THE VISIONS A TEST by Uriah Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 14, 1862

THE VISIONS A TEST.

By Uriah Smith

THE oft re-iterated fear is still occasionally expressed, that the visions are to be made a test of fellowship. We have heard a great deal, first and last, about the visions being made a test; and many are the panics that some have tried to raise over this subject. But let us look soberly at it for a moment. Take, first, the man who professes to believe them. Will he refuse to be tested by them? So long as he maintains his position, he cannot. The person who professes to believe the visions, and then refuses to be corrected by them on the subjects of tobacco, dress, covetousness, &c., shows at once that all his professions were the mere pretenses and false assurances of the hypocrite. Such a man is not, of course, entitled to the confidence of the church for a single moment. And in such cases the visions necessarily make themselves a test. But how is it with those who have not yet become decided in regard to them? As this is a subject on which there exists with some a peculiar sensitiveness, we may perhaps best arrive at the correct principle on this, by first considering how the matter stands on other points of faith. Here is a man, for instance, who does not agree with us on the subject of the second coming of Christ. He believes that we are wholly mistaken in regard to this great truth. Can we feel union with such a man, and take him into our fellowship and communion? We cannot. We can but feel that he shuts his eyes to some of the clearest light of the Scriptures, and refuses assent to their most unequivocal testimony. We cannot therefore extend to him the hand of christian

fellowship. Just so with the Sabbath. Can we fellowship the man who violates it? We cannot. On a vital point connected with the teaching of the word of God, we are at issue; and the union that would otherwise exist between us, is of course destroyed. So with the subjects of baptism, the sleep of the dead, the destruction of the wicked, &c. Where there is not agreement in theory, there can be, in the christian sense, no real communion of heart and fellowship of feeling.

This is the principle that will everywhere manifest itself. It is moreover a principle that is everywhere acknowledged and acted upon. And this principle applies to the subject of spiritual gifts just as it applies to every other. The perpetuity of the gifts is one of the fundamental points in the belief of this people; and with those who differ with us here, we can have union and fellowship to no greater extent than we can with those who differ with us on the other important subjects of the coming of Christ, baptism, the Sabbath, &c. And this is the sum and substance, the length and breadth, the hight and depth, of that great bugbear which Satan has conjured up to frighten the timid about making the visions a test of fellowship.

The principle above laid down, which applies to almost every point of religious belief, has a multiplied application to the subject of spiritual gifts; for while other subjects are distinct, and, as it were, occupy a separate province by themselves, the subject of spiritual gifts has, by the providence of God, become more or less connected with almost every point in the whole range of present truth.

But let us for a moment look at the position that some would have us occupy on this subject. To this alone, of all the subjects embraced in our theory, we must attach no importance; this alone we must make of no consequence; on this alone we must look alike with indifference whether our friends honor and reverence it, or whether they trample it under foot. But if there is a subject in the whole range of New Testament teaching that is entitled to a high and honorable seat in the temple of truth, and which should be esteemed and cherished by every lover of the pure testimony, it is this. Of what else have we the formal and explicit statement that God has set it in the church? 1 Cor. xii, 28. What else is said to be a special gift of God to men? Eph. iv, 8. We may be sure that God has given no gifts unto men, which he is willing to have neglected and despised; he has set nothing in his church, but what he designs should be loved and cherished, and reverenced by all his people. What then can we say of that course which would suffer this truth alone to be ignored and dishonored; which would guard with the utmost sanctity every other truth, and suffer this alone to be trampled in the dust! Yet this is the course some would have us take. They would have us say in effect like this: You must agree with us in all the fundamental points of our belief, with one exception, before we can receive you into our fellowship; that exception is spiritual gifts. That you may treat with as much neglect as you choose. It is a matter of indifference to us whether you love or hate it. We, to be sure, believe it to be as plain and scriptural a doctrine as any in the Book, and that it is a special arrangement of God for his church; but we shall take no pains to maintain its standing, or shield it from abuse. We shall extend to you the hand of fellowship alike whether you receive or reject, honor or despise it. How could a doctrine be more effectually degraded than by such a course; nay, what great or insult could be offered to its divine Author, who has expressly set it in the church! If we are cherishing doctrines that deserve no better treatment than this, let us give them up completely and at once. Let us purge our theory from everything but that which deserves maintenance—everything but that to which we can justly challenge belief from all who would come within our communion.

There has existed a delicacy of feeling upon this subject of which the enemy has taken advantage to force some into a timid, wavering, conservative course concerning it. It was formerly so with the Sabbath. Every little while the out-cry would be raised, "Why, you are making the Sabbath a test! you are making the Sabbath a test!" But when the position was boldly taken that if there is a test brought to view in the word of God to be applied to men on earth, it is the law of the great Jehovah in all its length and breadth, and that, if that was not a test, none could anywhere be found, the agitation on this point subsided. So we believe it would be with the subject under consideration; and that consequently, the time long ago arrived when this delicacy should have been entirely laid aside, and this subject allowed to take its stand by the side of the other important points which compose our religious belief.

If any should be still startled at the view here presented, we would say that this is but the practical working of this question as experience thus far has shown. Suppose the body of Seventh-day Adventists should stand with open arms ready to receive all, whether they receive the gifts or not, it is a fact that those who reject the gifts do not have true union with the body. From the very nature of the case they can not have it; and though they may for a while maintain their connection with it, they are unprepared to weather with this people the storms which they have yet to encounter. The first slight breeze will break the slender cord that binds them to the church, and they will rapidly drift away from the body. So then should we break down all barriers on this question, and extend the hand of fellowship to all on the opposite side, it would not help the matter a particle; for while they occupy that position, union can not exist on their part. And since this seems to be the inexorable law that governs this matter, why should we endeavor to have our profession and theory on the point differ from what has already been proved to be its practical working?