WHO IS MY BROTHER?

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1856

WHO IS MY BROTHER?

He who subscribes to our creed, says the nominal church-member; notwithstanding his actions will rarely justify his declaration. Who is my brother? He who is bound to me by the nearest ties of blood, says the man who acknowledges no relations but those of nature. Who is my brother? The whole race, says the philanthropist, who, in word at least, has sympathy for all mankind, and argues a common brotherhood from a common descent.

But it is not in the power of human creeds, or the strength of oaths, or the ties of blood, or feelings of humanity, alone, to constitute a true brotherhood on earth; for subscribers to the same creed, have become bitterest enemies, though they each remained true to their articles of fellowship; and instances are not wanting, all along through time, of men's dooming the members of their own families to death, when such relationship interfered with their lust of power and the aims of their ambition; and as for philanthropists in general, their numbers are so few that we need not illustrate: the principles which they profess have either been generally waning in this world, or they have failed to accomplish the results which are claimed for them; for there has been no lack of wars and dissensions, and tumults and blood-shed, and murder and misery, and all other direful effects, in which we might suppose that the Devil himself would delight, as the offspring of his own maliciousness. We find then no ties natural to this world, strong enough to hold mankind in a common brotherhood: they have all failed; and hearts which should have been bound together in love and union, have become aliens and enemies.

Who then is my brother? He who does the will of my Father which is in heaven, says the Divine Teacher, whose mission on earth was to enlighten the minds of men,—"whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother." In these words of his, we find the true answer to our inquiry: mark the occasion which called them forth. Matt. xii, 46-50. "While he yet talked to the people, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!" As if he had said, Do you call those only my brethren who are bound to me by the ties of nature? I will declare to you a higher principle, a holier relationship. Shall I point you to those who are indeed my brethren? "And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples." Would you behold those who are in the true sense my brethren? Behold in my disciples, my mother and my brethren. He then gives them the divine principle on which this relationship depends: "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Verse 50.

How clearly is thus set forth the relation we sustain to each other. We are pointed to our common head—our Father in heaven; and for our brethren we are pointed to those who do his will. We are all members of one family. The principle which unites is divine. It admits of no distinctions of nation or color, or birth or station. All outward circumstances fall before it; and whoever the Lord beholds reflecting his image, in him he recognizes a child of his, and there we recognize a brother.

Who of us who have entered within the pale of truth have not experienced this? Have we not felt that those who did the will of our Father in heaven, were in a relation superior to all others, our brothers and sisters; and that the bonds of truth were stronger than the ties of blood? As we have seen them traveling the same road with us, actuated by the same spirit, animated by the same hope, struggling against the same obstacles, and laboring for the same end—a home in glory, have we not felt our hearts drawn out to them, as if a spark of that love which brought Christ to earth from the glories of heaven, had descended into our own souls?

But schisms have rent the church, and opposing factions have distracted the people of God: have not the bonds of truth therefore, and the Spirit of Christ proved a failure as a means of uniting the hearts of men in true and lasting fellowship? True, the Church by permitting Satan, (for we must regard it as the work of Satan,) to divide it into so many sects, and by spending their strength and energies in wrangling with each other, have defeated the great good which the gospel might have accomplished. But we are to remember that the division of the so-called christian world into its present number of sects and parties, has not been dictated by the claims of truth, or the Spirit of Christ. For whenever a church is divided, and two or more parties are formed, from those who before lived in harmony and union they cannot all be dictated by the Spirit of God; on one side there must be a lack. Let us remember this in these last days of peril; for Satan was never more busy than at the present time to sow discord and confusion among those who would seek for the unity of the faith. Wherever therefore we discover a wrong feeling existing, a breach widening, and a separate interest and party forming, be sure, there is a lack somewhere of the Spirit of Christ. To say that two persons both possessed of the Spirit of Christ, can be estranged at heart, is absurd. They will as naturally run together as two drops of water. The anomaly cannot exist. If they each have Christ formed within the hope of glory, they will not be long in discovering it to each other. If the Spirit of God actuates them both they will not be long in manifesting it; but the fruit of the Spirit is not strife and emulation, but "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."

Whosoever doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Divine principle! How it overrides the narrow limits which creeds and sectarians would prescribe to us! How it tramples upon the vain distinctions, which men would foster among themselves! It rises high above all human limitations, nearest to the throne of God, and surveys the whole world as the field of its exercise.

"One is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." Then "let brotherly love continue." "Be kindly affectioned one to another." May the experience of the church in past ages lead us to shun division as the greatest evil, and seek unity as the greatest blessing. This we shall do if the love of God is paramount to our own hearts, and love to him and obedience to his will are the only conditions of fellowship which we require in others. Then will the church on earth, though composed of human members, be joined together by ties which no power of the enemy can sever.