Moving to Battle Creek by George I. Butler

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 15, 1872

Moving to Battle Creek.

By George I. Butler

I HAVE just returned from an exercise to-day which has been of great interest to me, and which I trust will, in the providence of God, be the beginning of an important work among us. I refer to the lectures of Bro. Smith to the school on Bible subjects. It is expected he will lecture twice a week through this term to those forming the class. This now numbers twenty-four, and no doubt will increase. The school itself has upon its roll this term fifty-five names. It commenced last term with twelve. No appeal has been made to bring in our young people. On the contrary, many things have been said to discourage them from coming. And this has been necessary, from the fact that the state of things in Battle Creek has been such that it has not been safe to bring large numbers of young people here. But the fact that there has been such an increase in spite of these adverse circumstances, and the fact that many of our young people could and should attend such a school and these important lectures, which are designed to give them the instruction they need on the important truths for this time, but for the lack of men here at the heart of the work to care for its interests, shows how important it is that this lack should be supplied.

I am astonished of late to see how the providence of God is opening the way before us, and how we as a people lag behind it. There is nothing in the world to hinder our having a large school, with even hundreds of pupils, but the fact that the right men are not here to guard it, to watch over its interests, and have an earnest watchcare for the ones who attend it. But without this, our young people better stay under their own home influences. Eternal salvation is the thing of the greatest importance. If there is any danger of this being put in jeopardy by coming under influences which lead in the wrong direction, or from lack of those leading in the right direction, we better never have a school. What we want is, earnest, faithful men and women who fear God and love his truth, who have judgment and discernment to see danger before it has enveloped its victims and destroyed their souls, who have love of precious souls for whom Christ died, to that extent that it will seem more important to them to guard and watch over young people who come here than to save dollars and cents a thousand-fold, and who will have courage and faithfulness to stand stiffly against wrong, let it come from any quarter.

We are in crying need of such men and women at the heart of this work. Our institutions must be surrounded by such men. When such influences control here in Battle Creek, then it will be safe to have a large school established here, and not before. I honor Bro. White for raising his voice in this matter. He is a true friend of the cause to whom we look for counsel in these things. I believe, with him, that these influences have not been controlling here thus far. And I firmly believe that the only thing that will save our institutions from removal is the creation of such a state of things in this place.

Our brethren throughout the field may just as well understand that this crisis must be met. We trust our brethren will realize that this is their cause. It don't belong to Bro. White or a few men whom you have put into office for a time, merely. It belongs to every believer of this precious truth throughout the field. And we want all to realize it. We cannot let this thing linger along much longer in the way it has for the last few years without meeting the frown of God. The Lord has spoken to us on this point. Common sense itself would teach us, if we will let it, that we must have quite a number of God-fearing, substantial, sound-headed, discerning men here where our most important institutions are planted, to care especially for their interests. Most important enterprises, which are all ready to move off with great benefit to the cause and which would result in giving it a special impetus, are stopped simply because this great want is not met.

It may be asked, What is the General Conference Committee doing to meet this want? I will reply that we have been presenting this matter before our State Conferences during the past season, at least before some of them. We have called upon them to act in the premises and select such men as had the proper qualifications. Who are qualified to select as well as those who have from long acquaintance known the persons in different parts of the field? We have called upon them solemnly to do so, willing of course to give them the best counsel we could to help them. In a few instances selections have been made upon the spot. When the case seemed clear to the Conference, the persons were at once chosen. In other cases, it was referred to the State Committee to do this, nearly all present expressing a willingness to go at the call of the committee if selected.

Here it seems we have gone about as far as we can in these cases. The great difficulty now seems to be to start the ones who have been selected, and to have these State Conferences select the proper men where it has been left to them. For my part, I feel that there is just as great a responsibility resting upon those who have been selected to move to Battle Creek, either by the open Conference or by the committee acting by their authority, as if they had been selected to fill the office of president or treasurer. What would be thought of men who were chosen to offices in the Conference if they should refuse to act, or should not proceed to act when important work was to be done? Unless they had some most important reason, we could not justify their conduct. We must accept the principle that when we are needed in the cause, our own wishes and business must be made secondary to that of the cause of God, or else we virtually take the position that our business is of more importance than God's work.

When our people come together in Conference and in the fear of God select men for any charge, it must be regarded as an important indication of duty. So we call upon our brethren, whether selected by the Conference or its committee, to act promptly in this matter. And where Conferences have not made choice of any one yet, we call upon their State committees to act at once, and take this matter in hand. Counsel and pray over it. The General Conference Committee will be very glad to counsel with you in regard to this matter. Look over your States for the proper persons and let us begin to act as if we meant business.

Twenty families are called for. Bro. White is away, feeling much discouraged that we do not take hold of this matter. Important interests are suffering, and have been a long time because of this very lack. Our school is not one quarter what it ought to be, and might be, if we had the right men here. We cannot call on our people to furnish means to put up proper buildings for its occupancy. Our young people are suffering for the lack of that instruction they might obtain in such a school. Bro. Smith has commenced lectures which scores should hear where one does now, if we only had the proper influences here. We must make room for the work of God to move forward by supplying this crying want. Shall we act in the matter? Will those who have been chosen come forward at the call? Will these Conference Committees begin to bestir themselves? These are questions of pressing importance. Our people will soon see that something must be done, and that we are altogether too slow in these things. May God help us to do our duty at the right moment.

GEO. I. BUTLER, Pres. Gen. Conf.

Battle Creek, Mich., Oct. 11, 1872.