There have, from time to time, been accusations in more recent times, that E.J. Waggoner taught "Pantheism", a particular spiritualistic doctrine that J.H. Kellogg espoused in the book The Living Temple, published in the year 1903. Wikipedia states: "Pantheism is the belief that all of reality is identical with divinity, or that everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent god."
The danger of the theory is that if God is already in all things, then there is no need for atonement, redemption, or salvation. Even the value of the Bible comes into question, for if God is already within you, why do you need an outward guide? Why not just follow your own inbuilt "holy" impressions?
Lucifer, during the rebellion in heaven, taught a similar error, proclaiming that the angels were "holy" and did not need an "external law":
"Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God. He began to insinuate doubts concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that though laws might be necessary for the inhabitants of the worlds, angels, being more exalted, needed no such restraint, for their own wisdom was a sufficient guide. They were not beings that could bring dishonor to God; all their thoughts were holy; it was no more possible for them than for God himself to err."--Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 37.
A similar error was met by Ellen White in the early days of the Advent movement. She writes: "In New Hampshire [in the year 1850] there were those who were active in disseminating false ideas in regard to God. Light was given me that these men were making the truth of no effect by their ideas, some of which led to free-lovism. I was shown that these men were seducing souls by presenting speculative theories regarding God. ...
Among other views, they held that those once sanctified could not sin, and this they were presenting as gospel food. Their false theories, with their burden of deceptive influence, were working great harm to themselves and to others. They were gaining a spiritualistic power over those who could not see the evil of these beautifully clothed theories.
Great evils had already resulted. The doctrine that all were holy had led to the belief that the affections of the sanctified were never in danger of leading astray. The result of this belief was the fulfillment of the evil desires of hearts which, though professedly sanctified, were far from purity of thought and practice.
This is only one of the instances in which I was called upon to rebuke those who were presenting the doctrine of an impersonal god diffused through nature, and the doctrine of holy flesh."--The Review and Herald, Jan. 21, 1904.
Especially in countries such as India and China, where Pantheistic teaching is more widespread, branches of healing philosophy have emerged wherein it is taught that the power to heal is within man, and that disease is simply a blockage or disruption of the flow of the life energy. Therefore, healing is accomplished by attempting to "unblock" the human agency, so that the "power of god within" can work properly again. This is contrary to the Christian idea, where true healing power flows from an external God, through Christ, and into the needy human agent.
Ellen White warned about "Pantheistic Theories" in 1905: "Today there are coming into educational institutions and into the churches everywhere spiritualistic teachings that undermine faith in God and in His word. The theory that God is an essence pervading all nature is received by many who profess to believe the Scriptures; but, however beautifully clothed, this theory is a most dangerous deception. It misrepresents God and is a dishonor to His greatness and majesty. And it surely tends not only to mislead, but to debase men. Darkness is its element, sensuality its sphere. The result of accepting it is separation from God. And to fallen human nature this means ruin.
Our condition through sin is unnatural, and the power that restores us must be supernatural, else it has no value. There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men, and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the Crucified One is there cleansing from sin. His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature. The spiritualistic theories concerning God make His grace of no effect. If God is an essence pervading all nature, then He dwells in all men; and in order to attain holiness, man has only to develop the power within him.
These theories, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy. They do away with the necessity for the atonement and make man his own savior. These theories regarding God make His word of no effect, and those who accept them are in great danger of being led finally to look upon the whole Bible as a fiction.
They may regard virtue as better than vice; but, having shut out God from His rightful position of sovereignty, they place their dependence upon human power, which, without God, is worthless. The unaided human will has no real power to resist and overcome evil. The defenses of the soul are broken down. Man has no barrier against sin. When once the restraints of God's word and His Spirit are rejected, we know not to what depths one may sink."--The Ministry of Healing, p. 428-429.
"God's handiwork in nature is not God himself in nature. The things of nature are an expression of God's character and power; but we are not to regard nature as God. The artistic skill of human beings produces very beautiful workmanship, things that delight the eye, and these things reveal to us something of the thought of the designer; but the thing made is not the maker. It is not the work, but the workman, that is counted worthy of honor. So while nature is an expression of God's thought, it is not nature, but the God of nature, that is to be exalted."--The Ministry of Healing, p. 413.
Apart from these Pantheistic ideas, there is a cardinal Christian doctrine about God's nature, that teaches of His "omnipresence". This is, obviously, not Pantheism, but just a recognition of the nature of the Holy Spirit to be in all places and situations. It is comforting to the Christian to know that, wherever he may find himself, in whatever solitary place or remote dungeon, the Holy Spirit cannot be shut out or excluded.
In this work on the "Everlasting Gospel," Waggoner does indeed make some statements that sound like Pantheism, especially when he refers to the "personal presence" of God in nature. For example: "Thus all the power in heaven and in earth is His. There is no manifestation of power, force, or energy, as men call it, in the universe, except the personal presence of the living Christ, by the Spirit of power. His everlasting power and Divinity are seen in all things."--Chapter 3, "Power and Wisdom".
Waggoner explains later that he is referring to the Holy Spirit's omnipresence: "Read the texts that tell plainly that the Holy Spirit is the direct Representative, the personal Presence of God, both Father and Son. So God is present in every place by His Spirit. "Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:21)--Chapter 5, "The Spirit's Work".
At the same time, he is careful to uphold the Bible and faith in Christ, as the only source of holiness and purity. As far as I know, Waggoner was never rebuked by the servant of the Lord (Ellen White) for teaching the error of Pantheism, and he himself denied believing it on a number of occasions, including twice in the "Everlasting Gospel" series: "There is a worldwide difference between this truth and pantheism. The truth is that every created thing reveals God's power; the men of old "changed the truth of God into a lie" by saying that every created thing is God. So they worshiped and served the creature instead of the Creator."--Article 2, "The Beginning".
And: "Remember that the worker is not the thing worked. There is an infinite difference between the Creator and the thing created. The power that is seen in anything must not be confounded with the thing itself. Neither men nor any of the lower orders of creation are God, but His everlasting power and Divinity are seen in everything from highest to lowest. Nothing but sin cherished hinders its perfect manifestation."--Article 20, "The Animal Creation".
Therefore, I am happy to release these articles, since I think there is much light and valuable truth in them. On going through some of the rich truths contained in Waggoner's articles, I am deeply impressed by the closeness and clarity with which he saw the spiritual things in the natural world. If, therefore, he made some statements that could be misunderstood, "what is the chaff to the wheat?" (Jeremiah 23:28)
We should remember that Waggoner is not here to explain exactly what he meant, and therefore should not jump on phrases that may not have been intended to mean what we might think they mean. Take up these studies in the spirit of love, which "thinks no evil," (1 Corinthians 13:5) and assume that if Waggoner made some seemingly difficult statements, they were intended to be understood within the framework of standard Christian truth.
He had a special message from God (as testified by Ellen White), a message which, had we already understood it, the Lord would not have sent it. We should rather fear that it is we who are liable to misunderstand that message, and therefore we should walk carefully. "Who can understand his errors? cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:12-14)
Frank Zimmerman, September 2016.