Dear Pastor Hughes:

My, my, what an astonishing turnaround from what you used to preach. I distinctly recall, just before your departure from Prophecy Countdown, how you showed verse by verse, scripture by scripture, the connection between Babylon and the present-day 1SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION…NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt, corporate SDA church. In fact, I have a synopsis of that sermon in my possession. Wasn’t it called “10 Characteristics of Babylon”? And now you’re ardently defending that very same organization. Would you please answer this question for me Pastor Hughes? Was what you were preaching then error and what you are preaching now truth, or are you preaching error now and were you preaching truth back then? You can’t have it both ways. Have you seen these statements: “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1: 8. “Double-minded men and women are Satan's best allies. Whatever favorable opinion they may have of themselves, they are dissemblers. All who are loyal to God and the truth must stand firmly for the right because it is right. To yoke up with those who are unconsecrated, and yet be loyal to the truth, is simply impossible.” RH: 04-19-98.

You accuse me of being a fanatic, manifesting unsound reasoning, and a spirit of extreme intolerance toward persons who do not agree with me. Are you aware of this inspired description of a fanatic? “About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some who professed to be zealous believers in the message rejected the word of God as the one infallible guide, and, claiming to be led by the Spirit, gave themselves up to the control of their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations.” 4SOP: 243. Have I truly manifested those qualities or made statements to that effect? Please show me where Pastor Hughes. I try to make sure that my opinions are little expressed and rely wholly on an “It is written – Thus saith the Lord.” The last thing I want to do is go by my feelings!

Have you read this: “The people in Noah's day possessed sharp intellects, and they sought to show, on scientific grounds, that it was impossible for his prophecy to be fulfilled. Noah was laughed to scorn because of his warnings; he was regarded as a fanatic. Noah's implicit trust in God annoyed while it condemned them; but they could not move this faithful reprover from his position. The Lord had given the warning, and that was enough for Noah.”  1 ST: 02-27-79.  “But although John was a messenger of God, not all received his testimony. Many set themselves against him, and strove to counteract his influence. They pointed in scorn to his abstemious life, his simple habits, his coarse garments, and declared that he was a fanatic.” 4 RH: 10-18-92. 

And again: “Miller's name was seldom mentioned by the religious press except by way of ridicule or denunciation. The careless and ungodly, emboldened by the position of religious teachers, resorted to opprobrious epithets, to base and blasphemous witticisms, in their efforts to heap contumely upon him and his work. The gray-headed man who had left a comfortable home to travel at his own expense from city to city, from town to town, toiling unceasingly to bear to the world the solemn warning of the Judgment near, was sneeringly denounced as a fanatic, a liar, a speculating knave.” GC 88: 336.

I am hardly worthy to be included among the company of these illustrious champions of the truth, but we read this prophecy that is being fulfilled before our very eyes: “Now is our time of peril. Our only safety is in walking in the footsteps of Christ, and wearing his yoke. Troublous times are before us. In many instances, friends will become alienated. Without cause men will become our enemies. The motives of the people of God will be misinterpreted, not only by the world, but by their own brethren. The Lord's servants will be put in hard places. A mountain will be made of a molehill to justify men in pursuing a selfish, unrighteous course. The work that men have done faithfully will be disparaged and underrated, because apparent prosperity does not attend their efforts. By misrepresentation these men will be clothed in dark vestments of dishonesty because circumstances beyond their control made their work perplexing. They will be pointed to as men that cannot be trusted. And this will be done by members of the church. God's servants must arm themselves with the mind of Christ. They must not expect to escape insult and misjudgment. They will be called enthusiasts and fanatics. But let them not become discouraged. God's hands are on the wheel of his providence, guiding his work to the glory of his name. UL: 177

We also read: “ Now as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times will excite opposition. "Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." John 3:20. As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the Scriptures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards, and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth. It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages.  Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious, heretical, or schismatic.” GC: 458.

Going on, you state, Pastor Hughes, “His first two ‘evidences’ have no relationship whatever to his arguments that we must now all leave the Seventh-day Adventist church. The first has to do with the two angel’s warning to Lot to immediately leave Sodom. The simple fact is that no two (or more) angels have come to us with a warning to immediately leave the Seventh-day Adventist church. If this should happen, the Settle’s reasoning would be sound. Until it does happen his reasoning is unsound and his conclusion is valid.”

First of all Pastor Hughes, the point I was trying to make had to do with the principle of corporate accountability––the fact that if Lot did not leave his sinful surroundings he would not be spared. Did I fail to make that point clear enough? You have chosen to totally ignore the entire premise of the article and place the focus on the events rather than on what lessons we are to learn from Lot’s experience. But since we’re on this subject, you state “no angels have come to us with a warning to immediately leave the Seventh-day Adventist church.”  I will show that you are also mistaken on that issue.

We read: “It was to SEPARATE the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world that the first angel’s message was given.” 4 SP: 231.

Question: Is the present-day 1 SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION…NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt,  corporate SDA church separate from the corrupting influence of the world or not? Obviously, if it was, then it would not be in apostasy, so since it clearly is, then is not this angel’s message to be heeded?

The second angel’s message is “Babylon is fallen...Come out of her my people.” Rev. 14: 8. In light of your previously mentioned sermon, and in light of the fact that according to 5T: 211 the plagues prepared for Babylon are going to fall first on the present 1 SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION...NEW MOVEMENT...God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt, corporate SDA church, shouldn’t every wise and prudent believer heed this message also?

Again we read: “The third angel’s message must do its work of separating from the churches a people who will take their stand on the platform of eternal truth.”  Is the present-day 1 SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION...NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed” apostate, corrupt, corporate SDA church standing on the platform of eternal truth? Not when it claims to have the authority to change doctrine and fundamental beliefs and to hold the authority of the Church manual above the Holy Scriptures––do you deny that I am stating verifiable facts?

And do you know who these angels are, Pastor Hughes? We read: “ Time is short. The first, second, and third angel's messages are the messages to be given to the world. We hear not literally the voice of the three angels, but these angels in Revelation represent a people who will be upon the earth and give these messages.” 1888: 926.  “ The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth's history. No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the

universe of heaven. Men and women, enlightened by the Spirit of God and sanctified through the truth, proclaim the three messages in their order.” NL: 61. And again we read: “ The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God’s messages and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth.” 5T: 455.

Pastor Hughes, since these messages are given “in the last days” when “time is short” shouldn’t every prudent person who is in the midst of an apostate organization leave it immediately? And if you have any doubts at all as to how short time really is, please refer to 2 SM: 36. which mentions the “celebration” movement as taking place “just before the close of probation,” and again in EW: 261 which describes the very events you are resisting and raising your voice against as people leave the fallen churches, to take their stand with the remnant, now, just “before the plagues shall be poured out.”  Aren’t these two statements synonymous with each other in regard to the time we’re living in, and isn’t this a call to take action immediately?

In a correspondence with one of your well-known cohorts he stated that the third angel’s message did not include the SDA church––of course with nothing but his own (fanatical) opinion to support it. But if anyone feels that the 3^rd angel’s message excludes the present-day “NEW ORGANIZATION…NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt, SDA church, then he faces a truly significant conundrum, for he would have that angel in essence saying to all the other churches “come out of your apostasy into my apostasy––leave your harlot and come join me with my 8T: 250 harlot! Or if I am mistaken Pastor Hughes, please give me page and text.

Going on, it’s very interesting that you totally ignore what Ellen White herself states and choose instead to quote what her son stated she said when you quote “During our conversation, I told (a certain lady) how Mother regarded the experience of the remnant church, and of her positive teaching that God would not permit this denomination to so fully apostatize that there would be the coming out of another church.”  Ellen C. White The Later Elmshaven Years, Vol. 6, 1905-1915, page 428.

 Before I disprove this statement let me ask you a serious question Pastor Hughes. Was it God’s desire that Israel apostatize? Could He have prevented it? This is probably the most serious issue of this or any dialogue because we’re talking free will here; we’re talking about the power of choice. We read in DA: 587: “That day had come to Jerusalem. Jesus wept in anguish over the doomed city, but He could not deliver her. He had exhausted every resource. In rejecting the warnings of God’s Spirit, Israel had rejected the only means of help. There was no other power by which they could be delivered.”

If you teach and believe that “no matter what the church is going through,” and by the church you mean the present-day 1 SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION…NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt, corporate SDA church, then you are not preaching the Advent message that God gave to His remnant church, you are preaching a denominational ONCE SAVE ALWAYS SAVED falsehood!

In view of W. C. White’s statement have you forgotten, or do you choose to ignore this inspired statement by the Lord’s messenger which says: “I was confirmed in all that I had stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but now they act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out.” MS: 1216, pp.5-6.

A coming out of what Pastor Hughes? The 1844 Millerite Movement resulted in a coming out of the denominational churches, so the only rational and logical conclusion that can be reached by this statement is that Ellen White hoped that there would not be a necessity for a second coming out, a coming out from the Adventist Church!

In closing, let us look at the final charge you level against me that “Finally, Settle seems to be blissfully unaware that according to his ‘logic’ Ellen White herself is hopelessly lost and condemned to the lake of fire. She knew more about evils in the church than anyone else did, yet she never separated herself from the church. That makes her case hopeless, according to Settle’s reasoning...This is a classic example of unsound reasoning leading to invalid conclusions.”

I truly am glad you brought that up Pastor Hughes. Because so many confused and searching people wonder “Well if the church was so apostate then why didn’t Ellen White separate from it.” The fact of the matter is that there was a time when she stated: “I have but very little confidence that the Lord is giving these men in positions of responsibility spiritual eyesight and heavenly discernment. I am thrown into perplexity over their course; and I desire now to attend to my special work, to have no part in any of their councils, and to attend no camp meetings, nigh nor afar off. My mind shall not be dragged into confusion by the tendency they manifest to work directly contrary to the light that God has given me. I am done. I will preserve my God-given intelligence. My voice has been heard in the different conferences and at camp meetings. I must now make a change... I shall, therefore, leave them to receive word from the Bible, in which the principles upon which they should work are laid down in straight lines...This is the light given me, and I shall not depart from it.”  Letter W-186 12-2-1902 to Edson and Willie White.

Furthermore, let us look at some other direct statements she made as we read: “All who are educated in the office of publication should see there exemplified the principles of heaven. I would rather lay a child of mine in his grave than have him go there to see these principles mangled and perverted. The principles of heaven are to be carried out in every family, in the discipline of every church, in every establishment, in every institution, in every school, and in everything that shall be managed.” 1888: 1745.  And again: “The warning is given in the Word, "Some shall depart from the faith,

 giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." We now repeat, Parents, keep your children away from Battle Creek. Some of our medical missionary workers are becoming leavened with infidelity. Specious heresy has been taking hold of minds, and its threads have been woven into the pattern of the figure. Who is responsible for giving young men and women an education that has left a seducing influence upon their minds? One father writes that of his two children who were sent to Battle Creek, one is now an infidel and the other has given up the truth.  Letters such as this have been coming from different ones. The warning is given me to give to parents, If your children are in Battle Creek, call them away without delay.”  20 MR: 66. And again we read: “But if the influences at Battle Creek shall be in the future what they have been for several years past, I would warn parents to keep their children from Battle Creek. There are but few in that large church who have an influence that will steadily draw souls to Christ. There are many who would, by their example, lead the youth away from God to the love of the world.”  Test. to church at Battle Creek: 50.

In reading these statements how would Ellen White regard the SDA churches and institutions of today with their aggressive ecumenical emphasis, their papal-hugging attitude, their modernistic “culturally relevant” Pentecostalism, their satanically inspired NLP techniques, their persecution in the courts of the land of those who are simply contending for the faith, and the many, many other betrayals and conspiracies against the truth? Please tell me Pastor Hughes; would she be raising her voice in alarm at those who are determined to have nothing to do with these abominations? Would she, like yourself, be calling them back in? You would never convince me of that!

Now Pastor Hughes, you know that in all my dissertations I have always referred to the present-day 1SM: 204-5 “NEW ORGANIZATION...NEW MOVEMENT…God…removed…without God” apostate, corrupt, corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church as the church God is calling His people out of. Even though the church in Ellen White’s day had apostasies sweeping through it, it nevertheless still maintained the pillars of our faith, it still held fast to the fundamental principles of the Advent movement. It was still the church God established and ordained, not a NEW ORGANIZATION––the fulfillment of the omega of apostasy. So to charge me with the base falsehood that according to my logic “Ellen White herself is hopelessly lost and condemned to the lake of fire” shows either that you merely skimmed over my articles and did not grasp their context, or that you are deliberately trying to twist my words. But you know, everything is written there on paper for the whole world and universe to see, and if I have truly expressed what you state, then I insist that you prove it by showing it to me.

As far as my “intolerant spirit as revealed in a letter to Elder Lawrence Nelson,” in all honesty, I really sorrow for that dear soul. Here he is in the sunset of his years, consigning many souls who take his advice to eternal doom by advising them to stay in the doomed, apostate 5T: 211 structure despite the statement that says: “The angel is to place a mark upon the forehead of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel will follow, to slay utterly both old and young.” 5T: 505. Because Elder Nelson is rejecting the straight testimony, because he is rejecting the 3^rd angel’s message, out of concern for his soul and the souls of the many that he is leading to destruction I have taken the time and effort to warn him of the mortal danger he is in, as I am warning you Pastor Hughes. [Have you read Ezekiel 33: 1-9?]  If you consider that intolerant, then what would you consider loving, not warning him?  Please tell me.

In Christian concern for your soul,

Sincerely,

Clarence A. Settle

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my view
written by pingz, March 20, 2009

sometimes, I read articles which are not so ministerial, like this. It seems like arguing one's statement instead of ministering. Comments for me, sometimes not so good to read.

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