Question by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 19, 1885

Question.

By Editor

"My wife, belonging to the Seventh-day church, has attended the meetings of the holy army with me several times, and we have a very good opinion of their intentions in regard to the salvation of souls; and we would like to know what you, as editor of the SIGNS, think of them and their work." S. B. H.

Such a question hardly comes within the province of our question department. We have endeavored to confine our answers to those questions which relate directly to the truth which we are set to promulgate and vindicate. Yet our questioner has touched a point which is of interest to many, and we will give our opinion and the reasons therefor.

1. We have no confidence in their methods. The sight of a straggling band of men and women and boys parading the streets with a flag and a drum, professing to be serving the cause of Christianity, is anything but pleasing to us. It is only ridiculous, and well calculated to bring the gospel of Christ into contempt in the sight of all intelligent, thinking people. And their street harangues are generally about as empty as the sound of the drums they beat. We have never seen this humiliating spectacle without regrets that the reasonable and sensible religion of the New Testament should be so burlesqued by its professed adherents. Of "their intentions" we have nothing to say. We do not know but the intentions of Buddhists are good; but this does not give us confidence in their system. The intentions of the veriest empiric in medicine may be good; but that does not make his system scientific or healing. The intention of the Hindoo mother was good when she sacrificed her child, but her religious intention did not justify her act, or save her from the guilt of murder. We believe that intention is an important factor in the measurement of moral actions, but a good intention is no sufficient plea for the neglect of a revealed truth, nor for the propagation of error or the practice of questionable methods in behalf of a truth. "If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." 2 Tim. 2:5.

2. There are so many errors and delusions abroad in the land,—so much fanaticism prevailing,—that we are compelled to call in question everything which does not come up to the divine standard. Spiritualism now claims to be the true religion, and the only one that can demonstrate its claims with power and with miracles. Perfectionism or "holiness" teaching (falsely so called) follows close in its wake, and is training up hosts of adherents to depend upon their feelings and impressions, to the exclusion of the word of God. With these things all around us, we are constrained to examine closely, and judge solely by the light of Scripture. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them." Here is the test. And "this word" contains a "sure word of prophecy" unto which we are instructed to "take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." In this word of prophecy we are assured that we may know when our Saviour's coming "is near, even at the doors." More than that; we are not only assured that we may know, but we are commanded to know, with the certainty presented before us that it will be fatal not to know. See Matt. 24:3, 32, 33, 37-39.

And when his coming is near, a message of warning is given to the world; Rev. 14:9-14; and as God does not speak in vain—as man must not trifle with his words, this message must be heeded, or we shall be rejected when the Saviour appears.

3. The Saviour says that, when his coming is near, unfaithful servants will say, "My Lord delayeth his coming." And Peter says that in the last days they will scoffingly ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" Paul also says that in the day when the Lord's coming is near, and "sudden destruction" is impending, they will say, "Peace and safety." And Paul again, speaking of "the last days," says of certain teachers, "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. 4:4. The word of God is truth. John 17:17. And it is a sad fact that the tendency of the present time, especially among these "entirely sanctified" ones, is to ignore the word of God and trust to their own feelings and experiences. To prove that our assertion is true we will refer to a few examples which have come under our observation.

A lady to whom we quoted a passage of Scripture to prove a certain point, laid her hand upon her breast, saying: "I have something here which tells me I am right!" And this in spite of the plain declaration of God's word.

Another lady of the "holiness band," to whom we endeavored to quote the Bible, said: "God speaks to me in my soul." She would pay no heed to the scripture to which we tried to call her attention.

A young preacher told us directly that he did not depend upon the Bible to learn his duty; God revealed it to him in prayer.

Another very holy man, "powerful in prayer," who formerly professed reverence for the ten commandments, said that he had conversed with God himself, and that he had informed him that he need not keep the commandments!

Another justified himself in the use of tobacco, saying: "It must be right, for God sanctified me while I was using it, which he would not do if it was wrong." As in this, so in all cases, they make themselves the standard.

A holiness preacher, and one of some prominence, when asked by an inquiring friend whose mind was troubled about duty, why the first day was now kept instead of the seventh, answered in evident passion: "I have no patience to talk with a man who will ask such a question." A fully sanctified man, with no patience to talk concerning one of God's precepts; what a sight!

We might multiply instances, but there is no need. We do not believe that the Saviour is honored by those who make such free use of his name, and use their faith in him as an excuse for turning away from the words of his Father. This is the course pursued by all these self-styled holy ones, who praise their own graces and boast of their humility! Will the reader please see Matt. 7:21-23; 15:1-9; John 7:16, 17; Prov. 28:9.

Spurgeon said of the methods of the miscalled "salvation army," that he regarded it as an effort of Satan to make Christianity appear ridiculous. We see no reason to dissent from his opinion.