Book: Clarence Creager Crisler, Organization: Its Character, Purpose, Place, and Development in the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1938). HTML, PDF.
[p. 47]
Chapter 5: A Series of Editorials on Gospel Order
As James White studied this plain instruction,* he felt encouraged to write a series of editorials on “Gospel Order.” These appeared in the columns of the Review and Herald during the month of December, 1853. The following paragraphs have been selected for republication.
[*As published later in Early Writings, pp. 97-101, new edition.]
Gospel Order
“ ‘For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.’ 1 Cor. 14:33.
“The great apostle, who had the daily care of all the churches, has said much in his epistles on the subject of order in the church of Christ. It was a subject of great importance to the early church, to preserve purity, unity, and strength in the body. And it cannot be of less importance to the church in the last days of peril, when seeking that preparation necessary to meet the coming Judge. If gospel order was of such vast importance that it was necessary for Paul to dwell much upon it in his epistles to the churches, it should not be overlooked by the people of God at this day. We think that it has been much neglected, and that the attention of the church should be turned to this subject, and vigorous efforts should be put forth to restore as fast as possible the order of the gospel.
“We want no human creed; the Bible is sufficient. [p. 48] The divine order of the New Testament is sufficient to organize the church of Christ. …
“The advent people professed to take the Bible as their guide in doctrine and in duty. If they had followed this guide strictly, and had carried out the gospel principles of order and discipline, much confusion would have been saved. Many, in their zeal to come out of Babylon, partook of a rash, disorderly spirit, and were soon found in a perfect Babel of confusion. And there are those at the present time who start back at the idea of gospel order. … They will have to learn that God has not called any of His people away from the confusion of the churches, designing that they should be left without discipline. In mercy He reached forth His hand, and enabled the advent people in 1844 to break the cords of sectarianism that bound them, that they (the Philadelphia church) might be disciplined and guided into the kingdom by the order and pure doctrines of the gospel. To suppose that the church of Christ is free from restraint and discipline is the wildest fanaticism.
“O ye scattered, bleeding flock, flee to the Great Shepherd! He can heal His people, and lead them on in union and love, safely to Mount Zion. O Church of Christ! The Bible! The Bible! Let the Bible be your rule of faith, and of order. Take heed to the sure word, the light that shineth in a dark place.
All Members of One Body
“The apostle has illustrated gospel order by the human body. And a more beautiful illustration of order cannot be named. He says:
“ ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and [p. 49] all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
“ ‘If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.’
“ ‘God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.
“ ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.’ 1 Cor. 12:12-18, 24-27. …
“Where is the church whose order may be represented by the harmony of the members of the human body? If we look to the discord of the various sects, we shall not find it. And if we look to the divisions of the advent people who have rejected the present truth, we shall see that precious body torn limb from limb, or its members moving in perfect discord, arrayed against each other. Imagine the members of one body all in disorder, acting in disunion, against each other. … Such a body would [p. 50] fitly illustrate the different classes of advent people who reject the present truth. How the dear Saviour has grieved over such a people as this! His wounds have been pierced afresh. The sincere, waiting ones have been made sad, and have indeed sighed and cried for the sins of this people.
A Prophecy of Brighter Days
“But, thank Heaven, the friends of Jesus may hope for brighter days. A remnant will be rescued from the ruins of corrupted Christianity, and will yet stand in the order of the gospel, looking for the blessed hope. … This peculiar people will stand forth free from the confusion of creeds; free from the traditions and commandments of men—keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. This is enough to make them peculiar. The sweet and cheering voice of the Chief Shepherd is now being heard in the message of the third angel, and many hearts are beginning to beat in union.
“ ‘Now the gathering call is sounding,
Solemn in its warning voice;
Union, faith, and love, abounding,
Bid the little flock rejoice.’ ”
—Review and Herald, Dec. 6, 1853.
Creed and Discipline
“We go for order and strict discipline in the church of Christ. And while we reject all human creeds, or platforms, which have failed to effect the order set forth in the gospel, we take the Bible, the perfect rule of faith and practice, given by inspiration of God. This shall be our platform on which to stand, our creed and discipline. This will not fail to accomplish the work ‘whereto it was sent.’ It came [p. 51] from above. It has its origin in the councils of heaven. Its author is the God of ‘peace’ and order; while … man-made creeds spring from this world, and have their origin in the brains of poor erring mortals. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth,’ so is our creed, which is the word of God, higher in perfection and real worth than all human creeds.
Triumphing Over Difficulties
“We have no idea that it is a small thing to arrive at, and preserve gospel order in the church; yet the work must be and will be accomplished. If the friends of Christ, the friends of truth and good order, act well their part, the Lord will help, and work gloriously among us. It will be a work of labor, of care and mental suffering to those who are called to take the watchcare of the flock, who watch for souls as those who must give an account. Such have awful responsibilities resting upon them. O, who is sufficient for these things!”—Id., Dec. 13, 1853.
The Ministry
“It is of the highest importance that those who go forth to teach the word should be in union in sentiment and in their course of action. It is evident that the reverse of this would cause unhappy divisions and confusion among the flock. …
“The order of the gospel is that men who are called of God to teach and baptize, should be ordained, or set apart to the work of the ministry by the laying on of hands. Not that the church has power to call men into the ministry, or that ordination makes them ministers of Jesus Christ; but it is the order of the gospel that those who are [p. 52] called to the ministry should be ordained, for important objects:
“1. That those who go out into a cold world to teach the word of God may know that they have the approbation and sympathy of ministering brethren and of the church.
“2. To produce and secure union in the church. … The united action of the church relative to those who take the watchcare of the flock, would have a powerful influence to unite the church in love.
“3. To shut a door against Satan. In no one thing has the gospel suffered so much as by the influence of false teachers. We can safely say, from the experience of several years, that the cause of present truth has suffered more in consequence of those who have taken upon themselves the work of teaching, whom God never sent, than in any other thing. In sending out these men, Satan has caused reproach to be brought upon the precious cause. …
“Some have taken it upon themselves to baptize who profess no calling to teach. Others have gone out to teach the word whose lives were not correct at home. Both have injured the cause. …
“To save the flock from imposition of this kind, the gospel plan is sufficient. Let those who are called of God to teach and baptize, be ordained according to the word, and known abroad as those in whom the body have confidence. By this course the greatest cause of evils that have existed among us as a people, will be removed. Our preaching brethren west and east now wade through prejudices among the people, caused by men who have traveled quite extensively, yet not called of God; who manifested much zeal for the present truth, but exhibited no sound judgment in the presentation of it. They will testify that [p. 53] much of their labor is to break down the prejudice caused by some of those who ran before they were sent.
“Brethren, shall we still mourn over these things, and make no effort to prevent them? God forbid. We will rather strive for the order of the gospel, which will heal the breach already made, and prevent these heart-rending evils for the future. Let us shut this door against Satan.”—Id., Dec. 20, 1853.
Lay Members As Counselors
“The labor, care, and responsibility of this great work does not rest alone upon a few preachers. Where are the fathers and mothers, in Israel?—men and women of experience to bear burdens, give wise counsel, and labor for the spiritual advancement of the young and inexperienced? Such should fill their place in the church. … The whole church should be taught to feel that a portion of the responsibility of good order, and the salvation of souls, rests upon her individual members. … In one sense we are our brother’s keeper. … Let all feel this, and act it out, and the church will at once rise in union, strength, and good order.
The Support of the Gospel
“But while the gospel minister is under the most solemn obligations to labor for the welfare of the flock, the gospel also requires the church to sustain him in his work. The Bible is plain on this point.
“1. The church should sustain him by their prayers. …
“2. The church should be ready to see and to supply the temporal wants of those called to labor in word and doctrine. …
[p. 54]
“This is a time that calls for the united effort of all. The way is fast opening for the present truth to be extensively proclaimed. Men are giving themselves wholly to the work of preaching the world-despised yet crowning truths of the gospel; and they must be sustained. The gospel requires it of the church. And all will share the blessing in acting their part in this work, as the Lord has prospered them. The poor are not excluded from any of the blessings of the gospel.”—Id., Dec. 27, 1853.
“That the World May Believe”
“Others, who are convinced that we have the truth, are watching to see what effect the truth is to produce in us. If they see with us, love, meekness, and good order, they will take their stand with us. The destiny of many hangs upon the course we pursue. God help us to rally around the standard of gospel order, that we may be in a position to rescue souls from impending ruin.”—Id., Dec. 20, 1853.