1886: The candlestick to be removed unless you repent
In 1886, God warned the SDA that unless they repent He would remove their candlestick:
“You to whom are committed the sacred, testing truths for this time, are you faithful to your God-given trust?….‘Be zealous and repent,’ is the word of God to his professed people. ‘I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.’ Many of our people are backsliding from God. We need to arouse. Let every soul that has named the name of Christ depart from iniquity. We want a pure Christianity. Great dangers are lurking for us on every side. When they most need the presence of God, many have it least. They are in danger of becoming like the Jewish nation, who knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God….
“When Jesus wept over Jerusalem, his tears were for all who abuse present privileges. He wept that so many who profess his name fail to become what God designed them to be; that they continue in sin and weakness, while he is willing and able to save them if they will but come to him. The Saviour says, “What more could I have done that I have not done in it?” He has dealt with his people as a loving father with a wayward and rebellious child. But he sees grace resisted, privileges abused, opportunities slighted….
“Messengers have been sent with warnings, reproofs, and entreaties. God’s servants have wept and prayed over the lukewarm state of the church. Some may arouse, but only to fall back into unconsciousness of their sin and peril. Passion, worldliness, malice, envy pride, strife for supremacy, make our churches weak and powerless. Some of Christ’s ambassadors are carrying a heavy burden on their souls, because their message is treated by so many as an idle tale. The eye of Jesus, looking down the ages, was fixed upon our time when he said, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace!” It is still thy day, O church of God, whom he has made the depositary of his law. But this day of trust and probation is fast drawing to a close. The sun is fast westering. Can it be that it will set, and thou not know the things that belong unto thy peace? Must the irrevocable sentence be passed, “But now they are hid from thine eyes”?…
“The Saviour speaks to his people, “Be zealous and repent.” It is not ministers whom you have slighted; it is not the warnings of men that you have rejected; it is not my delegated prophets that you have refused to hear, but your Redeemer, your only hope. If ye are destroyed, it is yourselves alone that are responsible. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life. “O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not.” I desired to save you, but ye would not be doers of my word. The arm strong to save, is also strong to punish…
“The Lord is leading his church in these last days as he led ancient Israel. While he gives them warnings, reproofs, and encouragement through his delegated servant, Christ, the angel of the covenant, who in the pillar of cloud and of fire went before the Hebrew host, is the leader of his people today. Provoke him not with your murmurings, by your selfish withholding from his cause, by cherishing iniquity; for in the face of great light he will not pardon your continual transgressions.” Review and Herald, November 2, 1886.