p. 140 | A Word to Beginners

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 2, 1866

A Word to Beginners.

THOSE who embrace the truth have evils to meet and trials and temptations to encounter, in their efforts to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, of which they are at first but little aware. The enemy is very unwilling that a person should embrace the truth, be sanctified through it, break away from his power, and be crowned at last with eternal life in the kingdom of God. Hence he will bring to bear, especially upon new converts, every art with which six thousand years' experience has made him familiar, to cast them down and stop their progress in the way of obedience.

And the most dangerous, perhaps, of all his devices are those in which his real purpose is kept out of sight; deceptions, which, under the pretense of accomplishing great good are really designed for the direst evil. In this way especially he approaches those of little experience and brief standing in the way of the truth; and influences which would be powerless with those of long experience, because they would instantly perceive their nature and tendency, are more apt to result in leading astray those who have newly come to the faith.

It is not our object to endeavor to enumerate here many of the devices of the enemy, but only to say a word by way of cautioning beginners, who may be unsuspecting of danger, against the approaches of false professors.

There probably never has been a good cause but has had its enemies under the guise of friends. So all who embrace the Sabbath are not angels. There were false brethren in the days of Paul, and that great apostle himself was in perils by them. So there are those at the present time, we grieve to say it, who watch for souls that they may cause them to stumble. And as Paul wrote to the Philippians, even weeping, of some, of whom they were to be aware, who were enemies of the cross of Christ, so there are now among his professed friends, enemies of his cross, enemies of the truth. We know this because the boldest and bitterest enemies of the truth all rejoice in their work. And they will watch for you. With eyes sleepless for mischief they watch for all who are about joining themselves to this people, and they will seek in some way, by word of mouth, or by letter, or by books and papers, to pour their poison into your mind. They profess great zeal for your good; you are going to be deceived; your liberty is going to be abridged; you are in danger of embracing some error, or some evil is going to happen to you if they don't step in with their unsolicited assistance. And if they can carry their point and embitter you against this people, they care not what becomes of you. They keep the Sabbath; but if they can get you, for instance, to reject the visions of sister White, and cherish a spirit of war against them, and believe that this people are deceived in this matter, and that the ministers are actuated by wrong motives, and thus get you estranged in your feelings from them, they care not how soon you give up the Sabbath, nor what becomes of your religious experience. It isn't your good that they seek. It isn't love to you, but hatred to us, that impels them.

We write with no feelings of malice or ill will. But we speak advisedly. We know the spirit of this work from the frequent manifestations of it that we have seen. We know its tendency and its object. And we deem it a duty we owe to those whose experience in the present truth is new, to put them on their guard against it.

Do they offer you anything in advance of what is taught you by the Review, or by the S. D. A. preachers? No. But you have already received too much. You must give up something. Their work is to undermine and tear down. And do they strike out for themselves, and build up a people of their own? No; but they enter into other men's labors, and make what they can out of following up their work to undo and bring it to naught. Whenever you receive anything from them, therefore, you may know it means mischief. It is designed to separate you from this people. Then remember those who have your real good at heart, and have shown it by bringing you the truth, and look to them for an explanation of all that is not clear to your own mind. For an illustration, see the case mentioned by Bro. Canright, in No. 16, present volume, when he says, "A good sister who has lately embraced the truth, has just received from its enemies a package of objections to the visions. In writing for an explanation on some points, she speaks of the visions thus," &c. She certainly did well to write for an explanation before suffering her prejudices to be aroused and her feelings to be embittered against this work. When, therefore, they try to frighten you by cries of bigotry and bondage, remember that there is no bondage in the truth. All the "liberty" that is obtained by breaking away from the restraints of the truth is but another name for licentiousness; and the only ones who are free indeed, are those whom the truth makes free. Cling fast to the truth. Stand by its advocates. Be sanctified through it. Let its love reign in your heart. Give no ear to those who would seduce you from it. And may the Lord perfect in you the work he has begun, and establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. iii, 13.