Chapter 9—Earmarks of Erroneous Teaching

Further Communications to Mr. Garmire

Since visiting your house Sabbath afternoon, August 23, some things have rested on my mind to say to you. I have no hesitancy in saying that Anna's visions are not of God. The dreams that the members of your family have had are a deception of Satan....2SM 80.1

Satan saw that he could work upon your fruitful imagination, and lead you, with others, into his net. Did God give you that time message? No; for no such message comes from the true Source of light.... Time has proved you to be a false prophet, and Anna's visions false exercises. God never works in this way.2SM 80.2

Satan has other and stronger delusions prepared for you. You will claim, if you have not already done so, that you have a work to do in connection with Anna's visions, corresponding to that of the mighty angel that came down from heaven, whose glory lightened the earth. Satan sees that your mind is all ready to be impressed with his suggestions, and he will use you to your own ruin, unless in the name of the Lord you break the shackles that bind you....2SM 80.3

Several times, during our conversation, in which you became very much in earnest, you repeated the sentence, “O consistency, thou art a jewel!” I repeat the same with decided force to you. You say that Anna's visions place the forming of the image of the beast after probation closes. This is not so. You claim to believe the testimonies; let them set you right on this point. The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided.2SM 80.4

Your position is such a jumble of inconsistencies that but few will be deceived....2SM 81.1

You have taken the history of the disobedient prophet, as given in the Old Testament, and applied it to Sister White. You say she is perfectly honest, but the deceived prophet. For this reason the testimonies of the Spirit of God can have no effect on you. Has the Lord opened to you or your daughter, your wife or your children, the disobedience of Sister White? If she has walked contrary to God, will you show in what? My duty is to make plain statements of my position; for you misinterpret my testimony, wrench it from its true meaning, and ring in my name whenever you think it will enforce whatever you have to say. But when the testimonies do not harmonize with your theories, I am excused, because I am the false prophet! There are many ways of evading the truth.2SM 81.2

You seem to have special bitterness against Elder [Uriah] Smith, and some others of our brethren, and you have talked out these feelings in your family, thus leavening them. The Lord has seen fit to counsel Elder Smith, to give him words of reproof because he had erred; but is this an evidence that God has forsaken him?—No. “As many as I love I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19). The Lord reproves wrongs in His people, but is this an evidence that He has rejected them?—No. There are errors in the church, and the Lord points them out by His own ordained agencies, not always through the testimonies. Now shall we seize these reproofs and make capital of them, and say that God is not imparting to them His light and love?—No. The very work that God is trying to do for them shows that He loves them, and wants to draw them away from paths of danger.2SM 81.3

God has spoken in reference to yourself. That which you term light from heaven, He has pronounced darkness, and the visions born of this error, He calls a delusion. Will you believe this testimony? Will you heed what the Lord has spoken through Sister White, or will you cast the word of the Lord behind you? Will you quote this testimony as readily, and make capital of it, as you have of testimonies of reproof given your brethren who have erred in some things? “O consistency, thou art a jewel!”—Letter 11, 1890.2SM 82.1