The Importance of our Cause Being Properly Represented.
By George I. Butler
THE real success of every religious cause will be shown finally by the number of those who are saved by it, in the kingdom of God. The number of those who are thus saved will depend upon the way the people are affected in this world by those who have any such cause committed to them to advocate. The prosperity of the cause we love will depend upon the impressions made upon the public mind by those who represent it, just as much as any other. The salvation of certain men, and the damnation of certain others, is not fixed by some immutable decree, established from eternity. If it were so, what we might do or say in regard to ourselves or others would not change the result one whit. That decree of an omnipotent God would be brought about with a certainty, in spite of our puny efforts. But God has placed man's salvation upon the voluntary acceptance of a plan devised by himself, involving repentance for past sin, faith in Jesus Christ, and a life of cheerful obedience to his righteous laws, and the development of a character consistent with the principles of the government of Heaven. The plan thus devised is fixed by the decree of an omnipotent God. There is salvation in no other. Sure results are certain to follow from its faithful acceptance. We shall be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, and he will be the elder among many brethren. It will be readily seen, if these positions be admitted, that men's salvation will be affected by their own course of action and by the influence of others in bringing about that action. Nothing is surer in this world, than that we mutually affect each other by word, act, and demeanor. It is this fact which makes it certain that the blood of souls may and will be found in others' garments, for the reason that such have not used their influence to bring about good results, because they have not been careful to have their influence always tell on the right side. We claim to have a truth which is to test the world, and, unless we are wholly deceived and deluded, it must come in some way before all the enlightened people of our earth, either by the personal example of our people in the communities where they live, the circulation of written documents, or by the news of its progress among the peoples, or more directly, by those specially engaged in its dissemination as public speakers. The means last spoken of must ever be a principal one for the propagation and dissemination of religious views among those unacquainted with them. The living speaker can more readily affect ordinary minds, those which compose the rank and file of every cause, than any other means that can be adopted. It must, therefore, be very important that such represent the cause correctly. We know very well that unbelievers in any doctrine judge of its character by what they observe in its supporters. It cannot be otherwise than that every community will judge of our doctrine by what they see in those who profess it. And why should they not? When people claim to have religious views preferable to others, what do such views amount to, unless they make those who understand them better people than they were before they held them, or better than those around them who do not profess them? If their acceptance really benefits no one, what are they good for, any way? The practical test is the best of any. For example, if a believer in our doctrines, living in a community, is inclined to overreach in his deal, or is slack in paying his debts, careless of fulfilling his engagements, stingy, and little-souled, instead of being generous or accommodating; or boastful and contentious and abusive, is not the cause he represents sure to receive the discredit of it? A great deal that is called persecution by our people many times arises from the fact that their lives are unlovable, selfish, narrow and bigoted. Their religious views, instead of making them kind, tender of others' feelings, and meek and humble, and ready to listen patiently to others' objections, as they would if they would put them in practice, seem to have the effect to puff them up with spiritual pride, and give them an idea of their own superiority. The views they hold do not teach them to do this, but there were unpleasant characteristics existing in their hearts before, and the acceptance of these views are but the occasion for their expression. The practical carrying out of these views would broaden out their characters, and make them meek and charitable, and yet courageous and firm for right and truth. How powerful might be our influence, as a people, could all Sabbath-keepers, in the different communities where they live, be living illustrations of the religion of Jesus Christ, careful of others' feelings, ready to do good, honest, benevolent, charitable toward those differing from them, yet firm and true where principle is concerned, showing by daily walk and conversation that the principles of God's law and Christ's Spirit, were the guiding-star of their conduct. How many exceptions are seen, where contention, narrowness, and tattling, are manifest! Right principles must be held before our people, and practical religion urged upon their attention in plain and forcible terms, till these things are rightly understood by all, and practiced by all. And here comes in the importance of the ministry. If the importance of our people setting5a right example be so great, how much more that of the ministry who go before the world as the special representatives of these doctrines. The people have a right to expect them to be living illustrations of the things they teach, for that is what they profess to be. And, to judge of the doctrines they teach by the men who teach them, are they not the accredited agents of the system of doctrines they teach? Does not each State Conference select them and send them forth provided with documents showing them to be duly authorized to represent the body of our people? Would they thus be sent forth, unless such bodies considered them proper representatives? There cannot be the slightest question but that people who know but little of us have a right to judge of the character of our people, and of the nature of our work, by the duly accredited agents sent forth to represent it. I bring this subject up in this manner that our people, and especially our Conferences, may realize the importance of selecting right men when they send individuals out to represent them. It has evidently been felt by some that a person receiving a license to preach among us had only to go out and spend his time laboring as it should seem proper to him, and he was entitled to draw his pay from the Conference whether such labor was a real benefit or not; and some have felt aggrieved if their claims were questioned. Now I am satisfied that the cause could far better afford to pay some for staying at home and being perfectly quiet there, than to pay them for representing us before a scrutinizing public. It is not merely ability to stand up in the desk and go through the set arguments of our theory that we want. Many a person could do that who would be a curse to the cause. A great many seem to think this is about all that is required. Many a boaster, full of self-conceit, unrefined in life and expression, and calculated to entirely misrepresent the real spirit of this work, could do that. But when they got through, what would be the result? They might have brought in quite a number who were like them, who would carry on the work of improperly representing us still further, till their lives would so disgrace us that at last we could bear with them no longer, and we should be compelled to cut them off. But the cautious, the refined, those who had a real position in their several communities and a reputation to lose, those who had some just idea of the real spirit of Christianity, would have gone home in disgust. And from that time on, it would be a moral impossibility to reach the very class we shall have to build up our cause with, if it is ever built up at all. Such as these are the real strength of any cause. We are in crying need of good, sensible laborers; men with discerning minds, and enough modesty to keep from bragging in the pulpit, or challenging the world to come and combat with them. But we cannot afford to send out the other class for nothing; much less to pay for such labor. We want men of piety, who fear God and who love humanity, whose souls are drawn out for the perishing; who are little in their own eyes, but mighty in God, with courage to go out into the strife for Christ's sake, and to pluck souls as brands from the burning. Men who know something about good manners as well as the reasons of our faith, who will be preachers in private as well as public, and upon whose souls the burden of the cause rests. Oh! how we need such men everywhere; we have room for one hundred where we have one. At our Conferences, there should be committees of our most discerning and judicious men, to consider applications for licenses and credentials, who will act for the good of the cause regardless of personal feelings. In their action, they should be exceedingly careful not to stand in the way of those who could help the cause, but should encourage such, while they should not grant licenses or credentials until they have some evidence that the applicant would be of real benefit to the cause. In case of those with whom we are unacquainted, and who know but little of our doctrines or the spirit of our work, we had better wait till we can act understandingly. A person who goes forth duly accredited with a license to represent us may, in presenting our views, leave impressions which will ever keep those receiving them from having favorable views of us; and they themselves are not prepared to go, even if they have good ability, until well acquainted with the nature and spirit of the work. We are in crying need of laborers, but we want the right kind. May God send us such plentifully this present season. Then will the work prosper and our strength greatly increase. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 4, 1873.