I saw that the Lord especially directed
my husband in going west last fall instead of going east as he
at first decided. In Wisconsin there was a wrong to be corrected.
The work of Satan was taking effect, and would destroy souls
if not rebuked. The Lord saw fit to choose one who had had
experience with fanaticism in the past, and
had witnessed the working of Satan's power. Those who received
this instrument of God's choosing were corrected, and souls were
rescued from the snare which Satan had prepared for them.
I was shown that this device of Satan would
not have taken so readily in Wisconsin if the minds and hearts
of God's people had been united and in union with the work. The
spirit of jealousy and suspicion still existed in the minds of
some. The seed sown by the Messenger party had not been entirely
rooted out. And while they professed to receive the third angel's
message, their former feelings and prejudices had not been given
up. Their faith was adulterated, and they were prepared for Satan's
deception. Those who drank in the Messenger spirit must make
clean work, and have every particle of it rooted out, and receive
the spirit of the third angel's message, or it will cleave to
them like the leprosy, making it easy for them to draw off from
their brethren in present truth. It will be easy for them to
think that they can go, an independent company, alone to heaven,
and easy for them to fall into Satan's snare. He is very unwilling
to let go his hold in Wisconsin. He has other deceptions prepared
for those who are not united with the body.
I saw that persons who had been so enshrouded
in darkness and deception that Satan had controlled not only
the mind but the body, would have to take a most humble place
in the church of God. He will not commit the care of His flock
to unwise shepherds, who would mistake and feed them poison instead
of wholesome food. God will have men care for the flock who can
feed them with clean provender, thoroughly winnowed. Oh, what
a blot, what a reproach, have these fanatical movements brought
upon the cause of God! And those who held so fast to this spirit
of dark fanaticism, notwithstanding the plain evidences that
it was from Satan, are not to be relied upon; their judgment
is not to be considered of any weight. God sent His servants
to Brother and Sister G. They despised
correction, and chose their own course. Brother G was jealous
and stubborn, and his future course must be marked with great
humility; for he has proved himself unworthy of the confidence
of God's people. His heart is not right with God, neither has
it been for a long time.
I saw that Satan's object has been to lead
persons in Wisconsin into gross fanaticism. He has controlled
their minds, and led them to act in accordance with the deception
they were under. When his object was accomplished, and they had
run the length of the course which he had marked out for them,
he was willing that they should acknowledge that wrong, and then
he would try to push them to an opposite extreme, to deny the
gifts and operations of God's Spirit. Satan took advantage of
Brother and Sister G's lack of union with the body. They desired
to take an independent course, and to lead instead of yielding
to be led. Brother G has a jealous disposition, which, together
with his independence, has kept him to one side; for with this
spirit he could not be a true yokefellow with his ministering
brethren. Sister G is of a jealous disposition, and possesses
much firmness. She lacks experience, and has not been sound in
the faith or united with the body. Her heart has risen up against
the gifts of the church. There was a lack of meekness and humility
in her articles sent to the Review for publication.
Everything seemed prepared for the work
of Satan. He led many on to lay aside reason and judgment, and
to be governed by impressions. The Lord requires His people to
use their reason, and not lay it aside for impressions. His work
will be intelligible to all His children. His teaching will be
such as will commend itself to the understanding of intelligent
minds. It is calculated to elevate the mind. God's power is not
manifested upon every occasion. Man's necessity is God's opportunity.
I was shown companies in confusion, exercised
by a wrong spirit, all making loud
prayers together, some crying one thing and some another; and
it was impossible to tell what was piped and what was harped.
"God is not the author of confusion, but of peace."
Satan stepped in and controlled matters as he pleased. Reason
and health were sacrificed to this delusion.
God does not require His people to imitate
Baal's prophets, to afflict their bodies and cry out and shout,
and throw themselves into almost every attitude, having no regard
for order, until their strength fails through sheer exhaustion.
Religion does not consist in making a noise; yet when the soul
is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, sweet, heartfelt praise
to God glorifies Him. Some have professed to have great faith
in God, and to have special gifts and special answers to their
prayers, although the evidence was lacking. They mistook presumption
for faith. The prayer of faith is never lost; but to claim that
it will be always answered in the very way and for the particular
thing we have expected, is presumption.
When the servants of God visited -----
and -----, this delusion was sifted. Evidence was given that
this work was spurious. But the spirit of fanaticism was stubborn,
and would not yield to the light there given. Oh, that those
who were in error had been corrected by God's servants whom He
sent to them! Then and there God wished them to acknowledge that
they had been led by a wrong spirit. Then there would have been
virtue in the confession of their wrongs. Then they would have
been saved any further following out of Satan's plans, and would
have made no further progress in this dreadful delusion. But
they would not be convinced. Brother G had sufficient light to
take his stand against that fanatical work; but he would not
decide from the weight of evidence. His stubborn spirit refused
to yield to the light brought him by the servants of God; for
he had regarded them with suspicion, and watched them with a
jealous eye.
I saw that the greater the light which
the people reject, the greater will be the power of deception
and darkness which will come upon them. The rejection of truth
leaves men captives, the subjects of Satan's deception. After
the Conferences at ----- and -----, the subjects of this delusion
were left to still greater darkness, to enter deeper into this
strong delusion, and bring upon the cause of God a stain which
would not soon be wiped away. A fearful responsibility is resting
upon Brother G. While professing to be a shepherd he suffered
the devourer to enter the flock, and looked on while the sheep
were torn and devoured. God's frown is upon him. He has not watched
for souls as one who must give account.
I was pointed back, and saw that God had
not blessed his labors for some time past. The Lord's hand has
not been with him to build up the church, and convert souls to
the truth. His heart is not right with God. He has not possessed
the spirit of the third angel's message. He shut himself away
from union and sympathy with God's people before this delusion
arose, and this is one reason why he was left in such darkness.
God does not leave His faithful, consecrated servants in darkness
as to the character of such a fanatical spirit, to raise no cry
to warn the people. When the servants of God brought the light,
and raised their voices against this delusion, he knew not the
voice of the True Shepherd speaking through them; his jealousy
and stubbornness led him to regard it as the voice of a stranger.
Shepherds of the flock, above all others, should understand the
voice of the Chief Shepherd. God wants His people to be a holy
and powerful people. When the spirit of holiness and perfect
love abounds in the heart, working in those who profess the name
of Christ, it will be like a refining fire, consuming the dross
and scattering the darkness. Whatever is of the spirit of Satan
takes the attitude of defense, and quickly works out its own
destruction. But truth will triumph.