Our Influence by Adolphus Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 4, 1870

Our Influence.

By Adolphus Smith

Many seem to forget the fact that the church is composed of individual members, but view it as a body over which themselves have no manner of influence, and sit as critics, and judges, upon the fault of others, forgetting that themselves are as intimately connected with, and exert as great an influence over, the church, as do the various members of the human body over that body.

There is no such thing as hiding our influence. Whether we will, or not, the church is affected by it. Although sins be committed in secret, and in the eyes of man we be faultless, known unto the Lord are all our ways, and our thoughts are not hid from his gaze. A church may, until it exert itself to get rid of the evil, be rendered almost powerless to accomplish any considerable good, by the secret unholy life of one of its members. Although the children of Israel were doubtless ignorant of the fact that a trespass had been committed in their midst, they were smitten before their enemies for Achan’s sake; and, until the guilty one was brought to punishment, the heart of the people was as water, and they could not stand before their enemies. The trespass of Achan cost the entire defeat of the Hebrew army, and the lives of thirty-six men, besides that of all his own family. The punishment was severe, but it shows us that we may not with impunity sin against God; and that we may exert a great influence for evil over the church and our fellow-men, though our trespass may be hidden from the eyes of all but God and angels.

It would be infinitely better for those who persist in leading unholy lives, to withdraw from their connection with the church, that it may go free, and accomplish its destined work, than to remain unconverted within its connection, and at last suffer for their own transgressions and the ruin they have brought upon the cause.

Although a point may be reached in the downward career at which repentance is unavailing and from which return is impossible, yet, no ordinary backslider should entertain the discouraging thought that such is his case, but should immediately return to the Lord in the way he has appointed, with fasting and weeping and rending of the heart, and not the garment; for such have the assurance of acceptance and pardon.

ADOLPHUS SMITH.