The devotional ‘Ye Shall Receive Power’ has a number of subtle changes, but who would know? Only those who are researching to see if the quotations are correct. The average person reading the devotional day by day would not suspect anything, and as they read the word ‘He’ for the Holy Spirit, they would be confirmed in their Trinitarian belief. Not that the word itself is wrong, as the Spirit is certainly a person, the Person of the Father and Christ in Spirit. But the little word ‘it’ having been changed to ‘He’ gives a powerful message to the unsuspecting. In fact, when it is suggested there have been changes in the text, some brethren and sisters become quite upset and refuse to believe it is so.
The Devotional - one example.
"We need to pray for the impartation of the divine Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. The surface truths of revelation, made plain and easy to be understood, are accepted by many as supplying all that is essential; but the Holy Spirit, working upon the mind, awakens an earnest desire for truth uncorrupted by error. He who is really desirous to know what is truth cannot remain in ignorance; for precious truth rewards the diligent seeker. We need to feel the converting power of God's grace, and I urge all who have closed their heart against God's Spirit to unlock the door, and plead earnestly, Abide with me. Why should we not prostrate ourselves at the throne of divine grace, praying that God's Spirit may be poured out upon us as He was upon the disciples? His presence will soften our hard hearts, and fill us with joy and rejoicing, transforming us into channels of blessing.
The Lord would have every one of His children rich in faith, and this faith is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit upon the mind. Hedwells with each soul who will receive Him, speaking to the impenitent in words of warning, and pointing them to Jesus, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. He causes light to shine into the minds of those who are seeking to cooperate with God, giving them efficiency and wisdom to do His work." Ye Shall Receive Power p59 Devotional published 1996.
The original statement.
"We need to pray for the impartation of the divine Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. The surface truths of revelation, made plain and easy to be understood, are accepted by many as supplying all that is essential; but the Holy Spirit, working upon the mind, awakens an earnest desire for truth uncorrupted by error. He who is really desirous to know what is truth can not remain in ignorance; for precious truth rewards the diligent seeker. We need to feel the converting power of God's grace, and I urge all who have closed their heart against God's Spirit to unlock the door, and plead earnestly, Abide with me. Why should we not prostrate ourselves at the throne of divine grace, praying that God's Spirit may be poured out upon us asitwas upon the disciples? Itspresence will soften our hard hearts, and fill us with joy and rejoicing, transforming us into channels of blessing.
The Lord would have every one of His children rich in faith, and this faith is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit upon the mind. Itdwells with each soul who will receiveit, speaking to the impenitent in words of warning, and pointing them to Jesus, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.It causes light to shine into the minds of those who are seeking to co-operate with God, giving them efficiency and wisdom to do His work." Signs of the Times. Sept. 27. 1899
Other statements by the prophet, using the word ‘it’ are below. (All taken from the CD Rom)
"Lest it be understood in every institution in America that it is not commissioned to you to direct the work of the Holy Spirit and to tell how it shall represent itself. You have been guilty in doing this. May the Lord forgive you, is my prayer. Instead of being repressed and driven back, as it has been, the Holy Spirit should be welcomed and its presence encouraged." {CT 359.3}
"The Spirit of God, as it comes into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal. With the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the teacher of truth, he can talk of Christ and Him crucified in language that savors of heaven. The mind and Spirit of Christ will be in him, and he can present the will of God to man because is own heart has been brought into submission, and has been glorified by the Spirit of God. The Sun of Righteousness is risen upon him, that he might reflect its brightness to the world, and he will give evidence in a holy life that the truth he has received has been a sanctifying principle, and not a mere theory." {BEcho, March 1, 1892 par. 6}
"The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. We do not now see Christ and speak to Him, but His Holy Spirit is just as near us in one place as another. It works in and through every one who receives Christ. Those who know the indwelling of the Spirit reveal the fruits of the Spirit -- "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." {BEcho, June 17, 1901 par. 6}
"The Holy Spirit operates the same the world over. When it is received into the heart, the whole character is changed. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Old habits and customs and national pride and prejudice are broken down. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." When these are abiding in the soul, there will be unity of thought and action." {RH, November 3, 1885 par. 5}
"O my brethren, will you grieve the Holy Spirit, and cause it to depart? Will you shut out the blessed Saviour, because you are unprepared for His presence? Will you leave souls to perish without the knowledge of the truth, because you love your ease too well to bear the burden that Jesus bore for you? Let us awake out of sleep. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."{RH, March 22, 1887 par. 14}
"The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. . . . A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of Satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit's working. . . . Those participating in the supposed revival receive impressions which lead them adrift. They cannot tell what they formerly knew regarding Bible principles." {Mar 234.2}
"It is the Spirit itself that teaches and enlightens. The most powerful preaching of the Word, the reading of the Scriptures, will not be able to transform the character and save souls unless the Spirit works with and through the human agents. The planning and devising must not be of a character to draw attention to self. The Word is a power, a sword, in the hands of the human agent, but the Holy Spirit in its vital power is the efficiency to impress the mind. "They shall be all taught of God." It is God that causes the light to shine into hearts. ... The reason why God can do so little for us is that we forget that living virtue in the Holy Spirit is to combine with the human agent." {SD 30.2}
Sister White is not denying the personality of the Holy Spirit when she uses the word ‘it’, but in using this word, she is making it clear that the pioneer understanding of the Spirit is not a third Person as believed by Trinitarians.
Changes -- Spirit of Prophecy