The Secession Movement in Iowa.
By Uriah Smith
We do not know that any considerations will justify the occupation of further space in the Review, in reference to the anti-vision movement which has been inaugurated in Iowa, inasmuch as enough has already been said to show the nature of that work, and to put the honest on their guard against having any sympathy or union with it. But there are some points which we can hardly forbear to notice. 1. The third resolution adopted by their conference, reads as follows: “Resolved, That although we disapprove of the course pursued by the Battle Creek authorities, we still have confidence in many of our Brothers and Sisters who have been led off by them, and cherish christian feelings toward them a tender sympathy in their behalf.”
What is the course of the Battle Creek authorities of which they disapprove? The course of the Review and its conductors has been the same from the beginning. From the very first they have pursued a straightforward and uniform course. Their object has been to devise and carry out the best means in the most effectual manner to spread the light of truth, and save souls; and from the very first they have advocated the doctrine of spiritual gifts in the Christian church, and53endorsed sister White's visions as one of those gifts. The only difference between the Review and its conductors as they first started out, and as they now stand, is that to-day they have firmer confidence in the gift of prophecy manifested among us, than ever before, and the mighty bulwarks of truth have been reared in statelier proportions, and polished to a brighter luster, under the diligent hands of those whose minds God has stirred up to this work. This even and steady course had been pursued by the body of Seventh-day Adventists for over ten years, before ever one of their preachers went to Marion, Iowa, to set the light of truth before the people of that place, and try to persuade them to embrace it. Some did embrace it, and took their stand apparently with the body. But now they refuse to endorse the means which this body thinks best to carry out the great work in which it has all along been engaged, and to secure the object which it has all along kept steadily in view. And having now disconnected themselves from this body, and the communion of this people, they turn round, and coolly, not to say impudently, offer their sympathy and pity to those who have been led off by the Battle Creek authorities! Their position here can not be mistaken. They make themselves to be the true people of God whom he is using and fitting up for himself in connection with this work; while those who have had the present truth in charge from the very beginning, and without whose instrumentality these persons would probably never have heard of the Sabbath and its kindred truths—these are the erratic and fractious ones, who are “leading off” the honest! Words are not necessary to set forth the ridiculous presumption manifested in this thing. It is as if the ugly excrescence that protrudes itself from the trunk of some fair oak, should turn around and offer its pity and commiseration to the tree, as if the tree, and not itself, was the unsightly distortion. 2. They disclaim the idea of being rebels. One fact will serve as the basis for an opinion on this point; namely, They once professed to identify themselves with the body of Sabbath-keepers, and they now refuse to go further with them. If they did not really associate themselves with the body at first, when they professed so to do, they were then hypocrites; if they did, they are now rebels. These are the only alternatives left them, and we presume no one will be disposed to dictate to them which they shall choose. 3. They say, “We are aware that we are taking a responsible and trying position, that we will incur the displeasure of our former brethren; become the subjects of devosion to the Formal churches, and the laughing-stock of the world.” We have given the above letter for letter, capitalizing, punctuation, spelling, and all, just as we find it in their circular now before us. But an irrepressible curiosity has seized us to know what is meant by being “subjects of devosion to the Formal churches.” Devosion. Reader, did you ever hear of that word before? We cannot find it. We know that Spiritualists are obliged to coin words to express their new and unheard-of feelings and relations; but we did not know that any other people were driven to that dire necessity. We shall watch with interest to see if they meet the terrible fate couched in that mysterious word, from which they seem to shrink with such instinctive horror! 4. They speak of “those who, disgusted and discouraged, stand waiting for the moving of the waters,” and add, “The waters will move when we move, and not before.” Allusion is probably here made to the pool of Bethesda, spoken of in John v., the waters of which at a certain season were troubled by an angel, and he that then first stepped in was made whole. But it strikes us that they have made quite an essential departure from the original. It seems they propose to move the waters themselves; but in the scripture case, the angel came down and moved the waters, and the people waited till the waters were so troubled before they moved at all. And we exceedingly question whether any good result would have followed, had some one through impatience, or any other passion, caught up a club and splashed it into that pool, and then dashed in himself in hopes to be benefited. The truth is, the waters must be moved by the angels of God, not by human beings, swayed by disaffection, prejudice, and passion. 5. We quote again from the circular: “We must move together, systematically in concert and harmony, if we expect to avoid being swallowed up.” Whether or not the writers of this had in mind the fate of their distinguished prototypes, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, when they penned this sentence, we cannot say. At any rate it is most appropriate language to be used by persons carrying on the movement in which they are engaged. The cases of those who rebelled of old in the wilderness are among the things written for our learning. They teach us that a like fate in some form or other will overtake all those who pursue a similar course. It is not strange, therefore, that frightful visions of being “swallowed up,” should be ever present to the imaginations of these individuals. We can inform them, moreover, that their “moving together” will not save them. Doubtless Korah, Dathan, and Abiram moved together, systematically and in concert; but the only result was that together they were swallowed up. Being thus fully warned in the Bible against the dangers of their course, both by precept and example, they can only blame themselves, should even the fate of “devotion” overtake them. U. S.