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They Went Out from Us

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Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 4, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 30.

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They Went Out from Us

By B.

PAPERS are sent to us from time to time giving the experience of different individuals with Seventh-day Adventists. It is not an uncommon thing, nor has it been through all the ages, for people who have been connected with churches and denominations to leave them. It has not been an uncommon thing for individuals to leave the church of God when that church stood at its very highest in spiritual attainments and in earnest zeal for the Master. It has not been uncommon for those who have thus left the church to say many evil things against it, but none of these facts, singly or together, militate against the truth of the word of God, or the integrity and progress of God's church.
There have been times through all the ages when the professed church of God has become so corrupt that the Lord has called out His faithful remnant who have left the larger body, and that remnant has gone on in the work of the Lord, but this calling out has always been in harmony with His word; and those who have yielded to the call have been those who have been steadfast in resisting corruption while in connection with the larger body. All true separation of this kind has always been marked by faithful adherence to God's word, and the faithful going forward in His work without emphasizing the defections and faults of others. That individual may always be questioned as to his sincerity of Christian motive when his chief stock in trade is in finding fault and criticizing those with whom he has had to do. The Christian life is not a negative life, and finding fault with others is a very poor food to nourish spirituality.
The church of God has always among it imperfect men; it has in its human wisdom made mistakes, but just as long as it cleaves to God's word, and listens to His voice, out of all the wilderness of mistakes and errors the Lord will lead it triumphantly. B.