OUR RELATION TO OTHER RELIGIOUS BODIES.
By James White
As long as Seventh-day Adventists shall have a world-wide message, which is destined to penetrate all forms of social and religious compacts, it is our duty as much as lieth in us, taking into account the nature and work of our message, to be at peace with all men. And while it becomes our duty to proclaim to the ends of the earth the message which God has given us, it is our privilege to avoid those discussions, as far as possible, which stir up strife, and encourage a spirit of noisy debate. Our strength is in the proclamation of clearly-defined propositions, sustained by the word of God taken in its obvious meaning. The strength of our opponents is in misstating our positions in order to create prejudice. And the contest, to human view, becomes unequal in that we are on the side of the cross, while they are on the side of popular opinion, and the carnal mind. And were it not that God, who is always a majority, is on our side, or, rather, we are on his side, and his hand is with us in the truth, we might expect to be overwhelmed with opposition and discouragement. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick.” Ps. 124:1–3. In God we trust to fight our battles for us. A simple glance at the past shows that in him alone we have the victory. Our history is brief indeed, but is wonderful in that so many have been brought to Christ and his truth, and that the foundation has been so well laid for a vast work in the immediate future. A handful of penniless men, who had not been educated in the schools, took hold of the work in earnest a little more than a score of years since, and the good hand of our God has been with us. Had the work been of men, it certainly would have come to nought ere this. We may safely challenge learning and energy combined to accomplish so great a work in the face of determined, popular opposition, in so brief a time. With all the religious bodies, Seventh-day Adventists differ on some points, and with many of them we disagree on most points. And while we may feel called upon to proclaim abroad unpopular religious sentiments, it is very important that we should cultivate that liberality of views and feeling that will lead us to apply to ourselves those warnings and cautions found in the Scriptures to those similarly situated. The fact that we are sustained by the obvious meaning of the sacred writings should be a matter of sincere and humble gratitude to our adorable Redeemer, that the way of life and salvation is so plain, through his dear name, rather than to encourage a spirit of self-exaltation and religious bigotry, which has so often blinded the minds and ruined the influence of God’s people in the ages past, both Jews and Christians. The Bible abounds in admonitions to the Lord’s people to make God their strength, and in warnings against becoming strong in themselves. The New Testament especially is exceedingly plain. One apostle says that “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” He exhorts in these emphatic words: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” 1 Pet. 5:5, 6. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11. Another apostle says that “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6. And he adds in verse 10: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” And still another apostle says: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Heb. 12:14. It may be regarded difficult to be at peace with all. And in some cases it may be thought impossible. Some men, it is true, seem filled with determined hatred against those who teach and do the commandments of God. In them we recognize the spirit of the dragon of Rev. 12:17. They, by continued transgression, have so passed under the power of Satan, and are so completely led captive by him at his will, that it may not be in their power to cease foaming out the ire of the dragon. But when we read Paul again we may see that he provides for just such cases. He says in his epistle to the Hebrews, “Follow peace with all men.” This we may all do, and yet in some cases fail to reach the desired result. He exhorts the church at Rome, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Rom. 12:18. The apostle here intimates that it is not possible to sustain peaceful relations with some men. There are those whose natural element is strife, bitterness, and war. These are to be disposed of by prayer according to Paul’s epistle to the church at Thessalonica. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.” 2 Thess. 3:1, 2. When we have done our duty, so as to come under the benediction of the Son of God, in these precious words from his sermon on the mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” Matt. 5:9, and have failed to come into peaceable relations with those who hate the truth of God, then we may pray for deliverance from their influence. And if best for his people, God will dispose of such in a manner to magnify his name, and advance his cause. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.” Ps. 76:10. While we have an important message under the direct providence of God to give to the world, it is his will that we should be on peaceable terms with the religious bodies, so far as possible with the free and uncompromising proclamation of the word of life. God save us from the extremes which are the misfortune and weakness of very many. One is to barter away the truth of God for peace. The other is to hold the truth in the spirit of self-righteous bigotry. More men are wanted with sufficient firmness, and breadth and liberality of soul, who can “speak the truth in love.” The gospel of the Son of God was distinctly proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds while watching their flocks by night upon the plains of Bethlehem, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14. “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Verse 11. The heavenly band did not enter the city of the Hebrews, and press their message upon the closed ears and hardened hearts of the leaders of the people. And at a later date the fully converted Peter, once impetuous, but now softened and refined, did not judge it best to crowd the truth of God upon the attention of unwilling listeners. Hear him. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Pet. 3:15. “Be ready,” says the apostle. But few are ready for the duties of the present hour. Peter suggests not only a preparation of heart, but also of mind by careful study of the word of God. Be ready to give to every man that asketh the reason of your hope. Be ready always. The spirit of inquiry is out. The Spirit of God is moving upon the minds of men, as the message God has given us rises in power. The demand is for reasons, given in the spirit of meekness and fear, rather than loud assertions. We do not plead for that gentleness that barters the truth of God for quiet, or that sits down and does next to nothing. The times demand firmness and energy. “Be ready always,” says the apostle. Read up. Be fortified with reasons. But we should remember that the present is a time when the prejudices of the people are strong, and are easily aroused. Some men handle the truth of the Bible in a manner to excite prejudice, and call out opposition. They then turn martyrs, and cry persecution. Our message has no need of these. Peter says to such, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” Men are wanted with hearts consecrated to the great work of saving souls, whose lives shall be a continued illustration of the teachings and deportment of Christ and his first apostles. Firmness and energy, with meekness and kindness combined, are qualifications necessary for our time and our message. Bible religion is scarce. The more we have of it the greater our influence, especially with those who feel the apostasy of our time, and are hungering and thirsting for living bread and water. Men of God are wanted, who can arise in the strength of the Coming One, and shake off the powers of darkness, put on the armor of light, and cut their way through the moral darkness that lies upon the Christian world like the pall of death, without that darkness cleaving to them. Men of power are wanted, who walk and talk with Christ, and in whom the fruits of the Spirit are ripening, “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” As long as we shall have a world-wide message, Christ will go with such men, and they may expect to have that confidence and respect of the people necessary to the fulfillment of their mission. It is best, for the Seventh-day Adventists, and the Seventh-day Baptists, to avoid controversy upon those points in which the two bodies differ. Neither can afford to be in controversy with the other. The Sabbath is a great practical truth of vital importance to both, in the observance of which they find no sympathy in the Christian world only that which each gives to the other. On the broad platform of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ, in which there is a general agreement, both can stand and fight the battles of the Lord. And both can much better afford to bear with minor differences of faith than to enter into controversy. We are happy to give expression to the views and feelings of Seventh-day Adventists upon this subject. And we are very certain that we also express the views and feelings of very many of the Seventh-day Baptists. That body has been favorably represented at four annual sessions of our General Conference by Elders Allen, Wardner, Burdick, and Rogers, who impressed our people with feelings of respect and love for their constituents. If any of the leading men in that denomination feel called upon to expose the errors, or the inferiority of the Seventh-day Adventists, they may be assured that they will have the controversy all to themselves. There is another people who hold important Bible truths in common with S. D. Adventists who are not on as friendly terms with us as the S. D. Baptists. We refer to the several factions of the Adventists. With them we agree on the pre-millennial personal advent of Christ, the resurrection of all the just at that time, the final inheritance of the saints, baptism, and some other point. But with them, with very few exceptions, there seems to be the most bitter prejudice against our views of the third message of Rev. 14, the sanctuary, the perpetuity of the law of God, and of spiritual gifts. As a people, the first-day, or no-day, or all-days-alike Adventists have stood in a more favorable position to receive the light which Seventh-day Adventists have been giving to the world than any other. And certainly, we had reason to expect that a people who professed to take the Bible as their rule of faith and practice, and who also professed to be making ready for the coming of the Son of God to judgment, would treat our honest convictions of truth and duty based upon the Scriptures with Christian candor. But we are sorry to state that the manner of attack of the leading men of this people has been more unchristian than that we have suffered from others. These Adventists had suffered opposition and persecution from other churches, and were better prepared to enter upon controversy. They had felt the strength of prejudice as it had been hurled against themselves, and knowing its power, in their turn, resorted to this shameful manner of warfare against Seventh-day Adventists. In the absence of Bible evidence to meet the plain testimony of the word of God, the leading men among them have resorted to misrepresentations, in order to prejudice their people, and inspire in them a spirit of bitter hatred against that body of the Adventists who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Many of them know very well the strength of our positions, and they also know that they cannot afford to fairly state our positions. Their hope in shielding their people from our influence is in so misrepresenting Seventh-day Adventists before them, in their discourses and in their prints, as to hold them under the power of prejudice. Notwithstanding their loud protestations against sectarian creeds, and their boasted free discussion of Scripture questions, we know of no people this side the church of Rome who are more shut up to dogmas, or more under the control of narrow, bigoted leaders, than these Adventists. There was a time when duty seemed to demand of us a special effort to set the truth before the several factions of these Adventists who differ with us. For a time we were successful in gathering numbers; but in consequence of the want of order among them, and the many false notions imbibed by them, some converts from them have injured our cause much more than they have brought strength to it. This is especially true of those who have been under the lax rule of no-lawism for a score of years. We are happy to state that there are exceptions to the general rule above described. There are those who have more recently embraced the doctrine of the soon personal coming and reign of Christ, the resurrection of the just from a state of unconsciousness, and eternal life alone through Christ, who seem comparatively free from the bitter prejudices and errors above named. We were happy to meet four or five ministers from these Adventists at our late Biblical Institute at Battle Creek, who have recently embraced the Sabbath. These were very grateful that the spell of prejudice had been broken off from them, and for the new home they had found with our people. It is our duty to labor where we can accomplish most. At present we have better success to go where the Advent faith has not been miserably represented by that irreligious looseness that attends those who deny the perpetuity of the ten commandments. Their condition and standing is such in the religious world that we can gain but little, and often lose much, in controversy with them. They deal largely in smut and blacking among themselves when they can spare time from abusing Seventh-day Adventists. God loves his honest people wherever they may be shut up by the bands of cruel prejudice. His hand has been dividing and scattering and breaking up these bitter opponents of the Lord’s ancient Sabbath, and not a few have been and are still joining our ranks. Let us keep to our work in proclaiming everywhere the truth of God, while He in whose hands are the hearts of all men shall expose the wickedness of the misrepresentations and the unchristian conduct toward our people of those who break the commandments of God, and teach others so.