EXAMPLE OF APOLLOS by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 10, 1867

EXAMPLE OF APOLLOS.

By R. F. Cottrell

“AND a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue; whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace; for he mightily convinced the Jews and that publicly, that Jesus was Christ.” Acts xviii, 24–28.

What a singular man was Apollos! A man of giant intellect, a powerful reasoner, an eloquent orator, and mighty in the Scriptures of truth; and yet he could sit down at the feet of a common brother and sister, and listen and learn, while they expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. He had been preaching the Heaven-sent message of John the Baptist, the harbinger of Christ; but now he learns from these two humble individuals—“lay” members of the church, and one of them a woman—that there is another message of truth, a further development of the word and work of God, in fulfillment of the great plan of human salvation, and, lo! he takes this new message and goes on mightily, convincing his hearers that Jesus is the Christ. What a singular man! Would that there were more such at the present day!

But instead of this we find, as we go from place to place, smart, flippant and conceited young men, who have got a smattering of the truth of the first and second of the three advent messages, but who are unwilling to learn that God has sent another message agreeably to his word of promise—the most momentous and tremendous message of all his word, even the closing message of probation. Some way they have got the insane idea into their heads that the moral law of the great Jehovah, the only complete code of moral precepts he ever gave to men, and the one he gave personally and wrote with his own finger—the only law given in the hand-writing of the Most High—has been abolished, and consequently we have no need of a message on the commandments of God. And for this reason, instead of joyfully receiving the new message from heaven as did Apollos, they feel called upon to reject and oppose it. True indeed it is, if the commandments of God were abolished eighteen hundred years ago, there is no need of a message to bring people to “keep” them here in the last days, and hence it is a great mistake that it is laid down in the prophetic programme for these times. But it is possible that there is no mistake in the prophecy, and if there is not, they are mistaken that hold that the commandments have been abolished.

Where are the Apolloses of the present day? I thank God that a few are being found—a few that are willing to learn the truth of the last message to men, though it be through humble means; and I pray God that the number may be increased, and that I may live to see a few more who will take the truth and mightily convince men that the law of God is still the living truth, perpetual and unchangeable.

R. F. COTTRELL.