The Church in Advance of the World by L. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 7, 1906

The Church in Advance of the World

By L. A. S.

IN every true reform movement, the Christian church should be the head and not the tail. The Christian church is not to be behind the world in the knowledge of the principles of right living, and wait upon worldly science to lead the way in the discovery of truth pertaining to the salvation of life, either moral or physical. The church is to be in advance of the world, and the world is to obtain from the church the knowledge of those things which pertain to life and godliness. Thus God has appointed it, and if the church does not occupy this position it is because she fails to walk along the highway which God has cast up for her. It is because she lacks faith, and thus fails to obtain the knowledge which is supplied through that important channel.

The ancient “church in the wilderness”—the Hebrew nation—came out of Egyptian bondage, where their opportunities had been less than those of any other people; but God gave them instruction which placed them at the head of all the other nations in the knowledge of all that was essential to human welfare; so that the stranger coming among them would say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” Deut. 4:6. They obtained this knowledge not by investigation and discovery, but by faith. They believed the words which God spoke to them; otherwise they would have remained in their former ignorance.

Seventh-day Adventists have had the opportunity to be the most advanced people in the world in the knowledge of the principles of right living. They were given a message to the world calling for a physical as well as a spiritual reform. They were given light far in advance of the world, even where the world claimed a monopoly of wisdom. If they did not thereby become wiser than the people of the world, it was because they did not believe that which came to them as the testimony of the Lord.

Many years ago, when medical science was far behind the position it has attained to-day, Seventh-day Adventists were called to proclaim and practise a reform in dress. It was the fashion to wear long dresses which trailed in the dust or the mire of the streets. They

were instructed that the dress worn upon the streets should be sufficiently short to clear the dampness and the filth; that this was essential to the preservation of health. The world laughed; but years later it had progressed far enough so that it began to make some discoveries on this point. Medical writers began to speak about germs, which lived and multiplied in dust and dirt and filth, and about the danger of bringing these germs from the street into the home, to spread disease and death among its inmates. The world finally came to see that the popular style of dress was an unsanitary and dangerous one, just as had been said by the Adventist advocates of dress reform; and soon there arose among its people leaders who introduced a new style of dress conforming to hygienic requirements, and the leading authorities on the subject in the world to-day teach and practise the identical principles which were first proclaimed by this church.

There was also a reform advocated in eating and drinking. Seventh-day Adventists were called to practise and to advocate strict temperance, to abstain from the use of drugs and popular medicines, and to employ other and more natural agencies in the treatment of disease. This likewise was foolishness in the eyes of the world; but what does the world say to-day? Recently the most astounding revelations have been made of the evil which has been done in the land by the sale of alcoholic mixtures and of baneful drugs in the form of patent medicines. This terrible business has gone on for many years, making untold thousands—perhaps even millions—of victims of innocent, well-meaning people who had never a thought of becoming inebriates, or slaves to nerve-destroying drugs. Long years after the temperance message of Seventh-day Adventists was first proclaimed, and after paying a most terrible price, the world has arrived at the truth on this subject, and efforts are being made to suppress the patent medicine traffic in souls for worldly gain. The world is discovering also that but few drugs are of any use in the treatment of disease, by far the greater number being detrimental to health and the cause of death in numberless cases where administered to the sick by the old-school physicians. The world is becoming wise on this subject, but the church had all this wisdom long before.

And just now the whole nation is being shocked by the revelations which are being made in connection with the meat food business. On another page of this paper will be found an account of some of the discoveries which agents of the government have been making at the headquarters of the meat trust. Thereupon is a cry of popular indignation which will force Congress to take speedy and vigorous action in the matter. Was the world foremost in discovering the objectionable character of such food? Oh, no; many years ago these things were plainly set forth in the testimonies which God gave to his church. Seventh-day Adventists have been in possession of them all this time. They have had the light which would enable them to avoid eating food which, if its real nature and condition were known, would be turned from with loathing. Whether this light has benefitted them or not depends simply on whether they have believed it. They know now, if they did not before, that the statements of the spirit of prophecy on this subject are true. But how much better to know such truths by faith than to pass on until they are found out by experience.

The church is the light of the world. It is the head and not the tail of every true reform—every movement for the betterment of mankind. This is the position God would have his people occupy and there is nothing to prevent it but their own lack of faith in his leadership. If Seventh-day Adventists would believe and put in practise the heaven-sent knowledge which they receive so far in advance of the world, the world would take note and would be forced to say, “Surely this . . . is a wise and understanding people;” and many souls would be converted to the truth. L. A. S.