Testimonies for the Church Volume Two
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Testimonies for the Church Volume Two Ellen G. White 1871 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 The Times of Volume Two . vi Number Fifteen—Testimony for the Church . 11 Introduction . 12 Chapter 1—Sketch of Experience . 13 Chapter 2—Doing for Christ . 25 Chapter 3—Selling the Birthright . 37 Chapter 4—Evilspeaking . 47 Chapter 5—Selfishness and World Loving . 52 Chapter 6—Flesh Meats and Stimulants . 57 Chapter 7—Neglect of Health Reform . 63 Chapter 8—Love for the Erring . 69 Chapter 9—Everyday Religion . 73 Chapter 10—Reform at Home . 79 Chapter 11—A Violated Conscience . 83 Chapter 12—Warnings and Reproofs . 87 Number Sixteen—Testimony for the Church . 103 Chapter 13—Object of Personal Testimonies . 104 Chapter 14—Moving to Battle Creek . 106 Chapter 15—Caution to Ministers . 109 Chapter 16—Look to Jesus . 111 Chapter 17—Separation From the World . 116 Chapter 18—True Love . 124 Chapter 19—Amusements at the Institute . 127 Chapter 20—Neglect of Hannah More . 130 Chapter 21—Prayer for the Sick . 135 Chapter 22—Courage in the Minister . 139 Chapter 23—Closeness in Deal . 141 Chapter 24—Oppressing the Hireling . 144 Chapter 25—Combativeness Reproved . 149 Response . 151 Chapter 26—Burden Bearers in the Church . 152 Chapter 27—Pride in the Young . 159 Chapter 28—Worldliness in the Church . 167 iii iv Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2 Number Seventeen—Testimony for the Church. 181 Chapter 29—The Sufferings of Christ . 182 Chapter 30—Warnings to the Church . 195 Chapter 31—Contemplating Marriage . 204 Chapter 32—Danger of Riches . 208 Chapter 33—Christian Zeal . 211 Chapter 34—Responsibilities of the Young . 214 Chapter 35—Servants of Mammon . 216 Chapter 36—Sentimentalism and Matchmaking . 224 Chapter 37—Severity in Family Government . 229 Chapter 38—A Birthday Letter . 236 Chapter 39—Deceitfulness of Riches . 242 Chapter 40—Self-Deceived Youth . 258 Chapter 41—True Conversion . 261 Chapter 42—Duties of the Husband and the Wife . 266 Danger of Confiding Family Troubles . 268 Chapter 43—Letter to an Orphan Boy . 275 Chapter 44—The Unruly Member . 281 Chapter 45—Comfort in Affliction . 284 Chapter 46—A Self-Caring, Dictatorial Spirit . 286 Chapter 47—A Forgetful Hearer . 288 Chapter 48—Remedy for Sentimentalism . 290 Chapter 49—Duty to Orphans . 294 Chapter 50—Appeal to Ministers . 300 Chapter 51—Moral Pollution . 310 Number Eighteen—Testimony for the Church . 317 Chapter 52—Christian Temperance . 318 Chapter 53—Extremes in Health Reform . 336 Chapter 54—Sensuality in the Young . 347 Chapter 55—True Love at Home . 364 Conducting Social Meetings . 370 Chapter 56—Importance of Self-Government . 372 Chapter 57—Industry and Economy . 381 Chapter 58—Stirring Up Opposition . 386 Chapter 59—An Appeal to the Church . 389 Chapter 60—A Cross in Accepting the Truth . 429 Number Nineteen—Testimony for the Church. 437 Chapter 61—Address to Ministers . 438 Contents v Chapter 62—Exercise and Air . 458 Chapter 63—Selfishness Rebuked . 472 Chapter 64—Fanaticism and Ignorance . 484 Chapter 65—An Indulged Daughter . 488 Chapter 66—To a Minister’s Wife. 495 Chapter 67—Unfaithfulness in Stewardship . 499 Chapter 68—Mistaken Sensitiveness . 501 Chapter 69—Convocations . 503 Number Twenty—Testimony for the Church . 507 Chapter 70—Social Meetings . 508 Chapter 71—How Shall We keep the Sabbath? . 513 Chapter 72—Christian Recreation . 516 Chapter 73—An Impressive Dream . 524 Chapter 74—Our Camp Meetings . 527 Chapter 75—A Solemn Dream . 533 Chapter 76—Manners and Dress of Ministers . 538 Chapter 77—Love of Gain . 547 Chapter 78—The Cause in Vermont . 557 Chapter 79—Transferring Earthly Treasure . 595 Chapter 80—No Probation After Christ Comes . 603 Chapter 81—Accountability for Light Received . 610 Appendix . 624 The Times of Volume Two While volume 1 of the Testimonies presents counsel having to do largely with the inception and development of the teachings, ex- periences, and enterprises of the newly established remnant church, volume 2 is devoted almost entirely to the personal piety of its mem- bers. During the thirteen years paralleled by the fourteen testimony pamphlets now forming volume 1, the publishing work was solidi- fied, the church was organized, its system of finance was established, and it had launched into a great health program. When the closing article was written, literature was pouring in a steady stream from its presses at the Review and Herald publishing plant at Battle Creek, Michigan, and, near by, the newly established sanitarium was in full operation. The dark hours of the Civil War years were in the past, and for the church it was a day of opportunity. The task before it was to hold the ground gained and to enlarge its borders. Vital to the continued success of the church was the integrity of its individual members. Early in 1868, as explained in an article now found near the close of volume 1, Ellen G. White began to publish, for the benefit of the church as a whole, certain personal testimonies which up to that time had not been distributed generally. Of these personal testimonies she stated: “They all contain more or less reproof and instruction which apply to hundreds or thousands of others in similar condition. These should have the light which God has seen fit to give which meets their cases.”—Vol. 1, p. 631. Such instruction addressed personally to individual church mem- bers through the three-year period of February, 1868, to May, 1871, comprises almost the entire content of Testimonies Nos. 15-20, now embodied in this volume 2. The instruction is pointed and practical, dealing with almost every phase of personal experience and religious [6] interests, from gossip, the indulgence of appetite, and the marriage relationship to misdirected zeal, avariciousness, and fanaticism. vi Times of Volume Two vii At the beginning of the period of time covered by volume 2 Elder and Mrs. White were in partial retirement in Greenville, Michigan, due to the condition of Elder White’s health. They soon resumed their activity in traveling and holding meetings with the believers in states adjacent to michigan. In November, 1868, they returned to Battle Creek to make their home there. Two months earlier, in September of 1868, a camp meeting was held in Wright, Michigan. This gathering, the first of its kind, proved such a great blessing to those who attended that the following years witnessed the establishment of camp meetings as a regular part of the program for the state conferences. Elder and Mrs. White’s presence was called for, and so it came that the summer months in succeeding years were largely spent by them in these annual gatherings. In the latter part of volume 2 may be found counsel regarding such “convocations.” During the three-year period covered by volume 2 there was en- couraging advance in the cause of present truth. The Health Institute at Battle Creek, having passed through a discouraging depression, now emerged into a period of prosperity. In the latter part of 1868 Elders J. N. Loughborough and D. T. Bourdeau lighted the torch of Seventh-day Adventism on the Pacific Coast. The same year a company of fifty Sabbathkeeping Adventists in Europe entered into correspondence with the General Conference brethren in Battle Creek, and the next year sent a representative across the ocean to plead for missionaries to be sent to them. But, with all these gains and advance moves, the adversary con- tinued to work earnestly to lower the spirituality of church members, to cause them to love the world and its attractions, to leaven the church with the spirit of criticism, to dry up the springs of benevo- lence, and especially to bring the youth into his ranks. Against these [7] dangerous trends Mrs. White, as God’s messenger, was faithfully and earnestly delivering her messages by voice and pen, calling the members of the church to God’s standard of integrity and righteous- ness. On some occasions Mrs. White was given revelations pertaining to the experience of a number of individuals in one church. Having delivered these individual testimonies in meeting, she afterward viii Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2 wrote out the instruction and sent it to the church concerned. A number of such communications are found in volume 2. The thoughtful reader of this 711-page volume must be im- pressed not only with the great diversity of subjects covered, but also with the vast amount of writing devoted to such personal testimonies written during this brief time.