CONFERENCE ADDRESS by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 11, 1876

FromThe Review and Herald, Review and Herald, Vol. 47, No. 19.

CONFERENCE ADDRESS.

By James White

Progress and Wants of the Cause.

The work of the ministry must take the lead of all human agencies employed in the cause of Christ. At an early period in his ministry Christ chose twelve men to be with him, to learn of him both by private instructions and public teachings, to behold his miracles, and witness his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, that they might be proper witnesses of these events in fulfilling the high commission from their Master, in these words, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

And when the apostle would represent the comparative importance of the gifts in the Christian church he makes the following statement: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” 1 Cor. 12:28. And again he preserves nearly the same order in addressing the church at Ephesus: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Eph. 4:11. Here the work of those sent to preach the gospel ranks first in importance.

Christ’s ministers are his representatives, to speak in his name and to act in his stead. Paul expresses the dignity, magnitude, holy character, and fearful responsibilities of the ministry in these words: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Cor. 5:20. No minister can fully realize such a position without a deep experience in the things of the Spirit of God. He must first realize in himself the strongest Scripture expressions of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In contrast with the endowments of the real ambassadors of Christ thousands take the name of Reverend or Elder who are as destitute of the Holy Spirit, and as insensible of the fearful responsibilities of the ministry, as the inanimate walls of their churches. Would God that all our ministers could read their experiences from the book of Acts. If the ministers of the first Christian churches were not a measure of the will of Christ during the Christian age to its very close, then where is the rule by which to measure the ministry of the nineteenth century? It is not to be found in the New Testament. And may God pity an apostate ministry, an apostate church, and a world lying in wickedness, destitute of that gospel which Christ committed to his first ministers.

But we cling to the original commission with all its toils, crosses, blessings, and power with God and with the people. “All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth,” said Christ to the eleven, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:18-20. The work of an evangelist is laborious and often very disagreeable. It is marked all the way with hardships and privations. But there are two redeeming features in the sad picture which make it really desirable to the man of God who feels in his inmost soul, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.”

1. The connective, therefore. In the commission, Christ first states that all power in Heaven and in earth is invested in himself. He there delegates a certain degree of that power to his first ministers, and commands, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations. Why willingly, cheerfully, and even joyfully go out everywhere preaching the word to hearts as hard as steel, and deprive themselves of nearly all of life regarded by men of the world as worth having? Because their all-powerful Master sends them and leaves with them the gracious assurance:—

2. Lo, I am with you always to the end of the Christian age. Christ being ever with the gospel minister to give him strength in time of need, he can do all things embraced in the high and holy commission. But “without me,” says Christ, “ye can do nothing.”

At an earlier period Christ sent out his twelve disciples, and “gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Matt. 10:1. If it be said that this power was to attend the twelve for a limited mission only and restricted to the Jews, then we reply, that in the unrestricted commission to the eleven, to teach all nations, which was to extend to the end of the world, the same power and authority are given to the Christian ministry. At that last interview with the eleven, as Christ was about to ascend to Heaven, he said to them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

“So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” Mark 16:15-20.

This power was to attend not only the eleven but those who should believe the gospel they preached, and be baptized. Where is the proof in all the New Testament that these signs were given for a limited period, and that preaching, believing, and being baptized was to go on long centuries without manifestation of them? It does not meet the case to say that these signs do not follow the masses of professing believers. The history of the church shows that such manifestations have existed more or less in all the centuries of the church since Christ gave the commission to the eleven. The manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been no more scarce since the ascension than the religion taught and exemplified by the Son of God has been. And when the church shall come back to the full measure of Christian duty as given by Christ, she will find all the blessings with which he clothed his first ministers and their converts.

We plead for the religion set forth in the New Testament. With that religion is connected the work of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of the gifts from the first record of the ministry and miracles of Christ reaching throughout the epistles. The gospel of the Son of God and the attending blessings and power of the Holy Spirit are the same in the days of Paul, Peter, and James that they were when Christ ascended up to Heaven in the presence of the eleven, or when he sent out the twelve, and afterward the seventy, on their first limited mission.

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves; for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house, or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily, I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of Judgment, than for that city. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matt. 10:5-16.

As we read the foregoing we are deeply impressed with the great fact that Christ clothes his ministers with authority and power equal to the importance of their work. Those who receive the worthy ambassadors for Christ are blest; but those who reject them call upon themselves the wrath of God more intolerable than that which rested upon the land of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And the gospel of the Son of God gives such men claims on the charities of the very communities in which they labor. This fact of general application is illustrated by a principle for all time in the words, “The workman is worthy of his meat.” This is true in the nineteenth century, was true when the commission was given to the eleven, also when the seventy were sent out, and when spoken to the twelve as they were about to start out on their restricted mission.

In Luke 10:7, this illustration of the claims of the ministry on those to whom they minister is expressed in the words, “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” And Christ would have his ministers test the worthiness of the people to receive their labors by their action in receiving them, and hearing their words. “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” The carrying out of these principles by the evangelist brings him into relations with the people beneficial to both himself and them. He needs their hospitality, and they need his social labors. And never can the young disciple be so favorably impressed with his duty to sustain the cause of God as when the Spirit of the Lord is opening his heart to the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ?

But the course of some of our ministers illy compares with these plain statements of Christ. They will pitch their tent in a village or city, and at their opening discourse will tell the people that they have not come for their money, or to be a burden upon them, and that they are sent there by their Conference which fully supports them. Maybe they will commence a sort of house-keeping in a corner of the tent, on crackers and fruit, and cultivate a dread of mingling with the people socially. Many are impressed with the truths spoken, and yearn in their very hearts to entertain the ministers, become acquainted with them, and minister to their wants; but those remarks in the introductory discourse completely closed up their way, and the people receive the idea that they have nothing to do only to hear the gospel. But the tug of war comes when the subject of Systematic Benevolence is urged upon the believers who have come out under false impressions.

The teaching of Christ on this subject were for the best good of both the preachers and the people throughout the entire Christian age. It brings them in that relation beneficial to both, where they may feel mutual obligations. In this relation the people will be led to cultivate the spirit of hospitality, and the minister will cultivate those social qualities in which lies his principal power to accomplish good. When he enters a town he should at an early period in his labors visit the ministers of the place, visit the schools, and become acquainted with the leading men in and out of the churches. He should with a humble dignity becoming his mission go in and out before the people, and so deport himself in all his social interviews as a man sent of God, having claims upon the attention, and hospitality of the people, as to give the impression that the last message to lost sinners is in his mind at least, the great question of the times. Those who cannot do this, and will not cultivate a love to mingle with the more intelligent, should never enter a village or city, but should seek their level in a more retired portion of the great field.

But the gospel does bring the true minister of Christ in close and tender relations with the people. It gives him claims on the sympathy, tender care, and hospitality of the people which but few realize. Peter would know what would be his portion, and what would be that of his fellow disciples, and says, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:28-30.

From the very nature of things it is not possible for any man to literally have a hundred mothers, brothers and sisters. Neither can we suppose for a moment that this promise of the Lord gives the minister a title to a hundred farms or a hundred houses. But the gospel does give the true minister claims on the people, and does plant the evangelist in a hundred families where he finds fathers, mothers, brethren, sisters, and houses, to meet his present wants, and sustain a relation higher, holier, and more tender than any earthly relationship.

J. W.