The Cultivation of Confidence and Brotherly Love
By F. M. W.
THE spirit of the age in which we live tends toward distrust and alienation. Unrest and uncertainty exist throughout the world. Many who have been old-time neighbors and friends are engaged in a life-and-death struggle. Smoldering personal antipathies and national animosities have been fanned into new flames. Human passion has been aroused to a terrible pitch. The result of all this is the very opposite of that which tends to promote peace, good will, and good fellowship among men. The same elements of unrest are at work not only in the political world, but in the commercial, social, and religious worlds. The human family is drifting away from its old standards of belief. Revolution permeates the very air. Doctrines which for long centuries have been held as cardinal are discredited. In the midst of this growing disquietude and gathering gloom, God has raised up a people to stand as the conservators of his Word. He has intrusted them with a message of reform for their fellows. Amid the gathering darkness they are to erect a standard of truth,—the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,—and rally their fellows to that standard. The position as conservators of Bible truth which Seventh-day Adventists have maintained for so many years has been dearly purchased, and it should be as sacredly maintained. False philosophy and specious reasoning should not lead us to turn aside in any particular from the message which God has committed to us. No dross of worldliness should corrupt the simplicity of our Christian experience. We should stand jealously and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. The great principles of truth which constituted the foundation of this message and movement in its beginning, which have been its strength throughout its history, will prove its bulwark in the times of stress and storm ahead. But on the other hand, we must realize that the truth of God is progressive, and that the Scriptures of Truth are an inexhaustible mine into which we may dig and delve continually and ever discover new gems of richest quality. It is not for us to take the truth we possess, and by some unwritten law coin it into a creed, saying, Thus far will we go, and no farther. In doing that we should do like the churches around us; and, just as God has been compelled to call into being new movements to carry his advancing truth beyond the narrow scope of stereotyped creeds, so, if we who are connected with this movement refuse to do. But this we do not believe will be necessary. In the church of God in every age there has been a commingling of various elements of the conservative and aggressive, of the fast and the slow. The ardent and impulsive Peter was linked with the quiet, loving John. It must be so in the work of God today. Some there are who will dig out of the treasure house things both new and old. To their ardent minds the new may appeal with greater force, and therefore the emphasis of their teaching will be placed upon the new. Others less inclined to investigation will hold to the old things, and their danger will be in growing stereotyped and narrow. To whichever class we may belong, let us exercise long patience and great brotherly kindness toward those who may not view things from our particular standpoint. It would be sad indeed if workers in this cause, who by their lives of devotion and steadfastness have demonstrated their love for and loyalty to the principles we hold, should be alienated over minor details of belief. And yet this is possible, unless we seek to draw near to one another, unless we cultivate that love and confidence which should be found between brethren in the same cause. Why, because a brother differs with me over some minor questions which in reality do not affect the integrity of this work, should I regard him unkindly or look upon him as a heretic? Why should I call my brother to question because he does not meet my standard in the cut of his clothes or in the articles of his diet? Do I feel that I have light in advance of that which he follows? Then I should seek to come near to him and lovingly win him to the better way. In the church of God as in the family relationship, it is necessary to bear and forbear. We must learn to live with one another, to overlook one another’s peculiarities and idiosyncrasies, to exercise patience and long-suffering toward those whom we regard as holding to error or as recreant to Christian duty. We are spending great sums of money today for the conversion of the heathen; we are sending missionaries to the ends of the earth to bring the light of the knowledge of God to those in darkness. It is well that we should do this. The millions of souls going down to darkness and destruction cry out to us to put forth every effort within our power. But while we are seeking to save the lost in heathen lands, let us not fail to appreciate the value of souls nearer home. Let us turn our eyes to our own homes, to our own communities, to our own church relationships, and consider whether we are maintaining that attitude toward our flesh and blood, toward our brethren and sisters in the church, toward our neighbors, which will draw them to Christ and not8scatter abroad. We should recognize in our brethren the precious purchase of Christ’s blood. We should count no effort too costly to gain their confidence and love. It will take from our hearts the spirit of gossip and criticism and censure. The possession of this spirit of the Master will make us none the less careful to maintain in the church of God proper discipline. We shall deem it necessary to cut off every contaminating branch, even as we amputate a diseased member of the body. But before the amputation takes place, we must be sure that every means has been employed to restore the disaffected one, and to bring him back in his experience into the love and harmony of the gospel of Christ. The word of God to the believers in this movement is, Pull together; come near to one another; walk in love and in the unity of the Spirit. Where differences exist, by personal counsel, by united study of the Word, by earnest prayer, seek for divine guidance. Heaven will not delay to bless this spirit of co-operation. God today desires his people to see eye to eye. Let us seek earnestly the cultivation of confidence and brotherly love.