Danger of Extreme Positions

Eagerness for debate was not the only peril that threatened the Adventist Church at the time of the Minneapolis session. Some were strongly inclined to take radical positions, as though it were a sign of strength to be extreme. Mrs. White never wrote a line about the ten kingdoms to support either one side or the other. Nor did she endorse the ideas advanced by Elder Waggoner concerning Galatians. She urged strongly that the discussion of this question should be dropped and attention be given to the subject of justification by faith. She even seemed to have a feeling that the two men who were so prominent at that time might later on be carried away by their extreme views of certain points. Concerning this she says:FSG 232.2

“It is quite possible that Elder Jones or Waggoner may be overthrown by the temptations of the enemy; but if they should be, this would not prove that they had had no message from God, or that the work that they had done was all a mistake. But should this happen, how many would take this position, and enter into a fatal delusion because they are not under the control of the Spirit of God. They walk in the sparks of their own kindling, and cannot distinguish between the fire they have kindled, and the light which God has given, and they walk in blindness as did the Jews.”—Letter 24, 1892.FSG 232.3

There was danger that these two men might go to extremes even in teaching righteousness by faith. In a letter to Elder Jones sent from New Zealand in 1892, she wrote:FSG 233.1

“I was attending a meeting, and a large congregation were present. In my dream you were presenting the subject of faith and the imputed righteousness of faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You repeated several times that works amounted to nothing, that there were no conditions. The matter was presented in that light that I knew minds would be confused and would not receive the correct impression in reference to faith and works, and I decided to write to you.FSG 233.2

“You state this matter too strongly. There are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification, and the righteousness of Christ. I know your meaning, but you leave a wrong impression upon many minds. While good works will not save even one soul, yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good works. God saves us under a law, that we must ask if we would receive, seek if we would find, and knock if we would have the door opened unto us. Christ offers Himself as willing to save unto the uttermost all who come unto Him. He invites all to come to Him. ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’”—Notebook Leaflets, Volume I, Number 21, page 1.FSG 233.3