The Sermon by Eld. D. T. Bourdeau

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 26, 1867

The Sermon.

By Eld. D. T. Bourdeau

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom,

PREACH THE WORD. 2 Tim. iv, 2.

ADVANCES OF GOD'S PEOPLE

Under the Messages, and the Dangers of Backsliding.

BY ELD. D. T. BOURDEAU.

(Concluded.)

TEXT, “Remember Lot's wife.” Luke xvii, 32.

AND we would first call your attention to the first angel's message, by which we were first aroused on the subject of the judgment near and the immediate coming of Christ. Rev. xiv, 6, 7. We saw by the fulfillment of prophecy that we had reached the last generation, see Matt. xxiv; and from the fact that we had reached the terminating of the last prophetic periods, which reached to the cleansing of the sanctuary, Dan. viii, 14, which was understood to be the earth, and which, it was also believed, would be purified by fire at the coming of Christ, it was confidently expected that Christ would come at the expiration of the twenty-three hundred days of Daniel's vision. How thrilling with interest was this message to those who believed it! How it was calculated to make them search their own hearts, and to make thorough work before God and the world to meet the Lord in peace. And this message had its designed effect on those who really believed it. They experienced a state of consecration unknown by any other class of Christians this side of the apostolic age. But we were disappointed. The Lord did not come. And what was the result? Many of those who professed to believe in the coming of Christ, renounced their faith in the message, looked back, and reviled those who still believed that God had led them, and was in the work. The churches also, as bodies, rejected the Advent doctrine, and as a consequence underwent a moral change. They fell morally, and began to persecute and oppress God's people. (For proof that we are right on the moral change which the churches underwent, please read the work on the messages, in which the churches themselves acknowledge a declension of piety among them at that time).

This opened the way for the proclamation of the second angel's message, see Rev. xiv, 8, which embodied the truths of the first message, together with additional light on the prophetic periods, and the solemn declaration of the moral fall of God's professed people, and a call to forsake them and their errors, which might have been corrected, if they had walked in the light, but for which they are as responsible as they would have been if they had seen them and had not corrected them. By acknowledging and proclaiming this message, the people of God took an advance step, leaving those behind, who, like Lot's wife, had looked behind them. But many did not see the truth on the advent at that time, and consequently did not reject it in their hearts, and they were to still have an opportunity to receive it, and advance with God's people. By separating ourselves from those who opposed the truth and oppressed us, we withdrew ourselves from their influence, the tendency of which was to lead us away from the truth, and placed ourselves where we could conscientiously obey what we believed to be truth. And we felt, not like exulting over our former brethren, but rather felt to weep over them as Christ did over Jerusalem, and as Jeremiah did over the Jews of his time, when he said, “Oh! that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people.” Jer. ix, 1.

We were soon accused of being the cause of the declension of piety among the churches; were told that we were guilty and accountable for breaking up the churches; that God had not led us, because we had been disappointed, and that consequently we had gone backward instead of forward. But these things did not move us. We knew in whom we had believed. We had the same evidences for believing the Lord was coming that we had before our disappointments. We saw, as we reviewed, that we were right on time, that the days did end in 1844; that inasmuch as an angel sent of God had deemed it necessary, and taken pains to give the longest prophetic period in the Bible, spanning over twenty-three centuries, and reaching to an event of sufficient importance to be pointed out so many centuries in advance; when we should reach the termination of this prophetic period, it was as reasonable to expect that we should know it, and understand the nature of the event pointed out, and speak accordingly, as it was for Christ, at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, which were to reach to Messiah the Prince, Dan. ix, 25, to come on to the stage of action and commence his important work of preaching the gospel of the kingdom, by saying, “The time is fulfilled.” Mark i, 15. We saw that God's veracity was not impeached by his withholding light on the nature of the event to take place at the end of the days, that his people being shut up to the coming of Christ, and by the disappointment, might have a chance of manifesting their feelings of loyalty, as the disciples did when Christ was riding into Jerusalem; and, afterward as they wept when he had been crucified, while those who loved not Christ and his appearing, in view of the loyalty of the believers, and on account of the disappointment, by which the message was crucified and made unpopular, as all of God's messages must be, would manifest the opposite feelings. Neither were we guilty for not understanding the subject of the Sanctuary, and for living up to what we then understood to be the truth. And as to the charge of being responsible for breaking up the churches, and for the unbelief and lack of piety among them, it was as unjust as it would have been to attribute the fall and unbelief of the Israelites in the wilderness to Moses, or to say that Christ was the cause of the unbelief and fall of the Jews, to whom he became a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, by coming in the unpopular way that he did, and by finally being crucified as a malefactor. To this charge, we could plead not guilty. The sin of breaking up the churches rested on those who, by rejecting the truth and oppressing us, made it necessary for us to leave them.

We still believed that we had taken a step in advance. And as light shone on the sanctuary, which was shown to be in Heaven, Heb. viii, ix; and the cleansing or justifying of which was the closing up of the mediatorial work of Christ our Great High Priest, the finishing up of the mystery of God, Rev. x, 7, as typified by the work of the high priest on the tenth day of the seventh month, when he made an atonement for the sanctuary and for all the sins of the children of Israel through the year, especially their sins of ignorance, Lev. xvi, etc.; our hopes revived, and we were begotten again, as it were, to a lively hope, by the resurrection of the Advent doctrine. Then was fulfilled the following scripture in the Apocalypse: “And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. xi, 19. In this ark was seen by the church the testament or law of God, the great pattern in harmony with which God wrote the ten commandments, and in which the fourth commandment reads, “The seventh day (not the first) is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant,” &c.

Then the third and last message of mercy opened to our astonished vision. Rev. xiv, 9-14. We call it the last, because it is followed by the appearing of

one like unto the Son of man on the white cloud to gather the harvest of the earth, and because the unmixed wrath of God follows upon all who do not heed it. This solemn message came to us with the Sabbath in its front, embracing the commandments of God and faith or doctrine of Jesus, as taught by himself and his apostles in the New Testament, and with a most solemn warning against those who do not obey it. We responded to the message by stepping out on the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and again realized a blessedness in walking in the path of obedience. But some who had followed us thus far, halted, refusing to go any further, for others to step in and take their crowns, unless they reform and redeem the time by obedience, while mercy still lingers.

This message contains the necessary qualifications to call us away from sin, and prepare us for Christ's coming. It brings to light the moral law of ten commandments, which, based in the nature of God and in the nature of man, embodies all the principles of right, prescribes the way of holiness, and condemns every sin. It also provides the faith of Jesus, which presents to our view the fountain opened for uncleanness, and all those helps and means of grace that cluster around the death of the blessed and adorable Son of God, and by which we can obtain strength to keep God's holy law. And how adapted was the seventh-day Sabbath to serve as a mighty cleaver to separate us from the world and sinful influences, and to draw us out toward God in our affections. For truly, it required self-denial, humility and love, to meet the reproaches and opprobrium consequent upon neglecting the day generally observed as the Sabbath, and as a day of religious worship, to keep the ancient Sabbath of the Lord.

But we had not fully escaped from sin and danger, when we decided to keep God's holy Sabbath. We had to examine more fully and more minutely the various relations that we sustain to God and our fellow-creatures, that we might understand and fulfill in our lives all the obligations growing out of these relations; and thus be found keeping all of God's commandments in their exceeding comprehensiveness, as magnified by the gospel glass,—the close and practical teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

Accordingly, as the cause arose, and the demands to sustain it increased; as the numbers of believers multiplied, and the necessity of making special efforts to spread the truth was realized, it was seen that a plan of benevolence must be devised, to sustain the cause, whereby the burdens in sacrificing for the truth might be equalized, that some might not be eased and others burdened. Light soon shone from the Sacred Pages on the present plan of Systematic Benevolence, which was clearly shown to be both reasonable and scriptural. For, 1. If it is right to sustain earthly governments by following system in establishing and paying tribute, it certainly cannot be wrong to follow system and equality, not by compulsion, but freely, and as a privilege, to sustain a cause that is so dear to us as that of present truth. For a principle which is right and commendable in worldly things, cannot be wrong when applied in advancing the cause of truth. 2. If the cause of God under the law demanded the tithing system to sustain it, the work of God under the last message of mercy, when we have so great a work to perform in so short a time, cannot require less than the tithing system carried out by its friends to carry it forward. But, 3. It was seen from Malachi iii, that the tithing system was enforced at the present time. See verses 9, 10. This cannot apply to the time of Christ's first coming; for the Jews then were very strict in paying their tithes on anise, cummin and herbs, according to the declaration of the Saviour. 4. Again, we saw that the same principles were recommended by Paul to the churches in his day, by the exhortation, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him (or at home, Greek and French translation) in store, as God hath prospered him.” 1 Cor. xvi, 2. See also 2 Cor. viii; ix.

Sabbath-keepers, as a body, gladly adopted this system, deeming it a privilege as well as a duty that they owed to God and his cause, to give of their substance to bring the truth, which to them was so precious, to those who knew it not. The tendency of this system, as well as other calls that followed for the progress and advancement of the message, was to help God's people to overcome their covetousness and love of the world, and to transfer their affections from this dark world to God, their fellow-creatures, and to the treasure they were laying up in Heaven. But some, who idolized the property over which they had only been placed as stewards, and would not sacrifice, falsely accused us of speculation, compulsion, etc., lest their spirituality and interest in the work, halted, looked behind them, and to all appearances, died spiritually.

Then followed the truths on church order and organization, guarding and enforcing the principles of the message, and putting us more closely on those principles; saying unto us that we are our brother's keeper, and should not suffer sin to rest upon him; that we should influence and encourage one another by precept as well as by example, to perseverance, bearing each other's burdens; and separating from us false brethren, who were a constant hindrance to us and the cause. Truly organization has done a great and good work for us, and has led us to take a great step in advance. What deep repentance, hearty confessions, clearing of ourselves, it wrought when we were coming together in church fellowship, and what a mighty influence it has exerted upon us in the right direction since that time.

But last of all, the Health Reform has come to us as a part of the message; being based on the laws of our being, which are very comprehensive; growing out of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, especially the sixth commandment; making it obligatory upon us to use all proper and available means within our reach to ameliorate and preserve our health and prolong our lives; making it a sin for us to be sick, if we knowingly and carelessly bring sickness upon ourselves by a violation of the laws of health; saying to us to add to our strength and overcome disease by living healthfully, that we may be enabled to accomplish more in the cause we love, be prepared for the refreshing, and with a system free from impurities and disease, and with steady nerves, to pass safely through the seven last plagues and time of trouble.

Brethren and sisters, thank God for the Health Reform. We cannot have the patience of the saints without it, while we are constantly lessening our vitality, and abusing our nervous system by intemperance. If we come up to our duties on this subject, God will not be slow in adding a special blessing to our efforts. This is what we have realized in taking the important steps that we have been called upon to take thus far. The Lord will not be backward, when we come up to the conditions he has given us. He virtually says to us through the Health Reform, Do what you can on your part to enjoy health and learn how to preserve it, and I will add to your health in the blessing of the latter rain. But if we fail to help ourselves by using the ordinary means within our reach, how can we expect that the Lord will help us in an extraordinary manner? This would be giving us a rich blessing, to see it soon squandered away by disobedience.

And can we be free before God while neglecting to enlighten our minds on this subject? Have we no sacrifices to make to push forward the reform on health? Have we sacrificed in past enterprises to be free in this? Would we not feel better at the end of our race to be able to say that we have lifted and stood by the cause at every step, and that we can see rich fruits of our efforts all through the advancement of this glorious work?

As we look back to Lot's wife, we see that the great sin and trouble with her was unbelief. If she had believed God, she would not have dared to look behind to friends and property, which evidently called her mind back. She could not believe that God really meant what he said, and was afraid that in leaving her good home and property in Sodom, she should die. This is clear from the connection of our text.

And so it is at the present time. The great sin and trouble with many is unbelief, which darkens their minds with regard to the word of God, and shuts his threatenings and promises from their view. If they realized the certainty of God's testimony to them, they would not dare for a moment to suffer the vain things of this world to divert their minds from the promises and threatened wrath of God. They are afraid to venture out on the promises of God. They are afraid that by sacrificing for the cause, they will come to want, and die. They leave the certain and substantial, to take up with those things which are temporal, and will soon pass away. And how timely and applicable are the following words of the Saviour in the connection, “In that day, he which shall be upon the house-top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife.” This cannot refer to the day in which Christ shall appear in the blazing vault of Heaven with all the holy angels. For no one will then feel to come down to his property to take it away. The wicked will then cry to the rocks and mountains to fall on them and cast their gold and silver to the moles and bats while the righteous will have previously transferred their affections to heavenly things, and will exclaim, “Lo this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” The day here spoken of must therefore be the day of preparation. In that day he which shall be on the house-top, or who, in view of the coming destruction and the coming of the Lord, has taken an exalted position with reference to his property, placing it under him, to serve him and others, and advance the interests of the cause of truth, let him not come down to his stuff again; that is, let him not serve it, and get it between himself and the kingdom; but let him keep the kingdom and the necessary preparation to inherit it, ahead. And the Saviour adds:

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Some through unbelief are afraid that by sacrificing to obey the truth, they will lose their lives. They forget him who numbers the hairs of their heads, and that they are of more value than the sparrow for which the Lord cares. They shall lose life, eternal life. But those who will venture out, trusting in God, and manifest a willingness to sacrifice, even though their own lives might seem to be at stake, as it might appear to those who believe not the truth, will preserve their lives. God will care for them in the time of trouble, and finally give them eternal life.

Dear brethren and sisters, shall we not try to learn lessons of wisdom from the brief history that we have now examined? or shall we be unbelieving and disobedient as Lot's wife was, and meet the fate that befell her? Let us remember that friends, property, and vain excuses, will never justify and deliver us in the day of God's fierce anger, which is fast approaching. Only the truth believed and lived out can bring salvation in that day. And the truth is as good to the few as it would be if all believed it. The unbelief of some will not prevent the accomplishment of God's promises to the believing and obedient. Thank God for the way he has led us, and for the advances that we have been enabled to make by his grace. May we still press on in the way of truth and obedience, that we may still enjoy the approbation of the Lord, and finally share the reward of the overcomer.