents written by leading men at the time, and by the testimony of living witnesses, that their views of the subject only excluded those who had rejected the light. We will now close this series of articles by considering one or two more interesting points which strongly corroborate the views of the “shut door” held by our people in the past. If the views of Seventh-day Adventists are right, relative to the change of ministration since the close of the prophetic period in 1844, the nature of the work of our great High Priest since then, and the effect of the rejection of light upon those who have spurned the precious truth of Christ’s soon coming, then we should naturally expect to see some evidences of this in the religious experience of that class. We should not expect to see among those who rejected light, the same evidences of God’s presence as before. Have we seen any striking change of this nature in the religious world? We answer most decidedly, Yes. There is no intelligent, candid person who will attempt to deny that a surprising change has taken place within the last forty years. Account for it as we may, the fact is too evident to be disputed. A wonderful change has occurred in the spiritual condition of the popular churches. A worldly tendency is observable everywhere. Fashion, worldliness, love of display, covetousness, love of pleasure, novel reading, lack of reverence for the Bible, and many other practices inconsistent with primitive Christianity abound. Old-fashioned religion is at a discount. There is a spirit of “liberality” prevalent, which is so generous that it can accept almost anything which claims to be religious, whether it bears the marks of Bible religion or not. But we wish briefly to notice modern revivals in this connection. They are in marked contrast to those of our fathers’ time. There is a lack of seriousness, depth of penitence, contrition of soul, humbling of the heart, confession of sin, such as were seen in other days. Hence the work accomplished is mostly very superficial in character. The law of God is not preached very much. Therefore the old carnal mind is not destroyed. With many the work is mostly of an emotional character; hence its effects soon pass away. This peculiarity in modern revivals, so different from the earnest, serious reformations of the advent movement and the previous experience of the believers in the first message, struck their minds as a fulfillment of prophecy. These converts were “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,” having the form of godliness, without the power. 2 Tim. 3:4, 5. They were “strange children” whom a “month should devour.” Hosea 5:7. How wonderfully this has been illustrated in these last-day revivals. Some sensational preacher is engaged, whose chief power lies in telling affecting stories to stir the sympathies of his hearers; and having arranged his forces of attack by urging and pressing many come forward to the anxious seat, and it takes but little change to constitute these converts. But where are they soon, when the excitement of feeling is worn off? Just where they were before, only a little more hardened. This process has to be repeated each winter; and oftentimes the same persons are “converted” in this manner over and over, but never really converted at all. These movements many times disgust reasonable, sensible people. They are in reality but a caricature of religion, a veritable counterfeit. We do not say all revivals of the present day are of this class. Mr. Moody’s and some others are in some respects an exception, although it is a well-known fact that quite a number of clergymen of high standing in the popular churches doubt the benefit, in the long run, of even the revival work of Mr. Moody. But a small proportion of converts remain and give evidence of being stanch, fervent Christians. However, it is well known that his methods are much less objectionable than those of many others. The Scriptures teach that there is to be a strange condition of things in the religious world in the last days. On the one hand the form of godliness will prevail (2 Tim. 3:5), “and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Matt. 24:12. There will be little genuine faith and earnestness. Luke 18:7, 8. They will be crying, Peace266 and safety, just before sudden destruction comes upon them. 1 Thess. 5:3. And at the same time Satan will be “transformed into an angel of light,” and will, if it were possible, deceive the very elect. He will work “with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness;” and “some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” Also these “having the form of godliness” shall withstand the truth as the magicians of Egypt, “Jannes and Jambres, withstood Moses.” This all know was through an opposing miracle-working power. Satan will carry his work so far that he will even perform the great miracle which Elijah wrought as evidence of his being a prophet of God; he will bring down “fire from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” Yea, and these spirits of devils working miracles will lead the kings of the earth and the whole world, so great will be their power over them just before the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Matt. 24:24; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:5, 8; Rev. 13:13; 16:13. Such a state of society and religion as all these scriptures indicate, can only be brought about gradually; first, by lowering the religious standard to a worldly one and filling the churches with a motley crowd of worldly, pleasure-loving professors; and, secondly, by Satan’s commencing to show his power, and gradually assuming a religious garb, till his spirit is mistaken for the Spirit of the Lord. Then with his counterfeit work he can deceive the world as never before. And who that closely examines the religious movements of the present time, and carefully notes their tendency, can doubt that the process here indicated is already well advanced? Religious life is even now so near the worldly standard, that we can hardly tell the difference between the two. Spiritualism is already known all over the world. It is exhibited in kings’ courts, petted by the great statesmen of the earth, and is rapidly clothing itself in a respectable, religious garb. We wish to introduce extracts from a remarkable vision of Mrs. E. G. White, given her in Topsham, Me., March 24, 1849, and published in The Present Truth of August, 1849, page 21. She first speaks of the change of the ministration of Christ in 1844, the open and the shut door, and the present test upon the Sabbath question; and states that those who had lived up to the light they had and died before the Sabbath question had been brought out in the third message, were “asleep in Jesus.” She speaks of the sealing time, and says that Satan is using every device “to keep the people’s minds from this present sealing truth.” “I saw a covering that God was drawing over his people to protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was decided on the truth, and was pure in heart, was to be covered with the covering of Almighty God. Satan knew this, and was at work in mighty power to keep the minds of as many as he possibly could, unsettled and wavering on the truth. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York and other places was the power of Satan; and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb to lull the deceived to more security, and to draw the minds of God’s people, if possible, to those things, and cause them to doubt the teachings and power of the Holy Ghost.” “I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers who have rejected the truth, and are given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they might be damned. While they were preaching or praying, some would fall prostrate and helpless; not by the power of the Holy Ghost, no, no; but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents and through them to the people. Some professed Adventists who had rejected the present truth, while preaching, praying, or in conversation, used mesmerism to gain adherents; and the people would rejoice in this influence, for they thought it was the Holy Ghost. And even some that used it were so far in the darkness and deception of the Devil that they thought it was the power of God given them to exercise. They had made God altogether such an one as themselves; and had valued his power as a thing of naught.” “Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of some of the saints; those that they could not deceive and draw away from the truth by a satanic influence. Oh! that all could get a view of it as God revealed it to me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan, and be on their guard. I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, deceive, and draw away God’s people just now in this sealing time. I saw some who were not standing stiffly for present truth. Their knees were trembling and their feet were sliding; because they were not firmly planted on the truth, and the covering of Almighty God could not be drawn over them while they were thus trembling.” “Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were until the sealing was past, and the covering drawn over God’s people, and they left out, without a shelter from the burning wrath of God, in the seven last plagues.” “God has begun to draw this covering over his people, and it will very soon be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will work in power for his people; and Satan will be permitted to work also.” “I saw that the mysterious signs and wonders and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me, were not reformations from error to truth; but from bad to worse; for those who professed a change of heart, had only wrapped about them a religious garb which covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some appeared to have been really converted, so as to deceive God’s people; but if their hearts could be seen, they would appear as black as ever.” “My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it; for the time for their salvation is past.” August 24, 1850, she was shown “that the ‘mysterious rapping’ was the power of Satan. Some of it was directly from him and some indirectly through his agents, but all proceeded from Satan.” “I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak against the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, that Satan’s power would increase, and some of his devoted followers would have power to work miracles, and even to bring down fire from heaven in the sight of men. I was shown that by the rapping and mesmerism, these modern magicians would yet account for all the miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that many would believe that all the mighty works of the Son of God when on the earth, were accomplished by this same power.” We have given these lengthy extracts that the reader may have a clear view of the nature of these remarkable statements. And we shall be greatly mistaken if every candid mind does not see a most remarkable fulfillment of these statements already; while everything shows that those portions not yet fulfilled are very near it. The view given evidently covers the whole time of the sealing work, reaching to the close of probation. Satan uses “every device in this sealing time, to keep the minds of God’s people from the present sealing truth.” The covering “God was drawing over his people was to protect them in the time of trouble.” This does not come till probation closes. Satan was at work “to distract and deceive in this sealing time.” He was trying his every “art to hold them until this sealing was past.” This covering which God will draw over his people will “protect them in the day of slaughter.” There can then be no question but her view reached from the time it was given to the close of probation. It embraces three special points of great importance: 1. The Sabbath reform under the third message, which is to seal the people of God; 2. The counterfeit work of Satan seen in Spiritualism, mesmerism, etc., manifested through Satan’s agents, and ministers and others who have rejected the light; 3. A great number of false reformations, which would “increase and spread,” and which would evidently result in bringing the masses where Satan could work through them in the last final struggle between the work of God and the powers of evil. We need not speak of the first point, the great Sabbath reform. We have spoken of that sufficiently in previous articles. Upon the second we might say much. This first view, given in March, 1849, was but a few months after the first appearance of what were known as the “Rochester knockings,” first manifested in Hydesville, near Rochester, N. Y., in the Fox family, in 1848. The whole matter at that time was thought to be a humbug, something soon to pass away. We do not believe an intelligent, prominent person could have been found who would have dared at the time to become responsible for such a statement as this of Mrs. White’s. It had attracted some attention as something strange. Learned committees were engaged in investigating the cause of the strange manifestations connected with the Fox girls, their feet upon pillows to see if the rappings continued, that they might thus ascertain whether or not the noises were occasioned by the motion of the bones of the limbs; committees examined their dresses to see if implements were concealed in them, etc., etc. Accounts of investigations were published in the N. Y. and other papers at that time. No one dreamed Spiritualism could make the stir it has since.267 Yet then and there Mrs. White, on the strength of this vision, made these plain statements, which years have wonderfully corroborated. Since then spiritual seances have been held in the presence of President Lincoln, Queen Victoria, the Emperor of Russia, Louis Napoleon, Bismarck, Gladstone, all the great men of Europe. It has extended to every part of the world, and numbers many millions of adherents. It is adapting itself more and more to the final work which God’s word has said it would do. Thus far this vision has proved exactly true; other statements are to be fulfilled. It has been thought blasphemy to speak against it; it has not yet called fire down from heaven in the sight of men. This shows that the vision has not been fulfilled in all the particulars stated. And what a wonderful evidence have we of its truthfulness in regard to revivals since this vision was published. These are in striking contrast to old-fashioned revivals of our fathers. The official work everywhere prevalent, was clearly told in 1849. They have indeed “increased and spread.” Most of them are “not reformations from error to truth,” but mere emotional excitement, soon to pass away. Many of those who profess a change of heart have only covered themselves with a “religious garb” for the time being, and their lives show out the “iniquity of a wicked heart.” No one can doubt that large numbers of these professed converts pass through these experiences with hearts as “black as ever.” There is a lack of that travail of soul for sinners which used to be seen, in nearly all modern revivals. No wonder the Lord’s angel could not see it in vision, for we know it exists in these modern movements. Many of the laborers who have rejected light, spurn the law, scoff at the soon coming of Christ, call God’s people “infidels,” and hate the last message with perfect hatred. How could we expect them to feel a burden of soul for sinners, a longing for the salvation of those not saved, which is called a travail of soul like the pains of childbirth? Such intense desire is not to be expected among those who have rejected light, for the time of their salvation is past. Those here who were professing to work for sinners, but had no travail of soul, were evidently those who rejected the light. God did not own them in their labors. This expression has been seized upon by enemies with great avidity, and used perhaps more than any other to prove that Mrs. White believed and taught a “shut door” which forever excluded the unconverted since 1844. It is the last resort of those who oppose the visions. They say she taught that there was no salvation for sinners, and hence the visions are unreliable. One mistake, they say, condemns them all; they are false and entitled to no credit whatever. Many a poor soul has thus made shipwreck of his faith, giving up the plain teachings of the Bible concerning the coming of Christ, the messages, the sanctuary, the Sabbath, and other precious truths, because they suppose that Mrs. White saw in 1849 that there was no salvation for any sinner from that time forward. But this vision which opposers claim is unreliable, and also use as an argument against all of Mrs. White’s visions, we present as a strong evidence of their truthfulness. We regard it as a most striking and convincing testimony showing that she must have had light from God or she could not have made such predictions as are contained in it, which thirty-five years of eventful history have demonstrated as true. Who could have guessed, in 1849, that Spiritualism would become one of the most startling movements of the world, making millions of converts, and striking the minds of the greatest statesmen, philosophers, and scientists with astonishment? Nothing of the kind had been seen for ages. No one dreamed of such a thing. Who could have expected that we should see such kind of revival work as has since become so common? For centuries it had not in any such form as we have since beheld. These forces have been active in bringing about a state of things in the religious world, causing the world and the church to come into close contact, preparing both for the great developments of deception soon to take place. This prediction of 1849 by a then obscure woman, outlined these things most clearly; and no man can dispute their truth. That vision strikingly portrayed the religious characteristics of popular Christianity from that date till the close of probation; and the fulfillment is becoming clearer year by year. But did it teach that there is no salvation for any sinner from that time forward? We answer emphatically, No. Her own explanation of the meaning of the language, “The time for their salvation is past,” is contrary to the signification which opposers attach to it. A few years later, in the “Supplement to Experience and Views,” p. 2, she applies this language to those who had heard and rejected the light of the third message. “Having rejected the advent, and given over to the delusions of Satan, the time for salvation is past. This does not, however, apply to those who have not heard and rejected the doctrine of the second advent.” Who should know better than the writer the meaning of the language used? She is a witness whose truthfulness has never been impeached, though she has been before the public forty years. Those who know her best have the most confidence in her word and work. But that construction which opposers give to these words is entirely contrary to the testimony of her own work and labors before and at the time the words were written. We have abundantly proved that she and her husband had labored for unconverted persons previous to 1849, and have given testimony of individuals most familiar with her, showing that she taught that the probation of none was closed except those who had rejected light. She taught differently. Her public labors and her writings perfectly agree in this respect. And the language of this vision itself, when rightly construed, teaches the same thing. Satan was working “through ministers who had rejected the light, and were given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they all might be damned.” Some used mesmerism to gain adherents. Some were “in the darkness and deception of the Devil,” and they thought mesmerism “was the power of God.” “Satan was trying every art” to hold the people from the truth, using of course those agents to do this till the sealing was past. She “saw that the mysterious signs and wonders and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations which were shown me were not reformations from error to truth; but from bad to worse. . . . My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it; for the time for their salvation is past.” We have quoted this as published in the Present Truth. A few words were omitted when it was compiled in the “Experience and Views.” They do not, however, in any way change the sense. The passage objected to by opposers was not omitted; so there could have been no design to suppress what some might have considered an objectionable passage. What is the subject of discourse in this vision? Plainly Satan’s efforts to counterfeit the work of God through agents who had rejected the light of truth. He gets up false reformations for this purpose. By mesmerism and Satanic cunning he tries to hold under his influence those whom the truth would otherwise reach. He uses these false revivals for this object. “The reformations which were shown” Mrs. White says were of this class. Let the reader mark well this point. This language is very definite. It plainly implies that the reformations shown her in this vision were only of one class,—false revivals. She says nothing about reformations in general; and not a word to show there were no genuine reformations in the world, nor a hint to indicate the impossibility of true revivals. Indeed, her language would naturally imply that there might be other reformations than those mentioned. If, as opposers say, she taught that no sinners could be saved, why did she not say all reformations were of this false character? No; she says, “The reformations shown me” were of this class, as if there might be others of a different class not shown her. Her view is only confined to a corrupting work, which was to prevail extensively in connection with the closing work of God and opposed to it; and she was not shown here any other. The angel calls special attention to the lack of travail of soul for sinners among this class of workers who had rejected light. The reason for this lack was that the time for “their salvation was past,” because they had rejected light. They had closed their probation as did the Pharisees who rejected John the Baptist’s preaching. Satan was now using them. They are the class principally spoken of in the vision. The language might also be fairly construed to include a class of sinners who had rejected light, who might be affected by this deceptive influence. Indeed, this would be a reasonable supposition. The rejection of light at Christ’s first advent is a perfect illustration of a similar work just before his second advent. The scribes and Pharisees and leading men first rejected John the Baptist and Christ. The Devil worked through them to deceive the masses, many of whom would not receive the light because the leaders did not. They became their willing tools, and Satan led leaders and people to a common ruin because they rejected light. So this vision represents it in the last message. Satan uses the ministers to bring about false revivals among the class of sinners who follow their example in rejecting light. The time of the salvation of both these classes is past. This view is not to be confined to 1844 or a few years thereafter. It covers all the time till probation closes. These false revivals will be seen more and more till the end, mingled with bogus sanctification and a perfection outside of obedience to God’s law. We shall see such manifestations of Satan’s power as this world has never beheld. These movements will be seen in connection with those who hate God’s law, and reject the doctrine of Christ’s soon coming. Yes, we believe with all our hearts the time of the salvation of such “is past.” We shall see many evidences of the truthfulness of this statement, which our opponents cavil at, as the end draws near. Men who turn away from the truth turn unto fables. They “receive not the love of the truth;” hence God “gives them over to strong delusions, to believe a lie,” that they all may be damned. Such become Satan’s special agents as leaders and followers. Thus we see this expression applies to a special class of ministers and common sinners, who have rejected the truth of God. In conclusion we wish to express gratitude to God for the light given in this vision so many years ago. It most clearly portrays grand truths, which the succeeding years have demonstrated beyond question. Every word in it either has been fulfilled or is fast fulfilling. The only trouble has been, we as a people have not taken broad enough views of its meaning. And now, as we close this series of articles, we can but praise God for his care over this work. We have nothing to be ashamed of in the early part of its history. It is wonderful how God led the pioneers. We need not fear the most rigid investigation or the closest scrutiny concerning the character of their work. It has stood the test of the bitterest opposition hitherto, and will to the end; for God has superintended it from the beginning. Dear reader, let us be faithful to it till its consummation. G. I. B.