p. 37 | Old and New by Roswell F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 19, 1870

Old and New.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

UNIVERSALISM is one hundred years old. Its centenary has been celebrated. The truth is much older than that. Still antiquity does not prove a thing to be true or false; for truth and error have been contemporaneous, and run parallel, ever since the first lie was introduced into the world, when the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. Since the first lie was believed, truth and error have existed in the world.

But there is this remarkable difference between truth and error. Truth is of God, and like God it does not change; but error is constantly changing its form—assuming some new dress to hide its deformities—that it may pass for truth. Truth is simple and easily told. It is so palpable that it requires no extraordinary faculties to affirm it, provided we are willing that the truth as it exists shall be truth. Nor so with falsehood and error. One lie needs ten more to make it believed. The support of error taxes the inventive faculties of the mind to the utmost. Hence new discoveries and inventions are in constant demand.

We have a good illustration of this in the medical profession. The people have got the idea that when sickness is upon them, which is the consequence of the violation of the physical laws of our being, they must, instead of returning to obedience of those laws, swallow something to make them well. This calls out all the wonderful discoveries of the all-healing medicines that flood our land. And as long as this fundamental error exists in the minds of the people, so long will quackery flourish, and the inventive genius will be taxed to discover the true panacea, the all-healing balm, which is to supersede all others, restoring health to our degenerate, and degenerating, dying, race, and fill the pockets of the discoverer; especially the latter.

To regain health we must go back to temperate living, and the observation and obedience of the physical laws of our being. And to obtain the truth and moral health, we must follow the directions of the word of God—“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” But the response of the people is, “We will not walk therein.” Jer. 6: 16. Hence the constant demand for new discoveries. The doctrine of the conversion of the whole world, and Universalism, both cry, Peace and safety; one to a favored race in the future, the other to all men, past, present, and future. They are not twins, for one is about two hundred years old, the other one hundred. In these progressive times the latest invention always claims to be the best; and if God is to compel the conversion of the whole world, notwithstanding the increasing wickedness, the unprecedented corruption, of these last days, would it not be a still greater improvement to decree the salvation of all those who have died in their sins?

And just here another child is born, completing the trio, or trinity, of doctrines, corresponding in a considerable degree, though advancing by steps of about a hundred years each. Spiritualism, the latest improvement, combines the improvements of the two former, and claims, of course, a decided preference over any of its predecessors.

But what about Adventism with its new teachings? The new teachings of genuine Adventism are all found in the old Bible. We go back to the fountain of truth, and sustain the truth that was contradicted by the first lie, namely, Ye shall not surely die. We search up the old paths—obedience to all the commandments of God, obligations that have existed ever since God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. We teach “repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” as the only preparation to pass the test of the Judgment, and stand before the Coming One, who is to be revealed from Heaven taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are some of the new things which we find in our old Bible; and we content ourselves with repeating those truths which have been true from the beginning, and obeying those commandments which date from the creation. Hence we are saved the trouble of inventing something to meet the exigencies of the times. We are thoroughly furnished in the Scriptures of truth. And we recommend to all to reject the wonderful discoveries of these later times, and seek for spiritual health and eternal salvation in obedience to the established laws of our Creator and Redeemer.

R. F. COTTERELL.