A PLAIN TALK TO THE MURMURERS by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 19, 1877

A PLAIN TALK TO THE MURMURERS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Some Facts for Those Who Are not in Harmony with the Body.

(Continued.)

Soon after this, another important move became necessary in our work. The publishing business was steadily increasing. We already had a press, type, office, and several thousand dollars’ worth of property; but this was all held in Brother White’s own name. We had no legal organization by which the brethren could hold that which they had contributed towards the building up of the publishing business. Brother White with his usual foresight, looking ahead, saw just what has already come to pass, viz., that a large business would grow out of this, that a large amount of capital must be invested in our printing house, in order to prosecute this work with energy and rapidity. He saw, and it is strange now that everybody did not see, that it would not do to have this property all held by Eld. White or any other individual. The cry of speculation would soon dry up all further donations, cripple the office, and utterly defeat our work. There must be a legal association formed in which all our people could have a share, and from which no individual should receive a dollar’s income. Brother White again was the man to propose that, and to urge it strongly; but everywhere many of the brethren, and even ministers, opposed. It was argued that to form such a legal association would be Babylon,—leaning upon the arm of the law. This was the reason why it was opposed. I shall never forget that.

The first time I visited Battle Creek, the first General Conference I ever attended, was when this question was up. I saw Eld. White stand in the desk and argue and plead, and labor with the brethren for hours to get them to see the importance of this move. He felt so deeply that he wept like a child. Finally, most of the brethren yielded, and the thing was accomplished; but some were so bitterly opposed that they drew off entirely from that time. Here, again, they cried, “Popery, one-man power, tyranny, iron heel,” &c., though anybody with a little common sense could see that the position of Brother White was just the opposite of that. Here our murmuring friends received a fresh class of recruits as they have had at every advance move that has ever been made in the cause. But now that this struggle has passed upon that point, who does not see that this move was imperatively necessary? The present work would never have been accomplished without it. How could we conduct our present publishing business without it, to say nothing of what it must become before the work closes?

Another question about this time came up for settlement. How should means be raised to support the work? Brother White again led out in this and proposed our present plan of S. B. Sister White was shown from the Lord that this was right. Probably no step has ever been taken in the advancement of the cause, which has proved a greater success than this. No one denies this now. All see it, acknowledge it, and almost everybody admires the plan. But it was far different when first proposed. Here, again, these faultfinders had a splendid chance to cry, “Speculation, centralization of power, iron heel,” &c.

However, it is but justice to many of our good, honest, faithful brethren to say that when these different advance steps were proposed and started by Brother White, they were conscientiously opposed to them, because they could not see how they could be right. They used all their arguments against them as far as they could as Christian brethren. They were sorry to see these points carried. They feared that great harm would come of it. Yet their faith in the message and the cause of God was such that when the point was carried they ceased their opposition, fell into line, and worked in harmony with the body. This was sensible and Christ-like. In a very short time their fears upon these different questions all vanished. Their trials were entirely removed, and they soon came to see that these were the very steps which ought to have been taken.

After trying this over and over a good many times, most of us have learned to take things patiently. If things occur, and steps are taken, which we cannot just see through at the time, we simply wait, believing that the Lord is leading this people, and that, in time, things which at first may not be plain to us all will be cleared up; but some are in so great a hurry, and have so little faith in the work of God, that if anything comes up that they cannot see through immediately, they go in for opposition and rebellion.

Thus we might continue the history of our people and show how Eld. White has had a leading influence in every advance move that has been made by this people. This establishment of our State Conferences and our General Conference was through his influence. What could we do without these organizations now? Who questions their wisdom now? Look at our camp-meetings. What a blessing they are to our people, and they are growing more important every year. What a mighty influence they are becoming for the dissemination of this truth. Who first proposed the camp-meetings among us? Who started and held the first one? Everybody knows.

Have we a health journal and a Health Institute? Who laid the plans for this institution? Who urged their accomplishment? Have we a publishing office and a paper on the Pacific coast? Who started that? It is Eld. White, as you very well know. I believe I can truthfully say that there is not an institution among us, not an organization, no advance step has been taken in this cause, but that which has been accomplished through the counsel and earnest labors of Eld. White. Now that these institutions, these organizations, have been established, and are in working order, we all see the great importance and utility of them, and we thank God for them. We would not know how to carry on the work without them. In the work of this message, to all human appearance, if it had not been for the counsels, the enlarged plans, the earnest labors of Eld. White, and the continual warnings of the testimonies through Sister White,—if it had not been for these, the third angel’s message would not have accomplished to this day a hundredth part of what it has.

We have all been inclined to have too narrow views, too small plans, and to neglect the very means necessary to the prosecution of this work. To us who have faith in this work, these things are the very strongest evidence that God has indeed raised up Bro. White for the very place he fills. Under the blessing of God, the cause, from such a small beginning as we have related, has steadily, and in the last few years, rapidly, increased till now we have two large printing establishments in America, nine steam printing presses, eight different papers, two of which are published in the Danish and Swedish languages, and books published in the English, German, French, Swedish, Danish, and Holland languages. Our publications upon the present truth have gone everywhere, and are having a mighty influence in opening the eyes of men to this truth. We have a capital of about $125,000 clear of debt, invested in the publishing business. We have an excellent College on a good basis, also a Health Institute with a large influence. We have sixteen State Conferences, nearly five hundred churches, about two hundred ministers, and some fifteen or twenty thousand believers, and missionaries rapidly extending the work in new fields in every direction.

Thus far I have purposely omitted to say much about Sr. White and her visions and their influence upon the cause. I will now briefly refer to them, as this is a great stone of stumbling with some.

Right here let me say that we do not throw away the Bible, and take Mrs. White’s visions instead. No; if there is a class of people under heaven who believe the Bible strongly, who love it devotedly, who study it and go to it for everything, it is Seventh-day Adventists. Here is our store-house of doctrine and truth. We

preach this everywhere and always. We have no other authority. We go to this to test and prove the genuineness of Sr. White’s labors and visions. If they did not harmonize with this in every particular, we would reject them. It is wicked for men to cry, “The Bible, the Bible, the Bible,” and profess to follow that implicitly when they reject one of the plainest doctrines of the Bible,—the doctrine of spiritual gifts. Of course I have not time here to take up an argument on spiritual gifts, or enter into a lengthy statement of her labors, their nature, &c. We believe, however, that no doctrine of the Bible is plainer than that of the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, and particularly that these gifts are to be restored in the last days. Joel 2:28-32; Rev. 12:17; 19:10; 1 Thess. 5:1-21; &c.

From the very start of this message, Sr. White has been intimately connected with it. Ever since 1845, she has had her visions frequently, and they have had an important bearing upon the work. Everywhere that Eld. White has gone preaching, advising, planning, and directing in the work, she has gone, and stood side by side with him. She has always attended our large gatherings, our Conferences, and our camp-meetings, preaching, exhorting, and bearing her testimony, and her influence has been very great indeed. Not a move of any importance has ever been made in any department of the work but she has spoken in the testimonies supporting it, either before or after it was started, and as her testimonies have been generally believed and received by this people, they have necessarily had a great influence upon the action of our people. I am thoroughly satisfied that without the testimonies it would have been utterly impossible to sustain many movements of great importance which have now proved a complete success in this work. When the testimonies have spoken upon the subject, it has at once put an end to strife and division of sentiments and complaints among our people, and they have taken hold unitedly to prosecute the work. To the very same source we are largely indebted for the union in faith and doctrine which prevails among us, and for our escape from the confusion, discord, wrangling, and bickering, which everywhere characterize the other bodies of Adventists. Shall we not thank God for such great benefits as these? Let others think as they please, we are thankful for this inestimable blessing, and we are not ashamed to say so.

The point which I wish to make is to call the attention of our brethren to the important position and great influence which Sr. White and her testimonies have ever held in this work. There are no half dozen men in our ranks who have really influenced the faith, the practice, and the different important moves in this work so much as Sr. White and her testimonies. As long as this is an undeniable fact, let us look at the inevitable conclusion which one must draw from it. Here is a special work to be done,—a special message to be given. The time has come for the Lord to move out a people to do the work. We see this very work commenced, and carried forward successfully. We look at the means which have been used to accomplish this work, and we find that from the very beginning, chief and very prominent among them are the labors of Bro. and Sr. White. She has traveled everywhere, and given her influence to the work with all her might as an able speaker. Many have been converted to this truth under her personal efforts. Her voice has been heard in our Conferences, and in the counsels of our people. Through her urgent appeals and strong entreaties, advance moves have been made, institutions for the prosecution of the work have been founded, and in every conceivable way her important labors for thirty years have been intimately connected with this work, and have done very much for its success.

Now, while all this proves nothing to men who do not believe the Seventh-day Adventist doctrine, or the third angel’s message, yet to those who do believe these doctrines, it seems to me that one conclusion is inevitable, viz., that Bro. and Sr. White must be servants of God, and that her testimonies must be from the Lord. Look at it a moment. Here are certain great truths,—a definitely foretold message, in the success of which we are all deeply interested. We believe that it is not only truth, but the present truth. These truths have brought us from darkness to light, from the fables of men to the commandments of God. They have made the Bible to us a new book. In the belief and practice of them we have been greatly blessed by the Lord. They are the joy and rejoicing of our souls. We believe they are destined to test the world and prepare it for the harvest of the great day. We rejoice in the prosperity of this work, in the spread of this truth.

Now consider: What means have been used by the Lord to bring out, to maintain, and publish this work to the world? What agents did God use to bring these blessed truths to our attention? First, foremost, and prominent among them all, as we have shown, are the untiring, life-long labors of Bro. and Sr. White. We appeal to the common sense of every believer: How can you consistently believe the work to be of God and the workmen of the devil? It is utterly inconsistent. Every man in his own soul does and must admit this. He may try to dodge and fight it, and fix it up some other way, but it is of no use. We must either accept Bro. and Sr. White as God’s accredited servants, or we must reject the third angel’s message; and the facts show that this is just about what every one does. Those who commence by finding fault with Bro. White, and by rejecting the testimonies, sooner or later end by giving up the third angel’s message, and finally separating themselves from this people. This result is inevitable, and hence we warn our brethren before they start upon that path just where it will lead to. There has been no exception in the past, there will be none in the future.

D. M. CANRIGHT