ROCKS AND SHOALS | AdventAI

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 3, 1857

ROCKS AND SHOALS.

AN EXTRACT.

Some time since, a preacher of some note called on me, and with great earnestness asked me if I saw a notice in the papers of an "indignation meeting" held in his town not long before? On telling him I had not, he began to speak much in its praise, and especially to commend the brethren for their zeal, and spirited resolutions offered on the occasion. I confess I could not help the thought of Jesus and the Apostles recommending to the churches the propriety of holding indignation meetings, to condemn the wickedness of the "powers that be." I fancied that I saw the church at Jerusalem assemble, with Peter at their head, who told them that the church was responsible for all the evils in the land, and said it was the duty of the church to show herself first and foremost in every good work, and Rome must be reformed, or it would soon be blotted out as a nation. To arouse them to action,

he referred them to Caiaphas, whom he called a wily old politician, always studying expediency that he might save a sinking cause, although he could only save it at the price of innocent blood, and referred them to the unjust trial of Jesus, as a fair specimen of his dishonesty and intrigue.

There was Herod, too, whom he called the "emissary of Satan," and said the public must know, that we christians detest such characters, and that we will trample under foot his unjust authority.

Yes, and there is Pilate, too, wholly unworthy of the confidence of the people, who, for fear of losing his office, condescended to the mean and contemptible act of signing the death warrant of the Son of God. He told them it was time that Christians were awake, and show to the world that such men in authority were wholly unworthy of any respect from a Christian community, and recommended that the clergy throughout the land send in their protests, in the name of God and suffering humanity, to their legislative halls, against their wicked enactments and ungodly rulers, whom they placed in authority over the people, and closed by saying, let it be known that from henceforth, correct political views shall be considered essential to Christian fellowship.

I had to give but one more stretch of the imagination, to see Constantine stepping forth, wearing the imperial crown, and holding up the cross, in token of the triumph of Christianity, and the Pope soon was seen following, wearing the wedding ring of Church and State, saying, "Millennium has come, and the saints of the Most High possess the kingdom." But alas! as I looked and saw them well, I saw also that the Church had proved herself a Harlot.

But there is a fourth evil, that is found everywhere in this day of "progression." I name it KORAH, DATHAN AND ABIRAMISM.

It is a sort of wild democracy in the churches, that says to the elders: "Stand back, you take too much upon yourselves, since all the congregation is holy, as well as you." One half of the church difficulties that I have become acquainted with, have grown out of this spirit of insubordination. It refuses submission to the elders, and calls in question that right, as well as their qualifications, to judge in their case. So strong a hold has this spirit gained, that it has destroyed the confidence of the elders to act in their official capacity in many instances. Hence the cry, all over the land, "the inefficiency of our eldership." I care not how well qualified our eldership may be, if this spirit is permitted to reign, we might as well have so many Egyptian mummies set up for elders, as men bearing all the qualifications given by the apostle Paul, for the elders cannot act where this spirit reigns.

As much as we need a more efficient eldership, we need far more a disposition to obey those who have the rule over us, who watch for our souls as those who must give an account to God. Also a greater degree of that charity that thinketh no evil, and that brotherly love that esteems others better than ourselves. And less of that self-love that has so often characterized us, in publishing the weakness of our brethren, through the length and breadth of the land, in the ungodly newspapers of the day, to justify ourselves, and show that we are righteous. This Korah, Dathan and Abiramism, if not subdued, will make us tremble yet.—Christian Review.