p. 8 | Looking Backward by J. O. Corliss

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jul 28, 1904

Looking Backward

By J. O. Corliss

The Experiences of Former Days — No. 1

Looking Backward

J. O. CORLISS

THE human mind is so constituted that it requires frequent stimulation to keep it steadily trending in the same direction. This is specially true regarding things of a moral nature. For this reason the Sabbath was instituted, that men might look through it each week to the creative power of Him to whom they are called to give allegiance.

The passover was established upon the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, that they might have a memorial of God’s power to rescue his people from the grasp of a powerful nation. Ex. 12:3-14. Upon crossing the Jordan, a monument of twelve stones, taken from the bed of that river which had been miraculously made a highway for a nation’s entrance to the promised land, was erected in Gilgal, as a memorial of that event. Joshua 4:20-24.

Had the seed of Abraham ever kept these and other memorials in sight, and so kept fresh in mind God’s deliverances, they need not have had the charge brought against them of forgetting God so far as to turn to worship the idols of other nations. Isa. 63:9, 10; 2 Kings 17:7-17. It will be noticed that when the psalmist would set before his hearers the greatness of Jehovah, he invariably referred to the faithful leadings of God, in the preservation of Israel when in difficulty. In his own words, he “considered the days of old, the years of ancient times,” as found in Psalms 76-78.

Again: in order that the early church might be “established” in the truth for those days, the apostle felt it necessary constantly to remind the brethren of certain things in the earlier experience of the work, lest these being forgotten, the church might fall a prey to doubt and ultimate defection. 2 Peter 1:12, 13.

Among the members of that early church were numerous Jews,—men who had stepped out from life-long traditions, to follow the faith of him whose kingdom their religious ceremonies foreshadowed. After the death of Christ, however, circumstances arose which suggested questions of doubt regarding the genuineness of the alleged Messiah’s mission. There seemed to be but one remedy for the sad issue, and that was readily prescribed. To prevent those already disaffected from being swallowed up in the force of prevailing sentiment, the apostle exhorted them to “call to remembrance the former days,” when their minds first became enlightened, and they endured great affliction, through being made obnoxious to the world by reproaches and oppression. They were also reminded of the strength of faith which had permitted them at that time to enjoy, even the spoiling of their goods. Their attention being fully called to these things, the word was then pressed home to them not to cast away their well-bestowed confidence, which, if retained, would bring its sure reward.

The history of the apostolic church has been repeated many times in the various phases of the work of God among men. Those who have not been able to see the hand of God specially leading up to their time and work, have invariably lacked enthusiasm in their profession, and have seemed indifferent to the evident calls of heaven to service. The history of every religious people since the Reformation reveals that the further removed they became from the origin of their particular work, the less they retained of those special characteristics which separated them from all other people. This is because they lost sight of the history of circumstances which gave them a distinct place and work among men.

The case of Seventh-day Adventists is no exception to the general rule. In the early days of their work, every one identified with them became the butt of ridicule, yet the most of these willingly sacrificed worldly profit for the pleasure of seeing the truth prosper. These having lived contemporary with those who were giving their lives for the spread of the message of the speedy coming of Christ, knew much of God’s leading in the work they were doing. But many of those pioneers have joyfully finished the part assigned them of God, and now rest in hope of soon seeing what they so ardently believed to be the early outcome of the message they carried.

Many of those now entrusted with the responsibilities older ones have laid down, have not had a personal knowledge of the early sacrifices and struggles through which the present work was established. Without this it is only natural for them to form plans for labor from present experiences, without particular reference to the evident leadings of God in the planting of the message. To do this opens the way for results which place the work on altogether a different basis from that which was evidently intended by Providence at the beginning.

In view of this possible tendency, and in order to strengthen and confirm those in the message who have accepted it simply from its logical clearness, we have thought best to recount some of the early incidents of the work, hoping they may be a source of comfort to others as they have been to the writer.