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Unity, Harmony, Order

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 30, 1870

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 36, No. 11.

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Unity, Harmony, Order.

By R. F. Cotterell

How beautiful must be the heavenly host, with whom there is perfect unity of intention, harmony of utterance, and order of movement. Such the Lord would have his people on earth; “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment,” speaking “the same things,” “being of one accord, of one mind.” Such a church would present the aspect of a well disciplined army, whose appearance is uniform, and whose movements are so beautifully harmonious and orderly, as each individual acts his part in carrying out the commands of one controlling mind.
But instead of this, we see the professed church divided in sentiment, and broken up into factions, each following a different lead; and stragglers in abundance, each fighting upon his “own hook.” And many there are that rejoice in this sort of freedom. They have concluded that divisions are for the best good of the church.
Out of this confusion, the Lord calls his people. And in calling them out of confusion, he calls them into unity. But many who profess to obey the call, to come out of Babylon, do not find themselves in unity at all, but get into confusion worse confounded.
But where am I running? I took up the pen, to remark how beautiful it would be, how much like Heaven, if all who profess faith in the gathering message—that of the third angel—lived up fully to all the light that has shone on us from Heaven.
What a power our little army would be in the world, presenting a solid, unbroken front. I would rejoice to see it. All coming up unitedly to every work of reformwhich the Lord has introduced among us. It would be a beautiful sight: “Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”
The faithful ones will see it. In the company of the redeemed there will be no rash fanaticism nor dead formality; but, being one, they will be prepared to unite in the harmony of Heaven.
R. F. COTTERELL.