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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 27, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 9.

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Editorial

By Editor

The Platform

The following view given many years ago through the spirit of prophecy, always good, seems to be especially applicable just now:—
I saw a company who stood well-guarded and firm, giving no countenance to those who would unsettle the established faith of the body. God looked upon them with approbation. I was shown three steps,—the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Said my accompanying angel, “Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages. The true understanding of these messages is of vital importance. The destiny of souls hangs upon the manner in which they are received.” I was again brought down through these messages, and saw how dearly the people of God had purchased their experience. It had been obtained through much suffering and severe conflict. God had led them along step by step until he had placed them upon a solid, immovable platform. I saw individuals approach the platform and examine the foundation. Some with rejoicing immediately stepped upon it. Others commenced to find fault with the foundation. They wished improvements made, and then the platform would be more perfect, and the people much happier. Some stepped off the platform to examine it, and declared it to be laid wrong. But I saw that nearly all stood firm upon the platform, and exhorted those who had stepped off to cease their complaints; for God was the master builder, and they were fighting against him. They recounted the wonderful work of God, which had led them to the firm platform, and in union raised their eyes to heaven, and with a loud voice glorified God. This affected some of those who had complained and left the platform, and they with humble look again stepped upon it.—“Early Writings,” page 121.
There are some things which are settled for all time. There are some fundamental positions in this advent movement which are not subject to revision. There are some doctrines which have made this people what they are; and having been wrought into history, they can not be lightly questioned or flippantly insinuated against without impugning this whole movement. These doctrines constitute the platform of this third angel’s message. “Woe to him who shall move a block or stir a pin of these messages.”
There are two ways of examining the foundations of truth. One is to stand firmly on the platform of truth, to maintain confidently that it is the true platform, and to show by a thoughtful investigation and an impartial weighing of the evidence that the foundations stand sure. The other way is to step off the platform, and, under the specious plea of taking an unbiased position, to regard everything as unsettled, and then to investigate carefully all the arguments against the truth to see whether there can thus be found any solid foundations for the truth. Such seekers after truth give the enemy of truth all the advantage, and may count themselves happy if they are not inextricably involved in the slough of despond before they find solid ground.
He who opens his mind to all the plausible theories and the fanciful interpretations of visionary expounders of the Scriptures, who like the Athenians of old spend their time “in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing,” will soon become so confused himself that he can give the trumpet no certain sound, and will have no firm platform upon which to stand. He who listens to and harbors all the innuendoes and the false charges against organization and leadership made by those whose chiefest difficulty is that they have not been able to organize and lead things according to their own unyielding will, will soon become a mere echo of the resounding shouts of the mixed multitude whose hearts are still in Egypt. He may deceive himself with the idea that he wishes to give every man a fair chance, and that he must therefore himself occupy a neutral position; but the one who voluntarily places himself on a prominent position between the firing lines of two armies in the time of battle, professing friendliness to both sides, need not be surprised if he is cut down by the storm of leaden hail from both directions. There are times when it is both criminal and fatal to be neutral. The man who stands courageously upon almost any platform is in a more hopeful situation than he who simply raises questions about the true platform, and is always hunting for a platform.
Doubt and suspicion are easily aroused. In every unsanctified heart there is a ready response to insinuations, surmisings, and suggestions of evil, even though they may be wholly groundless. It requires no special research and no marked scholarly attainments to undo the fastenings and open the flood-gates of evil, and all this may be done with the strongest protestations of a single-hearted purpose to search for truth. The truth seeker who is always “seeking after truth,” on the basis that there is nothing positively settled, and that every position, from the existence of God to the interpretation of the number of the beast, is equally open to question and readjustment, is simply a chronic doubter or an agnostic under a misleading name. He is certainly not a safe leader in a campaign against the New Theology and in behalf of “the old paths.” He already stands with one foot off the platform of truth, and is evidently leaning the most of his weight upon the wrong foot at that.
We are thankful that there is “a solid, immovable platform” upon which the people of God may stand firmly and confidently. This does not preclude study and investigation, not to settle the question whether there is such a thing as a firm platform in this advent movement, but to show how firm is the platform upon which we stand. There is a wide difference between these two attitudes. There is much more light for us upon the Scriptures, but not light which will lead us to abandon the fundamental positions in this third angel’s message. In “the everlasting gospel” to be proclaimed to all the world in this generation there is a fulness of meaning and blessing which we have not yet appreciated, but it will not be found by stepping off the solid, immovable platform, and following the will-o’-the-wisps of a speculative imagination. Let us stand together on the “solid, immovable platform,” seeking the things which make for peace.