1878 and 1879: A New Year Appeal to Kansas Believers
By J. N. Ayers
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS OF KANSAS: The year 1878 is just passing into eternity with all its privileges and blessings. What is the record it bears? Let us look over it for a few moments. The Lord has wonderfully blessed us as a people during the year. We have had bountiful crops of all kinds in most parts of the State; and the labors of our ministers have been blessed in the bringing of many precious souls to the light of truth. Several companies of Sabbath-keepers have been raised up; several new churches have been organized, and quite a large number have been added to others. This is good; but has all been done that might have been? Have we all been faithful in paying the Lord his tithe? Have we all faithfully paid our pledges and the added “one-third” to the tract society? Have all, as far as possible, become members of the tract society? and have our tract society members faithfully done what they could in the way of visiting, writing, and obtaining subscribers for our periodicals, and then been prompt to report? What have we given to the foreign missions? Have our names appeared among those who are making their free-will offerings towards building the Tabernacle? Are we all satisfied with our record, as we look back over 1878? If not, let us turn over a new leaf and commence 1879 by doing our whole duty toward God and our fellow-men. For one, I must say I do not feel satisfied with the advancement we as a people have made, or with my own life record. Had we all done our whole duty, I believe a great deal more would have been accomplished in the Kansas Conference during the past year. While some have done what they could, others have done but very little. Some church members, and others who have not united with any church, but who are able to help, have done nothing, and are trying to excuse themselves on account of poverty, hard times, or being in debt; and some have even gone so far as to allow their families to do without the REVIEW, REFORMER, and INSTRUCTOR; and, worse still, they have even robbed God by using his tithe, which the Lord says is holy. Lev. 27:30-33: “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem aught of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it; and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.” We learn from this text that the tithe is holy, that we cannot redeem it, and if we have dared to use it we must restore it, and add the interest, which is one-fifth of the whole, or twenty per cent; so we had better pay it when due, even if we are obliged to borrow money to do it. Would we dare to use the Sabbath, God’s holy time, for our own secular business? No! Would that be any worse than using the tithe, God’s holy means? I think not; both are God’s, both have been pronounced holy by God himself; one is no more ours to use than the other. God has given us six days and retained one, the seventh. He has given us nine-tenths of all we make, and retains one-tenth, the first. Prov. 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” So we are not in darkness; we know just what is the Lord’s. If we want the blessing of God to rest upon us and the cause in Kansas during 1879, we must return unto the Lord. As a people, we are far from him, and he is pleading with us to return. Mal. 3:7-11: “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? [Hear the answer.] In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” Read this text carefully, meditate upon it, remembering that God is speaking to us who are living in the time of the judgment, as the fifth verse plainly shows, and then answer the following questions: Do you believe God’s holy word? Can he do what he has promised? Will he not fulfill his promise to you if you obey his commands? Does he hold your life in his hand? Do you want eternal life? Can you have it and not believe his word? Read his promises and threatenings to the two classes whose doom will so soon be pronounced by the Judge of the whole earth. Rev. 21:7-8: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.” My brother, my sister, let us answer these questions as we shall wish we had answered them when Jesus comes, the separation is made, and we all receive according to our works. And then let us go to work in earnest. Let our faith and works correspond. James 2:26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Some will say, What shall we do? We have been so unfaithful, and are living so far from God, that he will not hear us. I know we are far from God, but Jesus is still pleading for us in the sanctuary above. Mercy still lingers; God is waiting to be gracious, and will be found of us if we seek him with all the heart. Jer. 29:13: “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” If we thus search for him, our associates will know it; for we shall bring forth fruits answerable to amendment of life. (See Matt. 3:8, margin.) - Wherein we have done wrong, let us make restitution, and then ask God for Christ’s sake to forgive us for the past.
- Resolve to obey God in the future.
- Read again the article on “Systematic Benevolence” in REVIEW of Dec. 12, 1878, and then do just as it directs.
- Read again “The Dime Tabernacle” in the same paper, and act promptly upon its suggestions; here is a good place to invest the money we are saving to spend on Christmas and New Years.
- Read again the article on the first page of the same paper on “The Importance of Missionary Work,” then commence at once to put it in practice.
- Read again the articles in REVIEW Supplement of Dec. 12, 1878, concerning Sabbath-schools; and do not let our quarterly meetings pass without acting in accordance with the instructions therein contained.
- Commence the year 1879 by faithfully reporting at our quarterly meetings, Jan. 5, 6, 1879. Let every member and every officer be present in person if possible; if not, let each be sure to have a written report there, with a donation for the tract society.
- See that your subscription on the REVIEW, REFORMER, and weekly INSTRUCTOR, is paid one year in advance, and be careful that your families always have these papers to read.
- Take some time each day to study the Bible; and if you are living where you cannot attend Sabbath-school on the Sabbath, always have the lesson, and spend at least one hour each Sabbath with your family in the capacity of a Sabbath-school.
- Read a portion of God’s word in your family every day, and pray with them. Live out your profession at home, in the church, and in the world; be kind; be faithful; be charitable; watch the tongue; govern the temper; forgive the faults of your fellow-men as you would have God forgive yours; be an every-day Christian.
If we observe these rules, God’s blessing will attend us and the cause in Kansas as never before during 1879, and we shall have the pleasure of seeing many precious souls converted to God; and when Jesus comes we shall hear the “well done.” He is soon coming to gather his people. Let us be ready, and among those who are waiting for him. Then we can look up and exclaim: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” And he will answer: “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We can all be of the little flock. Will we? Sanitarium, Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 13.