Chapter 1—Apparent Lack of Harmony

For years there has been perplexity in the minds of many of our people because of what seemed to be a contradiction in the teachings of the Testimonies. I might illustrate this by referring to what was written regarding the medical work before and after the General Conference in 1897. Before that Conference, Mother read to me from time to time many, many things that she was writing, which showed that the Lord had revealed to her as clear as day the movements that were going on at the center of the medical missionary work, in the criticism of the ministry, and the church, and in exalting the medical work above all other branches. And it was outlined clearly what that would lead to.ITC 2.3

After the Conference, it seems that the time had come for these things to be printed, but, to my surprise, Mother would read these things and then lay them aside, and later she would send them privately to the leading physicians and their associates, warning them against their danger. She sent some privately to ministers. Then she wrote articles for the papers to be sent out broadcast to our people, reproving them for their backsliding and their failure to come up to a correct standard of health reform living. She also reproved the ministers for not making the medical missionary work the work of the churches. Our people were sharply reproved for not standing by Doctor Kellogg and the Sanitarium.ITC 2.4

Some of our people saw in this what seemed to be a contradiction, and some of them stumbled over it, and are stumbling today. Some said it must be a severe trial for Sister White to write testimonies of reproof to old personal friends. It must be that when she comes to write out these things that the Lord has revealed to her regarding the medical work that her years of friendship, her sympathy and her love for Doctor Kellogg are so strong that she has not the courage to put them out, and instead of that she puts out these appeals for the people to stand by him. I knew this was not the reason, but I could not discern at that time the real reason for the course that was followed.ITC 2.5

This was indeed a severe perplexity to me at the time, as it was to others, but that very experience, as I look at it today, is one of the strongest evidences of the wisdom and power of God in directing and guiding His servant in the way that the testimonies are put forth. Some of the testimonies of warning, counsel, and entreaty, were sent out privately, and were given time to do their work. Others were put on file, and they show that the perils attending the medical work were often revealed by God to His messenger, long before the message was to be delivered.ITC 2.6

Let us ask, What would have been the result if the warnings and reproof regarding errors in the medical work had been made public when first given? Many of our people were then so half-hearted in this work of health reform, that they would have dropped it, and turned their backs on the physicians and nurses, and many would have gone back with joy to their flesh pots, as some are doing today. There would naturally have followed a great denominational backsliding on health reform.ITC 3.1

The people were not ready for the things that were being sent to the leaders, therefore the messages needed by the leaders were sent to the leaders, and the people were sent those things which they needed. What has been the result? Through the mercy of God, a great victory has been gained and our people have been led to take a decided stand as health reformers; hundreds have given themselves to the Christian help work, and plans have been devised by which many in the church are striving to do the united work of healing and teaching. I thank God for His way of leading us, which to some has seemed mysterious.ITC 3.2

There are many things in connection with the testimonies, and the opposition to them, that have been sore trials to me, and in times of great perplexity I have thrown myself on my face before God in agony of soul and said, O God, why didst Thou choose my Mother to be the instrument for this work? Why didst Thou let so much perplexity come to us, so much distress? It was at a time like this that I read the manuscript of those chapters in Desire of Ages, in which is related the experience of the disciples when they were distressed and perplexed, because their Master’s teaching and manner of life seemed to leave the way open for misunderstanding and criticism (Chapters 40-44). I said then, Father, if it be Thy will that Thy people in all ages shall be perplexed and distressed, help me to enter into the experience meekly and intelligently.ITC 3.3

Many times I have come to things in the testimonies, as also in the Bible, that I did not understand, that I could not explain and harmonize. These I have carried to the Lord and said, Here, Lord, are some things that I cannot understand; I leave them with Thee; help me to go straight forward and do the work that has been given me to do; and when Thy time comes, let me see clearly what Thou wouldst have me to understand. Lord, take me by the hand and lead me in the strait and narrow way.ITC 3.4

Many of the Testimonies I do not understand. In many cases, if I was commissioned to use any discretion in the matter, I would not send them out. But that is not my business. Many a thing passes through my hand and goes out to the people with a prayer that God may help those to understand it to whom it is sent, but I do not understand it. And is it not a fact that the message should mean more to the person to whom it is addressed than to those who copy it, and more also than to the one who writes it?ITC 3.5

Let me illustrate this point. At the General Conference when we reorganized the General Conference Association, and we were in great perplexity over the best method of work, Mother called together, in the committee room at the tabernacle, conference presidents and managers of institutions, and read a testimony which was based upon Isaiah 8:12-14, which was a decided reproof to us regarding confederacy.ITC 3.6

There were at that time two plans for confederacy before us. One was our union with outsiders in the religious liberty work, and the other the question of the scope of the work of the General Conference Association. Some applied the testimony altogether to the former. Some of us felt in our hearts that it should be applied to our plans for the General Conference Association also.ITC 3.7

But instead of getting together and studying and praying over the matter until we comprehended what it meant to us, we called another meeting, and asked Sister White to come in and explain the matter that perplexed us. We questioned her as to whether the message applied to what we were planning for in the reorganization of the General Conference Association. She said she could not answer that question. Then we said, “Of course it does not apply to that.”ITC 4.1

We did not study and pray about it till we received light, but carried out our own plans. About six or eight years afterwards it was opened up to Mother plain and clear that the testimony was given us at that time to save us from going into those plans which resulted in binding together many lines of work in an unsatisfactory and unprofitable connection.ITC 4.2

Oftentimes when we go to Mother and ask her to explain the things that she has said or written, she will say, “I cannot explain it; you should understand it better than I. If you do not understand it, pray to the Lord, and He will help you.” Is not that the right way to get a correct understanding of the Testimonies?ITC 4.3