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Faith vs. Sight

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1866

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 27, No. 12.

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Faith vs. Sight.

By R. F. Cottrell

An apostle says, "We walk by faith, not by sight." Our faith and hope embrace the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the promises of immortality and an incorruptible inheritance then to be awarded, as the result of a course of patient continuance in well doing. Prophetic periods and various signs of the approach of that glad day, have been given by Jesus Christ, apostles, and prophets, in order that we might know when the day draws near. Said Jesus, after giving certain signs which should precede his advent, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." It is therefore perfectly in agreement with these words of our Saviour, interpreted by the rules of common sense, to believe that we can certainly tell, before the coming of that day, when it is near.
But I recently heard a minister say, and one who was deeply interested, by his own showing, in the advent movement of 1844, that we could tell nothing about it beforehand. His words were, "We can see no further than the natural eye can see." Well, thought I, the prophet Isaiah was right when he said, "His watchmen are blind." Isa. lvi, 10. Watchmen, in the sense of this prophecy, are spiritual counselors and guides; and if they cannot, by the word of prophecy, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit, see any further into the future than their natural eye can see, so that they cannot expect the Lord till they see him coming in the clouds of heaven, their spiritual vision must be totally darkened. Had Paul been of this class, he would have said, "We walk by sight, not by faith."
But the apostle says, "Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. v, 4. On the contrary, it will be said in that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us." Isa. xxv, 9.
I have written this for the benefit, especially, of those who heard the above confession of blindness at Rose Hill, in Steuben Co.; but the admonition may be a benefit to others, who need only to open the "eyes of their understanding," in order that they may "discern the signs of the times." R. F. COTTRILL.