J. S. Green's Pretended Exposure.
By Editor
WITH much regret we have seen in circulation a printed article signed J. S. Green, under the pretentious title of "Expose of Oppression." The article contains two points: (1) That Seventh-day Adventists are oppressed by the tithing system, etc., and (2) That Eld. White may have misappropriated the funds left in his hands by Bro. James Harvey, to be used for the cause. 1. No one is oppressed by the tithing system. If a person makes nothing, according to the tithing system he has to give nothing; if he makes but little he gives but little—or rather, pays but little; for in the Scriptures the tithes are always counted as the Lord's and are truly paid, not given. We think it will be difficult to convince any reasonable person that there is any oppression in the system, for the Lord is the author of it, and he who said the Lord was a "hard master," was styled a "wicked and slothful servant." We hope that Bro. Green will recede from a position by which he takes to himself such a character. And the system is approved by the most devoted in all churches. We have often seen regrets expressed in religious papers of various denominations that they could not carry out the system in their churches, and they attributed the failure to the selfishness and worldliness of the members. And yet again, there can be no oppression among Seventh-day Adventists in this respect, for they only direct their members to the teaching of the Scriptures, and leave it to their own consciences to comply or not. We regret to say that there are quite a number among us of the_same mind of J. S. G., who do not give the Lord his due according to his own word. We do not oppress them, for we leave them to settle it with the Lord who instituted the system—not with us. As for gifts, we have known Bro. White, and others having charge of our institutions, to return money given to the cause, when the circumstances of the donors so changed as to make it appear an act of justice to them. In some cases the money was taken back, and in other cases it was refused, because the persons consecrated it to the cause of God when their circumstances made it an easy matter, and they preferred to leave it there. But in no case have we ever known anything taken in a spirit of oppression. 2. Bro. Harvey went into despair some years ago, from which state he was rescued by a message from Sister White. He ever had the utmost confidence in the devotion and integrity of Brother and Sister White, and in his latter days was oppressed with fears that he had not done justice to the cause of present truth, in regard to the bestowal of means for its support. Consequently he placed a large proportion of his means in the hands of Bro. White, to be used at his discretion as he thought the cause most needed from time to time. He did this because he knew, as we all knew, that Bro. White had always been faithful to trusts of means committed to his hands. We have, in years past, had occasion to trace up reports raised up against him by the enemies of our cause, of his unfaithfulness in money trusts, and we found them to be false every time. Sister Harvey thought that her husband had not given to her as liberally as was her due, and so expressed herself; but in regard to Bro. White's action she has recently published the following card in the Review and Herald:— My attention has been called to a tract written by J. S. Green, in which he seeks to convey the impression that Eld. James White appropriated to his own use and benefit a certain portion of the property which my husband assigned to him with the understanding that it should be used exclusively for the benefit of the cause. I wish it distinctly understood that I have no sympathy with the writer of that tract in his attack upon Eld. White and wife, and that I am perfectly satisfied with the disposition which has been made of my husband's estate, believing as I do, that it has been disposed of as nearly in harmony with the wish of my deceased husband as was possible under the circumstances. The time was when, through a misapprehension of the facts in the case, I was led to do and say things which I very much regret at the present time. That which causes me the most pain is the circumstance that the name of my husband is employed to injure a cause which was dearer to him than his life, and to scandalize those whom he loved, and in whom he had the most implicit confidence. So far as my personal interest in the estate of my husband is concerned, I wish to say that I have not the slightest cause for complaint, as I have been dealt with even more liberally by those who have managed his estate than was provided for by the terms of his will. It would be well for the reader to understand that Sister Harvey was the second wife of Bro. H., married after he had acquired his property and retired from business. Yet some others thought as she did, that it would have been well for him to leave her more than he did, and it appears from Sister Harvey's card that they who managed his donation thought so too, as she has received more than the will called for. Mr. Green says: "Rumor has it that the estate was worth from eight to twenty thousand dollars." Quite a large margin to guess on! Were not Sister Harvey in comfortable circumstances we presume she would have received still more than she has. But where the "oppression" was we cannot see. Were J. S. Green acting with the Seventh-day Adventists, instead of with their enemies, there would seem to be more propriety in his course. But occupying the position that he does, he is not an interested party in any sense. We give more honor to Eld. Long in his recent article against the Seventh-day Adventists, because he is open and avowed in his opposition to us and to the Third Angel's Message. Mr. Green occupies a far more unenviable position, by professing to love the truth, and acting with those who oppose it. We would be glad to see him confess his error. If he does not, we cannot believe he is actuated by a love of either the truth or justice; but he is endeavoring to bring about that "disruption" of the church, of which he speaks, and which we fear he would rejoice to see. We do not often admit such subjects in the SIGNS, but as certain parties are trying to produce disaffection among our people on this coast by such means, we consider it our duty to place our brethren on their guard, by exposing the nature of the effort they are making.