[THIS RELEASE REPRESENTS MATERIALS WHICH PRESENT THE BACKGROUND OF A LETTER W. W. PRESCOTT WROTE ON APRIL 6, 1915, TO W. C. WHITE, AND WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING QUITE WIDELY CIRCULATED. IN A FEW INSTANCES WHERE PORTIONS OF SENTENCES ARE EMPLOYED, THE MATERIAL REQUESTED IS GIVEN IN THE SETTING OF ITS PROPOSED USE. THIS IS TRUE ALSO OF SOME OF THE STATEMENTS TO OR ABOUT W. W. PRESCOTT, SENSITIVE IN NATURE, WHICH SHOULD BE USED ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF HISTORICAL SETTING.]
In 1905, Ellen White, in vision, saw Elder Prescott with some others in a meeting where discouraging aspects of the work were dwelt upon and "possibilities of a discouraging nature were presented" (Letter 269, 1903). A heavenly messenger stood before those present and admonished, "You are to serve God more perfectly. I have not found thy ways perfect before God. There is need of trustful, unwavering faith and joy in the Lord." ( Ibid. )
About this time, or a little later, Ellen White wrote of a scene in which Elders Prescott and Daniells were conversing with Dr. Kellogg, listening to subtle reasoning prompted by the evil angels close by. Both Prescott and Daniells seemed confused concerning Ellen White's work, considering it a mystery. She described what to her seemed a life-and-death struggle on the part of the two men. Kellogg, in subtle reasoning, almost overwhelmed them.
Then, through the agency of a heavenly messenger, the thought came to the men to "review the past experiences of the people of God; review the history of the work from the first," and the question was asked, "Has this work been what it has been represented to you to be?" Then the heavenly messenger caused to pass before them "scene after scene" until they saw truth bearing the signature of the heavenly in the past, then present, and still more decidedly in the
future. ( Letter 100, 1911 -- no doubt written earlier, but with 1911 the copying date.).
On May 22, 1908, while Prescott was still editor of the Review and Herald, Ellen White addressed him, sounding a warning:
of your faith. Only the grace of God and the confidence you
have had in the messages He has sent through the Spirit of Prophecy
have held you back. I was shown that although you have had many
years of experience in the cause of God, you are still in danger
of making grave mistakes.
consider important, and place great weight upon it. At such times
Satan is waiting and watching for an opportunity to influence your
mind, and through you to work upon many other minds, leading them
to questioning and doubt. The Lord has not called you to such a work
as this. Upon some questions silence will reveal a spirit of wisdom
and discretion. (Letter 166, 1908)
And then Ellen White warns and counsels: Satan is working with all his ingenuity to sidetrack souls.
What shall we do? Let us believe that the Lord is willing to raise
up and strengthen the weak.
is spiritual. Let sanctification of the truth of the Word of God be
revealed in your life. Let this agency refine and ennoble the soul.
The Lord would have His ministering servants walk humbly before Him.
"Take My yoke upon you," He invites, "and learn of Me; for I am meek
and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for My
yoke is easy, and My burden is light." ( Ibid. )
A few days later she addressed another message to Elder Prescott in which she made mention of his involvement in pressing his views on the question of "the daily" of Daniel chapter 8. She cautioned:
you are not beyond the danger of making mistakes. You sometimes allow
your mind to center upon a certain train of thought, and you are in
danger of making a mountain out of a molehill. Brother Prescott,
there has been a serious weakness in your work of ministry. . . . I
write this to caution you. (Letter 224, 1908.)
While at the General Conference session of 1909, Ellen White was carrying a heavy burden for the spiritual experience and growth of men in leading positions, and particularly Elder Prescott, the editor of the Review and Herald . She wrote on June 3, first in general terms and then more specifically:
Elder Prescott has made. He is not where the Lord would have him be.
He would be the recipient of much greater spiritual strength if he
were much of the time out in the field seeking to lead souls to the
light of truth.
work that God requires shall be done in our cities. . . . I am
instructed to say to you that you are needed in the fields that are
opening for evangelistic work. When you make the Lord your trust,
and give to the people the message of truth, wonderful reformations
will be seen. (Ms 41, 1909.)
It is clearly evident that Ellen White's message had a double thrust, Elder Prescott's spiritual welfare, and then the demands of city evangelism. It was somewhat in a similar way, in an effort to save Elder A. T. Jones, a member of the General Conference Committee who was under Dr. Kellogg's influence, Ellen White, in early 1905, urged that he be called away from Battle Creek to evangelism in the city of Washington. In working to save others, he would be saved.
A few days after the close of the General Conference session, Ellen White, meeting with the General Conference Committee, urged that Elder Prescott should not remain in Washington to do a work another man could do. "He can stand before the people," she declared, "and give the reasons of our faith in an acceptable manner. I know this, because I have been associated with him [in Australia] in labor." (Ms 53, 1909.)
continues to labor here, his health and strength will be used up.
But if he will go out into the public ministry, strength will
come to him. ( Ibid. )
Elder G. A. Irwin, General Conference Vice-President, asked: In all that you have said concerning the work of Elder Prescott,
do you mean that he is to continue as editor of the paper, and also
to go out and preach in the cities occasionally?
Ellen White's answer sent a shiver through the committee. It was firm and spoken under conviction and based on light God had given her.
His strength should not be divided. He is to give himself to the
evangelistic work. (Ms 53, 1909.)
A few days later she wrote to her son Edson: Some did not take willingly to the idea of losing Brother Prescott,
but I spoke plainly to them. (Letter 98, 1909.)
Then in August, 1910, another communication in which Prescott was named was addressed to the president of the General Conference which in part read:
decided change must be made from this time onward in the carrying
forward of our work.
the dangers surrounding you and Elder Prescott. I have seen that
Satan would have been greatly pleased to see Elders Prescott and
Daniells undertake the work of a general overhauling of our books
that have done a good work in the field for years. But neither of
you is called of God to that work. . . .
to search out things to be criticized or condemned in our printed
publications. Were encouragement given you, changes and revisions
would be made in accordance with the ideas that you have in mind.
But you must never forget that Satan, disguised as an angel of light,
is always ready to encourage anything that would lead to a loss of
confidence in our denominational literature. . . .
thought, as this would lead to a harvest of doubt and unbelief. I
know whereof I speak; for the Lord has opened this matter before me.
(Letter 70, 1910.)
In this same letter, Ellen White advised that the two men not work together. She wrote:
work. It is not for the best interests that either one of you be
associated together so closely as heretofore. . . . You both need
the sanctification on the Holy Spirit of God. ( Ibid. )
Before bringing the letter to a close the messenger of the Lord was to write:
would be pleased to introduce uncertainty in the minds of many in
regard to the doctrines that have been established by the sanction
of the Holy Spirit. Disguised as one who has a deep understanding
of truth, Satan will seek to point out supposed errors in that
which needs no revision, and it will take much time and patient
labor to restore confidence in those whose minds are unsettled
by unnecessary changes. God forbids His servants to alter that
which needs no change. ( Ibid .) White Estate Washington, D. C. January 29, 1981