Ellen White and Adventist Pioneer statements regarding...

...The Trinity

...The Trademark (Also lawyers, court cases, church - state unions, and relevant issues to the trademark being the image)

...The Victory

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Note: Most statements are from Ellen White, save those that are specifically cited to other authors in the references. For an email/article compilation, with at least one statement from every Adventist pioneer on this matter, please read this article, authored by David. It is a much fuller treatment of the topic and from several founders viewpoints - the Ellen White section at the end is also very convincing.

I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible, yet learned men, when the copies were few, had changed the words in some instances, thinking that they were making it more plain, when they were mystifying that which was plain, in causing it to lean to their established views, governed by tradition. But I saw that the word of God, as a whole, is a perfect chain, one portion of scripture explaining another. True seekers for truth need not err; for not only is the word of God plain and simple in declaring the way to life, but the Holy Spirit is given to guide in understanding the way of life revealed in his Word. (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 1, page 117 - See also Early Writings, pages 220, 221.)

"In the plan of restoring in men the divine image, it was provided that the Holy Spirit should move upon human minds, and be as the presence of Christ, a molding agency upon human character." [3RH 229 col 2] (Feb 12, 1895).

The truths that have been substantiated by the manifest working of God are to stand fast. Let no one presume to move a pin or a foundation-stone from the structure. Those who attempt to undermine the pillars of our faith are among those of whom the Bible says that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."--Letter 87, 1905, pp. 1-3. (To Brother and Sister Haskell, February 25, 1905.) [MR7 Page 189 Paragraph 4]

The “mystery of iniquity” began to work in the church in Paul’s day. It finally crowded out the simplicity of the gospel, and corrupted the doctrine of Christ, and the church went into the wilderness. Martin Luther, and other reformers, arose in the strength of God, and with the Word and Spirit, made mighty strides in the Reformation. The greatest fault we can find in the Reformation is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of Papacy behind, such as natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sunday-keeping, the church would now be free from her unscriptural errors. (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 7, 1856)

"The work of the holy Spirit is immeasurably great. It is from this source that power and efficiency come to the worker for God; and the holy Spirit is the comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, November 29, 1892, paragraph 3)

There seems to be a burning desire to get up something fictitious and bring it in as new light. Thus men try to weave into the web as important truths a tissue of lies. This fanciful mixture of food that is being prepared for the flock will cause spiritual consumption, decline, and death. . . . [MR7 p. 182, paragraph 2]

What a wonderful statement [John 17:20-23]! The unity that exists between Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. In mind, in purpose, in character, they are one, but NOT in person. By partaking of the Spirit of God, conforming to the law of God, man becomes a partaker of the divine nature." (S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 5, page 1148, paragraph 3)

"The statements and the arguments of some of our ministers in their effort to prove that the Holy Spirit was an individual as are God the Father and Christ, the eternal Son, have perplexed me and sometimes they have made me sad. One popular teacher said ‘We may regard Him, (the Holy Spirit) as the fellow who is down here running things.’

“My perplexities were lessened a little when I learned from the dictionary that one of the meanings of personality, was Characteristics. It is stated in such a way that I concluded that there might be personality without bodily form which is possessed by the Father and the Son. “There are many Scriptures which speak of the Father and the Son and the absence of Scripture making similar reference to the united work of the Father and the Holy Spirit or of Christ and the Holy Spirit, has led me to believe that the spirit without individuality was the representative of the Father and the Son throughout the universe, and it was through the Holy Spirit that they dwell in our hearts and make us one with the Father and with the Son....” (Letter by Willie White, April 30, 1935)

"Christ the Word, the Only Begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,--one in nature, in character, and in purpose,--the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God." (The Great Controversy, page 493, paragraph 1)

"Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent." (Manuscript Releases Volume Fourteen, page 23, paragraph 3)

"Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave,--not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours. Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal." (Desire of Ages - p. 388)

"And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." All through the Scriptures, the Father and the Son are spoken of as two distinct personages. You will hear men endeavoring to make the Son of God a nonentity. He and the Father are one, but they are two personages. Wrong sentiments regarding this are coming in, and we shall all have to meet them. [Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, July 13, 1905, Paragraph 3]

IF WE ARE THE LORD'S APPOINTED MESSENGERS, WE SHALL NOT SPRING UP WITH NEW IDEAS AND THEORIES TO CONTRADICT THE MESSAGE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THROUGH HIS SERVANTS SINCE 1844 . AT THAT TIME MANY SOUGHT THE LORD WITH HEART AND SOUL AND VOICE. THE MEN WHOM GOD RAISED UP WERE DILIGENT SEARCHERS OF THE SCRIPTURES
[Ellen G. White: The Early Elmshaven Years Volume 5 1900-1905, page 425, paragraph 4, original caps]

AND THOSE WHO TODAY CLAIM TO HAVE LIGHT, AND WHO CONTRADICT THE TEACHING OF GOD'S ORDAINED MESSENGERS, WHO WERE WORKING UNDER THE HOLY SPIRIT'S GUIDANCE, THOSE WHO GET UP NEW THEORIES, WHICH REMOVE THE PILLARS OF OUR FAITH, ARE NOT DOING THE WILL OF GOD, BUT ARE BRINGING IN FALLACIES OF THEIR OWN INVENTION, WHICH, IF RECEIVED, WILL CUT THE CHURCH AWAY FROM THE ANCHORAGE OF TRUTH,AND SET THEM DRIFTING, DRIFTING, TO WHERE THEY WILL RECEIVE ANY SOPHISTRIES THAT MAY ARISE.--MS 75, 1905. [original caps]

If we are the Lord's appointed messengers, we shall not spring up with new ideas and theories to contradict the message that God has given through His servants since 1844. At that time many sought the Lord with heart and soul and voice. The men whom God raised up were diligent searchers of the Scriptures. And those who today claim to have light, and who contradict the teaching of God's ordained messengers who were working under the Holy Spirit's guidance, those who get up new theories which remove the pillars of our faith, are not doing the will of God, but are bringing in fallacies of their own invention, which, if received, will cut the church away from the anchorage of truth and set them drifting, drifting, to where they will receive any sophistries that may arise. These will be similar to that which Dr. J. H. Kellogg, under Satan's special guidance, has been working for years. [Manuscript Release #760, p.14, paragraph 2]

"As far as I can fathom, the difficulty which is found in The Living Temple, the whole thing may be simmered down to this question: Is the Holy Ghost a person? You say no." (J. H. Kellogg to G. I. Butler, Feb 21, 1904)

"Adventist beliefs have changed over the years under the impact of ‘present truth’. Most startling is the teaching regarding Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord...... the Trinitarian understanding of God, now part of our fundamental beliefs, was not generally held by the early Adventists." - Adventist Review, Jan 6, 1994. p.10.