
Introduction
1844
1846-1850
1851-53
1856 1857
1859 1861
1863 1865
1867 1868
1882
1886-1887
1888 1890
1891 1893
1895
1896-1897
1900
1901 1902
1903 1904
1905 1907
1908 1909
1913 1915
Message Today |
1901
Just before Sis. White was to arrive and attend the 1901 GC
session, she wrote to the leaders of the General Conference:
“God forbid, brethren, that this conference should close as
our conferences have closed in the past, with the same management,
the same tone, the same order. The Lord wants those who have a knowledge
of the truth to come to their senses. He wants them to arouse. It
is time for us to arise and shine because our light has come, and
the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. If we are not going to
do this, we might just as well close our conference today as later.”
“From the light God has given me, everything connected with
this conference is to be regarded as most sacred. Why? Because at
this time the work is to be placed upon a proper basis. Wrong principles
have been followed. For the last fifteen years* wrong decisions
have been made; and now God calls for a change…”
“It is high time that this came to an end. Let the work be
woven after the same pattern that it has in the past and it will
finally come to naught. God calls for a decided change... This is
what is needed.”
Manuscript
Releases, vol 13, p 195, April 1, 1901.
*1886 – Danger of becoming sister to fallen Babylon. (see
page 14).
Two days later, she arrived at the General Conference session, and
was the very first to speak to the delegates and leaders when the
session was formally opened.
“I feel a special interest in the movements and decisions
that shall be made at this Conference regarding the things that
should have been done years ago, and especially ten years ago (1891),..
God gave them clear light as to what they should do, and what they
should not do, but they departed from that light, and it is a marvel
to me that we stand in as much prosperity as we do today….That
these men should stand in a sacred place, to be as the voice of
God to the people, as we once believed the General Conference to
be,--that is past. What we want now is a reorganization. We want
to begin at the foundation, and to build upon a different principle…
“The men that have long stood in positions of trust while
disregarding the light that God as given, are not to be depended
upon. God wants them to be removed…God has not put any kingly
power in our ranks to control. There must be a renovation, a reorganization;”
General Conference
Bulletin, April 3, 1901, p 23-26. (also found in 2PRC 317-320)
Sis. White called for renovation or reorganization, and the
removal of officers. The General Conference was no longer the voice
of God to the SDA people. God’s followers were no longer to
follow these apostate leaders of the church. God had commanded that
this kingly power should come to an end. A reorganization seemed
to take place and Sister White was elated. “No official
head or president had been elected by the GC” (SDAE 1052).
But did the SDA church give up their authority and control over
our people? Did they really allow God’s Holy Spirit to be
King and to recreate our people in the image of God, or did the
church leadership continue to exercise its papal supremacy over
our people? Thus keeping them under slavery and never would fully
reflect the image of God and be saved while under such influence?
What were Sis. White’s testimonies after this?
“What a wonderful work could have been done for the vast company
gathered in Battle Creek at the General Conference of 1901, if the
leaders of our work had taken themselves in hand. But the work that
all heaven was waiting to do as soon as men prepared the way, was
not done; for the leaders closed and bolted the door against the
Spirit's entrance... The doors were barred against the heavenly
current that would have swept away all evil... They built themselves
up in wrong doing, and said to the Spirit of God, "Go thy way
for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call
for thee."
Letter 123,
August 5, 1902. (also in Battle Creek Letters, p 55-56)
Prior to the destruction of the publishing house by fire, she
made this solemn warning:
“Unless there is a reformation, calamity will overtake the
publishing house, and the world will know the reason.”
Testimonies
for the Church, vol 8, p 96.
“At the General Conference, held in Battle Creek in 1901,
the Lord gave His people evidence that He was calling for reformation.
Minds were convicted, and hearts were touched; but thorough work
was not done. If stubborn hearts had then broken in penitence before
God, there would have been seen one of the greatest manifestations
of the 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… Many will wander from the path of humility, and,
casting aside the yoke of Christ, will walk in strange paths. Blinded
and bewildered, they will leave the narrow path that leads to the
city of God
Testimonies
for the Church, vol 8, p 97, 100.
“The results of the last general conference (1901) has been
the greatest, the most terrible sorrow of my life, no change was
made… Men did not receive the testimonies of the Spirit of
God…
“It is a perilous thing to reject the light that God sends.
To Chorazin and Bethsaida heaven’s richest blessings had been
freely offered. Day after day the Prince of Life had gone in and
out among them… but they refused the heavenly gift, and of
them the Saviour said; ‘Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto
thee, Bethsaide, for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and
Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than you.’
“So today upon those who have had light and evidence, but
who have refused to heed the Lord’s warnings and entreaties,
heaven’s woe is pronounced. The Lord bore long with the perversity
of Israel, but the time came when the people passed the boundaries...”
Letter 17,
January 14, 1903 (MR 1016, p 3-4).
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