p. 162 | Spiritual Gifts by S. T. Cranson

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 21, 1862

Spiritual Gifts.

By S. T. Cranson

[The following article was written by our much lamented brother, Elder S. T. Cranson, a short time before his death in 1855, and was designed for the Advent Review. He wrote with pencil, intending to revise and re-write, but was never able to finish it. I have copied from the manuscript, correcting mistakes, but leaving the arguments as nearly in the language of the author as possible. Bro. Cranson was a very conscientious, truth-loving man—a man of great faith, and most ardently devoted to the cause of present truth. The article will be read with interest by all who were acquainted with, and appreciated the godly life of, its author. "He being dead, yet speaketh."—M. E. CONNELL.]

Was it the design of the great Head of the church that those gifts which he so abundantly bestowed on the primitive church should remain to the end of the gospel age?

This is a very important question to decide, and we cannot admit the opinions or mere assertions of men, however learned or popular. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii. 20.

We will first notice a few objections which are urged against the view that these gifts remain to the end of time.

OBJ. 1. The miraculous gifts of the primitive church were to establish the gospel, and that being done in the days of the apostles, they are no longer necessary.

This objection supposes that the confirming of the gospel was the only object to be accomplished by the gifts, but the objection is lame, having no scripture for its support. The true object of the gifts is set forth in the letter of Paul to the Ephesians, chap. iv, 11-13. "And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body [church] of Christ; till

we all come in 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."

Is the church now perfect? Have they all come to the unity of the faith? No honest man, with the knowledge of facts, will affirm it; hence, the gifts are still needed. The objector, to be consistent, must either prove that the church has received all the benefits of the gifts, as stated by the apostle, or admit their perpetuity.

OBJ. 2. But they were given to confirm the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles who were in great darkness!

Indeed! Are there no Jews and Gentiles now in great darkness? Are not idolatry and superstition as rampant now as in the days of the apostles? At no period since the flood, has wickedness prevailed to a greater extent than at the present time. The Jewish church was never more corrupt than the nominal churches of these last days. If ever miraculous power was needed to confront the powers of darkness, it is needed now.

OBJ. 3. Rev. xxii, 18, proves that all prophesying was to cease in A. D. 96, and any new revelation since that time would be "adding to" that prophecy.

This is a mere assertion without the least shadow of proof. Does Jesus affirm in the passage quoted that no revelation shall be given after John closes up the Apocalypse? Entire books of prophecy could be given, without adding anything to the book of Revelation given to John on Patmos, as well as that could be given without adding to the book of Isaiah.

Have miracles ceased? How then can a man know his sins are forgiven? Is not conversion a miracle? How is a man to know he has a call to preach, if it is not in some way revealed to him? It suits self-sent ministers to say that there has not been any special call to the ministry, by the great Head of the church, since the apostles' time. It is true the signs do not follow the popular preaching of this day. They were only to follow those who believe the true gospel. If God should work with them as he did with the apostles, he would give sanction to corrupt teaching and practice. But he has ever blessed according to the faith and purity of his people, and the promise extends to the end of time.

The perpetuity of miraculous powers may be proved, 1. By the word of God; and, 2. By authentic history of the church.

We will notice first the great commission to preach the gospel: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. xxviii, 19, 20.

There is no chance for caviling here. It is plain that this commission was given not only to the disciples, but to their successors, to the end of the world. The missionary operations of all denominations have been based upon this text—thus admitting its application to the entire Christian age. Now let us consider its parallel in Mark xvi, 15-18: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

The signs are to follow those who believe the gospel preached by the above commission, to the end of time. No one could ever think of limiting the commission to the apostles, were it not for the promise of the signs following. How dare men take such liberties with the word of God, to make it suit their own notions? How much better to give it the plain obvious sense. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He [every creature] that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he [every creature] that believeth not shall be damned; and these signs shall follow them [every creature] that believe," &c.

The signs following are as extensive as the command to preach, namely, to "every creature," and must extend to the end of probationary time.

Let the apostle Paul testify. In 1 Corinthians he writes to all saints in the Christian age. Read the dedication of the epistle in chap. i, 2: "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are

sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours."

Not only to the church at Corinth, but to all in every place who call upon the name of Christ, is this epistle directed. If any are now called to be saints, the letter is to them, assertion to the contrary notwithstanding.

In verse 7, those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord are said to come behind in no gift. But Christians in the apostles' days were taught not to expect the coming of the Lord in their day. See 2 Thess. ii, 1-3. Therefore the text must apply in later times. Those who witness the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, are the only ones who can rationally and scripturally look and wait for Christ's second coming. The present generation has witnessed the fulfillment of the signs, and we find many who are looking for the second coming of Christ.

Paul, writing to the saints "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," says, "Covet earnestly the best gifts." Chap. xii, 31. "Follow after charity; and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." Chap. xiv, 1. "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues." Verse 39.

The above is deemed sufficient for the Bible proof, though much more might be cited if necessary.

We will now introduce the testimony of historians for the perpetuity of miracles. In speaking of a martyr who had lived in the second century, Milner says: "He lived many years in France, and was generally known for his love of God and zealous regard for truth—a person of apostolical endowments."-Hist. p. 193.

Cyprian says: "The Holy Spirit is poured forth copiously; it is confined to no limits; is restrained by no barriers; he flows perpetually; he bestows in rich abundance. Let our heart only thirst and be open to receive him. As much and capacitates as we bring, so much abounding grace do we draw from him. Hence an ability is given with sober chastity, uprightness of mind, and purity of language, to heal the sick, to extinguish the force of poison, to cleanse the filth of distempered minds, to speak peace to the hostile; to give tranquility to the violent, and gentleness to the fierce; to compel, by menaces, unclean and wandering spirits to quit their hold of men; to scourge the foe, and by torments bring him to confess what he is."

On the above, Milner remarks: "The testimony here given to the ejection of evil spirits, as a common thing among Christians, even in the third century, deserves to be noticed, as a proof that miraculous influences have not altogether ceased in the church."

"Minutius Felix," continues Milner, "speaks to the same purpose, and I think with more precision: 'Being adjured by the living God, they tremble and remain wretched and reluctant in the bodies of men; they either leap out immediately, or vanish by degrees, as the faith of the patient or the grace of the person administering relief, may be strong or weak.'"-Hist., p. 254.

Milner adds: "Indeed the testimony of the fathers in these times is so general and so concurrent, that the fact itself cannot be denied without universally impeaching their veracity. We may safely, therefore, infer that such things were frequent among Christians."-Id.

To deny the existence of miraculous powers in the second, third, and fourth centuries, in the church, would be to reject the testimony of nearly every one of the most reliable historians. The only reason why they nearly ceased in the middle ages, was because truth and faith were almost gone. The signs were to follow the true believers.

S. T. CRANSON.