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SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 9, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 30, No. 4.

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SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.

By C. H. ROGERS

I was very much surprised and pained to hear, a short time since, a professed Adventist very pointedly remark that he could not see as Seventh-day Adventists were any better than any other people, or that they enjoyed any more spiritual life than any other class of professed Christians.
The remark being made as it was in connection with the subject we were discussing, started in my mind a train of thought something like the following: Ought S. D. Adventists to enjoy a greater degree of spiritual life than the cold, formal professors of the present day, and are they any in advance of the surrounding nominal churches?
They ought to be for the following reasons, which are but a few of the many that can be adduced: They profess to honor and obey that law which the great Jehovah gave amidst the thunderings' peal and lightning's gleam, on Sinai's rugged top, in the hearing of all the people; that law which the Psalmist declares is perfect, and in the keeping of which there is great reward. Ps. xix. 7–11; that which he declares is an everlasting righteousness. Ps. cxix, 142; the same law which the Man of Sin should think to change, and enemies of God are striving to destroy; but which stands as immutable as the pillars of the throne of Omnipotence; that law which is the leading characteristic of the redeemed remnant. Rev. xiv. 12; xxii, 14.
They are looking and waiting for the second appearing of the Just One, who is soon coming to redeem his tried and trusting church and free them from all their perplexing trials, and forever banish sin and sorrow and sighing; Rev. xxi, 4; and death itself shall be vanquished! 1 Cor. xv, 26, and he that hath the power of death shall be destroyed. Heb. ii, 14. And while they are thus anxiously and yearningly waiting, there is to be a time of ecclesiastical oppression, and wicked men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, which will lead them to shun perdition's road and cleave nearer and nearer to the straight rule of truth.
There is no principle of truth that calls into action faith, spirituality, and all the humble Christian graces as the earnest, sincere belief of the soon coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and those who teach this elevating doctrine, should be very careful to ordain their conduct by a well-ordered life and godly conversation; to abstain from all appearance of evil and strive to imitate the humble example of our meek and quiet pattern.
Certainly a class of people who honestly believe the foregoing principles, ought to be more spiritual minded than the formal religionists of these degenerate last days.
They are in advance of the modern class of professors for the following reasons: They hold sacred the Lord's holy Sabbath day, the only definite weekly Sabbath brought to view in the word of God; while professed Christians around them join hands with the mocker and scoffer in spurning this great and holy law and casting contumely on this high and holy institution, the sanctified rest day of the infinite Creator. They are striving to repair the breach in God's law, and with Paul, delight in it. Here they are far in advance of these unfaithful shepherds who are lulling the flock to sleep, and turning their eyes away from this important question. Again, they are heeding the warning given in Rev. xviii, 1, and separating themselves from the giddy, fashionable, pleasure-loving throng who have the form of godliness but deny the power. 2 Tim iii, 1–5. They have erected the standard of holiness which has so long trailed in the dust, upon a high and holy platform, and are earnestly calling the sincere and honest to awake and come up to the work, and occupy a position where a pure, just and holy God can own them as his, and work in them and through them to the honor and glory of his great name.
And while the world is asleep, with regard to the very important subject of true Bible sanctification, or the ideas which they do present are vague, indefinite and inconsistent, S. D. Adventists are striving to follow the injunction of the apostle 2 Cor. vii, 1, and are, with the help of God, cleansing themselves from all their impurities, which has given rise to the glorious Health Reform in all its beauty and perfection; and in connection with the sacred word through which the children of God are to be sanctified, will finally put on the finishing stroke in preparing a righteous nation to inherit the promised possession.
The foregoing are some of the characteristics which conclusively prove that the S. D. Adventist people ought to be in advance of the cold and formal religionists of these last days of sin and peril; and while these holy, solemn truths are emblazoned on our uplifted banner, exposed to the gaze of a criticising world, oh! how careful ought we to be that we live with a conscience void of offense toward God and toward all men.
To conclude. Where may we expect to find the true people of God? Answer. Among that class who reverence and obey his holy and righteous law; who are striving to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and place themselves in a position where God through his word can sanctify them wholly, body, soul, and spirit; who are the scoff and scorn of a ridiculing world; who take the Bible and the Bible only as their book of creeds and man of their counsel, and who labor in faith, believing. I think that S. D. Adventists answer this description more fully than any other class; therefore I feel like joining myself with them. May the Lord guide us into still purer light, purge us from every kind of dross, refine us until we shall perfectly reflect the lovely image of Jesus, and finally usher us triumphant, into his everlasting kingdom. C. H. ROGERS. Durand, Wis.