p. 141 | An Interesting Letter

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 29, 1875

An Interesting Letter.

The following letter was written to the editor of the Bible Examiner by Charles Fitch, a few months before he fell asleep in Jesus, in Buffalo, N. Y., in the autumn of 1844. For the information of those who may not have heard of Eld. Fitch, we would say that he was regarded, by those who knew him best, as one of the most able, devoted, and faithful ministers of the gospel. He was favorably known as an earnest and consistent Adventist under the first angel’s message, and even the enemies of his faith could say nothing against him. The testimony of such a witness, given so long ago, when the subject of “immortality only through Christ” had just begun to be agitated, cannot fail to be of interest to all the friends of Bible truth.

M. E. C.

“Cleveland [Ohio], May 25, 1844.

“Dear Brother:—I have received a long letter from Bro. Litch, touching the state of the dead, the end of the wicked, &c. It would be exceedingly pleasant to me to be able to please him, and the dear brethren who agree with him, for I love them all, and would rejoice to concede anything but truth, to be able to harmonize with them in my views. But there is a Friend who has bought me with his blood, and I take more pleasure in pleasing him, than in pleasing all the world besides. I never preached my present views touching the state of the dead and the destruction of the wicked, until fully convinced that I could no longer withhold them without displeasing my blessed Lord and Master. Most sincerely and truly can I call God to record upon my soul that I have never been influenced in this matter, except by a full, solemn, and irrepressible conviction, to him who died that I might live. I held my peace, most gladly, I can assure you, just as long as I dared to do it; and when I felt that I had no more right to be ashamed of God’s truth on one subject than another, I bowed to his will, and consented, henceforth, to believe and teach that when a man is dead, he is dead; and that when a man is cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, and burned up, root and branch, and utterly consumed with terrors, he cannot, after that, be eternally alive. The idea that man is a being made up of parts, some of which may be dead, and others alive, at the same time, is to me a pagan superstition, out of which the papists have contrived to raise large sums of money for their own vile purposes; nothing moved by the tremendous fact that they were robbing God of the glory of being alone immortal, and Christ of the power of having immortality to give.

“With regard to those brethren who feel called on to contend against the truths that the dead are dead, and that the destruction which awaits the wicked is destruction, and not something else, I have no feelings, I think, but those of brotherly love. They cannot feel any more confident that we are mistaken, than I do that they are; nor can my reasoning on the subject seem to them more futile, frivolous, and inconclusive, than theirs does to me. I certainly have not adopted the views I entertain to gain any worldly good, nor can I ever renounce them for such a purpose.

“Having been led into them by firm conviction, and through the fear of God alone, nothing else can ever lead me back. And I feel as ready to defend the truth on these subjects in one place as in another; and I might as well attempt to suppress my breath as to suppress these truths when I preach. I know that by the great body of second-advent believers, with whom I am acquainted, they are admitted as truth; though ideas of expediency may induce them to be silent. I have heard a few object, but I feel persuaded that it is in some instances through fear that the promulgation of these truths will be detrimental to the influence of truth touching the coming of the Lord. With this I have nothing to do. God will take care that the preaching of one truth shall not hinder the influence of another. I have been in Buffalo, Rochester, and Cincinnati, during the last two months, and I have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God upon these subjects; nor can I, wherever I may be called to preach. I have no wish to differ from my brethren, but if they ask me to withhold God’s truth, on any subject to please them, they ask what I am at no liberty to grant.

“God willing, I shall see you at no distant day. My faith in the Lord’s appearing is unshaken; and I long for it more than I can express; and that, irrespective of my own interests. I want my Lord Jesus to wear his crown, and fully to taste the joy set before him when he “endured the cross, despising the shame;” and I want the martyrs, who have bled for Christ, to live and reign with him.

“Yours, in the glorious hope,

“Chas. Fitch.”