Near the turn of the century, the Seventh-day Adventist Church faced one of its greatest crises. The director of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Dr. J. H. Kellogg, introduced a philosophical teaching not in harmony with the Word of God. He espoused pantheistic ideas that undermined the Christian understanding of the nature of God by equating Him to an all-pervasive force.
Ellen White took a strong stand against this seductive teaching. She wrote, “Already there are coming in among our people spiritualistic teachings that will undermine the faith of those who give heed to them. The theory that God is an essence pervading all nature is one of Satan’s most subtle devices… These theories, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy. They do away with the necessity for the atonement and make man his own savior.”21
It appears that God had allowed this teaching of pantheism to enter the church in order to awaken His people. “God will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.”22
“Be not deceived; many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.”23
“‘Living Temple’ contains the alpha of these theories. I knew that the omega would follow in a little while; and I trembled for our people!”24
During the Kellogg crisis, about 4,000 Adventists were shaken out of the truth having accepted the ‘alpha’ heresy.
When messages sent by God did not work a revival and a reformation, God in His love for His people sent stronger rebukes and punishments in order to alert them to their danger. The Battle Creek Sanitarium was engulfed in flames on February 18, 1902. That same year, on December 30, the Review and Herald Publishing House was totally destroyed by fire of an unknown origin. The destroying fire left nothing in its wake.
Was this merely coincidental? No! These catastrophes were predicted and the reason for them was plainly given. God permitted the publishing house to be destroyed because the presses were printing soul destroying beliefs of Romanism and other false doctrines. However, instead of letting these tragic events speak to them, the leaders continued on into deeper apostasy.