THERE is a statement made by Moses relative to the true and to the false prophets, found in the eighteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, which, in our consideration of rules for discerning true prophets, may be designated as rule number five. He says: “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” Verses 21, 22.HEVI 41.7

The same thing is found also in the following scriptures: “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?” Lamentations 3:37. Of the prophet Samuel it was said, “All that he saith cometh surely to pass.” 1 Samuel 9:6. “When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.” Jeremiah 28:9. Our Saviour said of his predictions, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” John 13:18, 19. These scriptures, and others of a similar nature, might be quoted to show that when the time comes for an event to take place which has been mentioned by a true prophet the very thing predicted is there; and such fulfilment is one of the strong proofs that he is a true prophet of God.HEVI 41.8

It is now forty-seven years since the writer first saw Mrs. E. G. White in prophetic vision. During these years many prophetic statements have been made by her relative to things that would take place. Some of these predictions relate to events already fulfilled, and some are in process of fulfilment, while others are still future. As to those relating to past or present events, I know not of a single instance of failure.HEVI 41.9

Before noticing some of the predictions made during the forty-seven years, it may be well to note some that were made previously, which were in print in 1852.HEVI 41.10

Before me lies a book published by Joseph Bates, in January, 1849, entitled, “A Seal of the Living God.” In the book is an account of a vision given to Sister White in the house of Otis Nichols, Dorchester, Mass., on the evening of Nov. 18, 1848. At that time there was a condition of war, rioting, and confusion, which began on the 22nd of February of that year, in the city of Paris, France, and had spread to over thirty of the principalities, states, and governments of Europe. Modern Spiritualism began its “rappings” at Hydesville, N.Y., about the same time that the stir among the nations began. The First-day Adventists claimed that this stir among the nations was the rally to the battle of the great day of the Lord, that the “rapping spirits” were the spirits of devils going forth to gather the nations, as predicted in Revelation 16:14, and that the Lord was immediately coming.HEVI 41.11

At that time the few who had begun to observe the seventh-day Sabbath had just discovered, from the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation, a “sealing message,” which must go forth to prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. These said, “The last great battle can not come yet; for here is a sealing work to prepare a people to stand in that great day. Brother and Sister White and Brother Bates were the three public laborers who were then teaching the Sabbath truth and the “sealing message.” They, with the few who had already accepted the message, were among the very poor of this world.HEVI 42.1

On the evening already mentioned, these laborers and other brethren met at Brother Nichol’s home, to pray for the Lord to guide them in publishing the “sealing message” to the world. As they prayed, Sister White was taken off in vision. While in the vision, she said of the Sabbath truth: “It is the seal! That truth arises, and is on the increase, stronger and STRONGER. It is coming up! It arises, commencing from the rising of the sun. Like the sun, at first cold, it grows warmer and sends its rays. The angels are holding the four winds. It is God that restrains the powers. The angels have not let go; for the saints are not all sealed. When Michael stands up, this trouble will be all over the earth. They [the winds of war, etc] are just ready to blow. There is a check put on because the saints are not sealed. Yea, publish the things thou hast seen and heard, and the blessing of God will attend.”HEVI 42.2

At the time that vision was given, it did really look as if all the nations would soon be in a “whirlwind” of war. Of the situation, United States Senator Choate said, “It has seemed to me as if the prerogatives of crowns, and the rights of men, and the hoarded resentments of a thousand years, were about to unsheathe the sword for a conflict in which blood shall flow, as in apocalyptic vision ‘to the bridles of the horses.’”HEVI 42.3

In a few months the nations were all quiet again; but this change came on so unexpectedly that Horace Greeley, in speaking of it in the New York Tribune, said, “It was a great wonder to politicians what started all that turmoil of the nations, but a greater wonder still what stopped it all so suddenly.”HEVI 42.4

After coming out of the vision already spoken of, Sister White said to her husband, “I saw that you must begin to print a paper, small at first; but as you send it out to the people, they will read it, and will send you money with which to print it. It will be a success from the very first. From that small beginning it [the publishing work] was shown to me as streams of light that went around the entire world.” The Review and Herald, October 31, 1899.HEVI 42.5

“THY WILL NOT MINE.”

KEEP ON PRAYING