Document: “Our Present Condition,” The Second Advent Watchman, vol. 4, no. 19, June 9, 1852, Hartford, CT, W. S. Campbell & J. Turner, eds., p. 148, HTML, PDF.
Contents: Doctrinal disunity among opposers of Sabbath truth, and the results of it.
Highlighted text was quoted by C. C. Crisler in Organization, pp. 36, 37.
[p. 148]
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Our Present Condition.
Another cause, which we have already hinted at, is the want of practical and experimental preaching. It is important that we be well indoctrinated, and the gospel is doctrine—‘the doctrine of God, our Saviour;’ but the continual preaching of one particular theory, without the whole gospel as the ground of the experience of God’s grace in the heart, with power of vital faith, and the path of life, in regard to the living example of believers, will not fully affect men to their salvation. With many churches, especially those who are supplied by travelling preachers instead of pastors, the case is alarming. And the fact that such places are supplied by different individuals, makes it no better. Each one feels that he must preach on the doctrines we hold, for he is teaching a class identified by a particular set of views, and he must also show his identity. He is an Advent preacher, and the congregation is an Advent congregation; therefore, he must go over the evidences, or some or all of the great leading points believed; hence, the brethren get fed with the theory and the proofs—they get but little variety—they suffer for want of the truths of scripture upon our own personal experience, and the practice of the duties of the gospel.
It is perfectly manifest that we need more preaching of a practical and personally saving character—more upon the experience of the power of truth, and the gracious influences of the Spirit in our own minds—more powerful appeals to the heart—more that is awakening to the believer and sinner.
The consequence is, that the spiritual state among such is sickly. Listening continually to proofs of the truthfulness of their position, they become perfectly familiar with them—they feel, perhaps, satisfied; or, if suffering for something, they know not what, perhaps they seek after definite time for the consummation, as that which shall give them life, because they were awake when they had time on their minds. But they mistake; the trouble is, the want of spiritual influences—and one reason of this great lack is, the preaching has not been adapted to produce them. Other people do not come to hear, because the preaching is of such a kind that they do not feel an interest—perhaps many do not understand it; so the interest sinks. Here is manifestly a serious mistake, in effort. What, then, is to be done? Preach the gospel! Preach the whole of it! Rightly divide the word. Bring forth from the treasury of the Lord, things new and old.—Preach on prophecy, on the kingdom, on repentance, on faith, on the Spirit’s power on the heart—practical religion—the spirit to be possessed—the duties to be performed—the life we are to live—the labor to be done. Dwell on the power of godliness, and the damnation of evil—the glories of a moral likeness to the Redeemer here and hereafter; the fate of the impenitent; in such a manner as to awaken, if possible. There should be more powerful appeals, and more labor, directly bestowed, to bring men to God.
Again: There is tale bearing, and strife as the consequence, for ‘where there is no tattler the strife ceaseth.’ A very little of this will do a vast deal of injury to the cause of religion. Little, miserable and unworthy causes are improved to advance one’s own influence and interest, to the injury of some one else. Or a mean desire to tell something new; to exhibit some imagined capacity to discover a coming or existing evil, which exists only in the mind of the actor in this miserable work of the devil. Perhaps, a morbid love of mischief of some kind!—by a spirit of strife, which will ever show itself to separate friends, cause division among brethren, sow the seeds of discord—and how long before the fruit will appear? Who will deny that we are speaking of things which exist? and how can the church prosper while cursed with such things? What is to be done? Let the offender repent, and stop at once this peace-destroying, soul-killing work. Let the importance of a meek and quiet spirit be felt, and let love be without dissimulation. Let one and all be kind, be pitiful and courteous—tender-hearted—forgiving one another, if any have aught against another. And let the preachers declare God’s plain word, as showing the character of this course; let them speak plainly that God cannot approve such, and the people will not prosper in spiritual things while it is continued. Connected with this, we find the angry criminations and bickerings which exist among the brethren, in the ministry and out of it. The state of feeling resulting from the division of the body, has been unfavorable to deep piety. An influence prevails upon either party which cannot be good and saving in its effect, and which we very much regret. It is painful to contemplate it. It is time we thought less of our party feelings and interests, and more of the coming and kingdom of Christ, with the necessary preparation for it.
Now, when the church is by any means diverted from the great object of her calling, what will follow? The spirit and love of the world. The various forms of worldly love will be presented. And so with us, now: some are strong in the doctrine of the Lord’s coming, but they are enlarging their plans, and drinking in more deeply the spirit of this world—perhaps, increasing in wealth; others are fond of display; they feel and exhibit worldly pride. In one word, it is a sad fact that very many are, to all appearance, losing the spirit of the gospel of Christ, and receive the opposite. To be faithful, we must believe to the saving of the soul. But if any draw back, God will not be pleased with them.
Now this is spoken with respect to the practical and saving power of faith. ‘The just shall live by his faith.’ Here something more than a mere assent to truth is presented. ‘If any man draw back,’ i. e., falls into a state of backsliding—alienation of mind and heart from the truth and spirit of the gospel—‘he is in danger of perdition.’ Is there not such decline among us? We know well enough that each one is to improve the talent given to him; hence, it is the duty of some to do business, and perhaps extensively; they have an ability to do so, and will, if they are faithful to God, glorify him in this direction;—and we believe in every one being active in his appropriate calling. This, we are sure, has not always been the case among our people. Some have left the work of preaching, who should be found in it, and others would do more good if they continued in some business. But we wish to judge no man as to his duty. Each must give up his own account.
Finally: We would point to the fact, that many are too tenacious for their own particular views; not for themselves, perhaps, but for the good of others; and if every one has a doctrine which he wishes to enforce, and will insist that each other member shall see as he does, then the whole body must suffer. Union is soon destroyed. Where one set of opinions is held up continually and earnestly, the effect will be bad upon the minds of others; and they, in turn, will immediately feel the same spirit. Soon fellowship will be withdrawn, and then those who had taken sweet counsel and united in the house of God, will be separated. This is precisely the condition which has obtained; and so it ever will be, till we learn to do better, and allow that a man is a Christian and a brother, who may differ from us in respect to questions, upon the decision of which, we know well enough, our salvation does not depend. Suppose, among us—as we were ‘gathered of every kind’—one man is a Calvinist, and another an Arminian. Each may be a good Christian. Aye, says one, but the case is different. How different? The Second Advent doctrine does not require that a man shall believe that the one thousand years of Rev. 20 are past, or that they are yet future, any more than it requires a man to be Calvinistic or Arminian in his theology. Of other questions the same is true. Many of us have been doing a work of supererogation in our efforts, and the state of the cause gives sad evidence of its impropriety. It is no real evidence that a theory is correct, and that none other should be presented—that it is generally believed, and we do not wish to hear another, and our brother has no one with him; even if his view has been, in our apprehension, exploded before, he may be correct. Our erring judgment and poor wisdom must always be brought into requisition in receiving and maintaining a theory: it is just so with our brother: hence, we are to bear with each other. What want of charity we behold, often all on account of difference in some views, mere opinions of our own. May God have mercy upon the flock, and save it from the dissolution and destruction so imminent.