Reply to H. T. Nelson
NP
March, 1901
This manuscript is published in entirety in RH 07/30/1901. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
Mrs. E. G. White’s reply to H. T. Nelson. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 1
When Brother Nelson came to my home in California with his message, I gave him all the time I could. I think he spoke for an hour face to face with me. I listened to what he had to say, but I told him that God had not given him his message. He brought the message that God had appointed me to act as Moses, and that he was to connect with me in the work as Joshua. But if God had made this appointment, I should have known something about it. God Himself would have given me instruction. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 2
God has not given Brother Nelson the work of acting as Joshua in connection with His people. From the light that I have had, this could not be. It is an impossibility. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 3
Brother Nelson bore me the message also that I had not treated my workers well, that I had been hard with them. But this is the last thing any one who knows me would say against me. This message is false, every word of it. The position I occupy in regard to my workers is a position of tenderness and care. My family know that Brother Nelson’s testimony regarding my treatment of them is entirely false. I am willing that they should bear their testimony concerning this. Sometimes I have to call them up at five o’clock in the morning to prepare matter to be sent out in the mail. They take hold cheerfully and willingly, and then when the mail has gone, I say to them, “You have been hurried with this work. You may spend the rest of the day as you please.” I believe in guarding the health of my workers. Those in my household will bear witness that I watch them as a careful guardian. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 4
That I have been hard upon my workers I utterly deny. It is true that at times the work has been hard upon them as they have helped me in getting the light before the people. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 5
When the Lord gives a man a message, He gives with it something whereby His people may know that the message is from Him. God does not ask His people to believe every one who comes to them with a message. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 6
The Lord sends warnings to His people, not to destroy them, but to correct their errors. I have never been given the testimony to bear to any one, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” God never told any one to say to a fellow being, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” He has not given Brother Nelson this message to bear to Elder Breed, Elder Irwin, or Elder A. T. Jones. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 7
I know that God never gave mortal man such a message as that which Brother Nelson has borne concerning his brethren. It is not like our God. After the disappointment of 1844 there were those who would say to others, “You are lost; you have gone too far to be saved.” Then I was brought to my feet to bid them in the name of the Lord to cease their condemnation. God has never empowered one mortal to say to another mortal, “You are lost.” We are all human beings. We are on this earth to form characters which will fit us to inherit eternal life. If we heed the word of the Lord, He will correct us and guide us. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 8
Since I have been here I have had messages to bear to different persons, but words like those uttered by Mr. Nelson have never escaped my lips. Brethren, we are to hold together. The Satanic agencies are working to destroy, and God calls upon His servants to stand together, and to be meek and lowly in heart. We are to be kind and gentle in our treatment of one another. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 9
We are living in perilous times. From the light I have, I know that Satan is trying to bring in that which will make people think they have a wonderful work to do. But when God gives a man a message, that man, by his meekness and lowliness, will give evidence that God is working through him. God lives and reigns, and He desires us to walk before Him in humility. He does not wish this man Nelson to force himself before a congregation. He does not want this element to come into our meetings to create disturbance. God has not given Brother Nelson this work to do. It is the means whereby the enemy is trying to divert the minds of the people from the work which God has said must be done. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 10
Mistakes have been made. There must be reorganization. God desires to carry forward the work of perfecting a people who will shine in the kingdom of glory. He is opening doors which His people can enter to work for the salvation of souls. It is that we may co-operate with Him in His work that we are here. We are not going to be interrupted in meeting after meeting by those who claim they have a message to deliver. He who presses himself forward into a place where he is not wanted is not doing the work of God. We are to work like soldiers in an army. We are not to step out of the ranks and begin to work on our own account. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 11
We have a very solemn, important work to do in this Conference, and we need to pray and search our hearts. We are to work in perfect harmony and order. As we obey the commands of Christ, moving forward in unity, we shall see the salvation of God. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 12
We have come here at great expense to set things in order. There are those who have been working in one place for too long a time. They should have a change. They must go where they can see what God is doing outside of Battle Creek. We do not say to them, because they have made mistakes, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” We say, “Brethren, let us take hold together. Let us counsel together. Let us stand in our lot and in our place, and work for the whole field.” 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 13
We love our brother. We want him to be saved, but we cannot allow him to take the time of this Conference. It is not his time. God has given us a work to do, and we intend to do it under His supervision, that souls may be brought to a knowledge of present truth. 16LtMs, Ms 30, 1901, par. 14