ADVENTIST CARNIVALS !

WHEN erroneous doctrines are taught or sins are openly practiced in the church, it becomes necessary to rebuke sin and sinners. Isaiah commands every member of God's church to, Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Isaiah 58:1

Paul outlined for young Timothy his duty:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2

Constructive exhortation sometimes takes the form of rebuke. Rebuke given in love is not self-centered, but is Bible based. Jesus said to Laodiceans, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." By contrast, criticism tends to spring from a love of self, as if to say, "You are wrong, Look at me, I am right; I know better than you do." Destructive criticism is never commendable. But constructive rebuke is not only proper, but at times it is a necessity!

"Humble devoted followers of Christ" will suffer "soul anguish ... expressed in lamentations, and weepings, reproofs and warnings" (see Testimonies, vol. 5, 210) to their beloved brethren but they will often be rebuffed and/or persecuted as they object to the intrusions of fanaticism such as, Celebration style and other errors into the church.

Earnest members who follow the above scriptural counsels in pleading with the church are sometimes sharply reproved by those who believe that high position is God's church is the principal qualification for giving rebuke. They label those who denounce error as divisive, "schismatics" or critics, and rebuke them for their protests. What is written in the inspired counsels?

Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves, the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. "Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." John 3:20. As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the Scriptures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards, and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth. It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages. Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic. Multitudes who are too unbelieving to accept the sure word of prophecy will receive with unquestioning credulity an accusation against those who dare to reprove fashionable sins. This spirit will increase more and more. The Great Controversy, 458-459

Objectors to error and apostasy can expect to receive opposition. Those who thus accuse and criticize those who rebuke error should take to their own hearts the old proverb: There is no one quite so critical as he that is critical of he that is accused of being critical.

The counsels of Ezekiel 33, usually included in the charge given to young ministers at their ordination ceremonies, are not for the ministers alone. Those divine counsels from the mouth of the Lord are for all believers. Note:

So far as his opportunities extend, everyone who has received the light of truth is under the same solemn and fearful responsibility as was the prophet of Israel, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: "Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me. When I say unto the wicked, 0 wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thin hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." Ezekiel 33:7-9

The great obstacle both to the acceptance and to the promulgation of truth is the fact that it involves inconvenience and reproach. This is the only argument against the truth which its advocates have never been able to refute. But this does not deter the true followers of Christ. These do not wait for truth to become popular. Being convinced of their duty, they deliberately accept the cross, with the apostle Paul counting that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"; with one of old, "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 11:26; The Great Controversy, 459-460

Are we not living in the time spoken of by the Lord's servant in Testimonies, vol. 5, 210-211, just before probation closes? Read these sobering lines:

The command is: "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof." These sighing, crying ones had been holding forth the words of life; they had reproved, counseled, and entreated. Some who had been dishonoring God repented and humbled their hearts before Him. But the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel; although many still continued the forms of religion, His power and presence were lacking.

In the tune when His wrath shall go forth in judgments, these humble, devoted followers of Christ will be distinguished from the rest of the world by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings. While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God's honor and a love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain favor of any. Their righteous souls are vexed day by day with the unholy works and conversation of the unrighteous. They are powerless to stop the rushing torrent of iniquity, and hence they are filled with grief and alarm. They mourn before God to see religion despised in the very homes of those who have had great light. They lament and afflict their souls because pride, avarice, selfishness, and deception of almost every kind are in the church. The Spirit of God, which prompts to reproof, is trampled underfoot, while the servants of Satan triumph. God is dishonored, the truth made of none effect.

The class who do not feel grieved over their own spiritual declension, nor mourn over the sins of others, will be left without the seal of God. Testimonies, vol. 5, 210-211

Please note that those who are God's true servants will be "distinguished from the rest of the world by their"-carnival-like celebrating? No! No! But rather "by their soul anguish, which is expressed in lamentation and weeping, reproofs and warnings."

There is a trait, well established in carnal human nature, wherein if men do not like a message from God, and since they are unable to attack God in person, they attack or defame His messengers. Secular and sacred history is full of such examples. The wrath of man sawed Isaiah asunder for bearing God's messages of rebuke. John was beheaded. Jesus was crucified for bearing witness to truth.

Balaam's donkey heeded an obstruction placed by an angel and Balaam in his wrath beat the donkey. King Jehoiakim did not like the message sent from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah and so he proceeded to cut up the message bit by bit with his penknife and cast it into the flames. See Jeremiah. 36:23

In modern times irate men in high places have continued their attacks upon men who are bearing God's messages, and sometimes even on the very instruments, such as mimeograph machines used to print the messages! In more recent years, audio tapes, tape recorders, videos and copy machines have been added to the list of "enemies." Men have come a long way from beating Balaam's donkey to verbally "beating" the electronic machines of our modern day. (On the other hand, maybe the donkey beaters have not made much progress after all!) If one cannot kill the message; kill or degrade the messenger!

The lesson is clear to us all. Let us accept the words inspired by the Holy Spirit to reprove and rebuke sin. Let us not allow evil roots of bitterness to spring up and defile ourselves and others just because God's messages do not please us. Let us remember that all our appeals to "our beloved brethren" who have been deceived by fanaticism should be based on loving-kindness and truth. "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one for another." So taught Jesus. May all of our exhortations and rebukes be veritably saturated with the love of Jesus, and delivered with tears in our voices, as were the rebukes given by Jesus, such as, on the brow of Olivet when He wept over Jerusalem.

We must rebuke sin, because we love God, and love the souls for whom Christ died. Signs of the Times, vol. 1, 407

Praise the Lord, there are Adventist members and churches that have not as yet accepted the Celebration fanaticism, even though some men would desire that all Adventist churches follow the Celebration format. We have learned of one prominent sponsor of Celebration who has proposed that opposers of Celebration styles should be "persecuted" if need be.

It is well to note once again that in the golden calf episode there were some who remained faithful. A few even dared remonstrate against the proposed idolatry, but they paid for their faithfulness, with persecution, and finally martyrdom. History could be repeated!

There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives. Patriarchs and Prophets, 316-317

As in the past, so in the current apostasy, a faithful few will remain true to their God. Some will even dare to "cry aloud, spare not, ... and show the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58:1. God will have a last-day army of faithful whose hearts will be so filled with love for souls, that they will be fearless in denouncing error!

IN the closing days of our message, when carnival apostasies I are being repeated, they are to be met just as they were met by the Lord's prophet in our earlier history-decisively!

I was instructed that fanaticism similar to that which we were called to meet after the passing of the time in 1844 would come in among us again in the closing days of the message, and that we must meet this evil just as decidedly now as we met it in our early experiences. Selected Messages, book 1, 221

In the post-1844 and 1900 crises, the Lord used His modern prophet as an instrument to rebuke these fanatics, and to open the eyes of His faithful people. See Selected Messages, book 2, 27

Ellen White was anxious to keep the history of our past carnival-like episodes before the church members, for the past experiences would prepare God's people to decidedly meet this fanaticism when it should recur.

I have been studying how to get some of these early experiences into print again, so that more of our people may be informed, for I have long known that fanaticism will be manifest again, in different ways. We are to strengthen our position by dwelling on the Word, and by avoiding all oddities and strange exercisings that some would be very quick to catch up and practice. If we were to allow confusion to come into our ranks, we could not bind off our work as we should....

We cannot allow excitable elements among us to display themselves in a way that would destroy our influence with those whom we wish to reach with the truth. It took us years to outlive the unfavorable impression that unbelievers gained of Adventists through their knowledge of the strange and wicked workings of fanatical elements among us during the early years of our existence as a separate people. Selected Messages, book 2, 44

Today, Ellen White rests in the grave. But the Lord's servants, can still meet the current fanaticisms through their use of her Spirit-filled counsels which still live her Testimonies will never die!

The question is sometimes raised, What if Sister White should die? I answer, the books that she has written will not die. They are a living witness to what saith the Scriptures.-Letter 55, 1905, p. 2. (To Elder O. A. Olsen, January 30, 1905.) Manuscript Release 250, 3

Abundant light has been given to our people in these last days. Whether or not my life is spared, my writings will constantly speak, and their work will go forward as long as time shall last. My writings are kept on file in the office, and even though I should not live, these words that have been given to me by the Lord will still have life and will speak to the people. Selected Messages, book 1, 55

The Lord is evidencing what He can do through weak vessels. The life that He spares I will use to His glory. And, when He may see fit to let me rest, His messages shall be of even more vital force than when the frail instrumentality through whom they were delivered, was living.- Manuscript 122, 1903. ("The Time of the End," October 9, 1903) Manuscript Release 652

The Lord had instructed us to, Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 2 Chronicles 20:20

How sad that so many of the decisive messages from our prophet rebuking our modern errors and sins are refused and unappreciated today by a large number of our members. Let us never forget the danger in disbelieving inspiration, for, Giving Up Faith in the Testimonies. One thing is certain:

Those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their faith in the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies of God's Spirit. Selected Messages, book 3, 84

GOD wants to use men as His instruments to rebuke error and sin. Despite the prevailing opposition to truth, "The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message for this time." Testimonies to Ministers, 107.

"Most startling messages will be borne by men of God's appointment." Testimonies, vol. 9, 137.

But God can use only men who will take a firm and unflinching stand for truth:

God cannot use men who, in time of peril, when the strength, courage, and influence of all are needed, are afraid to take a firm stand for the right. He calls for men who will do faithful battle against wrong, warring against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It is to such as these that He will speak the words: "Well done, good and faithful servant."

God calls for men like Elijah, Nathan, and John the Baptist-men who will bear His message with faithfulness, regardless of the consequences; men who will speak the truth bravely, though it call for the sacrifice of all they have. Prophets and Kings, 142

Apostasies and sins must not go unrebuked:

When men endanger the work and cause of God by their own wrong course of action, shall they hear no voice of reproof? If the wrongdoer only were concerned, and the work reached no farther than him, he alone should have the words of warning; but when his course of action is doing positive harm to the cause of truth, and souls are imperiled, God requires that the warning be as broad as the injury done. The testimonies will not be hindered. The words of rebuke and warning, the plain "Thus saith the Lord," will come from God's appointed agencies; for the words do not originate with the human instrument; they are from God, who appointed them their work. Selected Messages, book 2, 153

Today, faced with such widespread apostasies,

in the existing state of religious declension, there is crying need of earnest, faithful Nehemiahs and Ezras-men who will not shun to call sin by its right name, and who will not shrink from vindicating the honor of God. Those upon whom God has laid the burden of his work are not to hold their peace, and cover prevailing evils with a cloak of false charity. Men of courage and energy are needed to expose fashionable sins. Iniquity must not be palliated and excused. Those who lead the church of God to follow the customs and practices of the world, are not to be lauded and exalted....

Severity to a few will often prove mercy to many. Yet we must be careful to manifest the Spirit of Christ, and not our own hasty, impetuous disposition. We must rebuke sin, because we love God, and love the souls for whom Christ died. Signs of the Times, vol. 1, 407

Surely, all of the foregoing quotations describe the type of men God calls to bear the "startling messages" needed to counteract the Celebration apostasy in our midst.

God calls for men of decided fidelity. He has no use in an emergency for two-sided men. He wants men who will lay their hand upon a wrong work and say, "This is not according to the will of God." Selected Messages, book 2, 153

May we, one and all, be among those faithful men of God's appointment, who will maintain a decided fidelity, and who will, with true love for souls, in the name of the Lord, reprove and rebuke the burning fires of fanaticism!

SPECIFICALLY speaking of the carnival-like fanaticism in Indiana in 1900, concerning the difficulty in extinguishing such apostasies, Ellen White declared:

Fanaticism, once started and left unchecked, is as hard to quench as a fire which has obtained hold of a building.... Many such movements will arise at this time, when the Lord's work should stand elevated, pure, unadulterated with superstition and fables. We need to be on our guard, to maintain a close connection with Christ, that we be not deceived by Satan's devices. Selected Messages, book 2, 35

Are not those who have entered into a carnival-type of worship and /or sustained it by their influence, responsible for its having spread so rapidly-as wildly as a firestorm in a tinder-dry forest? The Lord has revealed that carnival-like fanaticism when allowed to grow and spread could have much the same effect upon our churches, as would a fire left unchecked. Once a fire is started in a building and has had time to spread throughout it, the fire cannot then be easily extinguished. "Many such movements will arise at this time."

It may be that some men in administrative positions of the church are beginning to realize that there are dangers in this type of worship. Some may even attempt to put out the fires. But can these Celebration fires be easily extinguished? Are our impressionable youth who are to be our leaders of tomorrow so indoctrinated with this type of worship that there can be no checking of its progress? Are there no brave fire-fighters in Israel?

How solemn the thought that,

The mind of which error has once taken possession can never expand freely to after investigation. The old theories will claim recognition.... Superstitious ideas will enter the mind, to mingle with the true, and these ideas are always debasing in their influence. Review and Herald, vol. 5, 88

God's servants need to use the fire extinguisher of reproof from God's Word as soon as possible before fanaticism has had time to take possession of minds, or spread from mind to mind, and claim recognition.

As shown in the chapter which follows unusual dangers need to be promptly addressed by unusual means.

AT the present time at least some of our beloved administrative church brethren, by their own admission seem somewhat at a loss as to what course is best to pursue concerning the Celebration churches, It appears as though they may be like a man who has hold of a proverbial "tiger by the tail." If he lets the beast go, it may turn and devour him. Likewise, if he tries to hold on and wrestle with the tiger he would also be devoured.

Do our church leaders really have a veritable Celebration "tiger" by the tail? Let us allow them to tell their problem in their own words as stated by one of the editors of the Adventist review:

The appropriateness of the Celebration church concept is an important issue for the church right now. If the church were to condemn the Celebration movement while the effort was still in its infancy, Adventism would stand to lose thousands of people, particularly young people and former members, who have found the Celebration churches to be a bit of fresh air in a church of normally formal worship services. And it stands to lose what appears to be its best evangelistic tool for boosting the church's lagging attendance and involvement by Anglos across North America.

But if the church were to adopt all aspects of the Celebration churches immediately and wholeheartedly, Adventism would stand to alienate many traditional members who believe the Celebration churches are creeping Pentecostalism and the devil's playground. Adventist Review, November 1, 1990

In other words, should the administrators squash the Celebration tiger; they fear they would lose a host (thousands) of celebrants who are in love with the pentecostal-like (carnival) activities. On the other hand, if they embrace the Celebration format "immediately and wholeheartedly," they realize that for a certainty they would lose the dependable support (including their most reliable financial support) of the "traditional" or historic believers who accept all of the faith once delivered unto the pioneers. Truly, they will lose the support of historic Adventists whether the church decides to accept the Celebration "tiger" little by little, or en masse.

Old time Adventist accept at full face value the counsels of the Lord through Ellen White concerning what our attitude should be toward carnival-like activities of "creeping Pentecostalism" formats. Furthermore, these faithful members also accept at face value her counsels that we can expect and look for a final carnival-like fanaticism to come among God's people "just before the close of probation." And they would tend to regard the current Celebration excitement as fulfilling that role.

We do not know if any man ever actually wrestled with a tiger by the tail and survived, but we did know a man who had a cougar by the tail and prevailed. Many years ago we lived in the high country of the Rocky Mountains. Two "mountain men" (brothers) lived nearby. They had the reputation of having great strength and resourcefulness. They were sort of modern Samsons. Their exploits had been legendary. We knew one of the brothers, whom we shall call Archie. His wife and daughter were Adventists who attended our church. We well recall his husky physical frame and wide shoulders.

While yet a young man, Archie was alone in the woods one day when a male mountain lion (cougar) charged him. Cougars were prevalent in the area, and the fight was on! In the altercation, Archie was able to grasp the lion's tail. Having hold of his tail, Archie quickly gave a hard kick with his heavy logging boot to the exposed sensitive organs of the male cat. Being exceedingly painful to the animal, this momentarily stunned and weakened the cat.

Having no human help and no firearms, Archie began to drag the beast toward the logging camp where someone could help him. If he should let go, the hungry beast might kill him. So, whenever the cat seemed to recover enough strength to begin to squirm about, another hard blow from Archie's boot would again traumatize and weaken the animal. Thus it was that he dragged the heavy animal into the logging camp where an associate killed the cougar with a shot from his rifle.

If readers should feel that the repeated painful blows to the cougar constituted cruelty toward the animal, one needs to remember that the hungry cat intended to kill and eat his human prey and Archie was in a fight for his very life! He had no alternative! (We recall the biblical David and Samson who each barehanded prevailed against wild beasts.)

In no way do we wish to infer that there should be any exact resemblance between the treatment of the mountain lion and what ought to be done about the Celebration fanaticism. But the cougar episode does illustrate that there are times when unusually severe methods must be used in dealing with unusually dangerous situations! The celebration "tiger" should not be dragged into camp as Archie did his "tiger"; it needs to be put out of the camp and "immediately and wholeheartedly" disavowed!

As of now, however, some church administrators seem to have decided to do nothing about the "tiger." They have taken a position of "wait and see!" From the illustrative lesson of Archie and the mountain lion, we can readily understand that a "wait and see" policy could have been a fatal error on his part. Faced with the Celebration "tiger" do we dare `wait and see? "-Would we stand back and "wait and see" if a fire had taken hold of a building? Or would we instantly call the fire-fighters?

The most obvious course that our beloved brethren should take is to leave "the devil's playground," to the devil and immediately accept the divine counsels of the Lord's messenger to the remnant. Cease to partake of, or to support in any way the Celebration apostasy. Rather, join with Ellen White in clearly rebuking those who sponsor carnival-type Celebration services and then, let the Lord take care of the consequences of any membership fallout.

Time after time the leaders in ancient Israel found it needful to ask the people, "Who is on the Lord's side?" and each time there were, of course, some defections and loss of membership. Today, do we not need a modern Samson in our midst? Someone who is spiritually strong and can do exploits? Someone who will stand up and take a firm stand for truth and for truth only? Why should administrators continue to vacillate between two opinions, or to "wait and see," fearing to follow the Lord's messenger and to allow the Lord to take care of the consequences?

In the case of Archie, he wrestled the cougar in his own human strength. But our church faces a far stronger foe in wrestling the carnival "tiger." Only God's way and God's strength are powerful enough to overcome Satan and his agents in the Celebration fanaticism.

After reading the chapter which follows, no doubt all Seventh-day Adventists will be deeply shaken, and will decide that the Celebration "tiger" must be promptly disavowed!

CONTENTS