Digging For Truth

          Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .

                  The  phrase  "Blind Leader"   appears  2 times in the writings of Ellen G. White                    Not on the original site                                           The Phrase  "blind Leaders"   appears  41 times in the writings of EGW.                        Related Phrase:   Blind leaders of the blind  ( below )

Many will not search the Scriptures for themselves. They remain in willing ignorance of the origin and perpetuity of the law of the ten commandments. They trust to the researches of others to settle this matter for them.  Blind leaders say, “You need not keep the law of God, for it is not binding. It is a yoke of bondage.” And the willingly ignorant are blind, led by the blind. Neither are guiltless. God has provided for them in his law a mirror, that they may see their true character. Does it improve their condition to break this faithful looking-glass, because it reveals to them their defects? The work they should engage in is to put away sin, and every impurity, and work righteousness. Their remaining in willing ignorance of the claims of the law of God will not shield them from the penalty to be inflicted in consequence of its violation.  { RH March 8, 1870, par. 14 }

They want to silence the flock, therefore they get up something to silence them and lull them to sleep upon these truths which condemn them and cut them off. Their followers read their Bibles so little that error could be easily made by these blind leaders to appear like truth, and the followers receive it as such, not looking any higher than their leaders. And they, having a disposition to get rid of the fourth commandment, love these errors and love to have it so. { 6MR 169.2 } 

O backsliding Israel, return unto the Lord with full purpose of heart, confess your sins, and make humble supplications to God. It will not be possible for you to stand in the day of trial that is just before us, with your present sins resting upon you. You may understand the truth theoretically, but this will not save you. It must be impressed upon your heart by the power and Spirit of God. Unless truth is enthroned in the soul, unless the thoughts and the purposes, the aims, and the whole object of life, are brought into the service of Jesus Christ, under the control of his Spirit, there cannot be a transformation from darkness to light. Even ministers who proclaim the truth are only blind leaders of the blind, — clouds without water, carried about with every wind, — unless they have the principles of the truth deep down in the soul; trees are they “whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” { RH December 18, 1888, par. 5 }

There are men of the world who will volunteer to be our guides; they regard their course as wise, but they are of the class who, professing to be wise, need to become fools in order to become wise in God’s wisdom. They lead away from the path where the voice of Jesus is heard, saying, “This is the way; walk ye in it.” They are false teachers, blind leaders of the blind. They divert the attention from the very work to be done in this period of the world’s history. But those who follow the Leader step by step, will hear and recognize the voice of the True Shepherd. { RH January 31, 1893, par. 6 }

The word of God is the pearl of great price. It is unchangeable, eternal. Truth as it is in Jesus sets men right, and keeps them so. The truth is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. But the truth is no truth to him who does not obey it. When men drift away from the principles of truth, they always betray sacred trust. Let every soul, whatever may be his sphere of action, make sure that the truth is implanted in the heart by the power of the Spirit of God. Unless this is made certain, those who preach the Word will betray holy trusts. Physicians will make shipwreck of the faith. Lawyers, judges, senators, will become corrupted, and yielding to bribery, will allow themselves to be bought and sold. Those who do not walk in the light as Christ is in the light, are blind leaders of the blind. “Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” { RH August 1, 1899, par. 10 }

While Christ would lead his servants out into the highways, into the homes of men, to seek and save the lost, Satan is employing his agents to lead souls to ruin. His most effective agents for this work are those whose names are on the church records but who fail of a record in “the Lamb’s book of life.” There are many who are blind leaders of the blind, and leaders and those who are led will come to destruction at last. Satan is ever on the alert that he may lead men into idolatry, that those who profess to love Christ may bow down to rivals of the Lord of heaven. The success which Satan has achieved in leading the religious world into idolatry, has made him bold, and much of what the world calls “advanced thought” is simply progress into error and darkness. { RH December 26, 1912, par. 3 }

There is in Battle Creek a class that have the truth planted in the heart. It is to them the power of God unto salvation. But unless the truth is enthroned in the heart, and a thorough transition takes place from darkness to light, those who handle sacred responsibilities are ministers of darkness, blind leaders of the blind. “Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” God requires that every soul that names His name shall have the truth enthroned in the heart. The time in which we live demands it. Eternity demands it. Pure religion demands it.  { TM 81.2} 

Jesus in the New Testament does the same work as Jesus in the Old Testament did; but men are so determined to do away with the law of God, in order that they may find a way of avoiding the observance of the Sabbath, that they array Jesus in the New Testament against Jesus in the Old Testament. These blind leaders of the blind, who are ignorant both of the Scriptures and of the power of God, pour contempt on the law of God, and at the same time seek to hold up Christ in contrast to the law. But this they cannot do; for Christ gave the law to his chosen people, and in seeking to make void the law of God on the ground that Christ abolished it, they do insult to both the Father and the Son. Jesus says, “I and my Father are one.” { ST October 2, 1893, par. 8 }

Some have been so blinded by their own unbelief that they could not discern the spirit of Brother B. They might have been helped by him if he had been standing in the counsel of God. He could have led them to the light instead of increasing their confusion of faith and their perplexities. But he has been a stumbling block, a blind leader of the blind. Had he made straight paths for his feet, the lame would not have been turned out of the way, but would have been healed. He has refused to walk in the light of truth which God has given His people, and those who would walk in the light he has hindered.  { 3T 441.1} 

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