Our Motives by Stephen N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 7, 1875

Our Motives.

By Stephen N. Haskell

To properly engage in the work of saving souls, our motives should be disinterested, and our zeal ardent. I have no doubt but that the human heart is depraved, and the fruits of depravity are abundant in all men’s lives; yet the doctrine of total depravity in its absolute sense cannot be true. There are certain principles from which emanate desires for a better life; and that also enlighten the better judgment of all, to a greater or less extent. It is because of these principles that the Spirit of God has access to the human heart, and draws men to Christ. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” are the words of our Saviour. All men, however sinful, admire a character in which these principles are perfected. The skeptic, although he may deny their Author, will admit the loveliness of a character founded on these principles.

The secret of our power to influence others for good lies in the fact that these principles prompt us to action. The Spirit of God witnesses with them; for God is their author. They are of divine origin.

There are many men who have immoral principles, and yet have numerous friends, and many of them among the virtuous; while others, against whose lives nothing can be said directly, will have the affections of but few. This is evidence that the better judgment of mankind is closely akin to Christianity. Upon close examination, it will be found that the immoral man has certain traits of character which grow out of motives of disinterested benevolence, while the other is supremely selfish. Our success therefore depends upon our possessing those principles which will attract the higher and nobler qualities of the soul.

When men are actuated by unselfish love, they will have a power which will reach hearts, but if there is only a desire to make an outward show, however good the deed or the word spoken may be of itself, it will be powerless to convert the soul. It may please the ear, and win the attention for the time being, but when we look for the transforming influence for good it is wanting. A supremely selfish man cannot labor in the cause of God to divine acceptance, for the principles of selfishness and disinterested benevolence are directly opposite. Were God to accept labor put forth, prompted by any other principles than those that led Christ to die for the human race, he would be setting aside the motive which led Christ to suffer the death of the cross. It is no more nor less than divine love—divine because it originated in Heaven. This principle will lead men to sacrifice every earthly good for the salvation of others. It does not labor for a reward. It is not anxious for its pay. It works because it is its nature to work. It cannot live without work.

All reformers whose lives have resulted in the overthrow of error, who have changed the public sentiment for good, and have immortalized their names by leaving behind them indelible marks of reform, have been those who have voluntarily given their lives because actuated by this spirit. A selfish man may appear to accomplish as much for a time. His outward deeds may be commendable, but if self is the grand center upon which everything revolves, his light in a few years will go out, and his name be forgotten. It is deeds wrought in God that immortalize men’s names, and not men’s names that immortalize deeds.

Men actuated by unselfish motives will suffer long and be kind. Unselfishness will lead men to endure and suffer, as well as to do. It is, in short, the religion of Jesus Christ. No one can be converted to God without having this principle implanted in the heart to that extent that the life and character will be molded by it.

Selfishness will lead individuals to endure great privations. It will lead men to sacrifice home, friends, health, and every earthly and heavenly good—this life and the next. Such men in the time of their glory are often thought to be great benefactors to the human family. But there is a test which will show the character of the motive. It comes when we are brought to feel the lack of support from the sympathy of the people. At such times, to continue in the same earnest labor for the good of others indicates that the heart is actuated by other than selfish interests.

The unpopular truth which we profess is of that character that every man or woman who would seek to promulgate it needs to possess the spirit of a true reformer, whatever may be his position in the cause. Our work is aggressive. We enter new fields. We are to meet prejudice and successfully overcome it. There are many individuals among us who can go out and scatter tracts, who can talk the truth, and who, in short, can battle error gloriously. But there is something more than this required—something that will test the moral backbone more than merely rushing into battle at the cry, Onward march. It is to withstand the reaction of the blows we strike. It is to unwaveringly stand and bear the contemptuous toss of the head, the curled lip, the withdrawal of sympathy on the part of those upon whom we are unconsciously resting for support.

When men and women find their cherished theories demolished by the truth, they will turn and seek to mend their broken cisterns on the bearer who was instrumental in calling their attention to it; and he who cannot bear unflinchingly the blows thus given will never make much headway in this work. We must stand when the reaction comes, true to the right, as the needle to the pole, if we would gain the victory. Such experiences test men’s motives. Unless our objects in this work are other than those of selfish interests, we shall never gain a permanent victory. The motive of every individual who would be a successful missionary in this cause should be as high as Heaven.

A controlling principle should lie at the foundation of every act, which would prompt men of the nineteenth century to say, if necessary, as did Martin Luther when his friends undertook to dissuade him from entering Worms, where in all outward probability his life would be sacrificed to the malice of the papists: “Go tell your master,” said Luther to the messenger, “that though there should be as many devils at Worms as there are tiles on its roofs I would enter it.” This tested the motives of Luther’s heart. He was not actuated by principles of self-aggrandizement, neither was he laboring to secure the favor of his friends. He was inspired by a love for the cause of Him who had given his life for the human race. His calling was from Heaven. He was willing to die at Worms if that would forward the work in which he was engaged.

We have feared for the Tract and Missionary Societies upon this one point. Our brethren and sisters in every Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to a greater or less extent have taken hold of this work cheerfully, given of their means freely, and in many cases have sacrificed personal ease, and personal interests; and God forbid that one word should be said to dampen the ardor already manifested. We want it increased this coming season, in at least a twenty-fold ratio. But there is something more wanted. We want a daily, living connection with the true Vine. We should find God in the closet, and we should possess that spirit which will impart life and power to every missionary effort; a power that is not merely intellectual, that does not consist in dry theory, but takes its rise in a heart that is imbued with the meek spirit of our Saviour, a spirit that will melt its way into the hearts of those we would help.

“A heart in every thought renewed, And filled with love divine! Perfect, and right, and pure, and good, A copy, Lord, of thine!”

The stand-point from which we labor must not be any worldly consideration. It is the cause of Him who died for us in which we are engaged, and his Spirit should witness with ours at every step we take. The principles which actuate us should be those which actuated Jesus Christ. Our motive should be to do good and save souls for whom Christ died. The time has come when every community should be permeated with the principles of the truth applicable to the time in which we live. Tracts laden with precious truth should be distributed wherever they will be read. The hearts of those who enter this work should feel the weight and responsibility of this cause, and the worth of the soul, ever remembering that “he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” S. N. HASKELL.