A LETTER by H. C. N.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 10, 1879

A LETTER.

By H. C. N.

The following is a letter written by one of our ministers to a church in the West. Thinking it may benefit other churches, I copy it for the REVIEW.

“DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I address you now on matters pertaining to the prosperity of the cause of God in your midst. What I say is said in Christian love, and with the hope of doing good. I deem it very necessary that union and Christian fellowship should exist among brethren. ‘If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand,’ says Christ. Mark 3:25.”

“Lest your church fall to pieces, those things which trouble you must be got out of the way. But it is not best to be too hasty about bringing such matters before the church, if there is hope of offenders repenting. There is a way, the best of all, to reconcile all difficulties between church members, and that is for each one to examine himself thoroughly and honestly in the light of God’s word, and if he finds even the least wrong away down in the lowest corner of his heart, let him make that wrong right. It may be that to confess such wrong would humble the man in whom it is found; but better be humbled now before men than to be humbled before the awful judgment-seat of God at last. All things will be made known there.”

“When the saints sit in judgment during the one thousand years, they will see the record of all the deeds and secret designs of those who are lost. Then, if we want, to keep our brethren and sisters from knowing what thoughts we have harbored, the only way to do it is to get right in the sight of God now. If we are lost, all our evil deeds, all the secrets of our hearts, will appear on the books for our friends to read. Think of it, brethren, and let every one see to it that he examines himself closely. Do not examine one another. Do not think and talk of the faults of one another. But take one whole week, from the day that this letter is read, to meditate and pray in secret about your own cases. And then the next Sabbath come to the meeting with a submissive spirit, and confess what wrongs you have done to others. Make a full and hearty confession. No other kind is genuine. Do not say, ‘I will do better in the future, if all the rest will’; but say, ‘By God’s grace I will do better.’ Let the rest take care of themselves. Every one should remember that others are of the same fallen race, and are not expected to be as perfect as an angel of God, while in this mortal life. Therefore, wrongs that are confessed should be freely forgiven.”

“If any have offended a brother or sister, they should make their confession to the offended one, and to God. But if any one has wounded the cause of God by an ungodly life before the public, such a one ought to confess his wrongs publicly to the church. Confessions are really necessary where wrongs exist. No church can prosper unless there is harmony among its members, and harmony cannot be found where ill feelings are cherished. Read the third chapter of James, and chapters four and five also. Follow the admonition of the apostle. Each one must make straight work for himself. The faults of others will never excuse us in the last day. Oh, how many stumble and fall just because they think somebody else has done wrong! How foolish those are who see everybody’s faults but their own!”

“How pleasant it is to meet with a church that is all alive, and full of the spirit of our message. It is a rest to the laborer. He feels like preaching with greater earnestness when he goes to his field of labor again. He can tell people that ‘our people are all in earnest and doing their duty; and they are not like the pleasure-seeking members of other bodies.’ The cause is prospered then, and the truth takes effect upon the people. I wish that every member in our ranks could realize this.”

“The harvest is great, and our laborers are few; therefore, there is the more need of our churches being in good working order, and keeping themselves in such order, instead of keeping a minister from the field to look after them. The truth would not spread very fast were each church to keep a minister from new fields to look after it; and God would dismiss all of us who were at ease in Zion, and would raise up other men to carry his message. But let all the churches be in working order; let them lighten the burden of the president of the Conference and of the ministers who have charge of the churches; let them cheer instead of discouraging the ministers; in short, let them be men and women of God,—then the cause would prosper, and the sound of the third message would be heard in all parts of our land. The servants of God would all soon be sealed, and Jesus would come.”

“The winds (wars) of these days are being held until the servants of God are sealed with the seal of the living God. We must not hinder the work. If we are out of the right way, we must get into it again as soon as possible. Pray much, dear friends, and read the Bible and the testimonies; and may the God of Israel lead and bless you.”

We should all heed these good admonitions. May God help his people to walk in the light, as they ought to walk. H. C. N.