Complete Victory Won

In time the complete victory was won, and with the expiration of his term as officer of several of the lodges, Mr. Faulkhead was able to write to Mrs. White and her son in this triumphant strain:MFSS 6.3

“Dear Brother and Sister White: It gives me much pleasure to tell you that my term of office as Master of the Masonic Lodge expired last month. And I feel to thank God for it. How thankful I am to Him for sending me a warning that I was traveling on the wrong road. I do praise Him for His goodness and His love shown toward me, in calling me from among that people. I can see now very clearly that to continue with them would have been my downfall, as I must confess that my interest for the truth was growing cold. But thanks be to God, He did not let me go on with them without giving me warning through His servant. I cannot express my gratitude to Him for it.MFSS 6.4

“I can praise God with all my might, and then I cannot express my gratitude to Him for the love that He has shown me.—N. D. Faulkhead. (Melbourne, Australia, September 18, 1893.)”MFSS 6.5

How different was his attitude now toward the Testimonies and toward the work of God. With the renewal of his first love and his interest in the cause of God, plans for his separation from the office were dropped, and he continued on for many years as a loyal officer of the publishing house, giving his time and strength and life to the spreading of the message for these last days.MFSS 6.6

As he had opportunity in the years that followed, he often sounded a warning to our Adventist youth, pointing out that “these societies are snares to our young men who are anxious to get into society and associate with the leading citizens, which they cannot very well do unless through the society. I know in my own case it has brought me in the society of governors and premiers and other high men of the various states, and invitations flowed in to me to come and visit them and visit their lodges and attend their balls and parties. I have quite a number of them on hand, and every time I look at them, they remind me of the snares and the way in which Satan works to get hold of those who are trying to live a faithful and obedient life to their Creator.”MFSS 6.7

In the testimony read by Mrs. White to Mr. Faulkhead were recorded counsel and instruction of general application regarding the relation of Christians to organizations of the world. This was selected for publication and was at the time issued in Australia, and a little later in the United States, in a pamphlet entitled Should Christians Be Members of Secret Societies?MFSS 6.8

That the Lord should speak so definitely to a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church, pointing out dangers in such a marked way that a man in what seemed almost a hopeless situation, was saved, brought great confidence to all our believers in Australia. Through this experience they were reminded that they had seen with their own eyes the fulfillment of the promise of Revelation 12:17 and 19:10, that the Spirit of prophecy would be manifest in the remnant church. It reminded our believers then, and it reminds us now, of what a favored people Seventh-day Adventists are!—The Review and Herald, March 31, 1955.MFSS 7.1

Ellen G. White EstateMFSS 7.2

Silver Spring, MarylandMFSS 7.3

Revised, September, 1990MFSS 7.4