Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the word . . .
D i s f e l l o w s h i p p e d ( 2 RELATED PHRASES )
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The word 'disfellowshipped' appears 9 times in the writings of EGW see page on Original site The word 'disfellowshiped' (only 1 p) appears 6 times. Related phrase: disfellowship ( ) - - separate from the church ( )
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. The reason is plain why Christ has said, “Judge not;” for it is natural for man to exalt his own goodness, to shun a candid examination of his own heart, and depreciate others. If we looked upon things in the right light, we should see that we need mercy from Christ every moment, and should render the same to our brethren. Jesus has not placed man upon the judgment-seat; for he knew human nature too well to give man the power to judge and condemn others. He knew that in their fallible judgment, they would root up some as tares, who were worthy of their sympathy and confidence, and would pass by others who deserved to be dealt with in a decided manner. When there are cases in the church which need to be dealt with decidedly, let the rule of the Bible be carried out. If the influence of erring members has an influence that corrupts others, they should be disfellowshiped; and heaven will ratify the action. It is the work of the enemy to sow tares among the wheat; and there will be men found in the church whose influence, as far as we can discern from outward appearance, is no blessing to the church. But even in cases of this character we are to move cautiously; for Christ and heavenly agencies are at work to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. { RH January 3, 1893, par. 9 }
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Unrepentant Members to Be Disfellowshiped
Those who walk in obedience to the commandments of God are the Lord’s representatives in our world. Church members are to be lightbearers. They are to help one another. If there are those in the church who are walking contrary to the word of God, who give no evidence that they are seeking to live the life of Christ, faithful shepherds are to labor for them. If they refuse to come out from the world and be separate, if they continue to walk contrary to Bible rules, they should be suspended from church fellowship, that they may not be stumbling blocks to sinners. If after being earnestly labored with, they refuse to repent and humble themselves before God, let them be separated from the church.—Letter 102, 1901, p. 6. (Written July 21, 1901, from St. Helena, California, to the church at Healdsburg.) { 15MR 167.1 }
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| About a year after he was disfellowshiped, Stephen Smith came to see his errors, confessed, and was restored to fellowship in the church (Ibid., November 25, 1852). This continued for a few months, and then he again became involved in erroneous views and was again disfellowshiped. In 1857 He found his way back again, but only for a short time (Ibid., February 19, 1857; Ibid., March 19, 1857). { 1BIO 490.3 }
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| 5. That ministers have been disfellowshiped because they would not give them up. { 4BIO 282.7 } |
| Those who refuse to hear the admonitions and warnings given by God’s faithful messengers are not to be retained in the church. They are to be disfellowshiped; for they will be as Achan in the camp of Israel—deceived and deceiving. { 5BC 1096.6 } |
D i s f e l l o w s h i p p e d
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( Spelled with 2 p's )
| Brother Jones, instruction has been given to me to the effect that you are careless in your speech, and that your words must be more carefully chosen. You must remember that you are certainly dishonoring God when you use His entrusted talent of speech, which should be consecrated and holy, in such a way that it is a stumbling block to our people. Those who refuse to hear the admonitions and warnings given by God’s faithful messengers are not to be retained in the church. They are to be disfellowshipped, for they will be as Achan in the camp of Israel — deceived and deceiving. { 11MR 209.1 }
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| I saw that great caution should be used and the church will have to bear some with individuals who do not always understand the movings of the Spirit of God, and always have some errors. And, if these individuals were disfellowshipped, they would be brought more closely in connection with an unholy influence and the possibility of saving them be lost. But, if they were still retained in the fellowship of the church, they will be where the church can have some influence over them, and may, by moving judiciously and carefully, win them to all the truth, which will discover to them their errors, and cause them to yield them up and be fully united to the church. { 9MR 196.3 }
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| “The meeting was held at the house of Bro. Preston, and was interesting from the commencement to its close. Bro. B. took a decided stand for the truth, and thanked the Lord that he had property, for he should use it in his cause. At our season of prayer in the morning at Bro. Abbey’s, the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us, and I was taken off in vision, and saw that some of the church had been disfellowshipped without sufficient cause, through the influence of dreams and impressions. I was shown that Sr. E. P. was a child of God, and they had no cause for rejecting her. And others also had been set aside who should not have been, which had driven them nearly to despair. { 2SG 150.1 }
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| At this time there was fanaticism in Maine. Some refrained wholly from labor, and disfellowshipped all those who would not receive their views on this point, and some other things which they held to be religious duties. God revealed these errors to me in vision, and sent me to his erring children to declare them; but many of them wholly rejected the message, and charged me with conforming to the world. On the other hand, the Nominal Adventists charged me with fanaticism, and I was falsely, and by some wickedly represented as being the leader of the fanaticism that I was actually laboring to do away. Different times were repeatedly set for the Lord to come, and were urged upon the brethren.—But the Lord shewed me that they would all pass by, for the time of trouble must come before the coming of Christ, and that every time that was set, and passed by, would only weaken the faith of God’s people. For this I was charged with being with the evil servant, that said in his heart, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” { ExV 7.1 } { RH July 21, 1851, par. 14 }
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| You remember I was not very well when we parted. I continued to grow feeble and all day Sabbath was very weak, not able to sit up; in the eve I fainted quite away. The brethren prayed over me and I was healed and taken off in vision. I had a deep plunge in the glory, and the state of things in Washington was revealed to me which I declared plainly to them. The vision had a powerful effect. All acknowledged their faith in the visions except Brother Butler and S. Smith. We all felt it duty to act, and by a unanimous vote of the brethren, S. Smith was disfellowshipped by the church until he should forever lay down his erroneous views. His wife then broke down and said she knew that her husband was not right. { 3MR 242.3 } |
| The work of God went right on in the meeting. Sunday eve, after we had disfellowshipped Brother Smith (in the afternoon), we had a glorious season. Many confessed that they had been prejudiced against us by different individuals such as S. Smith and J. Hart, but they praised God that they had seen us and were convinced that the visions were of God. The brethren and sisters generally arose and expressed their opinions and feelings; it was a good time. Monday forenoon we held another meeting and it was the best meeting of the whole; sweet union and love prevailed in the meeting. We then sang the farewell hymn and with sad yet joyful hearts parted—sad that we must part with those we love so well and had taken such sweet counsel with; but joyful that our hearts had been strengthened and comforted together, that the clear light of truth had shone upon us, and that we were soon to meet to part no more, where no discord or disunion reigns.... { 3MR 243.1 }
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| [On Sabbath] I was taken off in vision . . . The state of things was revealed to me in Washington, which I declared plainly to them. The vision had a powerful effect. All acknowledged their faith in the visions except Brother Butler and S. Smith. We all felt it duty to act, and by a unanimous vote of the brethren, S. Smith was disfellowshipped by the church until he should forever lay down his erroneous views.... [For a fuller report of Stephen Smith’s erratic experience and his final turnaround after reading a testimony left for twenty-eight years in an unopened envelope, see appendix C.] { 1BIO 217.6 } Sunday Eve, after we had disfellowshipped Brother Smith (in the afternoon) we had a glorious season. Many confessed that they had been prejudiced against us by different individuals such as S. Smith and J. Hart, but they praised God that they had seen us and were convinced that the visions were of God.... { 1BIO 218.1 }
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