p. 4 | A *Camp-Meeting Experience by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 19, 1907

A Camp-Meeting Experience

By W. A. S.

We were blessed and refreshed on a recent Sabbath in reviewing and studying in the camp-meeting Sabbath-school the lessons setting forth clearly and emphatically the truth of righteousness by faith only, with the solemn warnings of the Bible story against any thought of confidence in the flesh or of any possibility of obedience save by the power of divine grace through faith alone. It was a practical presentation of the truth of righteousness by faith, and the people laid hold of it practically, as was witnessed by the testimonies in the afternoon service following.

Just then the mail-carrier brought us a controversial leaflet in which one formerly laboring with us in this work assailed the lessons as teaching a righteousness by works. A few expressions—not full in their brevity, and capable of misinterpretation if they stood alone—are interpreted as suggesting a covenant of works; and this is declared to be the doctrine taught, notwithstanding the fact that the thought developed in the whole series is an emphatic and plain and repeated denial of the possibility of a covenant of works that could secure righteousness.

There is not among us a teacher, or a writer, or a preacher, I believe, who would not repudiate every suggestion of righteousness or obedience save as the

fruit of living faith. But this denomination emphasizes also the eternal truth that the way of life is the way of obedience. And it repudiates any substitution of the phrases of justification by faith for that obedience of the truth and loyalty to the work of God which are the fruits of faith.

The third angel’s message stands for justification by the faith of Jesus that truly justifies. And Seventh-day Adventists have hope in the third angel’s message. There is nothing more dangerous than the perversion of the phrases of justification by faith to justify sin.

We may well thank God that the truth of righteousness by faith that saves the sinner from his sins is not ministered to us through mortal man. However greatly God may bless a man in preaching it, the truth does not belong with the instrument, nor can man deny to us the privilege of rejoicing in it, nor be the judge as to whether we are finding in it “the truth that it is.” We found it at the foot of the cross. Only “down at the cross” may we retain it.

W. A. S.