What was the first aim and effect of the gift of prophecy among us? Our enemies have repeatedly testified that but for the visions our denomination would long since have gone to pieces. Elder Joseph Bates gives this testimony to their effect at the time of the great confusion following the disappointment in 1844 (see "Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists," p.128):--
"I thank God for the opportunity I have had with others to witness these things. I can now confidently speak for myself. I believe the work is of God, and is given to comfort and strengthen his 'scattered,' 'torn,' and 'peeled people,' since the closing up of our work ... in October, 1844. The distracted state of 'lo here's!' and 'lo there's!' since that time has exceedingly perplexed God's honest, willing people, and made it exceedingly difficult for such as were not able to expound the many conflicting texts that were presented to their view. I confess that I have received light and instruction on many passages that I could not before clearly understand."
In August 1848, a conference of Sabbath keepers was held at Volney, Oswego Co., N. Y. "There were about thirty-five persons present, all that could be collected in that part of the state; but hardly two of these were agreed. Each was strenuous for his own views, declaring that they were according to the Bible. All were anxious to advance their sentiments and to preach them. They were told that Elder White and his wife had not come so great a distance to hear them, but had come to teach them the truth. Mr. Arnold held that the 1000 years of Rev. 20, were in the past, and that the one hundred and forty-four thousand mentioned in Revelation were those raised at Christ's resurrection.
"As the emblems of our dying Lord were before this company, and they were about to commemorate his sufferings, Mr. Arnold arose and said he had no faith in what they were about to do, -- that the Lord's supper was a continuation of the Passover, to be observed but once a year. These strange differences of opinion rolled a heavy weight upon Mrs. White, especially as Mr. Arnold spoke of the one thousand years as being in the past. She well knew that he was in error, and great grief pressed upon her spirits, for it seemed that God was dishonored. Some feared she was dying; but Elders Bates, White, Chamberlain, Gurney, and Edson prayed for her, and the Lord mercifully heard the prayers of his servants, and she revived. The light of heaven rested upon her, and she was soon lost to earthly things. While in this state she was shown some of the errors of those present, and also truth in contrast with their errors, showing that these discordant views which they claimed were according to the Bible, were only according to their own opinions of the Bible, and that they must yield their errors and unite upon the third angel's message. The meeting ended gloriously; truth gained the victory. Those who held these strange diversities of opinion confessed their errors, and united upon the present truth of the third angel's message, and the Lord greatly blessed them." -- "Rise and Progress," pp.137,138.
The writer of the proverbs said, "Where there is no vision the people throw off restraint." (Prov. 29:18, Revised Version). In harmony with this testimony are the following words from Sister White (see "Gospel Workers," p.84):--
"I was pointed back, and saw that in every important move, every decision made or point gained by God's people, some have arisen to carry matters to extremes, and to move in an extravagant manner, which has disgusted unbelievers, distressed God's people, and brought the cause of God into disrepute. The people whom God is leading out in these last days will be troubled with just such things. But much evil will be avoided if the ministers of Christ will be of one mind, united in their plans of action, and united in effort. If they will stand together, sustain one another and faithfully reprove and rebuke wrong, they will soon cause it to wither. But Satan has controlled these matters very much. Private members and even preachers have sympathized with disaffected ones who have been reproved for their wrongs, and division of feeling has been the result. The one who has ventured out and discharged his disagreeable duty by faithfully meeting error and wrong, is grieved and wounded that he receives not the fullest sympathy of his preaching brethren. He becomes discouraged in discharging these painful duties, lays down the cross, and withholds the pointed testimony. His soul is shut up in darkness, and the church suffers for the lack of the very testimony which God designed should live among his people. Satan's object is gained when the faithful testimony is suppressed. Those who so readily sympathize with the wrong, consider it a virtue; but they realize not that they are exerting a scattering influence, and that they themselves help to carry out Satan's plans."
"Angels work harmoniously. Perfect order characterizes all their movements. The more closely we imitate the harmony and order of the angelic host, the more successful will be the efforts of these heavenly agents in our behalf. If we see no necessity for harmonious action, and are disorderly, undisciplined, and disorganized in our course of action, angels, who are thoroughly organized and move in perfect order, cannot work for us successfully. They turn away in grief, for they are not authorized to bless confusion, distraction, and disorganization. All who desire the co-operation of the heavenly messengers, must work in unison with them. Those who have unction from on high, will in all their efforts encourage order, discipline, and union of action, and then the angels of God can co-operate with them. But never, never will these heavenly messengers place their endorsement upon irregularity, disorganization, and disorder. All these evils are the result of Satan's efforts to weaken our forces, to destroy courage, and prevent successful action.
"Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in perfect order, that subjection and thorough discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed Christians just as far from heaven's arrangement as he can; therefore he deceives even the professed people of God, and makes them believe that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality; that the only safety for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially distinct from bodies of Christians who are united, and are laboring to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These deceived souls consider it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They will not take any man's say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown that it is Satan's special work to lead men to feel that it is in God's order for them to strike out for themselves, and choose their own course, independent of their brethren." -- Gospel Workers, page 156.
"The travels of the children of Israel are faithfully described; the deliverance which the Lord wrought for them, their perfect organization and special order, their sin in murmuring against Moses and thus against God, their transgressions, their rebellions, their punishments, their carcasses strewn in the wilderness because of their unwillingness to submit to God's wise arrangements, -- this faithful picture is hung up before us as a warning lest we follow their example of disobedience, and fall like them. ... Has God changed from a God of order? No; he is the same in the present dispensation as in the former. Paul says, 'God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.' (1Cor. 14:33) He is as particular now as then. And he designs that we should learn lessons of order and organization from the perfect order instituted in the days of Moses, for the benefit of the children of Israel." -- Gospel Workers, pp.159,160.