The Message of 1888 Re-examined Part I
It was in November 20, 1857 that Ellen White was
given a vision of the future shaking, [see article “The
Future” Review and Herald, December 31, 1857; also
recorded in Early Writings, p. 269-271].
She describes a tremendous experience that the
people of God were having, especially being freed to lay
“Hold of the truth,” and she asked the angel, “What had
made this great change?” The angel answered, “It is the
latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
the loud cry of the third angel.” As far as we know this
the first time she used the term; “the loud cry of the
third angel.”
The next time she used this phrase in the Review and
Herald was November 22, 1892, in an article “The
Perils and Privileges of the Last Days.” Here are some four
years after the Minneapolis conference, she wrote, “The
time of test is just upon us, for the loud cry of the third
angel has already begun in the revelation of the
righteousness of Christ, the sin-pardoning Redeemer.
This is the beginning of the light of the angel whose
glory shall fill the whole earth.” In a sermon she had
given the previous summer, she had also stated
unequivocally, “the third angel’s message is swelling to
a loud cry….” 1888 p. 959.
The statements given here span some eleven years,
and are mostly from The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials
(Referenced at the end of each paragraph as “EGW 1888
Materials”), given in chronological order. Concluding
statements from other sources include her opening
address to the General Conference session in 1901, W.
- Prescottʼs testimony about Minneapolis at the same
meetings, a letter written later that year to P. T. Magan,
and lastly an article that she wrote in the Review and
Herald, Dec 15, 1904, entitled “A Call to Repentance.”
Emphases, bracketed insertions, and ellipses are used
to maintain the focus of the topic at hand. We encourage
the reader, if possible, to read the entire documents from
which these extracts are taken.
It is our prayer that this material will bring
conviction to the hearts and minds of our readers, and
that they will join with that third angel and the angel in
Revelation 18:1 in giving the loud cry to a perishing
world.
Special thanks to a dedicated disciple of Christ, Dr. Fred Bischoff, who I was privileged to have met at an 1888 Conference in Orlando, Florida in 2017.
He was a dear friend and dedicated to the matchless charms of Christ and that we should never forget the message of 1888.
From the Pen of Ellen White:
God is raising up a class to give the loud cry of the
third angel’s message. … The loud cry will soon be
heard and the earth will be lightened with the glory of
God. {20MR 357.1} June 27, 1884
Said my guide, “There is much light yet to shine
forth from the law of God and the gospel of
righteousness. This message, understood in its true
character, and proclaimed in the Spirit, will lighten the
earth with its glory. The great decisive question is to be
brought before all nations, tongues, and peoples. The
closing work of the third angelʼs message will be
attended with a power that will send the rays of the Sun
of Righteousness in all the highways and byways of
life, and decisions will be made for God as supreme
Governor: His law will be looked upon as the rule of
His government.” {1888 166.1} 1886
The word was spoken to me, “Speak to the people all
the words that I shall give thee. Wake up the mighty
men. Let them become fully aroused, that they may with
pen and voice stir up the people to whom God has given
great light, that they may let their light shine forth in
clear, steady rays to the world. The world is to be warned;
and when the third angelʼs message goes forth with a
loud cry, minds will be fully prepared to make decisions
for or against the truth.” {1888 510.2} December 1889.
The third angel’s message is swelling into a loud cry,
and you must not feel at liberty to neglect the present
duty, and still entertain the idea that at some future time
you will be the recipients of great blessing, when
without any effort on your part a wonderful revival will
take place. Today you are to give yourselves to God,
that he may make of your vessels unto honor, and meet
for His service. Today you are to give yourself to God,
that you may be emptied of self, emptied of envy,
jealousy, evil-surmising, strife, everything that shall be
dishonoring to God. Today you are to have your vessel
purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready
for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will
come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is
purified from every defilement. It is our work today to
yield our souls to Christ, that we may be fitted for the
time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord—fitted
for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. {1888 959.6}
September 5, 1891
What of the Messengers?
1888 October 21
(Talk to Ministers [at Minneapolis])
The message “Go forward” is still to be heard and
respected. The varying circumstances taking place in
Our world call for labor which will meet these peculiar
developments. The Lord has need of men who are
spiritually sharp and clear-sighted, men worked by the
Holy Spirit, who are certainly receiving manna fresh
from heaven. Upon the minds of such, Godʼs Word
flashes light, revealing to them more than ever before
the safe path. The Holy Spirit works upon mind and heart.
The time has come when through Godʼs
messengers the scroll is being unrolled to the world.
Instructors in our schools should never be bound about
by being told that they are to teach only what has been
taught hitherto. Away with these restrictions. There is a
God to give the message His people shall speak. Let not
any minister feels under bonds or be gauged by menʼs
measurement. The gospel must be fulfilled in
accordance with the messages God sends. That which
God gives His servants to speak today would not
perhaps have been present truth twenty years ago, but it
is Godʼs message for this time. (EGW 1888 Materials,
- 133)
Let men and women who are truly converted offer
themselves in all humility to the service of the Lord.
First, they must be emptied
of all selfishness. They will be cleansed vessels unto
honor. They will reflect the bright beams of the Sun of
Righteousness to all with whom they come in contact.
Partakers of the divine nature, they will be savors of life
unto life. They will not talk of the faults of others, but
will repeat the words of divine wisdom which have
penetrated and illuminated their hearts. They will be
men who fear to talk and make sport of Godʼs
messengers, but men who pray much. (EGW 1888
Materials, p. 134)
1888 December
(Manuscript “Looking Back at Minneapolis”)
Brother A. T. Jones spoke to the people [at the
Kansas campmeeting on the way to Minneapolis], also
Brother E. J. Waggoner, and the people heard many
precious things that would be to them a comfort and a
strength to their faith. They appreciated this, to them,
all-important privilege. (EGW 1888 Materials, p. 205,
206)
Why were not these men [“in high positions of
trust”, “at the Minneapolis meeting”, p. 227], who knew
of these things, afraid to lift their hand against me and
my work for no reason except their imagination that I
was not in harmony with their spirit and their course of
action toward men whom they and I had reason to
respect? These men were just as sincere as those who
criticized, men of correct principles—but who did not
harmonize with their views concerning the law in
Galatians. I knew how the Lord regarded their spirit and
action and if they did thus in ignorance, through
perverted ideas, they have had all the opportunity God
will ever give them to know He has given these men
[A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner] a work to do, and a
message to bear which is present truth for this time.
They knew that wherever this message comes its fruits
are good. A vigor and a vital energy are brought into the
church, and where the message is accepted, there hope
and courage and faith beam in the countenances of all
those who open their eyes to see, their understanding to
perceive and their hearts to receive the great treasure
of truth. (EGW 1888 Materials, p. 228)
1889 March 5 (Advent Review and Sabbath
Herald article
“Meetings at South Lancaster, Mass.”)
Elder Jones came from Boston, and labored most
earnestly for the people, speaking twice and sometimes
three times a day. The flock of God were fed with soulnourishing
food. The very message the Lord has sent
to the people of this time was presented in the
discourses. (EGW 1888 Materials, p. 267)
1889 April (to My Dear Brethren)
There are ways by which the Lord leads and guides
His people. God has all wisdom and all knowledge. He
has said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.” James 1:5. Oh that all those
who claimed to be Godʼs chosen servants would have
felt that they were in need of wisdom, in the place of
their feeling the perfect wholeness which they did feel.
Much talking and inflaming one another were not
wanting, and ridiculing those whom God had raised
up to do a special work. They had, like brethren, taken
their Bibles and searched the Scriptures and bowed
upon their knees before God in earnest prayer, claiming
the promises of God for divine guidance. In this time of
peril, as we are nearing the period of an important crisis,
it is only reasonable that we should expect something of
the revealings of greater light to the people; and how
did these men who had allowed their minds to be filled
with prejudice and jealousy know but God had made
these men messengers to give light and truth to the
people? What right had they to set themselves in dead
array against these ministers of Christ, even if they
thought that their ideas did conflict with previous ideas
on some points? Why not spend the hours together in
prayer to God, in fasting, in deep heart-searching? “Let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing
of the Lord.” James 1:6, 7. The true, earnest seeker will
give up his way for Godʼs ways, that he may be guided
into paths wherein God may choose to lead him, where
the Lord has great blessings awaiting him, although it
may seem to short-sighted human beings there is only
loss and disaster. “For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:8, 9. (EGW 1888 Materials,
- 279, 280)
There are ways by which the Lord leads and guides
His people. God has all wisdom and all knowledge. He
has said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.” James 1:5. Oh that all those
who claimed to be Godʼs chosen servants would have
felt that they were in need of wisdom, in the place of
their feeling the perfect wholeness which they did feel.
Much talking and inflaming one another were not
wanting, and ridiculing those whom God had raised
up to do a special work. They had, like brethren, taken
their Bibles and searched the Scriptures and bowed
upon their knees before God in earnest prayer, claiming
the promises of God for divine guidance. In this time of
peril, as we are nearing the period of an important crisis,
it is only reasonable that we should expect something of
the revealings of greater light to the people; and how
did these men who had allowed their minds to be filled
with prejudice and jealousy know but God had made
these men messengers to give light and truth to the
people? What right had they to set themselves in dead
array against these ministers of Christ, even if they
thought that their ideas did conflict with previous ideas
on some points? Why not spend the hours together in
prayer to God, in fasting, in deep heart-searching? “Let
him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing
of the Lord.” James 1:6, 7. The true, earnest seeker will
give up his way for Godʼs ways, that he may be guided
into paths wherein God may choose to lead him, where
the Lord has great blessings awaiting him, although it
may seem to short-sighted human beings there is only
loss and disaster. “For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts.” Isa. 55:8, 9. (EGW 1888 Materials,
- 279, 280)
End of Part 1
