Recognizing that the right attitude had not been taken by the church toward the Spirit of prophecy, the brethren, assembled in conference at Battle Creek, passed the following formal action at the business session of the general conference: “That Joseph Bates, J. H. Waggoner, and M. E. Cornell be appointed to address the saints in behalf of the conference, on the gifts of the church.”—Id., December 4, 1855, p. 76, col. 1.EGWMR 52.4

In harmony with this action, a comprehensive address was prepared, which expressed the convictions of the conference. We quote a few paragraphs which present a most significant picture:EGWMR 52.5

1. Confession.—“In view of the present low state of the precious cause of our blessed Master, we feel to humble ourselves before God, and confess our unfaithfulness and departure from the way of the Lord, whereby the spirit of holiness has been grieved, our own souls burdened, and an occasion given to the enemy of all righteousness to rejoice over the decline of faith and spirituality amongst the scattered flock.”—Id., December 4, 1855, p. 78, col. 3.EGWMR 52.6

2. Gifts.—“Nor have we appreciated the glorious privilege of claiming the gifts which our blessed Master has vouchsafed to His people; and we greatly fear that we have grieved the Spirit by neglecting the blessings already conferred upon the church.”—Id., December 4, 1855, p. 79, col. 1.EGWMR 53.1

3. Appreciated In Past.—“We have also, in our past experience, been made to rejoice in the goodness of our God who has manifested His care for His people by leading us in His way and correcting our errors, through the operations of His Spirit; and the majority of Sabbathkeepers in the third angel’s message, have firmly believed that the Lord was calling His church out of the wilderness by means appointed to bring us to the unity of the faith. We refer to the visions which God has promised to the remnant ‘in the last days.’”—Ibid.EGWMR 53.2

4. Not To Take Place Of Bible.—“Nor do we, as some contend, exalt these gifts or their manifestations, above the Bible; on the contrary, we test them by the Bible, making it the great rule of judgment in all things; so that whatever is not in accordance with it, in its spirit and its teachings, we unhesitatingly reject. But as we cannot believe that a fountain sends forth at the same place sweet water and bitter, or that an evil tree brings forth good fruit, so we cannot believe that that is of the enemy which tends to unite the hearts of the saints, to lead to meekness and humility and holy living, and incites to deep heart searching before God, and a confession of our wrongs.”—Ibid.EGWMR 53.3

5. An Attitude Displeasing To God.—“While we hold these views as emanating from the divine mind, we would confess the inconsistency (which we believe has been displeasing to God) of professedly regarding them as messages from God, and really putting them on a level with the inventions of men. We fear that this has resulted from an unwillingness to bear the reproach of Christ (which is indeed greater riches than the treasures of earth), and a desire to conciliate the feelings of our opponents; but the Word and our own experience have taught us that God is not honored, nor His cause advanced, by such a course. While we regard them as coming from God, and entirely harmonizing with His written word, we must acknowledge ourselves under obligation to abide by their teachings, and be corrected by their admonitions. To say that they are of God, and yet we will not be tested by them, is to say that God’s will is not a test of rule for Christians, which is inconsistent and absurd.”—Ibid.EGWMR 53.4

James White’s Declarations, 1851-1855

Heaven Accepts the Confession