More About Fanaticism by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 17, 1865

More About Fanaticism.

By R. F. Cottrell

We make another quotation from the History of the Reformation, Vol. III, pp. 216, 217, as follows:

"The claims of a few fanatics to divine inspiration increased the evil. While the Reformation had continually appealed from the pretended authority of the church to the real authority of the holy Scriptures, these enthusiasts not only rejected the authority of the church, but of Scripture also; they spoke of an inner word, of an internal revelation from God; and overlooking the natural corruption of their hearts, they gave way to all the intoxication of spiritual pride, and fancied they were saints.

"To them the holy Scriptures were but a dead letter," said Luther, "and they all began to cry, The Spirit, the Spirit. But most assuredly I will not follow where their spirit leads them. May God of his mercy preserve me from a church in which there are none but saints. I desire to dwell with the humble, the feeble, the sick, who know and feel their sins, and who groan and cry continually to God from the bottom of their hearts to obtain his consolation and support." These words of Luther's have great depth of meaning, and point out the change that was taking place in his views as to the nature of the church. They indicate at the same time how contrary were the religious opinions of the rebels to those of the Reformation."

There are those at the present time who claim to be following in the footsteps of the Reformation, who nevertheless pursue the course of those whom our candid author denominates the rebels, fanatics and enthusiasts, thus distinguishing them from the real reformers of the time. They are, in their own estimation, so filled with the Spirit—so fruitful of the "inner word"—that the outer word, the holy Scriptures, can scarcely produce any conviction on their minds. Point out their errors by the word of the Lord, show them the commandments of God which they are violating, and they will appeal from the Bible to the "internal-revelation from God." Say they, It cannot be that we are wrong in this; for if we were, the Lord would not bless us as he does. We know that he accepts of us by the spirit he has given us.

Like Luther, I would not follow the "leadings of their spirit." I prefer the spirit of obedience to the written word of God. And any spirit that sets aside the claims of that word upon such a claim or any other, I do not fear to say is not of God.

Yet upon such a pretense many try to evade their obligation to keep the seventh day according to the fourth commandment. They feel rich in spiritual goods, having need of nothing, and know not that they are "poor, and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked." If such cannot be aroused to their obligation to obey God's word, their case is hopeless.

As it was in the beginning of the Reformation, so it is now. Real reformers cling to the holy Scriptures, while fanatics of one class cry, The Spirit, and those of another, The Spirits. The one disparages the word, the other openly rejects it. The tendency of both is

against the truth; and it is well to consider which is the most dangerous, the open enemy from without, or the disguised one in the bosom of the professed church.

The great question before the people at the present time is whether we will have the Bible or not. The Reformation has put this sacred treasure in our hands, and we have time enough, graciously given us of God, to correct our errors and conform to its teachings. Now, in the closing up of the work of the Reformation, we are called upon to decide between the commandments of God and the doctrines and traditions of men. If we choose the Bible, we must take it as it is, and be guided by its teachings and requirements as it reads. Otherwise we range ourselves on the side of those who reject it altogether. The prophetic message of that Word, recorded in Rev. xiv, 9–12, asks us now to take our choice; and our final destiny depends upon the decision we make. Thrillingly interesting and important question! Transcendently momentous decision! Reader, will you have the Bible?

Who are on the side of the Reformation? Those who continue the work of forsaking the errors of the Roman apostasy and conforming to the teachings of the Bible, or those who think the great work of the Reformation already completed? Those who take the latter view forget that the human heart is always inclined to follow tradition instead of learning the truth. Such, in order to be consistent with themselves, ought to belong to the first established churches of the Reformation. They ought not to be dissenters, and dissenters from dissenters. A Wesleyan Methodist used the following argument in conversation with me, against the Sabbath reform now advocated by us.

"You acknowledge," said he, "that the Reformation of the sixteenth century was from God. But those reformers kept the first day of the week; and to be consistent with yourself you ought to keep it. But you teach that we should discard the first day and keep the seventh, thus taking ground against the Reformation."

How could I answer this argument from a Wesleyan—a dissenter from a church of dissenters from the English church—that church which claims to be the "church of the martyrs?" Of course I could not retort that to be consistent with himself he should find his way back to the church of England; but I must candidly meet his argument with an argument. Here then is my argument: The grand principle taught by the Reformation was that men should turn from all doctrines, ceremonies, traditions and customs not taught in the Bible. "The Bible, and the Bible alone" was the motto. He that stands opposed to this principle stands opposed to the Reformation. Your first day Sabbath is not found in the Bible. Then if we adhere to the principle of the Reformation, we shall discard the first day and embrace the seventh—the Sabbath of the Bible. There must be some sophistry in an argument that places a man in opposition to the Reformation, because he adheres to the Bible.

The Reformation is of God; and if those who profess to be its adherents have not cast away all their traditional errors and embraced all the Bible truth, it is certain that the Reformation is not yet completed. Consequently we should labor on in the good cause, so nobly commenced by our ancestors, and show ourselves true sons of so brave and noble sires. If they had seen all the light which we see, they would have embraced it. But God saw fit not to show them all the light, but to lead them out to commence the work and give their successors the opportunity to pursue it, and the last generation to finish it. Thus he gives us all a trial of our faith—a chance to labor in the same good cause, and to be imitators of those who laid down their own necks to the guillotine, were led to the blessing faggots, or were cast to the wild beasts, for the Heaven-born principle of adherence to Bible truth, in opposition to the doctrines and commandments of men. It is a question whether those who oppose any further reform than that attained in the sixteenth century—whether they would not, had they lived in those days, found some excuse for adherence to the "mother church," and left the Reformation, which now they prize so highly, to struggle on as best it might without their aid, or die in its infancy for want of reformers.

But these remarks do not apply to my friend, in all their length and breadth; for he is not satisfied with the attainments of the first reformers, but is a reformer still. Had he not been a reformer, he never would have been a Methodist; for the rise of Methodism was a real reform, in that it proved salvation to be free. And still he is a reformer, or he never would have become a Wesleyan, thus taking a stand in advance of the old church which she was not prepared to take, until she was forced, as it were, to take it by the great pro-slavery rebellion. (A remarkable conversion! would it might prove genuine!) My friend, I say, is a reformer. He is welcome to take another step in the way of reform by embracing the Sabbath of the Bible. By so doing he will not derogate from the honor of the first reformers, but will be following their illustrious example.

The reader will pardon the digression. I was to say something about fanaticism. Perhaps I shall still further pursue the subject in another article.

R. F. COTTRELL.