THE TRUE COURSE by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 30, 1857

THE TRUE COURSE.

By Editor

"The path of the just," says Solomon, "is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." If this is true of an individual, it is true of a church, or company of believers, so long as they maintain their integrity. But there is an implied necessity of keeping in the true path, in order to behold light increasing more and more; or, in other words, to follow on to know the Lord; as it is said by the Prophet, making use of the same figure, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain and former rain unto the earth."

It has been said that we, as a people, would not long maintain our simplicity and fervency in the profession of our faith, but become sectarian, formal and lifeless, like the sects that have gone before us. But, brethren, how is this? Shall this be so? This is the very point we wish to avoid. We have seen the causes of declension in other bodies, and we must be indeed poor scholars, if we do not learn something from the experience of others, as well as from our own.

One thing is certain, The path of the just is as the shining light. There will be those who will walk in it, rejoicing more and more in the increasing light, being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even to the perfect day. So will it be with us, unless we reject the light of truth as it is revealed to us. Truth is onward, and its advancing light must be kept pace with. What has caused the decline and spiritual death of the nominal churches, and some branches also of Advent believers? It is their resting down with what truth they had, ceasing to follow the light, and letting truth move on without them.

For instance, the Advent Herald, since the Lord did not come at the close of the 2300 days, in 1844, has denied that the days there ended. This position makes necessary another assertion; namely, that the seventy weeks are no part of the 2300 days. With this view, there is no soul living that can tell of what possible use the prophetic period of the 2300 days can be, or inform us from what the seventy weeks are "cut off." Thus two chapters of Daniel's prophecy are partially converted into nonsense, and inspiration laid open to the charge of cumbering the sacred page with useless lumber. Acknowledging that according to the best light we have, the 2300 days ended in 1844, the Herald still contends that the passing of the time has demonstrated that the days did not there end.

Now, it has demonstrated no such thing. There is no promise of the coming of the Lord, and the renovation of the earth by fire at the end of the days. All that is affirmed is, that then the Sanctuary shall be cleansed; and it has not been, and cannot be, proved that the earth as a whole, or in any of its parts, constitutes that Sanctuary. It would certainly be the part of true wisdom, joined with an honest and earnest desire for the truth, as we found ourselves

so grievously disappointed at the passing of the time in 1844, to inquire whether we might not possibly be mistaken in the event to transpire at that time. It would have been reasonable, before making any rash move, to inquire what the prophecy really warranted us to expect at the end of the days; what the Sanctuary was, and what was the nature of its cleansing. No such inquiries as these were instituted by the Herald; but it has, step by step, blindfoldly and rashly, renounced its former position, torn asunder two important prophetic periods which are mutually dependent upon each other, and, in the eyes of those who put any faith in its teachings, demolished some of the main bulwarks of the Advent faith. Now what use can God make of a people who exercise no better guardianship than this over the treasure of his truth? None! absolutely none! It is no wonder that the vital principle long since fled from their ranks.

Since 1844 more light has risen upon our pathway. "The shining light" has thus far shone "more and more" upon us. We have been enabled to rejoice in truths far in advance of what we then perceived. But we do not imagine that we yet have it all, by any means. We trust to progress still, our way growing continually brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Then let us maintain an inquiring frame of mind, seeking for more light, more truth, endeavoring, the while, to keep ourselves in the love of God, and the patient waiting for his Son from heaven.

Above all, we may not be satisfied with a mere theory of the truth. This may be harmonious and fair and lovely, as indeed it is; but without the Spirit of truth to set it home, all its beauty is but the beauty of the cold, immovable statue, with fireless eye and speechless lips. May the Spirit of God animate his Church! Without this we can neither maintain a christian's life, nor make a christian's progress. Without this the REVIEW cannot attain to that degree of spirituality and vigor where we all wish to see it, breathing forth the Spirit of Christ in every line, and speaking out the truth in boldness, but in love.

The morning cometh! The path of the just is growing brighter! and more and more should we become the children of the light as the day draws nearer.

"Let us then be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait."