Early Writings
by Ellen G. White
To the Inexperienced
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'If pride and selfishness were laid aside,
five minutes would resolve most difficulties.'
Illustration —
Joel Allen |
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Some, I saw, have not a realizing sense of the importance of
the truth or of its effect, and moving from the impulse of the moment or from
excitement, often follow their feelings and disregard church order. Such seem
to think that religion consists chiefly in making a noise. [See Appendix.] Some who have but just received the truth of the third angel's message are ready to
reprove and teach those who have been established in the truth for years, and
who have suffered for its sake and felt its sanctifying power. Those who are so
puffed up by the enemy will have to feel the sanctifying influence of the truth
and obtain a realizing sense of how it found them—"wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." When the truth begins to
purify them and purge away their dross and tin, as it surely will when it is
received in the love of it, the one who has this great work done for him will
not feel that he is rich and increased in goods and has need of nothing. {EW 118.2}
Those who profess the truth and think they know it all
before they have learned its first principles, and who are forward to take the
place of teachers and reprove those who for years have stood stiffly for the [119]
truth, plainly show that they have no understanding of the truth, and know none
of its effects; for if they knew any of the sanctifying power, they should
yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness and be humbled under its sweet,
powerful influence. They would bear fruit to the glory of God, and understand
what the truth has done for them, and esteem others better than themselves. {EW 118.3}
I saw that the remnant were not prepared for what is coming
upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most
of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. My
accompanying angel cried out with awful solemnity, "Get ready! get ready!
get ready! for the fierce anger of the Lord is soon to come. His wrath is to be
poured out, unmixed with mercy, and ye are not ready. Rend the heart, and not
the garment. A great work must be done for the remnant. Many of them are
dwelling upon little trials." Said the angel, "Legions of evil angels
are around you, and are trying to press in their awful darkness, that ye may be
ensnared and taken. Ye suffer your minds to be diverted too readily from the
work of preparation and the all-important truths for these last days. And ye
dwell upon little trials and go into minute particulars of little difficulties
to explain them to the satisfaction of this one or that." Conversation has
been protracted for hours between the parties concerned, and not only has their
time been wasted, but the servants of God are held to listen to them, when the hearts
of both parties are unsubdued by grace. If pride and selfishness were laid
aside, five minutes would remove most difficulties. Angels have been grieved
and God displeased by the hours which have been spent in justifying self. I saw
that God will not bow down and listen to long justifications, and He does not
want His servants to do so, and [120] thus precious time be wasted
that should be spent in showing transgressors the error of their ways and
pulling souls out of the fire. {EW 119.1}
I saw that God's people are on the enchanted ground, and
that some have lost nearly all sense of the shortness of time and the worth of
the soul. Pride has crept in among Sabbathkeepers-pride of dress and
appearance. Said the angel, "Sabbathkeepers will have to die to self, die
to pride and love of approbation." {EW 120.1}
Truth, saving truth, must be given to the starving people
who are in darkness. I saw that many prayed for God to humble them; but if God
should answer their prayers, it would be by terrible things in righteousness.
It was their duty to humble themselves. I saw that if self-exaltation was
suffered to come in, it would surely lead souls astray, and if not overcome
would prove their ruin. When one begins to get lifted up in his own eyes and
thinks he can do something, the Spirit of God is withdrawn, and he goes on in
his own strength until he is overthrown. I saw that one saint, if he were
right, could move the arm of God; but a multitude together, if they were wrong,
would be weak and could effect nothing. {EW 120.2}
Many have unsubdued, unhumbled hearts, and think more of
their own little grievances and trials than of the souls of sinners. If they
had the glory of God in view, they would feel for perishing souls around them;
and as they realized their perilous situation, would take hold with energy,
exercising faith in God, and hold up the hands of His servants, that they might
boldly, yet in love, declare the truth and warn souls to lay hold upon it
before the sweet voice of mercy should die away. Said the angel, "Those
who profess His name are not ready." I saw that the seven last plagues
were coming upon the shelterless heads of the wicked; and then those who have
stood in their way [121] will hear the bitter reproaches
of sinners, and their hearts will faint within them. {EW 120.3}
Said the angel. "Ye have been picking at straws—dwelling
upon little trials—and sinners must be lost as a consequence."
God is willing to work for us in our meetings, and it is His pleasure to work.
But Satan says, "I will hinder the work." His agents say,
"Amen." Professed believers in the truth dwell upon their petty
trials and difficulties which Satan has magnified before them. Time is wasted
that can never be recalled. The enemies of the truth have seen our weakness, God
has been grieved, Christ wounded. Satan's object is accomplished, his plans
have succeeded, and he triumphs. {EW 121.1}
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