Sermon Tone Analysis

Truth Does Not Fear Close Investigation

The King James Version Apocrypha (Chapter 4)

Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fig

Investigation of Doctrine—There is no excuse for anyone in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error.

The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible.

Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair.

No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.

We are living in perilous times, and it does not become us to accept everything claimed to be truth without examining it thoroughly; neither can we afford to reject anything that bears the fruits of the Spirit of God; but we should be teachable, meek and lowly of heart.

There are those who oppose everything that is not in accordance with their own ideas, and by so doing they endanger their eternal interest as verily as did the Jewish nation in their rejection of Christ.

The Lord designs that our opinions shall be put to the test, that we may see the necessity of closely examining the living oracles to see whether or not we are in the faith.

Many who claim to believe the truth have settled down at their ease, saying, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing."—The

Review and Herald, December 20, 1892.

CW 35.2 - CW 36.1

Truth is eternal, and conflict with error will only make manifest its strength.

We should never refuse to examine the Scriptures with those who, we have reason to believe, desire to know what is truth.

Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing?

The only right way would be to sit down as Christians and investigate the position presented in the light of God's word, which will reveal truth and unmask error.

To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true.

If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time that we knew it.

There must be no spirit of Pharisaism cherished among us.

TM 107.2

MR No. 1470—Doctrines to Be Investigated; Unity to Be Sought

20MR 223

(Written May 24, 1910, from Sanitarium, California, to Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell.)

I have been waiting for the time when there should be an investigation of the doctrines that Brother Daniells and others have been advocating.

When is this to be? 20MR 223.1

If Elder Daniells thinks that some of the interpretations of Scripture that have been held in the past are not correct, our brethren should listen to his reasons, and give candid consideration to his views.

All should examine closely their own standing, and by a thorough knowledge of the principles of our faith, be prepared to vindicate the truth.

20MR 223.2

We must not be inconsistent in this matter.

God requires clean hearts, pure minds, and an intelligent belief in the truth.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

At present there is not that unity that should exist among our brethren, and the Lord says, “Come together.”

This should be done as soon as possible, for we have no time to lose.

20MR 223.3

Is not the present a favorable time for you and others of our ministering brethren in this conference to meet with Elder Daniells for a thorough examination of the points of faith regarding which there are different views?

[Isaiah 11:1-16; 12:1-6, quoted.]

20MR 223.4

I am directed to write these Scriptures for the consideration of those who shall assemble for the purpose of blending together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples.”

A special work now rests upon us of solemnly investigating these matters, and in the name of the Lord to unify.—Letter

50, 1910.

20MR 223.5

Ellen G. White Estate

Silver Spring, Maryland,

September 14, 1989.

Entire Letter.

MR No. 1471—The Fallacy of Thinking Human Ideas and Positions Are Infallible and Unchangeable

20MR 224

(Written circa 1910 or 1911 to H. W. Cottrell.)

I have words to write to you, Elder Cottrell.

As my eyes pain me I can scarcely tell your dangers as fully as I would be glad to do.

Your idea that the positions you assert are infallible is very dangerous.

Your fallibility is shown in claiming that position.

The word of God is Yea and Amen.

20MR 224.1

My brother, you did stand commended of God in a position when you were chosen, so willing to encourage and help Elder Haskell, and the Lord sustained you in doing your duty at a time when your help was especially a great encouragement to him.

There were some who were jealous of Elder Haskell and his wife.

I will not write the names.

The Lord had presented the persons to me.

The decided experience of Elder Haskell in connection with Elder James White and myself made the two safe generals in the work.

But neither of these men claimed infallibility.

20MR 224.2

This infallibility is a new experience to come into our work.

Their trust was in God, and Elder Haskell, from his earliest labors in connection with Elder James White, in the place of losing confidence in Elder White had his confidence increased in him as a man led and taught of God.

Elder James White was received and trusted.

He never claimed infallibility.

The light given him was always received and always believed because the Holy Spirit accompanied the message of the testimonies entrusted to give to God's people.

They had been proved.

But there was a class that refused the testimonies and went into fanaticism.

20MR 224.3

Elder Haskell was rooted and grounded in the light given, coming from the Lord's messenger.

I had an experience that I must cherish because it came from God, and the evidence was so very strong that the light was given of God.

But fanatical ideas came up and were brought in by men claiming to have light from the Lord.

The Lord presented to me the position taken by some as unreliable and unsafe, and this brought about truth in contrast with dangerous error.

There were those who refused to see the light and chose their own ways and ideas.

The light God had given was refused.

It revealed that their own characters were unsafe to be trusted.

The truth was pointed out in clear, distinct lines in the light given of God.

There were men of great self-confidence who refused the light God had given, and declared their position to be infallible.

Notwithstanding [the fact that] the evidence was sufficient, they refused to receive the light given in the testimonies.

20MR 224.4

Elder Maxson was a man determined to have his own way.

When this light was given, some would accept and some would close their minds and hearts to all the evidence given of the Lord.

They followed their own way, and two parties were created, not agreeing among themselves.

Those who had taken their stand upon the light given held firmly to the position that the Lord was leading His people through genuine experience; but some who wanted to have their own way in the sanitarium acted out their own disposition, refused all correction of their errors that the Lord had graciously given, and talked their unbelief.

Thus two parties have been formed.

20MR 225.1

Elder Maxson set up a warfare against the light, determined to oppose; and they have continued to do this.

Evidence was sufficient, but the ones who opposed the light gave evidence they were not led of the Lord.

This has been a great evil and has hindered the advancement of the work of the Lord in reflecting His light to the world.

There were the two parties, and when we returned from doing the work in foreign countries, a state of things existed that had to be righted up; and notwithstanding all the evidence given of the correct work to be done, some men determined to carry things their own way, which made the work exceedingly hard.

20MR 225.2

Elder Cottrell was one who stood in many respects on right ground.

But a very strange thing came into our ranks in some of our leading men, that a position that some had, when once taken, was to be held under all events as never to be changed—infallibility.

This has proved itself to be a great error.

There is reformation to be made in churches.

When the light of truth shall come to them, this would create harmonious sentiments, else the ones who now persist in their assumed infallibility would go out from us, as some have done.

But some are found to take a position in opposition, which creates disunion, not particularly with the faith received, but in the expression of the faith; and that all that they may do is infallible, when no such things are to be accepted.

20MR 225.3

If one differs from his brethren and insists he is infallible, he is a dangerous element; if he never yields that he has anything to correct, he is in a dangerous position.