EXTREMES by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 24, 1859

EXTREMES.

By James White

THE history of the Church tells the sad story of extremes having existed in the Church through all our wearisome labors and fierce conflicts with the powers of darkness. And, doubtless, a departure on both sides from the plain declarations of the word of God has been the great cause of these unhappy extremes.

Popery is a dreadful extreme. Its spirit is diffused through all our churches. The creed power binds the conscience, puts a veto upon investigation, and shuts up the mind to some narrow channel of sectarian bigotry, where men's souls grow small. It shuts out the free light of heaven which makes men benevolent and noble in their feelings and acts. Add to the influence of the creed power, wealth, pride and fashion, and you have a Christless church, such as is described by St. Paul.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. iii, 1-5.

Narrow-souled sectarianism, with its doctrine of eternal torments, has disgusted very many benevolent, noble, kind-hearted men, and has driven them to the ranks of sceptics, until in their ranks may be found the greatest proportion of (naturally) best men. But we will not be tedious on this extreme.

There is another extreme far more dangerous to the peace of society, and the salvation of men, than that we have mentioned. It may be termed extreme Come-out-ism.

We solemnly believe the announcement, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen," &c., and the call, "Come out of her, my people," have their application to the sectarian churches, and the duty of God's people to leave them. But why leave Babylon? Answer. To be free from her sins, and escape her plagues.

Babylon, signifies confusion. When God calls his people from Babylon, it is that they may leave confusion, with all its deathly influences, and embrace that system of discipline, harmony and love from heaven, found in the Book of God, that they may under its hallowed influence learn the way of holiness and everlasting life.

But who has not been disgusted with the conduct of many Come-outers? Who has not been grieved with many of those who embraced the doctrine of the soon coming of Christ and left the churches? Some of them neglect christian discipline, and trample upon the means which God placed in the church to secure her unity. These talk loudly of Popery—Sectarianism—Creeds—Babylon.

But it is a fact too plain for any one to deny, that they themselves constitute the veriest Babylon on earth. Their extreme views of free investigation, discussion, and freedom of speech lead them to form their notions of divine truth independent of the experience and judgment of others, and, perhaps, advance them without regard to the occasion, or the feelings of others. Such a course genders strife, debate, confusion, Babylon. Yet these very persons talk of Babylon in the most severe manner, and build themselves up in their confusion by dwelling upon the faults of others. Here is an extreme without the least shade of consistency in it.

Look at that class who have embraced what is called the Age to Come. Under the cry, "Free investigation of all Bible subjects!" they have followed their leaders in all conceivable fancies and fooleries relative to unfulfilled prophecy. And no two of these can be found to agree in all these particulars touching the future, which each makes very prominent. These generally reject the Spirit, and in its stead, drink in a spirit of debate and contention as bitter as wormwood and gall.

Look again at that class who are perpetually pulling on their India-rubber chronology, and proclaiming definite time for the Lord to come. About ten different times have been set, and proclaimed, for the Lord to come, since the prophetic periods terminated in 1844. This class generally think it not worth while to attend to gospel order, the Lord is coming so soon; many even think it wrong, patterning after the churches, a sign of backsliding, and call it Babylon. Yes, call order, Babylon! As well call light, darkness, or sweet, bitter. We read of some who do these things. And so these friends of confusion move on, and while they themselves are Babylon to perfection, they regard Bible order and discipline as going back to Babylon.

There are, indeed, some honorable exceptions; but it is a mournful fact that very many of those who come out of the churches in the great movement in 1843 and 1844, who still stand aloof from the third message, are in a worse condition than they were before. Help them if you can! But it will be found to be a task to help men who feel no need of help, and who, at the same time view you as going back to Babylon, Sectarianism, Popery, because you plead for Bible order. Fanatics, who regard themselves as reformers, are the very hardest cases to reform.

Between these two extremes—popery and anarchy—may be found the way of truth and holiness. Here we find order and discipline which rebukes the unruly, and binds his unhallowed desires to trample upon the authority of God, and the rights of men, while at the same time it is in sweet accordance with the spirit of the gospel which reigns in the heart of the humble christian. It is a yoke which fits well every true christian's neck, while it chafes the wilful bigot's, and he cries out, Popery! Sectarianism! Babylon! We want no better evidence of an uncircumcised heart and stiff neck, than to hear one crying out against order and Bible discipline in the church of Christ.

One extreme would make popes of ministers; the other would trample the position and influence which God's word gives them, in the very dust. How precious is plain Bible testimony on this point. It points out distinctly the true position lying between the two extremes.

Says Peter, "Feed [not fleece] the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Pet. v, 2-4.

Says Paul, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts xx, 27, 28.

Again, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Heb. xiii, 7, 8.

And again, "But to do good, and to communicate, forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." Verses 16, 17.

One extreme binds a church up to a man-made creed, to follow the leadings of a Protestant pope; the other breaks down all order and discipline, and gives license to confusion, and all the notions of interpreting the Bible that Satan is capable of putting into men's brains. But between them is the true Bible position. It may be seen in that agonizing prayer of Jesus for his dear church.

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they ALL MAY BE ONE; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John xvii, 15-21.

Says Paul, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with ONE MIND and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. xv, 5, 6.

Again the Apostle says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the SAME MIND, and in the SAME JUDGMENT." 1 Cor. i, 10.

Hear Paul again: "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of ONE MIND. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Philip. ii, 1-3.

The impetuous Peter agrees perfectly with his beloved Bro. Paul. He says, "Finally, be ye all of ONE MIND, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." 1 Pet. iii, 8.

Is it possible, Peter, for the church to come to such a state of unity, perfection and love? if so, by what means?

"Yea, ALL OF YOU BE SUBJECT ONE TO ANOTHER, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." 1 Pet. v, 5, 6.

The above thoughts have been called out by a communication from Templeton, Mass., in which the writer says, "In a recent No. of the Review the idea is advanced by one that it is a safer course to go with the body, than to follow one's own judgment. 'This is a safe course for us all.' Perhaps I take a wrong view of this; but I have seen nothing in the paper that looked so much like Catholicism."

No doubt Satan has patterned after Christ's church as near as possible in the formation of a corrupt system and church. But it is not wisdom in our good brother because he thinks he sees a defect in one side of the bridge to run off the other. No: better keep on the bridge of Bible truth. God has a people, and a present truth, and it is our privilege and duty to find them. But to say that the individual members of Christ's church are safer to go with the body, than to follow their own judgment, is in harmony with the foregoing texts. To take the position that each individual is safest following his own judgment instead of that of the body who are seeking to serve God fully, is not only unscriptural, but is to stand on the very pinnacle of fanaticism. A church united without a human creed, built on Bible discipline and Bible union, will be a glorious edifice indeed. Such a church will Christ find at his second coming, built upon the rock of eternal truth. Let the rubbish which extremists have strewed in the way be removed, that this building may go up. The means provided are ample, and it is safest to be in harmony with God's plan. It is very unsafe to meddle with his arrangements. Read Paul's statement of the work of Christ for the perfecting of the church.

"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, [margin, a multitude of captives,] and gave gifts unto men. . . . And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. iv, 8, 11-13.

May the Lord open the eyes of the blind, and lead all his humble, truth-seeking children to see the beauty and importance of Bible union. J. W.