THE CHURCH by John Norton Loughborough

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1901

THE CHURCH.

By John Norton Loughborough

Advice to the Church.

ELDER J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

(Concluded.)

“THOU sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” Rev. 3:17-19.

The following remarks upon this scripture are found in “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. III, page 254: “Many inquire, Why are all these reproofs given? Why do the Testimonies continually charge us with backsliding and with grievous sins? We love the truth; we are prospering; we are in no need of these Testimonies of warning and reproof. But let these murmurers see their hearts, and compare their lives with the practical teachings of the Bible, let them humble their souls before God, let the grace of God illuminate the darkness, and the scales will fall from their eyes, and they will realize their true spiritual poverty and wretchedness. They will feel the necessity of buying gold, which is pure faith and love; white raiment, which is spotless character made pure in the blood of their dear Redeemer; and eyesalve, which is the grace of God, and which will give clear discernment of spiritual things, and detect sin. These attainments are more precious than the gold of Ophir.”

When considering the magnitude of existing evils, we may realize the need of continued reproofs, and the importance of the counsel of the True Witness in the Laodicean message; hence we quote the following, given Nov. 3, 1890: “Let none of the workers exalt themselves, and seek to carry through their ideas without the sanction and co-operation of the people of God. They will not succeed, for God will not permit it. The foundations of the institutions among us were laid in sacrifice. They belong to the people; and all who have denied self, and made sacrifices, great or small according to their ability, to bring these instrumentalities into existence, should feel that they have a special interest in them. They should not lose their interest, or become despondent in regard to the success of the work. As the perils of the last days thicken about us, they should pray more earnestly that the work may prosper. Those who have lifted burdens when the work went hard, should have a part in important councils; for they acted a part when counseling together was regarded a far more solemn and sacred matter than it is now. No confederacy should be formed with unbelievers, neither shall you call together a certain chosen number who think as you do, and who will say Amen to all that you propose, while others are excluded, who you think will not be in harmony. I was shown that there was great danger of doing this.

“We are not to hear the counsel nor follow the plans suggested by unbelievers. Suggestions made by those who know not the work that God is doing for this time, will be such as to weaken the power of the instrumentalities of God. By accepting such suggestions, the counsel of Christ is set at naught.”

We find in the REVIEW of Nov. 14, 1893, the following instruction relative to committee meetings, which, had it been faithfully followed, would have saved many false moves that have been made: “Have it understood that those who come to the committee meetings come with the thought that they are to meet with God, who has given them their work; that it is a sin to waste moments in unimportant conversation; for they are doing the Lord’s business, and must do the work in the most businesslike, perfect way. Let all understand that there is to be no trifling. Every one should come to the meetings in a consecrated, devotional frame of mind, because important matters are to be considered in relation to the cause of God. This work is to be done after His own order, and if men have been elected to the grave responsibility of having a voice, and exerting an influence in the accomplishment of this great work, let their actions in every particular show that they recognize their responsibility and accountability to understand the will of the Lord as far as it is possible.”

In Special Testimony, No. 1, page 35, published in 1892, we are warned, in these words, of a danger liable to arise: “Formality, worldly wisdom, worldly caution, worldly policy, will appear to many to be the very power of God, but when accepted, it stands as an obstacle to prevent God’s light in warnings, reproof, and counsel, from coming to the world.”

Some of the results of following “worldly policy,” showing how it keeps the light from the world, is seen in an article in the REVIEW of July 9, 1895: “There are a few who devise, plan, and work; but the great mass of the people do not lift their hands to do anything, for fear of being repulsed, for fear that others will regard them as out of their place. Many have willing hands and hearts, but they are discouraged from putting their energies into the work. They are criticised if they try to do anything, and finally allow their talents to lie dormant for fear of criticism, when if they were encouraged to use them, the work would be advanced, and workers would be added to the force of missionaries. . . . A few are selected to hold responsible positions, and the work is divided up among these brethren. Many more who ought to have opportunity to develop into efficient workers for the Lord, are left in the shadow.”

There appeared in a later number of the REVIEW, in the issue of July 23, 1895, still further light on this question under consideration: “Laws and rules are being made at the centers of the work that will soon be broken into atoms. Men are not to dictate. It is not for those in places of authority to employ all their powers to sustain some, while others are cast down, ignored, forsaken, and left to perish. But it is the duty of the leaders to lend a helping hand to all who are in need. Let each work in the line which God may indicate to him by His Holy Spirit. . . . None are to exercise their human authority to bind the minds and souls of their fellow men. They are not to devise and put in practice methods and plans to bring every individual under their jurisdiction.

“Those who know the truth are to be worked by the Holy Spirit, and not themselves to try to work the Spirit. If the cords are drawn much tighter, if the rules are made much finer, if men continue to bind their fellow laborers closer and closer to the commandments of men, many will be stirred by the Spirit of God to break every shackle, and assert their liberty in Christ Jesus. . . .

“Let man now cease to trust in man. While they should respect God’s plan for unity of action [This plan relates to the system of order and organization which the Testimony said God had led in establishing, and which is to stand, strengthened and established.—J. N. L.], let all remember that the Holy Spirit is molding and fashioning the human agent in the divine similitude. The life that is hid with Christ in God is revealed through men. . . . The eye should not be so constantly looking to man, studying the plans which men devise; but rather seeking for a knowledge of the plans which are determined by the Source of all wisdom. Then there will be no danger of having plans for the work contaminated by flowing through impure human channels. Look to God; pray to God; wait and watch and pray to God; work for God. . . . The weak must not now trust in finite men if they would be as David, and David as the angel of the Lord.”

The year in which this Testimony was given, some members of the General Conference Committee were studying a scheme by which to bring all the institutions connected with this cause under the controlling head of the General Conference. In a Special Testimony to the Battle Creek church, August, 1896, page 21, this plan is referred to in these words: “The scheme for consolidation is detrimental to the cause of present truth. Battle Creek has all the power she should have. Some in that place have advanced selfish plans, and if any branch of the work promised

a measure of success, they have not exercised the spirit which lets well enough alone, but have made an effort to attach these interests to the great whole. They have striven to embrace altogether too much, and yet they are eager to get more. When they can show that they have made these plans under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then confidence in them may be restored.”

A cheering (conditional) prediction was given in a Testimony of Nov. 3, 1890, which we long to see fulfilled: “When we are united in the unity for which Christ prayed, this long controversy that has been kept up through satanic agency will end, and we shall not see men framing plans after the order of the world because they have not spiritual eyesight to discern spiritual things.”

Because of wrong management or unwise movements made in the missionary society and the Sabbath-school work, pointed out in the Testimonies, it is unnecessary to ignore these associations; as some have seemed to do; for “it has been proved in the missionary field, that, whatever may be the preaching talent, if the laboring part is neglected, if the people are not taught how to work, how to conduct meetings, how to act their part in missionary labor, how to reach people successfully, the work will be nearly a failure. There is much to be done in the Sabbath-school work also, in bringing the people to realize their obligation and to act their part. God calls them to work for Him, and the minister should guide their efforts.”—“Testimony for the Church,” No. 32, page 12.

“Instruction relating to Sabbath-school work, also, should be largely given in the several churches. The labor will thus be more effective, and the improvement more permanent.”—“Gospel Workers,” page 223.

The following, referring to church work, is found in the REVIEW of Feb. 28, 1893: “The very simplest methods of work should be devised, and set in operation among the churches. If the members will co-operate with such a plan, and perseveringly carry it out, they will reap a rich reward; for their experience will grow brighter, their ability will increase through exercise, and souls will be saved through their efforts.”

Perhaps we cannot better close this series of articles than by quoting the following from a Testimony in the REVIEW of Sept. 5, 1893: “Although there are evils existing in the Church, and will be until the end of the world, the Church in these last days is to be the light of the world that is polluted and demoralized by sin. The Church, enfeebled and defective, needing to be reproved, warned, and counseled, is the only object upon earth upon which Christ bestows His supreme regard.”