Caste in Religion by John Harvey Waggoner

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 28, 1877

Caste in Religion.

By John Harvey Waggoner

The American Encyclopedia says: “We speak of the spirit or the prerogatives and usurpations of caste, to express particularly that unnatural constitution of society, which makes distinction dependent on the accidents of birth or fortune.” It also says, “It prevails principally in the East, where it has existed from the earliest times, and has become blended with the political condition of the people, because it favors despotism, which is the prevailing form of government.” Among the Hindoos and some other nations, it is carried to such an extent that members of the different castes may not eat with each other, or worship in the same temples. Thus by the spirit of caste their religion becomes a despotism of the worst form.

From the very nature of the Christian religion it is utterly impossible that it should become blended with the spirit of caste. We do not say that professors of Christianity do not have this spirit; we are well aware that they do; but the religion of such is a religion of their own heart; not Christianity itself, but a perversion of Christianity, destitute of the elements of genuine benevolence and humanity, which were so wondrously displayed in the teachings and actions of him whom the Christian professes to follow.

The teachings of the Saviour and of his gospel are sufficiently indicated by the following scriptures: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart.” Matt. 11: 29. “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call

the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.” Luke 14: 12, 13.

“If there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool, are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” Jas. 2: 2-9. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good; that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come.” 1 Tim. 6: 17-19. “Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich, in that he is made low; because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.” Jas. 1: 9, 10.

With these agree that remarkable description of the fast that God has chosen: “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.” Isa. 58: 7, 9, 10.

The acts of the Saviour were always in harmony with these scriptures. He was often found preaching to the poor, and comforting the lowly and afflicted; but seldom with the rich, and there, always giving some faithful admonition. He himself had not where to lay his head; he became poor for our sakes; he took upon him the form of a servant; his life was eminently a pattern of humility; a pattern, too, to be followed, if we would be exalted in his heavenly kingdom.

Such being the spirit of the gospel, there is no surer evidence of a fallen state of the professed Christian church than to find there the spirit of caste—the spirit of self-exaltation. But this spirit, unfortunately for the interests of religion and morality, prevails to a very great extent in the Protestant churches. The wealth, the pride, and popularity of these churches, have become a proverb. It is neither disgraceful nor hurtful to be rich if riches are used for the glory of God; if the possessor feels his responsibility in the sight of God and is humble; if, as the Scripture says, he rejoices that he is made low—made on a level before God with the poorest of earth. But when riches are a man's glory; when they feed his pride, and puff him up to look with disdain upon the poor, and especially the poor Christian, then they are an abomination in the sight of Heaven, and a burdensome stone to their possessor, ready to sink him in the gulf of perdition. It is to such that the apostle speaks when he says, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.” Jas. 5: 1. Such are “the rich men,” that will call on the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the presence of their Judge. The description given by a popular writer, of a fashionable church, is no caricature; it is true to the life, wherein the wealthy devotees of mammon are preached into an easy, quiet frame of mind by a high-salaried minister, leading their hopes on to an “upper-ten Heaven.” Certainly a Heaven of the lowly poor can have no attractions for them.

A reliable friend related to the writer a fact which transpired in the neighborhood of his own residence in the state of New York. A Baptist church was composed of all classes, including the richest and poorest in the community. Though the Baptists claim to be republican in their church arrangements, it was trying to the feelings of the wealthy to be obliged to sit in the next pew to a poor brother who was not able to clothe himself and family up to a fashionable standard. What was to be done? After much consultation the following plan was devised and acted upon. At the covenant meeting a motion was made to disband the church; the united influence of the wealthy carried it immediately. They then proceeded to organize a new Baptist church, admitting only the rich and fashionable part of the former congregation! We have no doubt that they would feel highly insulted if one were to intimate that that was not a Christian church.

But what is this to us? may be asked. Where such things pass for Christianity, and we have all been reared amid such influences and surroundings; while we are men of like passions, and human nature is everywhere the same, we cannot be beyond danger even in this matter. And with the increase of numbers our danger daily increases in this respect. The love of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this life, are subjects of special warnings for the last days. If we think that because we claim a knowledge of the present truth, and profess to be looking for the Lord, we are therefore beyond the power of temptation, we are self-deceived—wofully blinded by the enemy. Whoever it may be, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, high or low, that is exalted by the mere “accident of birth or fortune,” to lift himself up above the poorest of earth, such an one needs converting—needs to learn what is the spirit of Christ. Let such heed the words of the apostle: “If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Let us all study to know this spirit, to follow Jesus in his humility and lowliness of mind, that we may be exalted in his own time.

J. H. Waggoner.