PAGE 50: MESSENGERS WITHOUT A MESSAGE.--THIS EXPRESSION APPEARS IN AN ACCOUNT OF A VIEW GIVEN TO ELLEN WHITE ON JANUARY 26, 1850. AT THIS TIME THE SABBATHKEEPING ADVENTISTS HAD NO CHURCH ORGANIZATION. NEARLY ALL WERE FEARFUL THAT ANY TYPE OF ORGANIZATION WOULD BRING IN FORMALITY AMONG THE BELIEVERS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, DISCORDANT ELEMENTS BEGAN TO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THE RANKS. MESSAGES OF WARNING CAME FROM ELLEN WHITE, AND THE SABBATHKEEPING ADVENTISTS WERE LED STEP BY STEP TO ADOPT THE FORMS OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION. AS A RESULT THE COMPANIES OF BELIEVERS WERE KNIT TOGETHER MORE CLOSELY THAN BEFORE; A WAY WAS DEVISED TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO MINISTERS WHO GAVE EVIDENCE THAT THEY COULD PREACH THE MESSAGE AND SUPPORT IT WITH THEIR LIVES; AND PROVISION WAS MADE TO CAST OUT THOSE WHO, UNDER THE PRETEXT OF PRESENTING TRUTH, TAUGHT ERROR. SEE "HISTORICAL PROLOGUE." {EW 300.3}