Our Pioneers and the Line of Truth

Posted Jul 08, 2012 by Ronald Baragona in Adventist History

I don't know if any of us have met this quote before about Sr EGW and our pioneers but please allow me to share.  Its quite interesting.  Its taken from the book,  A Prophet Among You, by T. Housel Jemison.

"A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord has given me."

During this whole time I could not understand the reasoning of the brethren.  My mind was locked, as it were, and I could not comprehend the meaning of the scriptures we were studying.  This was one of teh greatest sorrows of my life.  I was in this condition of mind until all the principal points of our faith were made clear to our minds, in harmony with the word of God. (emphasis mine)  The brethren knew that when not in vision, I could not understand this matters, and they accepted as light direct from heaven the revelations given."  Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies Series B., No. 2, pp. 56, 57.  Reprinted in Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White, Messenger to the Remnant, pages 38, 39.

Now T. Housel Jemison continued with the following words.

"The understandings of the basic doctrines arrived at during the conferences of 1848 are essentially the same as ours today.  A solid foundation was built on the Scriptures, and the Bible students were guided toward correct interpretations through the revelations given Ellen White.  This young woman had an important part in building the structure of the Bible doctrines adopted by the early adventists and strengthened through the years by Seventh-day Adventists."  T. Housel Jemison, A Prophet Among You, pp 209, 210, Copyright 1955 by Pacific Press Publishing Association, Library of Congress Catalogue No. 55-11537.

As one will notice, this book was published right around when a shift in understanding of God was being brought in to our publications and educational system.  But even the author is clear that all the principles of our faith were already established.  And quoting EGW, a line or truth from their time to the time when we shall enter the city of God were made plain to her and of course I believe to our pioneers as well.

Just a remark regarding the book from http://www.ellenwhite.info/books/books-about-egw.htm

"A Prophet Among You, by T. Housel Jemison, served for many years as a college textbook on the gift of prophecy as manifested in Scripture and in the ministry of Ellen G. White. Among its highlights are excellent chapters on "Tests of a Prophet" and "Testing the Experience of Ellen G. White," "The Ellen G. White Writings and the Bible," and "Ellen G. White Writings--Their Study and Use."

And just to add, I don't think it was mere coincidence that i got this book right beside current SS Lessons.  I was looking for SS Lessons this morning regarding anything that pertained to the personality of God. And right at the very edge of the bookshelf was this old book with a faded print, "A Prophet Among You."  It got me interested and started reading it how God led the Advent Movement to what it is now.  And just awhile ago, got back to reading how our pioneers started.

May God's richest blessings be upon us my brothers and sisters.