p. 194 | Organization by Dexter Daniels

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 19, 1861

Organization.

By Dexter Daniels

DEAR BRO. WHITE: I want to say that I fully approve of the doings of the Battle Creek Conference upon the subject of organization. Although it startled me a little at first, after a moment's reflection all was settled in my mind. Because there can be no kingdom or church on the earth that can exist without organization. Without organization any kingdom or church must go to pieces. If God is the leader of this people, there will be order: for there will be order in God's house. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Cor. xiv, 33. And before the church can be all brought into the unity of the faith, this house

must be organized (so it seems to me), and then the Lord will add unto it such as shall be saved, and the saints will be rebuked and corrected and reproved until they all come into 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, 13. But if one says, I will have it thus and so, and another says, I must have it thus and so, where would be the end of this confusion? God must have a house now, and that house will be organized, then the true saints will bring all their tithes into the storehouse, and there will be meat in God's house (money in the treasury), and the Lord says, Prove me now herewith if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing (latter rain) that there shall not be room enough to receive it. But if God has no storehouse, how can the saints bring their tithes into it?

Dear brethren, to you that are afraid of this house of order, I wish to say, Do not be afraid. Do not try to steady the ark. God will take care of that himself. Let those take care of the ark whom God has chosen to bear it. We need not be troubled about it. God is doing his work just right. This work of order is not of the enemy. No, no. He would be glad to have it broken up; for he is a disorganizer; he loves confusion; and if he cannot make us stumble at the holy law, he will try to make us stumble at the organization of this house, or at something else. He is on the lookout for all the weak and feeble ones. But I would say to all the fearful ones, Come, let us go up of our own free will and help build the house of the Lord. This voice sounds to me like the voice of the good Shepherd. This will shut out all impostors. I rejoice in this house of order.

Do we believe the third angel's message is of God? Yes, we do. Then it is worthy of God's guidance. Then God will guide it; and he will entrust this work in the hands of such men as will do it right. All that I have to fear is, that I shall not be found worthy of a place in this house. But I am trying to overcome Satan and his devices, that I may be worthy to work in some humble place in the house.

I was at the Wilbraham Second Advent camp meeting one year ago this fall, and there I saw a sample of the no-organization system. Such confusion of sentiment I never witnessed before. No two agreeing, it was contention all over the camp. It was Babylon truly. We have been so much afraid of Babylon that Satan will try to make us believe that anything like order is Babylon. I think that I have learned something of his devices in my experience, and I will try to profit by it.

Dear brethren, God has a true church; and he will have true leaders in the church. Now let us be true soldiers, ready to obey orders, and go up and help build the house of the Lord, and we shall soon see the salvation of God. O, I want a place among the pure and the holy ones. I want a place among the redeemed at last. Many times I have thought of Bro. Miller's beautiful dream. I want to quote a little of it. He says, after speaking of his death, in his dream, "I remembered

no more until I arrived at the top of the stairs, where I found myself in an upper room, filled with the purest light that my eyes ever beheld. I looked for the cause, but there was none: neither sun, nor moon, nor candle. The light was brighter than the brightest rays of the sun, yet it did not dazzle; it was as soft and easy to behold as the morning tints. The room appeared to be arched, yet I could not discover its hight. The floor appeared like crystal glass, very thick, yet it did not restrain the sight, for I could see all below. The room extended from east to west. On each hand was a walk, on which I saw many walking. I was directed to walk with them, when I found that they were singing, Hallelujah to the Lamb. The music was soft and sweet. It fell on the ear without any jar or pain. I beheld many persons that I knew. I heard them sing. No silent ones there. I thought of the love they had one for another. I thought I felt its fame, the pure, unadulterated love, no mixture of self beyond another. I saw of all denominations of Christians, yet all distinction was taken away. Here was a communion indeed. Here was no ennui, no hatred, no evil thoughts: nothing to hurt or annoy. O ye selfish votaries, could ye but see this happy throng, you would cover your faces with shame; you would hide if possible from the face of the Lamb and him that sitteth on the throne. I felt myself free from every clay, and all my soul was swallowed up in this celestial throng.'

God is trying us in this world to see if we will submit to discipline before we get into the kingdom; and if we will not be disciplined in this world to the church, how shall we join the church of the first-born in the kingdom of God? O let us be careful how we oppose this work, lest we be found on the outside with every unclean and abominable thing. We cannot be found within this temple of we oppose its organization, any more than the opposers of God's law can be found among the Sabbath-keepers. Nominal Adventists think they are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, when, in fact, they are continually opposing God's law. So, how can we be found working in the house of the Lord, when we are continually opposing its organization? If we oppose this work, shall we not be like those that opposed the Israelites when they built the house of the Lord? O let us not hinder the work. See Nehemiah iv. My prayer shall be, Lord strengthen the builders, and I will try to send them some things that they shall need. I believe that God has begun to bring his church together into the unity of the faith, a perfect, organized, holy church. Then the church will be prepared for the latter rain, and the loud voice of the third-angel. God will pour out a blessing upon his house, that there will not be room to receive it.

Your brother trying to overcome, that I may have a shelter in the day of wrath.

DEXTER DANIELS.

New Boston, Mass.