Hello brothers and sisters in Jesus,
On a different social media platform, I have had an interesting discussion with a brother who claims that I am not reading E.J. Waggoner in context.
Brother O wrote: “You are not reading these quotes in their proper context. You will find that actually what E J Waggoner means is that the Father and the Son though bodily in heaven are omnipresent by their Holy Spirit everywhere except the heart of sinners .But the sinner cannot live minus the Holy Spirit keeping him alive because the Holy Spirit is the Breath of Life” [End Quote]
Contrary to the claim from brother O, my contention is that E.J. Waggoner started imbibing pantheistic/panentheistic concepts in the 1890s. He actually claimed that the holy Spirit was in everything, including the heart of sinners. This heresy eventually led him to apostasy and a denial of the heavenly Sanctuary truth and the investigative judgment. I am now quoting E.J. Waggoner’s final work before he died. It was given in the year 1916.
“Also, twenty-five years ago, these truths, coupled with the self-evident truth that sin is not an entity but a condition that can exist only in a person, made it clear to me that it is impossible that there could be any such thing as the transferring of sins to the sanctuary in heaven, thus defiling that place; and that there could, consequently, be no such thing, either in 1844, A. D., or at any other time, as the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary.” (E.J. Waggoner The ‘Confession of Faith’ pg 14, 15)
Now this change from truth to error was not immediate but gradual. By Waggoner’s own testimony there was a “gradual growth” that resulted in these “sharply defined” views.
“For one thing, my views were not so sharply defined as they are now, since they were a gradual growth. Moreover, the lines are drawn much more closely now than they were then. You know that men have been retired from the ministry for differing on so uncertain a matter as the interpretation of Daniel 11. What, then, would be the fate of a man in the ministry who should announce his dissent from the denominational teaching on the “Sanctuary Question which is considered to be “the keystone of the whole arch? Besides, I was never a belligerent, and as I always held, and do still, what I deemed to be the really essential truths of the message, I contented myself with teaching them, and holding my peace, concerning things that I knew were not Biblical. Of course, I was often accused of “not preaching the message”; but things would be tolerated in one already long in the work, that would not be in one just entering it, or re-entering it after long absence. You know that in spite of my non-militant attitude, I was in hot water a good deal of the time (Ibid pg 28, 29)
Waggoner’s fall into apostasy began subtly in the early 1890s and it grew over the years. And just here I need to pause and warn all about the tendency to idolize the pioneers. This is a common problem in our movement. While the pioneers are to be respected, they were illuminated men and women, we need to realize that they did not speak/write by revelation/inspiration. That is, they were not inspired in the fullest sense. This can be seen, even back in 1888, when sister White said this about Waggoner’s view on the law of Galatians.
“Some interpretations of Scripture given by Dr. Waggoner I do not regard as correct. But I believe him to be perfectly honest in his views, and I would respect his feelings and treat him as a Christian gentleman. I have no reason to think that he is not as much esteemed of God as are any of my brethren, and I shall regard him as a Christian brother so long as there is no evidence that he is unworthy. The fact that he honestly holds some views of Scripture differing from yours or mine is no reason why we should treat him as an offender or as a dangerous man and make him the subject of unjust criticism. We should not raise a voice of censure against him or his teachings unless we can present weighty reasons for so doing and show him that he is in error. No one should feel at liberty to give loose rein to the combative spirit. {5LtMs, Ms 15, 1888, par. 5}
And neither were the pioneers incapable of apostasizing (D.M. Canright anyone?). Waggoner was no perfect theologian and, as pointed out above, he actually started to get off track in the 1890s. By his own testimony he traces this back to the 1890s. In fact, by 1897 he stated this:
“GOD HIMSELF IS PERSONALLY PRESENT IN ALL HIS WORKS. He himself is the energy that is manifest in all creation. God himself is force, the force that is manifest in all matter (E. J. Waggoner, “Studies in Hebrews,” no. 18, General Conference Bulletin 2, no. 1 [First Quarter, 1897]): 13.)
Note: Waggoner conflated God’s energy and personal presence.
“It is the breath of God that keeps us alive, the Spirit of God in our nostrils. Well, that man must acknowledge what is so patent that he cannot help but acknowledge it; namely, that he did not bring himself into existence, and that he cannot perpetuate his existence for one instant. He is brought face to face with the power of God in him, keeping him alive. IT IS CHRIST IN FALLEN MAN, IT IS CHRIST IN CURSED MAN, it is Christ with the curse on him, it is Christ crucified. Christ taking fallen, sinful humanity upon him, is Christ crucified. Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend up into heaven to bring Christ down to me, that is to be crucified? NO; HE IS HERE IN THE FLESH. (E. J. Waggoner, “Studies in the Book of Hebrews,” no. 6, General Conference Daily Bulletin 1, no. 5 (18 Feb. 1897) pp. 71, 72
“…THE LORD JESUS IS IN EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS MADE. He upholds all things, because he is in them. He is cohesion even to inanimate nature. IT IS THE PERSONAL, POWERFUL PRESENCE OF GOD THAT KEEPS THE MOUNTAINS TOGETHER, and the stones from crumbling to pieces; because GOD IS THERE WITH HIS PERSONAL POWER...(E. J. Waggoner, “Studies in the Book of Hebrews,” no. 8, General Conference Daily Bulletin 1, no. 7 (22 Feb. 1897) pg 101)
Now normally I would be gracious to Waggoner and argue that when he talked about God being “personally present in all His works” and that “it is Christ in fallen man” or that “Jesus is in everything that He has made” with it being “the personal powerful presence of God” that keeps the mountains together- that he did not really mean what those words actually say. Yet the weight of evidence is against this. Some men will claim that Waggoner was just trying to say that it was the power of God but such a claim is naïve. Waggoner was clearly traveling on an erroneous path here and these expressions, if followed through to their logical consequence, radically alter the entire Christian economy. The proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof. Let’s see where E.J. Waggoner ended up.
Now, again, this was a gradual progression into error on his part. It has started off very mild and it remained that way for quite some time. Yet what Waggoner began doing is conflating the personal presence of God Himself for the power of God as manifested in nature. He failed to recognize a quintessential difference between the Spirit of God as power and the Spirit of God as personality that the following article brings out:
Brother O wrote: Explain to me how you understand this endorsements of Present truth magazine which contained E J Waggoners Teachings.
I write to you now because I want you (and W. C. White is of the same mind) to visit us in Australia. We think *Present Truth the best paper published by our people.* We enjoyed Elder and Mrs. Prescott’s visit here very much, and I was surprised that he did not remain in Battle Creek when he returned. It may be in the providence of God that he is where he is, but I do hope and pray that the Lord will adjust the work so that proper ones will take hold of it in Battle Creek. 13LtMs, Lt 77, 1898, par. 4 [End Quote]
As for the endorsement, that is not a difficult thing. E.J. Waggoner was brilliant. He wrote incredibly about many things, yet an Egw endorsement does not make one infallible nor does it sanction erroneous doctrines that one might bring in. I could show you many endorsements from her pen, for men like Miller, Luther, Bunyan, Smith, even her own husband, but that doesn’t mean they were free from error, nor does it mean that it was impossible for them to have gone astray. So let’s get back to that with Waggoner. As another example of his gradual decline, we read his claim made in 1899:
“Thank the Lord that the river of God is full of water, and never runs dry. It is always running. Do you not see? The rain comes down from heaven, filters down from the river of God. You and I have drunk from the rock, and have forgotten God the Rock. We have been drinking from the life of God all our lives, and have not known it. . .We have a drink of water here,—living water. Where does it come from?—The throne of God, where Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain, is. It flows from his heart. It is the blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin. The blood of Christ is a real thing.
“That water which flows from the throne of God is his life, and his life is the light. “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another; and the blood of the Son of God cleanses us from all sin.” IS THAT A REAL THING? OR IS IT ONLY A FIGURATIVE EXPRESSION,—a mere form of words? CAN WE ACTUALLY BATHE IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, AND LIVE BY IT? Yes; for what is the blood?—It is the life. The life is in the blood. By whatever means Christ conveys the life to us, that is the blood, the life. He gives it to us. IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE ALWAYS IN ONE FORM. THERE ARE INNUMBERABLE FORMS IN WHICH LIFE IS CONVEYED TO US; BUT IT IS ALL THE ONE LIFE. Remember, the Spirit and the water and the blood agree in one; they all come to one. WATER IS LIFE, and it has life-giving powers (E. J. Waggoner, “The Water of Life,” Daily Bulletin of the General Conference 8, no. 8 (24 Feb. 1899): 80)
This led Waggoner to an incredibly inane claim – you really can’t make this stuff up:
“O, I delight in drinking water, as I never have before; I delight in bathing. Why, I come right to the throne of God. A MAN MAY GET RIGHTEOUSNESS IN BATHING, when he knows where the water comes from, and recognizes the source. The world is a good deal nearer the gospel than it knows anything about when it says that “cleanliness is next to godliness.” Ah, but cleanliness is godliness…(E. J. Waggoner, “The Water of Life,” Daily Bulletin of the General Conference 8, no. 8 (24 Feb. 1899): 80)
This is serious error! A man may not get righteousness in bathing, no amount of knowledge of where water comes from will accomplish that. Waggoner is very confused here. It is at this point that a warning letter from sister White came in to the General Conference:
“The most difficult and humiliating lesson that man has to learn, if he is kept by the power of God, is his own inefficiency, and the sure failure of his own efforts to read nature correctly. SIN HAS OBSCURED HIS VISION, SO THAT, OF HIMSELF, MAN CAN NOT INTERPRET NATURE WITHOUT PLACING IT ABOVE GOD. He is in the same position as were the Athenians who erected their altars for the worship of nature, upon which they might well inscribe, “To the unknown God.” NATURE IS NOT GOD, AND NEVER WAS GOD. The voice of nature testifies of God, declaring his glory; but nature itself is not God. As God’s created work, it but bears a testimony of his power. {GCDB March 6, 1899, par. 4}
“The ancient philosophers prided themselves upon their superior knowledge, but God has said of them: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things…. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. {GCDB March 6, 1899, par. 5}
“Christ came to the world as a personal Saviour. He represented a personal God. He ascended on high as a personal Saviour, and he will come again as he ascended to heaven,—a personal Saviour. WE NEED CAREFULLY TO CONSIDER THIS; FOR IN THEIR HUMAN WISDOM, THE WISE MEN OF THE WORLD, KNOWING NOT GOD, FOOLISHLY DEIFY NATURE AND THE LAWS OF NATURE. Those who have not a knowledge of God by their acceptance of the revelation God has made of himself in Christ, will obtain only an imperfect knowledge of God in nature. Those who think they can obtain a perfect knowledge of God, aside from the Representative whom the Word declares is the “express image of his person,” will need to become fools in their own estimation before they can be wise. This knowledge, so far from giving elevated conceptions of God, so far from elevating the mind, the soul, the heart, and bringing the whole being into conformity to the will of God, will make men idolaters. {GCDB March 6, 1899, par. 6}
This letter repudiated Waggoner without actually calling him out by name. It was a barrier against the track that he was beginning to put his feet upon. Egw, writing to Prescott, spoke about the errors that both he and Waggoner had in 1901.
“I have been shown your peril during the time of your connecting with Dr. E. J. Waggoner. You both came to the conference of 1901 enthused with what you supposed to be precious spiritual light. You were desirous of presenting this light to me, but I was shown that much of that which you supposed to be precious light was dangerous, misleading fables, and that I must have no conversation with you regarding these ideas that were filling your minds {23LtMs, Lt 224, 1908, par. 1}
“The theories held by Ellet Waggoner were similar in character to those we had met and rebuked in several places where we met fanatical movements after the passing of the time in 1844. Dr. Waggoner was then departing from the faith in the doctrine he held regarding spiritual affinities. {23LtMs, Lt 224, 1908, par. 2}
Now, again, you have to understand that Waggoner’s doctrine, at this point, was a combination of truth and error. Arguably, at this point, the truth was actually still stronger with him than the error but he was slowly bringing in panentheistic sentiments and his feet were headed downward. If you read the 1900 edition of Glad Tidings or his book Everlasting Covenant you can see this, that is, if you will read with eyes wide open to truth and with keen spiritual discernment. Case and point:
“…to believe on His name means simply to believe that HE DWELLS PERSONALLY IN EVERY MAN, – IN ALL FLESH. We do not make it so by believing it; IT IS SO, WHETHER WE BELIEVE IT OR NOT; we simply accept the fact, which all nature reveals to us (E.J. Waggoner, “Glad Tidings” pg 80, 81 original 1900 edition)
“The risen Saviour is the crucified Saviour. As CHRIST RISEN IS IN THE HEART OF THE SINNER, THEREFORE, CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS THERE. If it were not so, there would be no hope for any (Ibid pg 88)
“Remember now that the Word is life, and that Christ, as God, is “the Word of life.” He is “the life;” apart from Him there is no life at all; so that WHEREVER THERE IS ANY LIFE THERE IS EVIDENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN CHRIST (E.J. Waggoner “The Everlasting Covenant 247.2 1900 edition)
“But God’s everlasting power and Divinity are seen in the things that are made (Romans 1:20); so that here again we are brought to THE FACT OF THE ACTUAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN ALL CREATION(Ibid 248.1)
“And in quoting this passage, in Romans 10:6-8, the Holy Spirit, since Christ is the “Word, makes the substitution of the one name for the other, distinctly telling us THAT CHRIST IS IN US ALL, in order that we may be able to serve the Lord. (Ibid 248.2)
“The question will very naturally arise, “WHAT THEN IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SINNER AND A CHRISTIAN, IF CHRIST IS IN ALL MEN?” It is a very pertinent question, and is easily answered. The difference is simply one of faith. (Ibid 248.4)
“Christ is the life. HE IS PRESENT IN EVERY MAN, in order that we may live in harmony with the Word of God. If man does not recognize His presence, he is “like the beasts that perish.” (Ibid 249.1)
Note: The difference between the sinner and the Christian, in Waggoner’s estimation is not that the latter has the presence of Christ while the former does not. No, it’s simply that the latter has faith. This is serious error. Christ is not present in every man. Now there is much theological double-talk from Waggoner in these books. Again, I would be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt but the weight of evidence is against this and so also are the warnings from sister White given to him. So, again, there is still a great deal of truth in these books but it is being combined with these subtle errors. While Waggoner is still very much Gospel focused he was clearly phrasing things in a way that show he had an open door to pantheistic/panentheistic sentiment.
Brother O wrote: You are misquoting E J Waggoner. These quotations reeks of evangelism page 616 [End Quote]
No, I’m not brother O. If I am misquoting him and presenting a revisionist history, like the book Evangelism, then why, pray tell, did Mrs. White give E.J. Waggoner several clear warnings just a couple of years later?
“Dr. Ellet J. Waggoner
“Dear Brother,—
“I beseech you by the mercy of God to BE ON YOUR GUARD…{18LtMs, Lt 230, 1903, par. 1}
“HAD GOD DESIRED TO BE REPRESENTED AS DWELLING PERSONALLY IN THE THINGS OF NATURE. – IN THE FLOWER, THE TREE, THE SPEAR OF GRASS- WOULD NOT CHRIST HAVE SPOKEN OF THIS TO HIS DISCIPLES? To take the works of God and represent them to be God is A FEARFUL MISREPRESENTATION {18LtMs, Lt 230, 1903, par. 7}
…
“I HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS OF THESE FANCIFUL VIEWS OF GOD IN APOSTASY, SPIRITUALISM, FREELOVISM. The free-love tendencies of these teachings were so concealed that it was difficult to present them in their real character. Until the Lord presented it to me, I knew not what to call it, but I was instructed to call it unholy spiritual love {18LtMs, Lt 230, 1903, par. 9}
“I am warned that we are not to talk of God as He is spoken of in Living Temple. The sentiments there expressed are a dishonor to His greatness and His majesty. God forbid that our ministers should entertain these ideas. For myself, I take my stand firmly against them. And I ENTREAT. YOU TO ACCEPT THE MESSAGE THAT I BEAR TO YOU. I ASK YOU TO AROUSE TO YOUR DANGER. Who by searching can find out God? The theory that He is an essence, pervading everything, is one of Satan’s most subtle devices. I WARN YOU TO BEWARE OF BEING LED TO ACCEPT THEORIES LEADING TO ANY SUCH VIEW. I tell you, my brother, that the most spiritual-minded Christians are liable to be deceived by these beautiful, seducing, flattering theories. But in the place of honoring God, these theories, in the minds of those who receive them, bring Him down to a low level, where He is nothingness. {18LtMs, Lt 230, 1903, par. 10}
….
“IF YOU WILL BELIEVE THE MESSAGE THAT I BEAR. YOU, YOU WILL SEE YOUR DANGER… {18LtMs, Lt 230, 1903, par. 14}
You may think I am misquoting him but I am actually telling you the truth. His very own quotes show you how he was thinking and his own testimony tells you that he was developing these views gradually.
Now, quite unfortunately, Waggoner did not listen to the prophetic counsel and, as a result of his errors, he ended up placing his affections on a woman that was not his wife. Sister White sent him another clear warning, this time directly addressing that particular issue directly and not the erroneous Kelloggesque theology that had allowed it to come in.
“Dr. E. J. Waggoner
“Dear Brother,—
“I have much to say to you. YOU HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED TO ME AS BEING IN GREAT PERIL… {18LtMs, Lt 231, 1903, par. 1}
Yet, again, she wrote him in 1904, this time addressing his erroneous theology again. She warned him that he was “in the mist and fog” and was in danger of being led astray by the “seductive sentiments” in Living Temple which would “tear down the foundations” of his faith and “weaken” his “perceptions of truth and righteousness.”
“Our Counsellor then laid His hands on the shoulders of Elders A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner, and said, “You are confused. YOU ARE IN THE MIST AND FOG. You have need of the heavenly anointing.” To Brother Jones He said, “Why have you permitted your mind to be worked as it has been? I warned you not to permit this.” HE SAID TO BROTHER WAGGONER, “LEAVE THE PLACE WHERE YOU NOW ARE, and walk in the path I have pointed out. LIVING TEMPLE IS FULL OF SEDUCTIVE SENTIMENTS, WHICH IF RECEIVED, WILL TEAR DOWN THE FOUNDATIONS OF YOUR FAITH AND WEAKEN YOUR PERCEPTIONS OF TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.” {19LtMs, Lt 279, 1904, par. 14}
“Addressing them both, He said, “There is a work for both of you to do. Your minds need to be thoroughly renewed. Your faith is to rest on a high, holy, substantial foundation. God has a work for you to do in sounding the last message of warning to the world. Turn away from scientific theories. What is the chaff to the wheat? {19LtMs, Lt 279, 1904, par. 15}
The salient point here is that, quite sadly, Waggoner did not listen. He went into apostasy. By the time we get to his final confession in 1916 we can see the baleful fruit in full. His teaching is that Christ, the everlasting word, was in all men and it was belief that simply made one conscious of it.
“No new work was instituted. “The works were finished from the foundation of the world,” and the everlasting word that upholds all things still continues to work effectually, as in the beginning. Whoever believes it becomes conscious that it works effectually in him…. (The ‘Confession of Faith’ pg 7)
When we read this, in light of what he said before, the regression to the apostate position, we can really see how it’s Kellogg’s heresy. Christ is already living in the sinner so all salvation is is a coming to consciousness of the Christ already within. This, of course, really does away with the need for the whole heavenly sanctuary and the record of sin therein. And is that Waggoner’s conclusion? Read it for yourself here:
Click HERE for the digital copy of the The Confession of Faith of Dr. E. J. Waggoner
Waggoner’s final confession makes sin “a condition, not an entity” and he claims that “neither is it a debt” (pg 10, 11) and therefore he claimed that “twenty-five years ago” it was made “it clear to me that IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THERE COULD BE ANY SUCH THING AS THE TRANSFERRING OF SINS TO THE SANCTUARY IN HEAVEN, thus defiling that place; and THAT THERE COULD, CONSEQUENTLY, BE NO SUCH THING, EITHER IN 1844, A.D. OR AT ANY OTHER TIME, AS THE CLEANSING OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY. (E.J. Waggoner The ‘Confession of Faith’ pg 15)
Waggoner completely denied 1844, claiming that “I saw that THAT PERIOD HAD NO FOUNDATION WHATEVER, AND THEN OF COURSE I SIMPLY DROPPED IT (pg 14)
He then denied the investigative judgment (pg 18) on fallacious reasoning, as if it was “necessary for God to spend years in searching records” (pg 19) even saying that “a Roman Catholic church during the celebration of mass…seemed to me that it was an exact picture of the S.D.A. idea of Christ’s work as priest” (pg 25).
In truth we should all be able to see that the “gradual growth” (pg 28) that E.J. Waggoner spoke of here is exactly what sister White prophetically warned him against! He gradually entered into apostasy until he was denying the very foundational truths of Scripture and Adventism.
I will close this op with a final word. Waggoner’s apostasy is very sad yet it does not undo the truth that he helped to bring forward back in 1888. It should be a warning to us all about the ever present danger of falling yet we can be secure in Christ if we heed the warnings given to us in the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy.
“It is quite possible that Elder Jones or Waggoner may be overthrown by the temptations of the enemy; but if they should be, this would not prove that they had had no message from God or that the work that they had done was all a mistake. {7LtMs, Lt 24, 1892, par. 14}
More inspired evidence on the matter. Writing to Prescott about his connection with E.J. Waggoner back in 1901 we read:
“I have been shown your peril during the time of your connecting with Dr. E. J. Waggoner. You both came to the conference of 1901 enthused with what you supposed to be precious spiritual light. You were desirous of presenting this light to me, but I was shown that much of that which you supposed to be precious light was dangerous, misleading fables, and that I must have no conversation with you regarding these ideas that were filling your minds {23LtMs, Lt 224, 1908, par. 1}
“The theories held by Ellet Waggoner were similar in character to those we had met and rebuked in several places where we met fanatical movements after the passing of the time in 1844. Dr. Waggoner was then departing from the faith in the doctrine he held regarding spiritual affinities. {23LtMs, Lt 224, 1908, par. 2}
