GEO. O. STATES by GEO. O. STATES

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 25, 1907

GEO. O. STATES

By GEO. O. STATES

Lessons From Past Experiences—No. 15

GEO. O. STATES

Over thirty-five years ago, in one of our Eastern conferences, a man very zealously accepted the truth, and soon began preaching. He preached about five years, but was of a very independent nature, desiring to be first in importance, and unwilling to bear counsel or reproof.

When he first came among us, he had much to say about the great sacrifices he had made for the truth’s sake. He dwelt much upon the fact that he had given up a very lucrative position in order to preach the truth.

After a time he engaged in some great speculative scheme, borrowed money from poor invalid widows and others to carry it through, and then left the truth and the country.

It must have been over twenty years ago that a business man in Delta, Colo., said to me, “I want you to come to the hall to-night and hear a smart man lecture. He used to be one of your ministers.” I went, and was surprised to learn that he was the one who some fifteen years before had given up the truth. His whole talk consisted in ridiculing the Bible, and showing up its supposed inconsistencies.

A few years before this man came among us, we were told by the servant of the Lord that “in rebuking the wrongs of one, he designed to correct many. . . . He makes plain the wrongs of some that others may thus be warned, and fear, and shun those errors. By self-examination they may find that they are doing the same things which God condemns in

others.”—“Testimonies,” Vol. II, pages 112, 113.

This man professed to believe that these words of counsel were from the Lord, and yet at the same time failed to heed the counsel which says, “Not all who preach the truth to others are sanctified by it. Some have but faint views of the sacred character of the work. They fail to trust in God, and to have all their works wrought in him. Their inmost souls have not been converted. . . . Not all the ministers are devoted to the work; not all have put their hearts into it.”—Id., pages 334, 335.

In 1870, in counsel given to those who were in danger of going into infidelity, we were told that “some are not naturally devotional, and therefore should encourage and cultivate a habit of close examination of their own lives and motives, and should especially cherish a love for religious exercises and for secret prayer. They are often heard talking of doubts and unbelief, and dwelling upon the wonderful struggles they have had with infidel feelings. . . .

“At times they seem to really enjoy hovering about the infidel’s position, and strengthening their unbelief with every circumstance they can gather as an excuse for their darkness. To such we would say, You would better come down at once, and leave the walls of Zion, until you become converted men and good Christians. Before you take the responsibility of becoming ministers, you are required of God to separate yourselves from the love of this world. The reward of those who continue in this doubting position will be that given to the fearful and unbelieving.”—Id., page 513.

This man had evidently gotten hold of a theory of the truth, but it had not transformed his life. He had not experienced its transforming power in his heart, and so had passed along, having a form of godliness, but in his daily life denying its power.

If such timely counsel was given to God’s servants thirty and forty years ago, and was needed, how is it with us now when we are that much nearer the closing up of the work, when Satan is working with such power, knowing that he has but a short time in which to lull God’s servants to carnal security? There is plenty of counsel in the volumes given to this people to shield us from the deceptions of Satan, and what is needed is to heed all this counsel, and thus be kept in the hour of temptation.

Cedaredge, Colo.