The Real Issue

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Apr 26, 1906

I received a letter this week containing a question. For some time I was in doubt whether I ought to pay any attention to it. But as it is a question many others in Battle Creek are asking, and it is one in which thousands of people in this city are interested, it has seemed best that I should try to answer it. I believe it to be an honest inquiry, and I will endeavor to answer it honestly. The letter reads as follows:—

“Dear Brother Farnsworth: Will you be so kind as to state in a word what you understand to be the real issue in the controversy here in Battle Creek? Is it money, administration, doctrine, or what is it? If you would briefly answer this from the pulpit, you would greatly oblige one who is seriously involved, and many others for whom he writes.”

I sincerely hope that nothing I shall say will have a tendency to create strife. You will bear me witness, brethren, that since coming here I have not engaged in controversy with any one. I did not come here for that purpose. I have not done so in the past, and do not intend to do so in the future.

If I should simply give my opinion as to what is involved in the present perplexity, it would be worth very little. The opinion of any other man might be even better than mine. But I take it for granted that this congregation believes the Testimonies the Lord is sending us, and that what is stated in them is authoritative, and so in answer to this inquiry I shall read considerable from them.

What is the issue in this controversy? I read from a Testimony which was written in 1903, and which has recently been printed in “Series B, No. 7.” I might read some of later date, but I read this purposely because it has been so long before the people.

“I am now authorized to say that the time has come to take decided action. The development seen in the cause of God is similar to the development seen when Balaam caused Israel to sin just

before they entered the promised land. How dangerous it is so to exalt any man that he becomes confused, and confuses others in regard to the truths that for the last fifty years the Lord has been giving his people.”

Then the confusion that has arisen is in reference to the truths which God has been giving his people for the past fifty years. Then it is not a quarrel between men, it is not a personal matter between men, and men are involved only as men stand for principles.

“Few can see the meaning of the present apostasy.” That is certainly a clear statement: “Only a few can see the meaning of the present apostasy.” Please notice what the Spirit calls it. “But the Lord has lifted the curtain, and has shown me its meaning, and the result it will have if allowed to continue. We must now lift our voices in warning. Will our people acknowledge God as the supreme Ruler, or will they choose the misleading arguments and views that, when fully developed, make him, in the minds of those who accept them, as nothingness.”

I hope you will note that the theories taught, carried to their logical conclusion, make God as nothingness.

“These words were spoken to me in the night season. The sentiments in ‘Living Temple’ regarding the personality of God have been received even by men who have had a long experience in the truth. When such men consent to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, we are no longer to regard the subject as a matter to be treated with the greatest delicacy. That those whom we have thought sound in the faith should have failed to discern the specious, deadly influence of this science of evil, should alarm us as nothing else has alarmed us.”

I say, brethren, when the Lord talks that way, it is time for us to stop and listen. I don’t know how language could be stronger.

“It is something that can not be treated as a small matter that men who have had so much light, and such clear evidence as to the genuineness of the truth we hold, should become unsettled, and led to accept spiritualistic theories regarding the personality of God. Those doctrines, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy.”

Now the question is, What issue is at stake? I answer, It is the whole Christian economy. It is not walls of brick and mortar. It is not a question of dollars and cents. It is not simply a question of administration. These things all enter into it, but they are simply symptoms that grow out of a diseased condition. That which is involved is all for which Seventh-day Adventists have stood for fifty years. That demanded, though it may not be apparent to all,—for the Testimony clearly states that few see all there is in it,—is the absolute surrender of every truth which Seventh-day Adventists have held for fifty years.

“These doctrines followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy. They estimate as nothing the light that Christ came from heaven to give John to give to his people. They teach that the scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to be given special attention.”

That is, the second coming of Christ and all things connected with it, are not of sufficient importance to receive special attention.

“They make of no effect the truth of heavenly origin, and rob the people of God of their past experiences, giving them instead a false science.

“During the past night I have been shown more distinctly than ever before that these sentiments have been looked upon by some as the grand truths that are to be brought in and made prominent at the present time. I was shown a platform, braced by solid timbers, the truths of the Word of God. Some one high in responsibility in the medical work was directing this man and that man to loosen the timbers supporting this platform. Then I heard a voice saying, ‘Where are the watchmen that ought to be standing on the walls of Zion? Are they asleep? How can they be silent?’”

And I wish to appeal to the watchmen who may be here on that point. The Spirit of the Lord says, “Where are the watchmen?” I can tell you where some of them are. They are on the fence, and they think it is a very meritorious position to occupy to be able to say that they are “neutral.” But I tell you, my friends, when God marshals his hosts for a great and mighty work, to be neutral is treason. When a great issue is to be met, the neutrals go to the rear, and the men of conviction come to the front. We may say that these things amount to but little, but when God speaks in this way, you may depend upon it that the very foundations of the faith are involved.

And I appeal to every one, especially to my brethren and sisters engaged in medical work, I appeal to you in the name of the Lord, let us stand right on this question.

“The heavenly messenger turned to those professing to be medical missionaries, and said, How could you allow yourselves to be led blindfold? How could you so misrepresent the name you bear? You have your Bibles. Why have you not reasoned from cause to effect? You have accepted theories that have led you away from the truths that are to stamp their impress upon the characters of all Seventh-day Adventists. Your leader has been moving the foundation timbers one by one, and his reasoning would soon leave us with no certain foundation for our faith. He has not heeded the Testimonies that God through his Spirit has given. The books of the Bible containing most important instruction are disregarded because they say so much about a personal God. He has not known whither his feet were tending. But in his recent writings, his tendencies toward pantheism have been revealed.

“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result?”

Now here are words I would like to have you particularly notice:—

“The principles of truth that God in his wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the past fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established.”

A new what?—“A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written.” I tell you we are not so far from these things as some of you may imagine.

“A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities and do a wonderful work.”

Please don’t forget that part of it. They “would go into the cities and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.

“Who has authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth?”

I will read just one statement further from “Testimonies for the Church,” Series B, No. 6, page 50:—

“‘Behold,’ Christ declares, ‘I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.’ God calls upon us to voice the words, ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus.’ God will do much for his people if they will have faith in him. Infidelity is stalking abroad through the land. Satan has laid his plans to undermine our faith in the history of the cause and work of God. I am deeply interested as I write this. Satan is working with men in prominent positions to sweep away the foundations of our faith. Shall we allow this to be done, brethren?”

“My soul is stirred within me. I shall trust in God with heart and soul. I shall proclaim the messages that he has given us to proclaim. I testify in the Lord that our youth should not be encouraged to go to Battle Creek to be made infidels. God will help us to see what can be done to prevent this. We are now to work

earnestly and intelligently to save our youth from being taken captive by the enemy.”

Such words have a terrible significance to me as I read them. Fathers and mothers have a right to know what kind of an education their children are receiving; they have a right to know whether their children are being educated in the truth or out of it. They have a right to inquire whether they are being educated to believe the message or to doubt it. They have a right to know whether the minds of their children are being filled with theories which would eventually not only sweep them away from the message for this time, but from Christianity itself.

Now when this inquirer asks me to tell him what is at stake in this controversy, I reply, First, it is every truth that Seventh-day Adventists believe or teach; and, second, involved in this issue are the children and youth of our denomination. When the truths of God and our children are to be taken from us, then I must protest. We have the right to protest. We do it in all kindness. We plead with all our souls that every one who has been deceived in this matter be undeceived. We speak with charity for all, and with malice toward none. But I say it is criminal for a watchman to see that coming in that will sweep away the foundation of truth, and keep silent, on the plea that it will hurt the feelings of somebody, or that he prefers to remain neutral. Brethren, let us pray that God will help us to stand loyal to him and to the truth.

There is an expression that occurs many times in the book of Judges: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, . . . and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them;” and “the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel;” “and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years;” and the children of Israel did evil in this, and they did evil in that, and as the result of the evil that they did, they were so harassed by their enemies on every hand that they were never entirely freed from them.

What is it that weakens people now? What is it that separates them from God so he withdraws his protection?—It is sin, and sin alone. That was the difficulty then; it is the difficulty now. The trouble in olden time was not with one man or two men, but it was this: the spiritual vitality of the nation was so weakened that God could not work in their behalf.

In “Patriarchs and Prophets” is found a history of how serpents bit the children of Israel. The people were protected until they came to the border of the land of Moab, and then the serpents entered the camp, many people were bitten, and many died. Why were they not bitten before? They had been living in a land of serpents for forty years, but the serpents had given them no trouble. The difficulty lay in the fact that when they had almost reached the border of the promised land, they committed a great sin. They murmured against God and spoke against those whom he had appointed as their leaders; the protecting hand of God was withdrawn, and it was then that the serpents entered the camp, “and much people of Israel died.”

The lesson taught is this: It is only when the spiritual vitality of the church is low that the enemy gains the advantage. It is when the people lose sight of their mission and the work God has given them, that obstacles and difficulties multiply. The real difficulty, then, is in the people themselves.

Of course there was no excuse for the Philistines oppressing God’s people in olden time. The fact that Israel sinned did not lessen their responsibility. It gave no good reason for the Canaanites coming in, nor for Jabin to come down, and others. That did not lessen their crime; but if God’s people had been what they ought to have been, the kings of the Hivites, the Jebusites, and all these other nations could have had no power over Israel. When the enemy takes Israel captive, it is simply the result that follows a state of low spiritual vitality.

Brethren, if, as a people, we had spent our energy and our means to give the third angel’s message,—if we all had been arduously at work these years in doing the work God called us to do, he would have blessed us wonderfully, and it is my opinion that many of the difficulties we face to-day would never have had an existence. There is a great body of our people in the United States, fifty thousand or more. During the past few years the majority of them have been as fully absorbed in cultivating their farms, raising stock, and in other worldly enterprises as their neighbors who have no faith in the message at all; and the means which came into their hands, and which God designed should be used in sending the truth for this time to every land,—that money is represented by houses and lands, it is invested in stocks, and laid away in banks, as treasure accumulated on earth, instead of its being treasure laid up in heaven.

These things are simply an index of where the hearts of the people are. Many have left the work of God, and have turned every man to his merchandise. One says, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must cultivate it.” Another says, “I have just built a new house, and I must furnish it.” Yet another excuses himself by saying, “I have married a wife, and therefore I must stay at home.” Thus one excuse after another is offered, and the people chosen of God and sanctified by him for a certain purpose and for a certain work,—they have turned away from that which God gave them to do; they are attending to earthly things, and it is no wonder that the Philistines come; no wonder that the Canaanites are prowling about our borders; no wonder that serpents enter the camp, and that the people are bitten; no wonder that a thousand difficulties face us, and that at times we know not which way to turn.

But there is a remedy, and a way, and only one way, in which we can safely go; that is for this people to once more face about and take the truth of God wherever he indicates it should go. God is desperately in earnest with this people. They will do his work, or some one else will do it. The people he has chosen will wear the crown of life, or some one else will wear it in their stead. May God help us to repent of all evil, and so give us the victory over all our enemies.

The Real Issue*

The Real Issue