An Adventist posted the following article to his Facebook, agreeing with Kellogg's advice to former Adventists. I have excerpted parts of it below, you can read the complete article at the Adventist History website. After the article you will find my comments.________________________________________
The papacy is the "image of the beast" {GC 443.1}
J. H. Kellogg to Church Critics
….A letter that has survived from Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in response to a query from Edward S. Ballenger about why he left the Seventh-day Adventist Church. While Kellogg was caught up in a controversy at the turn of the century, and did in fact leave the denomination, he appears to have made peace with Adventism by the end of his life. [Former SDA Ballenger, who had been writing about the problems of Adventists theology, was given this advice from former SDA Dr. J H Kellogg:]
“Before closing this letter I must say a word more. . . . If I were you, I would not spend a minute in the kind of work you are doing. A man of your talents ought to be engaged in evangelistic work….I do hope that you will give prayerful thought and consideration to devoting your life and talents to work that will be more directly and immediately helpful to make men and women . . . healthier and happier. . . . Certainly such use of your time and talents will be vastly more fruitful than what you are doing in a critical way by showing up faults and weak points. Make your work creative and uplifting, and it will give you something beautiful and satisfying to look back upon when your lifework is done. .
“Your friend and Brother, J. H. Kellogg.”
[J. H. Kellogg to Edward S. Ballenger, May 23, 1941, as quoted in J. R. Nix, "Kellogg's Counsel to Church Critics," Adventist Review May 25, 1995, pg. 14-15]
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For a current SDA to post this as good advice for former Adventists has the moral equivalence of Martin Luther advising his followers not to question his interpretation of scripture or better yet, a prostitute advising her husband not to cheat.
The raison d'être of Adventism is to proclaim to other Christians, "Come out of her [Apostate Christianity] my people," and "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
Who do the Adventists believe is Babylon? Who, the SDA Church preaches, made all nations drink the wrath of her fornications? Catholicism and her handmaiden Apostate Protestantism--in other words, anyone who is going to church on Sunday.
Adventists biggest mission pool is Catholics and it is there the SDA church is fishing for men. They spend millions of dollars and untold spilt ink and cyberspace proclaiming to the world that all of us who are not Seventh-day Adventist are wrong and if we continue in our wrongness we will one day soon receive the mark of the beast and forfeit heaven.
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Let's review some of the SDA church's prophetess, Ellen White's authoritative writings:
The little horn that utters blasphemies and desires worship above God is the papacy. {GC 446.1}
Catholics will one day worship the beast. {GC 445.3, 449.1}
Apostate Protestantism is the beast with two horns. {GC 445.2}
In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the [Catholic] church to accomplish her own ends. {GC 443.2}
Let the restraints now imposed by secular governments be removed and Rome be reinstated in her former power, and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution." {GC 564.2}
But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. {GC 565.4}
Men are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy. The people need to be aroused to resist the advances of this most dangerous foe to civil and religious liberty. {GC 566.1}
While Romanism [the Catholic religion] is based upon deception… Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. {GC 566.2}
The Roman Catholic Church... misrepresenting the character of God, has resorted to practices no less cruel and revolting.
[Catholic tortures] Dignitaries of the church studied, under Satan their master, to invent means to cause the greatest possible torture and not end the life of the victim. {GC 569.2}
It is a part of [Catholic Church] policy to assume the character which will best accomplish her purpose; but beneath the variable appearance of the chameleon she conceals the invariable venom of the serpent. {GC 571.2}
[The papacy] is prepared for two classes of mankind, embracing nearly the whole world—those who would be saved by their merits, and those who would be saved in their sins. Here is the secret of its power. {GC 572.2}
As you read the following Adventist end-time prophecy keep in mind that it is the Sabbath keeping Adventists who are the victims of the evil Apostate Protestants and Catholics who lead a worldwide movement to force everyone to worship on Sunday.
To the very close of time [the man of sin] will carry forward the work of deception. And the revelator declares, also referring to the papacy: “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.” Revelation 13:8. In both the Old and the New World, the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church. {GC 578.3}
[Protestantism] will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union [Spiritualism, Popery and Protestantism], this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. {GC 588.1}
[Satan] professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government, while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow…. The same policy of deception has marked the history of the Roman Church. {GC 591.1}z
As the Protestant churches reject the clear, Scriptural arguments in defense of God’s law, they will long to silence those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the Bible. Though they blind their own eyes to the fact, they are now adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the Christian world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath. {GC 592.2}
The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. ...Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. {GC 592.3}
The powers of earth, uniting to war against the commandments of God, will decree that “all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond” (Revelation 13:16), shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath. All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death. {GC 604.2}
The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. {GC 607.1}
When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them. {GC 608.2}
The forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finally withdrawn; and the satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God. {GC 615.1}
As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom, and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority [SDAs] to yield to the popular demand will make them objects of universal execration….a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World and apostate Protestantism in the New will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the divine precepts. {GC 615.2}
But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days, bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons. No human ear is open to hear their moans; no human hand is ready to lend them help. {GC 626.1
It is impossible to describe the horror and despair of those who have trampled upon God’s holy requirements. [Those who do not become Sabbath keepers.]...they set aside its precepts and taught others to transgress. They have endeavored to compel God’s people to profane His Sabbath. {GC 639.2}
The enemies of God’s law, from the ministers down to the least among them...Religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him to whom God shall say: Depart, thou wicked servant. {GC 640}
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Seventh-day Adventists gospel is based on Catholics and Protestants being part of a demonic system that is so evil that is will one day hunt down, torture and martyr Adventists for their faith in the "true Sabbath." We non-SDAs are the great last day enemy.
So, I think I can make a deal with Adventists. If former Adventists pointing out the doctrinal errors of the SDA Church is being mean-spirited, then we will happily put down our pens when the Adventists no longer promote the idea that Catholics and Protestants worship on the wrong day and are in any way going to hunt them down or will be part of a sabbatarian conspiracy against them. Deal?
