PIONEERS, PANTHEISTS, AND PROGRESSIVES:

A. F. BALLENGER AND DIVERGENT PATHS TO THE SANCTUARY

By B e r t Haloviak

A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r O f f i c e of Archives and S t a t i s t i c s

Materials used i n t h i s paper have been drawn from p u b l i s h e d and unpubl ished s o u r c e s housed i n t h e Arch ives of t h e General Conference and a t t h e White E s t a t e .

June , 1980

O f f i c e o f Archives and S t a t i s t i c s

General Conference of Seventh-day A d v e n t i s t s

Washington, D.C.

INTRODUCTION

I n 1898, during h i s campmeeting e f f o r t s i n behalf of t h e churchwide emphasis

"Receive ye t h e Holy Ghost," A. F. Ballenger wrote and set t o music t h e fol lowing:

'T i s a g l o r i o u s t ime f o r t h e church today; For t h e trump a g a i n has blown;

And t h e h o s t s of God, by t h e P i l l a r l e d , Move on t o t h e i r promised home;

And t h e Holy Ghost i n t h e ' l a t t e r r a i n , ' With h i s peace and joy and power,

O'er t h e church now f a l l s wi th r e f r e s h i n g f l oods , Like a g l o r i o u s summer shower. 1

On May 24, 1905, E l l e n White gave Bal lenger a testimony t h a t , among o t h e r

t h ings , urged him t o " take heed how you myst i fy t h e gospel ." An examination of

t h e con tex t of t h a t May 24 testimony is t h e primary aim of t h i s paper .2

I n a t tempt ing t o o u t l i n e t h e c e n t r a l s t r a n d s of denominational thought between

1897 and 1911, t h e w r i t e r has r a t h e r l oose ly used such terms a s "pan the i s t i c , "

"myst ical ," " s p i r i t u a l i s t i c , " e t c . A p r e c i s e t h e o l o g i c a l d e f i n i t i o n is unnecessary, I

a i n t h e writer's opin ion , f o r t h e purposes i n which they a r e used. I n h e r use of those terms, Mrs. White d id no t depend upon t h e i r p r e c i s e t heo log ica l meaning.

An examination of t h e background t o t h e E l l e n White s t a t emen t s concerning

Bal lenger r e v e a l s t h r e e major movements w i t h i n t h e denomination t h a t may be

l oose ly l abe l ed "pan the i s t , " "pioneer," and "progress ive ," no t s o much f o r

eva lua t ive purposes, b u t r a t h e r as l a b e l s t o i d e n t i f y t h e "paths" followed by

those groups. While c e r t a i n denominational l e a d e r s a s W. W. P r e s c o t t and o t h e r s

might have moved from one group t o another over a per iod of t i m e , t h e l i n e s w i th in

each camp were f a i r l y w e l l de f ined .

(1) The p ioneers , i n genera l , were those m i n i s t e r s and l e a d e r s who emphasized

as c e n t r a l , such fundamental denominational t each ings a s Revela t ion 14, t h e Sabbath,

and t h e prophecies . They were r e l a t i v e l y i n f l e x i b l e toward t h e o l o g i c a l v a r i a t i o n s and

app l i ed t h e S p i r i t of Prophecy w r i t i n g s q u i t e l i t e r a l l y .

0 (2 ) The group t h a t became t h e p a n t h e i s t s sprang l a r g e l y from those who i n 1888 t o 1890 would have been termed progress ive . By 1897 t h i s group was teaching

concepts t h a t were s t r o n g l y t inged wi th pantheism and t h a t seemed t o n u l l i f y t h e

fundamental t each ings of t h e church. I n i t i a l l y t h e p a n t h e i s t s were a l s o l i t e r a l i s t i c

i n t h e i r i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e S p i r i t of Prophecy, and i n t h e i r l i t e r a l i s m ,

be l ieved t h e w r i t i n g s of Mrs. White supported t h e i r p o s i t i o n s . This f a c t o r l e d t o

a c l o s e at tachment between t h e p ioneers and t h e p a n t h e i s t s a t t imes. Af t e r Mrs.

White s t r o n g l y condemned t h e i r p o s i t i o n s , t h e p a n t h e i s t s even tua l ly completely

d i scarded and worked a g a i n s t t h e w r i t i n g s . I n t h e i r s t r e s s upon t h e indwell ing

of t h e Holy S p i r i t , t h e p a n t h e i s t s came t o b e l i e v e t h a t each i n d i v i d u a l would

even tua l ly possess t h e s p i r i t of prophecy. This a l s o l e d t o a nega t ive a t t i t u d e

toward denominational o rgan iza t ion s i n c e , i n t h e i r mind, s t r o n g o rgan iza t ion would

i n h i b i t t h e workings of t h e Holy S p i r i t .

( 3 ) The p rog re s s ives , coming t o t h e f o r e f r o n t i n 1901, were s t rong on t h e

fundamentals, f l e x i b l e on t h e o l o g i c a l i n s i g h t s , s t r o n g on o rgan iza t ion and

n o n l i t e r a l i s t i c regard ing t h e S p i r i t of Prophecy.

The r eade r should r e a l i z e t h a t t h e s p e c i a l terms used h e r e a r e intended only

t o provide a broad g e n e r a l i z a t i o n about 15 yea r s of denominational h i s t o r y .

Within t h i s per iod no group took a pre-eminent p o s i t i o n o r maintained a monopoly

on t r u t h . It should a l s o be recognized t h a t a l l of t h e groups contained members

who would even tua l ly l eave t h e church. The p a n t h e i s t s , however, he ld such a v i t a l

e r r o r , t h a t t h e i r t each ing , when developed, could have s h a t t e r e d t h e denomination

and n u l l i f i e d i t s c e n t r a l message.

'IRECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST"

I n l a t e 1898, G. A. I rwin , p r e s iden t of t h e General Conference, descr ibed t h e

campmeetings c u r r e n t l y being he ld w i t h i n t h e United S t a t e s t o E. G . White, who

was then i n Aus t r a l i a . I n no t ing t h e "unusual degree of t h e S p i r i t and b l e s s i n g

of t h e Lord," I rwin informed Mrs. White t h a t t h e "most spir i tual ly-minded" l eade r s

were s e n t t o conduct t h e meetings. Those s p e c i f i c a l l y named were: Mrs. S. M. I .

Henry, A . F. Bal lesger , William Sad le r , and J . A. Brunson. Within a decade, t h r ee of a

3

t he four would be a c t i v e l y working a g a i n s t t he church. Others a c t i v e l y involved

i n t he "Receive ye t h e Holy Ghost" movement would l ikewise l eave and work aga ins t

t h e church. Those who l e f t were regarded a s t h e most dynamic preachers and l eade r s

w i th in the church. They included: A. T. Jones, E. J . Waggoner, J . H. Kellogg,

J. W. Scoles , William Hutchinson, Harry Champness, A. R . Leask, William Robinson,

G. C. Tenney, L. A. Phippeny, R. S. Donnell , S . S . Davis, J . A. L. Derby, E. J .

Dryer, I rv ing Keck, L. H. C r i s l e r , M. E. Kellogg, G . E. ~ i f i e l d . ~

The message was born out of t h e "prolonged" debate over t h e acceptance of t h e

j u s t i f i c a t i o n by f a i t h message of 1888 and t h e convic t ion t h a t , a f t e r t h e acceptance

of r igh teousness , t h e Lord would pour out H i s S p i r i t t o enable t h e f i n i s h i n g of

t he work and t h e r e t u r n of Jesus . That theme occupied a c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n i n t h e

Review - and Herald, a s we l l a s t h e campmeetings during 1897 t o 1899, and was l e d p r imar i ly by A . T. Jones, recently-named e d i t o r of t he Review, and A. F. Bal lenger .

A s e d i t o r , Jones concluded p r a c t i c a l l y every e d i t o r i a l f o r over a year with t h e

a words "Receive ye the Holy Ghost.' ' A s a r e v i v a l i s t Ballenger t r ave l ed from church t o church and campmeeting t o campmeeting preaching t h a t same theme.

By 1897 Jones had added a s i g n i f i c a n t i ng red ien t t o t h e message, one t h a t seemed

t o have t h e p o t e n t i s b of u n i t i n g the medical and m i n i s t e r i a l elements of t h e church.

Those elements had been a n t a g o n i s t i c t o each o the r f o r some time:

P e r f e c t h o l i n e s s embraces t h e f l e s h a s we l l a s t h e s p i r i t ; i t inc ludes t h e body a s w e l l a s t h e sou l . Therefore, a s p e r f e c t h o l i n e s s can not be a t t a i n e d without h o l i n e s s of body, and a s h o l i n e s s of body i s expressed i n t h e word "heal th," s o p e r f e c t ho l ines s can not be a t t a i n e d without h e a l t h . . . . Do you not s e e by a l l t h i s t h a t i n the p r i n c i p l e s of h e a l t h f o r t he body and r ighteous- ness f o r t h e s o u l , both inwrought by t h e Holy S p i r i t of God, t he Lord is preparing a people unto p e r f e c t ho l ines s , so t h a t they can meet t he Lord i n peace, and s e e him i n ho l ines s?

The connection of h e a l t h reform with t h e indwell ing of t h e Holy S p i r i t was

c o n s i s t e n t l y emphasized i n t h e Review between 1897 and 1900.

A s did o t h e r s who preached t h e Holy Ghost message, Bal lenger considered t h a t

a message the culminat ion of t he 1888 emphasis. A s d id t he o t h e r s , he seemed t o e x h i b i t a negat ive a t t i t u d e toward those l eade r s who he be l ieved i n h i b i t e d the

acceptance of t h a t message. He emphasized t h a t t h e Holy S p i r i t had begun t o be

poured ou t a t t h e 1893 GC s e s s i o n , bu t t h a t c e r t a i n l eade r s had l abe l ed t h e move-

ment a s f ana t i c i sm and thereby hindered t h e work designed f o r t h a t t i m e . He noted

i n 1897, however, t h a t t h e r ecep t ion of t h e Holy S p i r i t was then p re sen t t r u t h .

Righteousness by f a i t h , according t o Bal lenger , "was given us of God t o s t o p our

s inn ing . Let no man say t h a t he has rece ived r igh teousness by f a i t h u n t i l he has

stopped s inning." H e continued: "We a r e i n t he time of t h e l a t t e r r a i n , bu t t h e

outpouring of t h e S p i r i t is withheld because of our s i n s . " H e summarized h i s concept

a s fol lows: "Something t o t e l l ; power t o t e l l i t . Righteousness by f a i t h f u r n i s h e s

a man something t o t e l l ; and t h e baptism of t h e Holy S p i r i t f u rn i shes him power t o

t e l l i t i n a mighty power t o t h e world. " 6

Ballenger emphasized t h a t , j u s t a s C h r i s t c leansed t h e temple be fo re he could

perform mi rac l e s , s o mu@ t h e church min i s t ry and membership be purged from t h e i r

s i n s be fo re t h e power of God could come upon t h e church. He urged ind iv idua l s t o

seek t h e c l eans ing of themselves from s i n and then t h e power t o w i tnes s a g a i n s t t h e

"uncleanness of t h e church." H e noted:

I must have a c l ean church t o i n v i t e t h e people i n t o , be fo re I can s t and be fo re t h e people t o g ive t h e loud c ry i n a l l i t s g lo ry . . . . The world is wa i t i ng f o r us t o g e t t h e v i c t o r y . We want power f o r wi tness ing . . . . I f t h e Lord should g i v e you tremendous wi tness ing power be fo re t h a t b e s e t t i n g s i n w a s roo ted ou t , you would become a tremendous wi tness a g a i n s t God by t h a t f a i l u r e i n your l i f e .

Bal lenger be l i eved t h a t t h e t i m e had come t o "get an experience s o f a r beyond t h e

experience of 1844 a s t o e c l i p s e t h a t per iod wi th t h e f u l n e s s of t h e loud cry."7

H e p resen ted h i s concept of t h e Holy Ghost message i n f i v e e s s e n t i a l s t e p s :

F i r s t , repentance of s i n ; second a c la iming of pardon, o r t h e imputed r igh teous- ness of God by f a i t h ; t h i r d , t h e claiming of t h e keeping power of God, o r imparted righteousness by f a i t h ; f o u r t h , t h e claiming of " the promise of t h e S p i r i t through f a i t h ; " f i f t h , t h e cla iming of t h e g i f t of hea l ing by f a i t h .

According t o Bal lenger "phys ica l hea l ing i s now p re sen t t r u t h t o Seventh-day

Advent i s t s , b u t only t o those who w i l l g ive t h e Lord t h e g lory ." H e urged t h e

church t o " c l e a r t h e King's highway" of s i n s s o t h a t "s igns and wonders may be

done by t h e name of h i s holy c h i l d Jesus ." Cons is ten t r e p o r t s of phys i ca l hea l ings

accompanied the r e p o r t s from those campmeetings where A . F . Ballenger preached. 8

a The theo log ica l base f o r Bal lenger ' s concept of phys i ca l hea l ing is of v i t a l concern because of i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o h i s l a t e r sanctuary teaching. H i s concept

of t h e atonement included more than Chr i s t bear ing t h e s i n s of t h e world i n i t s

behal f . It l ikewise included, f o r Bal lenger , C h r i s t bear ing the phys i ca l i l l n e s s e s

of t h e world upon t h e Cross. He s t a t e d :

It is c l e a r t h a t our Lord took our i n f i r m i t i e s and bare our s icknesses that we might not have t o bear them--that we might be loosed from them--that they might depar t from us. J e sus bore them, the re fo re , t h a t He might bear them away from us, t h a t we might bea r them no more. A l l t h i s proves t h a t t h e Gospel i nc ludes s a l v a t i o n from s i ckness a s w e l l a s s a l v a t i o n from s i n . . . . Does not t h e s u r p r i s e manifested over mirac les of hea l ing show a l a c k of appre- c i a t i o n of t h e mirac le of t h e new b i r t h , and a d i s p o s i t i o n t o t ranspose i t from the realm of t h e miraculous t o t h e sphere of t he n a t u r a l ?

To confirm h i s po in t Bal lenger spoke of t he time when he himself lacked f a i t h i n

phys i ca l hea l ings . A t t h e same time, he noted, he "had not experienced God's

miraculous saving power." When he had experienced t h e l a t t e r , Bal lenger a f f i rmed,

0 he immediately obta ined " f a i t h i n God's power t o h e a l t he s ick ." He reasoned t h a t

i t requi red no g r e a t e r mi rac l e f o r God t o save him from s i n s and keep him from

f a l l i n g than t o h e a l phys ica l i l l s . He continued:

Thus a rose my f a i t h i n God's hea l ing power f o r t h e body. And a s I rece ived i t , s o must I walk i n i t . I f t h e r e comes a shadow of a f a i l u r e i n my personal experience touching my s a l v a t i o n from s inn ing , t h e r e is a corresponding f a i l u r e i n my f a i t h and p r a c t i s e concerning t h e hea l ing of t h e s i c k .

Bal lenger noted t h a t h i s f a i t h was anchored "within the ve i l . "9

That teaching was r e a s s e r t e d by Bal lenger i n h i s book Power f o r Witnessing,

publ ished i n 1900. He s t r e s s e d t h a t anyone who could b e l i e v e i n t he r e s u r r e c t i o n

of t h e body, could r e a d i l y be l i eve i n t he hea l ing of the body, "which is only

a kind of f i r s t - f r u i t s , o r p a r t payment, of t h e promised redemption of our body."

He continued :

Thus do t h e S c r i p t u r e s teach t h a t He bore our s i n s t h a t we might no t bear them. . . . This is t h e b lessed t r u t h which we teach t h e s i n n e r when he comes t o us seeking s a l v a t i o n from s i n . Why d id He t ake our i n f i r m i t i e s and bear our s i cknesses? . . . It is c l e a r t h a t our Lord took our i n f i r m i t i e s and bare ou r s i cknesses t h a t we might not have t o bea r them; t h a t we might be loosed from them; t h a t they might depar t from us. J e sus bore them there- f o r e , t h a t He might bear them away from us , t h a t we might bear them no more.

A l l t h i s proves t h a t t h e gospel inc ludes s a l v a t i o n from s i ckness a s w e l l a s s a l v a t i o n from s i n . 10

It seems very p o s s i b l e t h a t Mrs. White, i n 1905, would r e a c t nega t ive ly t o t he

S c r i p t u r a l base f o r t h i s concept of t h e atonement when Bal lenger presented h i s

sanc tuary views a t t he 1905 GC s e s s i o n ,

Soon t h e r e were h i n t s o f d iverg ing pa ths with those l e a d e r s of t he Holy Ghost

movement who seemed t o be moving toward pantheismland t h e p ioneers . George Irwin

f r equen t ly wrote t o Mrs. White concerning h i s f e a r s about t he in f luences t h a t t o

him seemed t o be becoming subvers ive of t h e fundamental teachings of t he church.

D r . J. H. Kellogg seemed t o be moving inc reas ing ly away from teaching t h a t could

be termed "denominational." I rwin not iced t h a t such younger doc tors a s David

Paulson, D . H. Kress, and Howard Rand, and m i n i s t e r s such a s W. W. P r e s c o t t ,

E. J . Waggoner, and A. T. Jones, were "running along extreme l i n e s a l so . " He t o l d

Mrs. White, "I f e e l more and more t o thank God f o r t h e S p i r i t of Prophecy; f o r i t

is our rudder t h a t w i l l guide us s a f e l y over t h e shoa l s and breakers t h a t a r e

be fo re us." I rwin became s o concerned over t h e d iverg ing pa ths t h a t he urged i t

a s a v i t a l neces s i ty t h a t Mrs. White r e t u r n t o the United S t a t e s from Aus t r a l i a .

He pleaded:

I th ink you w i l l f u l l y app rec i a t e t h e f a c t t h a t we he re a r e i n a measure power- l e s s t o t u r n t h e t i d e without your personal presence; and be l i ev ing t h i s t o be t r u e , I aga in urge, f o r t h e sake of t h e cause of God i n gene ra l , and f o r t he sake of some s o u l s who are l i a b l e t o l o s e t h e i r hold on God and become l o s t i n t h e m i s t and fog, t h a t you come t o t h i s country a t t h e e a r l i e s t p o s s i b l e moment a f t e r you r ece ive t h i s l e t t e r .

I rwin turned t o t h e p ioneers t o r e s t o r e t h e fundamentals. He noted t h a t Stephen

Haskel l i n h i s work brought ou t t h e "grea t underlying p r i n c i p l e s of t h e message,

which exploded many e r r o r s and b e l i e f s t h a t have been gaining a foothold i n t h e

minds of some." He wrote Mrs. White t h a t aske ell's preaching "on t h e r i g h t

l i n e s i n which t h e message should be c a r r i e d , and h i s e f f e c t u a l way of showing

from t he Word the f a l l a c y of t he many e r r o r s t h a t have been creeping i n , is a l l

having a good e f f e c t . " He noted t h a t elements were coming i n t o the church t h a t

Haekell and J . N . Loughborough could combat because of t h e i r previous experience

i n dea l ing wi th fana t ic i sm. 12

a Review Herald a r t i c l e s by S. N . Haskel l , R. A. Underwood and J . N . Loughborough, emphasizing the pe r sona l i t y of t h e Holy S p i r i t and dep ic t ing e a r l i e r

f a n a t i c a l movements w i t h i n the church, seemed designed t o e x h i b i t a pioneer r e a c t i o n

t o t h e developing p a n t h e i s t i c teachings. Even A . T. Jones observed:

I am a f r a i d t h a t t h e r e has been a tendency t o go over t o t he o the r end now, and preach t h e f a i t h of J e sus with t t h e commandments. We must guard ourse lves aga ins t such a t h ing a s t h a t . PY

I n t h e next admin i s t r a t i on both W. A . Spice r , s e c r e t a r y of t h e General Conference,

and A. G. Dan ie l l s , p r e s iden t , observed t h a t I rwin had spent cons iderable t o i l

"facing t h e mystery" of a developing apostasy.14

Throughout t h e 1890s, Mrs. White warned a g a i n s t t h e mys t i ca l , s p i r i t u a l i s t i c

t h e o r i e s t h a t she saw en te r ing t h e church. She wrote:

Chr i s t has given many warnings t o t he e f f e c t t h a t f a l s e d o c t r i n e s , f a l s e prophets and f a l s e c h r i s t s would a r i s e , and deceive many. From t h e l i g h t t h a t God has been p leased t o g ive m e , h i s humble s e r v a n t , I know t h a t t hese prophecies have been f u l f i l l i n g , and tes t imonies have not been few t h a t have been given t o meet t hese th ings a s they have come up a l l a long through our r e l i g i o u s experience. Great de lus ions w i l l a r i s e , and "even of your own s e l v e s s h a l l men a r i s e , speaking perverse t h ings t o draw away d i s c i p l e s a f t e r them. "

She warned h e r son, James Edson White, about professed " i n t e r p r e t e r s of t h e word

of God" who mys t i f i ed t h e " s p i r i t u a l import of t he sacred gospel" and thus covered

up the t r u t h . She noted: "We need not go o u t s i d e of our own ranks t o s e e t h e

deep p l o t t i n g s of Satan. He is working through some of our own number, and they

are deceiving t h e people. 1115

Mrs. White seemed t o summarize the major developments w i th in the church i n

the decade of t h e 1890s, and a l s o t h e varying al ignments when she wrote the fol lowing

t o J. H. Kellogg i n 1898:

Some who read t h e word ca tch a t i deas which they suppose g ive them g r e a t l i g h t . They p re sen t t h i s supposed l i g h t a s t r u t h , bu t a s they have not r e a l l y s tud ied the word as some have done, they w i l l , f u l l of a rdo r and z e a l , p r e sen t t heo r i e s which, i f received, w i l l counterwork the e f f o r t s which have been put f o r t h s i n c e 1844 t o g ive the people of God a connected cha in of t r u t h . They do not know what they a r e doing, bu t they d i s t u r b those who suppose they have a s o l i d foundation. These c rave f o r new ideas and suppos i t ions , which m a r t h e symmetrical development of cha rac t e r . Under t h e in f luence of t h e Holy S p i r i t ,

those with this enthusiastic temperament would be enabled to do the highest service. The quickening influence of the life in their message would give character to the work, and advance it, diffusing the grace and spirit of truth in all its lines. But let such a one put his whole mind upon some idea which is not correct, and deformity rather than symmetry is developed.

She urged the church:

In the work at our campmeetings we should give prominence to the truths of the Third Angel's Message. We are in danger of giving this message in so indefinite a manner that it does not impress the people. . . . The trumpet is to give a certain sound. Lift up the standard, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Make this the important theme. Then by strong arguments wall it in, and make it of still greater force. Dwell more on the Revelation. Read, explain, and enforce its teachings. l6

Ballenger's campmeeting appointments included Indiana in both 1897 and 1898.

In reflecting upon his 1898 meeting in Indiana, he observed:

At the Indiana meeting, between thirty and forty from the city arose for prayer. As I stood there that Sunday afternoon, and called the people of the world and other churches to repentance, and saw them forced to their feet by the power of God, I thought, What power will be manifested when God's people are clean! When I am conscious that I am not clean, I can not preach with power, neither can I preach with "unwonted power" when I know that my people are not clean. Cleanse the Seventh-day Adventist Church of all un- cleanness, and I will promise the loudest cry of the loud cry the same day.

Among those impressed with Ballenger's messages were the conference president,

R. S. Donnell, and one of its leading ministers, S. S. Davis, both of whom were to

become the leaders in what was called the "Holy Flesh" teaching. 17

Although a few years later the Indiana apostasy in its outworkings seemed at

war with the fundamental teachings of Adventism, the core error seemed to escape

detection. A. J. Breed, president of District No. 6, which included Indiana, noted:

I could see nothing especially in it more than simply Justification by Faith, put in another way. It is not so much of what they are preaching as the way they are doing it.

Breed noted that the entire group at the campmeeting he attended in 1900 seemed in

harmony with the teaching. He observed that as far as the teaching went his only

complaint was that none of the fundamental teachings of Adventism were prominent. 18

The fact that pantheistic teaching had been so widely accepted within the

denomination by the late 1890s hindered Breed from detecting its fundamental error.

Stephen Haskel l , upon r e tu rn ing from an overseas t r i p i n 1899, was shocked a t

0 some of t he "queer doc t r ines preached by some of t h e leading m i n i s t e r s of t he r i s i n g generat ion" and w a s f u r t h e r shocked t h a t quota t ions from t h e Bible and

tes t imonies would be given i n apparent support of those teachings . Haske l l ' s

observa t ions p re sen t a c o l o r f u l , b u t t r a g i c p i c t u r e of the consequence of a f a l s e

concept of t h e atonement. H i s d i s t i n c t i v e grammar is r e t a i n e d i n t h e following

d e s c r i p t i o n r t o Mrs. White:

Some of t h e s t r a n g e s t doc t r ines I have heard is t h e Sea l of God cannot be placed on any person of Grey Hai rs , o r any deformed person, f o r i n the c los ing work we would reach a s t a t e of pe r f ec t ion , both phys i ca l ly and s p i r i t u a l , where we would be hea led from a l l phys i ca l deformity and then could not d i e , e t c . I s a i d t o Brother Breed and a l s o t o t h e b re th ren i n r e p l y t h a t I expected the next I would hear we could g e t a new s e t of t e e t h i n t h i s l i f e , e t c . Well Bro. Breed s a i d t h a t was preached by some. Af te r Brother Warren had preached t h i s he had i n a t e n t a l l t h a t was s i c k and deformed t o meet and they would consu l t a s t o what t o do. One woman s a i d how convincing i t would be t o he r f r i e n d s t o s e e h e r r e t u r n home with h e r h a i r s a l l r e s to red and be l ieved i t would be soon. She wept a s she spoke. Another deaf man i n one e a r s a i d t h e hear ing was r e tu rn ing back even then. So an hour o r two was spent i n tes t imonies of l i k e na ture . I was as tonished a t t h e s i g h t and more as tonished t h a t such preaching should have any e f f e c t on t h e people. And s t i l l more as tonished t o hear such preaching from a m i n i s t e r of such r epu te and from one t h a t s tood a t t h e head of a mission. . . . In t h e morning I a rose e a r l y and go t t oge the r a l l of t h e b re th ren and s i s t e r s , m i n i s t e r s included, and read a testimony you s e n t me s e v e r a l yea r s ago a t t h e time Brethren Jones and Waggoner was car ry ing t h e praying f o r t h e s i c k t o an extreme and i t f u l l y descr ibed t h e meeting of t h e s i c k we had the n ight before . We t o l d them of t h e na tu re of t h e tes t imonies how i t had ever come t o c o r r e c t e r r o r s and suppress f a n a t i c i s m , e t c . . . . I then sought a personal in te rv iew wi th Brother Warren and he s a i d t h e lead- ing m i n i s t e r s , t e ache r s and doc tors be l ieved i t . I t o l d him t h a t made no d i f f e r e n c e wi th me i f every body be l ieved i t . Well t h i s is only a sample of what i s going around here . I have had much freedom i n speaking. But t h e t r u t h is t h e r e is l i g h t which is g r e a t l y perver ted .

It seems s i g n i f i c a n t t o no te t h a t Haskel l w a s descr ib ing meetings he ld i n B a t t l e

Creek. It l ikewise seems s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t Bal lenger was s h o r t l y assigned t o work

wi th Stephen Haskel l i n h i s campmeeting assignments. 19

Mrs. White responded t o Haskel l ' s d e s c r i p t i o n by not ing that such t eachers

"having l o s t t h e grand t r u t h s of the Word of God, which cen te r i n t h e t h i r d

angel ' s message" had suppl ied those t r u t h s wi th " fab les . I' She continued :

Those who present t he idea t h a t t h e b l i n d , t h e deaf , t h e lame, t h e deformed, w i l l no t r ece ive t h e s e a l of God, a r e not speaking words given them by the Holy S p i r i t . . . . No one i s t o put t r u t h t o t he t o r t u r e by cheap imaginings, by p u t t i n g a forced , myst ica l cons t ruc t ion upon the word. . . . They a r e s t a r t i n g i n a course which w i l l l ead t o t he g r e a t e s t , most God-dishonoring fana t ic i sm. . . . The idea t h a t persons who a r e deformed must be healed i n order t o be saved is a f a b l e o r ig ina t ed by some one who needs inward c leans ing before he can r ece ive the s e a l of God. I n t h e g r e a t day of God a l l who a r e f a i t h f u l and t r u e w i l l r e ce ive t h e hea l ing touch of t he d iv ine Redeemer. The Li feg iver w i l l remove every deformity, and w i l l g ive them e t e r n a l l i f e . 20

Mrs. White l a t e r quest ioned t h e t h r u s t of t h e e n t i r e Holy Ghost movement. She

wrote Haskel l t h e next year : "Much i s be ing s a i d regard ing t h e impar ta t ion of t he

Holy S p i r i t , and by some t h i s is being s o i n t e r p r e t e d t h a t i t is an i n j u r y t o t h e

churches. " She a l s o wrote:

My b ro the r , t h e r e is danger of those i n our ranks making a mistake i n regard t o rece iv ing t h e Holy Ghost. Many suppose an emotion of a r a p t u r e of f e e l i n g t o be a n evidence of t he presence of t he Holy S p i r i t .

Mrs. White l i kewise saw t h e movement a s subver t ing the fundamentals and r e l a t e d i t

t o p a s t f a n a t i c a l movements w i t h i n t h e church. 2 1

The co re of R . 9 . Donnel l ' s t eaching , i n t h i s w r i t e r ' s op in ion , i s s i m i l a r t o

t h a t found i n Bal lenger and o the r s : a misappl ica t ion of t h e b e n e f i t s of t he

atonement. Donnell , a s d id Bal lenger , appl ied t o t h i s l i f e t h a t which i s reserved

f o r t h e f u t u r e l i f e . Donnell taught t h a t a t conversion both the mind and t h e body

were f u l l y cleansed and brought back t o t h e condi t ion of man be fo re t he f a l l , "so f a r

a s i t s l i f e o r a c t i o n s a r e concerned." He noted:

I teach t h a t those who f u l l y app ropr i a t e the power of t he Gospel of C h r i s t need not t o d i e . . . . A s t o what men might have a t t a i n e d unto i n t h e p a s t , my burden does not r e s t . Now is t h e time f o r t h e Laodicean o r c leans ing message, and the ga ther ing out of those who a r e t o be t r a n s l a t e d when Je sus comes. 22

Although Donnell sought t o b o l s t e r t h i s teaching by a l i t e r a l i s t i c a p p l i c a t i o n

of E l l en White w r i t i n g s , she n e i t h e r addressed h e r s e l f t o h i s s p e c i f i c t heo log ica l

underpinnings nor t o a thorough expos i t i on of h i s e r r o r . The testimony he received

a t t h e 1901 GC s e s s ion , however, contained s u f f i c i e n t information t o r evea l h i s

e r r o r had he given i t c l o s e examination. However, a s d id most of t h e o t h e r s who

followed f a l s e pa ths , he apparent ly never renounced h i s erroneous teaching. Mrs.

White informed the Indiana l eade r s :

11 . When human beings receive holy flesh, they will not remain on the earth, but will be taken to heaven. While sin is forgiven in this life, its results are not now wholly removed. It is at his coming that Christ is to "change

0 our vile body." . . . When Christ shall come with a great sound of a trumpet, and shall call the dead from their prison house, then the saints will receive holy flesh . 23 Rather significantly, in this testimony Mrs. White alluded to previous fanatical

movements within the church all of which seemed to claim full sanctification and

the present application of benefits not to be received until the return of Jesus.

She also noted:

These things bring a reproach upon the cause of truth, and hinder the procla- mation of the last message of mercy to the world. . . . Many such movements will arise at this time, when the ~ord's work should stand elevated, pure, unadulterated with superstition and fables. 24

ENGLAND, 190 1- 1905

In 1903 E. J. Waggoner attended a farewell gathering held in his honor as he

prepared to leave England after 12 years of service. Among the items presented to

him as a farewell gift was a nine volume set of "Quain's Anatomy," designed to

0 facilitate Waggoner's medical studies that he intended to continue in ~attle Creek. Events leading to the departure of Waggoner from England, however, were not

as harmonious as the farewell gathering. While representatives of diverging paths

came into conflict within the United States, the confrontation was likewise severe

in England where A. F. Ballenger was asked to serve in 1901. 2 5

Waggoner edited the British Present Truth during his entire term in England.

A glimpse of some of his writings between 1902 and 1903 affords insight into the

nature of the confrontation.

Waggoner, as did Ballenger, taught that the power by which a person received

forgiveness of sins was the same power that healed disease. Waggoner asserted:

As long as we may expect forgiveness of sins, we may likewise expect healing of disease, and as there is no sin too great to be forgiven, so there is no disease that we may not ask Him to heal, with confidence that He will do it. . . . In the forgiveness of our sins by the life which we lay hold of by

a faith, we have the healing of all our diseases, if we but grasp the fact. He also stated:

Nothing could be plainer than this. There is such a thing as victory over

d i sease and death, through Chr i s t . The f l e s h is cor rupt and s i n f u l ; b u t Chr i s t has "power over a l l f l e s h , " s o t h a t H i s l i f e can r e p r e s s s i n even i n " s i n f u l f l e s h , " and by t h e same power He can r e s i s t t h e encroachments of d i s - ea se even i n our mor ta l f l e s h . 2 6

That power, Waggoner taught , became a c c e s s i b l e through the atonement. "The

p e r f e c t , death-destroying l i f e of Jesus," Waggoner a s s e r t e d , "must be f u l l y

manifested i n t h e mor ta l f l e s h of some people be fo re t he Lord r e t u r n s t o t h i s

e a r t h again." H e aff i rmed:

Holiness , p e r f e c t p u r i t y of body and s p i r i t , is not only poss ib l e , but abso lu t e ly necessary; and t h i s s t a t e i s t o be ou r s i n t h i s p r e s e n t , e v i l world, be fo re he r e s u r r e c t i o n ; f o r we a r e t o l d t h a t without i t no man s h a l l s e e t h e Lord. 2 5 While i t is unnecessary t o t r a c e t h e va r i ed conclusions based upon Waggoner's

assumptions about t h e power r e l ea sed through the atonement, t h e fol lowing w i l l

s e rve as an example:

When the s u n l i g h t des t roys d i sease germs, c leans ing our e a r t h , and making i t h a b i t a b l e , and p u t t i n g co lour i n t o t h e cheeks of people, as w e l l a s upon the roses , i t is t h e working of t h e same l i f e of Chr i s t t h a t c leanses from a l l s i n . Thus t h e whole c r e a t i o n preaches t h e Gospel.

A t t h e same time, Waggoner could b e l i e v e i n a C h r i s t who "is our High P r i e s t i n t he

heavenly p l aces a t t h e r i g h t hand of God, y e t He is on e a r t h i n our f l e s h , even

i n our s i n f u l f lesh."28

Bal lenger noted t h a t h i s work i n England w a s s i m i l a r t o t h a t i n t h e United

S t a t e s except t h a t he sensed "a deepening experience and growing power." He wrote

of r ece iv ing l e t t e r s from 13 churches he had v i s i t e d by January of 1902 a l l t e l l i n g

of "new power which has come i n t o t h e i r l i v e s f o r personal v i c t o r y and aggress ive

serv ice ." Bal lenger mentioned h i s own "deeper concept ions of s i n and g r e a t e r

conceptions of t h e c ros s of Calvary." He a s s e r t e d t o t h e de l ega te s of t h e f i r s t

European General Conference t h a t t h e focus of h i s teaching had somewhat changed and

he was now preaching a g r e a t e r Gospel than he had ever preached before . He noted:

I have been t e l l i n g people t h a t i f they would do something, t h e Lord would do something; bu t now I have turned i t round, and am t e l l i n t he people t h a t t he Lord has done something, and wants them t o r ece ive i t . 28

Soon a f t e r h i e a r r i v a l i n England i n 1899, E . E. Andross took i s s u e with t h e

na tu re of t h e teachings of P r e s c o t t , Waggoner, and D r . Kress that-Aadross def ined a s :

13

What, when, and how to eat, and how to teach the same to others. Eating the body and drinking the blood of Christ in our every meal and every time we took a drink of water, etc. This was the all-important theme, continually.

Andross decried the absence of such themes during evangelistic endeavors as the

Second Coming, Signs of the Times, Three Angel's Messages, sanctuary, sealing work,

11 or any of those subjects that to me is the distinctive message for this time."

Andross observed :

If you will ask Eld. Loughborough why he decided to take passage for America it may throw some light on the exode of laborers from here within the last year. 30

By 1903 the pioneers in England became sufficiently concerned with the work of

Waggoner and others to press for some changes. Issues were drawn at the British

Conference meeting at Southsea, England, in that year. G. A. Irwiq, who representdd

the General Conference at the meeting that was designed to complete the organization

of the British Union Conference, observed that the organizational battle was

similar to that at the Oakland GC session when Waggoner, Jones, and others strongly

opposed what they considered moves toward centralization, except:

The controversy was much more fierce and determined, because that was the field where much of the spirit and sentiment that prevailed at the General Conference saw its birth. These men seemed to believ that it would be a Waterloo for them to be defeated on their own ground. 5 1

Compounding the frustration of Waggoner's attempt to prevent the establishment of

the British Union Conference was an attack from the North England Conference

relating to his teaching at the Bible School and in the Present Truth. The question

of financial support for both was pointedly raised. Irwin reported that "the

brethren there just came right up and took their stand, and said they could no

longer sanction such teaching that was tearing down all order and organization."

According to Irwin, Waggoner retorted that

He was right at Minneapolis, he had been tight ever since, was right now, and that the whole denomination was in the dark, and that sometime they might possibly see it if they did not drift entirely away and merge into a papacy. 32

In his letter of resignation, Waggoner presented his version of the confronta-

tion. He expressed intense opposition to sending Irwin as Daniells ' representative

and noted that "Brother Irwin did his duty nobly for 'the old landmarks.' Whether

t h e people were b e n e f i t e d o r no t was a secondary ma t t e r . " Waggoner a g a i n r a i s e d

t h e ques t i on of t h e p ioneer r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e Minneapolis message. H e noted:

It was s o l e l y due t o t h e f a c t t h a t wh i l e , a f t e r much oppos i t i on , t h e denomina- t i o n had o f f i c i a l l y accep ted t h e advanced t r u t h of t h e message, they had no t taken i t p r a c t i c a l l y . . . . Worst of a l l , they d i d no t a ccep t t h e ADVANCING LIGHT (emphasis added) of t h e message. Having made one move, they f e l t i r r i t a t e d a t t h e i n t i m a t i o n t h a t they ought t o go on. . . . An e a r n e s t e f f o r t was made two y e a r s ago t o improve t h e s t a t e of t h ings . . . . The t r o u b l e was, a s be fo re , t h a t i t was thought p o s s i b l e t o e f f e c t reforms by t h e same means, and mostly t h e same men, t h a t caused t h e t r o u b l e . . . . To me t h e ou t look (now) seems less hopefu l than ever ; because h i t h e r t o t h e men i n charge had never s een t h e l i g h t ; b u t now men who have seen i t have been captured by t h e r e a c t i o n a r y element. I can no t comprehend i t ; b u t i t i s p l a i n t o me t h a t o f f i c i a l l y t h e denomination is back t h e o t h e r s i d e of Minneapolis. The c ~ y now, a s then , is, "Stand by t h e landmarks ."33

Waggoner c l e a r l y cons idered himself s t i l l w i t h i n t h e p rog re s s ive ca tegory . I

L. R. Conradi, l e a d e r of t h e denominational work i n Europe observed:

I am i n harmony a s t o t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f j u s t i f i c a t i o n by f a i t h set f o r t h a t Minneapolis, and I b e l i e v e they were God-given, and t h a t a s a people we needed them, and need them y e t , and t h a t they brought l i g h t and l i f e t o u s , b u t I f e a r t h a t t h e pendulum swung too f a r , and w e l o s t a g a i n a good d e a l of what w e gained by n e g l e c t i n g t h e message a s such. I f t h e t h i r d a n g e l ' s message is preached p rope r ly , i t is t h e e v e r l a s t i n g Gospel, and i t w i l l have i t s t e l l i n g e f f e c t . 34

A path very s i m i l a r t o Waggoner's had p rev ious ly been followed by t h r e e of

t h e n a t i v e B r i t i s h workers, Harry Champness, A. R . Leask, and J . S tokes . Champness,

who had min i s t e r ed f o r 13 y e a r s i n England, and was t h e most popular m i n i s t e r t h e r e ,

according t o 0. A. Olsen, p r e s i d e n t of t h e B r i t i s h Union Conference, l e f t t h e

denomination i n oppos i t i on t o i t s " l e g a l i s t i c " emphasis t o work along non-sec ta r ian ,

e v a n g e l i c a l l i n e s . Leask j o ined a h o l i n e s s movement, bu t even tua l l y jo ined

Champness i n a c t i v e work a g a i n s t t h e denomination. This group would s h o r t l y be

jo ined by o t h e r s fo l lowing a s i m i l a r pa th . Those l e a d e r s who had t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

f o r fol lowing up i n t h e a r e a s where Champness and Leask had e a r l i e r m in i s t e r ed

i n t h e denomination were amazed a t how un ins t ruc t ed t h e church members were i n t h e

fundamental t each ings of Adventism. The c o s t i n church membership would be heavy. 3 5

Af t e r Waggoner's depa r tu r e , t h e change i n tone i n t h e P re sen t Truth and t h e

work i n gene ra l i n England was remarkable. E . W. Farnsworth was s e n t from Aus-

t r a l i a t o h e l p r e s t o r e t h e fundamentals. It seemed merely a m a t t e r of time be fo re

a confrontation with Ballenger would occur. Indeed, Ballenger had not only worked

closely with both Champness and Leask, but, according to Champness, "had professed

previously to be with us in our work of reform." Waggoner reported that Ballenger

had fully apprised Leask of the pioneer opposition to acceptance of the Waggoner

message at Minneapolis in 1888, and also Ballenger's contention that certain pioneers

had continued to controvert that message. Although Ballenger had not fully fol-

lowed the pantheists in 1903, he would shortly face a dilemma. 3 6

During the winter of 1903-04, during the time Ballenger was superintendent of

the Wales mission, he wrestled for three months with a problem that, when resolved,

would nullify his confidence in the Spirit of Prophecy. The question in Ballenger's

mind revolved around the identification of Babylon in the 17th chapter of Revelation.

Since he believed that the Babylon of chapter 14 and that of chapter 17 of Revela-

tion were identical, Ballenger, after three months of intense agonizing concluded

that Mrs. White's statement in Great Controversy, that the Babylon of Revelation 14

"cannot refer to the Roman church" was in error. His intense trauma over that

prolonged period, and his inability to find means of harmonizing this problem with

his understanding of the nature of the inspiration of the Spirit of Prophecy,

afford insights into his later actions. If he had taken into account the context

in which Ellen White's statement on Babylon occurred or had sought to understand

the point she was making rather than becoming caught on individual words, he might

have reached far different conclusions. 3 7

"LIVING TEMPLE"

If the battle between the pioneers and pantheists in England was intense, the

battle between the progressives and the pantheists in the United States was explosive.

The event that made divergent paths apparent was a book written by J. H. Kellogg

entitled The Living - Texle. -

0 The roots of Kellogg's philosophy reveal a remarkable similarity to that of Ballenger, Waggoner and others who would fall generally within the pantheistic

camp. Kellogg's path led from his belief that Christ's atonement applied aspects of

glorification to the present. While Ballenger stressed more of a mediatorial role

for Christ and Kellogg an indwelling role, both had a similar concept of the atone-

ment and the power available through it. Both sets of concepts in their stress

and development warred against the fundamentals of the church. Notice Kellogg's

1902 view of the atonement:

Christ came to this earth with a mission of deliverance, whose scope was large enough to comprehend the whole world, with all its needs, all its infirmities, mental and physical as well as moral, all its woes, its misery, its pain, its diseases and deformities,--to open all the prison doors and to set its captives free. . . . Man needs physical healing as much as moral regeneration, and complete success is not possible in either one without the other.38

Thus through the atonement, according to Kellogg, there was present in nature and

in every living being, in man, a beneficent intelligence which is continually creating, restoring, renewing, building, and rebuilding, always doing the best that could possibly be done under the circumstances. This is the real healing power, active in every living cell, and particularly in the blood.

At the same time, Kellogg expressed his belief in a personal God in heaven. He

wrote Mrs. White:

Some of the brethren have gotten the idea that we do not believe in a personal God, which is ertainly very wrong. There could be no worship without a personal God. 34

Kellogg denied pantheism, mysticism, or any false teaching, and considered

attacks against him as largely manufactured. He noted that he believed the concepts

presented in The Living Temple since the 1890s and pointed to instances where those

concepts were published during the 1890s. He specifically mentioned the writings of

Mrs. S. M. I. Henry, W. W. Prescott, and claimed to find similar concepts in the

writings of Mrs. White. By 1903 Kellogg believed he saw the source of the diffi-

culty. He wrote W. W. Prescott:

When we say God is in the tree, the word "God" is understood in its most comprehensive sense, and people understand the meaning to be that the Godhead is in the tree, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, whereas the proper understanding in order that wholesome conceptions should be pre- served in our minds, is that God the Father sits upon his throne in heaven where God the Son is also; while God's life, or Spirit or presence is the all- pervading power which is carrying out the will of God in all the universe. The whole thing is now clear to my mind. I confess it was not quite clear before, and I felt a distrust and an uneasiness with reference to the matter, though I could not for the life of me see where there was an error.40

The dimensions of t h e Living Temple c r i s i s a r e beyond c a l c u l a t i o n . I. H. Evans,

who had observed t h e beginnings of t h e apos tasy from w i t h i n the Irwin admin i s t r a t i on

noted:

Sometimes I almost wonder i f we have come, a s o the r denominations have come, t o a c r i s i s , where t h e r e s h a l l be s t agna t ion , o r , i f no t s t agna t ion , t h e r e s h a l l be s p l i t s , and we break up i n t o fragments, and one branch go t h i s way, and another another .

P r e s c o t t considered t h e movement a n a t tempt t o s u b s t i t u t e a " f a l s e philosophy i n

p l ace of t h e pure gospel," whi le Dan ie l l s observed:

I consider t h e whole matter a deeply l a i d scheme t o overthrow our cause and work, and t o thwart t he e f f o r t s we a r e making t o reach a pe r i sh ing world; i n f a c t , t o t u r n a s i d e t h e purpose and o b j e c t of our whole work, and t o def a t t h e movement f o r which t h i s denomination has been c a l l e d i n t o ex i s t ence . 2 1

Danie l l s quoted a testimony from Mrs. White where

It is s t a t e d t h a t i f a l l of us from t h i s t ime on g ive our whole l i v e s t o t h e undoing of t h e counterworking of t h e e v i l i n f luences t h a t have taken r o o t among us i n t h i s e v i l teaching, we s h a l l not be a b l e t o f u l l y undo i t . God a lone can check and undo t h i s e v i l th ing .

Dan ie l l s continued:

You w i l l s ee , too , t h a t our m i n i s t e r s a r e blamed f o r no t being wideawake, and understanding t h i s t h ing .

He be l ieved t h e movement was designed t o "prevent t he loud cry of t h e t h i r d

a n g e l ' s message from being experienced by t h i s denomination," and t h a t " the we l f a re

and s t a b i l i t y of t h i s cause a r e a t stake.I142

Dan ie l l s spoke from t h e background of one who himself had almost f a l l e n i n t o

t h e s u b t l e t i e s of t h e Kellogg apos tasy . He wrote:

Hardly a day passes b u t what I look up t o God i n heaven, and thank him f o r d e l i v e r i n g me from the sna re t h a t was' l a i d f o r me. A l l t h e condi t ions then e x i s t i n g were w e l l c a l c u l a t e d t o ensnare me. Had I not been de l ive red by my merc i fu l Fa ther i n heaven, I c e r t a i n l y would have been working wi th Elder Jones now i n t h e p repa ra t ion and c i r c u l a t i n g of t he wicked misrepresenta t ions he is sending out t o our people. . . . I am humbled every time I review t h e t e r r i b l e road over which I have journeyed s i n c e the 1901 conference.

Danie l l s confided t o Evans t h a t t he crisis "almost ruined" him phys i ca l ly , and wrote

W. C . White:

A t one time I found myself i n a p o s i t i o n where i t was only a s t e p t o much more than doubt and unbe l i e f . . . . And I know f o r a f a c t t h a t both Brother Pres- c o t t and Brother Spicer were most h o r r i b l y tempted. Their experience was f a r more a c u t e and dangerous than mine. But they both f ea red God, and he de l ivered them from t h e sna re of t he fowler.43

18

P a r t of t h e reason f o r t he depths of t h e c r i s i s from 1902 onward r e l a t e d t o t h e

long-term r o o t s of t h e " s p i r i t u a l i s t i c 1 ' teaching wi th in t h e denomination. R . A .

Underwood a l luded t o developments i n t h e 1890s, no t ing t h a t Dan ie l l s was l ea rn ing

"by experience some th ings t h a t o t h e r s had known before." He aff i rmed:

There has been creeping i n f o r yea r s c e r t a i n t h ings i n t he i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e s c r i p t u r e s by some ( i t is not a l l confined t o B a t t l e Creek) t h a t is a s c e r t a i n t o make t h e Third Angel's message a s we have be l ieved and preached i t nothing l e s s than a f a b l e and a de lus ion .

H. W. C o t t r e l l considered t h a t " fo r many years , " t h e "rank and f i l e of the denomina-

t i o n were l a r g e l y s ide t r acked from t h e main l i n e , " and G. B. Thompson pointed t o

a " teaching which has been tak ing t h e edge of f t h e message f o r years . ' ' Dan ie l l s ,

P r e s c o t t , and o t h e r s observed the lengthy r o o t s of t h e teaching. Indeed, they, wi th

o t h e r s , saw t h e movement w i th in t h e denomination a s a p a r t of a worldwide philosophy

t h a t was sweeping o t h e r denominations. 4 4

A s d id o t h e r s , Mrs. White, i n dea l ing wi th t h e Living Temple c r i s i s , noted t h a t

such " s p i r i t u a l i s t i c sen t iments , t h e s t r ange , misleading t h e o r i e s , " had " for yea r s

been coming in." She f r equen t ly used such terms a s " s c i e n t i f i c t h e o r i e s which a r e

a k i n t o pantheism," " f a n c i f u l and s p i r i t u a l i s t i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h e Sc r ip tu re , "

"perversion of t r u t h , I1 "mysticism. "

I n tes t imonies r e l a t i n g t o t h e c r i s i s we o f t e n f i n d d e s c r i p t i o n s of symbolic

scenes shown t o Mrs. White through v i s i o n . She repor ted such scenes a s Kellogg

pushing a long c a r up a s t e e p a s c e n t , r i d i n g a horse and ca r ry ing a banner, armies

i n t e r r i b l e c o n f l i c t , s h i p s and icebergs , e t c . Espec ia l ly noteworthy is t h e f a c t

t h a t M r s . White d i d not d e a l with t h e s p e c i f i c t heo log ica l e r r o r s plaguing the path

t h a t Kellogg and o t h e r s were fol lowing. She urged c l o s e B i b l i c a l s tudy t o a s c e r t a i n

t he e r r o r .

Mrs. White s t a t e d , a f t e r a f u l l year and a h a l f of tes t imonies r e l a t i n g t o t h e

c r i s i s :

Many a r e s o b l i n d t h a t they do not yet d i sce rn t h e misleading cha rac t e r of some of the sent iments contained i n t he book " ~ i v i n g Temple." Such ones, whether they be m i n i s t e r s , doc tors , o r t eache r s , would b e t t e r go a p a r t and study t he S c r i p t u r e s a lone wi th ~ o d . 4 5

W. C . White appl ied t h i s methodology a f t e r a c r i t i c a l meeting on the c r i s i s :

I s tud ied t h e Bible; I reviewed t h e teachings I had received regard ing God and H i s r e l a t i o n t o man; I s tud ied t h e "Living Temple"; I c a r r i e d the ques t ion t o God upon my knees. I f e l t t h a t I must know f o r myself t he answer t o t hese

a p e r p l e x i t i e s t h a t have been ga ther ing i n my mind a s a r e s u l t of t h e teachings I had heard a t our camp-meetings and i n San Francisco. I received a revela- t i o n of ~ o d ' s goodness and c l e a r views regarding H i s pe r sona l i t y and H i s power t h a t have s e t me f r e e from t h e doubts and p e r p l e x i t i e s t h a t have a r i s e n i n my mind. 4 6

Mrs. White be l ieved t h a t d i r e c t r e v e l a t i o n from t h e Lord should not have been

necessary i n o rde r f o r t h e church l eade r s t o d i sce rn the erroneous teachings i n

Living Temple. She w a s f u r t h e r shocked t h a t men "who have had a long experience i n

t he t ru th" should have accepted t h e teachings . She noted:

That those whom we thought sound i n t h e f a i t h should have f a i l e d t o d i s c e r n t h e spec ious , deadly in f luence of t h i s s c i ence of e v i l , should alarm us a s nothing e l s e has alarmed us.

She repor ted t h e fol lowing v i s ion :

The heavenly messenger turned t o those profess ing t o be medical mi s s iona r i e s , and s a i d , "How could you al low yourselves t o be l e d b l i n d f o l d ? How could you s o misrepresent t h e name you bear? You have your Bibles . Why have you not reasoned from cause t o e f f e c t ? You have accepted t h e o r i e s t h a t have l ed you away from t h e t r u t h s t h a t a r e t o stamp t h e i r impress upon t h e cha rac t e r s of a l l Seventh-day Adventis ts . Your l eade r has been moving the foundat ion timbers one by one, and h i s reasoning would soon l eave us wi th no c e r t a i n foundat ion f o r our f a i t h . He has not heeded t h e tes t imonies t h a t God through h i s S p i r i t has given. The books of t h e B ib l e conta in ing most important i n s t r u c t i o n a r e d i s - regarded because they say s o much about a personal God. He has not known whither h i s f e e t were tending. But i n h i s r ecen t w r i t i n g s , h i s tendencies toward pantheism have been revea led . 47

I n addressing h e r s e l f t o t h e Living Temple c r i s i s , Mrs. White appl ied a number

of terms t h a t two yea r s l a t e r she would r e l a t e t o t he Bal lenger c r i s i s . She noted

t h a t Kellogg was misapplying s c r i p t u r e s and tak ing them out of t h e i r connection and

"giving a wrong app l i ca t ion" t o them; he was advocat ing erroneous views t h a t were

d e s t r u c t i v e t o t h e landmarks; he was accept ing erroneous t h e o r i e s t h a t had been

m e t time and time aga in i n t h e p a s t ; h i s system l e d t o a downplaying of t h e Sabbath;

i t taught , i n e f f e c t , t h a t "My Lord de laye th h i s coming"; i t subverted t h e t r u t h s

found " in t h e r e v e l a t i o n given by Chr i s t t o John t o g ive t o t he churches. 1148

The dimensions of t h e c r i s i s can be seen by not ing A . G . ~ a n i e l l s ' observat ion

of Mrs. White a f t e r a dramatic meeting a t Ber r ien Springs i n 1903. A f t e r l eav ing

the meeting, Dan ie l l s noted t h a t Mrs. White "seemed t e r r i f i e d " ; s h e s h o r t l y had

" t e r r i b l e reve la t ions ' ' of t h e course Kellogg and h i s a s s o c i a t e s would pursue. "From

that time to the present she has been simply terrified day after day and night after

night. I have never seen her so thoroughly aroused and so intense over anything

as she is over this at present." Daniells noted that she had since written Kellogg

and "other physicians what may truly be called terrifying communications." The

consequence of those communications reacted upon those that Spicer considered

"drunken on the wine of this new mysticism." Waggoner was "dazed," "astounded, and,

like Job, he could simply put his hand on his mouth and keep silence." He later

noted, however, that merely receiving word that he was wrong did not show him

precisely where his error was. Paulson was "dazed and stunned." A. T. Jones

stated that now that the testimony had spoken, he was done. 49

Daniells considered the teachings of the pantheistic group "one of the most

subtle deceptions of these last days," and urged that "every form and feature of it

should be unmasked." W. W. Prescott, as well as Daniells, saw a continuing role

for the Spirit of Prophecy in this regard:

The instruction of the Testimonies does not have reference simply to one man or one book. There is no doubt that repeated efforts will be made to introduce error into the teaching of this message; and the instruction given in these Testimonies is designed to prepare our people so that the may be able to discern between truth and error by whomsoever presented. 56

The testimonies made the divergent paths apparent. Properly received they would

have pointed out to the pantheists that they had been traveling a devious and

destructive path and would have to examine their beliefs closely to discover the

error. To some extent this was done. E. A. Sutherland, P. T. Magan, David Paulson,

S. H. Lane, W. W. Prescott, C. L. Taylor, M. E. Olsen, Luther Warren, among others

profited from the testimonies relating to the Living Temple. Others did not look

deeply enough. E. J. Waggoner, in 1904, wrote Daniells and Prescott:

I am not conscious of any change whatever in my attitude towards you or towards the truth which we unitedly proclaimed when we were associated together in the work. No doubt both of you would say the same thing for yourselves; and therefore I am compelled to believe, as I did from the beginning, that the present strained situation is the result of misunderstanding.

In contrast, 0. A. Olsen, president of the GC from 1888 to 1897, wrote Mrs. White:

I can assure you that I have the fullest confidence in the testimonies, and I know that God is leading in the 3d Angel's Message and this. work. There was

a time when I w a s somewhat perplexed. The reason being t h a t some th ings were taught and pressed q u i t e s t r o n g l y by c e r t a i n ones which I could not harmonize wi th the underlying p r i n c i p l e s of t h e t r u t h , nor t h e Testimonies, and a t t h e same t i m e t hese views were pressed upon us , from the s tandpoin t a s s t a t e d i n one of t he s p e c i a l t es t imonies something l i k e t h i s , "These men have l i g h t f o r t h e people," meaning Waggoner & Jones. I did want t he l i g h t God had f o r us, but some th ings were presented a s l i g h t t h a t I could not understand a s such. And y e t no t t o accept i t , was h e l d t o be r e j e c t i n g t h e Testimonies. I d id not 'want t o r e j e c t t he Testimonies, s o a l l I could do f o r t he time was t o await the mat te r t o be c l ea red up, and t h i s has been done and the pe rp l ex i ty f u l l y vanished, and I th ink I have my c l e a r bear ings . 5 1

I n c a l l i n g f o r t h e a s s i s t a n c e of t he p ioneers , Dan ie l l s wrote Mrs. White:

I have f e l t deeply impressed a s I have met t hese b re th ren and s i s t e r s t h a t we g r e a t l y need t o have t h e t h i r d ange l ' s message revived and preached i n t h e s i m - p l i c i t y and power t h a t i t was presented i n t h e e a r l y days. I have not t he s l i g h t e s t doubt b u t what t h e message of r igh teousness by f a i t h t h a t came t o us i n (1888) a t t h e Minneapolis Conference was from God, and t h a t i t was g r e a t l y needed; b u t I f e e l s u r e t h a t t h e enemy came i n t o make t h a t message of none e f f e c t by swinging many of our m i n i s t e r s away from t h e fundamental t r u t h s f o r t h i s time. It c e r t a i n l y is no t necessary t o abandon the prophecies , and drop t h e d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s of t h e message, i n order t o l ead people t o r ece ive t h e r igh teousness of Chr i s t . W e can preach t h a t message, and we can preach t h e t h i r d ange l ' s message of Revelat ion 14 with a l l t h e z e a l and ea rnes tnes s we can command. They a r e i n harmony; they a r e r e a l l y one message. But we l o s e a g r e a t d e a l by abandoning t h e g r e a t fundamental doc t r ines of t h e t h i r d ange l ' s message, and preaching a s o r t of goody-goody message, s i m i l a r t o t he moral essays de l ive red by t h e m i n i s t e r s of o t h e r churches. I a p p r e c i a t e a s never be fo re t h e c a l l you made a t t h e Oakland Conference f o r us t o come back t o t h e p e c u l i a r and s p e c i a l t r u t h s given t o t h i s people a t t h e beginning of t h i s movement. I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e same grand message preached a t t h a t time is the message t o be preached today, and t h a t i t w i l l have t h e same e f f e c t on the h e a r t s of t h e people t h a t i t had then, provided i t is preached by men who have t h e same good, p r a c t i c a l experience t h a t t h e preachers of those e a r l y days had. 5 2

Danie l l s ' p o s i t i o n was taken aga ins t t h e backdrop of a decade of weakened

fundamentals and of t h e need f o r a dynamic a l l i a n c e wi th p ioneers i n order t o

uproot t h e entrenched teachings of t h e p a n t h e i s t s . It i s of more than pass ing

i n t e r e s t t o note t h a t a t t he time of D a n i e l l s ' f i r m attachment t o t he fundamental

teachings of t h e church and h i s overwhelming confidence i n t he S p i r i t of Prophecy,

he was q u i e t l y moving t o a new view of t h e sanc tuary t h a t would l a t e r r e s u l t i n

t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of t h e a l l i a n c e he was forming.

During t h e 1901 GC s e s s i o n Mrs. White, through v i s i o n , was i n s t r u c t e d i n a

number of ways t o a t tempt a more proper balance i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between the law

and the gospel t h a t seemed out of focus w i t h i n t h e denomination. I n a d d i t i o n t o

t he testimony concerning t h e Indiana apos tasy , Mrs. White wrote Kellogg:

Before I went t o t h e (1901) General Conference, I was i n s t r u c t e d t h a t I could

he lp you. The Lord t o l d me t h a t I must bear my testimony a t t h i s meeting aga ins t t h e i n c o r r e c t i deas t h a t had been coming i n i n regard t o forbearance and Chr i s t l i keness . My work was t o p re sen t t h e s tandard of C h r i s t i a n i t y t h a t had been presented t o me. As one with God-given a u t h o r i t y , I was t o bea r my message a g a i n s t t h e wrong p r i n c i p l e s t h a t had been coming i n .

She a l s o wrote Dan ie l l s :

I have o f t e n been warned a g a i n s t ove r s t r a ined ideas of s a n c t i f i c a t i o n . They l e a d t o a n ob jec t ionab le f e a t u r e of experience t h a t w i l l swamp us , un less we a r e wide-awake. . . . During the General Conference of 1901, t he Lord warned me a g a i n s t sen t iments t h a t were then held by Brethren P r e s c o t t and Waggoner. These sent iments have been a s leaven put i n t o meal. Many minds have rece ived them. The ideas of some regard ing a g r e a t experience supposed t o be s a n c t i f i - c a t i o n have been t h e a lpha of a t r a i n of decept ion. Because of some overdrawn expressions f r equen t ly used by Brother E. J. Waggoner a t t he Conference, I was l e d t o speak words intended t o counterac t t h e i r i n f luence . 5 3

Other s ta tements and tes t imonies given by Mrs. White between 1901 and 1904

i n d i c a t e d e f i n i t e a t tempts t o more proper ly r e s t o r e t h e balance. Indeed, h e r c a l l

f o r renewed emphasis upon the fundamentals, s t r e s s upon Revelat ion wi th i t s

warnings as w e l l a s promises, and upon t h e increased emphasis upon t h e w r i t i n g s of

t h e p ioneers , l i v i n g and dead, can be seen a s an e f f o r t i n t h a t d i r e c t i o n . 5 4

1905 GENERAL CONFERENCE

Near t h e beginning of 1905, W. C . White expressed t o h i s b ro the r t h e i n t e n s i t y

of t h e burden Mrs. White c a r r i e d because of t h e cont inuing c r i s i s . He informed

James Edson White t h a t "last win te r Mother nea r ly died of discouragement" because of

t he burden s h e c a r r i e d and noted t h a t she be l ieved "her l i f e depended upon h e r

re fus ing" t o ca r ry those burdens a s she had previous ly . He informed h i s b ro the r

t h a t Mrs. White urged him " to do a l l we can t o bear t he burdens and keep them from

her." Despi te t h i s Mrs. White s e n t t h e fol lowing testimony t o D r . Kress t h e next

month:

For a long time I have been unable t o s l e e p a s I should. But I am endeavoring by t h e he lp of God t o w r i t e l e t t e r s t h a t w i l l be a he lp , no t merely t o those t o whom they a r e addressed, bu t t o many o t h e r s who need them.

She then gave t h e fol lowing genera l counsel:

Our Sani tar iums a r e t o reach a c l a s s t h a t can be reached by no o t h e r means. Why," asks one and another , "is not prayer o f f e red f o r t h e miraculous hea l ing of t he s i c k , i c s t e a d of s o many sani ta r iums being e s t ab l i shed . " Should t h i s be done, g r e a t f ana t i c i sm would a r i s e i n our ranks. Those who have much s e l f - confidence would s t a r t i n t o a c t i o n , a s did c e r t a i n ones i n Indiana , who had a

great deal to say about holy flesh. These were carried away by a spiritualistic delusion. At the General Conference of 1901, they were rebuked by a message given me for them by the Lord. Should we carry out the plans that some would be pleased to have us carry out, companies would be formed who would bring in spiritualistic manifestations that would confuse the faith of many. . . . Errors will come in and strange doctrines will be advocated. Some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. As far back as the establishment of the first sanitarium, these things began to appear. They were similar to the errors that manifested themselves soon after the disappointment of 1844. A strong phase of fanaticism appeared, calling itself the witness of the Holy Ghost. I was given a message to rebuke this evil work. 55

At about the same time, the first reports of the A. F. Ballenger teachings on

the sanctuary were received in the United States. By April Mrs. White reversed her

earlier inclinations and decided to attend the 1905 GC session, scheduled to begin

It is of value to surmise what Mrs. White could have known, outside of divine

revelation, about the Ballenger teachings prior to her arrival at the GC session.

Daniells sent W. C. White the correspondence relating to the Ballenger teaching

0 that was received at the headquarters and also sent sever61 brief descriptions himself. It seems likely that W. C. White would have shared at least the substance

of this correspondence with his mother. Mrs. White might herself have read the

four letters Daniells sent.57

The following points were reported from England regarding the Ballenger teaching.

He taught:

The .atonement was made when Christ died. When He ascended, He went into the Most Holy Place and has been there since.

This is substantiated by Hebrews 6:19 which Ballenger compared with "twenty- five or thirty expressions of the same character in the Old Testament where he claims that in every instance the term 'within the veil' signifies within the Most Holy Place. He says the outer veil or the door of the tabernacle" is called the veil of the tabernacle only once, and then by implication, Heb. 9:3; "and does not think that one instance should be so construed as to practically overthrow all the others."

His teaching upsets denominational teaching on the two covenants (in E. W. Farnsworth's mind)

He believed it impossible to harmonize his position with the Spirit of Prophecy, seeing "irreconcilable" differences. (Ballenger's rigiditv in his understanding of the use to be made of the Spirit of Prophecy will be discussed more fully later.)

5. His views would revolutionize views held by SDAs (according to Ballenger's own assertion)

6 . The fruits of Ballenger's teaching (not just sanctuary) were negative as far as the fundamental teachings of the church were concerned (in E. W. Farnsworth's opinion)

7. Besides other ministers, influential lay brethren in Ireland and Wales accepted Ballenger's sanctuary views.

8. North England was experiencing problems relating to the sanctuary teaching. It was reported that the Waggoner teaching, "that the sanctuary was a type of the human body, and the cleansing of it relates to the rise and develop- ment of health reform," was causing difficulties.

9. After suggesting that Hutchinson and Ballenger be returned to the United States, Farnsworth noted: "There is no sense, in my mind for these lame preachers to try to preach the Third Angel's Message. It will take years for this country to recover from Waggoner's in£ hence. 1158

It will be noticed that the first three points raise very specific theological

issues. It is of major interest to note thatMrs. White, at the 1905 GC, did not

address her counsel or writings concerning Ballenger to any of these theological

questions. It also seems relevant that two of the nine points seemed to identify

Ballenger with Waggoner in some manner. The last six points deal with Ballenger's

relationship to the fundamental message of Adventism and of course Mrs. White

responded to this at the Conference. Other attitudes toward Ballenger, held at the

time of the 1905 GC session, likewise have relevance.

After hearing of the possibility that William Robinson, former worker with

Ballenger in England and, in 1905, missionary to Spain, was perhaps tinctured with

the Ballenger teaching, the usually-restrained W. A. Spicer wrote Robinson relative

to his opinion of the Ballenger error. He first alluded to the non-denominational,

evangelical revival messages prevalent in Wales for several years. He noticed

that much of it seemed unbalanced: "We find that the times of greatest power in the

work have been times of evenness and well-balanced effort," affirmed Spicer. In an

obvious allusion to the Ballenger teaching, he noted: "I confess I am a little

afraid of the itching for the marvelous and the sensational." Spicer became more

explicit to Robinson after the 1905 session. He revealed:

When I got over to England and Wales I found that some of those things

which had been cited as so wonderful in Brother Ballenger's experience in the matter of manifestations of healing, in one case at least had developed very strange fanaticism and experiences which were manifestly not of heaven. I found also a sort of spiritual egotism which did not savor at all of the things of God. I believe it is these things which have misled our brother.

Spicer consistentlv held to that opinion renardinn the roots of Ballenner's error

even into the 1950s. 5 9

At the Conference, Ballenner gave three one-hour presentations relating to his

sanctuarv positions. The presentations were held before a selected committee of

25 beginning at 5:30 a.m., from Sundav, Mav 21, to Tuesdav, Mav 23. There is no

evidence that the writer is aware of that indicates whether or not Mrs. White attended

any of the one-hour presentations, or if she attended anv of the two one-hour

presentations that three members of the committee made in response to the Ballenner

positions.

Mrs. White presented a testimonv, most likelv to this select nrouD> the dav

followinn the Ballenner presentations. This message of Mav 24. was given not onlv

to Ballenger, but "to our people," and was treated as Divine nuidance soecificallv

pertaining to the Ballenner situation. Mrs. White freauentlv used such words as

"our Instructor spoke words to Brother Ballenner," "I am bidden to sav in the name

of the Lord," "thus did the heavenlv messenger pronounce," etc. While documentation

is unavailable to enable a full understanding of Ballenner's presentations, enough

is known to shed considerable linht as we endeavor to understand the errors that the

Mav 24 testimony was designed to refute.

We would expect that in God's plan and revelation, Ballenner, as others who

received testimonies from Mrs. White, should receive enough information to enlighten

him concerning the error of his path and provide guidance in regard to his future

teachings, even though Ellen White was not theologically explicit. Certainly the

pantheists would have been enlightened if they had closely examined their teachings

in the light of the testimonies and their Source. Most pantheists, however, had

come to lose confidence in the guidance of the Spirit of Prophecy and thus apparently

never considered the testimonies in their intended light. 60

Ballenger spent his full time the first day in presenting the texts that use

the term "within the veil." He also presented what he termed his "Nine Theses," that

which he considered nine inconsistencies between SDA teachings and the Scriptures when

the denomination placed Christ's first-apartment ministry after the Cross. He

concluded:

But when you allow the first apartment work to represent the plan of salvation from creation to the cross, everything is a perfect fit, and all seems beautiful and harmonious and complete. 6 1

Although a transcript of Ballenger's presentation the second and third day

apparently was not taken, a partial transcript of several questions asked him

concerning his second presentation makes it clear that Ballenger, at that time,

made his presentation on the atonement. Note the following exchange between W. W.

Prescott and Ballenger:

WWP: I want to understand the view, and so I wanted to see if I understood you. Then (sic) when Christ paid the penalty on the cross, the whole human family was free from death? I wanted to get your view of it. I wanted to understand clearly.

AFB: When Christ died on Calvary, by that act he had reached down and put his arms around the fallen world, and lifted it right back up to the place where it was before it fell off the platform of the garden of Eden, and left man again free to choose, where Adam was free to choose, between eternal loss and eternal gain.

The exchange reveals that not only did Ballenger present his concept of the

atonement during the session, but that quite likely he at least inferred that the

benefits of the atonement included physical benefits. It is certain that Ballenger

was completely identified with a teaching that claimed physical benefits from the

atonement. 6 2

In his book Proclamation - of Liberty and the Unpardonable Sin, published in

1915, but according to Ballenger and his followers, written prior to his 1905 GC

hearing, Ballenger again elaborated his concept of the atonement. In the book,

Ballenger spoke of his teaching in Wales on the atonement

in its relation to both soul and body healing, and (I) was calling upon those present to acccpt the gift of healing already given in Christ, when all of a sudden a lifelong sufferer, who for years had suffered from dropsical swellings and from heart-weakness, whose bowels had not performed their functions for

s i x yea r s without a r t i f i c i a l a i d , saw t h e t r u t h and claimed by f a i t h t h e hea l ing which was a l r eady h e r s i n C h r i s t . I n s t a n t l y s h e was hea led , t o t h e g lo ry of

0 God and h e r unspeakable joy. Af t e r devoting a s e c t i o n of h i s book t o t h i s hea l ing experience, Bal lenger concluded:

Dear reader , w i l l you not l e t t h e Lord be g l o r i f i e d i n you? 0 my poor s i c k one, aga in I say , Let t h e Lord have your s i ckness . Why do you bea r i t when t h e Lord is s o w i l l i n g t o bear i t a l l f o r you? Don't you s e e how use l e s s i t is f o r you t o bear i t when t h e Lord has s o g l ad ly taken upon Himself our i n f i r m i t i e s ? I n va in f o r H i m t o bea r i t i f you bea r i t a l s o . You a r e f r e e indeed. The Lord bea r s i t a l l f o r you. You need only t o b e l i e v e i t , my b r o t h e r , my s i s t e r .

He reaff i rmed t h i s teaching aga in when he wrote "Cast Out f o r t h e Cross of Chr is t , ' '

i n 1909 and included a s e c t i o n from Power f o r Witnessing t h a t depic ted h i s view

of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e atonement and hea l ing . 6 3

It is of i n t e r e s t t o no te t h a t Ba l l enge r ' s teaching l e n t i t s e l f t o accusa t ions

of universal ism. This was t h e l i n e t h a t P r e s c o t t had pursued a t t h e hear ing on

May 22. Others throughout h i s min i s t ry l ikewise r a i s e d t h a t p o i n t . H i s w r i t i n g s

make i t q u i t e apparent , however, t h a t he d id not s o be l i eve . It seems r e l evan t a l s o

t h a t M r s . White r a i s e d no such ques t ion i n h e r testimony t o Bal lenger .

While a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s of a l l E l l en White s ta tements p e r t a i n i n g t o Bal lenger

i s beyond t h e scope of t h i s paper , c e r t a i n observa t ions seem v i t a l . It appears

r e l e v a n t t o t h i s w r i t e r , t h a t when Mrs. White met Bal lenger t h e day be fo re h i s

i n i t i a l p re sen ta t ions , "it came v iv id ly" t o h e r mind t h a t he re was a man who had, i n

1890, advocated a p o s i t i o n t h a t , f o r t h e sake of reaching a l a r g e r audience, would

have downplayed the Sabbath ques t ion i n t he r e l i g i o u s l i b e r t y pub l i ca t ion , The

American Sen t ine l . It would seem i n t h i s i n i t i a l r e a c t i o n t h a t Mrs. White was --- n o t i c i n g the p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n of a movement t h a t was, i n r e a l i t y , d e s t r u c t i v e of

t h e fundamentals of t h e church. A s we have previous ly seen , very o f t e n when Mrs.

White spoke about t h e proper r e l a t i o n s h i p between the law and t h e gospel , she

s t rong ly emphasized t h e importance of t h e Sabbath. Note t h i s 1891 example, when

E l l en White addressed a counci l of conference o f f i c i a l s :

We must have a sense of both t h e j u s t i c e and mercy of God. Those who can blend toge ther the law of God and t h e mercy of God can reach any h e a r t . For years I have seen t h a t t h e r e is a broken l i n k which has kept us from reaching h e a r t s . This l i n k is suppl ied by present ing the love and mercy of God.

Immediately after making that statement, Mrs. White stressed the importance of the

Sabbath truth and spoke negatively of a reaction she saw within the church against

presenting the claims of the Sabbath too strongly . 64 After this initial contact with Ballenger in 1905, Mrs. White also mentioned in

her Diary the "most dangerous heresies" that were seeking to find entrance "among

us as a people." She concluded her observations with the following:

Those who are so shortsighted that they will begin to do the work that some others have been doing in ADVOCATING THE SENTIMENTS (emphasis added) contained in Living Temple, are departing from the living God in spiritualistic satanic experiences that will not do the souls who receive them any good. They are departing from the faith, seeking to tear down the foundation of truth. . . . I testify in the name of the Lord that Elder Ballenger is led by satanic agencies and spiritualistic, invisible leaders. Those who ve the guidance of the Holy Spirit will turn away from these seducing spirits. 2 4 The May 24 testimony given to Ballenger contains abundant counsel to show him

the false path he was traveling. Mrs. White mentioned "erroneous theories''

mingled with truth, compared him with Kellogg and "many ministers among us" who

had "departed from Christ's plan," noted his "mystific