Godsloveandlaw's Blog

There is an old saying that says he is “passing the buck.” We know this basically means passing the responsibility onto someone else. There is also this one,  “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” Arthur White, as we Seventh day Adventists know was the grandson of our prophetess–Ellen G. White. We have been so blessed to have studied her inspired writings and truths from the Lord.

Brother Don Adair , 84, is one of only two (as far as we know) living people who were a part of brother Victor T. Houteff’s original Mt. Carmel Davidian camp in Waco, Texas. He wrote of his personal testimony called , “A Davidian Testimony”. This was made for a couple of reasons. The Waco disaster in 1993 had recently occurred and he wanted to explain that those “Branch Davidians”(David Koresh and his followers) were not the same in beliefs and doctrinal points as the original Davidian Seventh-day Adventists.

He also had opportunity to give his testimony of how he came into the Davidian movement. Much history is given and for those who wish to get a good background of the early days, I highly suggest the book.

Here is Don’s personal testimony of his encounter with Arthur White. 

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AUTHOR STUDIES WITH TWELVE SDA YOUNG PEOPLE

One day in 1975 I received a phone call from a Seventh-day Adventist brother named Jack Lord, who heard that I was giving Bible studies. He asked me to come to Washington, D.C. and tell him and other SDA brethren what I was teaching. I accepted the invitation and with the Council’s approval, I drove up there in my 1967 Ford sedan. He lived with the Risosin brothers (four of them) in an apartment of a large rental complex, and I stayed with them.

They worked as house painters; and since they worked during the daytime, I would prepare their evening meal, after which the other listeners would come over for Bible studies. After I gave them about three studies, all twelve decided by then either for or against the Shepherd’s Rod message. Six believed in the message and would hear more studies; while the other six (one of which was bro. Jack Lord) had rejected it, but they didn’t want the others to believe.

It was during one Bible study on a Sunday that I realized the six unbelieving brethren intended to do something to stop the other six from believing. At the end of the study one brother said that the six believers were only listening to what Don was teaching, and they should hear what a Seventh -day Adventist minister has to say about my studies.

So I told them that I had no problem with that and asked him, “Who do you want them to hear?” and he said “Elder Arthur White”, whom we all knew was the grandson of Sis. White, the prophetess of the SDA church. Since they all had to work the next day, I told them that tomorrow  (Monday) I would drive up to the office of the General Conference Headquarters and ask Elder White to come to our Bible studies and refute the SRod.

AUTHOR ASKS ARTHUR WHITE TO COME AND PROVE THE SHEPHERD’S ROD IS WRONG

The next morning I drove to the General Conference Headquarters and the SDA church, and the receptionist asked if she could help me. I told her that I had a problem and needed to speak with Elder Arthur White about it. She told him and he came out, and invited me into his office, and after I had sat down he said in a friendly tone, “What can I do for you, young man?”

I told him there were twelve young people studying the Shepherd’s Rod message, and that six of them believed and six of them did not believe; and that the six unbelievers wanted him to come to the studies and prove that it was wrong. he said that he thought the Shepherd’s Rod message had died out; but I told him, “Oh no, it is still going strong.” he said he put away his Shepherd’s Rod literature, and had not studied it for a long time, and would need some time to review a few points.

I told him that we would all be glad to wait a few days for him to study. After thinking a few moments, he asked, “Who is the teacher?”  I said, “I am the teacher!” He said, “what, you are the teacher, and you want me to come and prove it wrong?” I said, “Sure, if you can prove its wrong, then I can give up being a Davidian and join the church.”

When he realized who I was, he considered me an enemy not a friend, and he said indignantly, “You know all that man Houteff did was criticize the church and say evil things about our ministers.” And I quickly replied, “I know of someone who rebuked the Seventh-day Adventist church ten times greater, especially the evils of the ministers, even far more than Bro. Houteff did.” He looked at me in great surprise with an expression on his face that seemed to ask, “who is that person?” And I pointed to a large picture he had on the top of his file cabinet, and said “Sister White, your grandmother!” He knew what I said was true, and he sat back in his chair in deep thought, apparently thinking of what he was to do about my unusual request.

Finally, he called into his office another minister from another room; and right after he asked him if he would go to my Bible studies and prove the SRod message was wrong, the phone rang. While he spoke on the phone, this minister asked me, “What does the Shepherd’s Rod teach?” I thought, “How can he prove it wrong if he does not know what it teaches?” So I told him briefly some very deep things about the slaughter of Ezekiel nine, the kingdom, the seals and trumpets. I could see that he was shaken up by what I was saying, because it was all new to him; and he knew that he was  not prepared to refute it.

Then while we were still talking, Elder White finished answering the phone, and he asked the minister if he would go and prove the Shepherd’s Rod wrong; and he said, “Arthur, I don’t think that I am prepared at this time to go.” So Elder White said to me sternly, “Come with me young man.”

ARTHUR WHITE LEADS AUTHOR TO OFFICE OF DR. HYDE

He led me out of his office up the stairs to the office of Dr. Hyde; and as he left, he said to the receptionist, “Take care of this young man.” When she asked what I wanted, i told her I had a problem and I needed his help. She wrote down my name on the register, and told me that I could see him at one o’clock that afternoon. as I opened the door and was about to leave, she said, “Oh, by the way, what is the nature of your visit?” as soon as I told her briefly about the six unbelievers  who wanted him to come to our studies and prove the SRod wrong, she immediately said, “Oh, I forgot, Dr,. Hyde has another appointment  at one o’clock and he cannot see you.”

And when I told her I would gladly come later, she kept insisting  that he would have no time left that day to talk to me or for the rest of the week. Finally, in desperation, she said, “Come with me,” and led me across the hall to a man sitting at his desk; and said to him, “take care of this man’s problem.”

He was cordial to me and asked me to sit down. He immediately asked me what he could do to help me, and I explained in detail about my problem and my visit downstairs with Elder White; and he seemed to show some interest. Then he asked me, “What does the Shepherd’s Rod teach?” So again, I explained to him in more detail, because I had a little more time (probably because they were trying to find Dr. Hyde).

Finally, we were interrupted when the phone rang, and after he answered and listened briefly, he said, “Sure I understand.” Then in closing the conversation, he said, “Yes sir, I will do that,” and hung up the receiver. Then turning to me he said, “That was Dr. Hyde, and he said to tell you that we cannot help you.” And before we could continue, I spoke to him in a determined voice to dispute Dr. Hyde’s refusal to help, and said “Wait a minute, I know that the General Conference has organized an institution which they call the Religious Defense Department, and that the General Conference should send someone to my studies to defend the six believers against the teachings of the Shepherd’s Rod!”

He was surprised at my demand, and admitted that the department did exist; but he could not explain why Dr. Hyde or someone from the Religious Defense Department could not and would not defend the six brethren. Instead, he told me that Dr. Hyde said it is the duty of the local ministers to defend the laymembers.

And as he opened the door for me to leave, he said that I would have to ask one of them to help with my problem. His answer proved that the General Conference leaders were afraid of the SRod message, because they knew they could not prove it wrong. And rather than have this fact exposed to the laity, these highest officials in the Seventh-day Adventist church deliberately shifted their own responsibility onto the local ministers, whom they knew couldn’t prove it wrong either.”

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Brother Adair goes further into the story showing that the six unbelievers still did not give up, rather they tried one more time with an Elder from the General Conference experienced in religious matters. This too backfired as this Elder agreed to study but within a few minutes of being in the room to study, changed his mind and told them he didn’t have time for “every offshoot deception that comes along.”

Those young men who wanted help from the “brethren of experience”  were left empty handed. Why? As brother Adair said they knew it could not be proven wrong. The Lord’s Rod (Micah 6:9) is now and was then, His message that causes a “shaking” amongst us SDA. We must all be accountable to God individually and by the story above, even if your relative was a prophetess, it makes no difference with God. You and I alone must “love and accept the Truth”.

So what lesson can we gleam from this story? What comes to mind is Arthur’s grandmother and her  inspired words. Sadly, from what we gather from the story is that the apple apparently fell  far from the tree. The tree of Truth. —

“Those who allow prejudice to bar the mind against the reception of truth cannot receive the divine enlightenment. Yet, when a view of Scripture is presented, many do not ask, Is it true–in harmony with God’s word? but, By whom is it advocated? and unless it comes through the very channel that pleases them, they do not accept it. So thoroughly satisfied are they with their own ideas that they will not examine the Scripture evidence with a desire to learn, but refuse to be interested, merely because of their prejudices.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.105-106)

“Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. “Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:20. As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the Scriptures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards, and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth. It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages. Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic.” (Great Controversy, p.458)

“..beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make; and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them.” (Testimonies to Ministers, p.106-107)

This entry was posted on August 1, 2015 at 3:57 am and is filed under The spirit of predjudice, Witnessing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.