TO THE SAINTS SCATTERED ABROAD.
By James White
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—For awhile I have desired to speak to you freely, and open before you my feelings as familiarly as though visiting you at your homes. Many of you I have seen, and with you have bowed at your altars of prayer, where we have been refreshed by the outpouring Spirit of God. Such heavenly seasons on earthly ground have made too deep an impression to be effaced by time. Christian union, formed under such circumstances, is indeed stronger than death. Others of you, whom I have never seen, have addressed me in language of hope, faith and love in the many letters received from you, which has bound my heart to yours in the strongest bonds of Christian fellowship. And, perhaps, my connection with the cause of truth for ten years past may be a sufficient apology for expressing to you at this time my views of the past, present and future. It may be proper to do so, in view of past statements of ill health, bereavements and reproaches. Many of you have personal knowledge of my manner of life; that it has been most of the time for ten years, one of toil and care; that I have labored in the field preaching the word with no particular home till I became worn, then have retired to some offered home with some believing family, to write and publish: hence our publications date from four different States. Incessant care and toil, with few hours of sleep, and none for recreation, wore out the constitution. Disease pressed upon me, so that I suffered much from weakness and pain in the throat and lungs. Sixteen months since my case was considered hopeless. Consumption had apparently stolen upon me, and had made such advancements, that to human view in a few months I too must lay down in the grave beside a dear brother and sister who had fallen by the same disease. But thanks be to God who saved me from the grave, and has raised me up to the enjoyment of comfortable health. Satan has not been permitted to accomplish the desire of my enemies. I now regret that in years past, in my anxiety to advance the cause of truth, I deprived myself of needed rest, and many things necessary to this life, which has rendered one year of my life almost useless, and may cripple my efforts in the cause while the battle lasts. But this I do not regret so much as I do my lack of faith and patient reliance on God, in times of darkness. Though my lot has been one of care, perplexity, and sometimes of mental agony, yet the grace of God, had I ever leaned wholly on the divine arm, would have been sufficient. Had entire consecration to the will of God, with strict watchfulness and constant, fervent prayer, ever been the ruling principle in all my efforts to spread light and truth, much more good would doubtless have resulted from those efforts which have nearly worn me out. Yet I humbly trust that God accepts my willing efforts to promote his cause, and for his Son's sake pardons my errors. And you, my brethren, have my thanks for your faithfulness to the cause, during my efforts to publish and scatter abroad Bible truth. In times of need and affliction you have remembered me by your means and your prayers. For your many acts of love to one so unworthy, and to the cause which has been dearer to me than life, you shall ever share the gratitude of my heart. If faithful to the end, Christ will reward you at the resurrection of the just. I wish here to briefly notice things which have added to my anxiety and mental agony. First, those dear friends we have been forced to see sink away from the surface of human life, by disease in our own family, among them a brother and sister. Those who have joined us in the blessed hope, and the work of God we have been compelled to follow to the grave. But amid all this grief, the blessed hope has lit up the future—we shall meet again. Second, those who came in among us and obtained some influence, then went out from us. The impression has been too common among us that none but honest, true-hearted men would embrace the message; hence confidence has been put in strangers, and in those not fully proved. Here I have erred. I have incautiously through the REVIEW recommended persons to the confidence of the Church at large, as laborers in the Lord's harvest, who had not been sufficiently proved. I have considered myself more cautious than many of my brethren, yet I have erred here. Brethren generally have felt bound to support all who were acknowledged as the Lord's messengers, therefore such persons have had a good opportunity to fleece the pockets of the church, use their influence to cause distraction, and then when called to the order of the gospel, throw their influence into the scale of discord, rebellion and slander. I am not disposed to say much of these, seeing their course is now before you, with the result of no order. It was when the order of the gospel was taken up by us that a rebellious spirit was manifested by certain ones. This gave rise to a sheet of slander. The spirit of revenge kindling in the hearts of some, led them to sustain it for a time. But as it was sinking the leaders of the Age to Come came to its rescue. They stated their intentions to "make it one of the best papers in the land." They baptized their darling theory in disgrace by uniting with such a sheet. And in changing the character of that sheet, left those who started it, and who had sustained it, with no part or lot in the matter, it being entirely another thing. Here matters are suspended, while those who have gone out from us are enjoying the harvest of no order, lack of union and fellowship among themselves, and perfect confusion of sentiments. We mourn for the sad state of those who have been carried away by these baneful influences. Not a few of them have left the Sabbath; while the influence has been chilling to the life and progress of the cause. Yet this exhibition has done more to impress upon the minds of candid Christians the importance of gospel order, than all the friends of order could do or say. Dear brethren, some of you have been confused and discouraged by these things; but you should be in suspense no longer as to the message, and your duty. Time and events have proved to you what you could not credit when told you a year or two since. I will not here reprove you, but would tenderly entreat you to cast in your interest with the people of God, and reach out your hand to help push the cause of Bible truth ahead. Come, dear brethren and sisters, and give those who have stood firmly by the cause your heart and hand. The Lord has not left his people—blessed be his name. Come, precious souls, and drink of the fountain of gospel union, and go with your brethren to Mt. Zion. I would here express my grateful thanks to my brethren for their promptness for establishing the REVIEW and Book department upon a proper basis. Your pledges amounting to $1200 for a Book Fund show your attachment to the cause. In taking these burdens off from me, you have, with the blessing of God, made me free. Since last December has been the happiest period of my life. O how good it has been to trust in God, and feel morning, noon and at evening the refreshing, baptizing power of the Holy Spirit. As to the future, God only knows the perils of the way, yet there is light ahead. His truth will be our "shield and buckler." The experience of the past will serve as a lamp for time to come. God has prepared the way before us, so that the people will hear the reasons of our hope and faith. The trials of the past should not prevent any from acting well their part for time to come. God wants you, my brethren, to act in his cause, and to act now. Let the servants of Christ lean on his arm, and let the church promptly act her part, and the cause will move on gloriously. God's word does not teach you to make a rash disposition of your means; his cause does not require it. Such a course might be an injury, instead of a help to the cause. But when the cause in any of its departments needs a portion of the means under your stewardship, your duty is clear. Such wants should be regarded as the voice of God to you. Will the friends of the REVIEW suffer debts to linger long on the Office? No, not if they do their duty. Shall we see those who are entering new fields with Tents crippled in their efforts for want of a small portion of that means which you, my brethren, profess to have on the Lord's altar? God forbid. If it be really the Lord's, and on his altar, then when his cause calls for some of it, will you not promptly heed the call? You will. You will come up to the help of the Lord; to the help of the Lord against the mighty. May God help you to arise from that state of sadness that the events of the past have cast over you, and lead you to that position of consecration and sacrifice necessary at the present time.
J. W.