Independent

There is an ever growing confusion in our separated ranks and home churches over the issue of Independent Ministries and Independent ministers. Many believe that if a Ministry or minister identifies themselves as "Independent," then they have no connection what-so-ever with the SDA church. Others believe that if they donate money towards any outreach program sponsored by any "Independent" Ministry or minister that any converts will be led to join home churches and will not be directed to the apostate SDA church for membership. Still others believe that if an "Independent" Ministry or minister directs their listeners and readers to separate from certain SDA churches then they must also believe that the SDA church is Babylon fallen. But in all the above assumptions, nothing can be farther from the truth!

What our separated people need to realize is that there are several different kinds of "Independent" Ministries and ministers which hold different beliefs on many subjects. But all the various "Independent" Ministries and ministers can be classified into one of only two distinct groups--either they support the SDA church, or they do not. Supporting the church can be accomplished in many different ways other than donating money! Any area which builds up the apostate church--such as with our time; sending her our converts or interests; defending her in sermons; keeping people connected with her; lending her our influence by keeping our name on the roll books; etc., is giving our support to the church. With this in mind, you could be supporting an "Independent" Ministry or minister which may outwardly appear to be separate from the apostate SDA church while they are actually lending their, and your, support to her!

Thus it behooves our separated people to carefully check into the positions of these different "Independent" Ministries and ministers BEFORE YOU DONATE MONEY TO THEM FOR ANY REASON OR FOR ANY PROJECT lest you find yourself guilty of supporting and promulgating doctrines which you do not believe to be true!

Why would a separated believer want to donate money to an "Independent" Ministry or minister who teaches against complete separation? Why would someone who believes that the SDA church is Babylon fallen want to donate to an "Independent" Ministry or minister who does not believe and teach the same? And why would someone who believes in willingly removing your name from any corrupt and apostate church because of corporate responsibility want to support an "Independent" Ministry or minister who teaches just the opposite? Yet hundreds of thousands of dollars are being donated by our separated people to "Independent" Ministries and ministers which teach exactly opposite to truths our people hold!

So how can the average person tell if a particular "Independent" Ministry or minister is supporting the SDA church or not? It is very simple--just examine the message they preach! If they teach that the SDA church is Babylon fallen and that there is the necessity of willingly withdrawing all connection from the church--including membership, then that Ministry or minister is not supporting the SDA church. They have shown themselves completely distinct from any support of the harlot church by the message they loudly advocate. The clear cut message of Revelation 18 shows that particular Ministry or minister to be completely separate from any support of the church! But if any "Independent" Ministry or minister does not loudly advocate that the SDA church is Babylon fallen, and if they do not advocate a willing separation and membership withdrawal from the church as a whole, then they are supporting the SDA church--no matter how much they claim not to! It does not matter how good their various outreach projects are; it does not matter how many people they are reaching out to with other important truths; it does not matter how much they decry the abominations and evils going on inside the apostate church; if they are not advocating that the SDA church is Babylon fallen and the necessity of willingly withdrawing all connection from the church, then they are still a church supporter!

The God of heaven has made the Revelation 18 message the distinguishing mark between which "Independent" Ministries and ministers are working for Him, versus those who put on a glorious outward display of working for Him, while they are in reality agents of the devil, and continuing in sin--whether personal or corporate!

"`And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird (Revelation 18:1-2).'

"Every soul who, in the light now shining upon our pathway, continues in sin will be blinded and will accept the delusions that come from Satan. We are now nearing the close of this earth's history. Where are the faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion who will not slumber but faithfully declare the time of night?...

The Jewish church had become an harlot of Babylon (see Isaiah 1:21; 3SM 417; GC 382). The abomination of desolation had been planted, and Christ commanded all of His honest people to completely and willingly disconnect themselves from the church or be destroyed along with her (see Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-16; Luke 21:20-21). But the Jewish church leaders were telling the people just the opposite--that the church was not Babylon, and no one was to willingly separate themselves from the church because God was going to save it and only those who stayed in. Thus there were two distinct messages--the message of Christ, and the message of the church leadership--and there was not the least harmony or similarity between them.

There were also several Independent Ministries and ministers who were active during this same time. These were divided into only two groups: those few disciples and followers of Jesus, who were clearly Christ's servants; and the many others, whom the Spirit of Prophecy calls false prophets, who were clearly Satan's servants. But how could the average person tell the difference between these two groups? It was by the message they preached!

The message from those few Independent Ministries and ministers of Christ was one which called all of God's people to completely flee from the Jewish harlot church in obedience to Christ's command, or be destroyed right along with their Babylonian church. While the messages from the many Independent Ministries and ministers of Satan were calling all of God's people to flee from every other harlot church of Babylon except the Jewish church, and they claimed that God wanted all of His people to stay in connection with the church and not to willingly separate from it.

The Spirit of Prophecy also reveals this little known fact that many of these Independent false prophets were actually bribed by the Jewish church leaders to tell the people not to willingly break all connection from the Jewish church. These false Independent Ministries and ministers accepted the bribe and led the people to trust in a vain and presumptuous hope that God would save their harlot church from destruction. Thus many were led to disobey Christ's command, chose not to willingly separate, and were heading to destruction along with the doomed church.

"Yet in their [Jewish church leaders] blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim, even while Roman legions were besieging the temple, that the people were to wait for deliverance from God." Great Controversy, p 29.

Now these Independent false prophets were supporting the corrupt and God-forsaken harlot church, yet they were not leaders in the Jewish church system. They had their own Ministry independent from the church, and were looked up to and respected by many lay members as good and righteous men who were standing for and telling them the truth. They were dependent upon outside donations for their support, but yet they continued to support a corrupt apostate church destined for destruction. And many were bribed to tell the people not to willingly separate or break all connection with the harlot church. And the only way the honest followers of Christ could tell who were preaching the truth, versus who were advocating a lie from the devil, was by examining the messages being preached.

Christ's Independent Ministries and ministers were telling the people to completely separate from the harlot church or perish within. While Satan's Independent Ministries and ministers were telling the people to remain connected to the church or die outside. Thus every single church member had to make up their own minds to either completely leave or stay connected. But to make it even more difficult, many of these false Independent Ministries and ministers cried aloud about all the woes against the Jewish church, and some were intent on making sure the lay membership knew all the abominations that were taking place, but they made sure to never tell the people to willingly separate from all these abominations. Thus many were led to believe that they could remain connected with an abominable church and still be saved! And the power of the apostate church leaders was increased ten-fold over the people!

Just how many Jewish church members believed the lying messages form these devil's agents--who were posing as Independent ministers of righteousness? How many decided to stay connected to the harlot church, and died along with her? "More than a million of the people perished." Great Controversy, p 35.

Why? Because many did not study for themselves, but chose instead to let their favorite Independent Ministry or minister tell them what to do. Many naively trusted and believed that these "righteous" men would never lead them astray. In fact, these false prophets or Satan's Independent ministers, were more successful and did more to keep people from completely disconnecting themselves from the doomed Babylonian church than even the church leaders did or could ever do!

Yet "Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem." GC 30. Why? Because all the followers of Christ willingly severed all connection with the harlot church in obedience to Christ's command. They chose to disconnect themselves from a sinful and wicked church in order to connect themselves solely to a spotless Saviour!

But who, along with the church members, perished in the destruction of the harlot church? The church leaders, as well as all the false prophets or Satan's Independent ministers--including those who cried aloud about all the abominations going on but never told anyone to completely separate! These all perished along with the harlot mother church of Babylon they loved and supported more than following Christ out of the doomed church.

Brothers and sisters this history is more than repeating itself today! The SDA church is indeed a harlot of Babylon doomed for destruction along with all who cling to her. And Satan has his agents today who are the anti-type of those Independent false prophets of Israel--whom are referred to today as false shepherds. These are identified as those Independent Ministries and ministers who refuse to willingly disconnect themselves from the SDA harlot church of Babylon and who also hinder church members from willingly separating themselves as well. And these false shepherds are doing more to hinder complete separation, and are more successful at keeping our people connected to a doomed church, than even the SDA church leaders!

Oh, I earnestly plead with the false Independent Ministries and ministers to open your eyes before it is too late! I earnestly plead with John Grosboll of Steps to Life; Ralph Larson; Danny Vierra of Modern Manna; Russell and Colin Standish and Hartland College; Jan Marcussen; Vance Farrell of Pilgrims Rest; Kenny Shelton of Behold the Lamb; Ron Spear of Hope International; Jeff Reich of Layman's Ministry; Terry Ross; Jeanie Cook of Sonlight; Bob Jorgansen of Medical Missionary Press; and any other Independent Ministry and minister who is not plainly and distinctly telling all SDA's to willingly separate and disconnect themselves entirely from their harlot SDA church of Babylon or they will be destroyed with their harlot church, to awaken before it is too late! I earnestly plead with you all to allow God to remove from your minds all custom and tradition, all preconceived opinions, all prejudice against this precious message of Revelation 18, and to open your eyes to the blazing light of Present Truth. And may you unbiasly examine this merciful and loving loud cry message, realizing the truth that the SDA church is a harlot of Babylon and that all who cling to her will be destroyed with her; and the only way for you and others to find Jesus and eternal life is to go outside the camp (Hebrews 13:12-13).

May God mercifully awaken you to the harm you are doing to His kingdom, His church, to yourselves, and to others. Because if you continue to lead people to stay connected to the harlot SDA church, if you do not tell the people plainly that the church is going to be destroyed, and any member who remains connected will perish along with the church, then it will not just be your own soul that is lost but all the other souls who believed your message and followed your example--and their blood will be on your shoulders! And it will not be just one million who will perish this time, but you will share in the blood of over seven million Adventists! Even though you may be faithfully warning about the abominations in the church, if you do not awaken to the fact that no one can remain pure in the midst of all these abominations (see Amos 3:3; 1 Corinthians 6:16; RH 10-23-88; 6BC 1102), then you will perish along with the abominable church!

I humbly beg you all to awake before it is too late to repent. But know that if you continue to mislead our people to their death along with the Babylon church--as a false shepherd does--then you will not just suffer one of the plagues, but all seven of them. Thus you will be one of the last to die, and your suffering will be tenfold greater than those who believed and followed you and remained connected with the harlot church!

"I saw that the priests who are leading on their flock to death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues of God are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented with one of two of these plagues. God's hand at that time will be stretched out still in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself again until His purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they held fast the truth and kept God's commandments, and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth....

Brothers and sisters I urge you to no longer trust your eternal life to the church leaders, or to any of the Independent Ministries and ministers, but to study for yourselves and let Christ be your only leader, following Him out of the camp to be connected with and hid only in Him when the overflowing scourge passes through the land.

The loud cry is now going forth in no measured tone--even now while missionary work is being done to bring people into the harlot SDA church. God is indeed now working for His people, but how many do not recognize the work of God from the strange work of Satan's agents (see Upward Look, p 23).

May God help His honest people to prepare to meet Him in peace, and to stand where they can clearly define their position completely separate and distinct from all sin--both personal and corporate, from all harlot churches, and from all professed but false Independent Ministries and ministers.

"I was pointed to those who claim to be Adventists, but who reject the present truth, and saw that they were crumbling and that the hand of the Lord was in their midst to divide and scatter them now in the gathering time, so that the precious jewels among them, who have formerly been deceived, may have their eyes opened to see their true state. And now, when the truth is presented to them by the Lord's messengers, they are prepared to listen, and see its beauty and harmony, and to leave their former associates and errors, embrace the precious truth and stand where they can define their position." Early Writings, p 69.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Written Sermons INDEPENDENT : FROM WHAT ? There is an ever growing confusion in our separated ranks and home churches over the issue of Independent Ministries and Independent ministers. Many believe that if a Ministry or minister identifies themselves as "Independent," then they have no connection what-so-ever with the SDA church. Others believe that if they donate money towards any outreach program sponsored by any "Independent" Ministry or minister that any converts will be led to join home churches and will not be directed to the apostate SDA church for membership. Still others believe that if an "Independent" Ministry or minister directs their listeners and readers to separate from certain SDA churches then they must also believe that the SDA church is Babylon fallen. But in all the above assumptions, nothing can be farther from the truth! What our separated people need to realize is that there are several different kinds of "Independent" Ministries and ministers which hold different beliefs on many subjects. But all the various "Independent" Ministries and ministers can be classified into one of only two distinct groups--either they support the SDA church, or they do not. Supporting the church can be accomplished in many different ways other than donating money! Any area which builds up the apostate church--such as with our time; sending her our converts or interests; defending her in sermons; keeping people connected with her; lending her our influence by keeping our name on the roll books; etc., is giving our support to the church. With this in mind, you could be supporting an "Independent" Ministry or minister which may outwardly appear to be separate from the apostate SDA church while they are actually lending their, and your, support to her! Thus it behooves our separated people to carefully check into the positions of these different "Independent" Ministries and ministers BEFORE YOU DONATE MONEY TO THEM FOR ANY REASON OR FOR ANY PROJECT lest you find yourself guilty of supporting and promulgating doctrines which you do not believe to be true! Why would a separated believer want to donate money to an "Independent" Ministry or minister who teaches against complete separation? Why would someone who believes that the SDA church is Babylon fallen want to donate to an "Independent" Ministry or minister who does not believe and teach the same? And why would someone who believes in willingly removing your name from any corrupt and apostate church because of corporate responsibility want to support an "Independent" Ministry or minister who teaches just the opposite? Yet hundreds of thousands of dollars are being donated by our separated people to "Independent" Ministries and ministers which teach exactly opposite to truths our people hold! So how can the average person tell if a particular "Independent" Ministry or minister is supporting the SDA church or not? It is very simple--just examine the message they preach! If they teach that the SDA church is Babylon fallen and that there is the necessity of willingly withdrawing all connection from the church--including membership, then that Ministry or minister is not supporting the SDA church. They have shown themselves completely distinct from any support of the harlot church by the message they loudly advocate. The clear cut message of Revelation 18 shows that particular Ministry or minister to be completely separate from any support of the church! But if any "Independent" Ministry or minister does not loudly advocate that the SDA church is Babylon fallen, and if they do not advocate a willing separation and membership withdrawal from the church as a whole, then they are supporting the SDA church--no matter how much they claim not to! It does not matter how good their various outreach projects are; it does not matter how many people they are reaching out to with other important truths; it does not matter how much they decry the abominations and evils going on inside the apostate church; if they are not advocating that the SDA church is Babylon fallen and the necessity of willingly withdrawing all connection from the church, then they are still a church supporter! The God of heaven has made the Revelation 18 message the distinguishing mark between which "Independent" Ministries and ministers are working for Him, versus those who put on a glorious outward display of working for Him, while they are in reality agents of the devil, and continuing in sin--whether personal or corporate! "The Lord will soon come. There must be a refining, winnowing process in every church, for there are among us wicked men who do not love the truth or honor God....Soon it is to be seen who are the vessels unto honor. "`And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird (Revelation 18:1-2).' "`Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not (Malachi 3:18).'... "Every soul who, in the light now shining upon our pathway, continues in sin will be blinded and will accept the delusions that come from Satan. We are now nearing the close of this earth's history. Where are the faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion who will not slumber but faithfully declare the time of night?... "Who will be on the Lord's side? Who will be deceived, and in turn become deceivers? Everything is to be shaken that can be shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Letter 15, June 25, 1892. Yet, it is no different than it was in the days of the Disciples of Christ. The Jewish church had become an harlot of Babylon (see Isaiah 1:21; 3SM 417; GC 382). The abomination of desolation had been planted, and Christ commanded all of His honest people to completely and willingly disconnect themselves from the church or be destroyed along with her (see Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-16; Luke 21:20-21). But the Jewish church leaders were telling the people just the opposite--that the church was not Babylon, and no one was to willingly separate themselves from the church because God was going to save it and only those who stayed in. Thus there were two distinct messages--the message of Christ, and the message of the church leadership--and there was not the least harmony or similarity between them. There were also several Independent Ministries and ministers who were active during this same time. These were divided into only two groups: those few disciples and followers of Jesus, who were clearly Christ's servants; and the many others, whom the Spirit of Prophecy calls false prophets, who were clearly Satan's servants. But how could the average person tell the difference between these two groups? It was by the message they preached! The message from those few Independent Ministries and ministers of Christ was one which called all of God's people to completely flee from the Jewish harlot church in obedience to Christ's command, or be destroyed right along with their Babylonian church. While the messages from the many Independent Ministries and ministers of Satan were calling all of God's people to flee from every other harlot church of Babylon except the Jewish church, and they claimed that God wanted all of His people to stay in connection with the church and not to willingly separate from it. The Spirit of Prophecy also reveals this little known fact that many of these Independent false prophets were actually bribed by the Jewish church leaders to tell the people not to willingly break all connection from the Jewish church. These false Independent Ministries and ministers accepted the bribe and led the people to trust in a vain and presumptuous hope that God would save their harlot church from destruction. Thus many were led to disobey Christ's command, chose not to willingly separate, and were heading to destruction along with the doomed church. "Yet in their [Jewish church leaders] blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim, even while Roman legions were besieging the temple, that the people were to wait for deliverance from God." Great Controversy, p 29. Now these Independent false prophets were supporting the corrupt and God-forsaken harlot church, yet they were not leaders in the Jewish church system. They had their own Ministry independent from the church, and were looked up to and respected by many lay members as good and righteous men who were standing for and telling them the truth. They were dependent upon outside donations for their support, but yet they continued to support a corrupt apostate church destined for destruction. And many were bribed to tell the people not to willingly separate or break all connection with the harlot church. And the only way the honest followers of Christ could tell who were preaching the truth, versus who were advocating a lie from the devil, was by examining the messages being preached. Christ's Independent Ministries and ministers were telling the people to completely separate from the harlot church or perish within. While Satan's Independent Ministries and ministers were telling the people to remain connected to the church or die outside. Thus every single church member had to make up their own minds to either completely leave or stay connected. But to make it even more difficult, many of these false Independent Ministries and ministers cried aloud about all the woes against the Jewish church, and some were intent on making sure the lay membership knew all the abominations that were taking place, but they made sure to never tell the people to willingly separate from all these abominations. Thus many were led to believe that they could remain connected with an abominable church and still be saved! And the power of the apostate church leaders was increased ten-fold over the people! Just how many Jewish church members believed the lying messages form these devil's agents--who were posing as Independent ministers of righteousness? How many decided to stay connected to the harlot church, and died along with her? "More than a million of the people perished." Great Controversy, p 35. Why? Because many did not study for themselves, but chose instead to let their favorite Independent Ministry or minister tell them what to do. Many naively trusted and believed that these "righteous" men would never lead them astray. In fact, these false prophets or Satan's Independent ministers, were more successful and did more to keep people from completely disconnecting themselves from the doomed Babylonian church than even the church leaders did or could ever do! Yet "Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem." GC 30. Why? Because all the followers of Christ willingly severed all connection with the harlot church in obedience to Christ's command. They chose to disconnect themselves from a sinful and wicked church in order to connect themselves solely to a spotless Saviour! But who, along with the church members, perished in the destruction of the harlot church? The church leaders, as well as all the false prophets or Satan's Independent ministers--including those who cried aloud about all the abominations going on but never told anyone to completely separate! These all perished along with the harlot mother church of Babylon they loved and supported more than following Christ out of the doomed church. Brothers and sisters this history is more than repeating itself today! The SDA church is indeed a harlot of Babylon doomed for destruction along with all who cling to her. And Satan has his agents today who are the anti-type of those Independent false prophets of Israel--whom are referred to today as false shepherds. These are identified as those Independent Ministries and ministers who refuse to willingly disconnect themselves from the SDA harlot church of Babylon and who also hinder church members from willingly separating themselves as well. And these false shepherds are doing more to hinder complete separation, and are more successful at keeping our people connected to a doomed church, than even the SDA church leaders! Multitudes of my SDA people are naively trusting their eternal life to men who appear as ministers of righteousness but who are blind to the Present Truth and are leading the blind directly to the ditch of the lake of fire. Oh, I earnestly plead with the false Independent Ministries and ministers to open your eyes before it is too late! I earnestly plead with John Grosboll of Steps to Life; Ralph Larson; Danny Vierra of Modern Manna; Russell and Colin Standish and Hartland College; Jan Marcussen; Vance Farrell of Pilgrims Rest; Kenny Shelton of Behold the Lamb; Ron Spear of Hope International; Jeff Reich of Layman's Ministry; Terry Ross; Jeanie Cook of Sonlight; Bob Jorgansen of Medical Missionary Press; and any other Independent Ministry and minister who is not plainly and distinctly telling all SDA's to willingly separate and disconnect themselves entirely from their harlot SDA church of Babylon or they will be destroyed with their harlot church, to awaken before it is too late! I earnestly plead with you all to allow God to remove from your minds all custom and tradition, all preconceived opinions, all prejudice against this precious message of Revelation 18, and to open your eyes to the blazing light of Present Truth. And may you unbiasly examine this merciful and loving loud cry message, realizing the truth that the SDA church is a harlot of Babylon and that all who cling to her will be destroyed with her; and the only way for you and others to find Jesus and eternal life is to go outside the camp (Hebrews 13:12-13). May God mercifully awaken you to the harm you are doing to His kingdom, His church, to yourselves, and to others. Because if you continue to lead people to stay connected to the harlot SDA church, if you do not tell the people plainly that the church is going to be destroyed, and any member who remains connected will perish along with the church, then it will not just be your own soul that is lost but all the other souls who believed your message and followed your example--and their blood will be on your shoulders! And it will not be just one million who will perish this time, but you will share in the blood of over seven million Adventists! Even though you may be faithfully warning about the abominations in the church, if you do not awaken to the fact that no one can remain pure in the midst of all these abominations (see Amos 3:3; 1 Corinthians 6:16; RH 10-23-88; 6BC 1102), then you will perish along with the abominable church! I humbly beg you all to awake before it is too late to repent. But know that if you continue to mislead our people to their death along with the Babylon church--as a false shepherd does--then you will not just suffer one of the plagues, but all seven of them. Thus you will be one of the last to die, and your suffering will be tenfold greater than those who believed and followed you and remained connected with the harlot church! "I saw that the priests who are leading on their flock to death are soon to be arrested in their dreadful career. The plagues of God are coming, but it will not be sufficient for the false shepherds to be tormented with one of two of these plagues. God's hand at that time will be stretched out still in wrath and justice and will not be brought to Himself again until His purposes are fully accomplished, and the hireling priests are led to worship at the feet of the saints, and to acknowledge that God has loved them because they held fast the truth and kept God's commandments, and until all the unrighteous ones are destroyed from the earth.... "...I saw that the ministers did not escape the wrath of God. Their suffering was tenfold greater than that of their people." Early Writings, p 124, 282. Brothers and sisters I urge you to no longer trust your eternal life to the church leaders, or to any of the Independent Ministries and ministers, but to study for yourselves and let Christ be your only leader, following Him out of the camp to be connected with and hid only in Him when the overflowing scourge passes through the land. The loud cry is now going forth in no measured tone--even now while missionary work is being done to bring people into the harlot SDA church. God is indeed now working for His people, but how many do not recognize the work of God from the strange work of Satan's agents (see Upward Look, p 23). May God help His honest people to prepare to meet Him in peace, and to stand where they can clearly define their position completely separate and distinct from all sin--both personal and corporate, from all harlot churches, and from all professed but false Independent Ministries and ministers. "I was pointed to those who claim to be Adventists, but who reject the present truth, and saw that they were crumbling and that the hand of the Lord was in their midst to divide and scatter them now in the gathering time, so that the precious jewels among them, who have formerly been deceived, may have their eyes opened to see their true state. And now, when the truth is presented to them by the Lord's messengers, they are prepared to listen, and see its beauty and harmony, and to leave their former associates and errors, embrace the precious truth and stand where they can define their position." Early Writings, p 69.