p. 116 | THE CAUSE by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 28, 1860

THE CAUSE.

By James White

Cheering indeed are the accounts that come in from different parts of the field relative to the progress of the cause. God is blessing the feeble efforts of his people to advance his cause in a wonderful manner. And it is to be feared that many do not realize this, and do not prize the blessings of high Heaven which favor the cause of present truth.

1. God is preparing the people to hear the message, and is inclining their hearts to hear it, and in some instances the most touching Macedonian cries, "Come over and help us," come from those who have hitherto been indifferent upon the subject of religion. And it is generally the case where ministers oppose, and where unpopular Bible truth is discussed, that those called by the churches outsiders, are found sympathizing with the truth. The monotony of stereotyped orthodoxy has become painfully wearisome, while plain Bible truth possesses a stirring power which captivates the candid, unprejudiced hearer.

2. The truths for this time are so plainly revealed in the word of God that it is comparatively an easy task to defend them, and expose the popular fables of the day, so that in most cases where they are opposed or discussed, the truth gains a victory. The more able the opponent, the greater the victory. This should lead those who hold the truth, and battle for the truth, to humble gratitude to the Author of divine truth.

3. Our publications are just what the cause needs. In them the great truths connected with our message are clearly stated. And although they accomplish comparatively little without the living preacher, yet our preachers could do but little in establishing churches in the present truth without them.

These publications have been written with great care by those who felt the importance of the work, and whose sole object was the advancement of the cause of present truth. A great work has been accomplished in this respect. And the church should prize this great blessing very highly. Now if they wish to set Bible truth in a clear manner before their friends, for a trifling sum they can do so by purchasing and giving them our publications.

4. Another great blessing with which God is favoring this cause is that he has inclined the hearts of his people to sustain it. All that has been asked of the church to do in assisting the publishing department has been done. The groaning of the Power Press moved by steam power, which we this moment hear below, which prints eighteen copies of the Review in a minute, reminds us of this. WERE WE AS A PEOPLE PREPARED to hold church property legally, and more means were called for to carry forward the increasing business of the publishing department, our people would at once raise it. There are hundreds of brethren and sisters among us who would esteem it a pleasure to cast into the treasury from five to one hundred dollars each to place the publishing department on the best grounds possible.

Again, our Missionary operations in new fields are being fully sustained. While Eastern brethren are liberally contributing to this object, Western brethren, young in the cause, are making spirited efforts to sustain the cause among themselves. This is as it should be. We give it as our opinion that among our smallest wants is the want for means. Our brethren are ready to take hold anywhere that promises to advance the cause.

Our preachers, East or West, standing in the counsel of God, will have success. And our brethren seeing this, will regard it as their highest privilege to sustain them. We do not say that all professed Sabbath-keepers will feel and act thus, but our brethren will. And when they liberally hand out their means they expect that it will accomplish something, and it is right that they should.

Among our greatest wants is a want of consecration to God and the great work to which he has called us. This is deeply felt in every department of this work. It is the high privilege of our preachers to bear a living, burning testimony that will find its way to the hearts of the people. O, how God wants to pour his Spirit upon his chosen servants. We must be allowed to suggest that there has been a shunning to bear a plain, pointed testimony against sin and error, and for the truth. This brings spiritual darkness upon the minister. He loses his power with God and with the people, and the church, without realizing the cause, becomes feeble. May God revive the living, cutting testimony among us.

The want of consecration is felt in our weekly paper. And here it is felt most deeply, as the Review gives tone to the cause everywhere. Hundreds scattered away alone have no other preacher and conference-meeting than the Review. It should go to them every week filled with sound doctrine, good instruction, rich experience, and plain and fervent exhortation. This is what the church needs everywhere, but especially the lonely ones. We want a living paper, a living ministry, and a living church.

But before this can be, the testimony to the church of the Laodiceans must go through in power and do its work. With us there is pride, love of the wealth and spirit and fashions of this world, covetousness, selfishness, love of ease, &c., which keeps the dear Saviour from coming into that close relation to us which is our high privilege. O God, give these words power to reach the dear reader's heart—"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with me." Rev. iii, 20. Just open the door, and Jesus, that lovely guest, will come in.

This language describes no common blessing. God help the dear brethren to understand the conditions. That which shuts the door of your heart, and bars him out, must be put away, so you must realize the terrible force of these words, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent."

Some, when this subject was dwelt much upon a few years since, seized upon it to give force to their fanatical ideas of selling and disposing of property. Others used it to enforce their extreme notions in regard to plainness of dress, while some others, who were perpetually dwelling upon others' faults, instead of searching for their own, took fresh courage in their blind work. These deceived persons exerted a sad influence on the conscientious, and the church generally where their influence reached. Each had his peculiar notion to enforce, and all must come to it before the Saviour, in the language of the text quoted, would "come in and sup" with his people. These things, with the opposition of some others to plain testimony, had a most discouraging influence, and but little has been said upon the subject. But it is our opinion that the church is now prepared to be benefited by the testimony. Let each take it home. Liberality is a virtue, rightly exercised; but if we are so liberal as to give to others this testimony which is an affectionate appeal to our own hearts, we shall meet with a loss without benefiting others.

Jesus stands at the door and knocks for admission. Yes, he blesses our feeble efforts in some degree to advance his cause. Let us be thankful for this, and reach out for the fullness of his saving power. He visits his people now and then with the dews of heaven; but, O, for the droppings of the latter rain. He visits them with the teachings of some of the gifts, which should kindle in them strong desires for that time when they will all be restored, and the church be able to read their own experience in the book of Acts.

The cause is onward, and ere long will move with great power; but, mark, the church must be thoroughly converted first, and fully consecrated to God, and to his holy work. J. W.