Ellen White predicted that the departure from righteousness and truth would eventually lead to a revival and reformation.
In 1913 she wrote “Words of Greeting” to those assembled at the General Conference. Apparently it was her last solemn appeal for a much needed reformation before her death. It is highly significant to note that she linked the coming reformation to a certain “crisis” to come.
“God calls upon those who are willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit to lead out in a work of thorough reformation. I see a crisis before us, and the Lord calls for His laborers to come into line.”25
“Very soon the strife and oppression of foreign nations will break forth with an intensity that you do not now anticipate.”26
She said that the only reason God ever calls for a reformation is because apostasy has occurred. We can put it very clearly: no apostasy–no reformation. In 1909 Sister White wrote that foreign nations would soon be involved in strife and warfare. Did this happen? What else was to occur in conjunction with the predicted world war?
“The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place.”27 “Soon God’s people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal.”28
Is this another way of saying that the great majority of the church would separate and depart from Him?
The more sure word of prophecy in the past had predicted many reformations. Of Christ, the Great Reformer of all time, it was predicted that “He will magnify the law, and make it honorable.”29 Of John the Baptist it was said: “Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet.”30 The Advent Movement was also predicted in the Bible: “And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.”31
It must be concluded that a true reformation must have the authorization of being divinely prophesied. Likewise, if a reformation is called for in the last days, it must be prophesied by the Word of God and the testimonies of God’s Spirit. The first phase of the prophesied reformation was predicted in the writings of Ellen G.White. Here are some additional statements for you to consider:
“Fearful tests and trials await the people of God. The spirit of war is stirring the nations from one end of the earth to the other.”32
“A revival and a reformation must take place under, the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices.”33
“Soon grievous troubles will arise among the nations–troubles that will not cease until Jesus comes…. The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war.”34
“The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation begins, the spirit of prayer will activate every believer and will banish from the church the spirit of discord and strife…. There will be no confusion, because all will be in harmony with the mind of the spirit. The barriers separating believer from believer will be broken down, and God’s servants will speak the same things.”35
In the booklet The Time and the Work, the Seventh Day Adventist General Conference compiled pertinent writings of Ellen G. White, along with their own comments, that pointed to a crisis and a reformation.
“Very soon the strife and oppression of foreign nations will break forth with an intensity that you do not now anticipate….
“While these calamities were witnessed among the nations of earth, another scene was presented–a great reformatory movement among God’s people.
“I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement–a work of revival–going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God’s call. God calls upon those who are willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit to lead out in a work of thorough reformation. I see a crisis before us, and the Lord calls for his laborers to come into line.”36
These quotations from The Time and the Work show us the thinking of the General Conference brethren at that time. They believed that the crisis brought on by World War I was the time and place of the prophesied reformation. The predictions of Ellen G. White went even further and foretold what the outcome of this test would be.
“There is a prospect before us of a continued struggle, at the risk of imprisonment, loss of property, and even of life itself, to defend the law of God, which is made void by the laws of men. In this situation worldly policy will urge an outward compliance with the laws of the land, for the sake of peace and harmony. And there are some who will even urge such a course from the Scripture: ‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers…. The powers that be are ordained of God.’”37
Was this warning by God’s servant accepted by the Adventist leadership? Were they preparing themselves to defend the law of God in the coming crisis, even if it meant the loss of property and life itself?
In one official German Adventist publication, Zionswächter, Elder Conradi, the president of the European Division, presented to the General Conference in 1913 the following proposal.
“Besides, having in view the serious times in which we are living, I endeavored to draw the attention of our leading brethren at the last General Conference to act with great prudence in considering the matter of military service, otherwise they would bring great difficulties to thousands of our brethren.”38
In 1913, well aware of the gravity of the situation, Sister White added these words to her prediction of the coming crisis:
“There are some who do not even now view matters in the right light; but these may learn to see eye to eye with their co-workers, and may avoid making serious mistakes by earnestly seeking the Lord at this time and by submitting their will wholly to the will of God.”39
The possibilities of making serious mistakes during the anticipated crisis were very real. The leaders should have been extremely cautious in considering the issue of military service. Their highest duty was to obey God’s requirements regardless of the consequences.