Seventh-day Adventists and “Undenominational Work”
By E. W. Webster
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS are generally a very liberal people toward mission and philanthropic work. The most of them answer freely to calls made for anything that appeals to them as a needy part of God’s work. So anxious are they to help, that they have at times been imposed upon by designing individuals who have had some personal advantage to gain. A word of warning seems occasionally necessary in order to save to the real cause of God the means and talents that would otherwise be turned into less worthy and needy channels. While some of these many personal enterprises have in view the coming of the Lord and the necessary preparation for that as the whole object of their work, some of them are wholly worldly and selfish, or even unworthy and bad. Just how far to go in supporting “philanthropic” or “undenominational” mission work, just how far to go in co-operating with such efforts and enterprises, and not openly teach our peculiar “denominational doctrines” therein, are questions to be settled by every Seventh-day Adventist in the fear of God. We know that these are largely individual questions, yet, as in many other points, there should be as nearly as possible a unanimous understanding and action in the matter. If it had been so in the past, our cause would have been saved, or would have received directly the benefit of, thousands of dollars that have been given to institutions or persons entirely unworthy, or which, though good in a passive way, are doing nothing at all in the way of preparing the world for the great crisis before it, or to prepare individuals for the coming of the Lord. There are many enterprises appealing to Seventh-day Adventists for help, and receiving more or less of it, that, were the world going to stand for a thousand years yet, might be proper objects for us to bestow our gifts upon; but, with our great burden of warning the world of the coming of the Lord demanding all our talents, it seems to me that these are often but suckers to drain the real work of God of just so much of its rightful and much-needed help from those whose first duty it is to close up the work of the third angel’s message in this generation. The safest way is to give to those enterprises which make calls through the officials or organs of the General Conference, or through the union or State conferences, or such local work as the church is interested in or approves of. As to Seventh-day Adventists’ operating or working in “undenominational” institutions and not saying a word about the peculiar points of faith the Lord has given us, I do not see how such a thought could enter the mind. Neither do I see how the doctrines of the Bible now due to the world can be called “denominational.” If they were man-made doctrines defined in some particular church creed, they could truly be called “denominational,” but not as they are. In the days of the prophets, apostles, and reformers there doubtless were many passively good societies and enterprises that would have been worthy of the assistance of the servants of the Lord had they not had their special God-given work in which to employ all their talents of time and strength and means. But who ever heard of Isaiah or Paul helping some “undenominational humanitarian” work? I imagine that they were so preoccupied with their own burdens that they had little time for others, and were probably often called narrow and selfish. We know of but one burden that John the Baptist had, one work to which he gave his time and strength. If Seventh-day Adventists do not have one particular calling, one all-important work to do, they have no excuse for their existence. If every individual member of this body of believers in the soon coming of the Saviour does not pledge himself and his all to this particular work, he has no business longer with the remnant people of God. Knowing that we have this calling and this work, we can be clear before God only as we make it the only thing we know in this world, even at the risk of being called exclusive and bigoted by those who are so “broad” and “liberal” that they can freely use time and talent in almost everything but the most important thing in the world. The Bible and history both show that when God has had a special work to be done in the earth, suddenly there springs up many apparently very worthy enterprises to attract the attention of the masses, to make God’s special work look small and insignificant, unimportant, and even intrusive. These others are made to appear very necessary and good and important, even religious. It would not do for them to appear otherwise; they would not succeed so well in diverting attention or time and means and talents from the one work God is doing, and which, if espoused as it should be, would soon include all that is necessary of all these other enterprises under his direct guidance; and while many souls have been drawn away by these side issues, God’s true servants have held steadily on their way, and his work has succeeded, while all the others have failed, and will fail. All this is and will be especially true in these last days, and of this last message. I know of more than one enterprise, worthy enough if conducted by those who do not know this message, started and run by Seventh-day Adventists, or by Seventh-day Adventists in partnership with others, as “undenominational” institutions, where not a word of present truth is taught, on the ground that it would be teaching “denominational doctrines,” and that would not be to the interests of the enterprise; and a considerable amount of money and time and talent of Seventh-day Adventists is going to support them under these restrictions. I can not see that this is right. I have written thus at length on the principle; now I want to make the application to at least two such institutions in South Carolina that have been draining something from the needy work of God in this State. The first is that of a school run by one Pomeroy at or near either Blackville or Denmark, S. C. This is totally unworthy of the help of any person, Seventh-day Adventist or not. Further information will be given by letter, if desired. Write me before giving more to it. The next is an industrial school for colored people, located at Denmark, S. C. It has the name of Voorhese Industrial School. It is a worthy and useful17school, as nearly as I can see, so far as this world alone is concerned. It may succeed in elevating some of the colored race in social and agricultural lines for the brief period that remains to this world, and, in a general and superficial way, teaches the Bible. It was at the beginning started, I understand, largely with the talent and means of Seventh-day Adventists, and more or less has been given to it by them since. Some of its representatives have gone among our people, I am informed, soliciting, with some success, money and gifts with which to carry it on. But the truth that is more important than all else, and without which the institution itself will be a total failure along with all other worldly enterprises, is not even mentioned in private there. Not one of our papers is to be seen there,—nothing to tell the students of what is coming. They are excluded on the ground that they are “denominational,” and they do not allow doctrinal instructions to be given there. I know nothing against the character of one of the managers or students; they all seem to be very nice people; and if our people wish to spend their money for any work that is so entirely passive concerning the great truths for these last days, there is a good place to give it. But if you want your few dollars to do the most good in giving a knowledge of the truth to the people of this destitute and needy field, you can send your donations to the Southern Union Conference, Nashville, Tenn. The real cause of God is suffering for men and means in this State. More information can be given by letter, if desired. You would do well also to write to the presidents of the conferences in other Southern States before giving to similar enterprises there.