p. 563 | PROVE ALL THINGS by Frank Hope

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 15, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 36.

PROVE ALL THINGS.

By Frank Hope

THE Catholic Church teaches that one of the most heinous sins is for any of its devotees to attend any other church or to listen to any other preaching than its own. The policy of this, in a church as corrupt and ungodly as the Catholic Church, is easily seen; for, if Catholics were allowed to attend other religious meetings they would be induced to study the Bible, and where the Bible is honestly studied, Catholicism vanishes. But the Catholic priests are not alone in this policy, many professed Christian ministers do the same. When the truths of the "Third Angel's Message" are being preached, it is not uncommon to hear that the ministers have warned—nay, forbidden the people from attending the meetings. They say it is wrong to listen to error. This spirit is not merely confined to ministers but others that have any authority do the same. One such case occurred recently in a California town where a camp-meeting was being held. It happened one day that some sort of a festival or circus was being held in the town and the school children were given a holiday to join in the fun. Several children, however, attended the religious meeting, and were present at a baptism. When this came to the ears of the pedagogue-in-chief, he punished those children and made them an example before the school, who were duly warned that a worse thing might come upon them if they ever attended such meetings.

It is evident that such men as these are taking too much upon themselves, and are shouldering a responsibility that they will have to meet in the Judgment. Men have no right to condemn anything without they know what they are condemning; and by prejudicing other minds they are doing wrong. The words of Paul in the second chapter of Romans are very applicable to these men. "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself." This is exactly what these men do. They claim to discriminate between error and truth, and the only way of doing that is by the Bible. They must therefore take the Bible as their guide, this of course they pretend to do. But by taking such a course as before stated they directly violate their own standard of right, and so condemn themselves. This is easily shown.

Paul writes to the Thessalonians: "Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good." This is a direct command. When Paul wrote that, there were a great many false ideas and theories abroad. John testifies that many false prophets had gone out into the world. In the same epistle, Paul says "the mystery of iniquity doth already work," and many Jews followed Paul in his travels with the design to teach error, and there were busy-bodies among this very church (2 Thess. 3:11). Yet, knowing all this, Paul admonishes them to "prove all things." Now to prove, means "to ascertain some unknown quality or truth by an experiment or by a test or standard;" "to evince truth by argument, induction, or reasoning." See Webster. That is, Paul told the Thessalonians, (and he also tells us) to carefully analyze and compare all things with the Scriptures. It is for this reason, we are told, that the Bereans "were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so." Acts 17:11. If this candor to examine and prove all things produces nobility, the action of many ministers of to-day must produce the opposite.

Of course, there being in the world such a multitude of different sects and beliefs, there must be a great deal of error. This was so in Paul's day, but did he tell his converts to avoid and condemn everything that differed from them? Not at all, on the contrary, he prayed that they might have more knowledge and judgment that they might "try things that differ" that they might "be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ." Phil. 2:10 (margin). And John even says: "Try the spirits." Thus men who take upon themselves to warn honest souls from investigating Bible doctrines have no right to do so whatever, and being condemned by their own system of ethics have absolutely no cloak for their sin, but in the day of God will be found with their garments stained with the blood of souls. FRANK HOPE.