p. 9 | Order by S. N. HASKELL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 30, 1907

Order

By S. N. HASKELL

S. N. HASKELL

So much has been said of late upon the subject of organization and order that it might seem unnecessary to add anything more. But for some time I have felt that I would like to add my testimony. When God brought his people out of Egypt, their experience in building the sanctuary was designed of God to accomplish two things for them.

The first object was to establish in their minds the personality of God. “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” God would have them realize that he was to dwell among them in a sense that he could not if they did not build a sanctuary. In many ways this truth was enforced. When enforcing sanitary regulations, God said, “The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee.” The entire system of laws and regulations established the fact that God was with them as he was with no other people on the face of this earth. If not, why build a tangible building in which there was what represented a real throne?

Another equally important truth taught by their experience in building the sanctuary and in their ceremonies was that God was a God of order. All Israel was embraced in the organization. No one was excluded. When one was chosen by the Lord to do a certain important work, if he even looked upon the holy things that the priests were appointed to cover, he was slain by the Lord. Every man was appointed to his work.

During the year spent in building the sanctuary there must have been the most perfect organization that was ever effected on earth, among God’s people. To get out of the order God had established meant death. The earth opened her mouth and swallowed the two hundred and fifty men of renown for coveting the priesthood. Thousands died because they neglected to heed the instruction given. The trouble was that men saw simply the agencies God used instead of seeing the arrangement God had made. He was back of it and over it all. Men are fallible, and often make mistakes. But that does in no case lessen the force of the order God established. Sometimes God has used even wicked men to accomplish his purpose, as he did Cyrus, upholding him by his right hand.

The controversy is not with men, but with him who orders the battle. God’s work was planned in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ before the creation of the world. This work will be accomplished, though thousands are slain by interfering with the agencies God has appointed.

No doubt many will agree with these principles, but will inquire, “Is the organization of the church of God so important at the present day?” God is no less particular now than at any period in the past. Many have supposed that because God has taught individual church organization and personal accountability, therefore churches and individuals are amenable to God alone, and mutual relationship does not exist. Oftentimes we meet with wandering stars who boast that God directs them personally, and they look to God irrespective of any relationship with one another. Others will carry this to a church relationship, and say that their church is independent of any other church. But this is not God’s order. Let us look at a few principles laid down in the New Testament Scriptures. Where does the Bible furnish us an instance of a local church ordaining its own elders? Who ordained the deacons and elders? We find Paul instructing Timothy and Titus, who were ministers, to visit the churches and ordain elders and deacons. Titus 1: 5; 2 Tim. 2: 2. Was there not here an acknowledgment of an authority higher than the church itself? Even the great apostle Paul was not ordained to the ministry until, ten years after he had received his commission from heaven, brethren came down from Jerusalem and recommended it with the sanction of the Holy Ghost. Acts 11: 22-24; 12: 24, 25; 13: 1-3.

Paul selected Timothy to travel with him (Acts 16: 1-3), but he did not ordain him without the gift of prophecy and “the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” Then there was by the Spirit of God imparted to him a gift, which he was instructed not to neglect, but to meditate upon. 1 Tim. 4: 14-16. Here was a recognition of a still higher authority, the presbytery. God set his seal to this ordination by imparting this gift to Timothy.

When trouble arose in the local churches, they chose their delegates to go up to Jerusalem and there settle the question. This was after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, but failed to settle the question to their satisfaction. Acts 15: 1, 2. After a long experience meeting in Jerusalem, they finally came to a conclusion, and the living voice of the spirit of prophecy sanctioned it. Acts 15: 28. This was an important meeting. It was the first General Conference of which we have any record. It was the highest authority on earth. It was held to settle a question which affected all the Gentile churches. It was sanctioned by a still higher authority, the Holy Ghost, through the spirit of prophecy. This settled the troublesome question. The churches recognized it.

And the Spirit of God not only bore witness on the occasion of this council, but as the letter was carried to other churches and read, the churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily. Acts 16: 4, 5. This was gospel order.

In the apostolic church, or the church in the days of the apostles, there were five steps in organization, and the spirit of prophecy sanctioned each step: (1) the individual recognized the voice of the church; (2) the church recognized the ministers who ordained their elders and deacons; (3) these ministers recognized a presbytery who ordained them; (4) all the churches and ministers were taught to recognize the decision of a meeting of their delegates with the apostles at Jerusalem; (5) each and all recognized the spirit of prophecy. This was the voice of God instructing the churches.

This did not make the voice of any church, or even the General Conference, infallible without the spirit of prophecy. But when God sets his seal to an important decision, this is the authority of heaven; this is infallible. God has never left his people without his living voice. When he has spoken, that is sufficient for his people. When this light is rejected, we are as was Saul when he was not answered by dreams or by Urim or Thummim. We are at sea, without chart or compass.

This does not proscribe individuality in the cause of God. It does not lay upon any man or set of men the right to say to this man or that man, Go here or go there, without his consent. Neither does it ostracize him from Christ because he does not follow the decision of men unless sanctioned by the Spirit of God. It was the Lord who instructed Paul to go into Macedonia. Acts 16: 9. It was the Spirit of God that told Philip to go south toward the desert. Acts 8: 26-40. It instructed Peter, and all the apostles; and people thus instructed are always in harmony with the body of the church. The individuals who are at variance with the spirit of prophecy are the ones always out of harmony with the church. Our God is not dead. He lives to direct his people. And he is as willing to lead his people now as in the past. Those of little experience need to be counseled, and suggestions need to be made in regard to their labors. But the most important instruction is that which will help to connect them with God and to make them sound in the principles set forth in the Word of God. I have been in the ministry in connection with this work over forty years, and have held official positions, and I have never seen a single instance of prosperity where these principles have been violated; but many bright lights have gone out in darkness when men have ignored these principles.

God has an organization that must not be ignored. Men make mistakes in that organization, but that does not affect the organization, neither will the Lord permit men to rise up against it and deny the principles here laid down, without his displeasure. Men have tried it again and again, both in our work and in olden times. But they soon find that they are shorn of the strength they did have while defending and working in harmony with the organization. Men with whom God had worked mightily have become disaffected, first with the spirit of prophecy, then with the leading brethren, and finally have gone into infidelity or spiritualism or into something that destroyed their usefulness, and they have become bitter opposers of the work of God. But God’s cause was not stopped. It has gained strength with every such experience, and so it will be to the end. There must as surely be a sifting out among this people as there was in Gideon’s army.

God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. The old ship Zion is sure to enter the port. But he who thinks some other craft has a better appearance will find that it is rotten in its essential timber. One may trust and be true to the form of the organization, and not have a well-grounded faith in the truth. This will not save any, but the one who walks in the full counsel of the Lord will acknowledge the Lord’s organization as revealed in his Word.

South Lancaster, Mass.