How we Should Handle the Truth.
1. The truth of God is purer than silver that has been purified seven times in a furnace of earth. Men whose hands are stained with sin, whose hearts are tainted with pride, with selfishness, or with iniquity of any kind, and whose mouths are ready to utter words that ought not to be spoken, have no right to act as the ministers of truth to others. Those who handle the truth of God must first be converted themselves by it. They must not bear God’s truth while they dishonor it by their sinful lives and their unholy examples. 2. The truth of God was never designed to be held in unrighteousness. It was not revealed in the Holy Scriptures to be made the peculiar property of bigots and of partisans. Nor was it given for the purpose of building up selfish, unsanctified sects and parties. God has nothing in common with such classes. And zeal on their part, even for some of the truths of his word, always has such evil elements mingled with it, that it is not accepted in God’s sight as devotion to his cause. “Come with me,” said Jehu, “and see my zeal for the Lord.” 2 Kings 10: 16. Yet his zeal for the right was principally, if not wholly, inspired by a desire to advance his own interest. 3. The truth of God is, however, of the utmost importance. It is as precious as it is pure. But many men make the great mistake of supposing they have a share in the truth when they merely understand and believe some portions of it, while it has no place in their hearts, and while it fails to govern their daily lives. This is the fatal error of vast multitudes. We shall never be saved by the truth till it has made us like itself, clean without and pure within. 4. Unquestionably, it is the duty of the servants of God to preach his truth. The truth is that which enlightens the mind; it is that which reveals our duty toward God and man; it is that also which sets us apart from the world, as the servants of Christ. God sends it out to lead men to his holy hill. John 17: 17; Ps. 43: 3. 5. And when the truths of the Bible are preached, it is necessary that they be declared with plainness, with faithfulness, with zeal, with solemnity, with urgent importunity, and with the power of the Spirit of God mingling severity and tenderness in the spirit of him who preaches the words of eternal life to perishing men. 6. Especially should it be the case with those who preach the final message of warning to mankind, that they exhibit in their own lives the excellency of the truths they urge upon others. And when the greatness of the work to be accomplished by the third angel’s message is considered, for it is sent by God to warn mankind of the seven last plagues, we see very plainly that we cannot be too much in earnest in calling the attention of our fellow-men to its words of solemn warning, provided that our zeal be tempered with knowledge. 7. But when we have preached God’s truth with that faithful, self-sacrificing, earnest, and tender spirit that becomes so sacred and so important a message from the God of Heaven, we have done our part. It is indeed our business to recommend it by our lives of consecration, and of humble obedience. But even the importance of the truths we preach may cause us to commit a serious error. 8. Let us remember then that judging and condemning is no part of our work. When we have, with untiring diligence and unselfish and ever-enduring love, warned and instructed our perishing fellow-men, we have done our part of the work. They are indeed to be judged, but this part of the work belongs not to mortal man. It is no part of our business to decide who shall have perdition for their portion. 9. We are too ignorant and short-sighted to do such a work. We know not the peculiar difficulties under which their minds are laboring. We know not the influence of early education which may make it for the time quite impossible for them to see what we may be able to see with great clearness. We know not what may have transpired to create extreme prejudice in their minds toward our cause, our people, or ourselves. These things are all known to the Searcher of hearts. Leave the decision of men’s cases to him. 10. These remarks apply especially to our action toward those who fear God, but who do not see all the truth which we are enabled to see. Such persons are not to come under the censure of that righteous judgment which may be judged by us in cases of flagrant wickedness. Yet even in the case of these last named, it becomes us to act with fear and trembling, and only so far, too, as will be sufficient to put away sin from among us; and to save those who are in danger of being deceived by the emissaries of Satan; and to relieve the cause of God from reproach. 11. We must indeed contend for the truth. We live in a world where error and moral darkness are predominant. We must face fierce opposition; but let us remember that it is not necessary to be fierce ourselves. Those who have the truth can afford to be candid; rather they cannot afford to be anything else. Controversy, to a greater or less extent, is unavoidable; but before we enter into it let us take pains to remove all personal misunderstandings, and, if possible, let us seek the conversion of our opponents with much greater zeal than we seek the discomfiture of their cause. 12. These remarks have an especial bearing upon our relations toward the various bodies of first-day Adventists. They have not always treated our views with candor. Perhaps some of them are not ready to do it now. What then? Shall we treat them as our enemies, and the enemies of Christ? Before we do this, let us ask ourselves the question whether we have never acted with any want of wisdom toward them. If we have important truth which they have not, has that truth made us better people? Certainly it has increased our responsibility to a fearful extent. 13. We cannot justify the course of our first-day Advent brethren toward such Bible themes as the third angel’s message, the heavenly sanctuary, and the fourth commandment. But we do not stand altogether blameless in our course toward them. We have had some among us with large zeal, but with little judgment, who have so vindicated the truth as to repel and drive from us those who do not at once see the evidences of the truth. And thus it has come to be considered by many of the first-day Adventists that we consider them as having no interest in Christ, and being in no sense his people. 14. On the contrary, we cherish the hope that many of the first-day Adventists are earnestly endeavoring to walk according to the best light which they have. We cannot doubt that this is the case. It is true that we do not lightly esteem the fourth commandment. On the contrary, we hold it as an equal with the other nine. But how far early education, prejudice, false views of the Bible, or other things may hinder others from seeing the light, we know not. It is our business to preach the great truth of the fourth commandment, and to urge it upon the conscience, but beyond this we cannot go. We believe that the time will come when many of our first-day Advent brethren will see that there is in prophecy a third angel’s message following the first, and preceding the Son of Man upon the white cloud. 15. But we cannot help them, nor can we honor Christ, by placing ourselves in an attitude of hostility toward them. It is no part of our business to do this. We hold too many precious truths in common to take no interest in their work. We rejoice in their success in preaching the near advent of Christ, and in extending the knowledge of this great truth. Nor do we deem it wisest and best in consideration of the difference of our views relative to the commandments of God, to enter their fields of labor, except when invited so to do, or when the providence of God plainly calls us to this. 16. Is it not time that a different state of things should exist? Can we not sustain relations sufficiently friendly to enable us at least to understand each other’s real feelings and purposes? Is it not better for the cause of truth, and for the salvation of men, that we find how near we can come to those who differ with us, without sacrificing the truth in so doing? 17. It is no part of our business to contend with first-day Adventists when this can be reasonably avoided. On the contrary, we would, as far as lies in us, live peaceably with them. We honor them for the truth they hold, though we do not think them always candid in the treatment of those questions concerning which we differ. What is evil in them we would gladly correct, and that in the same spirit which we would have others manifest toward us. 18. We deprecate party spirit. Gladly would we witness a time when all Adventists should be simply anxious for the truth as it is in Jesus, and when bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor shall cease. 19. We believe that to all God’s humble, Christ-like, teachable servants the time must come before translation, when they shall fully come to the unity of the faith; when self shall be slain; when the love of the truth shall be so strong that party spirit shall cease, and that each shall love God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself, and Christ shall be all in all. We believe that the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are the great standard of preparation for the advent of Christ. And we believe that the gifts placed in the church are an important instrumentality for the purpose of effecting the unity of the people of God. And, thus believing, we mean so to labor as that we may be found the helpers of all who earnestly endeavor to follow the truth.