The Fruits Op The Error

In one instance where a number had been cast out for following the advancing light on the atonement as pictured in the sanctuary, those who cast them out taunted them with the words, “Where is your prophet? Yes, you keep the commandments of God, but you have no prophet. The remnant must have a prophet as well as keep the commandments of God. We have that prophet, where is your prophet?” This occurred before Mrs. White’s death.GoPH 181.3

Ministers have written me and talked with me who were distressed over this point. They have said and written:GoPH 181.4

“Yes, your teaching on the sanctuary appears scriptural. From a Bible standpoint I can find no fault with it. But how about the testimonies? If Sister White is in error on this matter, where are we? If we do not have the testimony of Jesus, that is, the gift to prophesy, among us, then we are not the remnant. For the remnant has one who exercises that gift. And if we are not the remnant, who are we and where are we?”GoPH 181.5

This fatal blunder, that the testimony of Jesus pointed to Sister White and her writings, has led to the taking of most ridiculous positions in order to save Sister White’s infallibility, in order to save “the gift,” in order to save the “cause,” in order to save the remnant.GoPH 181.6

A doctor wrote Sister White asking her to use her influence to get the people to buy a certain building for a sanitarium. In his letter he told Sister White that there were eighty rooms in the building. This was a mistake, as the building only contained fifty rooms. Supposing his figures were correct, Sister White wrote a testimony in which she stated that the building had eighty rooms. Later, the mistake was discovered. But it must not he allowed to be a mistake. If it were, then what of the gift, and what of the remnant, and what would become of all of us?GoPH 182.1

One minister of long experience, investigated the matter, and then came to the writer with this explanation:GoPH 182.2

“The matter is all cleared up in my mind now. I have counted the rooms in the building, and by counting the clothes closets and the halls I can find eighty rooms.”GoPH 182.3

And yet this brother knew that should a real estate dealer sell a building, representing that it contained eighty rooms when thirty of them were clothes closets and halls, he would be prosecuted for obtaining money under false pretense.GoPH 182.4

Another minister, older and more experienced, rejects this “explanation,” and puts in its place the subterfuge that Sister White spoke prophetically.GoPH 182.5

Since the mistake was discovered, an addition to the building has been erected containing thirty rooms. The building now contains eighty rooms, and this old minister now says that when Sister White said there were eighty rooms, she spoke prophetically. That is, there would be eighty rooms when thirty more were added. These things would be comical if they were not so awfully sad and serious.GoPH 182.6