PRESENT TRUTH, AND PRESENT CONFLICTS;
By James White
On the Duties and Dangers of Our Time. It has ever been God's plan, whether in the Jewish age, or in the Christian age, that his cause should be sustained by the free-will offerings of his people. This was true in all the leading enterprises of the Jewish church, such as the building of the sanctuary, Ex. 25: 1–9; 35: 21–29, and for the temple, 1 Chron. 29: 6–9, as well as for the support of their regular services. They made especial free-will offerings for the accomplishment of enterprises, which in the providence of God were necessary, and called for special liberalities. And beside these, and the regular tithing system for the support of the cause of God, which called for a tithe, or tenth, of all their increase, they made thank-offerings, trespass-offerings, peace-offerings, and others of the like. God instituted all these offerings and tithes because they were necessary for the support of his cause, and to test the sincerity and love of his people. Such were the means necessary to sustain the cause of God in the Jewish church. They were ordained by him for that purpose, when his cause was comparatively local, and to test the sincerity and love of his people. And we may safely conclude that the sacrifices of the Christian church, upon whom rests the duty to support a preached gospel “in all the world,” with all the enterprises necessary to promote the good of society, and the cause of God generally, are by no means less than those demanded of the Jewish church. But when we come down to our times, when a world is to be warned of swiftly approaching destruction, when a vast work is to be accomplished in a very short period, the circumstances of our time demand sacrifices such as have not been required of the people of God at any former period. The day of wrath is before us with all its wasting and desolation. And we have our choice, to use what is in our hands above a humble competency in the glorious cause of saving souls, and thereby lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven, or covetously withhold it, to be destroyed before our eyes, and we perish with it. God is wonderfully prospering the means now employed for the advancement of his cause. This should encourage all the true friends of the cause, and should lead them to activity, and a spirit of sacrifice. Our camp-meetings are a wonderful means of benefiting believers, of setting the light before the people, and of reclaiming backsliders, and converting sinners. Here is a chance to sacrifice for our own good, and the good of others. Let each family, excepting the very poor, have a tent of sufficient capacity for themselves and numerous friends. Let the numbers of our tents, and the numbers of persons in attendance, be fourfold what they usually have been. And let all be upon the ground five full days at least. This would increase the usefulness of our camp-meetings tenfold, with the same amount of ministerial labor. It lies with our brethren to say whether this worthy sacrifice shall be made to greatly increase the usefulness of our camp-meetings. Our publishing interests, which are the right arm of our strength, are prospering far beyond our expectations. The Publishing Association has outgrown the misfortunes of the past, and has doubtless earned, above expenses, during the past twelve months, not less than twelve thousand dollars. Our periodicals should have a wider circulation. They are good; but can be greatly improved. They should not only be rich in thought, but in that interest which spirit and variety give. Our preachers should all write short, spirited reports, and gather all the interesting incidents within their reach, such as will give interest to the REVIEW. When our papers are made what they may be made with a united interest, then let them have a wide circulation. They should be sent to thousands, free. The writers of our books, pamphlets, and tracts, have not aimed at the popular style. Our works are not wordy, wishy-washy productions. But, thank God, they have been written in plain, simple style; and for clearness, and richness of thought, to say nothing of correctness in Bible doctrine, they are not second to the publications issued from any religious press in our country. These must be judiciously circulated everywhere. And drawing largely from what has been written and published in English, numerous works must be prepared, and printed in several other languages, for the people of other tongues in our own land, and in other lands. The whitening fields are before us. Good God, give the reapers, whether they be ministers, or those stewards with whom thou hast intrusted means to forward this last work of gathering in precious souls, a spirit of sacrifice, and a heart to work. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord [margin] negligently.” Jer. 48: 10. And doubly cursed is he who will dare do it stingily, and covetously. The time has come to lay our plans of operation on a broader scale. God is giving us the ears and the hearts of the people. Our camp-meetings, and tent-meetings, and public lectures generally, are commanding the respect and attention of the people far beyond our expectations. And the people want to read our books. The Spirit of God is moving upon the people. And will the people of God arise, and act the part, and cheerfully bear the responsibilities, which the Lord has laid upon them? Will we keep pace with the opening providence of God, and share his presence, and see his prospering hand at work with us? God help, that we may. Our plan of Systematic Benevolence is one of equity and of efficiency. It draws upon the poor brother very lightly, while it requires of the wealthy only a portion of what he can put into the treasury of the Lord from his surplus means. And even this is not demanded of our people. None are compelled to subscribe to this arrangement. It is not a system of compulsion. No; true to its name, it is Systematic Benevolence. It is a system of free-will offerings. This plan of raising means for the support of the ministry is drawn from the tithing system, which required of the Jews a tithe, or tenth, of all their increase. Mark this: It did not call annually for a tenth of what they possessed. That system required only a tenth of all their yearly increase for the support of the cause of God. While God required only one part of their increase for the support of his cause among them, he gave nine parts to them for their support. Our plan of Systematic Benevolence is based upon the supposition that our increase is equal to about ten per cent interest on all we possess. A tithe, or a tenth, of ten per cent, would be one per cent annually upon all we possess. The man who has but a few hundred dollars, who chooses to make a free-will offering unto the Lord according to what he has, in following this system, pays annually only one dollar on each one hundred dollars he possesses. The system touches him very lightly. The man worth a few thousands, pays only as many tens of dollars annually as he possesses thousands of dollars. The man worth a hundred thousand dollars, if he acts upon this plan, pays one thousand dollars. True, this is a large sum. But the man with whom Providence has intrusted so large a property as one hundred thousand dollars, is the last man that should draw back from a system so equitable, and so efficient in the accomplishment of its object. Unless he has sold his soul for money—if he has any sense of his duty to God, and to his cause at this time, he will be among the first to bring in his tithes into the Lord's storehouse. Here is a system that will recommend itself to all our friends, whether they be connected with our churches, or are scattered abroad. Let each one assess his or her own property in the fear of God. Set down your entire property at the figures you would ask for it, if you wished to sell it. Are you in debt, take the amount of your indebtedness from the amount of all the property you have in your hands; and of what remains, one dollar annually upon each one hundred dollars, comes very near our present system. As arranged on our Systematic Benevolence blank books, the amount of property is set down, and each brother or sister generally assesses himself or herself two cents a week on each one hundred dollars. This would amount annually to $1.04 on each one hundred dollars, $10.40 on each one thousand dollars, or $1040.00 on one hundred thousand dollars. The aged, and the feeble, and widows in humble circumstances, pay one cent a week on each one hundred dollars, if they choose to depart from the general custom. And if they feel clear before God to excuse themselves fully, they are not asked to enter into the arrangement at all, unless the more wealthy and liberal pay into the treasury for them, to be put to their account on the Systematic Benevolence book. This is often done to show respect to the unfortunate, and to cultivate a spirit of tenderness and love among brethren. But while these are excused, the deficiency is made up tenfold by the young who possess real worth in their strength and ability to acquire means. These who have but little, if any, property around them, and yet have real wealth in their physical and mental powers, both male and female, pay from five to fifty cents per week, as a personal free-will offering, into the treasury of the Lord. There are no good reasons why any of the friends of the cause should neglect to carry out this system. The scattered brethren and sisters, from Maine to California, should all come up to this work. They should not let a single week pass before taking hold of it. Some are local in their feelings. They have but little interest in the cause outside of their own neighborhood. This is wrong. The cause is one. And all should enter into our system of raising means to sustain the cause. Souls in other localities are as precious as those in their immediate neighborhood. If the scattered ones act their part in sustaining the great cause at large, the Lord may regard them worthy to send his servants to labor for their neighbors. Our scattered friends, especially those that are not united with any of our churches, had better forward the sums resulting from adopting our system of benevolence, to the treasury of the General Conference at Battle Creek, Mich. Address REVIEW & HERALD. These sums will be acknowledged in the REVIEW, and placed to the credit of the General Conference, and used in the support of missionaries who labor outside the limits of State Conferences, and to meet the expenses of those who travel from State to State to hold camp-meetings, and attend State Conferences. And we would here suggest that very many are sadly behind in this matter. Since the Lord mercifully led them to the present truth, months and years have passed in which they have done little or nothing to show their gratitude to God for what he has done for them. These should not only enter at once into our system of benevolence, but they should go back to the favored period in which the Lord led them to the truth, and deal honestly with God and their own souls in this matter. They are behind. They are in debt to the Lord. Why not pay up? “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” Mal. 3: 8. Many of our people have robbed God both in tithes and in offerings. While many have failed to bring a tithe of their increase as a free-will offering unto the Lord, not a few who should have brought thank-offerings, and trespass-offerings, have failed to do so. There are those with whom God has dealt very bountifully, who should show their gratitude to the Giver of all their blessings, by making a thank-offering unto him. God has given them the inestimable blessing of health, has given them abundance of the good things of this life, has given them the light of his glorious173truth, and perhaps converted their children. What could be more in harmony with God's word, which sets forth the duty of his people in all dispensations, than to make a generous thank-offering unto him? The case of Noah is a striking illustration of this fact. When the patriarch was delivered from his long, tedious, and unpleasant position in the ark, and he, with his family, set his feet on terra firma again, his bosom swelled with gratitude that vocal language could not express. What did he do on that interesting occasion? Did he hold a social meeting on the shady side of the ark? And did that little church of eight souls bow down and all pray around, each offering a dry, husky prayer, and then, one by one, arise and speak in meeting? Or, did they assemble and offer toasts, and then pass the following? Resolved, That we express our gratitude to the great, all-wise Disposer of events in causing the waters to dry up, and permitting us to leave the ark, and once more move about upon the dry land. Supremely shallow and insipid would such performances have appeared in the sight of Heaven. And yet there are thousands who think they are pretty good Christians, who are satisfied with such faint expressions of gratitude to God, for all the rich blessings and bounties that crown their lives. May God pity them. The patriarch, however, could not be satisfied with any such faint expression of gratitude. Talk is cheap stuff. Among the numerous offerings instituted by the Lord, such as thank-offerings, peace-offerings, sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings, we do not read of talk-offerings. And in all those grand descriptions of the opening of the books at the Judgment, and the bestowment of the reward to the righteous, all is done according to their works, and not according to their words. We repeat: Talk is cheap stuff, especially when left to chatter along without the company of works. Noah had given himself to the righteous ministry one hundred and twenty years. He had invested an immense fortune in the old time-worn and weather-beaten ark. It was a grand old boat, and had served its time and purpose well. But we venture to state that it now was not worth one per cent to the venerable patriarch. The old earth, robbed of its former beauty and living substance, was in a sad plight. Noah was the last man to talk of real estate. The beasts and fowls sometimes move but a short distance from the ark; but as there is nothing to attract them to the dreary distance, they soon return. Noah had an immense expense, provided ample provisions for man and beast in the ark one long, dreary year, and also to supply their wants till the earth could produce food again. The value of the clean beasts and fowls to the patriarch, cannot be estimated. His rough, dreary farm is exceedingly lightly stocked. And the real value of each one of the clean beasts and clean fowls is priceless. But Noah builds an altar unto the Lord. What will he do next? For pity's sake, has not the patriarch sacrificed enough by this time? What will he do with this altar? He has been in the ministry nearly a century and a quarter. He has spent an immense fortune in building the ark, and in his ample provisions for his family, and for the beasts. Will God accept still further sacrifice at his hands? Why does Noah build this altar? Could prudent Judas have been there and seen Noah forming the sacred altar of sacrifice, how distressed he would have looked. We can this moment imagine him pale with pain, and then flushed, as if threatened with a fit of apoplexy. He, it will be remembered, was that ever cautious one among the twelve, so careful about the needless expenditure of means. How terribly he felt about the waste of the alabaster box of costly and precious ointment, poured on the head of Jesus by that blessed woman in the gospel. That ointment could have been sold, and the value given to the poor. Not that this prudent disciple felt so much for the poor just then; but the terrible wants upon the Son of God, was what distressed him. We have sometimes thought that, somehow, Judas must have been a type reaching to our time. But faithful Noah, true to his convictions of duty, to show his gratitude to God for his preserving mercy during the flood, and for his new position, by tangible demonstrations, takes one each of the seven precious clean beasts, and of the fowls, and offers them upon his newly made altar, a burnt sacrifice unto the Lord. Had the prudent Judas been there, he might have looked black with horror, and even anger, at seeing one-seventh part of Noah's property, so expensively fed in the ark one long year, and now of such inestimable value to the patriarch, so wastefully and needlessly burned to ashes. But Heaven smiled. Noah has now done something for God. This act is to be placed upon the records in Heaven, as one that shows the faith, and the willingness to sacrifice, on the part of the grand and venerable, righteous, old patriarch. God has washed the earth from its moral pollution by the waters of the flood, and righteous Noah stands at the head of future generations. And in the very act of sacrificing even so large a proportion of his wealth, he sets before his sons and his daughters ever after, an example of sacrifice. Has God changed? He is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. In the case of Noah, the representative of all righteous men and women ever after, God set a worthy example of sacrifice. There are many among us who can rejoice in preserving mercies, in providential dealings, and in deliverances, no less than those experienced by Noah, who have as little sense of the precious privilege of showing their gratitude to God for these blessings, by sacrificing for him and for his cause, as the sluggish brutes. And there are some who can, with the greatest propriety, come before the Lord with sin-offerings, and with trespass-offerings. There are some who have made solemn vows to God while in distress, or when moved upon by the Holy Spirit to consecrate themselves and all they possess to the Lord, or when anxious to accomplish this or that, who, when circumstances have changed, have neglected to pay their vows. And not a few of these have we seen sinking under the withering curse of God. The prophet, after calling attention to the fact that the people rob God in tithes and in offerings, Mal. 3: 8, says, “Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.” Verse 9. The sin is a general one. The exceptions are few. The present is a time of great worldly prosperity, and of equally great robbery of the Lord in tithes and in offerings. And the curse of God, especially in spiritual things, is correspondingly evident. What can be done? The Lord, by his prophet, in this very connection presents a complete remedy: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Verse 9. The subject is a plain one. Our own leanness, and want of spiritual life as a people, is distinctly traceable to the want of the spirit of sacrifice. The remedy is clearly stated. Dare we prove God in this matter? Glorious is the blessing more than suggested. God is not willing. All that he mentions will be realized if we prove him by obedience. God will open the windows of Heaven. He will pour out his blessing upon the obedient. And it will come in such gracious, glorious, and mighty fullness, that there shall not be room to receive it. The inducements presented, to lead us to bring to the Lord our free-will offerings, are very great. God is evidently moving upon the hearts of the people to hear and to read the truths of the last message. The fields are white. Precious souls almost everywhere may be gathered to the Lord by efforts put forth in the spirit of sacrifice. The means we may give can be used to the salvation of precious souls. The result of Noah's sacrifice of a seventh-part of what he possessed, was simply a spot of ashes upon the earth, and the smile of Heaven. We may have the smile of Heaven, and know also that our sacrifices are doing others good. And to the natural mind, how much less objectionable should be our sacrifices, just before the devastations of the burning day, than those of righteous Noah, as he was entering upon a new state of things, just after the devastations of the flood. With comparative justification could Noah cling to the few precious treasures reserved about him from the general ruin of the flood, while it is madness for us to hold on to them, and hoard them up for the fires of the day of God, and let souls go to ruin for the want of these active means of grace which God has ordained shall be sustained by the free-will offerings of his people. Again we ask, Has God changed? No; the God of Noah is our God, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. Was God pleased with the sacrifice of the patriarch, as he was entering upon the world in its second stage, just purified with water, while long ages were before his children of successive generations? How much greater sacrifices may be well demanded of us, standing just before the destruction of all earthly goods by the fires of the last day. God does not demand of us to burn up a seventh, or a tenth, or a hundredth, part of our property as a burnt-offering. No, we may use it in the precious cause of the eternal salvation of our fellow-men. And in doing this, we are laying up treasures in Heaven. Some act as if what they give to the cause of God were lost. Wonderful mistake! They not only lay up treasures in Heaven, but they lay it up there for themselves. See Matt. 6: 20; Luke 12: 33; 1 Tim. 6: 19. What they give to the cause of God, is simply a transfer of treasures from earth to Heaven. Seventh-day Adventists now have the privilege, just before the wrath of God in the seven last plagues, and the fires of the day of God, shall devastate the earth, and destroy earthly goods everywhere, of exchanging the perishable things of this world for the imperishable treasures of an eternal existence. And bear this in mind, in the exchange of worlds, these treasures do not really pass out of their hands. The exchange of the treasures is simply in their nature. They hand them to the Lord, consisting of poor, fading, perishable goods of this sin-cursed world, and the Lord will hand them back to them, changed to the fadeless and endless rewards of an eternal existence. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,” said the great Teacher. And let all the people say, Amen. Civil Bend, Mo., Nov. 4, 1870.