MARTIN S BOOK REALLY
I C '
An Appraisal by Mary Lyons, former Seventh-day Adventist
tion in every area of her writings, then we might well be cautious about having fellowship with them. . . . Since they do not consider Mrs. White’s teachings the source of their expositions of faith, the claim that one has only to refute Ellen G. White and her writings, in order to refute Seventh-day Adventism, falls by its own weight.” Now on page 100 Martin makes refer ence to Francis D. Nichol as “ the most able Adventist apologist.” Very well. We will let Mr. Nichol, in his book “ Ellen G. White and her Critics” an swer Mr. Martin. See page 16: “Mrs. White’s teachings on doctrine are those held by the Seventh-day Adventists. Thus the defense of our teachings, as found in our denomina tional works, is really a defense of Mrs. White, even as it is a defense of the doctrinal soundness of every other person who believes and promotes these beliefs.” Page 25: “Mrs. White declared . . . that God gave to her visions that en lightened her mind as to what the Advent people should do. And in this explanation all Seventh-day Advent ists concur. . . . And we firmly insist that the pattern and the progress of the Advent movement are largely due to these visions.” On pages 278-279 Mr. Nichol places Mrs. E. G. White on an equality with Jeremiah and other “ Ancient Proph ets” ! Now let us have the official SDA publication, Review & Herald, Wash ington, D.C. of May 14, 1959 also answer Mr. Martin: “ No one could control the visions. (continued on next page)
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS
writer, but a mother, home maker, and assistant to her hus band in his business. But she is a thorough student of Seventh- day Adventism, and better still she knows her Bible. Needless to say, we are in fu ll agreement with Mrs. Lyons. A t a later date, we may give a detailed review of this book.
W e were in the midst of writ ing a review of the book, “ The Truth about Seventh-day Ad ventism,” by Walter R. Martin, when the f o l l o w i n g l e t t e r reached us. As the author ex plains, she was reared in this system and is well-qualified to make an appraisal of this book. Mrs. Lyons is not a professional
Hackensack, N ew Jersey
Dear Editors of The King’s Business: I have not seen in your magazine, of which I am a subscriber, a review of the book recently released by Zondervan Publishing House, “ The Truth about Seventh-day Adventism” by Walter R. Martin, although I suppose you intend to review it. I thank God for the uncom promising stand the Bible Institute of Los Angeles has always taken against these false systems. I am a former Seventh-day Adventist, having been well-indoctrinated in ‘sabbath truth’ (as they call it) from childhood. A t the age of 34, the Lord marvellously delivered me from its bondage, and I am concerned that others in the same darkness and confusion that I was in should come to see these false teachings in the light o f the Word of God. M a y I give you a few brief impressions of Martin’s book?
a lifetime. I think that I can say, in all humility before the Lord, that one who is reared in this system can understand Seventh-day A d v e n t i s t thinking better than anyone ‘on the outside,’ no matter what degrees he has accumulated. Here are a few of my findings: 1. Quotation from Martin’s book, Page 97: “ If Seventh-day Adventists did in deed claim for Mrs. White inspira
In the first place, the title is mis leading, because while some of it is “the truth about Seventh-day Advent ism,” yet it is by no means the whole truth, nor can it be said that it is nothing but the truth. Much evidence from the writings of Seventh-day Ad ventists which would show up this sect in a very unfavorable light has been ignored and omitted by Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin has studied this system a few years. I have studied it
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JULY, 1960
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