Welcome!

An Open Letter to Ray De Carlo

For a time they may continue to teach some phases of the truth; but their refusal to accept all the light God sends will after a time place them where they will do the work of a false watchman.

In the past Ray De Carlo has demonstrated that he is fully willing to employ false witness to win an argument that he deems important. He has stood before God’s people more than once and told them in a matter of fact fashion that the 2520 time prophecy is not on the 1850 pioneer chart. He has done this more than once where immediately thereafter men have approached him and identified that even if Ray did not believe in the 2520 prophecy that the 2520 prophecy is most certainly on the 1850 chart. In spite of being informed, he continued (and perhaps still does) to teach that the 2520 prophecy is not on the 1850 pioneer chart.

His recent newsletter identifies that I was predicting a Sunday law before the year 2000, and that I was making that prediction in 1998. I will still stand by what I taught in 1998 and 1999 and reject the interpretation of my words that Ray is now claiming. I will also state that I have made mistakes with prophetic interpretation in the past and expect that it may happen again, for I am but a human being. I have never claimed infallibility. Notice the following passage:

  “I saw our people in great distress, weeping, and praying, pleading the sure promises of God, while the wicked were all around us, mocking us, and threatening to destroy us. They ridiculed our feebleness, they mocked at the smallness of our numbers, and taunted us with words calculated to cut deep. They charged us with taking an independent position from all the rest of the world. They had cut off our resources so that we could not buy nor sell, and referred to our abject poverty and stricken condition. They could not see how we could live without the world; we were dependent upon the world, and we must concede to the customs, practices, and laws of the world, or go out of it. If we were the only people in the world whom the Lord favored the appearances were awfully against us. They declared that they had the truth, that miracles were among them, that angels from heaven talked with them, and walked with them, that great power, and signs and wonders were performed among them, and this was the Temporal Millennium, which they had been expecting so long. The whole world was converted and in harmony with the Sunday law, and this little feeble people stood out in defiance of the laws of the land, and the laws of God, and claimed to be the only ones right on the earth.” Maranatha, 209.

In the 1998 and 1999 time period we were teaching a series titled, The Crowning Act. We dealt with the fact that Satan impersonates Christ immediately after the Sunday law, and not before, and that he is allowed to continue that work until Michael stands up. In connection with that we dealt with what Sister White says about the temporal millennium. In the previous passage it is evident that Satan is already performing his crowning act of deception and that the history is after the Sunday law. My emphasis at that point in time was that if Y2K, (which in December of 1998 was being discussed by all the world) was also the “temporal millennium” that Sister White identified in her writings, then before December 31, 1999 there would be a Sunday law. I stand by that application.

Had Y2K been the temporal millennium addressed by the Spirit of Prophecy, then the Sunday law in the United States would have preceded that event.

Ray also charges that Sister White claims we will never know when the latter rain arrives. This is an absolute wresting of the Scriptures and a demonstration of a lack of understanding of the writings of Ellen White. Zechariah informs us that we are to pray for the latter rain in the time of the latter rain. How can we do this if we are never to know when the latter rain arrives? Sister White identified that the latter rain had arrived in the 1888 time period. Was she contradicting herself?

Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. Zechariah 10:1.

“I have no specific time of which to speak when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will take place,—when the mighty angel will come down from heaven, and unite with the third angel in closing up the work for this world; my message is that our only safety is in being ready for the heavenly refreshing, having our lamps trimmed and burning.” Review and Herald, March 29, 1892. 

Sister White is identifying that she had no light that would allow her to make a prediction when the mighty angel of the latter rain would arrive in history. That statement does not mean that we would not know after it arrived. It is a wresting of her words to state otherwise. She states repeatedly that we are to “recognize” the latter rain in order to receive it. How could we possibly recognize something, but at the same time not know that it had arrived?

“Unless those who can help in—are aroused to a sense of their duty, they will not recognize the work of God when the loud cry of the third angel shall be heard. When light goes forth to lighten the earth, instead of coming up to the help of the Lord, they will want to bind about His work to meet their narrow ideas. Let me tell you that the Lord will work in this last work in a manner very much out of the common order of things, and in a way that will be contrary to any human planning. There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands. The workers will be surprised by the simple means that He will use to bring about and perfect His work of righteousness.” Testimonies to Minsters, 300.

Did Jones and Waggoner identify that they were then preaching the latter rain message and that they were then in the latter rain? They most certainly did. Where do we find correction for their false application from Sister White? We do not.

“Well now, how are we going to know anything about that message if we are not in a position to recognize anything of the light of heaven when it comes to us? And we will just as soon pick up the darkest deception when it comes to us from somebody that agrees with us, when we have not a particle of evidence that the Spirit of God has sent them. Christ said, ‘I come in the name of my Father, but ye will not receive me’ [see John 5:43]. Now, that is just the work that has been going on here ever since the meeting at Minneapolis. Because God sends a message in his name that does not agree with your ideas, therefore [you conclude] it cannot be a message from God.” Sermons and Talks, volume 1, 142.

In The Great Controversy, page 611, we are informed that all the prophecies that were fulfilled at Pentecost will be fulfilled during the latter rain. During Pentecost Peter was specifically opposing the men who were suggesting that those then proclaiming the message in various languages were not drunk, but they were a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. Peter prefigures the latter rain time period and he illustrates a man that was receiving, proclaiming and identifying that the rain was then falling. That prophecy is repeated in the latter rain.

“We must not wait for the latter rain. It is coming upon all who will recognize and appropriate the dew and showers of grace that fall upon us. When we gather up the fragments of light, when we appreciate the sure mercies of God, who loves to have us trust Him, then every promise will be fulfilled. [Isaiah 61:11 quoted.] The whole earth is to be filled with the glory of God.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7, 984.

“We may be sure that when the Holy Spirit is poured out, those who did not receive and appreciate the early rain will not see or understand the value of the latter rain.” Manuscript Releases, volume 1, 180.

“Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” Testimonies to Ministers, 507.

Sister White teaches that we are required to recognize when the latter rain arrives in order to receive it. Ray insists that she states we will never know. Her statement of course does not say we will never know. Her statement states that she had no advance prediction of when it would arrive, and to interpret the statement as Ray has done is to turn her teaching concerning our need to recognize the arrival of the latter rain upside down.

Ray is waging a war against returning to the foundations of Adventism, whether he understands that fact or not. Ray rejects the foundational truths of Adventism, though we have been informed that the message the Millerites proclaimed is to be our message.

“God is not giving us a new message. We are to proclaim the message that in 1843 and 1844 brought us out of the other churches.” Review and Herald, January 19, 1905.

“God bids us give our time and strength to the work of preaching to the people the messages that stirred men and women in 1843 and 1844.” Manuscript Release, Number 760.

The message proclaimed in 1843 and 1844 is the message represented upon the 1843 chart, of which Sister White says was directed by the hand of the Lord.

“I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed.” Early Writings, 74–75.

That chart represents the message proclaimed in 1843 and 1844, but Ray (and others) would have us believe that when Sister White states that the Lord held “His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures” that everything which he does not understand or rejects falls into the category of the “mistake” she identified. Yet she states it was a singular “mistake” that impacted “some of the figures.” Ray would have us believe that he is in agreement with the testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy, but refuses to let her own words identify what the mistake was, as she does in the very same book. Notice how she describes the singular mistake in some of the prophetic periods.

“I saw the people of God joyful in expectation, looking for their Lord. But God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who were looking for their Lord did not discover this mistake, and the most learned men who opposed the time also failed to see it. . .

“Those faithful, disappointed ones, who could not understand why their Lord did not come, were not left in darkness. Again they were led to their Bibles to search the prophetic periods. The hand of the Lord was removed from the figures, and the mistake was explained. They saw that the prophetic periods reached to 1844, and that the same evidence which they had presented to show that the prophetic periods closed in 1843, proved that they would terminate in 1844.” Early Writings, 235–237.

The singular mistake upon the chart impacted the “figures” which she further identified as the “prophetic periods” that “closed” in 1843. There are only three prophetic periods on the 1843 chart that close in 1843, but of those three prophetic periods, only two had the commencement in the BC time frame, and the third began in 508 AD. There was no mathematical or historical mistake that invalidated the application of the 1335 time prophecy. That prophecy began in 508 and concluded in 1843.

Therefore the singular mistake that impacted the figures representing the prophetic periods that they had believed ended in 1843 had to do with a mistake in how they transitioned from BC to AD in their application of the 2300 and 2520 time prophecies. She here directly informs us that “the same evidence which they had presented to show that the prophetic periods closed in 1843, proved that they would terminate in 1844.”

This is a direct endorsement of not only the correctness of the 2300 year prophecy, but also the 2520 year prophecy.

 Ray refuses to see an abundant amount of evidence along this line. He has publically stated, though he knew the truth on the subject, that the 2520 is not even on the 1850 chart. He is no doubt aware that very few Seventh-day Adventists have access to the 1850 chart, so his insistence may convince many who are open to listening to him. Yet, the 2520 is on the 1850 chart and this is what Sister White states concerning that chart:

“The Lord showed me that he, James, must take the testimonies that the leading Adventists published in ‘44, and republish them and make them ashamed. He is now doing that work...

“God showed me the necessity of getting out a chart. I saw it was needed and that the truth made plain upon tables would affect much and would cause souls to come to the knowledge of the truth.

“On our return to Brother Nichol’s, the Lord gave me a vision and showed me that the truth must be made plain upon tables, and it would cause many to decide for the truth by the third angel’s message with the two former being made plain upon tables.” Manuscript Releases, volume 5, 201–203.

“The [1850] chart is being executed in Boston. God is in it.

“Brother Nichols has the charge of it.” Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 213.

“I saw that God was in the publishment of the chart by Brother Nichols. I saw that there was a prophecy of this chart in the Bible, and if this chart is designed for God’s people, if it [is] sufficient for one it is for another, and if one needed a new chart painted on a larger scale, all need it just as much. . . .

“I saw that the charts [the 1843 and the 1850] ordered by God struck the mind favorably, even without an explanation. There is something light, lovely, and heavenly in the representation of the angels on the charts. The mind is almost imperceptibly led to God and heaven. But the other charts that have been gotten up disgust the mind, and cause the mind to dwell more on earth than heaven.” Manuscript Releases, volume 13, 359.

She clearly and directly informs all who will see that both the 1843 and 1850 chart were a fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:1–4.

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. 

Habakkuk does not say write the vision on a table, he says, “upon tables” in the plural. The 1843 and 1850 chart was the fulfillment of Habakkuk’s tables and Sister White directly taught that truth. She also taught that the truths represented upon the 1843 charts were the foundations of Adventism.

“The warning has come: Nothing is to be allowed to come in that will disturb the foundation of the faith upon which we have been building ever since the message came in 1842, 1843, and 1844. I was in this message, and ever since I have been standing before the world, true to the light that God has given us. We do not propose to take our feet off the platform on which they were placed as day by day we sought the Lord with earnest prayer, seeking for light. Do you think that I could give up the light that God has given me? It is to be as the Rock of Ages. It has been guiding me ever since it was given.” Review and Herald, April 14, 1903.

The truths of 1842, 1843 and 1844 were the truths that are the foundations of the faith, they are the platform of Adventism and according to Sister White those truths are the Rock of Ages!  It is a denial of history to suggest that the truths upon the 1843 chart were not the truths presented in those years.

“Now our history shows that there were hundreds teaching from the same chronological charts that William Miller was, all of one stamp. Then it was the oneness of the message all on one theme, the coming of the Lord Jesus at a certain time, 1844.” Joseph Bates, Early SDA Pamphlets, 17.

It is also a denial of history to suggest that the pioneers did not understand that the chart was a fulfillment of Habakkuk.

“It was the united testimony of Second Advent lecturers and papers, when standing on ‘the original faith,’ that the publication of the chart was a fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:2, 3. If the chart was a subject of prophecy (and those who deny it leave the original faith), then it follows that B.C. 457 was the year from which to date the 2300 days. It was necessary that 1843 should be the first published time in order that ‘the vision’ should ‘tarry,’ or that there should be a tarrying time, in which the virgin band was to slumber and sleep on the great subject of time, just before they were to be aroused by the Midnight Cry.” Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, volume I, number 2, James White.

Yet, Ray wishes to suggest that the 2520 is not valid. She does not tell us to teach the truths on the 1843 chart that Ray decides are valid, she states:

“All the messages given from 1840–1844 are to be made forcible now, for there are many people who have lost their bearings. The messages are to go to all the churches.

“Christ said, ‘Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them’ [Matt. 13:16, 17]. Blessed are the eyes which saw the things that were seen in 1843 and 1844.

“The message was given. And there should be no delay in repeating the message, for the signs of the times are fulfilling; the closing work must be done. A great work will be done in a short time. A message will soon be given by God’s appointment that will swell into a loud cry. Then Daniel will stand in his lot, to give his testimony.” Manuscript Releases, volume 21, 437.

Based upon Ray’s blindness concerning what is represented upon Habakkuk’s two tables I will defer from defending the claims I have made concerning September 11, 2001. Those claims are a matter of public record, but the message of September 11, 2001 will be only recognized if you are standing upon the platform of understanding represented by the truths on Habakkuk’s two tables. Ray has been fighting what we share for over a decade and my current attitude towards his attacks is based upon the following passage.

“I am instructed to present these words before those who have had light and evidence, but who have walked directly contrary to the light. The Lord will make the punishment of those who will not receive his admonitions and warnings as broad as the wrong has been. The purpose of those who have tried to cover their wrong, while they have secretly worked against the purposes of God, will be fully revealed. Truth will be vindicated. God will make manifest that He is God. There is a spirit of wickedness at work in the church that is striving at every opportunity to make void the law of God. While the Lord may not punish unto death those who have carried their rebellion to great lengths, the light will never again shine with such convincing power upon the stubborn opposers of truth. Sufficient evidence is given to every soul regarding what is truth and what is error. But the deceptive power of evil upon some is so great that they will not receive the evidence and respond to it by repentance. A long-continued resistance of truth will harden the most impressionable heart. Those who reject the Spirit of truth place themselves under the control of a spirit that is opposed to the word and work of God. For a time they may continue to teach some phases of the truth; but their refusal to accept all the light God sends will after a time place them where they will do the work of a false watchman.

“The interests of the cause of present truth demand that those who profess to stand on the Lord’s side shall bring into exercise all their powers to vindicate the advent message, the most important message that will ever come to the world. For those who stand as representatives of present truth to use time and energy now in attempting to answer the questions of the doubting ones, will be an unwise use of their time. It will not remove the doubts. The burden of our work now, is not to labor for those who, although they have had abundant light and evidence, still continue on the unbelieving side. God bids us give our time and strength to the work of preaching to the people the messages that stirred men and women in 1843 and 1844.  We are now to labor unceasingly to get the truth before Jew and Gentile. Instead of going over and over the same ground to establish the faith of those who should never have accepted a doubt regarding the Third Angel’s Message, let our efforts be given to making known the truth to those who have never heard it. God calls upon us to make known to all men the truths that have made us what we are, Seventh-Day Adventists.

“God is speaking to His people today as He spoke to Israel through Moses, saying, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’ My brethren, take your position where God bids you. Leave alone those who after light has been repeatedly given them have taken a stand on the opposite side. You are not to spend precious time in repeating to them what they already know, and thus lose your opportunity of entering new fields with the message of present truth. Take up the work which has been given us. With the word of God as your message, stand on the platform of truth and proclaim the soon coming of Christ. Truth, eternal truth, will prevail. For more than half a century the different points of present truth have been questioned and opposed. New theories have been advanced as truth, which were not truth, and the Spirit of God revealed their error. As the great pillars of our faith have been presented, the Holy Spirit has borne witness to them, and especially is this so regarding the truths of the sanctuary question. Over and over again the Holy Spirit has in a marked manner endorsed the preaching of this doctrine. But today, as in the past, some will be led to form new theories and to deny the truths upon which the Spirit of God has placed His approval.” The Paulson Collection, 61.

Ray would have us believe that he is a messenger of the third angel’s message, but the third angel’s message is based upon the foundational truths represented on the 1843 chart.

“Those who stand as teachers and leaders in our institutions are to be sound in the faith and in the principles of the third angel’s message. God wants His people to know that we have the message as He gave it to us in 1843 and 1844.” General Conference Bulletin, April 1, 1903.

Jeff Pippenger—April 22, 2010