p. 56 | Untitled article by D. M. Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · January 7, 1868

VISIT OF BRO. AND SR. WHITE TO MAINE.

By D. M. Canright

These servants of God have spent seven weeks' labor in this State. We are satisfied that this visit was needed here very much. It has accomplished that which could not have been done in any other way. It has developed things which we did not know of before, and it has enabled some to see themselves as they never did before.

1. Many of the Sabbath-keepers here had but partially embraced the truth, and stood in doubt of the rest.

2. A few leading spirits went further, and made it their business to find fault and oppose some parts of the message.

3. These things had created a jealous, sectional feeling against our brethren in the West, and the work at Battle Creek. This caused them to look upon those who came from there to labor among them, as designing to rule and dictate them here, and especially did they feel so toward Bro. White. Hence they were ready to cry “Popery,” &c., the moment he offered to point out errors and set things in order. Those who ought to have known better were ready to cringe to this feeling, and sympathize with the disaffected ones. Hence, with many, Bro. and Sr. White were received with coldness, and even opposition. The Testimonies had but little effect; the reform was not being adopted to any extent; unruly, unconsecrated men were not being dealt with, and, in some churches, discipline was becoming extremely slack. A very unhealthy state of things existed. For a few months past I had become about discouraged trying to do anything. Last winter and spring the cause moved along here well. Advance steps were taken, and the blessing of God followed. More order and discipline were established, and a healthier state of things was coming on. But this summer and fall they began to fear that they had moved too fast, or that they had gone far enough that way. Again the work stopped, and the blessing of God was withheld.

Thus we were when Bro. and Sr. White came. Sr. W. fearlessly bore her testimonies on different points, and to different individuals. Bro. W. stood by her side and pressed them home where they belonged. Some cried that they were being crushed, others that they were being misused, and others thought that such plain dealing would kill the dear children, who could not see just as we did, and that such work would ruin the cause generally. Poor souls! It is a wonder how the cause has stood so long without their help! It was a mistake that the burden of this work, from the beginning, was not laid on these dear, tender-hearted, careful souls! But, doubtless, they have come in just in time to save the cause from utter ruin! But what is the chief trouble with Bro. and Sr. White? Oh! instead of coaxing, smoothing over things, and crippling to fault-finders, they sharply reproved and rebuked them. Here is the trouble. He is accused of having a hard, harsh, crushing spirit. But during their visit here I have had an excellent opportunity to see and know about this, and why the accusation is made. Sr. W. would have a testimony for certain persons. For this testimony to do them any good it was necessary that the ones reproved should see that they needed it; that they should not be allowed to evade its force, but should humble themselves and make a suitable confession. This is what those who are reproved are seldom ready to do. They will say, “I receive the testimony,” and then begin to explain it away, justify themselves, say that they did what they did honestly, and a thousand other evasions, so that the testimony has no effect. Now it needs some one to expose these evasions and set the testimony home, so that it will be felt. Soft, smooth, flattering words will not do this. It needs some one, as Paul told Timothy, to “rebuke them sharply,” Tit. i, 13. This office has been laid on Bro. W., and a very important and necessary office it is. Now, does it follow that a man has a hard spirit, and lacks meekness and charity because he is pointed and sharp in reproving the guilty? Not at all. Else Christ, Paul, Peter and others were in this fault. Hear Christ as he often reproved the sinners of his days: “Woe unto you Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites.” “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Hear Paul's advice to Timothy: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, &c.” He was not only to reprove, which our tender friends now think is so hard, but he was also to rebuke. This means pretty sharp dealing. Again, “Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” 1 Tim. v, 20. “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.” Tit. i, 13. See Peter rebuking Ananias and Sapphira; see Paul rebuking Elymas: “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” Acts xiii, 10. To the unruly Corinthians, Paul wrote, “What wilt ye, shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?” 1 Cor. iv, 21. Again, “Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present, I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me, to edification, and not to destruction.” 2 Cor. xiii, 10. Did then the apostle Paul talk so? What! a mistake of whom the Lord has said, “The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves,” 2 Tim. ii, 24, 25,—shall he use the rod, reprove, rebuke, and that sharply? Even so has God directed.

This our friends in Maine have entirely forgotten. A man who is so tender and loving as to never reprove nor rebuke any is a dear, blessed, good soul, a very meek man, and the best Christian in the world.

Now this is all a deception of the Devil, as may be seen by the above testimonies.

Another thing has been impressed on my mind: An entire lack of honor or respect for the servants of God whom he has placed in the work. The brethren seem to feel perfectly free to find fault with them, talk hard about them, distrust them, and insinuate against them. When they find that there was no ground for all this, they do not feel that they have sinned at all, or displeased God. But if these are the servants of the living God, then all their hard speeches against them are exceedingly wicked, and must be repented of.

Concerning even local elders it is written thus: “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in word and doctrine.” “Against an elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses.” 1 Tim. v, 17, 19. To the Thessalonians, Paul wrote: “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake.” 1 Thess. v, 12, 13.

They have no idea of having any one over them, either in the Lord or any other way. Again Paul commands: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Heb. xiii, 17.

The ambassadors of Christ have some authority and some honor. It is no small thing to despise, slander, and misuse them when doing the work of God. With regard to this, Christ said, “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth Him that sent me.” Luke x, 16. Some act as though Jesus had never said these words, and as though it was no sin to hurt, and wound, and grieve his servants. Such had better take heed to their lawless ways.

When they learn here that correction and reproof are necessary to keep the church pure and separate from sins, then they will see things in a different light. I am glad that I can report that this is beginning to take place. In our Monthly Meeting at Cornville, Dec. 14 and 15, most of those who had said the most, and who had felt the most opposition to Bro. and Sr. White, there made hearty confessions of their wrong course. They confessed that they had misused these servants of God, that they had been unbelieving, that they had been ungrateful for the labor and means which had been sent them from the West, that they were sorry for it, and that they were resolved to do differently in the future. And now, after finishing our meeting with the church at Athens, I do not know of an individual in the State, who has been reproved by Bro. and Sr. White, but what acknowledges that it was right, and that their prejudice against them is all removed, and that they have no fault to find with their course.

This gives me strong hope for the cause here in the future. The trimming and pruning which has been going on here for the past few weeks was absolutely necessary to save the cause from ruin. I, with many others, thank God that it has been done; and we are grateful to those who have done it. I now see as I never have before the need of the gifts which God has placed in the church. I feel fully satisfied that while we oppose, or reject, or even neglect the use of these gifts, we cannot be strong in the truth, nor have the blessing of God.

D. M. CANRIGHT. Athens, Me., Dec. 23, 1867.

Having heard the above read, I can heartily endorse it. J. B. GOODRICH.