Great Controversy Notes

Chapter 37, The Scriptures a Safeguard, Pages 593-602

by Walter Rea

Once again as in chapters 30 and 35, Henry Melvill and his book of "Sermons", Volume 1 & 2 is used as a filler in Chapter 37. In the 10 pages, 18 Bible texts are quoted and nothing of substance is given in the material that could be said to have come from some other source than Melvill or that would have necessitated any vision or revelation on the part of God to help Ellen White or her helpers put the chapter together.

But you will observe, that, whilst St. Peter confesses both the difficulty and the attendant danger, he gives not the slightest intimation that the Epistles of St. Paul were unsuited to general perusal. The Roman Catholic, when supporting the tenet of his Church which shuts up the Bible from the laity, will appeal confidently to this statement of St. Peter, arguing that the allowed difficulty, and the declared danger, give the Apostle's authority to the measure of exclusion.

Henry Melvill, Sermons, Page 349 - 1846

The Roman Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to explain God's word, it is withheld from the common people…from searching the Bible for themselves. (Melvill - to the right of all men to read the Bible for themselves, page 350)

Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, Page 596 - 1911

…there is left us no right to determining what is fit for perusal and what is not fit… we rather learn from the passage, that free as the air should be the Bible to the whole human population, than that a priesthood, sitting in assize on its contents, may dole out fragments of the word, or keep it, if they please, undividedly to themselves… So far as human instrumentality is concerned the great mass of a population must be indebted to a few learned men for any acquaintance whatsoever with the Scriptures… how could one out of a thousand know any thing of the Bible? …And just as the unlearned are thu??? at the outset, dependent altogether on the learned, it is not to be denied that the learned man will possess always a superiority over the unlearned.

Henry Melvill, Sermons, Pages 350-354 - 1846

There are to-day thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders…Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.

Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, Page 415 - 1846

Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. … Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of another.

Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, Pages 596-597 - 1911

We take into our hands the Bible, and receive it as a communication of God's will, made in past ages to his creatures.

Henry Milvill, Sermons, Page 354 - 1846

With the word of God in his hands, every human being, wherever his lot in life may be cast, may have such companionship as he shall choose. In its pages he may hold converse with the noblest and best of the human race.

Ellen G. White, Education, Page 127

…by the powers of reason… and if, therefore, reason sat in judgment on a professed revelation…We would have it, therefore, remembered, that the docility and submissiveness of a child alone befit the student of the Bible, ..we must lay aside the feelings which we carry into the domains of science and philosophy… but with one which it is a thousand-fold harder either to form or execute… The Holy Spirit alone… Never than should the Bible be opened except with prayer for the teaching of this Spirit …It is only in the degree that the Spirit, which indited a text, takes it from the page and breathes it into the heart, that we can comprehend its meaning, be touched by its beauty, stirred by its remonstrance, or animated by its promise. We shall never, then, master scriptural difficulties by the methods which prove successful in grappling with philosophical… are given up as mysteries… our rustic divines… depending not at all on the power of the intellect brought to the search, but on the heartiness and the earnestness with which the Psalmist's prayer is used, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Henry Melville, Sermons, Volume 1, Pages 376-378 - 1846

…Though reason and conscience are convinced… yet we must not forget that the docility and submission of a child is the true spirit of the learner. Scriptural difficulties can never be mastered by the same methods that are employed in grappling with philosophical problems. We should not engage in the study of the Bible with that self-reliance with which so many enter the domains of science, but with a prayerful dependence upon God, and a sincere desire to learn his will… Many a portion of Scripture which learned man pronounce a mystery, or pass over as unimportant, is full of comfort and instruction… Bible truth depends not so much on the power of intellect brought to the search as on the singleness of purpose, the earnest longing after righteousness… Never should the Bible be studied without prayer, we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its promises. We should make the psalmist's petition our own, "Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, Pages 417-418 - 1884

We should exert all the powers of the mind in the study of the Scriptures and should task the understanding to comprehend as far as mortals can, the deep things of God; yet we must not forget that the docility and submission of a child is the true spirit of the learner. Scriptural difficulties can never be mastered by the same methods that are employed in grappling with philosophical problems. We should not engage in the study of the Bible with that self-reliance with which so many enter the domains of science, but with a prayerful dependence upon God and a sincere desire to learn His will. …Many a portion of Scripture which learned men pronounce a mystery, or pass over as unimportant, is full of comfort and instruction to him who has been taught in the school of Christ… The Bible should never be studied without prayer… It is the office of heavenly angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend God's word that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its promises. We should make the psalmist's petition our own: "Open Thou mine eyes, the I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law." Psalm 119:18

Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, Pages 599, 600 - 1911

We remark again, that though controversy have its evils, it has also its uses. We never infer, that, because there is no controversy in a church, there must be the upholding of sound doctrine. It is not the stagnant water which is generally the purest. And if there are no differences of opinion which set men on examining and ascertaining their own belief, the probability is, that, like the Samaritans of old, they will worship they "know not what."

Henry Melvill, Sermons, Volume 1, Page 369

The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God's people should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine… When no new questions are stared by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set man to searching the Bible for themselves to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition and worship they know not what.

Ellen G. White, Testimony for the Church, Volume 5, Page 707 - 1881-1889

…we warn you, and beseech you, with all the veins of our heart, that ye be on your guard against the inroads of scepticism. We speak peculiarly to the young, the young men who throng this chapel, and who, in the intercourses of life will meet with many who lie in wait to deceive. It is not possible that you should mix much with the men of this liberal and libertine age, and not hear insinuations, either more or less direct, thrown out against the grand and saving tenets of Christianity… keep yourselves wholly at a distance from the sarcasms or sophism of insidious and pestilent teachers. The enemy is ever on the watch; and, adapting himself to the various dispositions and circumstances of those whom he seeks to entangle, can address the illiterate with a hollow jest, and assail the educated with a well-turned objection…where must often be encountered temptations to think lightly of the faith of their fathers…with a lofty opinion of the powers of reason, and with a hardy persuasion that there is nerve enough in the mind to grapple with divine mysteries, and vigour enough to discover truth for itself… fall an easy prey to some champion of heretical error, and give ready ear to the flattering schemes of the worshippers of intellect… at the judgment… in later days, the ranks of the apostate… the thunder, the sackcloth of hair, the worm that dies not, the fire that is not quenched.

Henry Melvill, Sermons, Volume 1, Pages 380-383 - 1846

All who value their eternal interests should be on their guard against the inroads of scepticism. The very pillars of truth will be assailed. It is impossible to keep beyond the reach of the sarcasms and sophism, the insidious and pestilent teachings, of modern infidelity. Satan adapts his temptations to all classes. He assails the illiterate with a jest or sneer, while he meets the educated with scientific objections and philosophical reasoning, alike calculated to excite distrust or contempt of the Scriptures. Even youth of little experience presume to insinuate doubts concerning the fundamental principles of Christianity… Many are thus led to jest at the faith of their fathers… All who trust to the boastful decisions of human reason, and imagine that they can explain divine mysteries, and arrive at truth unsided by the wisdom of God… We are living in the most solemn period of this world's history… to meditate much upon his word, especially upon the scenes of the Judgment.

Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, Pages 418, 419 - 1884

All who value their eternal interests should be on their guard against the inroads of scepticism. The very pillars of truth will be assailed. It is impossible to keep beyond the reach of the sarcasms and sophisms, the insidious and pestilent teachings, of modern infidelity. Satan adapts his temptations to all classes. He assails the illiterate with a jest or sneer, while he meets the educated with scientific objections and philosophical reasoning, alike calculated to excite distrust or contempt of the Scriptures. Even youth of little experience presume to insinuate doubts concerning the fundamental principles of Christianity. And this youthful infidelity, shallow as it is, has its influence. Many are thus led to jest at the faith of their fathers… Many a life that promises to be an honor to God and a blessing to the world has been blighted by the foul breath of infidelity. All who trust to the boastful decisions of human reason and imagine that they can explain divine mysteries and arrive at truth unsided by the wisdom of God are entangled in the snare of Satan.

We are living in the most solemn period of this world's history… to meditate much upon His word, especially upon the scenes of the judgment.

Ellen G. White, Great Controversy, Pages 600, 601 - 1911


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