Applause and Theatrical Performances In the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Ellen G.White Comments
THE DANGER OF APPLAUSE
Wealth or high position, costly equipment, architecture or furnishings, are not essential to the advancement of the work of God; neither are achievements that win applause from men and administer to vanity. . . .
Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, page 36. (emphasis supplied).
'Unless the minister shall fearlessly declare the whole truth, unless he shall have an eye single to the glory of God and shall work under the direction of the great Captain of his salvation,' Ellen White warned, 'unless he shall move to the front, irrespective of censure and uncontaminated by applause, he will be accounted an unfaithful watchman.' (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, page 263, emphasis supplied).
The Pharisees sought distinction by their scrupulous ceremonialism and the ostentation of their worship and their charities. They proved their zeal for religion by making it the theme of discussion. Disputes between opposing sects were loud and long, and it was not unusual to hear on the streets the voice of angry controversy from learned doctors of the law.
In marked contrast to all this was the life of Jesus. In that life no noisy disputation, no ostentatious worship, no act to gain applause, was ever witnessed. . . .
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, page 261; Ministry of Healing, page 32. (emphasis supplied).
Jesus did not seek the admiration or the applause of men. . . . He did not court the favor of the wealthy and honored of the world. . . . He set at nought the artificial distinctions of society. The aristocracy of birth, wealth, talent, learning rank, He ignored.
Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, page 197. (emphasis supplied).
'In the heart of Christ, where reigned perfect harmony with God, there was perfect peace,' Ellen White wrote. 'He was never elated by applause. . ..' (ibid., Desire of Ages, page 330, emphasis supplied).
The fact that their minds turn in this channel is proof that they are of an inferior order, narrow, conceited, and selfish. They feel high above the lowly and humble poor, such as Jesus says He has called. They are forever trying to secure position, to gain applause, to obtain credit for doing some great work that others cannot do. . . .
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, page 466. (emphasis supplied).
Some ministers of ability who are now preaching present truth, love approbation. Applause stimulates them, as the glass of wine does the inebriate. Place these ministers where they have a small congregation which promises no special excitement and which provokes no decided opposition, and they will lose their interest and zeal, and appear as languid in the work as the inebriate when he is deprived of his dram. These men will fail to make real, practical laborers until they learn to labor without the excitement of applause.
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, pages 185-186. (emphasis supplied).
If, in connection with the theory of the truth, our ministers would dwell more upon practical godliness, speaking from a heart imbued with the spirit of truth, we should see many more souls flocking to the standard of truth; their hearts would be touched by the pleadings of the cross of Christ, the infinite generosity and pity of Jesus in suffering for man. These vital subjects, in connection with the doctrinal points of our faith, would effect much good among the people. But the heart of the teacher must be filled with the experimental knowledge of the love of Christ.
. . . If all the proud and vainglorious, whose hearts are panting for the applause of men and for distinction above their fellows, could rightly estimate the value of the highest earthly glory in contrast with the value of the Son of God, rejected, despised, spit upon, by the very ones whom He came to redeem, how insignificant would appear all the honor that finite man can bestow.
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 4, page 375. (emphasis supplied).
Self-esteem and self-flattery will be sure to stir up in the heart resentment against any who venture to question one's course of action. . .. Self-sufficiency must be overcome. Love of applause, must be seen as a snare. . . .
Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, page 250. (emphasis supplied).
'Many receive applause for virtues which they do not possess,' Ellen White stated. 'The Searcher of hearts inspects motives, and often the deeds which are highly applauded by men are recorded by Him as springing from selfish motives and base hypocrisy. . ..' (Testimonies for the Church, page 512, emphasis supplied).
THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES IN THE CHURCH
There is an abundance of theatrical performances in our world, but in its highest order it is without God. We need now to point souls to the uplifted Saviour. Deceptions, impositions, and every evil work are in our world. Satan, the wily foe in angel's garments, is working to deceive and destroy. The object of the death of Christ was to declare His righteousness, and no man, woman or child can do this in his own strength, or by his own words.
. . . But they have not had an experimental knowledge of what is truth. The principles of truth have never been stamped upon their souls. The deceptive temptation that they can be a blessing to the world while serving as actresses is a delusion and a snare, not only to themselves, but to your own soul. Said Christ, 'Without Me ye can do nothing.' Can the Lord Jesus Christ accept these theatrical exhibitions as service done for Him? No. All this kind of work is done in the service of another leader. . . .
Ellen G. White, Letter 58a, 1898; Manuscript Release #909 (emphasis supplied).
I am instructed that we shall meet with all kinds of experiences and that men will try to bring strange performances into the work of God. We have met such things in many places. In my very first labors the message was given that all theatrical performances in connection with the preaching of present truth were to be discouraged and forbidden. Men who thought they had a wonderful work to do sought to adopt a strange deportment and manifested oddities in bodily exercise. The light given me was, 'Give this no sanction.' These performances, which savored of the theatrical, were to have no place in the proclamation of the solemn messages entrusted to us.
Ellen G. White, Evangelism, page 137 (emphasis supplied).
Death, clad in the livery of heaven, lurks in the pathway of the young. Sin is gilded over by church sanctity. These various forms of amusement in the churches of our day have ruined thousands who, but for them, might have remained upright and become the followers of Christ. Wrecks of character have been made by these fashionable church festivals and theatrical performances, and thousands more will be destroyed; yet people will not be aware of the danger, nor of the fearful influences exerted. Many young men and women have lost their souls through these corrupting influences.--R.& H., Nov. 21, 1878.
Ellen G. White, Counsels on Stewardship, page 202(emphasis supplied).
VIDEO MOVIES IN THE HOME
If Ellen G. White were alive today, what would she say about watching video movies at home? The following testimony should shed light on the subject.
God has committed to my care children, not to train for worldly amusement, but for Heaven; and it is my duty to place them in the best possible conditions to understand their duty to God, and to become heirs of immortality. It is impossible for me to be guiltless if I place them in the way of temptation, where there is danger of their being thrown into every class of society, and being corrupted by surrounding influences. There is enough frivolity existing all around us, having a tendency to discourage serious impressions, and to put God out of the mind. Thousands of youth have bid fair to be an honor to their parents, and useful members in society, who have in an evil hour yielded to the Tempter who came in the form of a professed friend, and for the first time broke over the barrier to their conscience and attended the theater, to see and hear the performance of some celebrated actor. Everything fascinates them--their imagination is lively--their senses, their hearts, are carried away captive-- they are intoxicated with excitement. They leave the theater; but their imagination continues to dwell upon the scenes they have witnessed, and they are anxious to go again, and again. They acquire a passion to witness THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES. At times they may be convicted that card-playing and attending theaters are not having a beneficial influence upon their health and morals; yet they do not possess sufficient fortitude and independence to tear away from these exciting pleasures. They may strengthen themselves with the thought that physicians have not only attended theaters themselves, but have recommended others to do so, and these physicians were Christians. They thus stifle conscience with the example of worldly, pleasure-loving, professed Christians [Seventh-day Adventists]. They have learned to play cards, considering it an innocent amusement. In attending the theater they place themselves in the most dangerous company, and are exposed to the deceptive, fascinating charms of the gambler, the sensualist, and that class of females 'whose steps take hold on hell.' They yield to temptation, and continue their downward course until their consciences become seared, and they will not hesitate to degrade themselves by any vice.
Ellen G. White, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 20, 1866 (emphasis supplied).
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