SHALL WE STICK TO OUR TEXT?
By Uriah Smith
THE N. Y. Independent of June 2, 1881, prints a sermon preached by Washington Gladden, at Springfield, Mass., a little while previous to that date, on "The Failing Hill Towns," in which he dwells upon the decadence of religious interest and growth in the country towns of New England. He thinks that many of the smaller and weaker congregations should, instead of keeping up their independent organizations, unite and form one large and vigorous society. And he argues that they might properly do this, because their denominational differences have mainly disappeared. He says:— "If the doctrinal differences between the sects were as deep and wide as once they were, there would be more justification for this state of things; but these intellectual barriers are pretty nearly broken down. Especially true is it of all the evangelical churches, that there is scarcely any difference among them in their methods of preaching the gospel. The same statements, substantially, are heard in Methodist, and Baptist, and Congregationalist churches; the only noticeable differences are about some small matters of form and order." It is to the fact stated in this extract that we wish to call attention: "The same statements, substantially, are heard in Methodist, and Baptist, and Congregationalist churches." This is true. Who, by listening to the preaching, merely, in any particular church, for almost any length of time, could tell to what denomination it belonged? That must be learned from other sources. Now should S. D. Adventist ministers preach in the same way, dealing only in the generalities, and dropping specific doctrines, in what respect would our case differ from theirs? If we have any excuse for a denominational existence, it is because a special truth is committed to us, and an advance movement is to be made, and a specific message and warning is to be given to the people, which others are not giving, and will not give. The third angel's message, according to the position of this people, is the light and truth for this time; and the burden of this message is a warning against the worship of the beast and his image, and the reception of his mark in hand or forehead. This involves an exposition of prophecy, and a presentation of various doctrines, line upon line and precept upon precept. The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus cover the ground of Christian duty; and the appearing of One like the Son of man coming upon the great white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth, is the scene which must be held up constantly before the eyes of men. If we prove recreant to this duty, God will raise up others to do this specific work. Would it not be better for us to stick to our text?