A USEFUL ISSUE
The Adventist Review just keeps doing it again and again! The issue with the cover story, "Into the Tide" (Sept. 23, 2004), was outstanding.

I was especially touched by the experience Claudio Consuegra shared in his article, "The Ministry of Presence." He provided an excellent example of how to relate to someone who is dying, and even provided tips on how to relate and minister to them. I was guilty of some of the points he mentioned (withdrawing, not knowing what to say, etc.).

Thank you, Claudio, for sharing part of your life, so that many others could learn and help those they love through a difficult time.

Joyce Keeler
Burtonsville, Maryland

ALL ABOUT MUSIC
While reading Kimberly Luste Maran's editorial, "Praise Music and Moses" (Sept. 16, 2004), I was struck by the following images: "bass guitar . . . drummer beat . . . hands raised . . . drum solo . . . musicians jammed on their instruments . . . clapped in time as words and music meshed . . . energy surging around . . . could feel God's presence . . . music . . . head-splitting . . . Jesus is truly in this place . . . we shouted to the Lord . . . I've found part of the answer in (of all places) Deuteronomy 12 . . . Rather than crossing that line here on earth, I pray that we all stay close to Christ and cross our own modern-day Jordan River into eternity."

Hmmm. This reminds me of something in (of all places) Ellen White's book, Selected Messages, vol. 2, p.36. Mrs. White wrote: "The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise."

Based on the above report, I wonder just how close we are to crossing that modern-day Jordan into eternity.

David Qualls
Tulsa, Oklahoma

I came out of the bars and a childhood where music was my life and most of the hymns of today sound like music I used to dance to. When I listen to a hymn that reminds me of dancing in bars, how can that uplift God, no matter what the words are? The melody--country, rock, rap, or otherwise--should not remind you of bars but of God. If it doesn't, we need to rid our churches of it. Amen?

Debra A. Snipes

Kimberly Maran asked in her editorial, "I have often wondered what made the difference between these worships?" She may have missed the point: One service was held in the sanctuary and the other was in a convention hall on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Our church sanctuaries are set apart for worshiping God. "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (Hab. 2:20, NIV).

Ellen White had much to say about being in the sanctuary and our actions there. Read Testimonies for the Church, volume five, pages 491-500.

Mrs. White also had much to say about music. She wrote: "Great improvements can be made in singing. Some think that the louder they sing the more music they make; but noise is not music. Good singing is like the music of the birds--subdued and melodious" (Manuscript 91, 1903).

Mrs. White also wrote: "When turned to good account, music is a blessing, but it is often made one of Satan's most attractive agencies to ensnare souls" (Messages to Young People, p. 295).

Satan knows music very well; why wouldn't he use it to snare us?

Thank you for your good work on the Adventist Review. I look forward to it every Friday night, as I begin Sabbath. I miss it if it doesn't arrive.

Donna Willey
Clarkdale, Arizona

Kimberly Maran's editorial about music is a propos. Some of our churches have gone way out to accommodate a certain public that is not educated to the beauty of Bach's or Mendelssohn's music. Anything goes, and it shows that the church has lost its vision about what is culturally acceptable. Pastors play theatrics and become stage actors instead of delivering well-crafted sermons that have significance in a troubled world.

We need give our youth a voice before it's too late. When I taught the young adult Sabbath school 20 years ago, our class was full and vibrant. Now you can count on one hand those who attend. Things would change if leading people would accept the fact that young people should become responsible for a piece of the action. A church should rotate its responsibilities instead of letting some individuals hang onto the same jobs for 30 or more years. Young people are the lifeblood of a vibrant congregation.

Michel Kordas

GOLDSTEIN'S GRAFFITI
In Clifford Goldstein's chapter, "The Gift of Prophecy," he uses an analogy to make a point. In doing so, he says that "The house that is red burned down" (without pause or commas) is a nonrestrictive clause and "The house, which is red, burned down" (with pause and commas) is a restrictive clause.

Unfortunately, he forgets his high school grammar. Restrictive clauses use "that" and no commas; nonrestrictive clauses use "which" with commas.

This isn't a large issue, all things considered, but when an analogy doesn't work, it spoils the whole effect.

Nancy Cross
College Place, Washington

Why in the Adventist Review website excerpt from Clifford Goldstein's book about prophecy does he use so many "suppose this" and "suppose that?" Can't he say anything with Bible authority? Whether White or Ratzlaff is right, I would think Goldstein would have biblical proof for what he says. What he's doing is speculating, just like others who seemingly can't prove anything biblical. The only way to teach Jesus to people is from the Bible. Christ didn't use other's books, and say, "So and so said this." Why doesn't the church just admit to some early mistakes and teach Jesus and what He stood for. He didn't have 27 rules and keep adding to them when he thought of something new to throw out at church members to keep them in line. I wish our church (note: I said our church) would teach from the Bible and quit trying to sell books as authority to rake in dollars. We would have so many people coming to our church we would just be amazed.

Ellen White does have some good reading, but so does Max Lucado and a (few) others. I love Christ and wish our church get over the past and get down to the real business of what we should be doing.

Paul Stevens

PRACTICAL ISSUES
I loved Lyndelle Chiometti's article about pet therapy, "Elke's Favorite Teens" (Sept. 2004). I've made my anti-pet husband promise to get me a puppy if I ever have a heart attack.

The story about the two Wandas was incredible and inspiring.

The article, "The Mosquitoes Are Out" raised a question: Was its intention to stifle all questions and controversies? While I can see the insignificance of things like the color of a new carpet or changing the order of the church service, the issues in the sidebar are of serious importance and cannot just be ignored, particularly the last one--homosexuality--which affects the salvation of many church members.

Carrol Grady
Snohomish, Washington

CULTURE WARS
I was surprised at the harsh criticism directed at the article, "Pop Goes the Culture" (July 15, 2004) in the Letters section of the September 16 issue of the Review. A minister's wife felt that: 1) it was "trash," 2) lives of superstars shouldn't affect Christian readers, 3) the author shouldn't write for Christian publications and 4) it was not up-lifting nor spiritual.

I also am a minister's wife and old enough to have young adult children. Whether we like it or not, our youth and young adults in the United States are exposed to this culture (unless they stay at home and are sheltered from all media). Closing our eyes to what is happening doesn't make it go away, nor does it help us to communicate with those people who are spiritually needy.

I commend the author's attempts to show the emptiness this culture has to offer, compared with the rest found in Christ. Keep up the good work. I am a medical professional, but my favorite journal is the Review. I receive a blessing every issue, and thank God for it.

Jan Mathews