The Spirit in the Wheels by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 25, 1910

The Spirit in the Wheels

By F. M. W.

God gave to his prophet Ezekiel a vision of the divine throne. We can not form a clear conception of its construction or appearance. It was formed of living creatures and living wheels, a truly regal and appropriate throne for the Living One. But however complicated this living mechanism, one fact is repeatedly emphasized in the description given the prophet, and that is that the wheels and living creatures all moved in perfect unison, and that the motive power for their united action was “the spirit of the living creature,” which was in them:—

“And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. . . . And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.”

In this description of the work of the heavenly agencies we see a beautiful symbol of organization and unity. The creation of God, as well as the operation of his Spirit in all the history of his church, abounds with forcible illustrations of this kind. In the world of nature we find a beautiful law of harmony and oneness controlling the creation of God, from the mighty planets which in their orbits obey the divine command, to the lowest orders of animal and vegetable existence.

God designed this same law of order to work and control in his church on earth. The operation of the various members of the human body is taken by the apostle Paul to represent the harmonious workings of the gospel church, and this system is necessary to the church’s highest efficiency in every age.

The principle of organization was clearly enunciated by the pioneers in this movement. Their decision to carry forward this work on an organized, systematic basis, was prompted by the Spirit. In consequence, we have to-day a splendid system of organization, which extends to every phase and feature of church work. This complete system has been a means under God of saving this cause many times from disruption, and in materially aiding its world-wide development and progress.

But while we should zealously hold to the principles of organization and to the outward form of sound doctrines, let us not forget that the organization without “the spirit of the living creature” will become inert and powerless in the accomplishment of its high purpose. An engine may be complete in every detail. Every part may have been brought to the highest perfection of mechanical skill. We may admire it as a beautiful machine, but the perfection and beauty of its mechanism will not alone make it a thing of utility. To make it effective, to enable it to accomplish its work, it must have the application of live steam. In Ezekiel’s wonderful vision there were the living creatures, the wheels, the various parts of the throne; and yet these would all fail signally in meeting the purpose of their Author only as his Spirit, the spirit of the living creature, energized their movements, and directed in the execution of every detail.

In this great movement of to-day, various agencies are engaged. The work has been segregated into several departments each with a special interest to conserve and promote. These agencies and organizations and institutions are all good, as long as they are rightly regarded; but they can accomplish what God designs only as his Spirit works in and through them. If we depend on organization in the abstract, if we trust to our system of church organization itself, even with all its excellences, we shall find that, after all, we are trusting in only a broken reed, which must fall short of the accomplishment of the work God designed this people to do; and the organization, instead of becoming the vehicle by which the truth may be carried forward, will become a god of false hopes. That which God designed as a blessing will be turned into a curse. This people can not obtain power by the creation of organization and official positions, by the formation of plans and policies, or by the passing of new resolutions. None of these organizations, offices, plans, or resolutions possess inherent power. The spirit of the living creature can not be legislated into the wheels; it can not be obtained from men. It can not be secured from the officers of the local church, from the president of a conference, nor from the General Conference in session. It can not be obtained in a denominational sense; it must come through individual consecration. Evidently from the record of Ezekiel, the spirit of the living creature permeated and controlled the throne only as it permeated and controlled every separate creature and wheel composing that throne.

So it must be in this work. God will work in this movement, and through the organizations composing this movement, to the extent, and to the extent only, that he works through the men and women who are individually engaged in this movement; therefore the union of the Spirit of God with the efforts of Seventh-day Adventists, and his mighty working in power, as will be seen in the loud cry of this message, must find their point of contact in the experience of the individual life and personal consecration. The need of this work to-day is Spirit-filled men and Spirit-filled women. Better this class of workers without organization than the organization without the Spirit-filling; but best of all, and in God’s order, Spirit-inspired plans and Spirit-filled men and women to operate those plans.

There is danger that we shall seek to harness up the power of God in plans of our own making, and use that power to carry out our purposes and our endeavors; but here we shall sadly mistake, because God’s Spirit will not be thus harnessed. He will seek in his own way the expression of his purpose. Two dangers confront us to-day—one of

throwing plans to the wind, casting aside organization, discounting church order, and going forth under the promptings of vain conceptions; and, like Thomas Munzer and his followers in the days of the Reformation, crying, “The Spirit, the Spirit,” mistaking idle imaginings for the leadings of God. On the other hand, there is danger of basing our hope upon organization, feeling that in its possession we are rich and increased in goods, and have no further need, trusting it to do for us that which can come only through contact with divine power. The Papacy constitutes the greatest system of perfected mechanism which the world has ever seen; but it stands as a monument of hollow mockery to that energized, Spirit-filled organization which should constitute the church of the living God.

Let us continue to plan and purpose as God shall lead, but let us remember in it all that it is not by might nor by power, “but by my Spirit, saith the Lord,” that this work is to be accomplished. With humble dependence, let us cast ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus, confessing that we know nothing as we should know it, and that in him only is divine wisdom. A sense of our own weakness and insufficiency for the great task which he has appointed us, will open the way for him to fill us with his fulness. Then will the praise and the glory be given to him, and not taken to ourselves nor given to plans which we have devised. Like David of old, we shall not show our dependence on human power by numbering Israel, or glorying in what we have accomplished.

The call of God to this people to-day is to personal consecration, and personal service in soul-saving. Let us earnestly pray that, as the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels of Ezekiel’s vision, so that spirit may be in the wheels of this movement, and in the experience of every one having a part in this work.

F. M. W.