I have been shown that the false shepherds were drunk, but not
with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. The truth
of God is sealed up to them; they cannot read it. When they are
interrogated as to what the seventh-day Sabbath is, whether or
not it is the true Sabbath of the Bible, they lead the mind to
fables. I saw that these prophets were like the foxes of the desert.
They have not gone up into the gaps, they have not made up the
hedge that the people of God may stand in the battle in the day
of the Lord. When the minds of any get stirred up, and they begin
to inquire of these false shepherds about the truth, they take
the easiest and best manner to effect their object and quiet the
minds of the inquiring ones, even changing their own position
to do it. Light has shone on many of these shepherds, but they
would not acknowledge it and have changed their position a number
of times to evade the truth and get away from the conclusions
that they must come to if they continued in their former position.
The power of truth tore up their foundation, but instead of yielding
to it they would get up another platform that they were not satisfied
with themselves.
I saw that many of these shepherds had denied the past teachings
of God; they had denied and rejected the glorious truths which
they once zealously advocated and had covered themselves with
mesmerism and all kinds of delusions. I saw that they were drunken
with error and were leading on their flock to death. Many of the
opposers of God's truth devise mischief in their heads upon their
beds, and in the day they carry out their wicked devices to put
down the truth and to get something new to interest the people
and divert their minds from the precious, all-important truth.
I saw that the priests who are leading on their flock to death
are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues
of God are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false
shepherds to be tormented with one or two of these plagues. God's
hand at that time will be stretched out still in wrath and justice
and will not be brought to Himself again until His purposes are
fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship
at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved
them because they held fast the truth and kept God's commandments,
and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth.
The different parties of professed Advent believers have each
a little truth, but God has given all these truths to His children
who are being prepared for the day of God. He has also given them
truths that none of these parties know, neither will they understand.
Things which are sealed up to them, the Lord has opened to those
who will see and are ready to understand. If God has any new light
to communicate, He will let His chosen and beloved understand
it, without their going to have their minds enlightened by hearing
those who are in darkness and error.
I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having
the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily
imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend
their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they
teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach for
doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings
is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error,
we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free
and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go
to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He
sends us to those meetings where error is forced home to the people
by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease
their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffetings
of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power
of his evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated
with the darkness.
I saw that we have no time to throw away in listening to fables.
Our minds should not be thus diverted, but should be occupied
with the present truth, and seeking wisdom that we may obtain
a more thorough knowledge of our position, that with meekness
we may be able to give a reason of our hope from the Scriptures.
While false doctrines and dangerous errors are pressed upon the
mind, it cannot be dwelling upon the truth which is to fit and
prepare the house of Israel to stand in the day of the Lord. -