ORGANIZATION by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 27, 1861

ORGANIZATION.

By James White

ON our eastern tour thus far we seem to be wading through the influence of a stupid uncertainty upon the subject of organization. This is as might be expected from the circumstances connected with the introduction of the subject among us. Soon after we merely hinted at it about eighteen months since, an article appeared in the REVIEW from one of the Corresponding Editors well calculated to arouse the fears of many that Bro. White was in favor of something dreadful. We were then in Iowa where we could not give an explanation of our mere suggestions, and have a plain statement go out in the same number of the REVIEW. The poison took almost everywhere. When we completed our western tour and found time, we reviewed the subject, and set forth some of the necessities of organization. But only a portion of the brethren could then be reached. The cause suffered dreadfully. But if those who took the wrong side of the question had owned up when they saw the error and weakness of their position; if all who were convinced of the necessity of organization had spoken out freely, victory would have turned, and the poison of anti-organization would have been at once removed. But our ministers were generally silent. Some exerted a strong influence against organization, while the influence of others fell indirectly through their silence into the wrong scale with dreadful weight, and many of our brethren, especially in the East, stood in doubt. The brethren in Pennsylvania voted down organization, and the cause in Ohio has been dreadfully shaken. It has suffered everywhere. If such ministers of experience as Brn. Ingraham, Andrews and Wheeler could have spoken upon the subject decidedly and in season, much might have been saved that has probably gone to ruin.

There is everywhere some one to hold back. They have no valid reasons for so doing, still they hold back. The infection was deep and stupefying. After an investigation for near two hours at Roosevelt, and the removal of objections, when the request was made for all who were in favor of organization to rise up, Eld. F. Wheeler kept his seat. At this a dreadful feeling of discouragement came over us that we have not yet been able to shake off. What can we expect of the people when ministers stand thus? We are weary in meeting such influences. We have no interest in this matter only what is in common with all our brethren, and have spoken only as we have been urged by necessity. The place of worship of the Seventh-day Adventists of Battle Creek is still the property of S. T. Belden. Organization has been postponed by this church until our ministers and people could come up unitedly to the work. There is no party feeling with those who feel the necessity of organization. They do not wish to move forward until all our ministers and people are prepared to go with them. How long shall we wait?

If any of our brethren have objections to organization, based upon the Scriptures, the REVIEW is open to them. We claim the privilege, however, of reviewing them in the same issue. It is time the question was settled. We feel crippled in our labors in consequence of the silence of our preachers on the subject of organization, and the consequent scattering influence, and shall touch at only a few points and return home. We would cheerfully visit New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Ohio; but wait for the decided voice in favor of organization from those ministers who have labored in these States to enter first. They know the REVIEW is open for them to speak freely.

Three years since we dwelt upon the subject of the unity of the church with pleasure, and felt strengthened in the position taken by the fact that we could point to the Seventh-day Adventists as being far advanced in scriptural unity. But we as a people are losing ground in this respect. And it is of no use to close our eyes to the real state of things, until our condition be much worse. It is a fact that need not be denied, that instead of our being a united people, growing stronger, we are in many places but little better than broken fragments, still scattering and growing weaker.

A few years since we could report success and additions to the ranks at every appointment on our eastern and western tours. Now these conference meetings are scenes of wearing labor to hold together and strengthen what remains. Some who have been expecting a time of shaking are in doubt whether it has commenced. May the Lord save us from a worse shaking than the present. We are surprised at the courage of our Tent preachers and their supporters under existing circumstances. We often inquire, Are these young churches brought out by wearing Tent labor to be brought under the distracting influence of anti-organization? We forbear saddening the hearts of the friends of the cause by following out further the painful reflections of our own mind, and will close this article by giving two illustrations of the necessity of organization.

A female lecturer, in bloomer costume, asked the use of our house of worship at Battle Creek. We called for her papers. This she met with a careless air of surprise, stating that no one had ever before called for her papers of recommendation, and she had never thought of taking them. We replied that she had doubtless formed an unblemished reputation somewhere, and that it would be exceedingly convenient to her, and gratifying to those of whom she claimed favors as a public lecturer, to take along with her a statement from her friends of her standing in society. As she had none, she was not admitted to our place of worship. We afterwards became satisfied that she was a doubtful fragment of the exploded excesses of Spiritualism. Did we do right in calling for her papers? Most certainly.

How then can it be right for our preachers to enter new fields to meet wily opponents without papers showing their church relation and standing? The cause of truth has sometimes suffered for want of such papers. We say, Let every preacher have them, and let them be renewed every year. This course would open the way for our preachers, and would save our brethren from the abuses of impostors.

A few weeks since we received a letter from a brother in Minnesota, stating that an Eld. Lothrop had come among them professing present truth, saying he had traveled with Eld. White. The brother seemed to fear the influence of the new preacher, and wrote to us for particulars. We could only reply that the man he spoke of was probably an Eld. Lothrop we first met in Canada East, and afterwards met him at different meetings in Vermont; that we never traveled with him, and at almost every meeting we met him, had good cause to reprove him for his fanaticism; that he afterwards went in full fury with the Messenger spirits against us and the REVIEW. But now of a sudden he appears in Minnesota, one of our preachers. And to help himself into favor with the brethren, he reports that he is acquainted with Bro. White and has traveled with him. Were it the custom of our ministers to carry the papers, and of our brethren to call for them of strangers, such impostors could not impose upon God's honest people.