Transcripted from Joseph Bates's tract A Seal of the Living God, A Hundred Forty-four Thousand of the Servants of God Sealed, pp. 24-26, 32.1EGWLM 134.3

J. B. Cook's repudiation of the Sabbath. The Seal of God and Time of Trouble.1EGWLM 134.4

In a vision in meeting the day before, November 18, she says: “Who has relaxed that fourth commandment?²

The answer to this question, given further down, is “J. B. Cook.” John B. Cook, a former Baptist minister and Millerite writer, had kept the Sabbath and defended it in print from 1846 to 1848. However, during the autumn of 1848, shortly before Ellen White's vision, Cook renounced his position on the Sabbath in the course of several articles written for the Advent Harbinger. He concluded his article of September 30, 1848, with the words “While the Sabbatic law is thus relaxed, every other precept of the Decalogue is enforced and embodied in the law of Christ!!” It is likely that the question “who has relaxed that fourth commandment?” relates to Cook's statement in the September 30 Harbinger.

See: J.B.C. [J. B. Cook], “The Sabbath, No. II,” Advent Harbinger, Sept. 30, 1848, p. 113. Cook's abandonment of his former Sabbatarian position is further documented in Merlin Burt, “Sabbatarian Adventism From 1844 to 1849,” pp. 344, 345; SDAE, s.v. “J. B. Cook.”

O thou foolish man! thou shalt feel the weight of this commandment when you cannot keep it. That charge shall be held up to thee in the day of judgment, and you will feel it more.”1EGWLM 134.5

“O, thou wilt wish that those words had never passed thy lips.”1EGWLM 134.6

“Stand out from him entirely.”1EGWLM 134.7

When she came out of vision, she said:1EGWLM 134.8

“I saw that he rolled, and turned on his bed, to see how he could get round this law of God.”1EGWLM 134.9

“I saw that he would feel the weight and force of it when he could not keep it.”1EGWLM 134.10

“I saw he did things on the Sabbath, and wished to justify himself.” Who was this you saw? answer: J. B. Cook. “For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known.”—Luke 12:2. For further information, see Advent Harbinger, Sept. 30-Nov. 11, 1848.1EGWLM 134.11

Report of E. G. White Utterances During Vision, November 19, 18481EGWLM 135.1

[J. Bates introduction:] A small company of brethren and sisters were assembled in meeting in Dorchester, near Boston, Mass. Before the meeting commenced, some of us were examining some of the points in the sealing message; some difference of opinion existed about the correctness of the view of the word ascending, &c,³

The first four verses of Revelation 7 dealing with the seal of God had come under special scrutiny by Sabbatarian Adventists in 1848:

1. And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and they were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

A letter from Joseph Bates dated August 7, 1848, is the first extant source that proposes that the seal of God in this passage is related to the Sabbath. While Bates's interpretation on this central point seems shortly to have gained broad acceptance among Sabbatarian Adventists, there was disagreement on his interpretation of some other features of the passage. Two points of contention were:

1. Whether the angel in verse 2 should be understood literally or symbolically. Bates originally believed the angel “ascending from the east” symbolized Adventist preachers of the Sabbath. That they ascended “from the east” (literally “from the rising of the sun”) was taken as corresponding with the fact that they started their proclamation on the East Coast of the United States, later spreading westward. Bates subsequently changed his view, now holding that the angel in verse 2 was literal and modifying his earlier position that “ascending from the east” primarily had a geographical meaning. He attributed his change to this vision that focuses on the manner in which the Sabbath message arose rather than on its location. Like the ascending sun the message gradually increased in strength and glory. (Note expressions such as “Like the sun, first cold, grows warmer and sends its rays.”)

2. How to interpret the four angels holding the four winds (verse 1). Bates initially followed other Adventist expositors in taking the four angels to mean national powers. Thus Joseph Turner, editor of The Bible Advocate, held that the four angels were the main signatories to the peace treaties at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 after the Napoleonic wars, powers that thereby had the might to hold back the winds of war. Bates's interpretation was a little different, as he included the United States together with the main European powers.

After meeting the objections of “many of those observing the Sabbath,” Bates changed his position here also. In May 1849 he published a retraction, holding that “the four messengers [angels], instead of being the four principal governments of earth, are FOUR LITERAL ANGELS commissioned by God to execute His purpose in the destruction of the wicked.”

See: Joseph Bates to Brother and Sister Hastings, Aug. 7, 1848; [J. Turner], “The Loosing of the Four Winds,” Bible Advocate, June 15, 1849, p. 132; Joseph Bates, A Seal of the Living God, pp. 4, 24; “Not So,” Review, Dec. 23, 1851, p. 72. For a detailed historical and theological study of “the sealing message” as it developed in 1848 and 1849, see Merlin Burt, “Sabbatarian Adventism From 1844 to 1849,” pp. 360-380.

and whereas we had made the publishing of the message a subject of prayer at the Topsham Conference (Me.) a little previous,^{4
October 20-22, 1848. See James White to Leonard and Elvira Hastings, Oct. 2, 1848.} and the way to publish appeared not sufficiently clear, we therefore resolved unitedly to refer it all to God. After some time spent in earnest prayer for light and instruction, God gave Sister White the following in vision, viz:1EGWLM 135.2

“Where did the light break out? Let thine angels teach us where the light broke out! It commenced from a little, then Thou didst give one light after another. The testimony and commandments are linked together, they cannot be separated; that comes first the ten commandments, by God.”1EGWLM 136.1

“The commandments never would be struck against if it were not to get rid of the Sabbath commandment. That one that has relaxed it is very foolish. It was very small, and when it rose, though it rose in strength, it was weak back there, when it came up it increase, (or increased.) If they won't hear it they are as accountable as though they did hear it.”1EGWLM 136.2

“He was well pleased when His law began to come up in strength, and the waste places began to be built up.”1EGWLM 136.3

“Out of weakness it has become strong from searching His Word. The test upon it has been but a short time. All who are saved will be tried upon it in some way.⁵

That the statement “all who are saved will be tried” on the Sabbath in some way does not apply to all earlier generations of believers is apparent from the previous sentence, which points out the recent foundation of this test.

That truth arises and is on the increase, stronger, and stronger. It's the seal! It's coming up! It arises, commencing from the rising of the sun. Like the sun, first cold, grows warmer and sends its rays.”^{6
See note 1.}1EGWLM 136.4

“When that truth arose there was but little light in it, but it has been increasing. O the power of these rays.”1EGWLM 136.5

“It grows in strength, the greatest weight and light is on that truth for it lasts forever when the Bible is not needed. It arose there in the east, it began with a small light, but its beams are healing. O how mighty is that truth; it's the highest after they enter the goodly land, but it will increase till they are made immortal. It commenced from the rising of the sun, keeps on its course like the sun, but it never sets.”1EGWLM 136.6

“The angels are holding the four winds.”1EGWLM 136.7

“It is God that restrains the powers.”1EGWLM 136.8

“The angels have not let go, for the saints are not all sealed.”1EGWLM 136.9

“The time of trouble has commenced, it is begun.⁷

This statement, made in November 1848, at first sight appears to contradict Ellen White's vision some weeks later, in January 1849, where she “saw that Michael had not stood up, and that the time of trouble, such as never was had not yet commenced.” But further examination of the two passages makes clear that the time of trouble referred to in November is not the same as that referred to in January. The January vision uses the expression “time of trouble” in the context of Daniel 12:1: “At that time shall Michael stand up … : and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was.” This verse was understood as indicating that a time of trouble would occur immediately after the close of Christ's intercession. In the November vision, however, the time of trouble has already started but the standing up of Michael is still future: “That time has not yet come … but will come when Michael stands up.” Clearly, a time of trouble that commences before Michael stands up cannot refer to the same time of trouble found in Daniel 12:1, which commences after Michael stands up.

It is interesting that Ellen White's visions on this issue went counter to the views of the senior voice of Sabbatarian Adventism at that time, Joseph Bates. In his book A Seal of the Living God, published some weeks later (January 1849) Bates, impressed with the current revolutionary fervor in Europe, insisted that “the time of trouble such as never was, Dan. xii:1 has began [sic]” (emphasis Bates's).

See: Ellen G. White, Ms 2, 1849 (Jan. 17); Joseph Bates, A Seal of the Living God, p. 48; SDAE, s.v. “Michael, the Archangel”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Time of Trouble.” For discussions on the issue of a “time of trouble” prior to the close of probation, see Ellen G. White, Supplement to the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White, pp. 3, 4 (EW 85, 86); Merlin Burt, “Sabbatarian Adventism From 1844 to 1849,” pp. 311-314; SDAE, s.v. “Little Time of Trouble.”

The reason why the four winds have not let go, is because the saints are not all sealed. It's on the increase, and will increase more and more; the trouble will never end until the earth is rid of the wicked.”1EGWLM 136.10

“At that time neighbor will be against neighbor. That time has not yet come, when brother against brother and sister against sister; but will come when Michael stands up.”1EGWLM 137.1

“When Michael stands up this trouble will be all over the earth.”1EGWLM 137.2

“Why they are just ready to blow. There's a check put on because the saints are not sealed.”1EGWLM 137.3

“Yea, publish the things thou hast seen and heard, and the blessing of God will attend. Look ye! that rising is in strength, and grows brighter and brighter. That truth is the seal, that's why it comes last. The shut door⁸

See: Introductory article “The ‘Shut Door’ and Ellen White's Visions”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Shut Door.”

we have had. God has taught and taught, but that experience is not the seal, and that commandment that has been trodden under foot will be exalted. And when ye get that you will go through the time of trouble.”1EGWLM 137.4

“Yea, all that thou art looking at, thou shalt not see just now. Be careful, let not light be set aside which comes from another way from which thou art looking for.”1EGWLM 137.5

[Note by J. Bates:] The above was copied word for word as she spake in vision, therefore it's unadulterated; some sentences escaped us, and some which we have not copied here. This probably is sufficient to show the answer to our prayers.1EGWLM 137.6

Lt 4, 1847

Lt 2, 1848