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An Explanation

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 2, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 37, No. 20.

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An Explanation.

By W. Russell

IN a previous issue of this paper, a statement appeared, showing that my prejudices and opposition to Seventh-day Advent people had ceased, and that I was exceedingly sorry that my unfortunate course had injured in any way the cause of God.
No one who may have read that statement, or may read this, can realize the struggles my mind has undergone during the interval of my separation from this people, and the struggles necessary to overcome the power of the enemy in trying to return and confess my wrongs. I now wish to say that I was compelled to return to God and his people or sink in despair. I feel that eternal life is of too much value to lose, simply to gratify a selfish desire to hide my faults and please a few who would glory in the downfall of the people of God. While alienated from this people, I have had no liberty in the worship of God, and there has been a continual unrest of mind and gloominess of feeling that has made me very unhappy. When I have determined in my mind to confess my wrongs and return to God and his people, light has dawned upon me and joy has sprung up in my soul. But when I would take up my pen to express my feelings, a voice seemingly would say, “What will your friends say?” I mean those who sympathized with me in my unhappy course. You will be looked upon as a hypocrite or something similar; and thus through the fear of man, and a desire for the approbation of the world, which is natural to the human heart, I was deterred from taking my stand again with my dear brethren and sisters. But becoming alarmed in regard to my condition, I determined in my mind to no longer confer with flesh and blood, to no longer query as to what friends will say, but what will please my Heavenly Father, and insure eternal life for myself and family. And though all men may heap contempt upon me, I am fully determined, come life or death, to follow the convictions of duty, and take my stand again with the people of God, and spend the remainder of my days in his service, praying that he may pardon my transgressions and enable me by a consistent life to undo the wrongs I may have done in the past.
To this end, I ask the dear people of God who may read this to pray that strength may be given me to do the will of God and to stand ready with you to meet the “coming One” and share in the final reward of the faithful. W. RUSSELL.