THIS ISSUE—WHY PUBLISHED.
By Editor
It is with no spirit of boasting that the facts and illustrations contained in this issue are set forth to the world. We have no other desire than to "preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." These things we publish to answer the questions so often asked, "Who are Seventh-day Adventists?" "What are they doing?" and to tell what God hath wrought through mortal man, despite opposition, unpopularity, poverty, and all the weaknesses and limitations of humanity. This issue will answer these questions partially. That the answer may be better understood, it may be well to note a few facts:— 1. At the time of the great advent message—1830 to 1844—all Christendom was divided as now into discordant sects. Spiritual life was low. And yet there was a longing in the heart of many a devoted Christian for a revival of God's work and a healing of the breaches of Christendom—the wounds and divisions and backslidings. The condition of the Christian world was that of Babylon, confusion; and concerning this the Lord says, "We would have healed Babylon." 2. The message of healing was the proclamation that the great judgment day was at hand; that Christ was coming. That message stirred the world. It was designed to bring the church back from all union with, all yielding to, the world and its spirit and motive, back from all creed power, to the one true God and His Word. It began its work in special power about sixty-five years ago. Its preaching was not confined to William Miller, then a Baptist minister; it was preached by ministers of all denominations. Not less than three hundred ministers of the Church of England alone, it is said, were bearing to7the world the message, "The coming of Christ is near." Based on the great lines of prophecy and on various signs of that all-important event, the message went with power to every nation of earth. 3. There were misconceptions, misinterpretations of prophecy, extreme positions, and fanaticism at the time. There has been in connection with the time of every special message God has given to man, emphatically so at the time of the first advent. 4. Involved in the message of Christ's literal coming and personal reign is preparation to meet Him and a fitting of character for His work here and His everlasting kingdom hereafter. 5. The healing message is set forth in brief in Rev. 14:6-14. All positive truth is contained in the first part of the message, proclaimed by God's messenger, symbolized by a flying angel, having "the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." The message implies that the church is influenced by the fear, or reverence, of man, by human creeds and dogmas and opinions and pomp and show and numbers. The implication was true sixty years ago, and more emphatically true now. God calls to "cease from man," and to fear Him and Him alone. No longer obey men, no longer render them homage or worship, but "worship Him," the Creator. Men are exhorted to fear God and render to Him glory, or honor, in view of that impending judgment before which comes every soul, and from the decisions of which there is no appeal. It is demanded that men shall worship Him because they owe all to Him as Creator, the Creator-Redeemer. See you not, reader, how the heeding of this message would turn the church from all of earth and human to the divine? See you not how heeding it would turn one from hoary tradition to the Word of God; from man-made, dead creeds to the living oracles; from the pagan claim of inherent immortality to life only in Christ? Do you not see how it would turn from a base counterfeit sabbath to the Sabbath instituted and kept by Christ, a part of that immutable law of God which is the rule of the judgment? Do you not see that it would lead to the Gospel in its primitive purity and power, to its freedom from form and godlessness, from its union with the world and connection with the State, from dependence on forms and mere intellectual food, to the simple power of the Word and Spirit, received by faith? See you not how heeding that message would lead to a restoration of the gifts of the Spirit of God manifest in the early church? Do you not see how walking in this light would develop a class following in the footsteps of Christ, a people of whom it is said, "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12)? 6. This is what that people, called Seventh-day Adventists, saw in that message after the disappointment of 1844, caused by a misconception of the sanctuary question, involving Christ's priesthood and the work of the Gospel. The disappointment cut the honest-hearted loose from men; it turned them with humility of soul and agony of heart to God. Their mightiest argument was their need and God's promises; and this they presented by simple faith. They saw by faith that they were a long way from the perfect path of Christ, as revealed in His Word. They turned to the Word, regardless of man. They find there the seventh-day Sabbath, instituted of God in the beginning, embodied in the immutable Decalogue, observed by Jesus Christ, the memorial of creation, the sign of Christ's power to redeem and sanctify. They find more than a dozen great highways of prophecy, and many signs pointing unmistakably to the great fact that Christ's coming is near. Around these two great, downtrodden truths cluster all the great truths of revelation,—life in Christ, regeneration, sanctification, the reward of the righteous, the doom of the wicked, Christ's priesthood and kingship as revealed in type and prophecy, religious liberty, the outpouring of His Spirit, and the restoration of all God's gracious gifts to His church. 7. All these this people did not find at once. It was not their superior learning or intelligence or ability or spiritual acumen which discovered these wondrous truths. God revealed them because in simple faith the people wished to know and do His will. One by one He revealed them. Each truth involved a cross, and humanity has been slow to lift crosses, not seeing by faith that the cross strengthens. Even the name "Seventh-day Adventists," which was adopted in the wisdom given of God, involved a cross—it was unpopular, because the two important truths which it stood for are unpopular. Yet if men would only accept them! How the reception of God's Sabbath by the church would forever settle all Sunday legislation! How the truth of His soon coming would take the church out of politics and mesalliance with the State! If the faith of this people had been simpler and more constant, God would have revealed His truth much sooner and in much greater power. They have been "slow of heart to believe," slow of feet to follow. But God's patience and love still wait and win, and for this we praise Him. In this we have answered the first question. The people called Seventh-day Adventists therefore are, so far as they are of any worth, what the great truths of the Word of God have made them. They would have been far mightier if they had been more willing. In this they have no ground for boasting, but rather for the deepest humility. Possessing truth which should have been regarded as a glorious girdle, a crown of glory, it has been regarded too much as a humbling cross, when in every ray of its blessed light are power and salvation. What are they doing? Rather, What has God wrought, despite the limitations which humanity has placed upon Him? The articles and illustrations of this issue will answer the questions to some extent. Let that suffice. All that has been truly done has been of God. To Him be the glory. But, further, He always has an object in revealing His truth to men. It is not that they may hoard it; it is not that those to whom it is revealed are naturally better than their fellows, or that they have made themselves better; it is not God's approval of their learning or ability; it is not to elevate them before the world. He takes the broken vessels of earth, the low, the weak, the unlearned, the despised; and to them He reveals His truth; to them He intrusts His treasures. He does not do this that they may "hold down" the truth or hoard the treasures, but that they may give all freely, fully, to a great, needy world, in such a way that it may be seen that the excellency is of God and not of men, "that no flesh should glory in His presence." See 1 Cor. 1:23-31; 3:21-23. To Him be all the glory and praise forever. Pilgrim, the way is a good way; will you not go with us?