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Study 01 of 10

A Manifest Demonstration of the Spirit

Historical background to the 1895 Armadale camp meeting and Ellen White's repeated testimony that Prescott preached in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power.

Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.

Synopsis

W. W. Prescott, president of Battle Creek College, was deeply moved by the 1888 message of righteousness by faith, though the church at large resisted it for years. By 1895, sent to Australia, Prescott began preaching Christ as the center of every doctrine rather than merely 'proving the doctrines.' At the three-week Armadale camp meeting near Melbourne, he spoke more than thirty-one times, and Ellen White, present throughout, wrote letter after letter describing an extraordinary outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon him. She said unbelievers turned pale, calling him 'inspired,' that his lips had been 'touched with a coal from off the altar,' and that the truth came 'in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power.' Crowds who had never before attended an Adventist meeting were converted, and the public image of Seventh-day Adventists was 'completely revolutionized.' Yet when Prescott's related manuscript on the law reached Battle Creek, the book committee rejected it, and Ellen White rebuked their unbelief. Armadale stands as a demonstration of what God longed to do at Minneapolis but could not, because of resistance—and of what He still wants to do for every believer who welcomes the Spirit as a dear Guest.

Key points

  • Prescott's 1888 experience led him to present every doctrine as 'simply the gospel of Christ rightly understood.'
  • At Armadale, Prescott preached over thirty-one times, always exalting Christ rather than mere doctrinal argument.
  • Ellen White wrote repeatedly that the truth came from Prescott's lips 'in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power.'
  • Unbelievers were converted and openly declared, 'that man is inspired,' while Battle Creek's leadership still resisted similar light.

Key texts

  • 1 Corinthians 2:4
  • Isaiah 6:6-7
  • Zechariah 4:6

From the book

Sermon 0 · The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts · Read this chapter

  • “The truth comes forth from human lips in the demonstration of the Spirit and power…. We are hoping and praying for an outpouring of the Spirit of God upon the people.” (sermon 0)
  • “I know that since coming to this place he has had the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, his lips have been touched with a coal from off the altar.” (sermon 0)
  • “Large numbers testify that they have never heard the Word administered with such power and in the manifest demonstration of the Spirit as at this meeting.” (sermon 0)

Put it into practice

  • Ask God for the same hunger for Christ-centered preaching that marked the Armadale meetings.
  • Examine whether I resist present truth the way some at Battle Creek resisted 1888, or whether I welcome it like the Armadale crowds.
  • Pray specifically for a fresh 'demonstration of the Spirit' in my own witness and teaching this week.
  1. Comprehension

    1. What change did Prescott make in his method of teaching church doctrines after 1888?

  2. Scripture

    2. How did unbelievers describe Prescott's preaching at Armadale?

  3. Doctrinal Clarity

    3. Why is it significant that Ellen White wrote of this 'no less than a dozen times'?

  4. Comprehension

    4. What happened when Prescott sent his manuscript 'The Law in Christ' to Battle Creek?

  5. Contrast

    5. What does the author suggest God was demonstrating through Armadale that He could not fully demonstrate at Battle Creek?

  6. Doctrinal Clarity

    6. Why couldn't the church move faster than it did after Minneapolis and Armadale?

  7. Scripture

    7. What was the effect of Prescott's Christ-centered preaching on public opinion about Adventists?

  8. Application

    8. What is one area where you personally need a fresh 'demonstration of the Spirit'?