Selected Messages Book 3 (1980)
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Selected Messages Book 3 Ellen G. White 1980 Copyright © 2017 Ellen G. White Estate, Inc. Information about this Book Overview This eBook is provided by the Ellen G. White Estate. It is included in the larger free Online Books collection on the Ellen G. White Estate Web site. About the Author Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered the most widely translated American author, her works having been published in more than 160 languages. She wrote more than 100,000 pages on a wide variety of spiritual and practical topics. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she exalted Jesus and pointed to the Scriptures as the basis of one’s faith. Further Links A Brief Biography of Ellen G. White About the Ellen G. White Estate End User License Agreement The viewing, printing or downloading of this book grants you only a limited, nonexclusive and nontransferable license for use solely by you for your own personal use. This license does not permit republication, distribution, assignment, sublicense, sale, preparation of derivative works, or other use. Any unauthorized use of this book terminates the license granted hereby. Further Information For more information about the author, publishers, or how you can support this service, please contact the Ellen G. White Estate at [email protected]. We are thankful for your interest and feedback and wish you God’s blessing as you read. i ii Contents Information about this Book . .i A Word to the Reader . xi Section 1—The Church . 13 Introduction . 14 Chapter 1—What Is the Church? . 15 God Has an Organized Body . 16 Chapter 2—Unity in the Church . 19 Present a United Front . 19 Unity Our Creed . 19 Not to Draw Apart . 20 What Heaven Ratifies . 20 Chapter 3—Independent Action . 22 Departing From the Faith . 22 Strength From Concerted Action. 22 Counsel Together—Compare Plans . 23 Practice in the Early Days . 24 Independence a Delusion of Satan . 24 Thorough Organization Essential . 24 Section 2—Principles of Inspiration . 27 Introduction . 28 Chapter 4—The Primacy of the Word . 29 Chapter 5—Experiences in Receiving the Visions . 34 Chapter 6—Glimpses of How the Light Came to Ellen White 39 Chapter 7—Presenting the Divinely Revealed Message . 46 Chapter 8—The Question of Influence . 58 Chapter 9—Defining Sister White’s Judgment and the Word of the Lord . 63 Sister White’s Opinion? . 63 Chapter 10—On Being an Inspired Messenger . 66 After Ellen White’s Death . 70 Chapter 11—The Reception of the Messages . 71 Two Typical Examples . 76 Section 3—The Preparation of the Ellen G. White Books . 79 Introduction . 80 iii iv Selected Messages Book 3 Chapter 12—Literary Assistants in Work of Ellen G. White . 81 The Work of Marian Davis. 82 Chapter 13—The Testimonies for the Church . 85 Ellen G. White Desired Language Correctly Used . 88 Letters to Help Others . 89 Chapter 14—Initial Steps in Writing and Publishing The Great Controversy Story. 90 The 1858 Great Controversy Vision . 90 Spiritual Gifts, Volumes III and IV . 91 Chapter 15—A Running Account of Ellen G. White’s Experience in Writing on the Life of Christ in 1876 . 93 Chapter 16—Expanding the Great Controversy Presentation 99 The 1888 Edition of The Great Controversy . 101 Chapter 17—The Experience of E. G. White in Preparing The Desire of Ages . 104 Notations From Letters and Diaries . 104 Meeting Criticisms of The Desire of Ages . 107 Chapter 18—Comments While at Work on the Conflict Series Books . 109 The Result of Visions Spanning Her Lifetime . 109 Constructive Criticisms Appreciated (1885) . 109 Books Sought Giving Order of Events . 109 Holy Spirit Traced Truths on Ellen White’s Heart . 110 The 1911 Revision of The Great Controversy . 110 Section 4—The Incarnation . 113 Introduction . 114 Chapter 19—The Incarnation . 115 The Completeness of Christ’s Humanity . 115 Christ Descended to the Level of Fallen Humanity . 116 Was Christ Capable of Yielding to Temptation? . 117 God Sent a Sinless Being to This World . 119 Man Created With Sinless Moral Nature . 120 Sickness of Others Carried Vicariously . 120 Christ’s Sinlessness Disturbed Satan . 120 Our Fallen Human Nature Connected With Christ’s Divinity . 121 Tempted as Children Today Are . 121 What the Incarnation Accomplishes . 121 Contents v Satan Declared That Man Could Not Keep God’s Law . 123 Real Meaning of the Incarnation . 127 Section 5—Principles of Salvation . 129 Introduction . 130 Chapter 20—Principles as Set Forth by Ellen White in Her Early Ministry . 131 Basic Elements Presented at the 1883 General Conference 134 Chapter 21—Ellen G. White Reports on the Minneapolis Conference. 141 A Statement Presenting the Historical Backgrounds . 141 Precious Promises Versus Gloomy Pictures . 147 Ellen White’s Appraisal on the Closing Day . 159 Two Excerpts From Minneapolis Sermons . 160 Three Months After Minneapolis . 162 The Reception in the Field of the Message of Righteousness by Faith . 162 Need for a Proper Concept of Righteousness by Faith . 164 Chapter 22—Emphasis on Salvation Theme—1890-1908 . 171 Section 6—Education—The Church School, and Universities of the World . 185 Introduction . 186 Chapter 23—Appeal for a Church School . 188 Chapter 24—Counsel Regarding Age of School Entrance . 192 Report of Interview . 192 The Kindergarten at Battle Creek . 195 Light Given on “These Things” . 196 The Kind of Education the Children Need . 197 Setting a Pattern . 199 The Question of Kindergarten . 200 Could the School Constitute a Disservice?. 201 A School That Makes a Favorable Impression . 201 Chapter 25—General Guiding Principles . 203 In Every Place Where There Is a Church . 203 Not the Maxims of Men, but God’s Word . 203 No Stereotyped Plan in Education. 203 A Definition of True Education . 203 Commendable Qualities of the Swiss Schools . 204 vi Selected Messages Book 3 Chapter 26—Attending Colleges and Universities of the Land......................................... 206 The Perils of Listening to the World’s Great Men . 207 Seventh-day Adventist Students . 207 Dropping Seeds of Truth Into Minds and Hearts . 208 Section 7—Standards . 211 Introduction . 212 Chapter 27—The Grace of Courtesy . 213 Chapter 28—Dress and Adornment . 217 Blessings of Proper Attire . 217 Sound Guiding Principles . 218 Independence and the Courage to Be Right . 218 Refining the Tastes . 218 Simplicity in Dress . 219 Where Are We Drifting? . 221 “Self, Self, Self, Must Be Served” . 223 The Clothes Seventh-day Adventist Ministers Wear . 224 On Making the Dress Question a Test. 226 Chapter 29—The Sabbath: Guiding Principles in Sabbath Observance . 230 A Few Sabbaths With the White Family. 234 Chapter 30—The Propriety of Varying Postures in Prayer . 239 Need Not Always Kneel . 239 Section 8—The Health Reform . 243 Introduction . 244 Chapter 31—Visions That Early Called for Reforms . 245 Attention Called to Tobacco, Tea, and Coffee in 1848 and 1851 . 245 Important Principles Revealed in 1854 . 245 Chapter 32—The 1863 Health Reform Vision . 247 Pointed Questions Answered . 247 How the Dress Reform Was Revealed . 248 Relation of the Vision to Writing and Practice . 249 Health Writings on June 6, the Day of the Vision . 249 A Review in 1867 of the Writing on Health Reform . 251 Written Independent of Books or Opinions of Others . 252 Chapter 33—Proper Use of the Testimonies on Health Reform . ..