found silence from the embarrassed defenders of the cult. We wonder when these men in all honor will make a public retraction. Just to keep silence is not enough when apologies are in order. We were promised that the S.D.A.’s were coming out with a statement “ which will jolt the evangelical world. They are coming out in the strongest language to repudi ate many things which the fringe element in the organi zation has held.” Concerning the investigative judgment, we were led to believe “ that they may even nullify this.” NEW S.D.A. BOOK IN 1957 When this new book of the S.D.A.’s published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, D.C., finally appeared in 1957 (two years after the prom ises were made), it was a great disappointment. To the utter embarrassment of those who had hastily endorsed the S.D.A.’s on their glowing promises of a change of heart, this book contained not a single essential change from their traditional position, but was a re-affirmation of their fantastic doctrines. Imagine my disappointment, therefore, when I found no basic change in their historic stand. On page 8 of the new book, “ Questions on Doc trine,” it is stated: The replies were prepared by a group of recognized leaders in close counsel with Bible teachers, editors, and administrators. The goal was to set forth our basic beliefs in terminology currently used in theo logical circles. This was NOT TO BE A NEW STATEMENT OF FAITH, but rather an answer to specific questions concerning our faith. It was natural that these answers would come within the framework of the official statement of Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists which a p p e a r s i n the CHURCH MANUAL . . . In view of this fact, these answers represent the position of our denomination in the area of church doctrine and prophetic inter pretation (capitals ours). CONTAINS OFFICIAL POSITION This book therefore contains the official position of the S.D.A.’s. It is not a new statement of faith for they admit that the statements in this latest volume “ come within the framework of the official statement of fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists WHICH APPEAR IN THE CHURCH MANUAL,” and the Church Manual has not been changed one iota, so this new statement is a paraphrasing of the old one. The authors of this book give no hint that they ever had any intention to retract, modify, change or repudiate any of their previous doc trines. With these facts in mind, we give you now a general view of what Seventh-day Adventism has taught and is teaching today. Please bear in mind that the en dorsement of the evangelical leaders was based entirely upon the assumption that the S.D.A.’s promise to modify and repudiate some of their errors, was sincere. This latest volume has shattered this false-hope. And to make it official, here is a quotation by Cecil Coffey in the periodi cal, THESE TIMES, an Adventist magazine published by Southern Publishing Association, Nashville, Tennessee. Under date of July 1958, he says on page 12: On May 20, 1863 . . . twenty persons assembled in a small Battle Creek, Michigan, meetinghouse for the purpose of organizing a new Christian denomination They called themselves Seventh-day Adventists. . . . Today everything has changed for the Seventh-day Adventists EXCEPT THEIR DOCTRINAL BELIEFS
WHICH ARE MORE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THAN EVER (capitals ours). In another article it is revealed that the S.D.A.’s have not changed their doctrinal position — NOR DID THEY EVER INTEND TO DO SO. As you read this summary of what the Seventh-day Adventist church believes, remember that it represents their most recent declarations of doctrine as contained in their book, “ Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine,” published in 1957 (two years after their solemn promise to alter their belief). We urge you to check all the facts which are available to anyone. Before giving you some of the things which are taught by the Seventh-day Adventists, we want to again repeat that we are not attacking any individual, but only trying to point out the errors of the system. We have no personal quarrel with anyone of its members. We believe that there are born-again believers among them; but if they understood the system to which they belong, I do believe that they would see the error and not remain in it. What follows, therefore, is not personal, but is directed against the false doctrines of this denomination, in the hope that some may be awakened to know the truth. Error may be cleverly concealed, and this makes it all the more dan gerous. MANY ADVENTISTS DON'T KNOW I have been convinced for a long time that very few people outside their inner circle, know anything about what they believe. Many Adventists themselves don’t know all the strange things their own church teaches. So many think that the S.D.A.’s differ only with the Evan gelicals on the Sabbath question, and for this reason we are giving the following facts. The very fact that the S.D.A.’s play up the Saturday Sabbath has fooled many people into believing that this is the only difference be tween them and other churches. The quotations which follow are all taken from Seventh-day Adventist official publications. We begin first of all with the matter of the authority of their traditional prophetess, Ellen G. White. Concerning her, the Adventists teach: That Ellen G. White, author of the S.D.A.’s textbook, “The Great Controversy,” “ The Testimonies,” and many other writings, was an inspired prophetess, just like the writers of the Old and New Testaments. To the S.D.A.’s the writings of Mrs. White are therefore considered to be of supernatural authority. We quote from page 89 in “ Questions on Doctrine” — We do not think of them as of universal applica tion, as is the Bible, but PARTICULARLY for the Seventh-day Adventist Church (her revelations were only, therefore, for the one true church — the rem- enant church of the S.D.A.) (capitals and parenthesis ours). From page 92 of this same book we quote: Seventh-day Adventists regard her writings as containing INSPIRED counsel and instruction . . . Under the same inspiration she also wrote much in the great field of sacred history (capitals ours). On page 93 we read concerning the writings of Mrs. White: However, it is our belief that the Holy Spirit opened to her mind important events and called her to give certain instructions for these last days. And inasmuch as these instructions, in our understanding, are in harmony with the Word of God, which Word 1 . 1.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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